WHO WE ARE: Ryan Banks Academy is a 100% scholarship-granting independent day school, aiming to become Chicago's first urban boarding school. OUR MISSION: Fighting educational inequity through personalized and immersive learning experiences. OUR VISION: A world without educational inequities where all young scholars have the opportunity to flourish. OUR NAMESAKE: Ryan Banks was a happy-go-lucky and enthusiastic 12-year-old boy who was full of life, always curious and loved to make others laugh. He was one of the happiest seventh graders to ever walk the hallways of New Sullivan Elementary School, on Chicago’s far-east side. Tragically, on May 19, 2012, Niazi “Ryan” Banks was shot and killed by gun fire. Ryan was a very special child who had the entire world ahead of him. Years later, Ryan’s social worker Valerie Groth wanted desperately to build a community of learners who might be insulated from the violence Ryan faced, while providing a 24-Hour stimulating and rigorous academic environment. Thus, the vision of Ryan Banks Academy was born to serve those students.