Students in the Oaks 2 class (ages 12 to 14) are entering a period of explosive creative potential. Riding uneven waves of energy, these young adolescents take cues from their peers as they attempt to define themselves. Just as their ability to deal with more abstract work emerges, students this age may struggle to maintain motivation. At Connecticut Friends School, our educational practices foster positive school relationships and students’ ongoing engagement in their studies. Learning is linked to real life experiences and students are guided to find their passions—beauty in a work of art; the meaning and sensation of music; the power of math to explain the universe. When students can understand what the educational content has to do with them and their futures, academic learning is optimized.