A Handshake into Diversity

Diversity is clearly one of today's most important issues. It is currently a huge subject in our personal lives, at our schools, at work, and life out there in the real world. Education in world cultures and lifestyles is becoming increasingly necessary in order to ensure that today's students can become tomorrow's global leaders. In my opinion, I feel that there should be mandatory classes in world education in high school to further benefit our society and enrich the minds of others.

Without becoming too political, I strongly believe that teaching students about essentially, each other, is one of the most significant things you can offer someone. This world is huge, confusing and intimidating, and many of us lack the cultural education that can help solve some of today's prejudice barriers. World cultures and lifestyles should be a class not mandatory in a semester of high school, but a continuous, developing series of classes that are required in all four years of high school. These classes are not about whether you get a B on that last test or fail that paper. It is about our lives, about making the best out of each other's unique backgrounds. I am currently trying to develop a program that will do the same thing, but starting from elementary school where this curriculum may have the most impact. This high school education in world cultures can dramatically enhance one's viewpoint in many aspects of their daily lives, and allow minds to be forever open to anything and everything.

I have to say that growing up I had a lot of stereotypical ideas about certain people, cultures and religions. I chose to see them a certain way, and I know that back then, my actions may have reflected my prejudices. I still have yet to learn about these growing religions and cultures of today. However, ironically, over the last several years, my walls began to break down, as I learned little by little. A small fact of this culture, a taste of ethnic dishes or attending a religious ceremony...all things that have opened my eyes.. The same group of people that I pushed away from just years ago, are now my friends. Because I had the opportunity to enrich myself in their unbelievably diverse world, I am able to value them as their own, not as what I used to think they were. And this, I know, would have been no way possible unless I was forced into this culture shock. Many of us will never have this chance to get thrown in there, in this global mix, and will never be able to v! alue others that I am starting to be able to do now.

And this does not stop in the classroom. Once you open their eyes, they will continue seek to enrich themselves, and discover just exactly why each person is so valuable. I have yet to meet anyone that has been exposed to the world in this way, and say they regretted this insight. The only people who may remain prejudiced or closed are those who were never given the chance to see, hear, and experience it for themselves. Let's offer those eager minds excel in ways that were never imagined possible. In life, the sky really is the limit. Thank you!

Learn more about this author, Anjalika Avants.
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