Acceptance
My group has chosen to examine the enigma that is education, specifically when it comes to education in rural settings. In my mind the first thing that needs to be examined is the meaning of the word “rural,” which according to Merriam-Webster is “of or relating to the country, country people or life, or agriculture.” The connotation of rural, when looking with the lens of education, brings to my mind little to no access to technology, conservative viewpoints, and a lack of diversity. Coming from the education, non-profit sector, I have witnessed some of the practices and structures that exist within some rural school districts and there are a lot of barriers that exist to help students not only earn their education, but also be able to take the next step in advancing either their education or their careers. Success for me with this specific problem would be to inform young people of the opportunities that exist in and out of their communities and help prepare them for whatever path they choose after high school graduation. Accepting the challenge of evaluating what goes on in rural education spaces will help me do a better job of supporting students from those areas throughout their post-secondary paths in the work that I currently do on a daily basis.
