By Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education

This Friday is the second annual Character Day, and it’s a great opportunity to celebrate America’s students – students like DeAndre in Milwaukee.

DeAndre was always driven to learn, but often bullied. His school didn’t have the supports or resources it needed to help all students succeed. But DeAndre stuck with it. And he built on his tenacity with a little help from College Possible, a nonprofit working with students to help them get to and through college, and one of our partners through the Department’s Investing in Innovation fund.

College Possible partnered with DeAndre’s school to help create an environment where more students would be ready for college and their careers. That meant not only coaching students through the mechanics of preparing for college, but also reinforcing students’ sense of purpose and deep understanding that focused efforts now will lead them to a brighter future. When students are inspired by their work and believe that diligent efforts can lead them to success inside and outside of the classroom, they connect present-day learning to lifelong goals, and live out the experience that intelligence can grow through hard work.

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