We are opening a new achievement center at Langley Middle School in the Sheraden neighborhood of Pittsburgh, PA. We look forward to working with new scholars starting with Summer Academy in a few weeks. Here are five facts about the area and the Langley Achievement Center.
1. Over 700 students attend Langley K-8. The school population has a diverse demographic makeup of 72% African-American, 14% White, and 12% multi-racial.
2. Langley High School was built circa 1900, with additions in 1929, on a vineyard donated by farmer William Sheraden, who was not very interested in urban developments. It is designed after Warwick Castle in England and is one of the most beautiful school buildings in Pittsburgh. It was also the first school in Pittsburgh to have a new science department, a public address system, and a modernized home economics kitchen. The school is named for aviation pioneer and one-time University of Pittsburgh professor of astronomy, Samuel Pierpont Langley. He was a physicist and inventor, and became the third Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution in 1887.
3. In 1914, a new greenspace, just west of the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers, Sheraden Park boasted a public swimming pool, playground, and beautiful place to escape the grey grit of the city. Originally part of William Sheraden’s farm, the 23-acre greenspace was set aside for public use by the City of Pittsburgh.
4. The William Sheraden Homestead, circa 1857, was the first house built in Sheraden, and has been beautifully preserved. It is easily distinguished for the two sycamore trees which grow together to form an arch, a legacy of Sheraden’s horticulturalist grandson.
5. Pricewaterhouse Coopers, LLC is sponsoring the Langley Achievement Center! Many PwC employees have supported our work since we opened in Pittsburgh, generously giving both their time and resources to our scholars. We are grateful for their increased support on this new achievement center!
Interested in getting involved in the Langley Achievement Center – you can enroll, volunteer, or spread the word today!