Pictured: Local high school students and families recently gathered for the Success Can’t Wait celebration, recognizing seniors as they embark on their postsecondary journeys. Provided photo.

Last weekend, our nation observed Memorial Day, a solemn day to honor the men and women who gave their lives while serving our country. It is one of the few national moments that asks us to pause and remember the cost of the freedoms we often experience in our daily lives without much thought.

While there are many reasons people choose military service, those who serve are connected by a purpose larger than themselves. They accept a responsibility to protect our nation, defend our freedoms, and safeguard the lives of people they may never know. At its highest expression, service reminds us that freedom and responsibility have always been linked.

That connection feels especially important in this moment.

Across our country, we continue to wrestle with how to balance individual rights with the common good. We value personal liberty, as we should. It is foundational to who we are as Americans. Yet strong communities also demand something more from us. They require a willingness to see beyond our own immediate needs and consider how our choices affect our neighbors, our institutions, and the next generation.

This does not mean individual rights and the common good are in opposition to one another. In fact, I believe the healthiest communities understand that both must be protected. A community that ignores individual dignity cannot be strong. A community that ignores shared responsibility cannot be sustained.

We know this in our own families, workplaces, schools, and neighborhoods. Relationships begin to weaken when every disagreement becomes a contest to be won instead of a problem to be worked through. Trust erodes when we stop listening. Progress stalls when we retreat into corners and lose sight of what we still have in common.

So, what are we teaching young people by the way we live, lead, and disagree?

That question brings me back to education.

Education has always been about more than what happens in a classroom. Yes, students need to read well, think mathematically, write clearly, and master academic content. These skills matter deeply, and we should hold high expectations for every student. But a strong education also helps young people learn how to navigate life with confidence, curiosity, resilience, and care for others.

Students are watching the adults around them. They are learning from what we model, not only from what we say. They learn how to treat people with different opinions. They learn whether compromise is weakness or wisdom. They learn whether success is only individual achievement or whether it also includes contribution, service, and responsibility.

If we want young people to be prepared for college, careers, and life, we must help them develop both personal agency and a sense of connection to others. They need to know their own voice matters. They also need to understand that their voice is part of a larger community.

That is why a holistic view of education matters. Academic achievement is strongest when students have the guidance, confidence, relationships, and sense of purpose they need to stay engaged and keep moving forward. A student who feels unseen may struggle to learn. A student who lacks a trusted adult may struggle to imagine a future. A student who has never been asked to think beyond themselves may miss the deeper meaning of leadership.

In Sarasota County, we are fortunate to live in a community that values education, philanthropy, and civic life. But we cannot take that strength for granted. The future of our community will depend not only on the opportunities we create for students, but also on the example we set for them.

Memorial Day reminds us that service to something larger than oneself has shaped the best of our nation. Education gives us the chance to pass that lesson forward.

If we want to renew belief in education, community, and one another, it must begin with us. Our conduct. Our words. Our willingness to listen. Our commitment to students not only as learners, but as whole people preparing to take their place in the world.

Jennifer Vigne is the President and CEO of the Education Foundation of Sarasota County.

Pictured: Local high school students and families recently gathered for the Success Can’t Wait celebration, recognizing seniors as they embark on their postsecondary journeys. Provided photo.