For More Information Contact:
Jennifer Hoff, Director of Development
jenniferhoff@cglamail.com / 423-309-7464

Chattanooga, TN (May 15, 2013) – The Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy (CGLA) will reach a historic milestone this week by holding its first graduation ceremony on Friday, May 17.  The inaugural ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. at the Chauncey-Goode Auditorium located on the campus of Tennessee Temple University.

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. CGLA was also the first school in the county to focus its academic program on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), a model that has been expanded to integrate the arts throughout the curriculum.

“I’m so proud to have worked with CGLA’s first graduating class,” said Dr. Elaine Swafford, Executive Director of CGLA and the Young Women’s Leadership Academy Foundation.  “Not only is this is a memorable time for us but also a monumental moment for CGLA.  We’re excited for what the future holds for these thirteen young ladies and hope they will be an inspiration to all of the CGLA students to follow them.”

Valedictorian Tatanya Trotter, who has been with CGLA since the beginning, is looking forward to entering a new phase of her life as she pursues nursing at Chattanooga State Community College in the fall.  “Being a member of CGLA’s first graduating class is very special to me,” said Trotter.  “I hope that my fellow classmates and I will inspire the next generation of CGLA girls to work hard and follow their dreams.”

Students of CGLA’s class of 2013 have been accepted into several colleges and universities around the region, including Middle Tennessee State University, Chattanooga State Community College, Tennessee State University and Sewanee: The University of the South.  Students have also received scholarships from several organizations, including First Tennessee, Community Foundation Together We Can Scholarship Fund, Delta Sigma Theta, Executive Women International, Captain Paul R. Calloway Scholarship Fund, and Hyksos Temple No. 123.

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 About CGLA:  Founded in 2009, the mission of the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy is to provide girls and young women with a rigorous college preparatory education focused on science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math (STEAM) in a supportive environment that nurtures self-confidence, inspires leadership, encourages critical thinking, and promotes academic excellence. For more information please visit www.cglaonline.com.

Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy to Hold Carnival May 11^th

Carnival to feature fun games for the family, arts and crafts, silent auction, food vendors and more!

Chattanooga, TN (May 6, 2013) – The Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy (CGLA) will host its first annual Carnival on Saturday, May 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the CGLA campus, located at 1802 Bailey Avenue in the Highland Park community. The event will feature several fun games for the family, arts and crafts, face painting, silent auction, food vendors, a DJ and more. All proceeds will benefit academic and enrichment programs at CGLA.

“Our parent volunteers and staff have worked tirelessly to put together an exciting day of fun to celebrate our students, school and the community,” said Dr. Elaine Swafford, Executive Director of CGLA and the Young Women’s Leadership Academy Foundation. “This inaugural carnival is one of many ways we hope to continue to engage families and the entire community with our work. We invite everyone to come out Saturday to support CGLA.”

Carnival goers can enjoy their favorite carnival foods—hot dogs, funnel cakes, cotton candy, snow cones, and candied apples—while browsing silent auction items, playing classic carnival games, and checking out vendor booths featuring jewelry, flowers, candles, chow chow, and health and wellness information.

Sponsors and partners for the CGLA Carnival include BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Chattanooga Bakery, Coca Cola Bottling, Cracker Barrel, Educational Outfitters, Enzo’s Market, Holder’s Concessions, McKee Foods, Mojo Burrito, PD Entertainment, Rave Theater, Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, and several individual donors.

To learn more about the CGLA Carnival, visit www.cglaonline.com, call 423-702-7320 or email GeGe Harris, Event Chair, at gegeharris@cglaonline.com.

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About CGLA:  Founded in 2009, the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy 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. The mission of CGLA is to provide girls and young women with a rigorous college preparatory education focused on science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math in a supportive environment that nurtures self-confidence, inspires leadership, encourages critical thinking, and promotes academic excellence. For more information please visit www.cglaonline.com.

CGLA’s Carnival is coming!

Saturday May 11th from 10am – 3pm at CGLA.

The CGLA carnival will have opportunities to win prizes, bid on silent auction items, play games and most importantly…food!

Come out and show your support!

Questions about the carnival, please call: 423-702-7320 or email Gege Harris (gegeharris@cglaonline.com).

See you there!

Image via

Save the date!  CGLA is having a golf tournament on Monday, August 26th.

Sponsorship opportunities available.  For sponsorship inquiries and/or team inquiries, please call 423-702-7230.

CGLA thanks Mark Making and all of the artists who helped our girls with this event.  Also, big thanks to Mrs.Yvette Youngberg (CGLA Spanish teacher) and Ms. Iris Negrete (CGLA ESL instructor).

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Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy is hiring Literacy Coach and a Numeracy Coach positions.  Please see the postings below for the full description of both positions.

Applicants interested in applying should send their resumes to CGLA’s Director – Elaine Swafford (elaineswafford@cglaonline.com).

Please put the position you’re applying for in the subject line.

Literacy Coach Position

Numeracy Coach Position

Thank you.

Chattanooga, TN (March 20, 2013) – The Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy (CGLA) received a donation of 10 Lexmark printers yesterday on behalf of Connected Tennessee.  The new printers will be used on school grounds for student assignments and during afterschool tutoring sessions.

The printers were donated as part of Connected Tennessee’s Computers 4 Kids program, which prepares Tennessee’s next generation for success by providing computers and training to over 60,000 disadvantaged youth across the state.  Thanks to a donation from Kentucky-based Lexmark International, Connected Tennessee was able to gift extra printers to CGLA.  The printers are wireless with scanning, copying and color capabilities.

CGLA Director, Dr. Elaine Swafford, accepted the printers on behalf of the school and expressed her excitement to have such a thoughtful contribution given to our girls.  “We’re ecstatic that Connected Tennessee thought of CGLA with this generous donation”, says Swafford.  “Many of our students do not have access to a reliable printer at home.  Having this gift in the school will encourage our girls to not only stay afterschool and get help with homework but also allow them to complete and print it on our campus.”

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About CGLA:  Founded in 2009, The Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy provides girls and young women with a rigorous college preparatory education focused on math, science, and technology in a supportive environment that nurtures self confidence, inspires leadership, encourages critical thinking, and promotes academic excellence.  For more information please visit www.cglaonline.com.

About Connected Tennessee: Connected Tennessee creates both the forum and the incentive for interaction among a variety of people and entities that would not otherwise unite behind common goals and a shared vision. This level of teamwork will make Tennessee a better place for business and an even better place to live.

For more information on Will Allen and his company, Growing Power, visit: www.growingpower.org

Throughout the week, students have been preparing for planting raised bed gardens by researching different herbs, vegetables and fruits while becoming familiar with the photosynthesis and growth processes.  “Not only are our students learning the many reasons why gardening is so important but they’ll also be working together with GPS and McCallie students to help build the gardens.  We’re very excited about the collaboration”, Phoebe Mount, CGLA science teacher.

The garden will be maintained by CGLA and will be a continued display of how STEAM is incorporated into the everyday curricula of the students.  At the end of the week-long project, students and parents will participate in a reception to celebrate their accomplishments.

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About CGLA:  Founded in 2009, The Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy provides girls and young women with a rigorous college preparatory education focused on math, science, and technology in a supportive environment that nurtures self confidence, inspires leadership, encourages critical thinking, and promotes academic excellence.  For more information please visit www.cglaonline.com.

Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy is Only Tennessee Organization Among 47 Recipients Nationwide to Share in $10 Million to Help Stem the High School Dropout Crisis

CHATTANOOGA, TN, Wednesday, September 12, 2012 — The Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy was presented with a $100,000 AT&T Aspire contribution today to advance the school’s STEM Pipeline and to improve academic and college-going outcomes for students.

The AT&T Aspire contribution will support core Academy services and offer additional services and support structures to improve the academic performance of students including a rigorous summer enrichment camp, STEM focused curriculum, college readiness courses and financial aid support, internship and mentorship opportunities and college tours. It will target all high school students (grades 9-12) and will impact a total of 194 students during the 2-year project period (84 in the 2012-13 school year and 110 in 2013-14).

“Research suggests that too many times students from low socio-economic backgrounds drop out  and never complete high school.,” said Dr. Elaine Swafford, Director of the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy. “We are committed to reversing this trend, and with the support from AT&T Aspire, we’ll help 194 High School Students stay in school and expose them to critical academic and career skills in the STEM area.”

Educators in schools and non-profits across the country have a unique understanding of the challenges students face in their communities. Through a competitive process, 47 schools and non-profits, including the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy, were selected from thousands nationwide. To learn more about all of the organizations that were selected, please visit www.att.com/local-impact.

“CGLA is like a family and is helping me reach my goal of graduating and to see that attending college is possible,” said Amber Puckett, CGLA student. “I am excited about the materials the Aspire program will allow us to purchase for our math and science classrooms and to be able to learn more about colleges I can attend.”

AT&T Announces Quarter-Billion-Dollar Expansion Of

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

Dr. Swafford received her Ed.D in Educational Leadership and has most recently served as Vice-President of Student Affairs at Chattanooga State Community College where she served as a member of the president’s cabinet and executive staff. Before Chattanooga State, Dr. Swafford was both an Area Superintendent for Hamilton County Schools and the Executive Principal at Howard School of Academics and Technology. With a long resume of community service and volunteerism throughout Chattanooga, Dr. Swafford is proud to have served on many boards like The Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce, Goodwill Industries and the YMCA.

“I am excited to lead a committed team of students, families, teachers and volunteers in bettering the lives of young women in Chattanooga,” said Swafford. “As I understand, 100% of donations to YWLAF go to fund the school. I look forward to working with the board of directors, staff, volunteers and many supporters of CGLA, and I encourage anyone embracing innovation in education to visit the school. I look forward to leading these young women toward a successful future and a life filled with purpose and numerous career opportunities.”

CGLA’s newsletter, Mustang Messages, spotlights student accomplishments, upcoming events, important dates, and more!

Click here to read the summer issue of Mustang Messages!

In this issue:

• TCAP Testing
• Summer School Schedule
• NASA Space Camp
• Foreign Language Camp
• Student Accomplishments
• End of School Activities
• Important Dates
• Reminders

Supernova Award: Sheila Boyington

Sheila Boyington was named the second annual Supernova Award winner at the Odyssey 2012: Engineering a Dream Luncheon and Awards Ceremony on April 18. The Supernova Award recognizes women who have distinguished themselves in their professional career and serve as role models to the next generation of female STEM leaders. Michele Norris, who was named 2009′s Journalist of the Year by the National Association of Black Journalists, and Col. Eileen Collins, former NASA astronaut and the first woman to pilot and command an American spacecraft, were featured speakers at the event.

Boyington, Co-founder of Thinking Media, a developer of computer-based training products for education and industry, earned her Master’s Degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Florida. As president of Thinking Media, she serves as the strategic leader of projects and her interest in using technology to address issues is demonstrated through company products. These products include Key Train®, the premier training system for the ACT WorkKeys ® employment system which was recently acquired by ACT; CharacterEd.Net™ which provides internet-based character education curricula; and Picture RX an innovative, patent-pending technology for the healthcare industry. Boyingon and her husband of 28 years, who is also her business partner, are the proud parents of two daughters, Priya and Nisha. Priya graduated as a Presidential Scholar from Georgia Tech in Industrial Engineering and Nisha, a recent graduate of GPS, is a freshman in Entrepreneurship at the Kelly School of Business at Indiana University. They live in Chattanooga and are well known in the community for their commitment as leaders to various organizations including UTC, Georgia Tech, Girls, Inc., India Association, Women’s Leadership Institute and Girls Preparatory School.

The other four finalists for the 2012 Supernova Award included Dr. Anna George, Chief Research Scientist at the Tennessee Aquarium; Dr. Phyllis Miller, Gynecologist at the Women’s Institute for Specialized Health; Dr. Gretchen Potts, UC Foundation Associate Professor of Chemistry at UTC; and Denise Rice, Director of Cleveland Operations and Development, Cormetech, Inc. Environmental Technologies.

Shining Star Award: Shaunte Hunter and Rising Star Award: Frida Uwimana, CGLA Student

The Odyssey 2012 awards ceremony also recognized two young women for their outstanding academic accomplishments in STEM. Shaunte Hunter of Chattanooga received the Shining Star Award; she is pursuing an engineering degree at UT-Knoxville and serves as a STEM mentor and role model to other girls and young women. Frida Uwimana, a sixth grade student from the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy (CGLA), received the Rising Star award for her commitment to education and inspiration to other CGLA students.

All Odyssey 2012 award winners were presented with custom-designed awards hand crafted by local sculptor, Verina Baxter.

Odyssey is an annual fundraiser that benefits the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy.  To learn more about CGLA, please contact Director Carolyn Towns at 423-664-5745 or carolyntowns@cglaonline.com.

The Young Women’s Leadership Academy Foundation (YWLAF), founding sponsor of the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy (CGLA)–Tennessee’s first all-girls public charter school–is pleased to announce five finalists for the second annual Supernova Award. This award was created to celebrate the compelling journeys and recognize the accomplishments of women working in the career fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

The finalists for the Supernova Award are Sheila Boyington, President of Thinking Media and Vice-President, Workforce Development Division at Act, Inc.; Dr. Anna George, Chief Research Scientist at the Tennessee Aquarium; Dr. Phyllis Miller, Gynecologist at the Women’s Institute for Specialized Health; Dr. Gretchen Potts, UC Foundation Associate Professor of Chemistry at UTC; and Denise Rice, Plant Manager and Director of Cleveland Operations and Development, Cormetech, Inc.

Find Out Who Wins at the Odyssey Luncheon!

The winner of the 2012 Supernova Award will be announced at the Odyssey 2012 Luncheon and Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, April 18 at noon at the Chattanooga Convention Center, featuring award-winning journalist Michele Norris, host of NPR’s All Things Considered, and Col. Eileen Collins, the first woman to pilot and command a U.S. spacecraft. The award ceremony will also recognize a female undergraduate student and a student from the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy (CGLA) for their outstanding academic accomplishments in STEM.

A limited number of tickets and reserved tables remain – purchase your ticket or table today to ensure you have a seat at the event! Click on “Buy Tickets” to purchase an individual ticket. To purchase a table or sponsorship, click here or call 423.468.4105.

A Special Thank You to Our Judges

Finalists were selected by an independent panel of community leaders who evaluated all of the entries for the 2012 Supernova Award: LuLu Copeland, Manager of Technical Training, Chattanooga State Community College; Glady’s Pineda – Loher, Business Diversity Coordinator, Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce; Jenny Whitener, CEO, Bridge Consulting International; and Dr. Cecelia Wigal, UC Foundation Professor and Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Programs, College of Engineering and Computer Science, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

CGLA will hold weekly information sessions for interested families on Thursdays at 9:30 AM and 5:30 PM from February 23rd to March 29th. The morning session includes a tour of CGLA. Please RSVP for an information session by calling 423-702-7230.

Click here to learn more about eligibility and the application process.

“These students have made a notable effort, not only to improve their mathematical skills, but to face off against other schools,” says Louis Rodriguez, CGLA middle school math teacher who serves as sponsor and coach for the MATHCOUNTS program. “Participation in the club has given them a sense of camaraderie and confidence that they can compete toe to toe with anyone.” In November, CGLA’s team began meeting weekly to develop problem solving strategies and practice advanced math skills.

“One thing I learned from the MATHCOUNTS competition was that I should always try something before saying I cannot do it, because sometimes it’s better to try and face my fears instead of giving up,” says sixth grader Frida Uwimana, who was the highest scoring CGLA Mathlete. “I was so confident about myself because it was nothing to be scared of and my team worked together well.”

Congratulations to the entire MATHCOUNTS team for your dedication and amazing accomplishment! Frida Uwimana, Vinceia Crittenden, Patricia Trotter, Hilary Williams, Mai Dupre, Keyanna Westfield, Chloe Jones, Wendy Reynoso, A’keia Colley, and Emily Newton

The deadline for nominations is Friday, Feburary 10, 2012 at 5 PM. One distinguished nominee will be awarded the Shining Star award at the Odyssey 2012 Luncheon and Awards Ceremony, to be held on Wednesday, April 18 at noon at the Chattanooga Convention Center. The event will feature two special guests: NASA pioneer, Col. Eileen Collins, the first woman to pilot and command a U.S. spacecraft, and award-winning journalist and NPR’s All Things Considered host, Michele Norris. 

Click here to learn more about the Shining Star award and to download the nomination form and guidelines!