HIGHER ACHIEVEMENT OPERATES AFTER SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT CENTERS IN DC, MD, AND VA, PROVIDING ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT TO STUDENTS DURING THE MOST CRITICAL TIME IN A CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT: MIDDLE SCHOOL. DEDICATED MIDDLE SCHOOL SCHOLARS ENROLL IN 5TH OR 6TH GRADE AND COMMIT TO ATTENDING PROGRAMMING MULTIPLE DAYS A WEEK DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR THREE TO FOUR YEARS. HIGHER ACHIEVEMENT OFFERS ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT, MENTORING, AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILL BUILDING, CULMINATING IN SCHOLARS' PLACEMENT IN COLLEGE PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOLS. HIGHER ACHIEVEMENT HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF TWO RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL STUDIES, BOTH DEMONSTRATING A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT EFFECT IN ACADEMICS. HIGHER ACHIEVEMENT SUPPORTS THE GROWTH OF SCHOLARS' TALENT AND CONNECTS THEM WITH OPPORTUNITIES THAT FOSTER THEIR SUCCESS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND BEYOND.