How the Piney Woods School is shaping a new era of Black excellence

The Invisible Men

In this episode, Ian and Nique are joined by Will Crossley — a man who not only embodies black excellence himself but is helping children build pathways to excellence in their own lives. Will Crossley is president of The Piney Woods School, a historically African-American prep school in rural Mississippi and an institution that has been empowering black Americans to pursue their vision of excellence for generations. Ian and Nique dig into Piney Woods’ unique model of forming children’s character, grit, and self-efficacy in addition to providing an outstanding academic education. An alumnus of Piney Woods himself, Will talks about how the gift of a quality education, along with the influence of his mother and a strong church community, was instrumental in helping him find his vocation and build a meaningful career.