February 05, 2016

The San Miguel Academy of Newberg

On this week\'s show, we step away from the worlds of fashion and design to introduce you to a school with a very special purpose. Our guest is Fr. Mark Connell, and he will talk to us about the San Miguel Academy of Newberg

Newburgh, N.Y. is ranked the 9th most violent city in the United States according to Neighborhood Scout’s 2013 Top 100 Most Dangerous Cities List. In 2012 Newburgh, NY was ranked #12). According to a 2011 New York Magazine article Newburgh is headlined as the “Murder Capital of New York”.

Newburgh, a city with a population of 30,000 on the shores of the Hudson River, has struggled to find a place in the new economy. Average household income, $30,300, is more than $21,000 under the state average, more than 50% of its residents are from minority groups, and a stunning 35.3% of residents under the age of 18 live in poverty.

n short, there is perhaps no other population center in New York state with a greater need to provide its young people with an educational outlet, and San Miguel Academy of Newburgh has filled that void the last nine years by providing its middle-school students a quality education at zero cost.



San Miguel Academy opened in 2006 as a tuition-free, faith based, 5th thru 8th grade, independent middle school for boys from underserved families. The Academy provides a safe haven for intellectual, emotional and spiritual growth. San Miguel utilizes small class size, extended school days, and an extended school year with a summer program to fight the cycle of poverty through education. Students who attend San Miguel Academy are provided academic, personal and family support to reposition themselves for success in their future endeavors.