Frederick Douglas Academy Prepares “Believers and Achievers”
By Marie Holmes

Frederick Douglas Academy (FDA) doesn’t much stand out from the housing projects and scaffolding that surround it, looking more like a public building than the private high schools to which it is constantly compared. Hanging inside the entryway are several full-length mirrors and signs reading, “Dress for Success.” Other schools might balk at the idea of providing self-conscious teenagers with mirrors to primp in before class, but at FDA the mirrors remind students that upon entering school grounds they are expected to portray an image of academic and personal achievement. Dressed in pressed white shirts and navy skirts and slacks, the students fill the school with a buzz of excitement, almost as though they were all leaving for college tomorrow.

Lorraine Monroe’s Legacy

“FDA was always my first choice,” says Anthonia Seriki, who will be heading off to Syracuse University this fall to study physical therapy after she graduates Frederick Douglas Academy this month. Like many other families in Harlem and throughout the city, Seriki and her parents were drawn by “the enrichment and opportunities” FDA offers.

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