Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.”

With that in mind and the new school year nearly here, a new batch of young, impressionable minds will be heading for kindergarten. Some will be happy, others may not. The very first days of school will leave some mothers teary eyed, while veteran mothers will be proud and sad as their older children go off to college.

Once the journey of learning is started, we are handed the magic of knowledge, imagination and thinking. It is a torch passed from one generation to the next.

In order to prepare our children to compete in a global economy, we need to be informed about all of the important issues surrounding education. America’s education system was the envy of the world at one time.

Unfortunately, today, the National Assessment of Educational Progress reports, “We spend more money per pupil than any other country, but among industrialized nations, American students rank near the bottom in science and math. Only 13 percent of high school seniors know about American history.”

It is time to focus on our students and their needs. Our children should be reaching their full potential. It is time to combine the incredible technology of the present with the incredible philosophical ideas of education from our past.

I love teaching. I worked in the Saco school system for 29 years. To make a long story short, I went to college when I was 40 years old. I started as a substitute and was an educational technician and assistant. I thought I died and went to heaven as the youngsters came to me for help in reading, math and writing.

Children truly are like sponges. They soak up everything they hear. After my husband died, I spent 14 years doing day care at Saco Sport and Fitness. It was great. Children wander in endless curiosity having fun.

Speaking of fun and children, the Make A Wish event that I wrote about previously was truly a significant achievement deserving of a special thank you to: The Southern Maine Garden Tractor Pulling Club, the Lowell and Cole families, the committee, volunteers and all the sponsors. It filled the heart to watch the joyful, intent faces as small hands steered, while legs pressed on the pedals.

Today, learning is more beautiful, more imaginative and more fun-filled than ever before ”“ and for all ages. Quilting has become an art form, and the tradition is carried on by being displayed in amazing shows, such as “River, Lake, Ocean,” a show of the members of Art Quilt Maine features pieces inspired by bodies of water. The collection was unveiled at Maine Quilt 2014, the annual quilt show held in Augusta every year at the end of July.

The quilts are on a tour of Maine, beginning with the Dyer Library in Saco this month, and continuing to other libraries and galleries in Lewiston, Waterville and Skowhegan before returning to the artists in June of 2015. The mission of Art Quilt Maine is to support members in their exploration of contemporary quilt art, to inspire creativity and individuality, and to promote the understanding, appreciation and recognition of contemporary quilters in Maine, members say.

Anyone interested in hosting the exhibit may contact Art Quilts Maine at [email protected].

— Zaffie Hadiaris of Saco is the host of “Zaffie,” a weekly television talk show on Channel 3 Biddeford public access. It can also be seen at biddefordmaine.org. Contact Hadiaris at [email protected].