Eighth grader Jared Mitchell attended the 2014 W.E.B. DuBois Scholars Institute at Princeton University this past summer.

The W.E.B. DuBois Scholars Institute, which was founded in 1988, provides leadership, scholarship, community service, and entrepreneur training, along with exposure to science and technology for high-achieving youth attending secondary schools. It was founded with the goal of solving some of society’s intractable social problems by training problem solvers.

Mitchell was immersed in a demanding and rigorous academic environment. He received five weeks of instruction in university-level courses taught by university professors and doctoral candidates. The Institute’s training equips participants with knowledge and skills to enable them to better serve others. It also strongly emphasizes a sense of collective responsibility among participants as well as the need for communication across ethnic and class divisions. The training empowers participants with skills and confidence to function as “change agents” in their schools, neighborhoods, and communities.

In order to qualify for the program, students must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher, must submit two letters of recommendation from their teachers and must pass an interview.

At CBA, Mitchell has participated in football, basketball and student government. Outside of school, he’s a student volunteer at Abundant Life Christian Center, and a member of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. (Community Service organization).