The film “Most Likely to Succeed” was incredibly eye-opening as it is based around the premise that 21st-century society seems to be shifting its reliance from what was once an industrial-based economy in the 20th century to an information-based economy. According to the film, the ability to succeed and obtain employment now depends less on acquiring ordinary industrial skills and general university degrees. In today’s society, societal success is increasingly dependent on people’s innovative, creative, and entrepreneurial abilities. To be successful, one arguably must work towards obtaining and executing the skills that computers and technology cannot do for them.

Given that thought, this film argues that it is necessary to shift how we educate our youth. In the 21st century, we should be doing far more than teaching students to learn how to retain as much information as possible so that they can score high to simply forget a large portion of the material within three months. Under those circumstances, students are not genuinely learning or obtaining any meaningful skills. Instead, it is arguably proving increasingly more important to teach students a wide variety of soft skills. These skills can include and are not limited to perseverance, collaboration, critical thinking, confidence, time management, work ethic, the ability to work independently, and more. In essence, it’s as though soft skills are what indeed count in the end because it teaches individuals how to show up and produce quality work rather than regurgitate information for standardized tests.

Observing how this philosophy has been practiced in the context of High Tech High was so intriguing to watch because it proves that education, at least in the traditional North American context, does not have to exist in one standard form. I thought the public night event that High Tech High puts on is excellent because, as shown in the film, it helps prepare students for the real world in the 21st century. The public night event also motivates students to produce authentic work, some of their best work, and work incredibly hard. Knowing that their friends, family, fellow students and teachers, and strangers will be viewing their work gives students the motivation and incentive to genuinely grow, learn, and succeed through their educational journey.