There are approximately 7 billion people in this world, and we are exponentially growing. Yet, it seems the intolerance, prejudice, and hatred–among other things that we have for each other–is growing just as fast. It makes me ask myself why this is so. The first thing that pops in my head is the academy I attend and what it teaches us about the global mindset.

Here at Tallwood High we have the GSWLA (Global Studies and World Language Academy). The academy is an excellent program that gives its selected students amazing experiences that will stay with them their whole lifetime. However, I still hold strong conviction that the academy should not really exist for the simple reason that education worldwide should be global-centered from day one.  The GSWLA is great, but it should not be the exception; it should be the norm.

In the GSWLA, the focus is upon educating its students about the various cultures and customs around the globe, as well as how they relate to history and other spheres of life. Academy students attend classes every year that will benefit them not just in their careers but in their lives overall. Students are taught how to properly interact with people of different customs in diverse settings and situations. On top of that, they learn the importance of being multilingual by studying 3 languages.

With this in mind, I think more schools should go global. Even one class could make a huge impact on the way students view cultures that deviate from theirs.

In my opinion, it’s the misapprehensions or lack of understanding that has been causing enough conflict to propose change. Global-centered classes could eliminate the confusion and break the invisible, problematic barriers that come between different religions, cultures, and countries.

We have to target our youth through proper education. They are our future, and right now I cannot say the future is bright. But if we started educating them, maybe one day we would see all the hatred and intolerance exponentially decrease.