Dear Next President,

First of all, congratulations on winning! But you don't have that much time to celebrate, it's time to get to work. We need your help in changing some things.

I personally have not liked school at sometimes. When I was younger I loved it, it was fun, it was a place where I could go to learn fun things like how to read and write. I could play with my friends all day and starting in 1st grade I could buy my own lunch like the big kids! Until 6th grade hit, school was easy and fun. However starting on the 1st week of 6th grade I was ambushed! The work got harder, I began getting a lot of homework, my backpack started to hurt my shoulders and the rumors started. These are the effects of middle school. Though I make middle school sound bad I wish I could stay here forever. Every year on my birthday I get stressed, I don't think about the cake or the presents I think about how many years there are until I become an adult, until I have to vote, and I don't live in the bubble my parents have been keeping around me since I was born. We need an extra year of high school devoted to teaching us about things we’ll need in life. Things like how to pay taxes, how to buy a house, and how to get a job.

Did you know that “approximately 50% of recent high school graduates report gaps in preparation for life after high school” -The Atlanta Journal Constitution. If we had an extra year of high school students would be more prepared for life. According to The New York Times, a survey conducted in 2014 stated that "83 percent of college seniors graduated without a job”. If we were taught good life skills and things we can use to get a job, this number would decrease and more people could get a job.

In “the real world” or the world after high school we won't be ready, we will be lost and we will not be successful. If we aren't thought life skills we won't get a job. No job means no money. No money means no college. No college means no career. No career means no money again. No money means no house, no car, no food. No food means hunger. Hunger means death or stealing for food. Do you see how not learning these things set us up for failure? There are always lucky kids who get jobs and get into good schools, or kids whose parents help them with it all. But that's only a small portion of kids, there's still that 83 percent that won't get a job.

Hopefully you understand why we need an extra year of school to learn life skills to become successful in life. Some other countries have it and their students are successful. Don't you want us to be too? Its time to get to fixing the educational system.

Sincerely, 

Jordan B.