Early adolescence is a time of drastic change and growth, making these young people vulnerable to the influences of family, school, and community settings. They have special and unique needs at this time in their lives. However, they have been largely forgotten by the American society, especially in the educational system. This is evidenced by the rising number of early adolescents using chemical substances, losing interest in school, and feeling unproductive in life. This trend became a concern to a group of parents and students at School of the Woods, a Montessori school in Houston, Texas. They wanted a learning environment that was more in tune with the special needs of early adolescents. A Montessori learning environment was subsequently created for a group of twelve- to fourteen-year-olds. This Project Demonstrating Excellence is a description of the program. the theory section includes a focus on early adolescent developmental needs, trends and issues from a variety of disciplines pertinent to middle school program design, as well as an explanation of the American Montessori philosophy. the program includes descriptions of the course of academic study, the strategies used to empower early adolescents, and statements on the role of the teacher including the importance of developing student-parent-teacher partnerships. the program evaluation section includes data gathered from the Iowa achievement tests, the Piers Harris self-esteem inventory, student and parent questionnaires, classroom records, and teacher observation. Findings from the evaluation indicated that students in the middle school at School of the Woods had high achievement scores, outstanding academic growth, positive self-concept, and good attendance. Parents and students expressed great satisfaction with the program. the program met all of the criteria for being developmentally responsive, holistic, and for empowering the early adolescent.