Every month one of the 25 cherished values will be highlighted on this page.

                      Knowledge

The roots of education are bitter, but the fruits are sweet. ~Aristotle

One of the first things our founding fathers did after settling in America was to establish churches and schools. Our first, greatest, and most enduring institutions are institutions of learning. The first Africans brought to this country showed a high regard for knowledge. After slavery, the first and most prominent institutions founded by black people were schools and societies. Across the board, Americans value knowledge.

To this day, our system of public education is the most accessible in the world. No other nation places the premium on education for all of its citizens as does America. We value knowledge for what it has done for our nation and the world.

Our knowledge of agriculture has made us the best fed people on the planet and has enabled us to help feed the world. Our knowledge of science and technology has made us the premiere power of the times. More doctors and scientists are trained in the United States than anywhere else on earth. We fund research and exploration at a higher rate than any other nation.

Our space exploration is a quest for knowledge. We explore the seas for more knowledge. In our quest for knowledge, we dig deep into caves and explore areas that have been untouched by civilization. We believe that greater knowledge is the key to a better life. Some of our greatest heroes are our thinkers. They have left us a legacy of ideas and advancement. Our constitution was drafted by some of the best minds of the time. Several of them started schools or had schools named in their honor. All around us is evidence of our value for knowledge.