These local middle schoolers brought Black history — and several Pitt figures — to life

In the auditorium of The Neighborhood Academy, four words greet families as they arrive: Ability, belief, resilience and transcendence. They are etched, all in capital letters, high on the walls - but on the evening of Feb. 10, those ideals take living form in the nearby hallways.

For the second year in a row, The Neighborhood Academy (TNA), an independent college preparatory school in Pittsburgh's Stanton Heights neighborhood, transformed its campus into a living museum to celebrate Black History Month. During its annual Night at the Museum event, 82 middle school students portrayed prominent African Americans from the Pittsburgh region, many of them alumni of or individuals connected the University of Pittsburgh.

At stations lining the corridors, students stood beside desks decorated with symbols of their figures' lives: trombones, boxing gloves, footballs, computers and television screens. The displays spanned fields from law and engineering to journalism, athletics, education and the arts. Parents, supporters and community members - including some real-life local heroes - circulated through the space, stopping to ask questions and listen as students stepped into character, allowing visitors to walk through history one conversation at a time.

Pittsburgh author Damon Young , a former writer-in-residence with Pitt's David C. Frederick Honors College, stopped by to chat with his miniature self: Sultan, a sixth-grader.

Looking on was Lisa Ross, a TNA middle school social studies teacher and the architect of the event. "It is important for students to see the contributions that African Americans have made to the region," she said. "Our hope is that, while researching these exceptional figures, students will see that they, too, can make a positive impact in and around our city."

Near the entrance, seventh-grader Zahara (pictured below, left) represented attorney Martha Conley (LAW '71), the first Black woman to graduate from Pitt's School of Law. Zahara stood poised in a black pantsuit and white blouse - "the image of a lawyer," she said - surrounded by notes, law books and a replica of Conley's diploma. As she outlined Conley's accomplishments, Zahara reflected on the significance of her subject.

"What she did was a big deal, being Black and female," she said. Inspired but focused on her own ambitions, Zahara added that she hopes to become a professional basketball player.

A few desks away, sixth-grader Taylor (pictured above, right) portrayed Gertrude Wade (EDUC '44, '46G), who became the first female African American principal in Pittsburgh in 1962, when she led Vann Elementary School in the Hill District neighborhood. Dressed in a dark blazer and pearls, Taylor called Wade a "courageous" woman. "I think she inspired me to not be scared, because she wasn't scared," Taylor said.

Taylor's research, which included Pittwire content, helped her connect Wade's trailblazing leadership to her own dreams. "If she can become a principal," she said, "then I can become a veterinarian."

Not far from Wade's display stood sixth-grader Muhammad in a Buffalo Bills jersey, representing professional football player Damar Hamlin (A&S '20). Muhammad said he met Hamlin when the athlete made a recent visit Pittsburgh and gave the young student a brief interview. He enthusiastically recounted Hamlin's journey from Pittsburgh to the National Football League, including the athlete's on-field health emergency and recovery.

Teacher Lisa Ross insisted students rely on traditional research methods rather than social media, preparation that gave Muhammad confidence to share Hamlin's story - and to imagine his own future in professional football. "I know there's a risk in sports," he said, but it's possible for it to come true, echoing his hero's message to "stay strong."

Ross, a Pittsburgh native who teaches history, civics and geography, launched Night at the Museum last year to create what she calls "living history." Once assigned their figures in January, students spent the next few weeks searching for photographs, videos and written accounts to better understand the people they portrayed.

"I wanted them to see and to hear these people, to know that they were and are alive," Ross said. If she were to choose a figure for herself, she added, it would be former first lady Michelle Obama. "I love her story. I wanted students to see what they were capable of, what they could become."

Established in 2001, TNA serves more than 200 middle- and high-school students through a holistic, barrier-removing educational model. The faith-based school reports that 100% of its graduates are accepted to college, and when they go, 81% finish within five years.

"The Neighborhood Academy's programming is designed to cultivate creativity as well as leadership," said Anthony Williams (EDUC '20G), TNA's head of school and a Pitt alumnus who was one of the heroes represented by the students.

"Our school's vibrant lifestyle offers students meaningful opportunities and for tonight," said Williams, "they're embodying the innovators and pioneers they had studied to help them grow academically, socially and personally. They're literally the next generation, standing ready to carry those stories forward."