I guess I should have looked for a report of it on-line to quote but there is a story I wish I could share with every public High School student in the nation. A story that I hope would make them think about how valuable their free education is...

A grade 12 student in Zambia was killed trying to catch fish to sell to pay his fees to attend school this week. This young man from a poor rural village had been "chased away" from his school by officials because he hadn't paid his fees. Sunday (I think) he was in a dug out canoe fishing on the Kafue River when his boat was hit by a hippo breaking it in two. He was thrown into the water and while trying to swim to shore was killed and eaten by crocodiles. His mother watched helplessly from shore.

One can be assured he knew these perils were present as sure as a city dweller knows the consequences of traffic, yet he risked them (and lost) to get the money to go to school. This boy lost his life for what millions world-wide never get a chance at and millions more here in The States thumb their nose at. High school and even college has become more of a social event than anything else to so many children here. We could debate the reasons till the stars go dark but this little tragedy played out in seconds on the far side of the world speaks volumes about our differences.

Free education has always been a draw to the USA..and the only ones who appreciate it fully are 1st generation immigrants.

Makes one ponder the question-should we make education k-12 harder to obtain? In Europe you go to 8th grade and then take tests to see if you go on to HS or training for trades..
Other option-charge for the education...make it all private....hmmmm....

A sad story.

In that part of the world, thousands are killed and eaten every year by crocs, and hippos are the most dangerous herbivore in the world, also killing lots of people every year, many of them on land far from water.

"...and hippos are the most dangerous herbivore in the world, also killing lots of people every year, many of them on land far from water."

Not to split hairs but the hippo is largely regarded as the most dangerous animal in Africa, although this dubious honor actually goes to the lowly mosquito by way of the many ailments he spreads. Further, while officially a "herbivore" hippo are well known to eat flesh - occasionally that of their victims. People typically are killed by hippo when they inadvertently come between the water and one on land. The frightened two ton animal simply runs over them to get to safety in the water. Hippo, especially territorial bulls do intentionally attack though. This happens quite frequently to boaters and several tourists have lost their lives in this way during the past year.

I doubt there is anything we can do to drive home the importance of our free education system. Its regard as fun & games or a social event is a too well ingrained phenomenon reinforced by TV and movies. "Senior pranks" are somewhat acceptable so long as they remain relatively harmless but some of the things going on lately - the pig sacrifice in PA a year or two back for example - are way over the top. The antics at high school graduations have become shameful as well, not only by the graduates but the parents, friends and other attendees. Yelling, noise makers, throwing articles, etc. have no place in what should be a reverent ceremony.

Let your hair down and have fun after the ceremony but don't trivialize all your hard work by making of mockery of the ceremony its self. You're lucky to have the oportunity!

That's going too far. The first milestone is a celebratory event. The ceremonial event is merely symbolic. Give it hell, I say.

No one appreciates education these days, lest of all me.

I feel like this post is a drive by volkswagon commercial dispelling the gloom and doom some perceive exists.

I attended an awards ceremony last night where 21 girls were being appreciated for going back to there schools to graduate, after giving birth at an early age, and all spoke about the chance they were given to move forward with their educational goals.

I spoke at a local college govt class last month where we exchanged extensive dialogue on many locla issues that the students were obviously interested in, knew well, and had strong opinions on.

At our annual luncheon with the HCC Board I watched as a young blind girl from Clear Spring got up and spoke about entering college early, as did her 15 year old friend, to attend HCC and have goals to move on to complete their 4 year degrees in cancer research and medicine.

In the last month I've been to 3 groundbreakings for 3 new elementary schools, one where the community is yet to build, anohter where a young girl wrote a clever poem about how much better the new school will be over her existing one, and the third where the group of school chorus kids sand several songs, a site too bright and humerous to describe, and all wanting to shake hands and tell you all about their school.

I also attended the HCC scholarship donor ceremony where a member of this community's first high school class talked about ther reasons for creating their donation, and met for the first time 2 of the high school kids that were awarded a small scholarship that I provide each year.

Tha appreciation for education and the understanding that it is not a "free ride" for those that make the most of it, is out there, you may just need to look a little harder.

Kid--I think the point was not a drive-by whackado thing. I think it was how education is valued in this country.

Here is a for-instance: In Washington County, 5th Graders 'Graduate' --they give them a silly certificate, decorate the cafeterias & then give them cake & punch & let them get out of school at 10:00am.. This is just stupid--the kids know it is a farce and so do the parents..it is just another gimme--lets have fun & not bother to learn day--let's go to Hershey Park as a field trip--to learn what?

I do not discredit the people who have a hard time & overcome obstacles. But we have alot of people in this country who take if for granted that they will graduate...I know a few teachers who tell me that they have jrs & srs who just 'assume' they will go to college when they are not really 'passing' high school. They end up getting their h.s. diploma but it is thru the chicanery of grade computations, and then wonder why they are not able to cut it in college...or life...

Sorry for the confusion, I meant that my comments were the drive by woohoo over the doom and gloom.

BTW- There are many great minds that did not achieve them through expansive public education to "make it in life"

Einstein was a D studnet in math and science, and though of the theory of relativity while working in a factory.

Yes, Einstein did not even speak until he was 3 or some such thing. He was a very introverted kiddoe..

And as the immortal words of my parents ring thru my head-you do not appreciate anything unless you have to work for it.
And as a society we seem to have forgotten this message when it comes to 'edumuication of the yute'.