Personal Experience I had the great opportunity to be a part of a great program and class in college. Most of us who will become teachers know about this course and the 80 hours of volunteer work required in a middle school for a semester. I was eager to volunteer, because I have experience working with middle school kids. The school I work for prepared me to handle school-age kids, so I relied on my background to navigate the semester at a new middle school. The privileges of a private school are very different from those of an inner-city school. When I started volunteering at Baker I was shocked to find that students were not allowed to take books home to finish their schoolwork. When it came time to read a book, the teacher distributed the books to the students, but then took them away. At Denver Academy, teachers purchase and distribute books to the class, and students can keep them forever. I was about to find out how difficult it is for these students to be motivated to attend school every day when they lack a stable environment. I was leaving my comfort zone and entering a completely different type of school environment. The first day of my volunteer work at Baker Middle School was filled with apprehension, as I was entering a completely new situation and leaving the safety of Denver Academy behind. As I walked into the classroom, it was as if there were hundreds of eyes staring in my direction. Just as quickly as the stares came, they left as if I wasn't even there anymore. I could only imagine what kind of thoughts and questions were going through their heads. I'm sure the first question would be: why... middle of the paper... a lot can a baker learn from students, because even if some students don't care about education. There are some students who do this and are given the tools they need to succeed. Baker students are just happy to have someone who shows interest in what they are doing. I saw it in their eyes when I praised something they did during the time I was there. That praise can lead a student down a path that to me is rewarding in itself. I can only hope that the time spent with these students will encourage at least some of them to continue their academic journey and make a name for themselves later in life. These kids deserve every opportunity we can give them and I'm proud to be part of the big picture. We can only imagine how difficult it is for these students, so let's make sure we give them a safe and helping hand along the way.