The author was born and raised in rural, northern Mississippi. He went to a local school, the North Pontotoc Attendance Center, from first grade on. The author was always interested in math and science, but, then, he was interested in most all subjects. The expected path that his friends and siblings had followed was clear: attend a junior college or maybe Mississippi State University; make use of the best that Mississippi had to offer; perhaps become a doctor or an engineer. The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science (MSMS) came into his life at just the right time. The advertisements he saw on TV inspired him to apply, as much because it was free of charge as because of the great opportunity. He knew that he would get more and deeper science and math instruction at MSMS than at North Pontotoc, but he had no idea of the breadth of exposure to the world that the school offered. The whole approach of MSMS, the fact that they dispensed with the practice of ranking students against each other, the open and discursive style of discovery, and the residential atmosphere helped foster a type of collaborative problem-solving that stuck with him ever since. It's quite clear how formative and lasting the influence of MSMS has been, especially in revealing his twin missions in science and social justice. He doesn't know if he'll be able to repay Mississippi for that inspiration. He only hopes that his life in public service, as an ambassador from MSMS and the State of Mississippi, can somehow return the favor.