¶ … Education is important to me personally and where it fits in my life as compared to other priorities
Education has always been an important part of my life. Right from the start, I recognized its value in the perception that I was fortunate to be born in America rather than in India. As oldest son of immigrant persons, were I to live in India I would be part of the world's largest illiterate populations, and, although receiving a primary education (since the Indian government has made that compulsory), I might have been compelled to support my parents in struggle for livelihood, thus forgoing any opportunity for higher education
My recognition of my privilege was 'bulldozed' into me this summer when I collaborated with the Missionaries of Charity, a charity organization established by Mother Teresa in Kolkata. While teaching elementary mathematics and English to the poor and homeless children as part of the charity teaching program, I saw how education can make a huge change in a person's life. Here were the children, poor and parentless, eyes sparkling with the little bit of elementary math and English that we take for granted here in the States.
As student with aptitude towards science, I designed, constructed, and calibrated a device capable of launching a projectile into a target area. In the 2009 Science Olympiad's, I ended up at the middle of the pile at the State finals, but, in 2010, with a brand...
I was awarded two medals, one at trajectory and one in dynamic planet. I enjoyed the build events that allowed me to explore various
science theories and apply them to improve our design, but, most importantly, I learned from this experience that the difference between
success and failure exists in conquering our fears, and in our willingness to take risks.
The victory at the 2010 state finals was a story of
perseverance and focus. I understood, what the great leader Sir Winston Churchill said, "Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts."
But I have not always been successful. In .. I flunked the Physical Science test due to a fatiguing day of swimming, a
car accident, and
volunteering at the Fremont Hindu Temple. Education creeps in insignificant ways. Life gives us lessons, too. With little preparation the evening before, I had to think to remember even the simple conversion formulas. The first few questions took a long time, and with only five minutes left, I panicked. I could not finish the test, and ended up losing nine points out of thirty. Even here, whilst struggling through the
exam, I realized that
preparing for an examination and the strategy for taking a test are different. Failure, I told myself, can be the steppingstone to success; learn from the failure, and…
