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Katelin Madaski
Professor Hudson
Political Science 1010 sect. 518
30 April 2016

A Semester in the Life of Living Education

When I came into the winter semester of 2016, I was left somewhat
discouraged from my first semester of college the prior semester. I had just received
my first A- in Honors 1000, ironically enough, and I was concerned with the
significant increase in what had to be done for my time in the Irvin D. Reid Honors
College. Coming into the classroom for the first time, meeting my new professor,
and being introduced to what would become a great group of colleagues throughout
the semester was quite intimidating at first, but looking back, I now have
established rapports with my colleagues and professor in which I highly value. My
group and I founded our project on the common foundation of education being a key
issue in all of our perspectives; this led to a string of events that enriched,
challenged, and made me thrive as both an individual and student.
My perspective on the issue of education in Detroit was more of a pessimistic
take. I felt that Detroit was beyond saving to some extent, that there was little that I
could do, and that there was little being done in relevance to what was capable of
being performed. With every look at our issue, from the agency and structure
biography to the sphere memo to the policy paper, I gained a collective census of
what could end up being done by myself as a person and my group as Wayne State
students to better the educational system in Detroit. Agency and structure showed
that there are methods to fight the structures instilled within our society that we

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could be agency. One thing that became clear to me through the work that my
group and I took part in, much to my surprise, was the fact that Detroit has a
capable and fighting chance to make a difference for not only it's education, but it's
city overall. It wasn't until I saw the multitude of organizations that fight on a
regular basis that I realized there is much being done, it is the magnitude of the
struggles that plague Detroit that inhibit full recovery.
As the semester went on, I had several experiences that helped to shape my
views and character with every event that I took part in. In the beginning, the
content was largely research-based; my work turned hands-on as I started
volunteering in the second half. There is little doubt in my mind that it was this
volunteering that was the turning point in my career as a honors Political Science
student. I had been volunteering for Southwest Solutions Detroit, and I got to
experience what it is that they did as an agency for Detroit. Enrichment was a
critical part of my time there, and I eventually got the opportunity to work.
Furthermore, regular trips to the surround elementary schools allowed me to
immerse myself in the fruits of this agency's hard work, seeing the children with
their growth, potential, and happiness. I remember the immense collaboration with
dozens of partners that one of my supervisors showed me at Earhart Elementary.
Among those collaborations, in which I was particularly excited for, was their
collaboration with Eastern Market to bring it to the school for the children and their
parents. This, to me, showed two different elements of Detroit coming together to
advance its enrichment of its youth, which tells that Detroit does not always need to
depend on outside assistance to make a difference.
After all is said and done, there is much that will resonate with me for years
to come. For one, I plan to continue my work with Southwest Solutions from this

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point forward as an intern, and perhaps a future partner with their organization as
they have mentioned. I truly enjoy the work I have done with them. I love the
people I work with, and I love the potential for the difference that I can make.
Through the horrible conditions that I was exposed to, a light rose out of the ashes
of Detroit's decaying infrastructure. As the board said the first day that I started
volunteering there that quoted John Holmes, "There is no exercise better for the
heart than reaching down and lifting people up."