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Nelson Mandela Academy
Nelson Mandela Academy is a year-round all-boys school that serves young men ages 13-21 who are residents of Monarch Youth Center in Lincoln, IL. The school offers a full high school curriculum using Pearson Connexus format along with supplemental learning activities for all students. Our school includes a fully staffed Special Education Department to meet individualized needs of students.
For transcript requests, contact traci.knisley@illinois.gov.
On October 1, IDJJ School District #428 announced Nelson Mandela Academy as the newly chosen name of the alternative high school located inside Monarch Youth Center in Lincoln. Students of Nelson Mandela Academy spent months choosing a name for the school.
Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison before becoming the president of South Africa, and his life embodied transformation, resilience, and the power of perseverance. Mandela believed education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
The school naming ceremony was held in the gymnasium of Monarch Youth Center and included special guests Yaacov Delaney, director of Illinois’ Justice, Equity, and Opportunity (JEO) Initiative, State Senator Sally Turner, and Anne Dawdy, representing the office of State Representative Will Hauter. David Green, school district #428 board of education member, also attended.
On June 29, 2026, Nelson Mandela Academy celebrated the first ever high school graduates of the school. Monarch Youth Center opened in the fall of 2025.
School Principal Traci Knisley stated, “These three students have demonstrated exceptional focus and determination. As our inaugural graduating class, they did far more than just complete their schoolwork, they actively helped build the culture of the school from the ground up. They stepped up as true leaders and mentors for younger students.”
Address:
Nelson Mandela Academy
Monarch Youth Center
861 South State Street
Lincoln, IL 62656
Phone:
217-828-6230
School Principal
Traci Knisley
traci.knisley@illinois.gov