Cheers to Amanda Greene, Social Studies Director for the Newburgh Enlarged City School District who organized a wonderful event at NFA on March 19 for 700 8th grade students and 4th grade students when she invited author, NYC News Anchor, Cheryl Wills to speak at a morning assembly.

Cheryl depicted the tragedies and losses of her younger years which made her feel unworthy and invisible. As an adult she researched the heritage of her enslaved ancestors and found her fifth great grandpa Sandy, who served in the US Colored Troops after the Emancipation Proclamation.

He and his wife Emma showed such perseverance and strength of character, they inspired Cheryl to not only write books about them, but to use her life experience and research as a teaching tool to inspire students with the message of freedom, empowerment, and the value of being able to read and write,the value of an education!! It was an inspirational morning.