period of time, everything i know about writing. today i'm dropping by in my role as substitute teacher. i'm from manhattan. and i don't know anything about the bronx, really. i'm -- i'm rid -- ridiculously, shamefully ignorant. do you think people know about the bronx? what it's like to grow up in the bronx? >> male student: everybody perceives the bronx as the emergence of hip-hop and all that, the culture. but, apart from that, the bronx is actually lively at all times. at night, at -- in the morning, you hear people screaming from outside your window. >> female student: i've grown up with them since i was what, like -- >> second female student: like seven. >> female student: yeah. you know? and it just happened that way. so i feel like the sense of community is like the biggest thing. >> teacher: i've been teaching here for eight years. and i think that what people forget is, a lot of times, we've talked about this in class, they focus on lots of diseases, health issues, lack of education, but, i can be out with them, just walking to the train to go to a field trip. and they say hi to at least 30 people. they know, everyone.