In response to the dire drop-out statistics in Philadelphia as well as the overwhelming lack of success within Philadelphia’s alternative schools, Big Picture Philadelphia decided to have a lead role in running a school targeting previous drop-out and under-credited students. In 2009, BPP acquired a contract with the School District of Philadelphia to open El Centro de Estudiantes, an alternative middle and high school. In our first year of operations, El Centro enrolled 160 students. Overall, we have found that our model of student-centered learning is very effective with the student body at El Centro. The majority of our first year students participated in real world learning opportunities (internships in their field of interest). Students gained motivation, parents/guardians became involved in their children’s education and hundreds of partners throughout the city have joined us to provide real world opportunities and mentorship.