District Insider Newsletter

Dear LISA Family,

This past month has been an inspiring reminder of what makes LISA Academy such a special place for innovation. I am proud to share highlights from one of our most exciting annual traditions: the Arkansas STEM Festival!

Our 12th Annual STEM Festival brought together more than 1,500 students from across the state for a day filled with hands-on learning. Students showcased projects in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. One of the most memorable aspects of this year’s event was the opportunity for our students to meet and learn from former NASA astronaut Michael Foale. Dr. Foale, who has spent over a year in space across multiple missions, shared powerful stories about perseverance, teamwork, and the significance of curiosity and courage in STEM fields. His message to our students was clear: challenges are opportunities to learn and never give up.

I would also like to take a moment to thank our hardworking staff and families. Your continued support and involvement play a vital role in the success of our schools. Together, we are creating an environment where every student feels supported, challenged, and inspired to reach for the stars.

As we look ahead, we remain committed to expanding more opportunities for our students and strengthening the foundation that makes LISA Academy a leader in STEM education. I encourage you to continue to support one another, and to celebrate our shared successes.

Best Regards,

Dr. Fatih Bogrek

The 12th annual Arkansas STEM Festival was a tremendous success! Students showed off their skills with science, technology, engineering, and math while making fun, lasting memories.

We were honored to host an incredible day filled with hands-on learning, innovation, and our esteemed guest — former NASA Astronaut Dr. Mike Foale!

To our students: You truly soared to new heights! Thank you for the effort you put into your projects and presentations. You may have heard the phrase, “The Sky’s the Limit,” but as you have demonstrated, your dreams don’t stop there! You’ve shown us what STEM education is all about. And remember: the ideas you explore today could become the innovations that change the world tomorrow.

To the educators and volunteers who made this Festival possible: Thank you for your ongoing dedication to inspiring the next generation of thinkers and explorers. We deeply appreciate everything you do.

At LISA Academy, we believe that STEM education sets students on their own flight path to success, and we are so proud to have a part in that.

Students from multiple LISA Academy campuses enjoyed three exciting Spring Break trips!

• AP Spanish students from West High School had an unforgettable adventure traveling to Madrid and Barcelona, immersing themselves in the rich language and culture even further. They were even able to visit Mercado de San Miguel and the Royal Palace!
• West Middle Schoolers had an incredible experience exploring Rome, Florence, Venice, and Milan, all while learning more about history and global perspectives. Next year they plan to learn more about Germany and the Netherlands!
• North High School and West High School students attended an Ivy League college trip to prestigious universities like Harvard, MIT, Yale, Princeton, and Columbia University. They also had the opportunity to explore two great cities, New York and Boston, adding even more great experiences to their trip.

At LISA Academy, our students are innovative, high-achieving, global learners. Thank you to all of the staff members who organized and chaperoned these trips!

We are so happy that Bilal Acikgoz, one of our excellent College Counselors, has been selected as the Civic Spirit Award winner for the Clinton Foundation’s inaugural Arkansas Educator Impact Awards. They received nominations for dozens of impactful educators from across the state. Mr. Acikgoz rose to the top as a shining example of an educator who goes “above and beyond” to inspire students to engage within their school and community. Congratulations, we are very proud!

Ms. Roza has been selected as a Presidential AI Challenge State Winner for Arkansas for the Educator Track! Her project, “Using Project-Based Learning to Teach Complex AI Concepts,” was chosen from more than 2,500 submissions nationwide. The project engages middle school students in hands-on AI learning, helping them understand how artificial intelligence works and its real-world applications.

Congratulations Ms. Hula for completing the second phase of the Master Principal program! This arrangement is designed to develop leadership skills of principals through three phases of professional development, and being part of it highlights a leader's qualities and sharp skills. Thank you for continuing to champion education, and we can't wait to see what you accomplish next.

Congratulations Faruk Guclu, Adam Meek, and Bilal Uygur! Their acceptance into this cohort follows a rigorous selection process, and highlights their dedication and excellence.

We are proud to announce that LISA Academy Rogers-Bentonville Middle-High's VEX Robotics team has been invited to the World Championship! This is an outstanding achievement and a significant opportunity for the team. We can't wait to see how they continue to hone their STEM skills!

We are proud to celebrate our LISA West Middle School Science Olympiad team, who were recently recognized at Little Rock City Hall by Mayor Frank Scott and the Little Rock City Council!

This special honor highlights the hard work of our students as they continue to shine in STEM competitions. We are incredibly proud of the way they represent LISA Academy and our commitment to achievement.

Congratulations to following LISA Academy Juniors for being accepted into the prestigious fully funded, four-week summer residential program at Arkansas Tech University!

LISA Academy West

Ivonne M., Katralnada H., Allison J-A., Tristen L., Jacqueline M-H., Bethany P., Jonah R., Jocelyn R.

LISA Academy North

Peyton B., Melissa O., Jada P., Jason R., Jared A., Cohen S.

Arkansas Online School

Alaa A., Noah M.

Congratulations to the students of LISA Academy North Elementary for their participation in the Central Arkansas Regional Science and Engineering Fair!

Their curiosity shined as they showcased their projects and STEM skills. They brought home two Honorable Mention awards, and did a wonderful job representing LISA Academy. We are very proud of our future scientists!

We are pleased to share that LISA Academy West Middle School has been recognized with an Honorable Mention in the 2026 Schools of Character process! Schools receiving an Honorable Mention from Schools of Character have demonstrated meaningful efforts to build a school culture that is responsible and respectful. Thank you to the administration and faculty for their dedicated efforts in cultivating a positive, character-building learning environment.

We are very proud of our bright students who recently attended the 2026 Girls of Promise Conference! This event empowers young women to explore STEM fields and engage deeper with academics. Thank you Ms. Yaman and Ms. Pamukcu for supporting and mentoring our West Middle Schoolers and North Middle Schoolers every step of the way!

Click on the photo above to be redirected to our Parent/Guardian Survey. Your voice matters in our community!

Please check out our summer GT camps! The Northwest Arkansas GT camp will be held June 1-5 at the Rogers-Bentonville Middle-High campus, and the Central Arkansas GT camp will be held July 20-24 at the West High campus.

We are happy to share some information from our new aftercare provider for the 2026-27 school year. Stay tuned for more!