HONOR ROLL
HS founder saluted for her life lessons
A BROOKLYN principal who founded an alternative school to help over-age and undereducated students graduate from high school is snagging the Nobel Prize of city government — and the $10,000 check that comes with it.
April Leong, who received a Hometown Heroes in Education award last year, is the founder and principal of Liberation Diploma High School in Coney Island. The transfer school is designed to help older students who may otherwise be at risk of dropping out, graduate and get into college.
On Wednesday, Leong will be honored for her commitment to her students at the 41st annual Sloan Public Service Awards.
Leong is one of six New York City government employees who will be honored this year by Mayor de Blasio.
“April is innovative; she’s committed to excellence and she meets her students where they are. For her, it’s not just about education, but transformation,” said Mary McCormick, president of the Fund for the City of New York, who chooses the nominees with support from the Sloan Foundation.
Leong is able to relate to the 200 students at Liberation High, having been an at-risk high school student herself. Leong grew up in a troubled neighborhood in Brooklyn that was often plagued by violence and drug abuse. After giving birth to her first child at age 18, Leong realized she wanted more for her son and herself than what she had experienced.
“My biggest fear was having my son grow up in the same system that I grew up in, and then losing him,” said Leong, 43. “Education just became my key to make sure he had better.”
Leong graduated from Baruch College and has spent the past 17 years helping kids like her find success. Each week, Leong meets with her staff to discuss the progress of each student.
Before students can graduate, they must work with a college counselor to apply to City University of New York, submit the free application for federal student aid and complete an internship.
This individualized ed attention has s garnered impressive graduation and college enrollment rates.
As for this his upcoming award, Leong eong said being chosen was “a complete honor,” adding that even after seven years as an administrator of Liberation High, she is continually learning how w to better serve her students.
“There is always room for improvement,” she said. “We’re always reevaluating, rethinking g and using new strategies s in the classroom.”