We as Americans take pride in our children’s education. We take pride in our students becoming successful in their life, so much that we encourage students to think beyond high school and about college.

While graduating high school is a great accomplishment, what happens to those students who don’t attend college? What will they do next? They’ve sat in class for four years learning about present participle, equations for triangles and dissecting pigs, but no one teaches them things that they will actually need for life after high school and college.

Here in Cleveland a few years ago, students were given the opportunity to take classes at the Cleveland Technology and Development Center. There, students had the choice in carpentry, career development and early childhood. These classes allowed students to get jobs–which is great–but they should also be taught on managing money, taxes, renting, loans and credit scores.

When students cannot afford to pay for school, they take out loans not knowing that these loans will be filed on their credit score and could be one reason they won’t be able to get a car or get their own home. I personally didn’t know anything about credit scores until I did research on my own.

If students are taught these things in high school, they will have a better chance at becoming successful. Some may even not have to go to college because of the life skills being taught.

No one is saying that students shouldn’t be taught their education as is. I am stating that students should be given tips on how to survive before entering into the real world. Not every student will actually pay attention to the skills. However, if the schools put in the effort, someone will, and they could be possibly saving a student from falling into poverty.

Our world is constantly changing every day and it is imperative that someone takes the initiative to educate our students at a young age. Everyone warns students that the real world is hard and challenging, but no one ever educates them on how to prepare for or avoid some of the simple mistakes being made.

Students are taught how to form simple sentences but most have difficulty creating a professional resume. Many employers here in Cleveland have made the complaint that high school and some college graduates fail to turn in a proper resume and it stops them from getting the job. If they are granted the job, they seem to have a lack of communication skills, time management, money management, and the list goes on.

This shows that students should be taught more than just how to make an “A” on a reading exam. Students need to be prepped for things like this so that they won’t have as much struggle in the field.

There isn’t a blueprint of life, but there are ways that we can help students view the “real world.” I feel that the education department should add life skill classes to the list of classes that students must take. Given that Mississippi has high poverty rates, this should be highly considered.