Students learn leadership, sisterhood, and ‘herstory’ at Wake Young Women’s Leadership Academy

Wake Young Women’s Leadership Academy (WYWLA) is not just the only all-girls school in the Wake County Public School System — it’s also a leadership magnet middle school and an early college high school all in one.

Established in 2012, WYWLA has been ranked as a top 10 middle school in the state and achieved a four-year graduation rate above 95% in the 2023-24 school year. 

According to WYWLA leaders, student success is partly due to the school’s small size. Last year, the school enrolled about 350 students between grades 6-13, with a student-to-teacher ratio of 16.44. Smaller class sizes support students’ academic progress as they can seek personalized help from teachers, peers, or one of the school’s two counselors.

Student accomplishments also extend beyond the classroom at WYWLA, as the girls-only school community creates a sisterhood. The school’s website states, “while some may question its relevance in the 21st century, all-girls schools continue to play a vital role in empowering girls and preparing them for leadership roles in an increasingly diverse and competitive world.” 

The school’s tagline — “Herstory Starts Here” — reflects this philosophy toward students’ self-actualization. The attitude is also evident in WYWLA’s classrooms and hallways, as student-made artwork decorates the walls and serves as a reminder to students that their gender identity is a source of strength.

During a campus tour, EdNC heard students share how their school inspires and encourages them to pursue personal growth alongside academics.

Hannah Forrest, a seventh grader, reflected on the first time she toured the school. Admitting to some initial skepticism about attending a small, all-girls school, she described the moment she realized that attending WYWLA could be an opportunity for personal growth. 

“I could feel the empowerment in the room, and I walked into one of the classrooms, and I saw a girl giving a presentation in front of the class, and I was like, ‘This is who I want to be. I want to do this,’” she said. 

At WYWLA, students have multiple opportunities to take on leadership positions, including as campus ambassadors who lead campus tours and speak to visitors about their experiences and on the yearbook design committee. And in fields like STEM and physical education, where gender roles have traditionally favored masculinity, WYWLA students learn in environments that do not tether gender to ability.  

Dr. Mariah Walker has led WYWLA since 2023, and in 2025, she was named Wake County’s Principal of the Year. With over 20 years of experience in the Wake County Public School System, Walker says WYWLA’s unique community inspires her service.  

“Here in a smaller setting, I just love that everyone, I feel like, is able to be themselves without the pressure of having to fit into a big, overarching, ‘This is what everyone is doing, so I have to feel like I need to do that too,’” Walker said.   

Exposure to female role models adds to students’ leadership development, whether it be speaking to Walker in the hallway, dissecting a cow eye in Ms. VanKerckhove’s science class, or hearing lectures from guest speakers. Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton, visited the school in 2015 and spoke to students about what it means to be a leader. 

The school’s community partnerships also mean students get to practice their leadership skills in the real world. Middle and high schoolers participate in leadership development and entrepreneurial skill-building programs through WYWLA’s partnership with nonprofit Athena of the Triangle, and a recent partnership with Shaw University allows students to take classes at the university’s campus and graduate with as many as 40 college credits. 

Enrollment applications are open to any student that lives in Wake County. As a magnet school, applications include a personal statement, prior grades, and teacher recommendations. The process, however, is not meant to deter students based on their academic history. 

“You do not have to be a perfect student. You don’t have to be passing your grade level test yet,” said Sonja McKay, WYWLA’s magnet coordinator and intervention coach. “We want to know why you want to be here, and we have the other information as a starting place.” 

Applications go through a point system, and WYWLA prioritizes admitting students who would be the first in their family to attend college. The school’s website explains that the school then uses a lottery system to enroll up to 60 new sixth grade students, up to 20 new ninth graders, and a limited number of spots for students in seventh, eighth, and 10th grade.