OVERTOWN, Fla. – At first glance, the Christian Academy for Reaching Excellence looks like any other school, but it's far from the norm.
This one-of-a-kind, tuition-free private school is located inside the Miami Rescue Mission building in Overtown.
"Education is the building block to a firm future, to a clear future," CARE Principal Christopher Simmonds said. "When you're able to immerse kids with literacy and give them that strong foundation, that opens up so many doors."
In order to enroll students must qualify for the Step Up Scholarship and live near the school.
With some additional help from various partners and fundraisers, CARE is free for families.
"It introduces kids to different opportunities," Janie Jackson, whose son attends CARE, said. "You don't have to be a football player or a basketball player or a cheerleader, you can be anything."
The classrooms are state of the art, equipped with flat screens and tablets. Students say they learn more with the tablets and they love reading.
Parents say they see a difference at home too.
"At this school, I see self-esteem," Gisela Bretones, whose son attends CARE said. "He's thriving, he's reading, I never could get him to read!"
Simmonds said the numbers prove the system works.
"At the start of the year, 6 percent of the third-grade class was working on grade level material," Simmonds said. "Today, 83 percent of the class is working on grade level material."
From the gym, to the art room, the computer room, reading room and a playground, this small school in Overtown has it all. But the focus is on reading.
"By being able to have program here at CARE that allows kids to grow and keep them off the streets, to me that's what will give the kids choice in the future," Simmonds said.