MINNEAPOLIS - KARE 11 wants to invite you to join us on a year-long project following students at Lucy Craft Laney Community School in North Minneapolis.
For more than a decade, students there have performed far below state and federal education standards, but that is not the whole story.
Ninety percent of Lucy Laney students live in poverty. But under the leadership of the school's principal Mauri Friestleben, there came a long-awaited shift.
Lucy Laney is now celebrating three consecutive years of gaining on the state's standardized tests. At the same time Minnesota, as a whole continues to struggle to make similar strides with children of color in other schools.
Lindsey Seavert and photojournalist Ben Garvin sat down with the students, to get their take on what they think grown-ups should know about their school.
"My teacher told me I am good math person and I could grow up to be a math teacher, and it made me feel good because nobody ever told me that."
For more of their inspiring and wise-beyond-their-years answers – watch the video above.