At Atlanta Girls’ School (AGS), the Education for the Development of Leadership and Service (EDLS) program is an integral part of the educational experience. It’s designed to teach and develop leadership skills and instill a deep appreciation of the critical role service must play in the life of a responsible global citizen. Students develop key relationships with people and organizations that foster their independence and growth.

Middle schoolers serve local non-profits to instill an enduring understanding of topics explored in their weekly EDLS classes, including personal responsibility, critical thinking, learning strategies, and finding their individual voices.

In the upper school, two signature traditions stem from EDLS. Prior to graduation, girls must complete two internships of at least 70 hours each and, as part of the Global Travel Program, journey abroad at least once. The Internship Program asks students to explore a career track, create a working resume, learn how to pursue career opportunities, and practice professional and leadership skills. The Global Travel Program expects each girl to choose a destination that fuels a passion or stretches her out of her comfort zone, ensuring that the trip will be a transformative experience.

“AGS provided me with a rare opportunity to pursue an education that transcended the conventional classroom experience,” says Ferra Pinnock ’13, currently a senior at Yale University. “Whether studying abroad in three different countries, interning in the ER department at Grady Hospital, or founding the school’s first academic quiz team, I ventured beyond the lecture hall and learned lessons far more valuable than those written neatly in my high school textbooks.”