Why is education important to my future? Contest Details
Jamie Hall (North Carolina middle school teacher) and a group of his students collaborated with Dr. Lodge McCammon http://www.iamlodge.com (The Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at NC State University) to answer this question. They looked at President Obama’s “Back to School Event” speech and created an original song and music video to explain why education is important to our future.
The song, “I Will Contribute” was recorded and performed by Dr. Lodge and four North Carolina middle school students (Elena, Hannah R., Caroline, and Hannah J.).
The music video was created and performed by two North Carolina 8th graders (Keturah and Megan).
The lyrics are meant to explain that we, as students, have an obligation to work hard in school so that we can contribute to America when we get older. It also explains that school gives us a place where we can learn HOW to learn. If we know how to learn, then we can essentially learn anything later in life. So, we need to be experts at learning how to learn - so we can have every opportunity possible. Finally, the song explains that we will not be afraid of failing. School provides us a safe environment where we can experiment with new ideas without terrible consequences if we don’t get it right the first time. Teachers are there to guide us and offer support to think creatively, a necessary skill for success in the future, without punishing us if we don’t get it right away…or if we have to find OUR best way of learning.
Contribute Lyrics:
I will, I will, I will, I will
I will, I will, I will, I will
Yea, I can be anything
It’s in the classroom every day
Where I learn how to learn
If I’m an expert at learning things
Then I can change the world
And if I work real hard
I can have everything
I am what I learn
My success will be earned
And I will pay back, pay back what I owe
To my country and fans
By learning all that I can, in school
The future’s in my hands, I know
It’s up to me to achieve
And keep the American Dream
It’s not a punch line
I’m the future of this country
So, I’ll try harder in school
To find the things that I’ll do
When I get older
So my work, it can contribute
– I will contribute –
I will not be afraid
Of ever failing
’cause when I fail, I find another way
We learned that in school today
When the teacher smiled
And said “it’s ok — just work on it for a while”
