Essay Masterclass / References
Sitting on a partially-rotten wooden chair, I stand up and gaze at the doorless entrance as the first locals excitedly file into the small classroom: Rodrigo, who lost his hand in a construction accident, has dreams of opening his own convenience store; Mariella, a widowed mother of four, wants to start a bakery in town. These are only the first of many students, but such experiences and tribulations aren’t exclusive to them but extend into the identity of every student who walks through the arched doorway.
I grew up visiting family in Panama. For every trip to the islands or reunion with my relatives, there was a lingering aspect intrinsically intertwined with life in Panama: poverty. I was able to witness scenes beyond what are shown on television screens; kids, not much younger than I, eating dirt out of starvation. Like this experience, there were others where my thoughts raced: why is it I eat three meals a day while these children wake up worried about their next meal? Idly contemplating this societal issue would be no different than perpetuating the problem itself; I needed to act. One approach would be to donate food, but such would only be a temporary solution to a perpetual problem; I found my contribution to a permanent solution through the promotion of business ownership.
Since ninth grade, I had been studying any economics or business-related resource I could find. I believed I could share my acquired knowledge to induce the change I wished to see; I gathered all lecture notes, textbooks, online assignments, and videos I had ever used to create a business consulting program through which impoverished students could learn the basics of small business ownership.
The fragile desks of the room quickly begin to fill; through the rising murmur of the students, there is a palpable sense of excitement, not for the present, but for a more prosperous future. I gently stand up, being careful not to break the frail chair legs, and with my “Hola, yo soy Guy,” the room’s chatter immediately dies down; I take a deep breath and begin discussing the first lesson: balance sheets.
My footprint may be small in comparison to Vanderbilt’s, but for every hug and “gracias” from my students, I have found a passion for attempting to change the lives of others, one class at a time.