Leslie Laurie Wood
A Passion For Education Runs In The Family
Leslie Laurie Wood, vice president of American Heritage School, remembers back more than 50 years when her father, Bill Laurie, had a vision to build a school. Today, Wood is amazed and inspired that he is still as passionate as he was when he first opened American Heritage in 1965.
Wood has a masters in elementary education and a specialist degree in educational administration. She spent more than 20 years in education in Tallahassee before joining her father, CEO and founder, and brother, Dr. Douglas Laurie, president, in South Florida in 2012 to help in administration at American Heritage School.
American Heritage, the largest private college-preparatory day school in Florida, educates 4,200 co-ed students in PK3 through 12th grades on two 40-acre campuses, in Plantation and Delray Beach.
“Exciting things are always happening here,” Wood says. “I love watching the students enjoying what they love best. Just attending math competitions, debate tournaments, mock trial competitions, robotics competitions, science research competitions and fine arts performances throughout the country can keep me busy all year long!”
Wood and her brother oversee the development and implementation of the school’s rigorous STEM-integrated college-preparatory curriculum, with 135 honors and 28 AP courses, and pre-professional programs taught by attorneys, medical doctors, engineers and computer scientists.
“As a woman, I make a point to encourage the girls on campus to believe they can succeed in math and the hard sciences,” Wood says.
She’s impressed by the students’ commitment to community service while also excelling in their schoolwork, she says: “Their enthusiasm and energy are inspiring.”
Their hard work has paid off. American Heritage is the No. 1 high school in Florida for number of National Merit Scholars. The school is committed to helping students achieve their goals, and Wood has been a key player in ensuring that happens. She was the driving force in the purchase of an electron microscope for the school’s college-level science labs to enhance their nationally recognized, cutting-edge science research.
Wood’s deep-rooted love for her family extends to her Heritage family. Her passion for instilling a culture of love for learning and giving back to the community is evident in the students, parents and staff at American Heritage School.
American Heritage School has locations in Delray Beach and Plantation. For more information, call 561-495-7272 or visit ahschool.com.
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