Dougherty students lack appreciation for the privilege of education

Amidst schoolwork and countless extracurriculars, many Dougherty students often forget their educational privileges, but the new Build a School club is working to put privilege into perspective.

For many, quality education and the opportunities that come with it doesn’t always seem like a blessing. Opportunities may seem more like expectations, and the pressure can become so much that it is hard to keep a positive attitude.

“We sometimes take things for granted, I feel, because we get offered everything. And by building a good community of members, they’ll know, we shouldn’t just take things for granted. It’s a privilege,” says the Build a School club Vice President, Rehaab Ali.

This year, the Build a School club will spend the entire school year fundraising to help support a school in a small village in Africa. The school is in need of supplies, qualified teachers, and even new buildings. This club could help DVHS students build a greater appreciation for the resources with which they are provided.

With qualified teachers and a well-rounded collection of resources, students at Dougherty Valley have the opportunity to receive a good education. This advantage, however, is not accessible to everyone, which is a truth that the Build a School club is working to emphasize.

Students at Dougherty do not always consider their education to be a privilege on the days that they’re running on only a few hours of sleep from the night before, or feel overwhelmed by their weighted classes, extracurriculars, and SATs or PSATs.  Anyone who walks down the hallway at school will likely hear complaints of homework, teachers or pressure from parents before ever hearing an expression of appreciation for the quality of education they’re receiving.

But this mindset is not unique to this school, or even to school in general. It is a tendency for most to see the bad before the good in any situation, and with school being such a significant part of so many students’ lives, the less-than-desirable aspects of Dougherty can be particularly concerning to many. For young people who only know safe neighborhoods and highly ranked schools, it can be difficult to find another perspective than the one which sees the stress and hard work before anything else.

Club President Alina Abbasi explains what she intends for students to take away from the club: “We all have, like, [a] really good education, and so I think it’s an opportunity for everyone to learn … not everyone has that.”