When we find education pioneers who take on incredible challenges against daunting odds for the sake of Cincinnati's neediest kids, we have to cheer.

We're talking about the Maud Booth Academy, a two-year-old public charter school, serving 92 of the city's neediest children. This school, located in the Anna Louise Inn on Lytle Street downtown Cincinnati, is well planned and practiced. Charter schools, still an experiment in Ohio, are publicly funded schools that operate separately from the public school system, with a sponsor and a contract with the state.

Many struggle to start-up costs and organization. Unlike regular public schools, they must provide and furnish their own facilities and extras. Some charters fail because founders have educator hearts, but no business acumen.

While it's only in its second year, we applaud the daunting challenge taken on by Maud Booth Academy's staff and supporters. They have taken some of the city's poorest, neediest children from several city neighborhoods and are teaching them in small, traditional, well-disciplined classes. Maud Booth students also are being supported with intense social and health services, some on-site.

This school, operating with 92 students, kindergarten through fourth grade, is bursting at the seams. Cheery classrooms (renovated by volunteers) are staffed with experienced teachers and a dynamo director, Marie Hanna.

As a former teacher in Houston public schools, and with help from Cincinnati education consultant Marylyn Smith, Hanna apparently has learned what works with high-risk kids.

Volunteers of America (VOA) helped with start-up costs and is committed to the school's growth. Right now, the school is seeking a larger building, preferably in Over-the-Rhine. The mission of the Ohio River Valley VOA is to help individuals and families who are least served by others agencies become self-sustaining contributors to the community.

Maud Booth Academy fits that bill.

All students are African-American and low-income; 95 percent are from single-parent families. There are 16 sets of siblings. They attend school six days a week, 11 months a year. On site there's a special education teacher, reading specialist, arts instructor, two instruction assistants and a part-time social worker.

This is the first year the students will take Ohio's proficiency tests.

Hanna tries to work cooperatively with Cincinnati Public Schools. Bravo. There are too many desperate kids in this city for educators to waste time on turf battles. We're all in this together. When we find islands of promise like Maud Booth Academy, we must cheer them on.

Thanks, too, to the Ohio River Valley Volunteers of America for supporting this special school.

For more information, call (513) 381-1954 (VOA) or (513) 241-1121 (school).