Final Reflection: A Deeper Understanding of Our Civic System.

 Final Reflection: A Deeper Understanding of Our Civic System.

Through this project and through hearing about what everyone else did, I learned that literally every single issue connects to another. The environment contributes to safety and healthcare, education acts as a precursor for family and community development, immigration and healthcare relate to our economy and quality of life - it truly is not a domino effect, but one incident comprises every part of our civic system. This project facilitated a greater understanding of how personal decisions and government efforts dictate how we live.

Families, Education, and Civic Growth

I'll start with my part - the education and family component. We looked at how family involvement facilitates community coherence and student social and educational development. For example, in my my groups discussion , we showed the various resources of home-schooling in addition to government-supported initiatives for families wanting to go the traditional schooling route. What stood out to me was that families often choose to homeschool for safety, ability, religious, or time efficiency purposes - and home-scholers tend to outperform public schoolers.

We also acknowledged the learning outside of school via parents educating their children on morals, etiquette, responsibilities while children learn new information at school and can apply that knowledge to their families at home. This reminded me that civic learning starts young - and at home. Families that are units - whether through school-oriented happenings and volunteer opportunities or simply existing - creates a stronger community that all communities need.

Healthcare and Immigration

Meanwhile, the healthcare and immigration component made me increasingly aware of inequities in the medical field. They mentioned how job-provided insurance is a long-standing concept, Medicare and Medicaid was established and immigrants still don't have affordable outlets for care as similar languages and costs or fears prevail. I didn't know so many people die from not being able to afford basic treatment or obtaining a fear of being sent back to their countries from the hospital.

This made me think about healthcare as social justice. A population without access to any form of healthcare suffers not only as individuals, but as families. Poor healthcare leads to poor education, poor job prospects, poor quality of life. I realized that healthcare is about more than just treatment; it's social justice and the right to be safe.

Immigration and the Economy

Furthermore, the immigration group educated me on how important immigrants are to our country as it sustains its growth. Immigrants can seek citizenship here in the states up to fifteen years while in places like Canada or Japan, it's fast-tracked albeit carefully. But what intrigued me was how immigrants filled the gaps for jobs, established companies and maintain economies - but their work is oftentimes taken for granted.

For example, many companies were founded by immigrants - Google, Tesla and other huge corporations. This made me reassess my understanding of immigration. It's not political; it's entrepreneurial, an idea - and interconnectedness of culture. Immigrants add diversity and perspectives that grow communities instead of a melting pot.

Environment, Safety, and the Economy

The presenters relative to the environment and safety had me reflecting about culture, economics and law how people engage with their country and world. For example, they mentioned that in Japan, there's so much respect for the environment that there are no trash cans and Europe tries to regulate recycling. I find that it's always with the good intentions of an intact economy that people try to take care of the environment, but too often, with less attention when the economy does poorly - when no one is looking - as to satisfy human economic needs. For example, shorter time frames of safety regulations can protect homesteaders from being poor during a recession, but what sacrifice does that have for future generations?

Safety was another major theme - and did you know that police do not carry guns in Great Britain? I didn't. I found it interesting how safety, like the environment and the economy, is interconnected across borders. Thus, those students reminded me that it's not just the responsibility of the government for continued sustainability within worlds and communities, but everyone from citizens who can recycle, not waste water to, remain educated.

Final Thoughts

After listening to all of this information about education, health care, immigration, the economy, safety and the environment, it's an interconnected society to concern everyone. The environment affects health which affects education which raises leaders. It's a cycle dependent upon how much people care and engage.

Through this project, I've learned that civic engagement is not just about law and order or elections, but awareness, care and engagement. From helping an elderly neighbor get their garbage from their house to the curb; picking up litter over there; voicing something over here, it all matters.

It's also important to note that it takes time for real change to occur. It takes people growing up in households where values are fostered; classrooms where world issues are discussed; communities where resources are shared. When people are responsible citizenry within their communities and can perceive others within their midst who need help, that's when change can happen.