The Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy (CGLA) will hold its commencement ceremony on Friday at 6 p.m. at Redemption Point Church in Highland Park. Founded in 2009, CGLA serves girls in grades 6-12 and was the first single-gender public charter school in Tennessee and the first approved public charter school in Hamilton County.
“I am honored and proud and be celebrating our second graduating class,” said Dr. Elaine Swafford, Executive Director of CGLA and the Young Women’s Leadership Academy Foundation. “We’re excited for what the future holds for these young ladies and hope they will be an inspiration to all of the CGLA students to follow them.”
CGLA’s seniors returned from a class trip to Washington, D.C. last week, where they had an opportunity to tour several colleges and historic sites as they prepare for their college journeys. With a cross-curricular emphasis on science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math (STEAM), CGLA offers unique and hands-on college-preparatory experiences for its students.
“At CGLA, we offer a variety of expeditionary learning experiences and college tours to give all of our students an opportunity to explore potential career fields and learn more about our community and region,” says Dr. Swafford. “We are fortunate to work with a broad base of partners who support our innovative, rigorous academic program.”
CGLA also offers a variety of extracurricular activities and programs for students, including a Robotics Club, Science Club, Model UN, Student Government Association, and several theme-based clubs focused on student interests (such as word lovers, puzzle, knitting, and hip-hop clubs). CGLA has also created a national model for hands-on STEAM learning via Mustang Leadership Partners, a ten-month equestrian program that exposes girls to experiences grounded in science, life skills, and leadership development.