A Celebration of Education

On Tuesday, August 28th, there was a Celebration of Education at the House of Love Soup Kitchen. Education is not only learning to read, write, and do math. Education is the nurturing, the guidance, and the expansion of the mind, cognitive abilities, and thoughts. Education is the path to self –determination. Education is the vehicle with which to learn about oneself, to discover one’s natural talents and abilities, and then to begin to make wise choices based on wisdom and knowledge. Education is the edification of mind, body, and spirit growing together in the beauty of harmony, coupled with unity. Education is hearts reaching out to give back positively to the global community. The celebration turned out quite nicely thanks to our partner the NJ Community Foodbank, and all the other volunteers that assisted with the event. The children were excited, the parents enjoyed themselves, and there was plenty of fun marking the end to another summer soon to be done. Math worksheets had to be completed, pizza, iced tea, and ice cream were handed out along with plenty of school supplies…tote bags, pencil sharpeners, composition notebooks, one subject notebooks, five subject notebooks, pencils, pens, erasers, glue sticks, loose leaf paper, rulers, pencil cases, markers, and reading books…all necessary tools with which to be successful in school. Every young person got prizes and awards for completing worksheets. The worksheets consisted of basic math facts. The grade levels of the participants ranged from pre-school to high school. Some of the parents and other volunteers assisted the children. Everyone was enthusiastic. Certain students though struggled with concepts that should have been mastered by them already according to their grade level. We found out that many after school programs, and tutoring programs have been cut. It’s amazing that the educational hierarchy will scream about test scores yet cut programs that would help achieve desired outcomes. Math test scores right now are in the basement for many inner city school districts. Education is the means to break the cycle of poverty yet many students start failing math and reading at an early age hence that progression of destitution continues for many. Blacks have fought long and hard for the right to an equal education only to be thwarted in this day age by a different type of racism that camouflages itself in the cloak of the dollar sign. America worships the dollar and will sacrifice lives at the altar of privileged circumstance and filthy riches. It’s more expedient to build new prisons than new schools. Jails and prisons are now the new plantation in which to house excess humanity. The House of Love Soup Kitchen will continue to search for ways to assist the community in these socially difficult times.