About the Nonprofit
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John Lewis Invictus Academy, Home of the Royal Lions, is located in the heart of the historic Grove Park community in Atlanta, Georgia. When the school opened in Fall 2017, it welcomed approximately 300 students. Now, JLIA boasts a student population of over 850 middle school students. A Title I school, with a student body comprising 95.4% African American, 4% Hispanic, 0.2% Multiracial, 0.4% White, and 100% free and reduced lunch, the faculty and staff are committed to providing quality, engaging, differentiated lessons. Our key foci are Climate and Culture, High-Quality Teaching, Literacy, and STEAM.
John Lewis Invictus Academy is a part of the Douglass Cluster; therefore, its signature focus is the STE (A)M pathway. By exposing students to the tenets of a STEAM education, they will be able to strengthen their critical thinking skills and engage in real-world scenarios as they work collaboratively to solve problems for their community by working with local businesses and post-secondary partnerships. JLIA students will work across all disciplines to research, synthesize, envision, and execute project-based learning (PBL)tasks with a STEAM focus. These PBL experiences will exemplify their deep understanding of selected, high-interest topics as they strive to be productive, 21st-century learners who embody the five core competencies of Social Emotional Learning: Social Awareness, Self-Awareness Self -Self-management, Relationship Skills, and Responsible decision-making. Additionally, they have resolved to show up for themselves, their families, and their community daily as they approach their studies with our core values of Perseverance~Respect~Integrity~Discipline~Excellence—PRIDE.
John Lewis Invictus Academy was named after the late Congressman John Robert Lewis. He was a moral Civil Rights leader advocating for equity, equality, and liberation. His courage and determination gave a solid voice to the voiceless. His statesmanship served as a firm foundation for those who were downtrodden, forgotten, and ignored by those sworn in to represent their collective interests. Congressman Lewis served his constituents until he died on July 17, 2020. His favorite poem, Invictus, by William Ernest Henley, is also a reminder to stay the course so that our students, families, and community can collectively say, I am the Master of my fate; I am the Captain of my soul.
John Lewis Invictus Academy is committed to opening The John Robert Lewis Service Center. This Center will be an invaluable resource for our community. A food pantry will support scheduled food distributions, and a clothing closet so students have clean uniforms, coats, socks, and shoes. The community can wash and dry their clothes on-site and receive information for potential employment, affordable housing, educational and financial literacy workshops, and more. JLIA is committed to lifting barriers that impede or stagnate students’ academic and social-emotional growth. We welcome the opportunity to partner with you in this work.
