The Norfolk Public Schools Young Scholars program is designed to train highly motivated, academically gifted middle school students to become autonomous learners. Through the use of research-based instructional approaches, students are challenged to develop the critical thinking skills and positive habits of mind that sustain a lifetime love of learning. At the end of their three years in the program, Young Scholars can expect to excel intellectually in high school and college and make significant contributions to society in the years that follow. Young Scholars is located at Ruffner Academy and Norview Middle School and is organized under the auspices of the NPS Office of Academic Rigor, which oversees programs for gifted learners. To learn more, visit the Office of Academic Rigor’s Web site.