We're Open: GALS offers tuition-free, all-girls learning environment for Vegas middle schoolers

As kids in the Las Vegas area start the 2020-21 school year, there are more options for students than just online learning.

13 Action News Reporter Alicia Pattillo takes a look inside a new charter school just for girls.

OPEN LAS VEGAS"--- 13 ACTIONNEWS REPORTER ALICIA PATTILLOTAKES YOU INSIDE A NEW CHARTERSCHOOL JUST FOR GIRLS.THIS MOM HAD A DREAM TO CREATEA SPACE JUST FOR GIRLSJENNIFER MCCLOSKEY EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR AT GIRLS ATHLETICLEADERSHIP SCHOOLS "I'VE BEENRAISING 2 GIRLS THROUGH THESYSTEM I GUESS YOU COULD SAYAND I JUST RECOGNIZED WE NEEDEDTO DO SOMETHING MORE WE NEEDEDTO DO SOMETHING MORE FOR OURGIRLS.THE JOURNEY TO OPEN AN ALL GIRLCHARTER SCHOOL WASN'TEASY.....JENNIFER MCCLOSKEY EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR AT GIRLS ATHLETICLEADERSHIP SCHOOLS "IT'S BEENABOUT TWO YEARS INDEVELOPMENT." IT'S CALLED THEGIRLS ATHLETIC LEADERSHIPSCHOOL AND IT'S LOCATED ONUNLV'S CAMPUS INSIDE THE JOHND.JACKIE GAUGHAN BOYS AND GIRLSCLUB JENNIFER MCCLOSKEYEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT GIRLSATHLETIC LEADERSHIP SCHOOLS"WE ARE OPENING WITH GRADES 6AND 7.WE ARE STARTING WITH 130STUDENTS THIS IS OUR YEAR 1PROPERTY AND THEN WE ARE GOINGTO GROW THE SCHOOL OVER THENEXT 3 YEARS TO 400 STUDENTS.CLASSES WILL BE SMALL --ALLOWING TEACHERS TO GET TOKNOW THEIR STUDENTS AND THOSEENROLLED WILL HAVE THE OPTIONTO TAKE CLASSES VIRTUALLY ORPHYSICALLY INSIDE THE BOYS ANDGIRLS CLUB.AND THIS MIDDLE SCHOOL ISTUTION FREE THANKS TO MULITPLERESOURCES.JENNIFER MCCLOSKEY EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR AT GIRLS ATHLETICLEADERSHIP SCHOOLS "WE RECIEVEDSTATE FUNDING, GRANTS AND LOCALFUNDRASING." DUE TO COVID-19THE NEW ACADEMIC YEAR IS OFFTO AN UNUSUAL START THE GIRLSATHLETIC LEADERSHIP SCHOOL ISDOING WHAT THEY CAN TO GET BACKTO NORMALCY WHILE STILLPRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING.JENNIFER MCCLOSKEY EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR AT GIRLS ATHLETICLEADERSHIP SCHOOLS "THESTUDENTS EACH HAVE A LITTLEAREA THAT THEY WORK FROM ANDTHAT THEY ARE PROTECTED FROMTHE OTHER STUDENTS AT THEIRTABLE BUT THEY HAVE ACTUALPLEXI GLASS BARRIER." WHILETHIS YEAR HAS BEEN CHALLENGINGFOR SO MANY HERE IN THE VALLEYJENNIFER IS HOPING THIS SCHOOLWILL BE A LIGHT FOR FUTUREGENERATIONS TO COME.JENNIFER MCCLOSKEY EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR AT GIRLS ATHLETICLEADERSHIP SCHOOLS "IT HELPSTHEM FIND THEIR VOICE IN MIDDLESCHOOL LEARN SELF ADVOCACY ANDACT AS LEADERS IN OURCOMMUNITY," ALICIA PATTILLO 13ACTION NEWSENROLLEMENT IS STILL OPEN ATGIRLS ATHLETIC LEADERSHIPSCHOOL.FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO OURWEBSITE AT KTNV DOT COMHUMIDITY DROPS A BIT AN