TheChattanooga Girls Leadership Academy (CGLA) ia a charter school designed to help young women from what they call “underserved communities.” Almost all of the students qualify for the free lunch program. Most of them come from very poor backgrounds, but CGLA aims to be a beacon of hope. Richard Winham talked to Bess Steverson, the director of the foundation that helps fund the school. She joined the school this past September because she wanted to help them realize their ambitious goals.
From their Web site:
The Young Women’s Leadership Academy Foundation, founding sponsor of the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy, is proud to present the 6th Annual Odyssey Awards Luncheon on Monday, February 9, 2015 at 11:30 a.m. at the Chattanooga Convention Center. Our event theme this year—Full STEAM Ahead—recognizes and celebrates the innovative educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math that CGLA provides under-served girls in our community. Our keynote speaker is Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, President of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Under his adept leadership, UMBC was ranked the #1 Up and Coming University in the United States in 2009, 2010, and 2011, and continues to be recognized as first class in research and instruction. The Odyssey event will also recognize exemplary CGLA students and celebrate CGLA’s distinctive accomplishments. Now in its sixth year, CGLA has made tremendous progress and has been recognized as a Reward School for a second consecutive year. CGLA also joins the ranks of only 10 Hamilton County schools to receive SACS accreditation.
