Book excerpt: The Fourth Grade Project in 2008 is from a prototype born during Judy Gelles volunteer work at a Philadelphia inner-city school not far from where she lives. Over the past ten years she has interviewed and photographed over 300 fourth grade students from the USA, China, England, India, Israel, Italy, Nicaragua, St. Lucia, South Africa, and South Korea. Told in their own words, their stories touch on common human experiences and urgent social issues.