GLOW-UP: CELEBRATING GIRL POWER AT GIRLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY OF WILMINGTON
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irst generation college students often begin their educations with a mountain to climb.
They may not have the same financial resources as their counterparts with a family history of higher education. They may not have the same frameworks for navigating challenges, and they may not have access to the same levels of academic and professional mentorship to guide them. Worse: these students may suffer from lowered expectations, both from the educational and societal systems that surround them, and from the scarcity of role models who once stood in their shoes and can show them where opportunities exist. Representation matters.
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Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington (GLOW) understands these challenges. As the first single-gender charter school in North Carolina, GLOW is dedicated to preparing each of its middle and high school students for college and beyond. The school aims not only to provide a rigorous middle and high school education, but also to give students and their families the tools needed for the girls to enroll in college, excel, graduate, and become successful members of their communities.
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GLOW opened in 2016 with 100 6th grade students, adding a grade level of 100 more students each school year. To support this steady growth, and an eventual capacity of 700 students in grades 6-12, the school reached out to architecture, interiors, and planning firm LS3P to help create a facility that would support GLOW’s unique identity and vision. LS3P’s design team was eager to tackle this exciting challenge and, in fact, had some firsthand experience with the importance of representation. Architecture has always struggled with gender equity, including wage and opportunity gaps which widen as women advance in the profession. While women represent 50% of all students entering architectural programs, they represent only 20% of registered architects and 17% of firm principals.
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The numbers sound dire, but fortunately, the pipeline of talent has never been stronger or more diverse. With this contextual underpinning, the LS3P team decided to be intentional about female representation in the architecture, construction, and engineering industry, modeling success in these professions for GLOW’s all-female population with an all-female leadership team. All of the project’s team leaders for design and construction of the new facility — architects, engineers, landscape designers, and contractor — were women committed not only to design excellence, but also to educating and inspiring the next generation of industry leaders.
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Both the facility and the design process needed to stay true to GLOW’s students and to its mission. The team prioritized student involvement and input, first by listening intently, then by showing the students what authentic collaboration and passion mean to a successful design process. At every stage, the designers put the design process on full display, showcasing the exciting opportunities for women in the industry.
The LS3P team decided to be intentional about
FEMALE REPRESENTATION
[...] modeling success in these professions for GLOW’s all-female population with an all-female leadership team.
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The design team also endeavored to be good stewards of the school’s budget to maximize resources for educational programs. The team selected a pre-engineered building type for durability and economy, but tailored the structure to GLOW’s needs. Careful detailing and varied roof heights help to break up the mass of the buildings to make them more pedestrian-scale and inviting. The footprint forms a semi-enclosed courtyard
which anchors the campus and maintains an indoor/outdoor connection. Contemporary elements such as asymmetrical window mullions, suspended ceiling “clouds,” and tall windows for maximum daylighting help to define and enliven the space. High-impact, low-cost branding elements such as strategic pops of color also reflect the girls’ energy.
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The exposed structure provides real-world lessons in physics and geometry, while the outdoor classroom and raingarden are ideal for observations of ecology. Gathering spaces throughout create impromptu study spaces, collaboration areas, or just welcoming zones for down time and socializing. The resulting design combines strength, grace, energy, and a sense of inclusion — all of which capture the spirit of the students. The school is feminine without being “girly,” and the customized layout includes elegant lines in powerful materials such as steel, eye-catching interior angles, and inspirational graphics.
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GLOW is deeply committed to helping its students achieve personal and academic success. A college education is not just an academic goal; according to the Center on Education and the Workforce, Bachelor’s degree holders earn 84% more than high school graduates, and college graduates are far less likely to be unemployed than non-college graduates. Over a lifetime, the earning potential with a college degree can mean the difference between poverty and stability, with lasting impacts for future generations of a family and community as well as for the students themselves. As GLOW continues to grow and its students continue to learn, the school is poised to help this next generation of female leaders prepare for all the challenges- and exciting opportunitiesthat lie ahead.
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