“Three weeks ago, when my school asked 20 upperclassmen to help with a summer institute for freshmen, 80 showed up. At the end of August, our technology coordinator asked students to help her configure our laptops. Many kids spent the last free Saturday of summer vacation dragging icons across a screen. The school year at Science Leadership Academy here in Philadelphia has now begun, and our freshmen are noticing that the end of our school day stretches much longer than the end of the teachers’ paid instructional time. They are asking the same question that regularly stirs up our visitors. “Why do they stay?” Even as I write this, student laughter is floating up from our café — late on a Friday afternoon. Some have stepped out to get Chinese, and now they are back — to hang out with teachers in the principal’s office. Given every opportunity to leave, both our educators and students regularly decide to stay.” source...