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Young Women's Leadership Academy
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About Our School
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Grades 6 – 12 | Choice
Young Women’s Leadership Academy offers 6th-12th grade girls a dynamic learning experience that encourages critical thinking, inspires confidence, and nurtures the intellectual and social development necessary for success in college, career, and life. Rigorous coursework, field-based exploration, personalized counseling, and a strong sisterhood all work together to help students transition from middle school to high school, then to higher education and beyond. YWLA is truly a hidden gem for a STEM-focused, college-bound education.
How to know Young Women’s Leadership Academy is right for your child:
- You want your daughter to be accepted to a 4-year university and have scholarship money to pay for college.
- You want your daughter to be involved in a close-knit, supportive community of teachers and students.
- You want your daughter to thrive in a single-gender environment that focuses on growing girls’ confidence and leadership abilities.
Unique ways your child can learn and grow here:
- Experience hands-on, interdisciplinary learning opportunities
- Take advanced courses to prepare for college success
- Explore unique leadership opportunities
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Contact Us
1204 E. Marshall Dr., Grand Prairie, TX 75051 (Google Map link)
Phone: 972-343-7400
Fax: 972-343-7499
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Career & Technical Education
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Career & Technical Education
Career and technical education pathways (high school)
- aerospace
- business marketing
For more information about each pathway, visit our website here.
Curriculum Offerings
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Curriculum Offerings
YWLA has on-level and advanced course offerings at the middle school level which include many opportunities to earn high school credit. At the high school level, the campus only offers advanced coursework including dual-credit, dual-enrollment, and AP classes with many opportunities to earn college credit
Career and technical education pathways (high school)
- aerospace, biotechnology, business, education, and engineering
Other electives (middle school)
- AVID, college and career readiness, robotics, technology applications, teen leadership, STEM
Other electives (high school)
- AVID, OnRamps computer science, robotics
All course offerings can be found in the YWLA Course Catalog.
Extracurricular Opportunities
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Extracurricular Opportunities
Clubs
Student Interest Clubs
- Apple Student Mentor
- Archery
- Basketball Club
- Fitness Club
- Green and Clean
- Kindness Crew
- Korean Club
- "Lit Sisters” Book Club
- Sole Sisters (Running Club)
- Spanish Conversational Club
- Respect Starts Here
- Battle of the Books
Organizations
- National Honor Society
- National Junior Honor Society
- Robotics - First Lego League and First Tech Challenge
- Girls Innovate STEM Challenge
- TAME
- Mayor’s Teen Council
Athletics
At YWLA, students can participate in various sports to help foster good sportsmanship and help them stay active while building strong relationships with their peers. Our middle school athletic program offers a variety of sports that serve as the foundation for skills students will need to compete at the high school level. We have won district championships in basketball, volleyball, soccer, and track. Our high school is the only school in GPISD that is able to offer Lacrosse-thanks to our partnership with the Young Women’s Preparatory Network. Additionally, our high school Volleyball team is led by a two time coach of the year recipient with 20 years of experience alongside his assistant coach, a former professional athlete. This has led us to win back to back 3A undefeated district championships.
- Volleyball
- Basketball
- Soccer
- Track and Field
- Cheerleading
- HS Athletics
- Lacrosse
- Volleyball
Fine Arts
YWLA students have the opportunity to explore their artistic interests with a variety of Fine Arts courses. Our students compete at competitions ranging from district to state level. Some highlights include students winning multiple first place awards throughout the years in the Mi Tierra Competencia Folklórica. Our students in our Art program have won first and second place awards in the Spirit of Service GPISD Black History Month contest, the Gold Seat Award, the Congressional Art Contest Congressman MarcVeasey where student work was displayed in the Washington Congressional Museum for a year, and the TAEA Youth Art Month Capitol Art Award showcased in the Governor’s Business Office for a year.
- Art
- Dance
- Orchestra
- Choir
- Ballet Folklorico
CTSO (Career and Technical Student Organization)
TAFE
Texas Association of Future Educators is a statewide CTSO that students join at YWLA who are interested in gaining skills and knowledge in teaching or other careers in education. YWLA TAFE has won many first-place competitions at the regional and state levels.
DECA
DECA is a National Organization that focuses on preparing emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management in high schools and colleges around the globe. We have had students qualify to compete in the DECA State CDC every year since our chapter was established at YWLA six years ago. We have also had state finalists in three of the last four years.
SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA empowers students at YWLA to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens to improve the quality of our nation’s future skilled workforce. Our students have won several awards in the last few years, most notably in Health and Occupational Safety.
TSA
The Technology Student Association is open to middle and high school students interested in competing in teams in many areas, such as creating storybooks, art, robotics, coding, speaking, and many other fields. In 2019-2020, our middle and high school teams advanced to State.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Why YWLA?
YWLA’s high school is in the top 2% in the nation, according to US News & World Report. At the high school level, we offer Advanced, AP, Dual Credit, and Dual Enrollment classes, preparing student for success in college and beyond. We have a 100% high school graduation rate and 100% acceptance to colleges and universities… College is what we “do” at YWLA, and it starts in 6th grade. Our middle school offers traditional course offerings with the intent that our college-bound students stay with us from 6th into high school.
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What does YWLA have to offer that other schools don’t?
We’re a “hidden gem” in GPISD, offering a private school experience in a public school setting. We’re a 6-12 all-girls school that focuses on STEM and leadership with a balance of fine arts and athletics at the middle school and high school levels. Being an all-girls school means our young ladies have the opportunity to be heard and to lead in classrooms, clubs, and organizations. YWLA is also a Texas Education Agency (TEA) designated T-STEM campus. That means we follow TEA’s STEM guidelines for course offerings, support, college readiness, extracurricular opportunities, and teacher professional development.
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Why an all-girls school?
Research shows that females are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math, yet they’re entirely capable of being leaders in those fields. YWLA offers students the opportunity to explore all they’re capable of without the distractions that occur in a traditional co-ed school setting and without being relegated to “note taker” during group projects. Our young ladies are leaders inside the classroom and outside the classroom, and those who stay with us for high school are prepared to be leaders in college and beyond.
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What is a College Bound Advisor and what does she do at YWLA?
Through our partnership with Young Women’s Preparatory Network, YWLA has a College Bound Advisor (CBA), one of only a handful in Texas. Ms. Gonzales’ one and only job is to get to know our students, to pair them up with the perfect college and university, and to help them get scholarship money to pay for it. It would cost more than $700 an hour to get the kind of support Ms. Gonzales provides, but at YWLA, our students have continual access to her free of charge. She also organizes SAT and ACT prep classes, giving our students the opportunity to shine on those critical exams.
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What is Young Women’s Preparatory Network?
Young Women’s Prep (YWPN) is a nonprofit that supports 10 public all-girls schools across the state of Texas. YWPN provides amazing opportunities for our students and top-tier support and training for our teachers. Last year, some of our students had the opportunity to attend Michele Obama’s conference in Dallas (and meet the former First Lady for the second time), participate in YWPN’s STEM Challenge, and attend various summer camps including robotics camps at SMU. YWPN also funds many of the opportunities our students have, from bridge camps, physics camps, and college tours to ongoing partnerships with the Dallas Mavs and CaptialOne. YWPN support is one of the important pieces that sets YWLA apart from the rest.