Education | Ahna Hendrix

In the midst of the country’s economic hardship, educational programs are on the chopping block, and teachers are receiving pink slips instead of paychecks.

Administrators decide which classes and programs should be included in curriculums, while students are suffering in bigger classrooms with less attention from teachers.

In light of these obstacles, Mike Kelley, chairman of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education, is on a mission to persuade public schools to become year-round for the 2011-12 school year.

Year-round schooling is an excellent alternative for Orange County Schools.

Kelley has seen little improvement in the school system and believes this modification would greatly improve student testing scores and be a positive change for the community.

Year-round schooling might seem like a foreign concept, but it has gained momentum throughout the country in the past decade with more states adopting the program.

In 2007, more than two million students in elementary and secondary schools in the U.S. attended year-round schools.

The downside for Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools would be a return to zero-based budgeting, which doesn’t guarantee the same level of funding from year to year.

Although parents might be alarmed that the program could cut vacation time for students, there are a variety of year-round models.

The program is part of a list of priorities that will be discussed at the June 24 school board meeting. The list contains nine separate priorities that will be directed towards Superintendent Neil Pederson to review in the coming year.

While the pros and cons surrounding year-round schooling are intense and murky, what remains clear is that education should always be a top priority.

Teachers, parents and students alike should take the time to become well informed and attend the board meeting. It will be open to public input.

Education has somehow taken a backseat to more short-term economic issues, but it remains the most important investment in our nation’s future.

(An editorial written for the Daily Tar Heel (one I don’t agree with) http://www.dailytarheel.com/content/educational-priority-orange-county-schools-should-go-year-round )

These days it seems everywhere I look there is a new disaster.

Whether it’s the depressing pictures of the oil spill, new talk of more education cuts, the rage ensuing in Arizona or the never-ending war in the Middle East, we are inundated with intense realities.

In a world that is constantly at odds with itself, mother-nature, or the next-door neighbor, I think it is important to remain inspired in our own personal lives.

While this may sound silly, I truly believe it is anything but. In this day and age inspiration is not easy to come by.

As the environment around us seeks to tear us down, we should be reminded why it is that we continue on.

I have never been a person with a glorified hero.

As a child I wanted to grow up to be a famous singer.

I oozed respect for several artists, but even these intriguing figures were still human. I knew they were capable of falling short of the expectations I held, so I never put them on a pedestal.

Music always has and always will inspire me.

But as I’ve become a young adult, I’ve found that the people in my life are a true source of motivation for me.

My mother is a woman who masters everything she tries, and I have a father who will never give up.

My friends and peers are striving to be better individuals, and even I have learned to be inspired by my own strength at times.

I attended Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College before transferring to UNC-CH. The diverse age groups made it easy to become inspired with those around me.

When I was stressed or feeling overburdened I could easily look around at my classmates and know that one might have kids at home or another might have a business to manage, in addition to a college load.

Their lives kept my life in perspective.

When I arrived at UNC, I found myself surrounded by a different brand of stimulating individuals.

The students I share classes with have such big dreams and want great things in their lives.

The majority of them are swimming toward their goals and the others are steadily wading in, awaiting their turn.

All of these people will make a difference in the world. They want to see change and they are prepared to make the sacrifices to do so.

The deal is this: whether in school, working or just living life, there are a million reasons to be inspired in our everyday lives.

The world is tough, but it’s up to the individual to make the best of it.

While many people may say pursuing a career in journalism is not the best idea these days, I refuse to put myself inside any definitions or terms.

It is our own personal distinctions that will propel us to be successful.

We are meant to feel the life we live, not live the life we feel.

(Editorial for Daily Tar Heel http://www.dailytarheel.com/content/become-inspired-your-own-life)

An educational priority: Orange County Schools should go year-round

Become Inspired With Your Own Life