[Andrea Gallagher/Reporting] LaMargo Thomas and her son Angelo count on each other. They work together on household chores. It's not often they're alone. Four sisters compete for his mother's attention. LaMargo is a single mom who dreams of a bright future for her children. She tried for 2 years to get her son Angelo into the Jesuit Middle School...last fall he enrolled as a 7th grader.

[LaMargo Thomas/Mother] They take a lot of time out with him, it's a lot of one on one basis and the good thing about it is it's a small classroom environment.

[Angelo Domena/7th Grader] I get more awards, better grades, and my behavior has changed.

[Gallagher] The Jesuit Middle School opened its doors in 1996 to boys in 4th through 8th grades. Its mission is to provide a private, Jesuit education to inner-city youth who wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity.

[Fr. Jim Michalski/President] To graduate young men who are good characters and leaders in society, and the other one is to get them into a good school.

[Gallagher] Father Michalski helped create the school from the ground up. He met with many people in North Omaha to find out if this was something the community would embrace.

[Fr. Jim] I asked them 2 questions, I said, what does North Omaha need and how would a few Jesuits and a few African Americans working together - which one of those needs should we work on?

[Gallagher] According to Father Jim, a Jesuit Middle school for young men was the greatest need, a place where they could get spiritual guidance in small classrooms, while keeping them away from the pressures of the inner city.

[Brent Catlett/Principal] They felt like they were losing the African American male to gangs and violence, that's kind of where the idea was incepted.

[Gallagher] Brent Catlett is the new principal at Jesuit Middle School. He's only 27 years old, he's got a tough job, he took over as principal from an African American woman whom many in the community respected. Some questioned if he was the right fit for the job.

[LaMargo]Then Mr. Catlett came, being a caucasian person, they really didn't think it was going to work because African American students being here with this caucasian man they didn't think it was going to work, but it's working out wonderfully.

[Gallagher] Brent says parents and students came around and the school continues to thrive. Last year members of their first graduating class went on to schools like Creighton Prep and Roncalli High School.

[Brent] You can't beat the education the kids are getting, the discipline, the staff that cares for them and really wants to see them succeed and they have every opportunity to succeed if someone is willing to donate the money to make that happen.

[Gallagher] When people visit the school for the first time and talk with the students, the most noticeable thing is their impeccable manners - something stressed in and out of classrooms.

[Fr. Jim] They'll get up, leave food and open doors, they seem to realize its important and I think they're proud of the school and that's one way that they can show it.

[LaMargo] I notice a lot of the boys there, they say, yes ma'am, no sir, yes sir, they don't say 'what' or yell or you know, they're well-respected and they give a lot of respect too.

[Gallagher] The Jesuit Middle School costs more than five-thousand dollars a year...most of which is paid for by donors in the community.

[Brent] The per pupil cost is $5,540, we ask families to come up with $60 a month so that the other 5,000 comes from other donors and benefactors that pump money into the school.

[Gallagher] There is a waiting list to get into the school...and some of the boys who are accepted aren't always successful.

[Brent] We've lost a few boys along the way for discipline reasons and academics but the majority of the time its discipline. They know in the back of their head they have to do a good job or they may be asked to leave because people are investing in them and want to see a good product.

[Gallagher] It's a lot of pressure...but most of these boys will say it's worth it in the long run.

[Stanley Smith/8th Grader] They taught me how to prepare to be a man, to prepare myself for life and how to be more spiritual.

[Gallagher] Stanley says his parents really wanted him to attend Jesuit Middle School. He didn't want to leave his old friends at the time, but now says it was a good decision. He will attend Roncalli Catholic High School in the fall and already has his future mapped out.

[Stanley] I would like to get a scholarship to a good University college, play basketball or football, and one my own business one day.

[Gallagher] But what's it like going to school without girls? Stanley has learned to deal with it.

[Stanley] Sometimes they can be a distraction to me, I have learned to go to school without them.

[Gallagher] Rodney Wayne is the assistant principal. He says it's important these kids have African American role models- like himself.

[Rodney Wayne/Asst. Principal] I think they learn more from an African American male, this is what they see in their home setting, they are around African Americans the majority of the time, so I think they learn more from one of their own.

[Gallagher] Rodney is one of 3 black educators at the Middle School. He says the middle school years are crucial for these young men, he only wishes more kids in the North Omaha community had the opportunity to get a private education.

[Rodney] Sometimes I wish there were was more than one school like this because a lot of kids are left out just because we only accept 15 kids per classroom so this is a positive thing for North Omaha.

[Gallagher] Mike Shreves is a new 5th grade teacher at Jesuit Middle School. He's not like other teachers. He left a 6-figure job to be with these kids.

[Mike Shreves/5th Grade Teacher] Before I traveled from coast to coast, stayed at nice hotels, kind of exciting. I miss my friends, but for me personally this is far more fulfilling.

[Gallagher] Mike says he talks with his students almost daily about college - which is not typical for a 5th grade class. He wants higher education to be their main goal.

[Mike Shreves] I love being a part of young people's lives. Such an exciting time. A lot of fear looking toward the future, but overall a lot of optimism and excitement looking toward the future and its kind of fun to share that with them, and really to get them to dream that the sky really is the limit."

[Gallagher] At a recent assembly, the students showed off their artistic skills while parents watched. Many of them are proud of their child's progress.

[Sue Turnbo/Parent] It has built his character a lot, being around people of his own color, small class sizes, one on one with teachers has been really a plus.

[Estelle Person/Great Grandparent] I like the discipline they have and they're learning things that I don't think they could learn in the public schools.

[Crystal Reynolds/Parent]He loves it, he enjoys it, there's days even on Saturdays he wishes school was open.

[Gallagher] Meanwhile LaMargo is pleased with her son Angelo's progress. She says his grades are up, his behavior has improved and he's more spirtual than before.

[LaMargo] It's like a little blessing sent down from God to have a school like that, so that's wonderful.