The school welcomed Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, National Heritage Academies (NHA®) Founder J.C. Huizenga, City of Detroit Councilmember Angela Whitfield-Calloway, State Representative Regina Weiss, and Officer Coleman with Detroit Neighborhood Police.
(From left to right): Scholars Sophia Love, Elijah Willis, Marquise Render, and Isabella Shaw, NHA Founder J.C. Huizenga, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, and School Board Treasurer Keith Ledbetter gathered for an exciting visit at Pembroke Academy.
Mayor Duggan was welcomed with a song from Pembroke scholars before he read “Lulu & Rocky in Detroit” to second-grade students. He then asked questions about the city and was impressed with scholars’ knowledge about Joe Louis’ fist sculpture and Motown singers such as Smokey Robinson. They knew these facts thanks to Black History Month research projects, and Mayor Duggan’s visit brought their learning full circle.
The day wrapped up with a gift to Mayor Duggan: a symbolic key to Pembroke Academy. He was excited to receive the gift, exclaiming, “Wow, no one has ever given me a key before!” Huizenga also presented Mayor Duggan with the most recent Moral Focus Anthology, the foundation of everything at NHA.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan (left) accepts a key to Pembroke from Principal Salwa Kinsey (middle) and NHA Founder J.C. Huizenga (right). He was thrilled to receive the gift, exclaiming, “No one has ever given me a key before!”
Pembroke Principal Salwa Kinsey said visits like these are crucial because they align with the school’s focus on community involvement and collaboration.
“Pembroke Academy’s success, including its recognition as a National Blue Ribbon school, is partly attributed to its strong partnerships with families, educators, and community leaders,” Kinsey said. “By engaging with local leaders, our scholars get to see firsthand how important it is to remain connected with the community our local leaders serve.”
State Representative Regina Weiss reads to Pembroke Academy first-grade students.
Whitfield-Calloway visited students, and presented the Spirit of Detroit award, which was bestowed upon Pembroke following their recognition as a Blue Ribbon school. The award is given to people or organizations for outstanding achievement or service to Detroit citizens. The councilmember also read to students while she visited the school.
State Representative Weiss also visited with first-grade students for reading month in March, reading stories with them. Officer Coleman with the Detroit Neighborhood Police read to kindergarten and second-grade students during reading month, as well. With this focus on community partnership, it should come as no surprise Pembroke has outperformed the local district since it opened in 2018.
Officer Coleman with the Detroit Neighborhood Police reads to Pembroke Academy scholars during March, which is celebrated as Reading Month.
Kinsey said having a variety of community leaders visit with scholars is important because they build positive community partnerships and ensure students are prepared for future success.
“These interactions also provide inspiration for our scholars as they dream and work hard for their futures and the future of the community they live in,” Kinsey said. “When students see that community leaders take time out of their extremely busy schedules to not only read for reading month, but also ask and respond to questions, it shows that their voices are important.”
Great work, Salwa, and all of Pembroke!
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About Pembroke Academy
Pembroke Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Detroit, Michigan, serving students in Young 5s through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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