Charter school forming in Las Vegas aims to empower girls

By Hillary Davis
Published by Las Vegas Sun on December 26, 2021

Whitney McIntosh says the girls of east Las Vegas deserve a quality education, and she wants to give it to them at the Young Women’s Leadership Academy.

The tuition-free public charter school is set to open in fall 2022 with McIntosh as its principal, her focus on high achievement — not just high school graduation but college success. Uniquely, it’ll be a mostly single-gender setting that embraces the “whole girl” and empowers her personally and civically. Enrollment opens Jan. 3.

“A lot of parents that seek us out, they’ve been looking for something different,” McIntosh said.

One of the students who’s ready to make the switch is Kelly Ramirez, 13, who wants to make more girlfriends and grow her character. “I think this school will help me grow into a better person,” she said.