Leake and Watts' Tribute to Rita Gross Nelson Teaches Students a Valuable Lesson

Approximately 250 students, staff, and friends gathered Feb. 27 to honor “Ms. Rita,” the loving nickname given to the late Rita Gross Nelson, who was inducted in the Leake & Watts Biondi School Black History Wall of Fame in Yonkers, NY. Representatives from the Yonkers Police Department and the Order of the Eastern Star joined Ms. Nelson’s daughter Maria George in paying homage to a woman who overcame multiple barriers to join the Air Force in the 1950s and then become the first female African-American police officer and first female detective in Yonkers. Nelson passed away in January at the age of 77.

The story of Ms. Nelson’s perseverance touched students at the Leake & Watts Biondi School, many of whom have barriers to learning in conventional educational settings. “My mother used to say, your past doesn’t matter. The future is whatever you make for yourself,” Ms. George told the audience. “You can be anything you want, but you have to make the future for yourself.” [In photo, Maria George accepts plaque honoring her late mother from Leake & Watts Executive Director Alan Mucatel.]

As Leake & Watts Biondi School Superintendent Dr. Donald Antonecchia explained: “The odds were stacked against Rita Gross Nelson, but it didn’t stop her. Her story says to students that they can be successful, too.”

Ceremony Attracts Many Friends of ‘Ms. Rita’

Many of Ms. Nelson’s former police department colleagues attended the event, including First Deputy Chief William Cave, Det. Vincent Tilman, and Sgt. Charles Walker, who represented the Yonkers Guardians. Other guests included H. Gaylord Worrell, deputy commissioner of the Mt. Vernon Police Department, and Symra Brandon, director of community affairs for New York State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins and a member of the Order of Eastern Star, to which Ms. Nelson was a proud member.

Dr. Antonecchia added that bringing law enforcement leaders to the school helps teach students a valuable lesson. “Students see how much the police contribute to the community, and how much individual officers such as Officer Nelson dedicate their lives to helping others,” he explained. “By honoring Officer Nelson, we honor all police officers.”

Leake & Watts’ Biondi School serves students K-12 whose ability to learn is affected by an emotional, cognitive, or other barrier. It is a fully accredited non-public school that provides year-round specialized education services. Since 2012, the Biondi School has commemorated Black History Month by honoring African-Americans of achievement who have made significant contributions to the community. Previous recipients include New York State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins; civil rights attorney Mayo Bartlett, co-founder of Safe Passage; and Biondi School Assistant Principal Al Grimes, a member of first African-American college relay team to win the National Invitational Two Mile Event.

The Biondi School is one of 43 programs Leake & Watts operates at 24 sites in the New York metropolitan area, serving 8,000 vulnerable children, adults, and families. Leake & Watts programs include early childhood education, foster care and adoption, specialized education, preventive services, group residences for adults with intellectual disabilities, and juvenile justice. For more information, visit www.leakeandwatts.org.

Photo by Lynda Shenkman Curtis