Many people understand that you need strong scores to get into elite colleges, but they don’t realize how much our education system is flawed — that it often stacks the odds against minority students. So the top score isn’t always what’s the most important. Together, my class and I achieved an average score that was far above the rest of the country’s. It wasn’t just me who took part in this achievement — it was all of us.

As the manager of Success Academy’s debate program, I am proud that we are introducing policy debate to our scholars this year — and just as proud to launch the Success Academy Debate League, which will bring students from across the city to rigorous, Success Academy-run tournaments.

During one of the first Humanities lessons this year, the hands of my 7th grade historians shot into the air in response to my question: should statues honoring Confederate generals be removed from cities and towns across the U.S.? I’m always inspired by how much our scholars care about the world around them, and I’d been looking forward to this class discussion ever since summer T School, when I saw the topic on the history syllabus for middle school students.

One of our scholars was selected as one of just 80 participants (out of 2.400 applicants) for the prestigious Minority Introduction to Engineering and Science (MITES) program at MIT. High School of the Liberal Arts Principal Andy Malone shares two emails from the scholar recounting this truly special experience.

I’ve been able to take my love of math in a whole new, real-world direction thanks to a new elective at my school: Financial Markets.

In school, two of my favorite subjects are art and history. That’s why I was so excited when I had the chance to visit Sotheby’s.

What would happen if the earth got too close to the sun? How could any living creature survive the Big Bang? Is there a way to keep your plants watered if you go on a month-long vacation?

This past weekend, 36 Success Academy scholars from seven different schools traveled to Nashville to compete in the National K-12 Grade Chess Championships — and they put in a stellar performance.

If you passed by Yankee Stadium last month, you might have witnessed two boys running full tilt around the stadium’s perimeter, resistance weights on their legs, leaves crunching beneath their sneakers.

This election year, our middle school scholars are taking a hands-on approach to civics education.

Last month, nine scholars at Success Academy Harlem East traveled to Washington D.C., where they met with members of Congress, toured the U.S. Capitol Building, and put on a debate showcase.

Ever since I was five years old, I have loved the idea of working in the medical field — it’s been my dream.

When I arrived at Summer Arts Institute in July, I was nervous and excited. But again the nerves went away — from the minute I stepped through the door, we sang non-stop every day.

This summer, I had a life-changing experience at the Future Latino Leaders Law Camp at American University in Washington, D.C.

Sean Little recently delivered these remarks during the fourth-grade graduation at SA Bed-Stuy 1.

Thank you, Class of 2028, for helping me learn these lessons. I am proud and honored to be one of you, and I know that we will make our mark on the world.

They know that what matters most is not the score they get, but the effort they show and the real sense of accomplishment that comes with knowing they did their best!

Success Academy scholars are a diverse, talented, passionate group of New Yorkers, with strong ideas, engaging personalities, and fascinating stories to tell.

Recently, I was proud of my daughter for making the most of a special opportunity to give back to her community and help a group of younger scholars.

More than 50 years after his “I Have a Dream” speech, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., continues to inspire the work we do at Success Academy. His message of equality, justice, and opportunity for all is as fresh and powerful as it was a half-century ago.

The book discusses class and education, violence in relationships, race, and feminism — all issues that I wanted to learn more about. I was eager to learn how to talk back about these issues when all my life I’ve heard that talking back is disrespectful.

Suddenly, the environmental issues that we were studying and discussing in class became more real and pressing — and that made learning more fun and exciting.

This past summer, on assignment to snap some photos of basketball camp, I came across a young scholar named Winter Smith, who reminded me a lot of my younger self on the court.

Earlier this month 11-year-old Shadman Khan got a chess chance of a lifetime: to compete against one of the world’s top-ranked chess players.