I have read that among the tribes of northern Natal in South Africa, the common greeting, ‘sawa bona’, means literally, ‘I see you.’ The response, ‘sikhana’, translates ‘I am here.” The order of the exchange is significant because it implies that until you see me, I do not exist, and, when you do see me, you bring me to life…

[Educational communities] can be great and inspire students to their highest levels if they maintain a core of qualities…they are safe; they foster curiosity; they serve the whole student; they are academically challenging; and they know the students and their families. When all of these qualities come together, people feel connected to the school. They give back…and when they do, they do so with genuine affection and respect that developed for the place where they grew up, where they were seen, and where they learned to say, ‘I am here.’