NSHS

Equity in Education: Strides for Education

Students: Taban Malihi, Anaitha Menon, Elyssa Rosen, Neena Tarafdar & Ellen Vaynberg

Equity in education refers to the fair and just distribution of resources, opportunities, and support to all students, regardless of their background or circumstances. This includes ensuring that all students have access to high-quality educational resources that will enable them to succeed academically and in life. Some key issues related to equity in education include addressing disparities in funding and resources between schools, providing equal access to advanced coursework and extracurricular activities, and addressing the needs of underrepresented and marginalized student populations. Addressing equity in education is essential to ensure that all students have the opportunity to reach their full potential, for the ultimate goal of a more inclusive society.

Watching “On the Way to School”--a documentary that followed four students on their morning commutes to school in Kenya, Morocco, Argentina, and India--opened our eyes to the challenges that many students around the world face in accessing education. We noticed that the students highlighted in the documentary were all from non-US countries, but we knew that many students across the US also face such challenges. We were struck by the many environmental and socioeconomic barriers these students face, including lack of transportation, lack of sidewalks, and lack of safety. To gain a better understanding of these challenges, and abiding by UNESCO’s “Think Globally, Act Locally” statement, we decided to walk 5k to simulate how some people have to get to school every day.

Walking 5k was challenging, and we quickly realized how tiring it can be to walk that far every day. We also realized that it would be difficult to focus on learning after such a long walk, we were tired, and felt mentally and physically exhausted. After the walk, we felt drained and unfit to learn for the entire day. It made us think about the impact that this type of journey has on students' daily lives and how it affects their ability to learn and succeed in school.

We decided to document our experience by making a video of the walk. We wanted to share our experience with others, to raise awareness of the challenges that some students face, and to inspire others to take action to address the issue of equity in education. This experience has made us more aware of the importance of addressing equity in education, and we hope that our video will help to raise awareness and inspire others to take action.