Bio
Running a New York City transfer high school requires a deep knowledge of pedagogy, superb managerial skills and the tenacity of an advocate. Liberation Diploma Plus High School in Coney Island has a student body of about 200, ages 16-21, who are over-aged and under-credited. These students may not have a permanent home, may have been in juvenile detention or have other difficulties that no young person should experience. As the founding Principal of Liberation, April Leong sees her school’s purpose as one of graduation and transformation. “April is a ball of fire. She operates with a remarkable combination of love and toughness,” says one colleague. Students of Liberation receive a high quality of education in a supportive environment where they are valued as individuals and young people ready to make contributions. Liberation has impressive graduation and college enrollment rates because of Leong’s singular commitment to her students. Every week, she meets with her staff to discuss the progress of each individual student. “Any resource we can provide to help students stay on track, we do. We want them to have the most choices they can in the most creative ways we can offer them.” To graduate, students must work with a college counselor and apply to CUNY and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, in addition to completing an internship and writing a resume and autobiographical essay. However, the impact she has on students’ lives is the greatest indicator of her success as a principal. Says one former student who entered the school with only 2 credits, and made a 2-hour commute to Liberation from Staten Island daily, “She is like a godmother. And I never wanted to miss school because of her.”
