—❖— Introduction —❖—
A former possession of a wealthy estate-holder, the current Leonardo School District consists of Leonardo K-12 (Leonardo High, Leonardo Intermediate, and Leonardo Elementary) and Leonardo University, both founded in 1890. Having faithfully served Woroshire and Ezhara's wider community, the crossroads of Leonardo have been the site of much of the consolidation of Ezhara as a confederated nation, whether that be in the travels, leadership, or influence held by its graduates. To this day, those youths and old dogs seeking the chance to explore who they are and their meaning in a grander world, rather than stay in their city, are often found in the halls and lecture rooms at Leonardo. For the even younger, such ambitions are usually nurtured in the classroom, where Leonardo K-12 offers numerous programs intended to help them explore who they are and perhaps catch a glimpse of the dozens of paths they can take, all supported by passionate teachers and flourishing communities.
While the university dorms have always housed many international students, the high school dorms have only recently been completed. Intended for visiting Talents and Idols, these new, expansive dorms house about 600 total students in high-quality, spacious bedrooms with plentiful amenities shared with Leonardo High, including a nearby recreational lake. However, after a request from a closely-aligned NGO to send their students, Leonardo has elected to open itself to interested study-abroad applicants from as-of-yet-unaffiliated civilizations. These plans have expanded to feature renowned visiting teachers, lecturers, and professors from other affiliated civilizations and societies.
—❖— The Leonardo Estate —❖—
Owned by Pedro Sutter, one of the first major proprietors and developers of Woroshire as a city, the Leonardo Estate was the site of a grand party and feast open to the entire city one winter night, which was said to have warmed the owner's heart. Although he would be assassinated at the event's end, he and his daughter, Isabel Sutter, willed the estate to the city of Woroshire, as she was leaving anyway and both — touched by the warmth and community of their party — wanted a more magnanimous memory to persist. Although this necessitated the destruction of many of the lavish homes, gardens, and galleries, the Ezharans maintained the same aesthetics and similar designs in their new school rooms, labs, and galleries. Over the centuries, they have done their best to maintain that same design even after renovations and further reconstructions, creating a time-stopped pocket in the middle of the growing, modernizing Woroshire downtown.
Of the original estate, the river and only three structures remain. The first is the Sutter Museum and Gallery, which is surrounded by poplars and flowers. It houses much of the old art and photographs of old Woroshire, with its basement and upper floors including numerous artifacts and paintings, and many Museology students have had their start by interning or volunteering here. The second is the Star Hall in the south, which is a festival hall intended for smaller banquets and gatherings. Third is the Sutter Basin, a geographical anomaly that has since been turned into the graduation area for our students. As some of the oldest and largest structures of Woroshire's early history, tourists are known to flock to both sites to discover the past of Ezhara's nation. Of course, novelty is not far either: adjacent to the Star Hall is the much larger performing arts center, the Star Stadium, regarded as the ultimate destination of many Ezharan performers.
The remaining parts of the estate, after being demolished, became the sites for much of the Leonardo University and Leonardo K-12 sections. Continued expansions and renovations over the years have led to projects such as the Leonardo tram and metro system, the Star Stadium, and modernized equipment.
—❖— Leonardo Benefits —❖—
As part of the student visa, all Leonardo students are given train passes allowing free, unrestricted access to other Ezharan cities. Note that this does not include sleeper cars and dining on these trains. Furthermore, as part of tuition, students will additionally have access to student healthcare services (mental and physical), tutoring, library materials, labs, various gym/sport fields, and public transport passes throughout Woroshire. As students of Leonardo, students are also liable to receive case-by-case discounts, deals, and priority options from Ezharan stores, museums, concert halls, and other such commercial sites.
—❖— All Things Application—❖—
Transcripts are, of course, required. Letters of recommendation from teachers and other individuals in positions of authority are not required, but will be accepted. For students interested in any curricula based in the arts — including but not limited to ceramics, fibers, painting, music, theater/drama, film, fiction, poetry, music — Leonardo will additionally require a portfolio consisting of their three best works and a short description of their artist methodology no more than 500 words, in order to ensure that you are given the most appropriate mentor if you enter Leonardo. Students interested in any STEM, social science, or business, etc... may also submit research reports, demonstrations, projects, and other such demonstrating their skill and foundations in their area of interest. Furthermore, all international applicants will be required to answer the following questions in no more than 500 words each:
- Why did you choose Leonardo? What do you hope to find in your time here in Leonardo?
What did you learn from your proudest accomplishment?
How do you make an impact on your community?
Do you have any pre-existing financial needs that Leonardo can help you with?
—❖— Offered Majors and Degrees —❖—
Note that programs marked with * serve as pre-tracks. Leonardo students who choose these tracks will end up in an independent school, but in their time at Leonardo, students will benefit from close connections to and the necessary coursework for their desired career paths. Several smaller certificates and programs — many of which are intended for returning adults — have been excluded for concision, but we will offer the program lists if requested.
Note that programs marked with * serve as pre-tracks. Leonardo students who choose these tracks will end up in an independent school, but in their time at Leonardo, students will benefit from close connections to and the necessary coursework for their desired career paths. Several smaller certificates and programs — many of which are intended for returning adults — have been excluded for concision, but we will offer the program lists if requested.
—❖— Offered K-12 Pathways —❖—
Leonardo K-12 offers a diverse selection of pathways, all rife with mentorship and community building opportunities from older students and peers. While this may look like it is obligating students to choose their careers early, it is more proper to regard these as guided explorations for students before they enter their adulthood years. Several of these pathways can additionally jump start students' progress into university and college.
Leonardo K-12 offers a diverse selection of pathways, all rife with mentorship and community building opportunities from older students and peers. While this may look like it is obligating students to choose their careers early, it is more proper to regard these as guided explorations for students before they enter their adulthood years. Several of these pathways can additionally jump start students' progress into university and college.
—❖— Timetable —❖—
May
May 1-May 5: Move-in week.
May 5: Dorm introductions, train passes.
May 7: Introducing the international students.
May 8: First day of Winter Trimester. Club rush.
May 12: Introduction with the 16 City Idols.
May 19: Concert by Gisara Jae-Sun.
May 19: Performance by Il Circo dei Tarocco.
—❖— Thread Regulations —❖—
- 1. I'm not very comfortable with characters below the teenage years anymore, so I won't have a formal application for that category — you'll have to ask directly if you plan to use them in the thread as a distinctive character. If they're just acknowledged as also being here, it's allowed.
2. Any attempts to grievously harm large quantities of students will be met with a literal sniper (Aqueel Anhar, special forces, veterans) or guns (boy scouts). And I will win. Or, in more direct terms, don't try. However, I reserve the right to grievously harm my own characters!
3. The tags denote that as long as you can look basically MT/Human, you're allowed.
4. See 3 for why several World Machine/Shwe Tu Colony characters are here. They are assumed and will be written as "relatively mundane" people with some weird habits, but besides that, they're MT/human.
5. The thread ICly begins May 8, first day of winter trimester. I am big dumb idiot who didn't math it out, so...
6. In order to keep the thread moving and to get through as many planned events as possible, I will likely gloss over scenes to move ahead.
7. Filling out the above mini-essays is not obligatory.
—❖— Applications —❖—
For professors and lecturers from other universities seeking to teach/research at Leonardo for extended periods of time.
For one-time/serieses of lectures.
