This document provides narrative portraits of early adolescents in middle school and junior high school as described by preservice university students majoring in middle level education. The observations were made during a course titled "Middle School Programs and Practices," which develops the middle school concept across different subject areas, and in a course called "Reading in the Middle School." The descriptions are grouped into the following categories: students who fit in; students who were not being helped by the program; students who were helped; students who represented various developmental stages; and students who were like the observer when he or she was at that age. (MM)