Kelly Velez

The Analysis

The lack of real world lessons within our educational system is a major civic issue
that needs to be addressed. Sure, we learn the core subjects in school so that we can
function and be civil in society, but is that enough? Should we stop there? We all grew
up with the same basic courses of education throughout our lives: Science, English,
Math, Social Studies, Religion, et cetera. These are all profoundly important subjects
that our very existence in society depend on, but none of them truly mold you for the
stresses of real life: That ever-elusive notion that you hear of when youre a child, but
hits you like a linebacker exploding untouched off the line of scrimmage. You dont truly
understand the real world people tell you about until you are actually consumed by it;
until you accidentally stumble in a situation you wish that you were exposed to when you
were younger. I believe that we need courses and programs focused specifically on
important life lessons so that generations of children after us will have the knowledge to
prosper immediately rather than have to find out through trial and error when they get
older.
I grew up in Spanish Harlem, New York City. We are a tightly connected
neighborhood extending from 98th St. all the way up to about 143rd St. on the East side
of Manhattan. We are mostly of Latino and Black descent, but gentrification has been

skewing that number a bit as of late. The majority of our living quarters consist of project
buildings; sometimes 20 story public housing quarters consisting of 6 apartments per
floor, and not enough space to stretch your arms in the morning. Crime runs rampant
throughout the streets while children watch and learn from the generations before them.
The point is, I remember being in those shoes. Seeing the drug dealers and gang
members living the good life, making money, doing the wrong things. Its an enticing
thought when you are bred in an area where those means of living are prominent. It was
my parents and my own inane sense of right that kept me on the right path. We had
different after school programs (the archaic D.A.R.E. initiative and the Boys & Girls
Club) that were put in place to keep us off the streets, but most of these felt outdated
and were unsuccessful at doing just that. We were never taught about real life
problems such as taxes, debt, credit, healthcare, the law, money management, time
management, etc. I believe that it is time to address these subjects early on in our
academic careers so that we know what to do once these issues hit us years down the
road.
My goal is to build upon what has been done before, but make it a more
contemporary experience for children, beginning with inner city kids ranging in
education level. These are the ones that need the strength and guidance from the
education system that we yearned for as kids, but never got. This array of real life

courses must be applied to normal curriculum so that these children understand how to
function in the real world. My goal is to create a class that kids will want to join, not feel
forced to be a part of. They will also be responsible for using these skills in the real
world, outside the confines and safety of a school environment, and that is where the
true victories will lie.
The analysis of rhetorical velocity in this situation will be pivotal. Keeping it in
mind will allow me to develop a closer relationship with the audience and to ponder all
possible outcomes that could spark depending on how we mold the curriculum. Ill also
be able to monitor how word spreads about the course work through the community. In
addition, I plan to use resignification to change the preconceived notions some people
have about the education system in the inner cities as well as the bright individuals who
inhabit it. I plan on redefining what the school curriculum means to those who are
enrolled in it and those affected by it. If the velocity reaches a wide array of individuals,
we could reformulate what it means to be a child growing up in the ghetto. We could
switch the dialogue of being from such places from being negative to positive. Any
person who is familiar with this sort of case understands the exigence of the situation. I
plan on catering to that exigence so that more people will join aboard to make a
difference in these students lives.
To get a better understanding of how I could mold this idea into a work of art, I

spoke with Joe Wolff, a teacher who works in the Chicago school district. Mr. Wolff
teaches English at Simeon Career Academy, a high school situated in the south side of
Chicago, Illinois. He not only has an understanding of the urgency for this type of
course, he has also dealt with kids who identify with the audience that I am catering this
program to. He was able to supply me with a basic skeleton to how to not only start the
organization, but also to structure the course as a whole. Stay tuned, Ill dive into his
expertise in the plan that will follow this analysis.
And now, on to some numbers. City Year is an organization that helps students in
at-risk schools get on the correct path. The City Year website offers some interesting
insight into the reality of education in low income areas. For example, in many highpoverty communities, 50% or more students require additional academic, social, or
emotional support in addition to general education. Due to the fact that Americas
schools are designed to provide extra support to just 15% of students, the dropout rate
in poverty-stricken communities is sky high. It has been shown that students who drop
out are six times more likely to go to jail and are three times more likely to be
unemployed. It is our duty as a people to help bridge this gap so that we can not only
give the students the education they need, but to give them the supplementary guidance
to succeed. It is imperative that this course reaches those who need it the most so that
they can be well equipped for tasks that they may be facing now or even in the future.

Everyone deserves a fighting chance to make sound decisions in life, this course will
help them do just that.

"The Problem." City Year. N.p., 26 July 2016. Web. 26 July 2016.