Dear Next President,

I feel as if the biggest present issue facing or going on in the United States of America today has to be poverty and educational issues. Everyday, about 7,000 or so students drop out and don't have the opportunity to continue with their education and achieve their aspirations. Other times, the lessons they're being taught isn't interesting or doesn't engage them. Other times it might be because they don't have the option or can't necessarily afford or obtain school supplies that they need. Did you know that the United States has the 2nd highest poverty rate in the world? About 40% of children living in poverty aren't ready or prepared for primary schooling, according to www.dosomething.org. Not to mention that more than 30 million children are growing up in said poverty. That calculates for about 12 million low income families' children not having the supplies to obtain an education. I find this issue important because every student has the right to an education, but it's unfair for children who don't have the income to not be able to get that education and achieve their dreams and aspirations, meanwhile others are wasting their education and dropping out. I feel like the education system in the United States is lacking and that's a cause of the issue. Not to mention the country is currently ranked 31st in the world when it used to be higher in the numbers and very big on education. America can learn from smaller countries like Finland, who is in the top 3 of all education in the world. The country provides breaks for the children every period, shorter school days, and overall a funner environment. The country also gives 500 euros for every child you have, so Finland currently has the second lowest relative poverty rate in the entire world. Testing and too much work may be too much of a problem for kids to handle in school, and that's why in older children, most of the time it's associated with a lot of work and they have to be industrial to complete it. I feel like students who have less income or are below or on the average poverty line for the United States of America should have the right to a free public colleges, and more benefits can be given so children will and can have the opportunity to receive a free education. In the future, I feel like we can increase the rank and effectiveness of America's educational system just by helping lower income families and that can generally decrease the poverty rate even by just a bit. Even while America is lacking behind other countries, it can be fixed and the nation is what makes it great.

Sincerely, Mathew Brito