KCGPA In the News

Dorri Partain
Managing Editor

The air inside the gymnasium smelled distinctly of fresh cut lemons as five students prepared two varieties of lemonade – original and strawberry- during Kansas City Girl’s Preparatory Academy’s (KCGPA) enrollment fair ice cream social event on July 29 as part of leadership program launched for middle school alumni to support them and their families throughout their high school years.

As these “Lucky Lemons” demonstrated, this school’s Kansas City Girls Leadership Institute (KCGLI) goes beyond cutting and squeezing lemons, using math skills to calculate costs of supplies and leadership skills to assign tasks. With each lemonade stand opportunity, team members accessed their successes and difficulties. 

Northeast News, September 2026

Kansas City Girls Preparatory Academy (KCGPA), Missouri’s only single-gender public charter school, today announced a landmark $1 million commitment from Jami and Fred Pryor to support the continued growth of the Kansas City Girls Leadership Institute (KCGLI), an innovative program designed to guide Girls Prep alumnae through high school, college, and career success.

The Pryors’ investment will fully fund the salary and operating budget of KCGLI for at least the next five years, ensuring sustained support for Girls Prep scholars long after they complete middle school.

KCGLI was created to bridge a critical gap for young women navigating the transition from middle school to high school and post-secondary education. Through leadership development, mentorship, academic support, scholarship opportunities, and experiential learning, the program equips scholars with the tools, confidence, and network needed to thrive.

“This investment is transformational for our scholars and our community,” said Ellen Jorgenson, Pryor Chair and founding director of KCGLI. “The Pryors share our belief that every girl deserves access to extraordinary opportunities and unwavering support as she pursues her goals. KCGLI ensures our scholars remain connected to a powerful sisterhood and receive the guidance and resources necessary to succeed in high school, college, and beyond.”

Through KCGLI, Girls Prep alumnae return to campus multiple times throughout the year to participate in leadership programming, mentorship, community-building experiences, and college and career readiness support. Scholars also gain access to opportunities that are often out of reach for many students, including internships, college visits, study abroad experiences, one-on-one mentorship, and scholarship assistance.

“Jami and I are honored to support a program that is changing the trajectory of young women’s lives in Kansas City,” said Fred Pryor. “KCGLI is a bold and visionary model that extends the mission of KCGPA far beyond middle school. By investing in these scholars over the long term, we are helping create pathways to leadership, higher education, and lifelong success.”

The program launched during the 2024–25 academic year after KCGPA made the strategic decision to focus exclusively on strengthening its 5th–8th grade middle school model rather than expanding into a traditional high school. KCGLI emerged as a powerful solution to ensure scholars continue receiving support and access to opportunities during their high school years and beyond.

In its inaugural year, KCGLI served 12 scholars. The program has grown to 35 participants in its second year and is projected to serve 50 scholars during the 2026–27 academic year.

The Kansas City Current and U.S. Soccer’s Soccer Forward Foundation celebrated a multifaceted community activation at Kansas City Girls Preparatory Academy (KCGPA) Monday afternoon. United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) players Emma Sears and Kennedy Wesley, USWNT and Kansas City Current player Ally Sentnor and Olympic gold medalist Staci Wilson, a USWNT alum, joined the festivities to lead an inspiring day of soccer, health and empowerment.

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