While there have been days and moments when I feel I have impacted a child’s life, the acts I did for students on their first day of sixth grade are the things I am most pleased with.

The first day of school is always filled with nervousness and excitement. For any incoming sixth grader, the unknown can be intimidating and scary. There were many moments throughout the first day of school when students were lost, confused, and looked around for help. It was at these times that my coworkers and I would step forward to be that helping hand. We helped multiple students open their lockers, figure out their next class, find their next class, and get them on the correct bus.

While we may not have been imparting life advice or inspiring future scientists at the time, giving a person someone to sit with on the first day of school can definitely change the way a student feels about school or about trying something new.