UNIQUELY IWA

Heritage

Incarnate Word Academy, established in 1873, was the first permanent school founded in the City of Houston and the first all-girls high school in Houston. Since opening the doors at 609 Crawford Street 150 years ago, our Catholic high school has educated a diverse body of young women—from all ethnicities and sectors of society–on the same downtown block.

Spirituality

The Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament strive to live with the simplicity and graciousness of Jesus, in steadfast service to children and the poor. They are called to bring the light of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth. As Sister Lauren Beck says, “The core of our spirituality is pragmatic versus pie in the sky. We want to elevate all of humanity and help those in need.” True to the mission, Sisters encourage students to live in the world as a loving extension of the Gospel, both in words and in actions.

Leadership

Like the bold young nuns who founded the school in a fledgling city on Buffalo Bayou 150 years ago, IWA has a legacy of forming strong, loving leaders, whether in families, education, or Fortune 500 companies. Today, the school’s renowned Young Leaders Program, which includes project-based classes and co-curricular opportunities, helps form confident communicators and collaborators who are adaptive, innovative, and empathetic.

STEM Programs

More than 50 percent of current IWA graduates go on to major in STEM programs at colleges and universities throughout the United States. Hands-on STEM classes, taught by creative and dynamic teachers, are a reason why. Partnerships with PwC, Microsoft, and Texas Medical Center institutions forge networks with national scientists and innovators. Graduates of IWA are comfortable with technology, adept at problem-solving, and prepared for future jobs in medicine, computer science, engineering, accounting, and more.

Sisterhood

Students and alumnae attest to the authenticity of the IWA sisterhood. Whether encouraging each other with pep talks as they walk down the hall to take midterms, consoling one another through personal hardships, co-founding Bible Study groups as young alumnae, or comforting each other through illness and grief later in life, the connections are real, Those bonds enable all IWA students to discover their potential and build fulfilling lives in service to others.