For 21 years, I was lucky enough to teach fifth grade. When people asked me what that was like, I always said, 10- and 11-year-olds are capable of learning anything an adult can learn, without the interference of hormones or bills to pay. They are still motivated to learn if the learning is relevant and if you treat them like the young adults they are. In other words, I loved teaching fifth graders! One summer day, I received a call from the local Walmart asking me to come pick up a check for $500. I had applied for a grant and received it. There were stipulations that the money be spent on a project that involved students and senior citizens. I delivered the check to my school principal, who immediately began throwing out ideas about how we could spend the money. I sat quietly and listened as he said we …