--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let us become the first generation to…" description: "\"Let us become the first generation to decide to be the last that sees empty classrooms, lost childhoods and wasted potential\" — Malala Yousafzai" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a7/malala-yousafzai-808_childhood_let-us-become-the-first-generation-to-de_2063744.png" --- # Let us become the first generation to decide to be the… ![“Let us become the first generation to decide to be the last that sees empty classrooms, lost childhoods and wasted potential” quote by Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a7/malala-yousafzai-808_childhood_let-us-become-the-first-generation-to-de_2063744.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a7/malala-yousafzai-808_childhood_let-us-become-the-first-generation-to-de_2063744.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a7/malala-yousafzai-808_childhood_let-us-become-the-first-generation-to-de_2063744.png) > “Let us become the first generation to decide to be the last that sees empty classrooms, lost childhoods and wasted potential” [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A call to prevent educational loss by acting now to protect classrooms and children. **In simple terms:** Protect education now. Key Takeaway Act to keep schools open. Themes education justice future activism Mood urgent hopeful Type activist inspirational When to use this quote - policy making - community organizing - school funding - advocacy - parental involvement Key Concepts human rights systemic change Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take locally? - How to motivate policymakers? A Different Perspective Resources are limited; change may be slow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Classroom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classroom/) [Generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generation/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) ## Related quotes > [“Let the next generation worry about the long term-effects.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frazee/let-the-next-generation-worry-about-the-long-term-effects/) [James Frazee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frazee/) > [So much of memory comes from the beginning of our lives when we know the world for the first time with a kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-shreve/so-much-of-memory-comes-from-the-beginning-of-our-lives-when-we-know/) [Susan Shreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-shreve/) > [“When people wish for harmony, I wish for chaos. I'd rather see imaginative means of self-destruction, than to see laziness and wasted potential.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-suggs/when-people-wish-for-harmony-i-wish-for-chaos-i-d-rather-see/) [Lionel Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-suggs/) > [The students we saw were all bright, attractive, and polite, and the teachers all seemed to be smart and dedicated, and I began to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/the-students-we-saw-were-all-bright-attractive-and-polite-and-the/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [In each of us lies sleeping beauty, wasted potential, dying dreams. We sleep and live in dormant twilight, never knowing what it means to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-thompson/in-each-of-us-lies-sleeping-beauty-wasted-potential-dying-dreams-we/) [Kay Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-thompson/) > [“Anything else you want to discuss before we begin?” “Who cuts your hair? You should run them through with their own thinning shears. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-rock/anything-else-you-want-to-discuss-before-we-begin-who-cuts-your-hair/) [J.A. Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-rock/) > [“Take very seriously your personal biochemistry, nutrition, consumption, rest, work, athletics, and environment. Experiment gradually to find out what works for you, and implement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/take-very-seriously-your-personal-biochemistry-nutrition-consumption/) [Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/) > [“Wasted potential? No. Seeds planted. Nothing, including our “potential,” is ever wasted when it is entrusted to a God who takes even what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-k-grieser/wasted-potential-no-seeds-planted-nothing-including-our-potential-is/) [Hannah K. Grieser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-k-grieser/) > [“You can have all the words in the world,but if not said rightly, those words are simply wasted potential.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-t-mcgrath/you-can-have-all-the-words-in-the-world-but-if-not-said-rightly-those/) [Joel T. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-t-mcgrath/) > [Emotions are classes in the Earth school. Some classes are about fear, and some are about love. The Universe is your tutor, and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/emotions-are-classes-in-the-earth-school-some-classes-are-about-fear/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [If the professor doesn't show up to class in the first 15 minutes, you get to leave. Somebody make that a law, please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-the-professor-doesn-t-show-up-to-class-in-the-first-15-minutes-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I spend time in the classroom. I think more of them aren't political science than are political science. I particularly like talking to journalism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-edgar/i-spend-time-in-the-classroom-i-think-more-of-them-aren-t-political/) [Jim Edgar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-edgar/) > [The future teachers I try to recruit are those show have refused to let themselves be neutered in this way, either in their private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/the-future-teachers-i-try-to-recruit-are-those-show-have-refused-to/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [Partisan politics has no place in the classroom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/partisan-politics-has-no-place-in-the-classroom/) [Juan Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-cole/) > [The first responsibility of the Muslim is as teacher. That is his job, to teach. His first school, his first classroom is within the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-rap-brown/the-first-responsibility-of-the-muslim-is-as-teacher-that-is-his-job/) [H. Rap Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-rap-brown/) ## More by Malala Yousafzai > [I don't want to be remembered as the girl who was shot. I want to be remembered as the girl who stood up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-don-t-want-to-be-remembered-as-the-girl-who-was-shot-i-want-to-be/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-speak-not-for-myself-but-so-those-without-a-voice-can-be-heard/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [I think I have a right to live my life the way I like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-think-i-have-a-right-to-live-my-life-the-way-i-like/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [I want to have fun, but I don't quite know how.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-want-to-have-fun-but-i-don-t-quite-know-how/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [In some parts of the world, students are going to school every day. It's their normal life. But in other part of the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/in-some-parts-of-the-world-students-are-going-to-school-every-day-it/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [If one man can destroy everything, why can't one girl change it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/if-one-man-can-destroy-everything-why-can-t-one-girl-change-it/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [“We all played cricket on the street or rooftops together, but I knew as we got older the girls would be expected to stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/we-all-played-cricket-on-the-street-or-rooftops-together-but-i-knew/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [When I was young I used to listen to other people and to try and understand what they thought and where they were coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/when-i-was-young-i-used-to-listen-to-other-people-and-to-try-and/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [Once I had asked God for one or two extra inches in height, but instead, he made me as tall as the sky, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/once-i-had-asked-god-for-one-or-two-extra-inches-in-height-but/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [We human beings don't realize how great God is. He has given us an extraordinary brain and a sensitive loving heart. He has blessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/we-human-beings-don-t-realize-how-great-god-is-he-has-given-us-an/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [ Education had been a great gift for him \[Ziauddin\]. He believed that lack of education was the root of all the Pakistan's problems. Ignorance… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/education-had-been-a-great-gift-for-him-ziauddin-he-believed-that/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [I was born a proud daughter of Pakistan, though like all Swatis I thought of myself first as a Swati and Pashtun, before Pakistani.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-was-born-a-proud-daughter-of-pakistan-though-like-all-swatis-i/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [I had two options One was to remain silent and wait to be killed and the second was to speak up and then be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-had-two-options-one-was-to-remain-silent-and-wait-to-be-killed-and/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [The important thing to note is that it is not important whether Malala was shot or not - Malala is not asking for personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/the-important-thing-to-note-is-that-it-is-not-important-whether/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [It's an honor to be awarded the Liberty Medal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/it-s-an-honor-to-be-awarded-the-liberty-medal/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) [Explore all 348 Malala Yousafzai quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) ## More Childhood quotes > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [“From childhood’s hour I have not been As others were—I have not seen As others saw—I could not bring My passions from a common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/from-childhood-s-hour-i-have-not-been-as-others-were-i-have-not-seen/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [I had a rough upbringing. Group homes. Foster homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shamrock/i-had-a-rough-upbringing-group-homes-foster-homes/) [Frank Shamrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shamrock/) > [When I talk about my childhood I used to say it as if it was scripted and I'd make jokes because it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/when-i-talk-about-my-childhood-i-used-to-say-it-as-if-it-was-scripted/) [Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/) > [Every man remembers his childhood as a kind of mythical age, just as every nation's childhood is its mythical age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/every-man-remembers-his-childhood-as-a-kind-of-mythical-age-just-as/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [It's a very familiar type of place where people either go to their house on the lake or they get together in different places.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/it-s-a-very-familiar-type-of-place-where-people-either-go-to-their/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [Downstairs in my house, I have a museum room. I keep all of my awards down there, and childhood photos, and even all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/downstairs-in-my-house-i-have-a-museum-room-i-keep-all-of-my-awards/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [On paper, it looks rough, but I had a great childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-morton/on-paper-it-looks-rough-but-i-had-a-great-childhood/) [Samantha Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-morton/) > [Let positive, strong, helpful thoughts enter into your brains from very childhood. Lay yourselves open to these thoughts, and not to weakening and paralysing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/let-positive-strong-helpful-thoughts-enter-into-your-brains-from-very/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I always knew that I was kind of bored; the regular life of a child didn't fit me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-ricci/i-always-knew-that-i-was-kind-of-bored-the-regular-life-of-a-child/) [Christina Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-ricci/) > [Children are not a zoo of entertainingly exotic creatures, but an array of mirrors in which the human predicament leaps out at us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/children-are-not-a-zoo-of-entertainingly-exotic-creatures-but-an/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [I'm not sure I would have ever started to draw, let alone write, if my childhood hadn't been so happy. It was a mixture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tove-jansson/i-m-not-sure-i-would-have-ever-started-to-draw-let-alone-write-if-my/) [Tove Jansson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tove-jansson/) [Browse all 5,837 Childhood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Let us become the first generation to decide to be the last that sees empty classrooms, lost childhoods and wasted potential", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Malala Yousafzai" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/let-us-become-the-first-generation-to-decide-to-be-the-last-that-sees/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Childhood" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/let-us-become-the-first-generation-to-decide-to-be-the-last-that-sees/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a7/malala-yousafzai-808_childhood_let-us-become-the-first-generation-to-de_2063744.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a7/malala-yousafzai-808_childhood_let-us-become-the-first-generation-to-de_2063744.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a7/malala-yousafzai-808_childhood_let-us-become-the-first-generation-to-de_2063744.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Let us become the first generation to decide to be the last that sees empty classrooms, lost childhoods and…” — Malala Yousafzai", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Malala Yousafzai", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Let us become the first generation...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/let-us-become-the-first-generation-to-decide-to-be-the-last-that-sees/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/let-us-become-the-first-generation-to-decide-to-be-the-last-that-sees/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```