It’s September and the kids are back in school. I know this because I live just a block away from one of our local elementary schools and, as I hop in my car to leave for work, two or three little ones with oversized backpacks are usually marching dutifully up the street.
I vaguely remember the start of the school year as an exciting time but, in hindsight, recognize I had it unbelievably easy. My mother dropped me off every morning. I always had a sizable lunch in hand and I always had a place to go home to after school was over.
These are things many of us take for granted, but not all children have such luxuries. As Stacey Wiebe explains in this month’s profile of School on Wheels, a local nonprofit that offers tutoring and re-enrollment services for homeless students, some children don’t have the stability of a permanent home and some don’t know where their next meal is coming from. It’s a harsh reality that few of us consider on a day-to-day basis.
However, it is heartening to know that organizations like School on Wheels are providing much needed support to the children who need it most. A good education is a powerful tool, one that we value in this community and one that we want all children to benefit from.
We hope you enjoy our look at different types of education and educational journeys in this month’s issue of Ventana.
09-01-2006
