‘They’re going to be successful’: Caldwell Arts Academy celebrates becoming Lighthouse School

TYLER, Texas ( KETK ) – There were tons of smiles at the Caldwell Arts Academy on Monday where they were celebrating becoming a FranklinCovey Education Leader in Me Lighthouse School.

“For us, this is a journey that we’ve been on and really just the big milestone in that journey,” said Caldwell Arts Academy principal, Dr. Bobby Markle.

The campus was already a Leader in Me school because of their efforts to prepare their elementary-age students with life skills, a great education and leadership skills.

They wanted to take it a step further and become one of less than 65 in the state as well as one of 700 globally to become a Leader in Me Lighthouse School.

After two and a half years, their vision finally became a reality.

“Getting this Lighthouse Designation through Leader in Me is a celebration of sorts for our school system,” said Tyler ISD superintendent, Marty Crawford.

One of the major benefits of the school’s new status is that students are now able to take leadership roles by themselves.

“They’re empowered to really run a lot of our systems and create a lot of opportunities” said Markle.

Students even get to have a voice on who gets hired on campus.

“Anybody that wanted to apply and come to this school as an employee has to sit in a 30-minute interview with our Lighthouse students,” Markle added.

“I loved getting to be a voice for other people in the school who maybe didn’t have that opportunity,” said Elizabeth Gale, who was previously in the program.

Markle said the school and its students are set to accomplish great things personally and in the community.

“They really do know that they’re going to be successful,” Markle said.

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