Lifeisfullofchallenges.Schoolhastobethemostchallengingobstacleinthelivesofyouthtoday.Elementaryschoolbringsaboutafewchallengescharacteristicofthoseyearsspentthere.There’sthechallengeofcoloringinthelines,averyrealproblemtoanyyoungster.Orhowaboutthechallengeofrememberingtoraiseone’shandbeforeonespeaks?
Theymakethechildrenlovechallenge.Middleschoolisnotsoeasy.Itisnoteasyforthestudents,anditalsoisn’teasyfortheteachers.Thechallengeofstayingoutoftrouble,orwritingthatresearchpaper—thesearethenewconfrontationsofanolder,wisergroup.Thisclanhasoutgrowntherecessandpencil-toppertricks.Theyknowthattheireffortshavetobringthemsomethingreallyuseful,somomandpoparepulledontothescene.Howdoesfive,tendollarsforeach“A”sound?Or,howaboutnotelephoneifonedoesn’tdogoodinschool?NeedIsaymore?Bythetimehighschoolarrives,astudent’splaceinacademicexcellenceorelsetheirunlikelihoodtoevengraduatehasbeenestablished.Littlecanbedonenowtomakelife’schallengesseeminteresting,especiallywhereschoolcomesin.Theslothfularerewardedwithanicejobatagasstation,apregnantgirlfriend,andafifteen-year-oldFord.ThediligentarerewardedwithanSATscoreofover1100,acceptanceintoYaleUniversity,andatickettolife.Bymeetingthechallengesofschool,stickingitout,andpullingthrough,theyaregiventheirgreatestreward:success.