Nkiehl1015@gmail.

com
4224 Arnold Avenue
Lower Burrell, PA 15068

November 26,2021

Kamala Harris
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Madam Vice President,

I am ecstatic to have this opportunity to write a letter that will address the current issue regarding life and
dignity of the human person. As a university student, I am very passionate about educating myself on
poverty, specifically the effects it has on children and the youth. Life and dignity of the human person
begins with making sure we feed the hungry, provide clean water, and have sufficient shelter. However,
we cannot exclude the importance of education and the effects on children who have limited access.

I come from a small town outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where the town I lived in and the
neighboring town share the same high school. My town consisted of low-income housing and the
neighboring town consisted of high-income housing. As a child living in a low-income household, I was
terrified to go to high school, out of fear that I would be bullied for not having what all the other kids had.
When I finally graduated, I noticed a trend with my graduating class, who had plans to attend university
and who did not, and as a result, the wealthier kids were prepared for a better future. Living in a low-
income household, limits the type of education a family can provide, whether it’s tuition costs or the lack
of family support. Although university does not benefit all individuals, in many instances, it provides a
much better future. I am not asking for all individuals to have postsecondary education, I am asking for all
individuals, specifically children and youth, to have sufficient living and educational conditions to enable
them for a brighter future.

Poverty stricken communities restrict families from obtaining the highest levels of education, including
early education. Human Rights for Children and Youth analyzes how early education is “a right of all
children, in pursuit of their real and present well-being, a fundamental human and social right that will be
consolidated throughout the child’s life.”1 The analysis of early education is only a portion of evidence,
that addresses children and youth, and the effects of education and the lack thereof. Sheri Marino
addresses in the article, The Effects of Poverty on Children, the importance of early childhood
development “includes physical, social/emotional, and language/cognitive development, all of which are
influential on wellbeing throughout life.” 2The article continues to address how living in poverty becomes
a lifecycle behavior and impacts a human and their dignity for the rest of their lives.

1
Human Rights for Children and Youth: Sociocultural Differentiation, Resistance and Unity, edited by Magali Reis, and Santos Isidório,
Marcelo dos, Emerald Publishing Limited, 2019. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/setonhill-
ebooks/detail.action?docID=5900354

2
MA, S. M., Director, F., & *, N. (2019, November 15). The effects of poverty on children. Focus for Health. Retrieved November 24, 2021,
from https://www.focusforhealth.org/effects-poverty-on-children/
As a citizen of the United States of America, I hold you accountable to recognize the reality of poverty
and the effects that it has on our children and youth’s education. Our nation must change the way
communities are impacted by the education system and by doing so, there must be affordable education
for all children and youth. Currently our local school tax pays for public schooling, but those taxes are
based on the community wealth, and evidently, results in the lack of financial support for those affected
districts. Additionally, our taxes are what financially support our teachers and the standards for
curriculum would be determined by financial availability. I am not proposing the existing government
programs that we already have, I am proposing that all educational programs be funded equally, so if a
child comes from a low-income family, they too will have the same opportunity as the child coming from
the wealthy family. There should be no child eliminated from early education programs due to their
family wealth and/or financial hardship.

Madam Vice President, I appreciate the time you have spent reading this letter. I look forward to our
nation progressing towards eliminating poverty and addressing the effects poverty has on our children and
youth education, in America.

Sincerely,

Nicole Kiehl
Nkiehl1015@gmail.com