▁Jim ▁Thompson ▁led ▁the ▁effort ▁for ▁its ▁creation . ▁ ▁The ▁school ▁was ▁established ▁by ▁the ▁Illinois ▁General ▁Assembly ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁and ▁opened ▁to ▁students ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁The ▁a cademy ▁is ▁hous ed ▁in ▁a ▁building ▁constructed ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁as ▁the ▁north ▁campus ▁of ▁West ▁Aur ora ▁High ▁School , ▁with ▁seven ▁out lying ▁d orm itories ▁built ▁after ▁I MS A ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁campus . ▁I MS A ' s ▁first ▁class ▁graduated ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁with ▁the ▁comm enc ement ▁speech ▁delivered ▁by ▁Led erman . ▁I MS A ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁country ' s ▁few ▁high ▁schools ▁to ▁possess ▁a ▁. edu ▁second - level ▁domain . ▁ ▁The ▁school ' s ▁found ing ▁president ▁was ▁former ▁Bat avia ▁Super int endent ▁Steph anie ▁P ace ▁Marshall , ▁winner ▁of ▁the ▁Lincoln ▁La ure ate ▁Award , ▁who ▁was ▁involved ▁with ▁the ▁project ▁from ▁the ▁start ▁and ▁helped ▁write ▁I MS A ' s ▁original ▁legisl ation . ▁Marshall ▁retired ▁from ▁the ▁position ▁on ▁June ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁and ▁was ▁later ▁named ▁President ▁Emer ita ▁by ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Trust ees . ▁She ▁still ▁has ▁an ▁office ▁on ▁campus ▁and ▁continues ▁to ▁position ▁I MS A ▁on ▁the ▁national ▁and ▁international ▁stages . ▁Marshall ▁serves ▁on ▁the ▁board ▁of ▁several ▁non - pro fit ▁and ▁for - pro fit ▁institutions , ▁including ▁nearby