By combining strong academics, leadership training and immersive, trilingual language instruction, the public charter school gives students the tools to thrive, whether they plan to attend college, start a career, or serve their communities.
Leadership starts early
“Our mission statement is to prepare students for exceptional leadership roles in the international community, and we emphasize servant leadership,” Founder, CEO and Superintendent Mr. Eddie Conger said.
Starting in elementary school, students take part in Others Before Self projects. These service efforts challenge each class to identify a need, plan a response and follow through with action. Along the way, they learn how to work as a team, communicate effectively and think critically.
In high school, students take a dedicated leadership class every year. For their Others Before Self projects, they’re placed in small teams led by seniors, with juniors, sophomores and freshmen working together to plan and complete more complex service projects.
One standout project was by a fourth grader, who chose to raise awareness for childhood cancer.
“[The student] wanted to get one of the national athletic organizations to choose a month to sponsor and bring awareness across the country for childhood cancer,” Conger said. “She wrote to Major League Baseball, and they said, ‘We love this. We'll do it.’ The entire month of September, the MLB leagues across America supported childhood cancer awareness. For me personally, seeing that young girl give an interview and say, ‘I can change the world,’ ... was big.”
Each week, students study one of 14 U.S. Marine Corps leadership traits, such as integrity, initiative and responsibility, building a shared foundation of values that guide their growth.
The school also operates the largest Marine Corps JROTC program in the country. The program is not designed to recruit students to join the military. Rather, it is utilized as a teaching tool.
“What is exceptional about the JROTC program is that the kids are learning additional American history, American values and military leadership, but they're also learning how to lead their peers. It's easier to lead someone junior to you, but to lead your peers is an extreme challenge,” Conger said.
Trilingual instruction with purpose
All ILTexas students learn English, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.
In elementary school, many participate in a dual-language immersion model. They alternate weekly between English and Spanish for core subjects. Those needing extra support follow an introductory foreign language model to build up language basics.
By middle and high school, students take daily classes in both Spanish and Mandarin, but the learning doesn’t stop there.
Students also:
- Take kung fu classes taught entirely in Mandarin
- Visit local Chinese restaurants and markets to practice conversation
- Attend summer language camps at Texas A&M or the University of Mississippi
- Travel to Taiwan for a month-long cultural and language immersion experience
Structure that builds confidence
ILTexas schools are highly structured with routines that help students succeed. Teachers and staff support students at every step, helping them discover their strengths and build confidence.
The results speak for themselves:
- Over 90% of ILTexas graduates are accepted to four-year universities
- Many earn scholarships, including to military academies and international universities
Whether a student starts in kindergarten or transfers in high school, ILTexas meets them where they are.
Language instruction is tailored by proficiency, leadership skills are built over time and students of all backgrounds are welcomed into a culture that expects excellence and supports growth.
Contact ILTexas to tour one of their campuses, or visit their website to learn more today.
The above story was produced by Multi Platform Journalist Sydney Heller with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.
