The Middle Ground of Technology in School by Sadie

The Middle Ground of Technology in School by Sadie - November 2025 Scholarship Essay

Technology has a significant grasp on school activities and the overall world flow in this economy. As technology has improved and been certified by engineers, these systems of technology have entered the classrooms as fast as they have been approved. As a student who began school at a time when technology was not relied on as much as now, I believe the increase in technology over time has made a significant impact on my education.
Before Covid, the most technology was using a small chromebook in class to research topics for an assignment. Many assignments were on paper or in notebooks for my classes, which allowed room for lack of organization and the easy ability to lose important papers. As an early middle schooler, I was commonly found shoving loose pieces of paper into my backpack to get crushed flat at the bottom over time. Only later when I would clean out my back I would say, "Oh! There's that one paper I couldn't find!" This pattern of disorganization continued and caused more stress for me than a middle schooler should usually be feeling.
Eventually, midway through middle school, Covid hit the world with a hard hammer. Grocery store shelves were empty, daily deaths were rising daily, and most impactfully to me, students were taken out of schools for a year and a half. This forced the world to accept technology in a newer way than ever before. It was eye-opening to possibilities for students. It allowed people to communicate more effectively, complete assignments online through different formats, and still stay productive. The program my school used offered a calendar for students to keep track of assignments, ask teachers questions, and submit assignments in a timely manner. While not all students were positively impacted by this, I was as a student who struggled to keep track of the various different colored paper assignments.