In recent years the number of students who are English Language Learners (ELL) in U.S. schools has increased dramatically. When they meet bilingual paraprofessionals in the classroom and on school grounds, ELL students learn that these paraprofessionals do seem to know everything (or at least the important things to survive at school). Bilingual paraprofessionals help students move through multiple, complex, unfamiliar school settings and make connections to life outside school. In this article, the authors present the results of a three-year, multi-site ethnographic study aimed at understanding the effectiveness of bilingual paraprofessionals working with secondary school students. Findings suggest that paraprofessionals are able to assist students in academic pursuits in ways regular classroom teachers are unable to provide. (Contains 3 tables and 3 notes.)