GEMS World Academy Chicago is an independent school in the heart of downtown Chicago serving students in preschool through twelfth grade, and is the first such school in the United States from award-winning educator GEMS Education. Our mission is to “inspire inquiring, knowledgeable, reflective, and intercultural learners to become morally responsible leaders with the skills and attributes necessa
ry to create a more connected and prosperous world.”
GWAC is an International Baccalaureate World School and Illinois' only private school offering the full IB continuum from the Primary Years Program (preschool through grade 5), the Middle Years Program (grades 6 through 10), and the Diploma Program (grades 11 and 12). In doing so, we are able to equip students with a “passport for success in life.” We encourage students to challenge conventions and become the change-agents of tomorrow. Through the use of the rigorous International Baccalaureate (IB) program and thoughtfully integrated technology, world languages, field experiences, and Chicago Curriculum, our students learn locally and think globally. They gain the skills and perspective necessary for thriving in an increasingly interconnected world. Our outstanding faculty creates hands-on, engaging learning opportunities for our students to gain deep content knowledge necessary for academic success while developing a global, active, problem-solving mindset. Located in the Lakeshore East residential community, surrounded by Lake Michigan, the Chicago River, and Millennium Park, GEMS World Academy Chicago reflects the city’s heritage as an international metropolis that is home to a culturally diverse population. The city’s central location has long made it a hub of international business activity. GEMS World Academy Chicago students have access to the city’s deep global and cultural resources as part of reality based curriculum and learning programs that encourage development of critical thinking and leadership abilities in and out of the classroom.
