I Am What I Learn: Shane Battier

U.S. Department of Education, www.ed.gov

On September 21, the Department of Education launched the "I Am What I Learn" video contest which encouraged students to share their stories about the importance of education to achieving their dream.
 
Shane Battier of the NBA's Houston Rockets taped a video address for the “I Am What I Learn” video contest, hosted by the U.S. Department of Education and YouTube. In the video Shane describes the role education plays in his life and encourages students to dedicate themselves to their own education.

Battier explains how he faced the same challenges in school as he did on the basketball court.

”… [T]he journey to the NBA was a very difficult one,” Battier says, “one where I was doubted every step of the way‧ The same thing happened in school. People looked at me and didn't give me a chance to be a good student, and I took that as a challenge…I put as much energy into school as I did [in] basketball, [and I] proved people wrong.”

 

The “I Am What I Learn” video contest launched Sept. 21. More than 600 students submitted videos describing their academic goals and the role education plays in determining their future. Ten finalists were announced on Nov. 16. The YouTube public can vote on the videos at www.YouTube.com/IAmWhatILearn. The three videos with the most votes will be announced in mid-December. Each winner will be awarded a $1,000 prize issued by the U.S. Department of Education.