By Joe Wambach
6/5/2008
KIPP Academy honored its first graduating 8th grade class with a "Bridging Ceremony" Thursday at Madam Walker Theater.
KIPP Academy is a non-profit free public charter. It has been ranked as Indiana's number- one Middle School for student improvement and is part of a national network of over 50 schools in 16 states and the District of Columbia.
KIPP, which stands for 'Knowledge is Power Program', begins working proactively with students when they enter the 5th grade to develop the academic skills and character required to ensure their future success.
Students have a rigorous school day, a mandatory summer school program and even Saturday school.
Administrators say part of the reason students stay on a clean and successful path is the staff- teachers are required to be available to them 24 hours a day.
"Before KIPP, I never thought about college," said eighth grade student Erica Moore."There aren't a lot of opportunities like this. When you get this opportunity, you take it."
KIPP consists of 275 students in grades 5-8. Today, 80% of KIPP alumni nationally are going to college.
Former Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson was the keynote speaker.
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