Capital Village PCS is a small learning community where learners take the lead, grow together, and change the world. We are an intentionally small middle school with no more than 45 students per grade level and two teachers in every classroom. Our community is a village focused on the interests, needs, and ambitions of each individual learner so that all learners can grow. We teach rigorous, high-school preparatory content through student-led projects that blend Common Core standards with local social justice problems that students are empowered to design solutions for. We teach life skills, like conflict resolution and goal-setting, alongside powerful cognitive skills, like evaluating an author’s argument. We provide plenty of time during the school day for students to develop their talents, interests, and passions through student-led “passion projects” in courses like Music Production, Entrepreneurship, and Art. The mission of Capital Village Schools is to prepare all students, regardless of background or circumstance, to reach their full potential in college, career, and life and to become agents of change in their communities.