As a service center member at Cornerstone Charter Schools, our main office is in Royal Oak; we often visit the schools that we have throughout Detroit for various reasons. As I scoured my recently completed school visit log, I noticed a pattern; every Tuesday and Thursday, I visited the Cornerstone Health and Technology high school without fail, while the others were a toss up.

Then it dawned on me.

I created a mentoring program for the 9th and 10th grade girls at the high school that is held on Tuesdays, and I let the ladies know that I would be available during school hours to discuss any issues, exciting news, etc. that may come up. For weeks and weeks, I was called by at least two of the young ladies to share their stories with me.

Let me explain: we cannot continue to treat the intelligent, well-spoken youth of this upcoming generation as if they have nothing valuable to say, or that they are already spoken for by the adults who surround them. As I listen to the wonderful stories, terrifying encounters, or exciting social life updates, I genuinely realized that I love and value the face to face interactions that I have the pleasure to experience week after week.