Does anyone wonder why the national conversation behind inequality and injustice does not have Education at the forefront of the conversation, or why we keep having conversations about education and the inequity many children face, yet the solutions given are not often acted upon? Why is our education system immersed in testing and standardization when we are all well aware that each and every child is a unique individual, with different learning styles and why are children unable to receive a quality education to bring them out of such poverty to become contributing members of society when we know that an educated person is at much less risk of needing to be on welfare or end up in prison.

Many look to put the blame somewhere. It’s the government; it’s corruption; it’s a bad system… and on and on. However, our goal is not to blame. One can play the blame game forever, but the reality is years have gone by, trillions of dollars have been spent, and little progress has been made for those who need it most. So, where does the error lie?

It lies with a reactive system instead of a proactive system, and it lies with standardized education instead of differentiated education. While we often tell children what to do, we rarely tell them why or how to do it. Isn’t that interesting? As well, the error lies in actions that are based in the short term, ultimately making children that do not achieve or do well in school to become dependent on a system that keeps them mediocre at best, but usually living in poverty instead of creating more opportunities to provide for themselves and their families. It is not to say that assistance is not good, actually, it is necessary as a short-term solution, but to just give money, food or free medical care does not stop, and will never stop the cycle of poverty that exists around the world. It is not the long-term solution.  Once the money, food and medical supplies are gone, people are still going to need to buy basic necessities; they will still need to eat; they will still get sick and need medical attention. This is why it is called a cycle of poverty … people give and those in need, receive. The system needs to be reversed and create the conversation of how will those in need be able to provide for themselves without the help of others?

While what has already happened is something that is out of our control and we can work on creating better opportunities for adults, which is a reactive approach to what has happened to them due to inequity and many other reasons, the way to true and lasting change for the future is providing proactive educational programs for children and adolescents will help avoid such reactive programs in the future.

Education is the most important factor to ending poverty. It is an investment, a process that needs time and nurturing, and it is a solution that works! Just look at Geoffrey Canada and Harlem Children’s Zone.

Providing a child with proper education will give them opportunities to break the cycle of poverty and change the outcome of their future. Giving these children a way to develop their talents will bring new possibilities that they could only dream about, but it can’t stop there. Being surrounded by people who help them believe they can achieve will change their life and providing a curriculum that coincides with personal development and success are fundamental.

Now with the Global Pandemic, new questions are being raised as we look at so many adults turning to the personal development industry. There is so much out there at this time about personal mastery for adults, but what about learning such lessons at a much younger age so adolescents can make informed choices about their futures and change the preconditioning/beliefs/paradigms already set in by society and family? It begs the question, why do we wait until we discover this knowledge on our own at 30, 40, or 50 years old, and why is it not taught at a much earlier age when it truly matters.

The Other Side of Education addresses the fundamental mission of the Maggio Multicultural Foundation:

  • To create a PROACTIVE system in educating youth so the next generation can make informed choices to benefit their personal growth and development that is not based on traditional or societal perceptions.

Our Vision for this program:

  1. Create a curriculum and apply it, in practice, to at-risk youth who are slipping through the cracks of the educational system. In order to achieve, they have to believe. If they don’t believe they can change their outcome or learn to care and love themselves, they will continuously struggle through life.  
  • Implement the curriculum based on applied success principles teaching young people not only what success truly is, but HOW to achieve it, no matter who they are or what their circumstances may be at this moment, starting in the United States, to pilot the overall effectiveness of the program.
  • Create a talk-show that makes a teen the co-host and partners them to do an interview with an adult that they admire or have something in common with. The show is based on teens sharing their achievements, opinions and struggles to find healthy solutions, and learning lessons from adults who have gone through difficult beginnings and multiple challenges to rise and be who they are today. All with the end in mind to help young people relate to other’s stories and ultimately instill within them the confidence to know they can do it too! These videos and stories will be used as part of the curriculum.
  • Present the program and curriculum on a national level to change current educational policy, making the study of success and the success principles the foundation of the curriculum. These principles will be incorporated into the regular school curriculum, making the study of these principles’ mandatory in school. The curriculum will close the education gap and educational inequities that have been overlooked for far too long.
  • Expand the current virtual school to facilitate the learning and principles of the new curriculum to be accessible globally, and eventually provide students the ability to receive accreditation for their studies from anywhere in the world to give anyone the opportunity to create a better life for themselves.