Dyer sent the families updates about progress and invited student feedback.

Autumn submitted suggestions in her own words.

She praised what worked and pointed out what did not, without anyone calling her ungrateful.

Noah returned to his guitar practice with renewed determination.

His songs were still full of repeated passages and occasional wrong notes.

He still forgot to take out the trash when a melody got stuck in his head.

He was thirteen, after all, and his kindness had not magically made him an adult.

One evening, he came downstairs with the sunburst guitar strapped over his shoulder.