It's the middle of summer and most children are enjoying time away from school. But nearly 100 fifth-graders are busy hitting the books.

"Once August comes, there is no more, 'Hi, it's nice to meet you.' We're hitting the ground running day one," said Principal Carie-Anne Simmons.

Simmons heads the Knowledge Is Power Program's newest east end campus.

Summer school is not a punishment for these kids. It's a required component for the KIPP schools.

The students, parents and teachers all sign contracts agreeing to work hard. The contracts hang on the wall as a constant reminder of their pledged commitment.

"It's a team effort. If the parents aren't on board, the kids aren't on board, and the teachers aren't there either. It won't be successful," said Simmons.

All of the teachers have issued cell phones. The students get a list of the phone numbers and can call after school if they have a question about homework.

"If the kid goes home and doesn't understand the math homework, we've eliminated the excuse of, 'I didn't get it.' They can call their math teacher and say, 'I don't understand No. 5. So they talk through it at home, so they come to school the next day ready to learn the next thing," said Simmons.

The day Local 2 visited the new campus, the students were learning states and Capitols.

They also learn chants and phrases of the school's motto of work hard and read more books.

"Like the chant says, 'Reading is freedom. Freedom is power.' We teach them all of our sayings and our expectations. Some of it is fun, like the chanting and some of it is more like, 'This is the culture we want to have at our school,'" said Simmons.

The goal for the fifth-graders is to eventually graduate from college.

There are nine KIPP schools in Houston with more than 2,400 students.