High Expectations

A fundamental shift is taking place in the world’s economy. It is an evolutionary change. ... evolution at the speed of light.
After WW ll products made in the USA were considered the best on the market. “Made in America” became the gold standard. The American worker became the most productive on the planet. As a result, our standard of living soared. There seemed to be no end to this trend of prosperity. That is changing.
Then a serious challenge came from Japan, a country devastated by war. At one time products produced in Japan were considered inferior. However, the Japanese had a vision. It is best described by the word “kaisen,” meaning continuous improvement. It applied to all aspects of life. Products were continually being upgraded. Schools and students were also being pushed to the limit. The desire for a high quality education became famous worldwide. Parents paid extra for their children to attend Saturday School. The standard of living for the Japanese worker soon skyrocketed.
The economic revolution took hold in other countries in the region; South Korea, The Peoples Republic of China, and India. It is a testament to the capitalistic spirit. These countries, like Japan, are investing heavily in education. They hold their students to very high standards. Their high school, technical school, and college graduates are considered some of the best in the world. They are very competitive and their standard of living is increasing by leaps and bounds.
Are we up to the challenge? Are we willing to make the sacrifice to remain competitive? The historic trend has been for each American generation to “have it better” than the previous generation, but there is evidence that this trend may be reversing. High expectations, hard work and opportunity were the keys. However, opportunity is created, it does not happen by accident.
The key to opportunity is preparation and the key to preparation is education. A well educated person is the result of quality teaching, hard work, and meeting high expectations. We must hold each student to high expectations. Consider this your gift to future generations. You can be sure that there will be increased competition for the worlds scarce resources. Each of us holds a key. This is our opportunity to positively impact the community, state, and nation.