The action research methodology for this study reports descriptive statistical findings from the performance of 19 Early Childhood Education African American teacher candidates matriculating through a state-approved program at an HBCU. Researcher-moderators provided a treatment plan of focused summer workshops, conceptualized based upon the findings of low first-time passing rates on the Early Childhood Education Exam, predominately content knowledge in social studies and reading. The action researchers suggest that continued research and a larger sample size is needed to provided empirical evidence of the causal variables and factors that affect candidate performance on the examination, but the observed phenomena and semistructured follow-up reflections of the first-time passers may promote evidence of Maslow's motivation theory in practice and the intrinsic love for teaching by the candidates who participated in the treatment and successfully passed the test.