ABSTRACT
Many of the participants noted in their interviews that Du Bois Charter High School was an environment in which they felt comfortable being themselves both socially and academically. Setting high expectations and exceeding expectations were two very real obstacles facing Du Bois Charter High School. While there were many positive news stories about the school, some of the negative publicity that took place centered on the social Academic of the students. Specifically, the uniforms that Du Bois Charter School young men wore identified them as different from their neighborhood public school peers. A component of the peer mentorship and encouragement that occurred within the Du Bois class of 2011 took place both inside the classroom and on the fields of play. In interviewing Mr. Simmons and the students at Du Bois Charter, it was clear that the message of serving the students' needs was something that was taken very seriously.
