A middle school in Boston designs its curriculum and culture--from its nightly homework assignments to its Powerful Speaking Extravaganza--upon a foundation of strengthening students' motivation and ability to do the hard work necessary to accomplish their goals. Roxbury Prep's emphasis on perseverance finds support in a robust body of education research. Studies of gifted children have found perseverance to be a stronger predictor than intelligence of success in adulthood, as has historical research on the trajectories of geniuses such as Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein. Likewise, a number of scholars have found that a key commonality in high-achieving artists, athletes, chess players, and mathematicians is an ability and willingness to put in long hours of time and effort. Most recently, Angela Duckworth and colleagues found that an individual's grit and self-discipline are stronger predictors than IQ of success in populations ranging from urban middle school students to West Point cadets.