Many of the students whom Corwin profiles in his book have lives marked by trauma. For example, Olivia was beaten so savagely by her mother that she ran away when she was 13 and placed herself in the custody of the county. Since that time, she has lived in different group homes, many marked by fighting and turbulence. For her whole life, school has been a refuge for her. She is bright and receives kind attention from her teachers. While many students dislike being at school, for Olivia, it is the only place of calm and safety. Similarly, Sabreen was also beaten by her mother and ran away from her father’s house. For Sabreen, school is a place of refuge from living in group homes. Most of the other students also experience a similar homelife, either marked by drugs, domestic abuse, gangs, murder, poverty, teen pregnancy, or imprisonment. For each of these students, school is a symbol of freedom, second chances, and a hopeful future.

School is a place for the gifted students to learn, excel, and receive meaningful recognition of their academic achievements. The gifted students at Crenshaw do not take school for granted.