by Remi Omodara
Part of Whitworth’s mission statement states we will “serve humanity.” Service can cover a broad range of actions, but for us as students, it can be vividly seen in reaching out to our needy community. It is easy to focus on the fact that we are busy.
Every one of us is busy with assignments, work and even trying to maintain a social life. We get so wrapped up in our lives that in a way, it consumes us. We forget about the reality that exists off of our campus and even forget just how lucky we are.
Truth be told, we have been blessed. We all come from different walks of life, we all have different financial situations, and we all have different stories to tell, but we are all at Whitworth. Therefore, we have been blessed. Some of us have been rewarded by the love of parents; others have been blessed by inspirational figures who reminded them of their capabilities. In one way or another, there has been a force in our lives that has driven us to succeed.
The new club on campus, Students for Education Reform, strives to be that driving force in the lives of students beyond our campus.
Many people think that the club is solely for education majors, but the truth is that there is already a wide range of non-education major students in the club, even on the executive board. It all began with a dream. Chapter leader junior Macy Olivas brought the club to campus and now has around 15 passionate members joining her at the front lines; but it doesn’t have to stop there. The club is still looking for members to join in the race to help kids succeed. The club has already had its first major event on Community Building Day, assisting Catholic Charities.
There are also chapters in various campuses around the country, such as Princeton and Harvard, fighting for the same cause. “We might be a small school, but Whitworth Pirates can move mountains,” Olivas said.
To achieve its goal, the club will host on-campus events, interact with kids in schools to encourage and help them succeed, and inform the community about why there needs to be reform in the education system.
Reform the chapters all over the country would like to see includes teachers whose No. 1 goal is to see their students succeed. They would also like to see there be equal opportunity for every student, whether rich or poor. Through this, the school would become a place of growth and success.
When I first heard about the club, I wanted to support it, but I felt I didn’t have the time for it. I told myself that the club would do perfectly fine without me.
While this may be true, it doesn’t excuse me from this great cause. I was once a child who didn’t know much, but I can proudly say that I am where I am today because someone took the time to work on me.
Someone spent the time with me that I needed to ensure my success. During elementary school, my mom made a commitment to help me with my schoolwork every day. When I didn’t understand, she still believed in me. However, some people don’t have parents like that, which is where we can help.
Through this club, I feel that people can become more open-minded and gain awareness for the necessity of reform. You may already have too many time commitments. This may be out of your comfort zone. However, think back to your story and remember the days of middle school and high school. Remember realizing what you wanted to do with your life, but not knowing how you would get there. Then remember that someone also spent time on you and helped you get to this fine institution.
A lot of the kids with whom this club will be working don’t have the positive reinforcement in their lives, and they may be counting on our support for success.
It is such a powerful thing to think that we can be a part of making history and influencing the future of a young one. Spend your time because someone spent time on you.