Being Fortunate & Finding Your Reality

Being Fortunate & Finding Your Reality

High up in the sky, not in control. Giving Mother Nature my life in whole. What can you do as a person when you are 32,000 feet off the ground? You put your Faith in God and fear not. You realize that in a blink of an eye, your life could be over.

Just as it is on ground level, your life is in your hands, but too often, we get familiar with every day practices and routines that we forget about how fortunate we are to be breathing, hearing, seeing, walking, and more. Therefore, worrying over the things we commonly do is unnecessary. Truly, what will worrying do other than create more stress and cause more tension in our lives with those who we interact with. If we considered how fortunate we are of EVERY thing, we'd be too grateful to even worry about the greatest of problems that in our worried minds, would cause a 'terrible' effect to our lives, reputation, salary, or future.

Our outlook on life is our own opinion. Deciding on what is right and what is wrong is also our own opinion to an extent. We, as American citizens believe that we know it all and can use our name as a way of living our life and as an answer to every problem. We see one percent of the world in our own world, therefore; we are seeing a mere .01% of the world beyond us. We make judgments off others prejudgments that have been passed down through generations over the years. We never make our own decisions based off our own knowledge because we have already been advised by media, government, and others on how to go about solving problems and reasoning. Additionally, we cannot always listen to our parents because they too, have been educated by a predecessor who was told what to do and how to do it. It is about time we begin thinking about what is right for not only our individual self, but the body of people in this world, not just our community or not just our country. To some people and to my family at times, I am considered as one who does not understand the setup that has been created for us or that I am unaware of how ‘dreamy’ my thoughts are and that I do not live in reality. But what is reality? What is the way of life for us all? Who is to determine such a question? The way of living is to be discovered by each individual who is brought into this world and our life is a journey that we are living in and growing in, in order to understand what OUR purpose was for this world and what difference we were to make.

I am waiting for something to happen, but I do not know what it will be. I am done living the way we have been told to live and that is..."You can be whoever you want to be, just keep chasing your dreams." Well anyone can say words to motivate you, but we say great things, but where are the great things? We talk the talk, but never walk the walk. We as a society have yet to realize that we are not living in the moment, but rather just riding along for the ride as a spectator. It is those who do not watch and those who are not satisfied that become the leaders of our world.

I myself make the mistake of saying so much and planning to accomplish the most, but then I fall short of some tasks. However, I have discovered that striving for the best and falling short sometimes is similar to wanting to learn new things by taking new courses and not receiving the highest grade. If you are learning new things or motivating yourself in any form or fashion, then you are growing. Striving for greatness is a sign of someone who is not satisfied and one who is not only determined, but passionate. And taking a course and not doing well is still not a waste of time if you can tell yourself something new that you took from the course. The world is constantly offering new hints, knowledge, and insight for us to access, but it is up to us to discover it, capture it, and store it in our minds. Find your reality. Find your passion. Accomplish your purpose.

-Austin McClain Baker

Austin Baker 

Twitter/Instagram: @ABakerPresident

DreamsDriveDetermination@gmail.com

Austin.Baker25@yahoo.com

More Than One Path

More Than One Path

            Doctors will tell you something is wrong or that maybe you and the doctor are aware that something is not right, but neither of you can identify the reason or the location of the problem. And these doctors received an education from the most prestigious of Universities’. And yet, they paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for their education unless they were on scholarship AND they still cannot manage to pinpoint any problems better than an average human-being with no learning history in the medical field can? We as humans feel that there is a problem and there is one. Sometimes we know when something good is going to happen, and it does, but before we knew so, we had no clue what the good thing would be.

Now, I just know something is wrong or that I am waiting for something, but I do not know what it is. I feel an urge to move faster ahead with my life than the speed of a regular day. I want to get to the doing now and begin my life. I feel myself saying that I am fine and thinking that everything is going to be fine, but then when I think about how I have made some poor mistakes and held a 2-point something GPA, I realize that I am not doing much right. I have an internship, a job, involvement in clubs, and Freshman Class President of our class, but I am not living the lifestyle in which I should be living. The problem is that I do not know what the lifestyle I am supposed to be living is like.

Then, I see the majority of students and kids around me having fun, partying, and doing well academically, but I do not see where they get the time to do both. I study 24/7 in regards to academics and my extracurriculars and jobs, and still; I hardly have time to party, so the partying cannot be the issue. Therefore, how is my GPA at a 2-point something. I excel in three of my five classes, I have not skipped one class period this entire semester, and I have tutors for the two classes I do not have an ‘A’ in. I meet with them twice per week and study with students from my class.

I truly believe that the classes are not what I am here for. For example, I have an ‘A’ in both Astronomy and English. Additionally, I do not work as hard in English to get an ‘A’ as I do in Math to receive a ‘D’. So, if GPA means everything, aren't the students who are academically gifted, such as I am in English at a disadvantage when it comes to the real-world? I believe that if I was good at Math or Spanish from the beginning, I would not need Calculus because I would be like some kids in my class who hardly ever show up, never do their homework, and still manage to get a 96 on a test. In result, if students already understand the material from the start, why take the class? We are told to stop wasting our lives time after time by leaders, but then we are in a classroom taking courses that have no effect on our future lives for 99% of the students in the classroom. I can go on Lumosity.com and train my brain for free if the answer to my question is that students are taught to solve problems differently and to increase memory. Secondly, I am not trying as hard in courses I am already excelling in because I literally do not need to, for I can no longer challenge myself. In support of my assumption, a student who plays basketball with his same friends learns their strengths and weaknesses to the extent to where he or she can beat his or her opposing friend on a daily basis. Although that friend can find new friends, or students can take higher level courses, many students do not have any desire for those classes. With the money students are paying for college today, why I am scolded and looked down on for scoring poorly? I should not have to take a physical education class or an assortment of General Education requirements that are unnecessary for my future. I understand that grades for students are in place so that we do not pay for college just to party and sit on our couches and watch TV all day, but I am involved more than ever because I see more value in extracurricular involvement than I do in classroom learning. I respect learning in the classroom, and I have learned a remarkable amount this first-semester as a freshman. But in all honesty, since high school, I have learned only how to memorize and apply facts from a textbook to paper that determines whether or not I remembered what color t-shirt John was wearing at dinner or if I could memorize formulas to a math problem. I want to agree with my peers, teachers, and family that education is important in the classroom, but I can and will not. I understand that I may not have the credentials that a company wants from me, but what does it matter to me if I am not on this planet for the money. Can someone really tell me that if I do not get an education from a University, then I will not accomplish my dreams? You can never stop a person from accomplishing their dreams through your voice or through your actions, only through death. Honestly. Recruiters can waive me off. My friends can laugh. My teachers can shake their heads. But in the end, someone in this world is looking for someone with the desire to accomplish anything and everything, and that same person has the identical values as me and has done just fine in this world in regards to financial wealth.

Our society stresses the importance of wealth and its correlation with power. Our society presses the importance of a conventional life. Our society feels that it is safest to travel down the same path that everyone else has taken. Why can’t I take a different path? Nobody is stopping us from doing what we want except ourselves. Although it may be more difficult to find a job, live a stable life, or meet the wants that everyone we have ever known wanted for us, I believe that I can and I will meet my goals and reach the peak of the mountain holding all of my dreams. Many people will not understand where I am headed or the way my mind thinks, but I just have the ‘urge’ to go a different way and to keep learning through experiencing.

If you fail in life the only thing you will not have will be money. Think about it. You will still have a family. You will still be alive. And most importantly, you will still have God. It is as if money is the only thing society is focused on. Chase the dream, not the green.

-Austin McClain Baker

Austin Baker 

Twitter/Instagram: @ABakerPresident

DreamsDriveDetermination@gmail.com

Austin.Baker25@yahoo.com

Literacy Narrative

Literacy Narrative

            Learning to read and write was never difficult for me because my parents were avid readers and I looked up to my older sister who was always eager to dive into a novel. Throughout elementary school, I was the kid who read a book a day and then checked out another book a minute after. I enjoyed finishing books and taking the online tests that went along with them because I could receive points and the student with the most points received an award. I won the award in fourth grade. I had no competition. It was not that no one else read books and took the tests, but rather, it was because I had distanced myself in my level of proficiency and passion to read. I read 48 books and passed 43 of them. I was also a devoted writer in my early days; writing short stories for a comedic purpose to share with my classmates during break-time. In elementary school, I scored exceptionally well on all of my English and writing tests and the state-given final exams. I had no trouble to any extent with my ability to succeed in writing or English up until my junior year of high school. Junior year of high school is the toughest year for students because colleges begin to recruit and classes are more rigorous because students are striving to impress the universities’ in which they are applying to.

            It all started on the first day of my junior year when I was assigned an essay prompt, “I Believe”. I was eager to write an essay on such a broad topic. I had several ideas traveling through my mind, almost like the way a little boy’s mind scrambles when he is required to choose one ice cream flavor from a list of twenty. I went home that night feeling excited about the first day and how perfect my classes were because all of my best friends were seated next to me and I even had some cute girls in my class. I finished all of my math, science, and history homework and then took a shower before eating a family dinner. After dinner, I took my laptop upstairs and plopped it on my desk. I pulled out my headphones, turned on some music, and opened up Microsoft word. I began writing freely, attempting to strike gold with a remarkable essay. I formed an idea of which I began to write around. Starting the paper off with, “How did I begin to believe”? I wanted to travel backwards and answer the question of why someone believes something. I had a structured essay with no grammatical errors and I was confident that my professor would score my paper with distinction. After turning in my paper and after a few days passing by, our teacher had graded the papers and they were ready to be handed back. Our teacher was walking in circles around the classroom struggling to remember everyone’s names while passing back our essays. I was awaiting mine with a sense of nervousness even though I was positive that I scored well. When I received my paper, I saw red pen marks; the “red pen marks which usually signify errors”. I flipped my paper over with assurance, only to see an 80 on the top right corner of my paper. I had just received a ‘C’ on a paper that was issued, “I Believe”…A paper that was supposed to be written on something I believe in. How can someone grade the value of what someone believes in if we all have our own beliefs and perspectives on life? From that exact moment of seeing a low score, I knew the teacher did not like me and I had no intention of considering her an effective instructor.

            Of all my classes, English had always been the most preferable class to take and I never had an issue with any of my prior teachers. But after having a teacher who graded me harshly for so many assignments and tests, I had no intentions of caring anymore in English. I started seeing myself more interested in a depressing science classroom than I did in English. We were given AP practice essays to test our ability to write and I scored in the 3-5 range. I repeat; I scored in the range of a 60-76 range, which is an average of a ‘D’ grade. I am not a ‘D’ student and my work ethic surely did not reflect even the lowest of a ‘B’ average. I told my other teachers, my parents, and the principal of everything I had been doing to score well. I went to tutoring at 6:00AM three days a week to strengthen my writing skills and I went to everyone asking for help. I saw no results in my grades; if anything my grades in other classes went down because I had placed so much of my energy into English.

            Over the rest of the semester and into the second semester, I had kept a solid, ‘82’ average in English and A’s and B’s in each of my other courses. I was attempting every possible plan and idea to earn a higher grade. I began writing to please my teacher, rather than writing for what was on my mind and I saw lower grades. I did not understand her reasoning. I listed her as the number one teacher for being irrational and illogical. I spoke with her many times about how I could improve my grades and we were on the same page and we connected with one another. She was one of the most sociable and personal teachers I have met when she was off-duty as a teacher, but inside the classroom, I could not take her anymore. I felt enraged with an unknowing sense of anger because my hard-work was not paying off and my determination to succeed was diminishing because the results I had hoped for were buried deep beyond my reach.

            With less than three weeks of school left in session, I knew that I needed to bring my grade up to a ‘B’ or I would receive my first ‘C’ in my entire life of schooling. It was a sunny Friday afternoon and school had just been let out and I had to stay after school to make up a quiz with my English teacher. I was just looking forward to the weekend and had no desire to be at school for any longer. I took my quiz and handed it to my English teacher. She asked me how I felt about the class and if I had learned anything over the course of the school year and I said to her, “Personally, I have only learned that with effort you do not always succeed, but I am irritated that my grade is a ‘C’, which is considered ‘average’ by the State of North Carolina. If I knew hard work was going to earn me a ‘C’, why try? She told me to think about the school year and to study for the final exam and the essay, counted for 25% of the final exam. I waived her off and just thought she was the average teacher who said, “Study and you’ll be fine.” That is too broad for success to result from. I left that day and enjoyed my weekend. I came back to school the next week and we worked on a couple of practice tests and essays and my scores were still at 4’s and 5’s, but I felt that I was understanding the material more and more because our teacher pulled out an essay prompt we did on the second week of school and my mentality on what to write at the beginning of the year was far less persuading than how I decided to write it at the end of the year.

            At that very moment, I realized that my teacher was not trying to be the ‘harsh’ teacher that we all have at one point in our lives. She was helping me reach my true potential as both a writer and as a person. I learned how to control my emotions with maturity. I learned how to communicate effectively with an adult regarding business and in my case, grades. I learned more about myself from that class then I did from any other course. I respect Mrs. Danielle Volker (Danielle Cupples) because she wanted the best for me, and she was one of a select few teachers who have truly pushed me to the maximum. Essentially, our perspectives at the beginning of a situation are like judging a book by its cover before opening a single page. In life we must allow for the story to unfold and we must not quit when the results we are looking for do not fall our way.

            So, growing up I was always an avid reader and writer who never had any trouble with my ability to write a persuasive essay or to report on a book that was over five-hundred pages. But as I grew up and reached high school, challenges arose and junior year was a year to remember because I learned that there is always something new to learn and that education never ends and new knowledge is always beneficial. Being literate comes not only from reading books or writing, but also from the experiences we encounter and work through. Experiences shape our minds, heart, and our eyes. These three combine to shape our understanding in life. In life we must converse with others, communicate, and work with one another. If we experience, we learn and when we learn we grow. If we are growing we must be moving forward and literate people are educated individuals who have experienced a lot through books and through living life’s never-ending journey.

-Austin McClain Baker

Austin Baker 

Twitter/Instagram: @ABakerPresident

DreamsDriveDetermination@gmail.com

Austin.Baker25@yahoo.com

Learning Experience

Learning Experience

            As you enter your freshman year of college, you realize that you can start on a new slate and you can be whoever you choose to be. Usually, you will attempt to change and be someone other than you were in high school, but in the end your true character will unfold itself and trying to be someone other than yourself will not work to your advantage. When you leave high school, you leave your friends and past life in the back of your mind and begin focusing on your new journey. That journey begins with learning how to sign up for classes, knowing where your lectures are held, figuring out how to purchase food, and much more. However, the most important part of the journey is discovering who you are and discovering who your true friends are. In college, you will constantly come across new people and you will build relationships and make new connections with students from across the country and beyond.

            However, meeting hundreds and maybe even thousands of people will make you feel as if you are friends with everyone. You will have hundreds of phone numbers, followers on social media sites, and you will know the names of so many. But, if you sit back and think about which ones are your true friends, how do you know? Ask yourself the question, “If I were to leave college today, how many of the people that I met would contact me ever again to see how I am doing?” So, how do we know who our true friends are?

            Well, it is the ‘learning experience’ which enables you with the ability to clearly determine who will always be there for you. In college, we are learning a different life in a foreign environment. We are persistently learning fresh knowledge about life, relationships, academics, ourselves, and miscellaneous information that we will use to be successful. It takes messing up to not make a mistake again. Therefore, it takes experiencing to even have the chance of making a poor decision. So does this mean that we should all make poor decisions early in our lives so that we may have a wider understanding of how not to mess up? Yes and no. We should not aim to make non-intellectual decisions, but once you enter adulthood, any decision can affect your reputation and ability to acquire a job. Making one corrupt choice can cause your downfall when you reach an age where you are expected to never make poor judgments. For college students, the time is almost at its end to make poor decisions and still be able to bounce back in a reasonable amount of time.

            Essentially, the most important aspect of college besides attaining an education is to find yourself and to find who your true friends are. Secondly, it takes the ‘learning experience’ to realize who your true friends are and inside of the ‘learning experience’ consists of several things. First, you must mess up to find who your friends are. You will know when you messed up and learned something that will serve to better you when you wake up and think about who was there to help you. You must fail. Without failing, how do you know how it feels to be at a low-point in your life? You must also learn to adapt. If you cannot adapt to your surroundings, you will never grow. If you are not growing, you will fail to reach your highest potential. You will experience a lot in college and will learn an abundance of life-knowledge.

            In my perspective, you will learn more in one weekend than you will learn in a week in college. Academics are vital to your success, but life-skills and common sense, which is only attained through experiencing firsthand, is what enables you to accomplish the toughest of tasks. If you do not know who you are, then what purpose does academic knowledge have? It starts with YOU and discovering what YOU enjoy doing, what YOU want to do with YOUR life, and who YOU want to be. We are in college to learn and gain new knowledge, but we are also here for four years or more if we head to graduate school, to learn about the things we cannot be taught by a professor or by our parents.

            You will discover who your true friends are when you have a poor experience or make a poor decision because those who care about you will be by your side the entire time. You will have your friends. You will have your best buds. You will have your party friends. You will have your business friends. And you will have your lifelong friends. You place the people you know into different groups based on their importance and connection to you. Learning is endless. Find who you are and find who your true friends are. Learn to learn and live to learn.

 -Austin McClain Baker

Austin Baker 

Twitter/Instagram: @ABakerPresident

DreamsDriveDetermination@gmail.com

Austin.Baker25@yahoo.com

Taking A Chance

Taking A Chance

            Something we always try to do is win. We see everything as a competition because in reality, everything is a competition. We are being tested through everything we do, everything we act on, and every decision we make. However, when it comes to relationships and finding someone we want to be with, people choose to make the competition between one another. When things go wrong, each partner wants to ‘play hard to get’ and they each want to make the other jealous. Our world thrives off jealousy. If you ask someone what they are most self-conscious about, many will say their appearance or what others think of them. Therefore, when one partner in a relationship plays hard to get, the other will want that partner even more. Another thing; people want to take time off and want to wait and see where things go. The average person will want to wait and see if they like a person and then come back to them. With trust and knowing that you are attracted to someone both physically and emotionally, why wait? If you like someone, don’t play the ‘game’ of playing hard to get or trying to make the other partner feel jealous because you are talking to other people. The goal is not to win a relationship. Striving to win a relationship is the same as striving to get A’s, but not striving to learn a single thing in school. The goal of a relationship is beyond the label of a relationship status.

            It is something difficult to grasp, but what makes us so attracted to someone? There are so many people in this world and so many people that would be open to a relationship with us, but we choose one. We choose the one that makes us happy. The one that makes us feel like we are headed in the right direction. The one that will do anything for us, at whatever time. When we meet someone we like, we know it. When we have a number of people interested in us and we turn them away without hesitation, we know at that very moment we have someone special. And sometimes the perfect relationship we thought we had turns to rubbish, but other times it turns into gold. We are in a world where we must learn. We are in a world where we must take chances and risk everything for one thing. We are in a world where our lives will be perfect one second and at rock bottom the next. There is no holding back for me and there is nothing I will give up on when I am motivated. In this world, there is too much competition to sit back and wait for everything to come to you. The average will wait for what comes to them. Waiting is not wrong, but patience has a limit. You cannot wait forever because then your time runs out. I believe in chasing what is on your mind. If you cannot go a day without thinking about someone, that person matters to you.

            I will never know what is right or what is wrong unless I try. Unless I try, I will never learn. Unless I mess up, I will never grow. If I never grow, I will never move forward. If I never move forward, I will always be average. If I am average, I will never be a leader. If I am not a leader, I will never be successful. If I am never successful, I will never make an impact in this world. If I never make an impact in this world, I will have failed.

            When the time is right, go for it. When the time is wrong, figure out when the time will be right. People will not always understand your reasoning and intentions, but your goal is to teach them why. Through your words you must explain to them. Through your actions you must prove to them. Show someone why you care about them and if they do not see it, keep trying. If they still cannot see how much you care, go forth with your life and let them choose the direction in which they want to go. Life is too short to be dwelled on. Wake up each day giving thanks to The Lord and wake up every morning with the intentions of helping the people around you. The Lord has a plan for us all and every second is a learning second. We are living the life which we are learning and there is never a second that goes by when The Lord is not with us. Have Faith that it will all work out.

 -Austin McClain Baker

 

Austin Baker

Twitter/Instagram: @ABakerPresident

DreamsDriveDetermination@gmail.com

Austin.Baker25@yahoo.com

 

           

           

'The One'

 

'The One'

            The journey starts with the introduction of your name and where you are from. We are all searching for the one. Call it whatever you want, but every day we think of people; whether it is someone from a few years back or it is someone from the night before. Men and women have different minds and ways of thinking, but we both share the same goal of finding someone who we can spend the rest of our lives with. Finding the perfect one is something we cannot do through searching; rather the perfect one presents itself when we are least expecting it. When we put effort into looking for someone, we find ourselves in an even deeper hole than before. When we are not thinking about relationships, the opportunities begin to illuminate themselves. When we finally meet the person we think that is right, we know it. We know it immediately, or at least we think so. You see them for a couple seconds and the attractiveness of the person is checked off the list. You talk and hangout with the person for a few weeks and you check off their personality and their ability to communicate with you. From there, the journey can take a turn for the worse or can continue to make you excited for the Friday and Saturday night dates. But once you know you like someone and everything is perfect, how do you know if they are ‘the one’? You don’t. It takes time, trust, and experiencing. The moment you find out who ‘the one’ is, is they day you realize that the one for you will do anything for you. If you find yourself at your lowest point and your partner is at their highest and they lower themselves to bring you up, you’ve found a special person. What separates ‘the one’ from the ones you do not want is that ‘the one’ will give up their time and effort for you when the time is most inconvenient for them and they are at the busiest point of their day. Those who are average will give up their time when it is convenient for them. When you are in trouble and a person comes to you in the middle of the night or when you need a favor and they volunteer without hesitation to support you, you’ve found a special person.

            The mistake many people tend to make is that when ‘the one’ finally comes along in the journey, people are too accustomed to dealing with the average people, so they think that ‘the one’ is either too good for them or is different and not for them. This is why the ‘good guy’ never wins because girls usually want the guy who is a bad***. In life, the person who is different can be the person you need to meet. Billionaires have different mindsets than the average. CEO’s have different mindsets than those who are working under them. Those with different minds are the ones who open this world up for us and are the ones who are the opportunity to something new. So, when you are searching for the one, do not search. Wait for the one who is different to come up to you and then, at that moment; you will realize that the opportunity is at your right hand.

            Life has so much to offer and there are so many people in this world. If something does not work out for you, move on. When one door closes, another door opens. It is a fact. It may not open immediately, but with enough patience; the door will open. Just as a storm passes over, so does the stress of hoping to find someone perfect for you. Some storms are strong. Some relationships are difficult. Some storms are weak. Some relationships are over in a few weeks. The sun will rise and the sun will set. But at the same moment, you must realize that if you do meet someone and things are not working out, you should not give up and move on in an instant. If you want someone, put everything you have on the table and risk it. We were not given money to hold onto it until we meet our grave. Money is a form of risk and we are given the money to use when we need it. In regards to a relationship, your money is your commitment to the person you have feelings for. You must take the risk of that person saying they do not want you anymore or that the time is not right for them. But you must take the chance if you want to know how it could have been. We all regret something in life. Do not let the person of your dreams walk away without you trying. Do not try to get the person back. Give yourself away to the person and let them decide. You can do as much as you can and say as much as you want, but at some point, it is in the hands of the other partner.

            Essentially, life has its teachings for us and we are taking the journey to find someone who we can spend the rest of our lives with. We will meet thousands of people, connect with hundreds, and date many. We meet people for a reason. If a person is meant to be in our lives, then they will find a way into it. God has a plan for us all and it is one amazing plan. If you have someone you like, tell them. If the relationship has fallen off, do not think that you have lost it all. Think that you can be remarkable and find a way to get back together with that person. Make sacrifices for the one you care about and at the moment where it matters most; give up everything you have for that special person. Be who you are and learn as much as you can. Life is extraordinary. Relationships are a risk, but make the promises that you can make and commit to. Commit with your heart and everything will turn out how it should. Give it a chance.

 

-Austin McClain Baker

 

 

 

 

 

 

Austin Baker

Twitter/Instagram: @ABakerPresident

DreamsDriveDetermination@gmail.com

Austin.Baker25@yahoo.com

 

 

Our Education

Our Education

            Far too often we find ourselves speaking poorly about someone or something. Whether it is a politician in office, a celebrity’s actions, the inflation rate, the U.S. unemployment rate, or the troubles in our education system; we are all a part of the problem. We speak with distrust about the people we know best when they are not around…we can all admit that we have done it at least once. The honest truth is that our world has the opportunity to be remarkable, but too many people sit back and speak on our problems rather than choosing to stand up and fix the situation.

            Of all of the problems listed above, I look at the ‘troubles in our education system’ and immediately, a negative connotation flashes into my mind. But in actuality, our school system does not have as many flaws as one may think. Of course, the teacher salaries are remarkably low and therefore, the ability to attract proficient and experienced teachers to the State of North Carolina is difficult, but the teachers who teach for reasons other than money are the ones who have come to Mecklenburg County and are a part of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. And before you say, “The teachers coming to North Carolina must be uneducated if they are not choosing to come for the money; they must not have any other options”, you must read on.

The statement above is what the majority of people in our area believe, but the honest answer in my opinion as a recent graduate of Ardrey Kell High School, is that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) have some of the most highly educated and well-rounded teachers in the State of North Carolina. I would guarantee that numerous teachers currently working at CMS could work in any school district at any school in the United States. For instance, at Ardrey Kell High School; I had several teachers who graduated from well-respected universities, such as UNC- Chapel Hill and Stanford. That fact eliminates the statement above regarding teachers only coming to North Carolina schools because other options were unavailable. Teachers all around CMS care about their students and are aware of the competitive world awaiting their students after they graduate high-school. Our school system may have flaws, but doesn’t everything in the world have flaws? You could be attractive, but you may not be smart. You could be rich, but are you always happy? You may have everything, but is something still missing?

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is bringing in thousands of new students each year to their elementary, middle, and high schools. Made up of 164 schools and nearly 143,000 students enrolled in CMS, the need for teachers is critical (CMS: Fast Facts). Of course CMS wants to increase the teacher salary, expand on infrastructure, and bring in new technology for students to use, but the money is limited and with 164 schools, there is a process to receive funding and it is a long process. The problem is neither our school system nor CMS. The problem is larger than we can see it. Our educators and officials want students to receive an extraordinary education, but the ability to help everyone at once is not reasonable; just as it is when two presidential candidates run against one another. One candidate will have nearly half of the votes and the other candidate will receive virtually half of the votes. Life is challenging and we cannot please everyone, but we can still be successful with what we have.

            My focus point is that whether or not we believe our education system is functioning effectively and successfully, we can receive a remarkable education regardless. We have teachers. We have classrooms. We have SMART Boards. We have computers. We have pens, pencils, notebooks, binders, erasers and more. We have the necessities to receive an education and too many people are complaining that we need more. To be honest, I was against the education system in past years, but I have discovered that the problem was that I listened to the public’s opinion on our education system, so I blamed our school system when I earned poor grades or when something went off beam at school.

            Having the opportunity to attend school is a gift by itself. Having the opportunity to be in a safe school occupied by cameras and security-officers is a blessing. Having the opportunity to learn in a classroom with your own desk and your own space is remarkable. We take so much for granted and we do not realize how fortunate we are to attend school. CMS has done an extraordinary job at ensuring safety for all students and have spent years analyzing how to achieve their vision of “providing all students the best education available anywhere, preparing every child to lead a rich and productive life” (CMS: Fast Facts).

            I have been enrolled in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools since Kindergarten at Hawk-Ridge Elementary School. I then went to Community House Middle School before attending Ardrey Kell High School, where I then graduated in June of 2014. I have experienced more than I could ever want and I learned more than I had planned. I have been equipped with the knowledge to be intelligent, the professionalism to be mature, the skills to be well-rounded, the vision to have a dream, and the inspiration to be a success. I thank Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools for everything they have done for me since age five.

            Now at High Point University, I am using my knowledge to take me to the next level. I am in the process of writing my own book, Dreams, Drive, Determination: Taking A Different Route and I have my own blog, http://dreamsdrivedetermination.blogspot.com/. I am continuing to learn more each day and I can truly say that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has influenced me on how I live my life. I have been pushed by all of my extraordinary teachers to reach my potential and I have discovered more and more about myself over the years. Our education system may have flaws in its appearance, but once you break down CMS and look inside its outer cover, you will realize Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is on the right path towards ensuring a successful future for each student enrolled in its system. You choose whether you will be successful or not; nobody else can make that decision for you.

-Austin McClain Baker

 

 

 

Austin Baker

Twitter/Instagram: @ABakerPresident

DreamsDriveDetermination@gmail.com

Austin.Baker25@yahoo.com