My middle school students are amazing! They are a part of a small rural school district that strives to achieve on all levels. Like many rural communities, we have been effected by the lingering economic situation. Our school has a very high rate of students participating in the free and reduced lunch program. Many families have lost their income because of businesses closing and jobs being scaled back. A majority still do not have Internet access at home. Resources at school have also been cut drastically because of declining enrollment when families look for employment elsewhere. Hope within our community has declined as well. With all the hardships, our students still see their classroom as a place to grow. Sharing the world with them using on-line projects has shown many that there is hope and possibilities, not only to help themselves and their community, but to help others that are less fortunate then themselves.