Leadership & Public Service High School (Leadership or LPSHS) was founded in 1993 by the New York City Department of Education in conjunction with Syracuse University as one of 30 small, theme-based schools offering an excellent college preparatory education. Leadership is housed in a modern, 14-story building located in downtown Manhattan’s financial district, near the 9/11 Memorial. Graduating students who meet prescribed criteria are given priority consideration for admission to Syracuse University, with as much as 100% of demonstrated financial assistance in a financial aid package.
Half of the students who attend Leadership apply to it, while the other half are selected on a random basis by the NYC Dept. of Educ. Students come from all over the 5 boroughs of NYC. Some travel almost 2 hours (by subway, train, bus and/or ferry) to attend our school, which is in a safe neighborhood. Most of the students who attend Leadership come from families in a low-income bracket; 76% qualify for a free lunch. They are largely first generation Americans of different minority races and ethnicities.
Our students are mainly disadvantaged public school children who need a helping hand to aid them in achieving educational success and college readiness, as well as in attaining a college degree.
Because of their history involving an amazing collaboration with Syracuse University, both The Friends of Leadership and the high school itself have a strong and ongoing partnership with SU, which results in many benefits to our students. These include Professional Development classes for teachers at Leadership led by SU Professors – such as Prof. Louise Wilkinson, a new Early Scholars Series of Saturday workshops for LPSHS students taught by professors from the SU School of Education and arranged by SU SOE Dean Joanna Masingila, as well as SU Students who come to NYC for their Spring semester in order to serve as Interns at Leadership and who are supervised by Prof. William Coplin, Director of the Public Affairs Program at the SU Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs, and by Michelle Walker, Maxwell’s Director of Community Programs. The Friends of Leadership also receive a discount in their cost to send students to SU Summer College. Everything is done to benefit the students at Leadership.
You can learn more about Leadership & Public Service High School at its website:
http://leadershipnyc.org
The 25th Anniversary Celebration of Leadership & Public Service High School
