I am a twenty five year-old African-American woman who matured in a strong family environment and learned the virtues of education and hard work. My parents have been married for thirty-eight years, during which time they raised three children. Both have taught in primary and secondary schools for more than thirty years. In addition to raising a family and pursuing careers in education, both of my parents attended night school, earning graduate degrees in their respective fields and graduating at the top of their respective classes.
From their educational and life experiences, my parents distilled a few important principles and lessons, which they have passed on to my brothers and myself. First, there are few things more important in our society than family and education. As African-Americans struggling against the tide of institutional discrimination, my parents discovered that education and a strong sense of family are very important to maturing children. Consequently, I grew up with an enhanced sense of self and more self-esteem than many individuals of my age and background.
Second, my parents showed me the importance of striving to attain these benefits. Middle-class status was not given to my parents; they had to work hard for it. They struggled to achieve their educational goals while working and raising a family. From their struggle I learned that few things worth having in life are received as gifts; instead, one must work for them in order to realize their true value.
Third, my parents taught me that education is not something to be valued in and of itself. Rather, it is something whose value is to be measured by the possibilities which inhere in it. An individual with a graduate level education represents a societal asset. An individual with such an education possesses not only an opportunity to benefit society, but also an obligation to do so. Talents and skills must not be wasted on the pursuit of...