Los Angeles Leadership Academy

Research Paper
Alondra Salazar
Nicholas Steed, English 12
Period 5
May 20, 2016

A school is an educational institution. We are told that the reason we attend school is to
get an education, to develop social skills, and to prepare ourselves for the future. Attending

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school is a big part of our lives. It is a step we all have to take in order to achieve our goals.
Many of us say that it is something we do not need, something that should not be required to do
because it will not make a difference in our lives. We believe that once we graduate all that
information we were given will be for nothing because we will not need it in the future, but have
those who say such things really considered what they are saying? Does school impact our lives
beyond academics? School can impact students lives beyond academics because everything we
learned can be used outside of school, because our experiences can affect who we become in the
future, and because we all need some type of knowledge, skill, and guidance to accomplish what
we want to do, to be, and to have in the future.
First, everything we learn in school can be applied to our lives outside of school. It is the
basic things like English, that we use everyday. It is obviously important to always know what
someone is saying without sounding unintelligent. Having an English class helps us understand
basic grammar and it also helps expand our vocabulary. There are people who enjoy reading.
Reading also helps increase peoples ability to spell. It has been proven that reading helps
expand our vocabulary because we are forced to see words we have have never seen or heard
before. Having an expanded vocabulary and a very good ability to spell helps those who enjoy
writing.
Basic math, we use it for whenever we buy something; everywhere we go there are
numbers. Whatever someone does, they always follow some type of math principle. According
to math in daily life, If we are well versed in this language of numbers, it can help us make
important decisions and perform everyday tasks (learner.org, May 05, 2016).There are many
jobs that require some type of math knowledge.

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Another class we have in school that many students hate, but will definitely help us is our
physical education class. Aside from P.E. being fun and sweaty, we need that class to help us
stay active. Physical education can be applied outside of school because it has to do with our
health. Physical activity helps decrease the risk of disease, it helps a person feel better physically
and mentally, and it keeps the body in very good shape. It has also been proven that exercising
helps people live longer, and that regular exercise can add up to five years to ones life.
According to takingcharge.edu the Lancet released a series of studies that attribute positive
outcomes to physical activity, including a sense of purpose and value, a better quality of life,
improved sleep, and reduced stress, as well as stronger relationships and social
connectedness(Mary Jo Kreitzer, May 10,2016).
The experiences we have at school that involve our education can affect who we become
in the future. It is safe to say that mostly everyone has their favorite and least favorite subject.
The majority of the time, the favorite subject plays a big part in helping people decide who they
want to be in the future. For example, if someone wants to become an English teacher he or she
would obviously enjoy things like reading and writing. Or, if they want to be a History teacher
they would have some type of interest in the past and how this world is changing. They do not
necessarily have to like a class at first. Sometimes it takes a while for someone to take a liking
to a subject or to realize that they are interested in it. Ones education can definitely affect their
future, but the good thing is that it is something that is under their complete control. The things
someone is interested in now can lead to their future career, which is why it is important to try
really hard in every subject because one never knows what he or she will need in order to take
the next step.

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The experiences we have at school involving our education can affect who we become in
the future due to the fact that every time we take an action, we are one step closer to building our
future. Who we are and what we do now can affect who we are and what we will do later on.
School can impact students lives beyond academics because having some type of
knowledge, skill, or guidance is critical when it comes to being able to accomplish what we want
to do in the future. In school, students learn to bond with their teachers, they begin to gain their
trust. Many students depend on their teachers to help them prepare for the future. According to
teach.com, Educators can help their pupils pursue higher education, explore career
opportunities and compete in events they might otherwise have not thought themselves able to,
(teach.com, May 12,2016). Many of the students parents did not have an education and
therefore do not know what their kids need to do to get into a good college and get the education
they need in order for them to begin studying for the career of their choice, which is why there
are highly educated people at the schools to help guide the students through the process. The
teachers play a big role when it comes to the success of their students. According to the
Teachers Change Lives article in teacher.com, Students who are inspired by their teachers can
accomplish amazing things, and that motivation almost always stays with them (teach.com,
May 12,2016).
It is important to do well in school because grades can affect the future education that one
will have. Going to school helps gain knowledge about what the future has in store for us. The
school is able to teach us something that our parents can not teach us. Schools are made to
educate people in order to make them more mature and independent. School helps us prepare for
the future.

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Schools have the ability to impact students lives beyond academics. I believe that school
can impact students lives beyond academics because everything we learned can be used outside
of school, because our experiences can affect who we become in the future, and because we all
need some type of knowledge, skill, and guidance to accomplish what we want to do or be in the
future. At the end of the day, school helps us whether it is to prepare us for the outside world or
to help us get a further education. There are many people that think that schools do not help us
prepare for the future, but that is not true. It is true that we are the ones doing all the work and
putting in the effort, but there would be no reason for us to put any effort at all if it was not for
the knowledge we are being provided with at school. School helps provide kids with an
education that their parents would not be able to give them. The information that the students
need to know about further education and future jobs will be provided at school by the teachers
and staff. School has a really big impact on our future and we can definitely use what we learned
in school in the outside world. The communication skills we learn to develop at school will help
us outside of school when it comes to meeting new people and applying to get a job. Therefore,
students do benefit from school and whatever is learned can be applied outside of school.

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This pie chart shows what truly has an impact on student learning. It shows that the teachers are
the second greatest impact on students.

Works Cited
"Why Is Education Important? A Q&A with Dr. Paul LeBlanc." Southern New Hampshire
University. Pamme Boutselis, 28 Sept. 2015. Web. 28 Apr. 2016.
"Education | Global Partnership for Education." Education | Global Partnership for Education.
N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.
"Math in Daily Life." Math in Daily Life. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2016.
"8 Benefits of Reading (or Ways Reading Makes You Better at Life)." LifeDev RSS. N.p., 17
Dec. 2014. Web. 05 May 2016.

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"Why Is Physical Activity & Fitness Important? | Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing."
Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2016.
"Understanding Society The UK Household Longitudinal Study." What Impact Does Education
Have on Your Wellbeing? Understanding Society. N.p., 11 Aug. 2014. Web. 05 May 2016.
"Teachers Change Lives." Teachcom. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2016.