Opening in 2006 with 90 students, KIPP LEAD College Preparatory School in Gary, Indiana has continued to grow each academic year, now serving fifth through eighth grade with a total of 360 students. The image above shows the KIPP LEAD school when it shared facilities with the YMCA in 2007 in an underutilized building. KIPP LEAD has since relocated to lease space in another building in the same area, as it hopefully develops the funding required to design and build its own unique building. It is KIPP school’s mission to instill knowledge, character, team building, and leadership skills within each student in preparation for college.  As a whole, KIPP schools share a core set of principles known as the five pillars: high expectations, choice and commitment, more time, power to lead, and focus on results.  By demanding high expectations, the school does everything they can to eliminate excuses for failure and to promote success.  Students and teachers at KIPP go above and beyond by spending extra hours with tutoring and study sessions.  Overall, students at KIPP LEAD are provided with 60% more classroom time than those at other public schools.  At KIPP it is very important that parents are involved with the progress of the students.  Teachers make sure this happens by contacting parents, answering phone calls, and returning messages even during after school hours.  At KIPP, teaching, just like learning, is an around-the-clock activity.