So, I was assigned a freshman homeroom this year and in my freshman home room were a couple of boys who should actually be sophomores.  They are very frustrating to everyone in the school, always in ISS and such.  After a couple months of school I decided to just start making contact with them.  Not going out of my way but as we pass in the hall just saying hi.  It progressed to how are you and such.  Now I don’t actually have the students in my classes but they are in classrooms in my hall way.  I see them actually making their way to class now which is an accomplishment in its self.  I try and check in occasionally and see how their doing.  The other day one of them was contemplating doing a project that would bump them from a D to a C in their class.  I had a short conversation with him about why wouldn’t you do it to improve your grade; after our conversation he quickly got to work.  I like to think I have had a tiny bit of influence in their lives thus far and have helped them just think about changing.  Its the little things you should be taking pride in, this is one of them for me.