Virtual English Academy

Sebastián & Amara, Panama

A rigorous, year-round, Monday-Friday virtual afterschool program that provides educational, leadership and service opportunities to children and youth in Latin America. All students attend on a full scholarship.

A 360° Approach

Academics

Bilingual Beginnings

A foundational English program for young learners, which includes:

  • Daily instruction in a semi-private setting

  • Beginner to pre-intermediate English as a Foreign Language instruction

  • Content-based instruction (science, social studies, etc.)

  • Games and fun projects (comics, movies, stories, and more)

Teacher with stuffed animals in office

Teacher Corjual, USA

  • Focus on 21st Century Skills

  • Spanish literacy reinforcement to boost academic performance

  • Independent online learning platforms to further bolster progress

Students graduate within 1.5 years. Graduates can converse, read, and write in English about most everyday topics.

Young girl holding empty speech bubble on a plain wall background

Sarita, Colombia


A college and career readiness program available to graduates of Bilingual Beginnings, which includes:

Leaders of Tomorrow

  • Daily instruction featuring a combination of semi-private and private sessions

  • Pre-Intermediate to advanced English as a Foreign Language instruction

  • English language arts & literature instruction

  • Challenging content-based instruction (science, social studies, etc.)

  • Model UN, mock job applications and interviews, mock trials, debates, Socratic seminars, research papers, presentations, speeches and more

  • Focus on inquiry-based learning, 21st Century Skills, and career exploration / mentoring

  • Preparation for English proficiency exams

Teen boy with glasses studying with laptop and notebook

Omar, Nicaragua

  • Leadership development, digital citizenship and literacy education, and Personal, Social, Health, and Economic Education

  • Service learning projects in students’ local communities and within the Virtual English Academy

  • Independent online learning platforms to further bolster progress

Leaders of Tomorrow is a flexible program that allows students to participate for as long as they choose, primarily through middle and high school, with an option to continue into college for those who start later.

Teen girl holding bullying poster on a nature background

Sundari, Mexico


Adelante Leaders

A gap program for former Leaders of Tomorrow who are high school graduates with advanced English proficiency. It includes:

  • Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) Certification

  • Service as a teacher in Bilingual Beginnings and/or Leaders of Tomorrow, while assuming leadership responsibilities

  • Independent study in subjects of interest using online learning platforms

  • Additional exam preparation (SAT, ACT, etc,) if needed

The program varies in length depending on the individual goals and needs of each participant.

Adelante+ Leaders

A university program for selected former Adelante Leaders, which includes:

  • A full scholarship for an online program at an American university (or another country, if preferred), covering the entire degree

  • Service as a lead teacher in Bilingual Beginnings and/or Leaders of Tomorrow, while taking on increased leadership responsibilities such as supporting Adelante leaders, Virtual Volunteer English Teachers, Serve & Sponsors, and Summer Teaching Fellows.

Teachers and students making hearts with their hands in a Zoom meeting

Byron from Nicaragua with his class and the Virtual Volunteer English Teachers he supports

Community & Enrichment Experiences

The Virtual English Academy is a diverse community that unites students, teachers, and guests from around the globe. All students participate in weekly community meetings that foster collaboration and connection across programs. In addition, they take part in various enrichment experiences, including virtual field trips, cultural exploration, Q&A sessions with experts, career mentoring, public speaking opportunities, games, exciting projects, and more.

Woman with sheep in Zoom meeting

Virtual field trip to New Zealand to learn about sheep and the wool industry

Man with hat holding sword and lantern on a red backdrop in Zoom meeting

Role playing game

Students and teacher in a Zoom meeting with a shark scientist

Q&A session with a shark scientist

See what’s happening and get involved!

Join our students' journey and make an impact. We welcome volunteers from all walks of life!

What Our Community Is Saying 💬