Lakes International Language Academy, the PreK-12 public charter school in Forest Lake, set out in 2004 with a mission to prepare students to become critical thinkers and global citizens. We integrated the renowned International Baccalaureate curriculum across our program from the start and emphasized second-language acquisition, believing that bilingualism and biliteracy are essential tools for 21st-century learners.

We’ve begun to hear back from some of our first students as they’re attending college and exploring the world. They tell us how speaking a second language and the inquiry-based IB curriculum have already led them to exciting opportunities. As educators, we’re thrilled to know that LILA’s academic combination has supported so many of our students as they’ve pursued study-abroad programs, taking classes in Spanish or Mandarin and learning about their host cultures. 

For example, Anna Sherman, a former LILA Spanish-program student, spent a year of high school in Beijing, China, on a U.S. State Department National Security Language Initiative scholarship. Proficient in three languages now, Anna is enrolled in the Chinese Flagship Program at the University of Minnesota and double-majoring in Asian Languages and Global Studies.

Please read more here.