In her essay, Emaje' Williams wrote: "This year, I had a student who didn't like to speak up and pay attention. He was afraid to be wrong and didn't want to be embarrassed. So, I started going a little slower with him and tried my hardest to figure out ways to help him understand. My tutee has improved so much since then!... His parents even sent a letter thanking me because he's changed so much, and he is always talking about the lessons I do with him... If it wasn't for the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to fulfill my goals. It has shown me that I can make a difference. I want to keep going and helping those kids who others don't. I am going to become a teacher and help all kids feel that they are good enough and change how they view teachers. I want to be a part of that change." 

"Teachers deserve substantially more appreciation and respect than they get, since they're building our future," wrote Vince Alindogan. "I know first-hand that it can be difficult to teach... At first, it was frustrating trying to teach the math concepts in a way my tutees would understand... Now, after a few months of tutoring and practicing my patience, I'm able to help my tutees and give them a better understanding of their assignments. I'm glad that I got the amazing opportunity to be in this program. It's made me a better person and taught me valuable things that will help me later on in life."