It’s graduation season. Time to celebrate accomplishments, dance and sing, smile for family photographers until it hurts, and get ready for the next chapter of life. For these girls, like their classmates in the graduating class of  The Young Women’s Leadership School of Harlem, college is in the cards, thanks to hard work, exemplary teaching, and keeping eyes on the prize.

Just looking at these shining faces gives us hope in an uncertain time, and the fun paper cutouts with inspiring words raise our spirits too. Photos of hallway art installation were taken by filmmaker Jesse Epstein while on location for the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools. She’s making a video titled: It’s Cool to Be Smart. Here’s living proof.