Fort Bend ISD

Student Biography

Leyna Nguyen is currently a senior at Kempner High School. During her high school career, Leyna engaged in student council as both Secretary for District 13, as well as Vice-President at KHS. She additionally served as officer for the Kempner Wellness Coalition, Dear Asian Youth, National Honor Society, English Honor Society, Creative Writing Group, and Best Buddies. She was also a Student Ambassador for the District Planning Advisory Committee. Outside of school, she is a Youth Leader at the of Huyen Quang Buddhist Youth Group. As a part of GT Mentorship, Leyna was mentored under Kara Hallenberger and Sequoia Sumpson at the Early Intervention Academy. During this experience, Leyna was able gain both insight as to how to better prepare herself for success in the future as well as new friends! In the fall, Leyna plans to matriculate at the University of Texas at Austin studying Psychology

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Fort Bend ISD's Early Intervention Academy

Sequoia Simpson, Mia Holder, and Kara Hallenberger, Mentors

Fort Bend ISD’s Early Intervention Academy (EIA) is one of the first in its field to be known as a successful and established program aimed at providing early intervention for young children ages 3 to 5 diagnosed on the autism spectrum and/or with intellectual disabilities. This program entails a full day preschool program with non-disabled, age-appropriate role models following early childhood educational philosophy. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) intervention is also provided up to 20 hours per week, with Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) supervision, and is embedded within the instructional day. They also utilize an ongoing program evaluation and progress monitoring system to determine any needs for adjustments in the education of each and every student. At the Early Intervention Academy, they strive to provide increased access to a blend of educational therapy services within the context of a developmentally appropriate curriculum. In addition, they provide family-centered services designed to meet the individualized needs of the child and to build capacity within the family unit. Their goal is to prepare their students with the skills necessary to integrate into an inclusive environment when they complete the academy and attend their neighborhood elementary school.