Support global education initiative

Education has the power to transform. If there is one thing my college experience has taught me thus far, it is the power of my voice, when I stand up for my ideals and values.

As I complete my school supply shopping for my junior year of college, and excitedly decide what classes to take, what opportunities to pursue, and anxiously await reuniting with my friends, I am constantly reminded of how often education can be taken for granted in the United States.

Unfortunately, over 263 million children and youth are currently out of school. These are individuals with the same hunger for knowledge that we all have, but, they are often faced with unique challenges to accessing education, such as forced marriages or a lack of female teachers.

However, the United States can change this reality for millions.

The Global Partnership for Education is a bipartisan solution to serve youth everywhere by creating greater access to education. The partnership is an international collaboration exclusively dedicated to building strong education systems in the poorest countries worldwide. The GPE has the goal to get over 25 million more kids in school by 2020, helping to unleash the potential and brilliance of children around the world.

In order for the Global Partnership for Education to achieve such goals, I firmly believe that the United States should demonstrate their commitment to children all over the world, and support the partnership.

I would not be the individual I am today, if it were not for growing up and learning from the Illinois public education system.

I hope that Illinois representatives in Congress will use the power of their voices, and stand up for access to education all over the world, by co-sponsoring a resolution for GPE replenishment.

Amber Hatcher

Aurora