Stephanie Slough is a Science Teacher in Mancos Schools. She wrote this in 2012 and it still applies: “I believe in a universe where the smallest particle of matter has a proper place and a niche that only it can fill. You can see this in nature, in the simple beauty of the DNA in our cells that produces such rich variety all around us; in the simple structure of an atom, broken down into leptons, quarks and even the chromodynamic gluons. I believe that this concept carries through to people as well. Each of us has a specific place and niche that we fill. I feel that the students need to understand that they DO have a place in today’s world, and that they need to follow their hearts to find what they were created for. I believe that it is my responsibility as a teacher to help the students search for their own meaning and place in today’s world.”