Leadership & Public Service High School

Students from Leadership high school visit Syracuse University

Leadership and 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 devoted to the development of leaders who are conscientious, creative, and competitive global citizens.

The school’s history with Syracuse results in mutual benefits that include professional development workshops for teachers at Leadership led by Syracuse faculty; the Early Scholars Series of Saturday workshops for LPSHS students taught by School of Education professors and graduate students; and Leadership hosts interns from the Maxwell School and student teachers from the School of Education. This expanding partnership enriches the faculty and students who have the opportunity to participate in its programming and exchanges of teaching and learning.

Leadership High School building

The Friends of Leadership is a board of Syracuse alumni and volunteers that actively supports Leadership and its students, and facilitates the Syracuse University Mentor Mentee Alliance. SUMMA is the longest running mentoring program in New York City, which pairs LPSHS students with Syracuse University alumni. Mentors and mentees will attend events together, participate in community service, practice for interviews, and much more.

Leadership is housed in a modern, 14-story building located in 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. Leadership students come from all over the 5 boroughs of NYC, some traveling up to 2 hours (by subway, train, bus and/or ferry) to attend. 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.