The vision: Students learn to communicate effectively by making their own videos.

The reality: Students seem happy and say their teachers look out for them. The school, in the basement of the Martin Luther King Complex, has an informal feel and students call teachers by their first names. On our visit, we saw some goofiness during class changes and a few heads on desks, but the atmosphere is warm.

“Students are very nice as well as very accepting,” a student wrote to Insideschools. “You will not be discriminated against, nor will you be bullied.” Teachers go out of their way to help students understand the subject matter, according to this student. “They’re not in it for the money. They are actually in it for the education of students.”

Teachers give high marks to Principal Cordelia Veve, saying she is an effective leader who puts children’s interests first, according to the Learning Environment Survey.

While teachers have done their best to brighten the place up, the windowless rooms can feel a little claustrophobic. On our visit, one class was watching a documentary film about alcohol abuse. Their teacher helped them analyze the film, a first step toward making their own.

Attendance is a major concern. In one English class we visited, only three students were present, even though 10 were on the register. To improve attendance, a social service agency, The Door, has an office in the school and works with students with academic and social issues. “I get a lot of kids who have had 20 or more absences in 8^th grade,” said Veve. Students must pass through metal detectors to get to class.

Special education: The school offers a range of special education services, including self-contained classes.

Admissions: Limited unscreened. (Clara Hemphill, January 2012)