By Iris Brambila
Yes, most of us plan to get through high school and into a good college, but what good is that image if you don’t have the resources or are informed on how to reach your goals? Not all of us are exposed to a role model to ask all the question one might have or the programs and extra help to get us through this obstacle.
Currently I’m a 16 year old junior facing this issue of not having a support system and resources I wish I was exposed to. Not having a support system while still wanting to earn a education immediately worries me. I deal with not having the motivation I need to push myself. All I’m told is to get good grades since the adults in life aren’t informed with all the other criterias needed, such as all test scores to get into a UC. They don’t know how competitive the real world has gotten and that has reflected on myself doubt.
A support system can be anything from friends, family, teachers, and counselors. As crazy as it might sound, not all of us are exposed to these options. This may be due to how we’re raised or experiences in life that doesn’t let us acknowledge our strengths. This inevitably affects our perspective on our goals and academics in school. It’s one thing to not want to further your career, and another to not know that it’s an option. First generations students are often raised in poverty or through violence at home,which takes a toll on their motivation, and they struggle with steps to believe that they themselves can achieve a career.
Currently I’m a 16 year old junior facing this issue of not having a support system and resources I wish I was exposed to. Not having a support system while still wanting to earn a education immediately worries me. I deal with not having the motivation I need to push myself. All I’m told is to get good grades since the adults in life aren’t informed with all the other criterias needed, such as all test scores to get into a UC. They don’t know how competitive the real world has gotten and that has reflected on myself doubt.
A support system can be anything from friends, family, teachers, and counselors. As crazy as it might sound, not all of us are exposed to these options. This may be due to how we’re raised or experiences in life that doesn’t let us acknowledge our strengths. This inevitably affects our perspective on our goals and academics in school. It’s one thing to not want to further your career, and another to not know that it’s an option. First generations students are often raised in poverty or through violence at home,which takes a toll on their motivation, and they struggle with steps to believe that they themselves can achieve a career.
Consequences of not having a support system while trying to get an education includes stress; one thinks they’re not good enough, and as if their goals are impossible to reach. Negative ways of which people react to these consequences are feelings of anger, sad, and loneliness.
Others lose all sense of of motivation and give up on school, or fall into the wrong steps. You might’ve not realized how much having a support system affects you, or think of where you would be without those people. The positives effects of having a support system can significantly change a person's perspective and their whole lives around.
A great example of a person who has changed their life around, proving that a support system really does change a person, is Dr. Victor Rios. He grew up poor, fatherless, and in a gang. He dropped out of school and became hopeless.
Rios wrote a book “Street Life,” where he connects his experiences with personal and institutional "illusions", and how they contribute to academic failure which is reflected on his life. He was jumped into a gang at age 13 , and has been incarnated several times. He has attempted to dropped twice the first time in the eighth grade because of poverty,and the second time because of his use and selling of drugs along with,robbing and, being gang affiliated.
Rios didn’t think he was smart enough to make it through school, but what he did know was how to run the streets and earn money that way. After witnessing his best friend’s tragic murder he decided to transform his own life. He wouldn’t have been able to do this without the support of educators and mentors. With their support he was able to finish school and further himself to acquiring a PhD from UCSB .
Former CEO of Baltimore of public schools, Sunja Brookins says “If we’ve been giving kids worksheet with simplistic answers for years and then get upset when they can’t write a five-paragraph essay or recognized subject-verb agreement, that’s not the kids , that’s us."
Counselor's and some teachers are failing to teach and support their student's needs to sucess. How are they supposed to feel motivated and push themselves when their teachers aren’t showing that they care enough to teach like one wishes they did?
Abraham was one of those who didn’t feel that he had what was needed to even finish high school. When interviewed, he mentions how he himself didn’t have a support system that he could rely on education wise and personal wise.
When asked about how school had failed him he responded with “Well i made a few meetings with my counselors and they said they’ll call me back but never did, or just say that they would help me with all my classes but they never did. Or they’ll say they would get back in contact with me but i never heard from them again."
He later includes how he wasn’t informed of any programs that they offer at school to help with graduation, or when CST’s were happening. He was also having some personal issues that he carried on, and even though teachers were aware of it, they just gave him space and offer no help. He later lost any motivation of showing up to school. Dropping out is just one of the most common consequence of not having a support system.
According to dosomething.org, every 26 sec, 7000 per day, and 1.2 million a year, high students are dropping out. Most of these students are underprivileged and struggle with family and community poverty. PBS Newshour also mentions how in 44 out of the 50 states, only 37% percent of students who are enrolled in college have the “hidden curriculum“. This means that the majority aren’t meeting the math and reading skills required. As stated by www.forbes.com, there’s about 24% of students today who are both first-generation and low income. This supports the fact that only 11% of that 24% will graduate within those six years.
Now I ask what could’ve been of dropout students if they had a support system that helped that along the way. Victor Rios has proven that having a support system can expand one’s self expectation and push them to their limits. Having all the right resources and information reassures a person so they won’t have to doubt themselves and have what it takes to get through college . With all of this said I think people should pay more attention of the needs a student needs so they can better succeed in life.
Others lose all sense of of motivation and give up on school, or fall into the wrong steps. You might’ve not realized how much having a support system affects you, or think of where you would be without those people. The positives effects of having a support system can significantly change a person's perspective and their whole lives around.
A great example of a person who has changed their life around, proving that a support system really does change a person, is Dr. Victor Rios. He grew up poor, fatherless, and in a gang. He dropped out of school and became hopeless.
Rios wrote a book “Street Life,” where he connects his experiences with personal and institutional "illusions", and how they contribute to academic failure which is reflected on his life. He was jumped into a gang at age 13 , and has been incarnated several times. He has attempted to dropped twice the first time in the eighth grade because of poverty,and the second time because of his use and selling of drugs along with,robbing and, being gang affiliated.
Rios didn’t think he was smart enough to make it through school, but what he did know was how to run the streets and earn money that way. After witnessing his best friend’s tragic murder he decided to transform his own life. He wouldn’t have been able to do this without the support of educators and mentors. With their support he was able to finish school and further himself to acquiring a PhD from UCSB .
Former CEO of Baltimore of public schools, Sunja Brookins says “If we’ve been giving kids worksheet with simplistic answers for years and then get upset when they can’t write a five-paragraph essay or recognized subject-verb agreement, that’s not the kids , that’s us."
Counselor's and some teachers are failing to teach and support their student's needs to sucess. How are they supposed to feel motivated and push themselves when their teachers aren’t showing that they care enough to teach like one wishes they did?
Abraham was one of those who didn’t feel that he had what was needed to even finish high school. When interviewed, he mentions how he himself didn’t have a support system that he could rely on education wise and personal wise.
When asked about how school had failed him he responded with “Well i made a few meetings with my counselors and they said they’ll call me back but never did, or just say that they would help me with all my classes but they never did. Or they’ll say they would get back in contact with me but i never heard from them again."
He later includes how he wasn’t informed of any programs that they offer at school to help with graduation, or when CST’s were happening. He was also having some personal issues that he carried on, and even though teachers were aware of it, they just gave him space and offer no help. He later lost any motivation of showing up to school. Dropping out is just one of the most common consequence of not having a support system.
According to dosomething.org, every 26 sec, 7000 per day, and 1.2 million a year, high students are dropping out. Most of these students are underprivileged and struggle with family and community poverty. PBS Newshour also mentions how in 44 out of the 50 states, only 37% percent of students who are enrolled in college have the “hidden curriculum“. This means that the majority aren’t meeting the math and reading skills required. As stated by www.forbes.com, there’s about 24% of students today who are both first-generation and low income. This supports the fact that only 11% of that 24% will graduate within those six years.
Now I ask what could’ve been of dropout students if they had a support system that helped that along the way. Victor Rios has proven that having a support system can expand one’s self expectation and push them to their limits. Having all the right resources and information reassures a person so they won’t have to doubt themselves and have what it takes to get through college . With all of this said I think people should pay more attention of the needs a student needs so they can better succeed in life.