The participation of women in graduate studies and mathematics-related careers remains a social and economic problem in the United States. Part of a larger study to understand this lack of participation, here we present preliminary findings of girls who are high achievers in middle grades mathematics. This interpretive study documents girls' voices from feminist perspectives and reports their perceptions of what it takes for them to be successful in advanced math classes. Girls attribute their success to a) strong family support; b) desire to understand mathematics; c) assertiveness; and d) belief in hard work. (Contains 1 footnote.) [For complete proceedings, see ED500858.]