20/20

The video we watched in class last Monday was very disturbing to me. First the story of Appalachia was astounding. I had no idea that people in our country lived like that. It really makes me think about all the things that I take for granted. Just waking up and being able to make myself breakfast and take a shower never really seems like a big deal. But I can imagine that people in those rural areas have never really experienced that on a daily basis. It was very sad to see the football player do so well not only to drop out of college and go back to where he grew up. He actually was able to escape but even after that he was drawn back in. It is just a horrible that pattern that is going on.

The other video we watched was equally as disturbing. I knew that Camden was bad but the little boy Ivan is what hit me. He is a wonderful kid and never asked for any of this but the reality is that everyday is a struggle for him. I can remember being young and not truly appreciating school. I did well but I was basically just doing what I was told. It was amazing to just how much Ivan appreciated his first day of school. It is very sad to think that this thirst for learning could easily diminish by high school. He has a one in three chance of being incarcerated by the age of 18. It just makes me think of all the kids that have died, are in jail, in gangs, or selling drugs, could have all been like Ivan when they were little. The influences in these inner cities are destroying our eager youth.

Seeing these videos is very depressing but there is some optimism in my eyes. The story of these two kids makes me understand that the kids in these areas are not bad kids at all. They all have the eagerness to learn and succeed somewhere in them. It will be our job as future educators to find that in however many students we possibly can.