Welcome to Academic Leaders International

Welcome to Academic Leaders International (ALI), where our mission is to create a comprehensive experience for internationally-focused students. We empower students to grow, learn, and thrive in both the English language and culture, while honoring the richness of Chinese culture. Through our diverse language arts programs and our quest for providing community support, we enhance students' English language skills, fostering their academic and personal development at the same time. Explore the vibrant programs and supportive community that ALI offers to every student!

​

When Haohao (Ian) Towne was in fourth grade, he started a small reading club with five young students. His grandmother often told him that “world peace starts when young kids from different countries become friends.” That simple idea stayed with him and helped shape the spirit of the group: bringing young people together through stories, conversation, and learning. Rather than learning English mainly through vocabulary lists and short passages, the students read whole books together, using leveled reading and discussion to build language skills, confidence, and a love of reading.

As more families became interested and professional educators joined the effort, that small reading circle grew into Academic Leaders International (ALI). Today, ALI's programs include English learning, book clubs, on-site camps, and student-led educational and service initiatives, having reached approximately 500 students and families across China, Thailand, Singapore, and other parts of Asia since 2018.

​

The idea at the heart of ALI remains the same: when young people from different places learn together, they begin to understand one another, and friendship can grow from there.