In order to reach black students academically, we must first know where they "live" socially, culturally, and emotionally, says Horace Hall, a mentor in Chicago Public Schools. In his work with Chicago teens, Hall has learned the importance of understanding the significant challenges these youth face, both within and outside of school, and of recognizing and building on their innate capacities as developing adolescents. "For many black students, educators represent that single lifeline between their aspirations and the reality of becoming a healthy, productive adult," Hall writes.