Essay Finalist… Santiago Ortega-Brown
We are thrilled to share with you an essay from one of our top five finalists, Santiago Ortega-Brown from Tuckahoe High School. He shared with us his incredible journey of how technology and ethics has impacted his life.
Please take a moment to enjoy his essay below.
Essay from Santiago Ortega-Brown:
Ethical Use of Technology in My Life
In our increasingly digital world, technology has transformed education, offering unprecedented opportunities for learning and growth. Yet, as a high school student with a sister who faces cognitive challenges, I've come to recognize a profound issue: the technology and data
systems meant to empower students often unintentionally exclude those with disabilities. This digital divide represents the most significant challenge in our current use of technology as it relates to my life as a high school student - not simply access to technology, but access to inclusive technology that serves all learners.
My journey toward understanding this challenge began early. Growing up with a sister whose mind jumps from one thing to another, trying to appear normal, trying to just fit in with the status quo, I witnessed firsthand how digital tools that seamlessly enhanced my educational experience presented significant barriers for her. My parents describe her mind as having eighty-three tabs open, two dozen of those having videos playing. While I could easily navigate learning management systems, digital textbooks, and online research platforms, my sister struggled with interfaces not designed with neurodivergent users in mind; complex layouts, time-limited assessments, and instruction delivery methods that assumed neurotypical processing abilities frequently turned potential learning opportunities into sources of frustration and reinforced her feelings of inadequacy.
This personal experience opened my eyes to a broader pattern. Walking through the halls of my high school, I observe countless examples of this digital inequality daily. There's Maria, who excels in verbal discussions but struggles with timed online quizzes due to her dyslexia. There's James, whose motor control challenges make navigating touch-screen applications nearly impossible without assistance. Much like my sister, there's my lab partner, Miles, whose ADHD makes focusing during video lectures challenging without specialized accommodations.
Each represents a student with tremendous potential whose educational experience is compromised by technology systems designed primarily for neurotypical users. The issue extends beyond school walls. I have a powerful childhood memory of seeing a homeless veteran without legs on the streets of New York City that continues to haunt me. I remember asking my mother, "Why doesn’t he have legs? Why doesn't anybody help him?" Today, I ask similar questions about technology: Why doesn’t the system work for everyone? Why aren't we designing with all users in mind from the beginning?
Is it ethically wrong for society not to work towards meeting individuals’ needs when technology and know-how exist? Yes, it is. My sister struggles with everyday tasks, disabled veterans face challenges I've witnessed firsthand, and my fellow students encounter barriers with diverse learning needs—all examples showing how existing technologies often fail to serve all members of society. I recognize that we can create more inclusive and accessible solutions.
Our failure to act perpetuates inequality and contradicts principles of fairness, inclusivity, and human dignity that I believe we should uphold as a society. This impacts not only those individuals directly but also robs society of their potential contributions. Since we possess the knowledge and means to address these challenges, I believe an ethical obligation compels us to pursue solutions that empower all individuals to reach their full potential. My parents, both public school teachers, have reinforced this understanding. They've shared countless stories of brilliant students whose potential remained unrealized because digital systems couldn't accommodate their unique learning styles. This systemic failure doesn't just affect individual students but represents a profound social injustice in how we prepare the next generation.
In the summer, I volunteer at a camp for students with disabilities, where I help teach fundamental skills using adaptive technology. This experience has shown me the incredible potential unlocked when technology truly meets users where they are. One student, previously disengaged from computer science, discovered a passion for coding once we implemented screen-reading software and alternative input devices. Another time, I worked with a child who had difficulties expressing himself orally. Part of our camp routine included sharing stories at night. Using text-to-voice technology, I was able to help the camper craft his story and then have the computer read his story aloud to all the campers.
Looking to the future, I plan to pursue biomedical engineering with a focus on assistive technologies. This directly aligns with my answer to that ethical question. Action needs to be taken, and I am moving in that direction. My goal is to develop prosthetics and digital interfaces that serve users with diverse needs from inception rather than as an afterthought. I envision systems designed with universal accessibility as a foundational principle, not a supplemental feature.
Educators and institutions must also transform their approach. Schools should implement mandatory accessibility training for all technology decision-makers and establish accessibility requirements in procurement policies. Technology should be evaluated not just for features and cost but for how effectively it serves all potential users.
Additionally, technology companies bear particular responsibility. They must incorporate diverse users in testing processes, implement accessibility standards as core requirements, and recognize that inclusive design ultimately creates superior products for all users.
The challenge we face isn't merely technical but ethical at its core. It requires reconsidering what we value in educational technology and who we imagine as its users. The bottom line shouldn’t be merely cost, but equitable opportunity. As my journey through high school continues, shaped by my sister's experiences and that unforgettable memory of the veteran, I remain committed to creating a world where technology fulfills its true promise: not as a tool that reinforces existing inequalities but as a bridge that helps overcome them. When technology truly serves everyone, we all benefit from the diverse perspectives and contributions that make our world richer and more innovative.
