Sixteen Success Academy scholars took on some of the nation’s toughest chess competition at the Junior High Championships in Atlanta, Georgia, earlier this month. They tested their skills and stayed focused over seven rounds. Sean O’Hanlon, SA senior manager of chess, noted that our scholars demonstrated high levels of effort and fortitude — even under […]

During this year’s New York State Chess Championships, spectators likely saw a sea of Success Academy blue and orange: about one in eight competitors at the event was an SA scholar, with 135 participants representing 14 Success Academy schools.

Congratulations to all our middle schoolers who participated in the SA Network Basketball Championships, and a huge shout-out to the commitment shown by all of our coaches this season!

42 middle school scholars and 14 high schoolers from Success Academy competed in the 44th Annual Harvard National Forensics Tournament, where they faced hundreds of top-ranked debaters from around the country in policy debate. The tournament concluded with 36 wins for SA’s 19 middle school teams at the high school tournament. Our high schoolers performed exceptionally well — with SA High School of the Liberal Arts senior Sekou Cisse winning the Lincoln-Douglas division and his peers senior Aida Bathily and sophomore Tajaih Robinson making it to the quarterfinals and earning a trip to the Tournament of Champions in April!

A group of scholars from Success Academy Bronx 2 Middle School made history last Tuesday, February 6, when they became the first-ever team from the SA network to qualify for the annual MATHCOUNTS state tournament in Albany.

Photography is now a particularly accessible art form for anyone with a smartphone. Joyce Keener introduced her scholars at Success Academy Ditmas Park to a more formal approach to photography with a curriculum that emphasizes critical thinking — in true SA style. Take a look at scholar photography talent from across the SA network.

On Saturday, January 20, Success Academy Harlem North Central won first place in the Advanced Section at a tournament hosted by the Newark Debate Academy. Forty SA scholars from schools throughout the network traveled to Newark, New Jersey, to participate in the debate.

Last month, Success Academy Bronx 2 Middle School families watched their school transform into a museum during an exploration of science and humanities that featured the most attentive and knowledgeable docents in New York City — SA scholars!

Last week, the lights dimmed and a hush fell over a large crowd of parents gathered behind me in Success Academy Williamsburg’s auditorium. Fifty middle schoolers from the Success Academy Youth Chorus walked down the aisles and processed to the stage, singing “Seed to Sow,” a song about making an impact on the world, in perfect harmony.

During the four-week stretch between Thanksgiving and Winter Recess, science classrooms across Success Academy middle schools are transformed into laboratories, middle school scholars into scientists, and teachers into research directors. The Science Exploratorium, a showcase of self-driven, inquiry-based projects, empowers scholars to put science and engineering into action.

Last week, 35 scholars from across the Success Academy network traveled to Orlando, Florida for some sunshine — and chess! Competing in the prestigious National K-12 Grade Championships, Success Academy improved from last year’s already stellar performance at both the individual and the team levels.

A group of middle schoolers might not be the obvious choice to turn to for advice on time management, cultivating a strong work ethic, and investing in your passions — but you’d be remiss to skip over our scholars. They might be young, but my 5th – 8th graders are incredibly hard-working, intelligent, and invested […]

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.

With 112 chronically underutilized school buildings and a total of 65,000 empty seats available — parents are asking why is the city taking so long to find space for Success Academy middle schoolers. District families know what their middle school options are — why are Success parents treated differently?

His best time to date: one minute and two seconds.

Last week, over 150 students gathered in a Success Academy auditorium to learn about college life from successful African American professionals.

Honing scholar’s natural curiosity for the world around them is the best way for them to become great scientific thinkers.

The day after the election, scholars had many questions about the future of our country.

The city’s proposal to temporarily house Success Academy middle school students from five Brooklyn elementary schools in just two locations is not “reasonable, adequate, or comparable.”

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

On Friday, October 7, our scholars spent an entire half day composing stories in different genres, from dystopia, to romance, to thrillers.

But my scholars didn’t have to leave Harlem to take in Boston’s historic sites. For this field study, they used virtual reality viewers — simple devices made of cardboard that work with a smartphone and let users experience an immersive, three-dimensional environment.

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!