Since Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans has become a laboratory for all sorts of charter schools.

One school promising a college prep environment opened its doors to incoming freshman in the desolate Ninth Ward, where most of the students entered with reading skills at only a fourth grade level.

By focusing on enthusiasm for the goals of reaching college and daily character growth, the Science & Math Academy has designed a program that both addresses their deficits and accelerates them beyond the average. And, the program is working.

In two years, as founder and incoming principal, 28-year-old Ben Marcovitz has taken the original freshman class,  previously with little hope for a successful future, to nearly the top of the city's list for overall test scores.

WATCH the video to witness the transformation of kids enrolled at Sci Academy…