EY Educational Equity Challenge
Enter this unique competition sponsored by Ernst & Young in which you are challenged to brainstorm ways to increase access to quality education for all students! The COVID-19 pandemic has hit kids and schools hard. Unfortunately, many students don’t have access to online learning. This fact could have a huge impact on educational outcomes for years to come. This competition is timely, relevant and hugely important. It’s a great way for you to get more engaged in this issue.
“For all young people to meet their full potential, education needs to be inclusive and equitable. That's the essence of SDG 4 – and we can all play a part in making it happen. Communities, governments at the federal, state or local level, academic institutions, philanthropies, and even private sector companies can do their part.
So, how do we increase equity for all students? And how, specifically, can we address systemic racial inequities?
Your challenge is to come up with an idea for an initiative that can help foster inclusive and equitable education. Maybe it will be an idea that helps educators learn ways to check themselves for implicit bias. Maybe it will be an innovative new way to fund schools so there is less of a resource gap between schools in different affluent regions. Or maybe you'll have an idea for an industry working group that could tackle technological barriers to educational equity.
As we've seen in this year of remote learning, the digital divide is worsening the equity gap. The digital divide is a term used to describe the gap between people with and without access to computers and internet connections. This became apparent at the onset of COVID-19 and the need to shift to remote online learning. Students simply did not have the proper hardware, connectivity and adult support to learn and perform at their full potential. In the U.S., millions still lack access to wired or fixed broadband internet and 25% of students do not have a desktop or laptop computer at home. In many developing economies there's a similar "mobile divide" that contributes to equity gaps. Addressing access to technology would promote more equitable access to education.”
How do I get started? Click here.
How do I expand this narrative arc?
Educational equity is one of the many issues being promoted by the American Civil Liberties Union. Find your local chapter (e.g. NYCLU) and become a Student Ambassador.
Convene local leaders to start a conversation about the issues that matter to you and other young people in your community. Start with a Youth Town Hall.
Collect used but functioning laptops and chrome books to donate to a local school in an low-income area.
HOT TIP: If you are interested in social justice and equity this is a great (and practical) competition for you. It will be more impactful to you (and your resume) if it links in with a larger narrative arc and theme in your academic and educational life.