ELITE Experiences
ELITE Experiences: Where Ideas Take Flight
At Fort Worth Academy, innovation isn’t just a class, it’s a mindset. Through our ELI Initiative and signature ELITE (Entrepreneurship, Leadership, and Innovation Transforming Education) Experiences, students don’t wait for the future, they help create it.
What sets FWA apart from other private schools is how deeply students are empowered to lead, take risks, and make a real impact on their community. These are not simulations or “projects for the grade.” Our students tackle meaningful challenges that spark passion, require collaboration, and result in tangible change.
The Swingles: Turning Ideas into Impact
When a group of fourth graders noticed a gap in our playground experience, they didn’t just talk about it—they got to work. Calling themselves The Swingles, they formed a student-led team that researched playground design, wrote a proposal, submitted grants, gave formal presentations to foundations, and led a successful fundraising campaign. Today, thanks to their vision and determination, new swings stand on our campus—used and loved by every student. That’s what leadership looks like at FWA.
Wild at FWA: Nature as a Classroom
In our Wild at FWA outdoor conservation class, students study ecology not just from books, but by living it. With access to our on-campus creek, natural prairie restoration zone, and open green spaces, students get hands-on with real-world environmental science. They earn certification in monitoring Eastern Bluebird nest boxes, contribute to habitat conservation, and learn to care for their world—starting right here at school.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
ELITE Experiences extend far beyond campus. Whether it’s through local field studies, service projects, or overnight class trips, students are constantly engaging with the world around them.
Our 7th graders, for example, participate in an immersive experience at TCU’s Values and Ventures® Competition, hosted by the Neeley Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. There they and gain firsthand insight into how young entrepreneurs pitch real-world ideas. This powerful experience lays the groundwork for their own entrepreneurial journey, culminating in an 8th-grade “Shark Tank”-style pitch, where they present original business ideas to a panel of potential investors.
Through our partnership with Magnitude.io, students also participate annually in the ExoLab life sciences project, conducting authentic, NGSS-aligned research tied to real experiments aboard the International Space Station. This extraordinary opportunity ignites curiosity and deepens scientific inquiry as students engage in project-based learning with global relevance and true impact.
And that’s just the beginning. From environmental stewardship to business innovation, our ELITE Experiences are as diverse as they are meaningful, offering students countless opportunities to explore their passions, apply their learning, and stretch their potential far beyond the traditional classroom.
Where Young Entrepreneurs and Changemakers Begin
Innovation and leadership at Fort Worth Academy start early. In Lower School, students take part in the annual ELI Emporium, a vibrant entrepreneurial showcase where each grade level dreams up a product, writes a business plan, manufactures their goods, and brings them to market. From concept to customer, students experience the full cycle of entrepreneurship, developing critical skills in collaboration, communication, and financial literacy.
But it’s not just about profits, it’s about purpose. Alongside their entrepreneurial ventures, students champion causes that matter to them, leading charitable initiatives and advocating for organizations they believe in. Whether raising funds, spreading awareness, or donating proceeds from their sales, students discover the power of giving back.
That spirit of service continues to grow in Middle School. Each year, 8th graders participate in Philanthropy Lab, where they research local and national nonprofits, present persuasive cases for support, and make real contributions to organizations making a difference. They’re not just learning about generosity, they’re practicing it, leading with empathy and purpose.
At Fort Worth Academy, students don’t wait until adulthood to make an impact. They lead now, with ideas, with heart, and with a drive to shape a better world.
Why ELITE Experiences Matter
These unique opportunities are more than enrichment, they are core to how we teach and how students learn. Our approach prepares students to be:
- Creative thinkers who know how to solve complex problems
- Empowered leaders with confidence and initiative
- Curious learners who take ownership of their education
- Change-makers who leave their mark now
At Fort Worth Academy, ELITE Experiences bring learning to life, and students lead with purpose, grow through challenge, and realize just how powerful their ideas can be.