Meet Julia Delmedico

Transcriber: Andrea McDonough Reviewer: Jessica Ruby

I'm Julia, and I'm 17.

My parents are from Argentina,

and I've grown up in Manhattan my whole life

and go to school in the Bronx.

I think a lot of high schools

are trying to get their students

into the best colleges.

And because the way students are being measured

is through numbers that are so harsh,

I think public schools are killing creativity.

They're quantifying students.

Students are only given an incentive

to learn for a good grade,

but nothing more.

I probably just skim the surface

just to pass exams a lot of the time.

'Cause what you hear mostly in the hallways

are what projects are due,

what grades you got,

how you're going to fit it all in your day.

And, in class, half the students have their head down sleeping

because they've been up all night

trying to study for their exams.

The only support we really get

is from our guidance counselors

about which college to apply to,

what classes to take.

"You need an AP science if you want to go to nahdahdah."

But that's not me.

I'm very, very much engaged in art history

and 'mic/mac', which is micro/macroeconomics.

Both the teachers are extremely intelligent,

and they like to talk about what they know about the subject.

My 'mic/mac' teacher, he sits at his desk,

and he gives not only all his opinions,

but all the videos he's watched,

all the articles he's read,

everything that's going on right now

that's somehow related,

and pulls everything out of the air

and brings it all in to the topic that we're talking about,

which will not be tested on

but makes the topic something real.

I never imagined myself to enjoy economics.

The best way I learn is in an actual, hands-on experience,

something that can bring me out of the classroom.

I think the best kind of education

is one that teaches you how to speak

and think for yourself.

That's much more valuable

than just passing your exams.