I truly believed in the importance of hands-on learning in the classroom, but I could never have expected just how revolutionary the Success Academy approach to science really is.

In middle school, the state tests were Kayla’s Mt. Everest — seemingly unscalable twin peaks of math and English. Even thinking about the tests made her anxious; for two years straight, she had not passed either state test. Eighth grade — the last year of mandated state testing — was her final opportunity to shine.