Project Explore targeted minority students in grades six through eight who attended 28 Houston Independent School District (HISD) middle schools during the 2019-2020 academic year. In 2019-2020, a total of 2,095 students were accepted for participation in the Project Explore program, and an additional 715 students were waitlisted for program participation. The study measured students' growth mindset to determine whether they perceived their academic talents can be developed. Over fifty percent of all program participants, regardless of grade level, reported having either a strong growth mindset or a growth mindset with fixed ideas. Project Explore program participants experienced fewer absences, on average, compared to waitlisted students. Further, there was a similar number of students who scored at/above the benchmark on the RL360 math and reading assessments when comparing 2019-2020 beginning of year (BOY) to the 2019-2020 middle of year (MOY) for both program participants and waitlisted students. Finally, the fewer absences for grade 7 students was the only independent variable that was statistically significant in predicting Project Explore participation. This evaluation was limited by the school closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic which forced Project Explore program activities to be limited to cohort meetings and 1:1 advising in spring 2020.