Young Women’s Leadership Academy Opens New Downtown Campus

January 12,2014

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Reposted from the Star-Telegram.

Photo: Star-Telegram Paul Moseley

BY DIANE SMITH
dianesmith@star-telegram.com

FORT WORTH — Abbi Zametz’s school wasn’t at the same place after winter break.

The eighth-grade student attends Fort Worth’s Young Women’s Leadership Academy, which was in a converted office building on West Magnolia Avenue until the holidays.

When Zametz and her schoolmates returned to classes last week, it was at a new downtown campus.

“Well, we came to an amazing campus,” Zametz, 13, said of their surroundings. “It is a really cool campus.”

Young Women’s Leadership Academy is the district’s first single gender school and emphasizes math, science and technology. There are 267 students in grades six through 10 in the school, which has been adding a grade level each year. The first graduating class will be in 2016.

The YMLA project has cost an estimated $7.75 million to date, according to the school district.

Last year, the district used $4.45 million from its general fund to buy the Tarrant County Education Center buildingm, 401 E. Eighth St., from the county. That amount will be paid back to the general fund with money from the most recent bond program, which voters approved in November.

An additional $3.93 million in bond money is expected to be budgeted for more improvements at the school.

District leaders said the all-girl school ran out of room at the Magnolia campus, which will be converted into the district’s new World Languages Institute.

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