I'm Encouraging My Kids to "Get Schooled"

I've never been much of a PTA mom. I like the IDEA of helping out at my kids' school, but when my real life collides with the needs of the PTA, I often find myself resenting having said, "Sure, I can bake 11 dozen cookies for tomorrow afternoon!"

So rather than pouring my efforts into my kids' school, I tend to err on the side of pouring my efforts into my kids directly and hoping that small changes in them will result in big changes in their environments (i.e., their schools and maybe, hopefully, someday, their work places, their communities, their families ...!) Sure, it's a lofty idea, but it makes me feel better about saying no to the cookie requests. So sue me. Plus, I've always been kind of a "change begins at home" person, because it's easier for me to think that I can make a difference in my kids than it is to believe that I can make a difference in the world. That's why I was pretty excited to hear about the Get Schooled program.

Get Schooled is a program that operates on just that kind of thinking. (Well, all right!) They're out to change America's education system and they believe that that change starts with students and parents first. Start small and watch those changes we're making at home start to affect your kids' schools, your community ... and on and on. Maybe my plan for getting out of bake sales isn't so bad after all!

To get kids psyched up about the small changes they're making, Get Schooled is currently supporting the White House's Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge. The challenge for students is to prove that their school is making strides in "personal responsibility, academic excellence and college readiness." The winning school wins a commencement address from the President, himself! Pretty cool, if you ask me. And honestly? Way more inspiring than my chocolate-chip cookies could ever be.