Young Adolescent students in Grades 7 and 8 require Relatedness, Competency and Autonomy to thrive. This study explored two Grade 7 and 8 schools for one year, collecting student voice to determine what makes a difference for connectedness, skill development and autonomy. In a time where social media creates an increasing pandemic of loneliness amongst our teens, small micro-interactions allow students to feel connected to their schools. Low-stakes opportunities to fail or succeed increases their competency and small opportunities for agency within the classroom builds trust and engagement. In this small study (n=524) students were asked “what was the best part of their week” and clear patterns emerged. The importance of non-evaluative adults, low-stakes environment and allowing students to have agency increased connectedness and wellbeing. This article uncovers the low-cost interventions that will strengthen trust and connection. Although social media is here to stay, through thoughtful steps, schools can build strong connections that will lead to strong students in our Middle School environments.