it can be emotionally dabell tating. especially when you're participating in system wide meetings, working at a school where people fail, you're working with a bunch of rejects. it's not a good feeling. we got to a point where we felt okay, that's what you think of us. let us show you what we can do. i feel like we've done that. with regard to our curriculum -- thank you. it is indeed rigorous. it is indeed challenging but we found that with having the higher academic standards, our students feel when they complete their courses of study or even individual courses they feel that they have earned it and that they've really taken new skills and strategies away that they can use in the future. so it has been embraced. >> thank you. >> you're welcome. >> i'm the s.t.e.m. director for dc public schools. i have to just say that twitter and e-mail is bursting with pride over both of you up here. we are so proud from d.c. to have you sitting up here with the secretary of education and with the superintendent. [ applause ] my que