Every transformative relationship runs on two things at once: high expectations and high support. Someone who tells you the truth about what you're capable of, and then shows up, again and again, to help you get there.

That's the work you do. As a coach, you hold a high bar for your scholar and you stay in their corner while they reach for it. Expectations without support can feel like pressure. Support without expectations can feel like comfort that never asks much. It's the two together that change a life.

This month's read calls it the High Shoulders Theory - the idea that the people who lift us had to choose to bend down and offer their shoulders. As you head into your next conversation, think about where you're holding the bar high, and where you're showing up to help your scholar clear it.

A few things happening across the program this month.

• —We're welcoming our biggest freshman class to date this fall - 13 new scholars joining the Level Up family. We'll introduce them in next month's issue, right ahead of Match Day.
• —New coaches are joining us this year through our first-ever virtual Coach Orientation, with sessions on July 14 and 15. You'll get to meet them at Match Day - we can't wait to introduce you.

If you've been with us a while, you set the tone for what the Level Up family feels like. A warm welcome from a current coach goes further than anything we could say.