My Education is the Key to a Successful Future

673 Words2 Pages

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world;” this simple statement by South Africa’s first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela, expresses a fundamental truth of the world- something as simple as education can change everything. A constantly changing geopolitical environment has continued to place increasing amounts of emphasis on obtaining a post-secondary school education. Despite this, as many as 16% of all Americans ages 16-24 drop out before completing a secondary school education and obtaining a diploma.(1) The question which few dare to consider, which I now find myself faced with, is simple: how my education is the key to a successful future. To completely grasp the extent which my education may impact the future, in a positive manner, two things must fall into consideration- how education will ensure a successful future for myself, and how it may enable me to ensure a successful future for those around me.

Before the importance of my education on society’s future success may be understood, first the importance of it to my personal being must be determined. A graduating senior, future West Point cadet, and subsequent United States Army officer upon graduation, the realization of what an education will contribute to my future is not lost on me; every aspect of education is vital to one becoming a successful and productive member of society. History’s importance can simply be summed with the age-old adage, “those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.” Mathematics and science teach of the world around us and how life works on its most basic levels, helping everyone understand themselves. Language, literature, and the cultural arts all work to endow people with a greater...

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...o be the best leader and commander possible, as well as serving to ensure that others find their lives easy and free. Horace Mann, pioneer of American education simply commented, “a human being is not attaining his full heights until he is educated.” If humanity is to stand tall and successful, every member must first be educated.

Works Cited

1. "'High school dropout crisis' continues in U.S., study says." CNN U.S.. Cable News Network, 5 May 2009. Web. 13 Feb. 2011. .

2. Bell, Sandra F., Gabrielle M. Anderson, Herbert I. Dunn, Brian G. Hackett, and Joseph W. Kirschbaum. "Military Education: DOD Needs To Enhance Performance Goals and Improve Oversight of Military Academies." . GAO, Sept. 2003. Web. 13 Feb. 2011. .

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