Beyond the Classroom: How a Community Partnership Turned Visitors into Southside Families
Recently, a single email transformed Southside Academy Charter School from a school on a quiet street into a vibrant community hub thanks to a partnership with the Sigma Gamma Rho sorority.
The sorority reached out to Principal Shannon Gallo asking for a place to host their National Youth Symposium. “A lot of their people who are in their sorority have been principals and educators, but they’re retired, and they don’t really have access to different buildings anymore,” Gallo said.
What started as a one-time event turned into something much bigger.
An Unexpected Recruiting Success
The event brought in so many sorority members and dozens of families from across the Syracuse area, it served as the perfect introduction to the Southside way of life.
While the school provided the backdrop for the Youth Symposium, the environment spoke for itself. As families walked through the halls, they weren't just attending a workshop; they were seeing National Heritage Academies® (NHA®) excellence in action.
“They’re seeing our bulletin boards. They’re seeing what we do here,” Gallo said. “I think it’s really good promotion for us.”
The impact was immediate. One educator from a competing local charter school was so impressed by the atmosphere and the facility that she decided Southside was the right choice for her own family.
“One of the members is sending her two grandchildren here even though she works for a competitive charter school,” Gallo noted. “She also stated, ‘I really love what you guys are doing here.’”
Rooted in Moral Focus™
Central to this partnership is the alignment between the sorority’s mission and the Moral Focus™ virtues that define NHA. By hosting workshops on self-esteem and leadership for students in grades 3-8, the event puts virtues like Respect, Integrity, and Compassion into practice.
For Southside, opening the building on a Saturday was an extension of their commitment to the community by providing a safe, professional space for the symposium, Southside modeled the very virtues they teach their students every day.
Building for the Future
The event was so successful Sigma Gamma Rho plans to host their symposium at Southside for the next two years. The partnership has also attracted other local organizations interested in using the school for their events, including the Vera House and local literacy programs.
“It just kind of opened up to meeting other people, so many more partnerships,” Gallo said.
By opening their doors, Southside Academy has ensured they are no longer a "hidden gem" in Syracuse, but a well-known center for growth and connection.
Way to put Moral Focus virtues into action, Southside!