Final Post - 4

Besem Etta-Ashu
Contemporary Literacies
Final Post - 4

THE WORTH OF HIGHER EDUCATION

My first post was about the meaning of Higher Education and the idea that individuals must be willing to pursue higher education voluntarily because if they are being forced, they will never be able to discover the importance of higher education for themselves.

My second post was about my personal relationship to higher education and how my parents have always taught me the importance of education. I also related that post to our course reading, The Other Wes Moore because both Wesess were raised by parents who pursued higher education and worked hard to make sure their children saw school as a priority.

My third post was based on research regarding the importance of pursuing higher education. Since I am an accounting major, I wanted to know the percentages and ratios between college grads and non-college grads. I was interested in finding out what was different about their living standards and if higher education truly is as important as it claims to be. 

My final post is to elaborate on the overall importance of higher education using the previous posts that I have written. The worth of education is different for every single person. Some people do not see the worth of higher education, so they stop going to school. Some, see higher education as a scam where people go to pay so much money and get little amount of education in return. Some people see higher education as their biggest accomplishment yet to be achieved. Some people portray higher education as their responsibility to complete (first-generation students or students whose entire family are graduates). The majority see higher education as the key to success. 

I know pursuing higher education can be a difficult task, the higher you increase in your academic level, the tougher the workload and pressure becomes. There are moments when I feel like giving up because of the amount of stress I might be in, but no matter what I will not give up. I will not give up because of the endless nights my parents stay at work, working to be able to send me to school. I will not give up because I want my mother to know that although her parents were unable to send her to college to get her bachelor's degree, I will get this bachelor's degree for the both of us. Most importantly, I will not give up for ME. I go to school for myself. I want my children (in the future) to never settle for less and work as hard as possible to accomplish great things in life no matter what they are faced with. 

The one question I would like to end my blog with is...

WHAT IS THE WORTH OF HIGHER EDUCATION TO YOU?

Final Post - 3

Besem Etta-Ashu
Contemporary Literacies
Final Post 3

DATABASE RESEARCH ON HIGHER EDUCATION

The first blog I wrote in regards to my final project was about the meaning of Higher Education and what it means to pursue higher education. The second blog I wrote in regards to my final project was about my personal experience and journey in pursuit of higher education. I also connected my second post to our course reading The Other Wes Moorea and lastly how parents also play a key role in the educational growth of their children.

My third post is in regards to the database research on the importance of Higher Education. Another reason why I wanted to write this post is because I am an accounting major and I am interested in knowing the various percentages and rates at which a person who has graduated with higher educational levels degrees differs from a person who did not obtain higher education degrees. We all know that individuals who obtained their Bachelor's, Master's, and Ph.D. degrees have more benefits in life compared to the individuals who did not, but I am interested in finding the specific benefits and advantages that they have.

The above chart was retrieved from the National Center for Education Statistics. According to the chart and the various research that I received from the National Center for Education Statistics in regards to the difference between individuals who are college graduates and those who are not, there is a big gap between college grads and noncollege grads. 

National Center for Education proved that "In 2018, the employment rate was higher for those with higher levels of educational attainment. For example, the employment rate was highest for young adults with a bachelor’s or higher degree (86 percent). The employment rate for young adults with some college (79 percent) was higher than the rate for those who had completed high school (72 percent), which was, in turn, higher than the employment rate for those who had not completed high school (59 percent). The same pattern was observed among both young adult males and young adult females". 

There are several advantages of pursuing higher education such as a higher pay rate - The median yearly income of someone with a high school diploma alone is $35,400, compared to $44,800 with a two-year (Associate’s) degree and $56,500 with a four-year (Bachelor’s) degree. Secondly, college grads are more prepared for their career than non-grads because they have received the knowledge in which they need to know for the position. It is also easier for someone with a higher-level degree to get a job compared to someone without a degree because college prepares students to be more career orientated. 

Final Post - 2

Besem Etta-Ashu
Contemporary Literacies
Final Post - 2

PERSONAL CONNECTION TO HIGHER EDUCATION

In my first post for my final project, I wrote about the importance of Higher Education and also connected it with some points from the class reading, The Other Wes Moore. While reading the text, I realized that there were a lot of personal connections that both myself and the characters in the book had in regards to higher education. 

Pursuing higher education or trying to reach the next level in my educational background, has always played a major role in my life. To be honest, education is one of the main assets of my life which I use constantly not only to grow into the amazing individual that I am today but also into the person I want to be in the next years to come. 

There is no doubt that higher education played a major role in the lives of not only both Wes but also their families. The author Wes was fortunate enough to be in a family where both parents are college graduates. Wes's mother, Joy Thomas entered American University in Washington D.C. in 1968. At college, Joy quickly fell in with the OASATAU, the very long acronym for a young group, the Organization of African and African-American Students at the African University. Later on, she became a writing assisting who began working for Wes's father. (page 8-9). 

Wes got his name from his father Wesley who had a dream of being on television and having a voice that made an impact as a young man growing up. He made his dream come true by graduating from Bard College in 1971 and then becoming a young reporter who traveled to many countries following stories, cases, and jobs. He was calm. reassuring, and hardworking. On April 15, 1982, he ended his radio news broadcast on WMAL, a stalwart in the Washington D.C., market. (pages 11-12). 

On the other hand, the other Wes Moore's mother, Mary was trying to get enrolled in John Hopkins University (pg.18) but she had to drop out because she was unable to receive enough funds to attend college. Although Mary was unable to attend college it was clear that she wanted her kids to pursue higher education. From the reading, it stated that "she shared with him, in the language he could understand, why the school was so important. She explained to him the significance of being the first one in the family to go college" (pg.20).

My father attended NJIT and has a bachelor's degree while my mom has her associate degree while learning to become a Registered Nurse. I am grateful to have been able to attend really nice schools because my parents were willing to sacrifice a lot of their time to make sure my siblings and I are able to pursue our dreams, just like Mary and Joy did for their kids. My parents worked a lot of hours and used all their savings to meet our school expenses. I have received a great amount of scholarships throughout my journey in school just like the author Wes has had. There are some people that I know who have ended their journey to pursue higher education and began looking at drugs as the greatest thing they have in life. But everyone has their own individual reasons for the choices they make in life. Wes decided to drop out of school and focus on the amount of money he was making from drugs but later on decided to try going back to school for his GED and creating a better life for himself and his family.

Higher Education might not be the priority at the beginning of an individual's life but it definitely will become a priority at some point in their life.




















                                                                                                        Author Wes Moore




























                                                                                         Author Wes Moore's Mother: Joy

Final Post - 1

Besem Etta-Ashu
Contemporary Literacies
Final Post - 1

 HIGHER EDUCATION

"Ensuring quality higher education is one of the most important things we can do for future generations" by Ron Lewis. 

"Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world' by Nelson Mandela.

"Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today" by Malcolm X. 

These sets of quotes are one of the most powerful quotes that truly underline the real meaning of what it means to pursue higher education. We are all told at a certain point in our lives that "education is the key to success" but unfortunately we do not really understand the meaning of that sentence/quote until a later point in our lives. 

When I was in middle school, I did not really understand the importance nor the reason why everyone was being forced to go to school. I often wondered what was so special about school that everyone needed to attend it. Just like both Wes from The Other Wes Moore, I only attended school because I was forced to go to school. My parents tried to implement the importance of me attending school and being able to live a good life in the future just like Mary and Joy did for their sons Wes, but I still was not convinced that school was as great as it had seemed to be. I did all my assignments because it was expected of me; I was very punctual to school because it was expected of me; I had really good grades because it was expected of me. Nothing I had worked for at school was because I want to do it but instead because it was expected of me. 

The older I got the more I realized that no one is capable of forcing someone to understand or know the importance of going to school. We can encourage, support, and inspire them to pursue higher education but if they are not willing to do it for themselves and voluntarily, it's not going to work. As we found from our course reading, The Other Wes Moore, when both Wes were forced to go to school, they always ended up skipping school. The author Wes would hang out with his friend and spray paint the wall while the other usually ended up selling drugs and drinking with his friends. 

Eventually, both Wes began realizing the importance of going to school without anyone forcing or persuading them to attend school. The military school that Wes dreadfully hated, he gradually began to see it as his second home and family. In the beginning, Wes saw the school as his greatest punishment, but eventually, when being attacked by the boys in the red car, he ran back to military school using the route he intended to use in escaping as a way back to safety, to the military school. 

When the incarcerated Wes was ready to change his life and abandon the drug world, he decided to go back to school and get his GED. Nobody forced Wes to go to school, he just knew it was something he had to do not just for himself but for his family. 

Tony once told Wes that "If you wouldn't listen, then that's on you. You have the potential to do so much more, go so much further. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink it, right?" (bottom page 71). Parents can take their kids to school, but they can't force their kids to stay in school. Just like the horse must voluntarily be willing to drink the water, kids must voluntarily be willing to want to stay in school.

Importance of Higher Education by Hanna Jaff

Higher Education

Besem Etta-Ashu
Contemporary Literacy
Is Higher Education Worth the Price?
February 24, 2020


There are several decisions in which college students, as well as seniors in high school, have to decide on. One of the most important decisions in which they all have to face is deciding which college/university to attend for the next four years of their lives. I can remember when I was a senior in high school, one of the most important decisions I was constantly facing was deciding on which college to attend and if I would be able to pay for the tuition. Most importantly, I wanted the education I will be receiving to be worth every penny I was paying for. I applied to several schools and thankfully I got accepted to all my schools but then the problem of choosing the perfect school for me to attend which was not too expensive and also had good education became the main focus.

        



I do think that people should pay for higher education but not at drastic unbelievable prices. Schools expect us to pay for education at extremely high prices but students are not receiving the full education in which they are paying to receive. The deal is not equal on both sides of the spectrum because when people enroll in school, they agreeing to pay for a certain amount of education. Back in the days, it was more about education and less about the money but now it is more about money and less about education which is not right. We all know that education is the key to success, but with these drastic prices for education, people are not able to succeed in life. Most people are faced with the decision of having to drop out of school, not because they want to but because they just can not afford to stay in school.


    


Schools such as Drew University, Stevens Institute of Technology, Rider University, Rowan University are one of the most expensive schools in New Jersey where students are paying almost $60,000 a year. In order to continue attending schools, students are encouraged to take out loans and receive just the bare minimum of education. If students are paying and taking out loans of thousands and thousands of dollars then they should receive the maximum amount of education, not the bare minimum because they are not paying the bare minimum to attend college. Teachers should be paid more so they will be inspired or at least interested in devoting knowledge into their students' lives. Another problem is too many benefactors donate to institutes that are already well provided for such as Ivy leagues and technological schools. That is absolutely not fair because small schools such as NJCU and Kean University are left with no choice but to fund for themselves.


   

 

 

My final opinion is higher education is not worth these unbelievable prices because people are not even getting the education they are paying to receive. The prices for colleges needs to be reduced and the quality of education needs to be increased, not the opposite way. The amount of college loans that students have in total is greater than the amount of credit card debt in America.

Obsety: Personal Responsibilty

Besem Etta-Ashu
Contemporary Literacy
Is Fast Food The New Tobacco?
February 16,2020

OBESITY: PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

Obesity is a disorder that leads to excessive weight gain and increases the rate at which the body stores fat leading to various severe health issues. Obesity is a severe health disorder that can lead to serious health problems such as stroke, depression, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, and several other health issues. If obesity is not treated once notified, it could lead to very risky surgeries and in other cases, death. Although many people are blaming the government for providing us with unhealthy meals, we need to understand that the government is not forcing us to purchase that unhealthy food. We deliberately purchase unhealthy meals out of our own will. If people begin to take into consideration the types of food they are eating on a regular basis, they will not face excessive health problems that arise from obesity.

There are various reasons why people are obese. One of those reasons could be genetic obesity. There are families who have been battling obesity for several generations now. The rare-single gene defects is a disorder that leads to obesity. People with these genes are more likely to have higher hunger levels and can not control their intake of calories and lastly, their bodies can absorb fat twice as fast as the average person. Another reason is that some people do not know how to cook, so they are constantly relying on fast foods or restaurants in order to get a meal for that day. Some people are not educated on the importance of eating healthy vs. unhealthy meals, so they are not aware of the various dangers that unhealthy food may cause in their health.

There are several ways in which someone who is obese can prevent obesity from developing into more serious health problems. Getting into a fitness plan, consistent treatment plan, dieting, educating oneself on the effects of unhealthy meals, and finding more ways to cook at home rather than eat out.

The government is also to blame for the triggering of severe health issues through the promotion of unhealthy meals. Consumers need to know exactly what they are eating and how that can affect them. But at the same time, people need to more responsible for their actions and be more careful with the various products they invest their money into.
 

Pop Culture

Besem Etta-Ashu
Contemporary Literacy
Is Pop Culture Good For You?
February 9, 2020

The Importance of Pop Culture

There is a lot of importance when it comes to Pop Culture. When I read the article Small Changes: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted by Malcolm Gladwell, I was shocked by how the Civil-Rights movement began. I did not know that one of the biggest movements of all times started from just four college students protesting for their rights to sit at the Woolworth's lunch counter. This one incident that occurred several years ago has shaped history for several blacks around the world for many generations now. This is what pop culture does, pop cultures create history.

Pop Culture brings forth the most powerful people who are not afraid to voice out their opinions and stand against political powers. It also encourages people to fight for their rights, believes, cultures, and those of others as well. Pop Culture is not meant to be posted on Twitter, Facebook, televised, emailed, texted, or on any social media platform, it has to be withness in person. 

I chose the word protest because it is a very strong powerful word that stood out to me in the reading. Activists and revolutionary leaders all used protest as a means of action to reach out to people and impact the lives of others who are willing to join their cause. People today are also using protests to go against political powers in attempts of making social changes, such as the Me Too Movement which fought against sexual harassment and students walking out to protest against gun violence. 

                                                                             

As we discussed in class, not every aspect of Pop Culture is good because not everything is meant to be kept or preserved as pop culture. As time passes, new cultures are developed every day which becomes considered as pop culture. I do not think we are necessarily losing our pop culture, I think we are just redefining pop culture so that it fits our modern day because if we are constantly doing the same things from the past to preserve pop culture, then we get stuck in time.

As time evolves, so does Pop Culture.

Literacy History

Besem Etta-Ashu
Contemporary Literacies
Introduction post - Literacy History
February 2, 2020

MY LITERACY HISTORY

My name is Besem Etta- Ashu, I am 19 years old and I was born in Cameroon, Africa. My journey with learning how to read and write began when I was around 4 or 5 years old. My parents took turns teaching me how to read and write. Sometimes my mom would teach me reading while my dad taught me writing. I was taught at a very young age the importance of knowing how to read and write. If you do not know how to read and write, you are going to have a hard life. My siblings inspired me into learning how to read and write because I was fascinated by their skills of knowing not only how to read big words on paper but also how to spell them. Since my older brother and sister knew how to read and write, I wanted to also have that special talent of theirs. I am really grateful that my entire family supported me through my journey of knowing how to read and write. My dad would sound out the alphabet letters to me while my mom would hold my hand helping me trace the letters of the alphabet. My older brother and sister would read their novels to me as well as let me watch them spell out words. I was definitely encouraged to develop my reading and writing skills. My earliest memory of my literacy experience was when I was in pre-school and the teacher was teaching us the alphabet but since my parents began teaching me earlier, I knew the letters already. I was able to pass all my pronunciation and tracing tests, because of that I became the star student in the class. I really liked being praised for my accomplishments, so that inspired me to keep studying hard on learning how to pronounce and spell more advanced words so I can keep my reputation as the star student.

Since I do have the actual video of me learning how to read and write when I was young, this video is an example of the types of videos I used to watch in class when I was learning the various colors and also how to spell those colors.

I began to feel literate when I was able to read a novel and actually understand what is happening in the book. My English teachers have always liked the essays that I wrote. During my second semester of freshman year in college, my English teacher liked my final term paper so much that he decided to use it as an example for his English classes. That amazing feedback made me realize that I am not only a good reader, but also an amazing writer as well. Growing up I loved reading books like Twilight and The Hunger Games. It took me an entire month to read both series of these books. It was an easy read for me because I was obsessed with the movies as well as the books. The one thing that I can think of that frustrates me about reading and writing is having to read a book that I am not interested in, then having to write a paper on it. Scientific books are quite difficult for me to read because I have no interest in reading those types of books and so I do not retain much information. I do not really have a role model for literacy. My main belief is that, education is the key to success and in order for me to succeed in education and life, I need to know how to read and write because that's the base to everything. 

I think literacy is highly important because once you know how to read and write, you can do anything. There are words all around us, from street signs to textbooks in school. Everything is made of words, either those words are spoken or written. Once you understand what those words mean, no one can stop you from becoming powerful. When we talk, we use powerful words, when we write we use powerful words, words ARE powerful. I use literacy every day of my life. Being a college student, literacy is very important. I use literacy to communicate with my teachers by doing the assignments, reading books, writing papers, participating in class. Asking for assistance and supporting others educationally is another way in which literacy impacts my life. I feel most literate when I am able to have an intellectual discussion with someone. Teachers are continuously sponsoring and inspiring my literacy development because every day in class I am able to learn something new. There are several teachers that students encounter with a day, which means they are guaranteed to learn something new because every day in class, teachers teach something new.