HELLO AND WELCOME TO BEHIND THE WOMAN, I'M YOUR HOST, DOCTOR JUHANNA ROGERS.

THE BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT IS THE SECOND LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN NEW YORK STATE.

RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EDUCATION OF 32,000 CHILDREN.

AT THE HELM IS Dr. TONJA WILLIAMS.

SHE IS WORKING TO CREATE AN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR EVERY CHILD IN THE DISTRICT.

BUT THERE IS MORE TO Dr. WILLIAMS THAN LEADING THE BUFFALO SCHOOLS.

SO PUT YOUR PHONES ON DO NOT DISTURB, AND GATHER YOUR FRIENDS, BECAUSE THIS WILL BE AN EPISODE OF "BEHIND THE WOMAN" YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS.

HI Dr. WILLIAMS.

>> HI Dr. ROGERS.

I LIKE SAYING THAT.

>> I LIKE THAT.

>> DOCTORS IN THE HOUSE.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

THE DOCTORS ARE IN THE HOUSE.

>> IT'S A WONDERFUL THING.

>> IT IS A WONDERFUL THING.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON YOUR SHOW.

I LOVE WHAT I DO.

>> DO YOU?

>> I REALLY DO.

>> SOMETIMES IN THIS ERA, WE ASK TEACHERS AND FOLKS ARE RUNNING OUT THE DOOR.

>> IT'S REALLY HARD.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR NEXT TO THAT REALIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT IS NOT THEIR PASSION AND THEY GO RUNNING OUT THE DOOR BECAUSE THE STAKES ARE SO HIGH, YOU KNOW, IT'S CHILDREN'S LIVES.

SO I LOVE THE FACT THAT EVERY DAY THE WORK THAT I DO HAS THE ABILITY TO NOT ONLY CHANGE THE LIVES OF THE CHILDREN WHO WE SERVE NOW BUT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME BECAUSE IF YOU CHANGE ONE CHILD'S LIFE, SOMETIMES GENERATIONS THAT FOLLOW ARE CHANGED ALSO.

>> WHAT IS THE HARDEST PART OF YOUR JOB?

>> 32,000 CHILDREN.

[LAUGHTER] 32,000 CHILDREN.

YOU KNOW, THE DIFFICULT PARTS ARE MORE OPERATIONAL ISSUES.

IT'S NEVER THE CHILDREN.

IT'S NEVER THE CHILDREN IT'S JUST A BIG RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE I CARE.

I REALLY CARE.

IT'S NOT JUST A JOB.

IT'S NOT JUST BUSINESS AS USUAL.

>> RIGHT.

>> IT'S VERY, VERY PERSONAL FOR ME.

>> IF THERE-- I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU WOULD GO TO-- MAYBE IT WAS THE STATE OF NEW YORK, MAYBE IF YOU WENT DOWN TO WASHINGTON D.C., AND YOU COULD GATHER FOLKS AND SAY WE NEED TO MAKE THIS CHANGE IN EDUCATION.

AND YOU ACTUALLY HAD THE POWER TO BE LIKE WE ARE CHANGING THIS ASPECT OF IT, WHAT WOULD BE THE ONE THING YOU WOULD ALTER?

>> MORE RESOURCES FOR LITERACY.

I BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, READING, CHILDREN BEING ABLE TO READ PROFICIENTLY HAS THE ABILITY TO OPEN DOORS.

YOU CAN ALMOST LEARN ANYTHING IF YOU CAN READ PROFICIENTLY.

AND SO WE ARE DOING A LOT OF WORK IN LITERACY, ESPECIALLY AT OUR EARLIER GRADE LEVELS.

UP UNTIL THIRD GRADE, YOU ARE LEARNING TO READ.

BUT AFTER THIRD GRADE, YOU ARE READING TO LEARN.

AND SO IF YOU DON'T GET WHAT YOU NEED BY THIRD GRADE, IT'S DIFFICULT.

>> AND YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I WAS IN THIRD GRADE.

>> ME, TOO.

>> BUT I REMEMBER Mrs. SHARGIE VERY CLEARLY.

I DO.

AND WHEN YOU SAID THAT, I WAS LIKE OH I HAVE BEEN READING TO LEARN SINCE, YOU KNOW, I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT IT, BUT THE YOUNG PEOPLE, OUR BABIES FROM PRESCHOOL TO THIRD GRADE RIGHT NOW, THERE IS SO MUCH TECHNOLOGY.

THERE IS SO MUCH A.I.

YOU KNOW, CURSIVE IS OBSOLETE ALMOST.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SEE HAPPENING AROUND LITERACY THAT YOU THINK COULD HELP, BECAUSE I'M WONDERING WHAT THESE YOUNG PEOPLE, WITH EVERYTHING SO AUTOMATED-- >> EVERYTHING.

YOU KNOW, EVEN LEARNING TO TIE A SHOE, EVERYTHING IS VELCRO AND EVERYTHING IS SO EASY.

>> I DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT THAT.

>> WATCHES, YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE TO LEARN ANYMORE TO TELL TIME BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IS READ RIGHT FOR YOU ON YOUR APPLE WATCHES, SO, YOU KNOW, BUT I ENCOURAGE OUR TEACHERS AND OUR CHILDREN BECAUSE TRUE SCHOLARS WILL STILL HAVE HARD COVER BOOKS, YOU KNOW, I DO THINK THAT TECHNOLOGY HAS THE ABILITY TO BE A TOOL THAT CAN BE USED.

BUT NOT TO COMPLETELY SUBSTITUTE.

JUST THE ABCS OF READING AND WRITING AND WRITING CURSIVE IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

I'VE RUN INTO ADULTS THAT HAVE DIFFICULTIES READING IN CURSIVE AND WRITING IN CURSIVE.

>> IT'S FUNNY EVEN NOW WHEN I RUN INTO YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE THINGS, LIKE ANSWERING A TELEPHONE OR JUST THINGS THAT JUST SEEM SO-- >> WELL, YOU SEE, I PROBABLY AM DATING MYSELF AND I'M PROBABLY A LITTLE OLDER THAN YOU, BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN I GREW UP, MY PARENTS KNEW WHO MY FRIENDS WERE BECAUSE WE HAD ONE TELEPHONE IN THE HOUSE AND SO YOU HAD TO CALL THE TELEPHONE AT THAT TIME WAS IN THE HOUSE.

AND YOU KNOW, NOW IT'S DIFFICULT FOR PARENTS TO MANAGE WHO THEIR CHILDREN ARE TALKING TO BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THEY SOCIALIZE, THEY CARRY EVERYTHING ON THEIR PHONES AND YOU THINK ABOUT HOLIDAYS, AND HOW YOU USED TO SIT WITH PHOTO ALBUMS AND WITH YOUR FAMILY AND LOOK AT PICTURES.

WELL EVERYTHING NOW IS, YOU KNOW, ON THE TELEPHONE.

>> IT'S A DIFFERENT TIME.

>> A DIFFERENT DAY.

>> A DIFFERENT TIME.

AND I THINK WHEN I SIT DOWN WITH FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, YOU GET REMINDED, RIGHT, SO WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE YOUNG PEOPLE ON A DAY-TO-DAY REMIND YOU THAT HAVE YOU TO LIKE TAKE A SECOND... >> OH MY GOODNESS, EVERYTHING FROM JUST TAKING A PHOTO-- I HAVE A GRANDSON THAT'S SEVEN AND I MEAN THE THINGS THAT HE CAN DO WITH MY CELL PHONE AMAZE ME.

SO, YOU KNOW, OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE SO MUCH MORE ADVANCED AND SO MUCH MORE AWARE, SO MUCH MORE AWARE THAN I WAS AT THEIR AGE.

SO WHEN I'M OUT AND I'M IN SCHOOLS, I'M ALWAYS AMAZED, AMAZED AT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND HOW AWARE OF COMMUNITY ISSUES, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE, THEY WANT TO BE SEEN.

THEY NEED TO BE HEARD.

THEY HAVE A VOICE.

AND SO WE TRY TO STRUCTURE WAYS FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO USE THEIR VOICE.

SO WE LIFT UP, YOU KNOW, THOSE SKILLS.

>> WELL LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE A LOOK AT HOW Dr. WILLIAMS IS PREPARING STUDENTS OF TODAY FOR THE JOBS OF TOMORROW.

WITH THE PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES STEM OPPORTUNITIES TO THESE VERY ADVANCED STUDENTS, THE WOZ-ED PROGRAM.

>> WOZ-ED IS AMAZING.

IT IS AMAZING I.

WAS A PROGRAM THAT WAS STARTED BY STEVE WOZNIAK, THUS THE NAME WOZ-ED.

HE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING MORE, YOU KNOW, AND TO GIVE BACK.

AND TO CREATE CAREER PATHWAYS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE SO THAT THEY GET HANDS ON LEARNING AND TRAINING IN THE AREAS OF STEM.

SO WHEN I FIRST BECAME SUPERINTENDENT, I THOUGHT WHAT AN AMAZING CONCEPT.

USUALLY WHETHER YOU THINK OF STEM, YOU THINK OF HIGH SCHOOL.

BUT I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING AS YOUNG AS KINDERGARTEN FOR OUR CHILDREN BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHEN YOU HAVE TO BEGIN ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND REALLY PREPARING FOR THE JOBS OF TOMORROW.

IT BEGINS IN KINDERGARTEN.

WE ARE OFFERING ROBOTICS, ENGINEERING 3D PRINTING, DRONES, DRONES, WHICH ARE, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE-- THEY MAKE ME A LITTLE NERVOUS AT MY AGE, BUT THE CHILDREN LOVE THE DRONES.

NOW NEXT YEAR WE ARE LOOKING AT ADDING ANIMATION, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND EVEN CYBER SECURITY.

WE HAVE HAD STEM PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, HERE AND THERE.

THE DIFFERENCE WITH THIS STEM PROGRAM THOUGH IS THAT, AGAIN, WHEN WE LOOK AT EQUITY AND WE LOOK AT PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERY SIN WILL ONE OF OUR-- SINGLE ONE OF OUR CHIRP, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT ZIP CODE YOU LIVE IN.

IT DOES NOT MATTER IF YOU ARE A CHILD THAT HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED WITH A DISABILITY.

DOESN'T MATTER IF ENGLISH IS YOUR FIRST LANGUAGE OR NOT.

ALL OF OUR LEARNERS ARE EXPOSED TO THES WOULD-ED CURRICULUM.

WHEREAS BEFORE WE HAD IT HERE, WE HAD IT THERE.

AND IF YOU WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET IN, YOU KNOW, THEN YOU WERE ABLE TO ACCESS IT.

BUT THIS ALLOWS ACCESS FOR ALL.

YOU KNOW, THE CHILDREN DON'T REALLY EVEN FULLY UNDERSTAND ALL THAT THEY'RE LEARNING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THIS, YOU KNOW, IS AN EARLY CHILDHOOD SCHOOL.

AND RIGHT NOW THEY'RE JUST HAVING FUN AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ASKING QUESTIONS.

THEIR VOCABULARY IS ENHANCED, THEY'RE USING WORDS LIKE ROBOTICS AND IT'S JUST REALLY EXCITING TO SEE.

SO IN MY DAY, YOU KNOW, IT WAS MORE YOU SIT AND GET.

THE TEACHER IS IN THE FRONT OF THE ROOM.

YOU JUST SIT AND TAKE NOTES AND THAT'S HOW YOU LEARN.

NOT SO MUCH ANYMORE.

WE ARE IN A DIGITAL AGE AND OUR CHILDREN, AS YOUNG AS TWO YEARS OLD, ARE ON iPADS AND THEY LEARN,000 MANEUVER AND THE LEARNING HAS TO BE RELATABLE FOR THEM TO REALLY GET IT AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST TODAY , YOU KNOW, HEARING THEM EXPLAIN ABOUT AIRPLANES.

IT'S ONE THING TO SIT AND READ ABOUT AN AIRPLANE AND ALL OF THE COMPONENTS OF THE AIRPLANE.

IT'S NOT THING TO BUILD ONE, TO TOUCH ONE, TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU LEARNED IN ACTION.

SO I THINK THIS IS HOW OUR CHILDREN LEARN.

IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME, YOU KNOW, IT CERTAINLY TOOK A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF RESOURCES, YOU KNOW.

IT HAS BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED THAT, YOU KNOW, BUFFALO IS A CITY THAT IS VERY HIGH POVERTY AND WE ARE A DISTRICT THAT IS HIGH POVERTY.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, FOR MANY OF OUR FAMILIES, SURVIVAL IS WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEIR BASIC NEEDS ARE.

SO TO BE ABLE TO COME TO SCHOOL AND TO SEE MAGNETIC ROBOTS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE EVER BEEN EXPOSED TO.

HOW WILL YOU EVER KNOW IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SOMETHING OR CAN EXCEL IN IT IF YOU NEVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE EXPOSED TO IT.

THIS IS WHERE THE JOBS ARE.

AS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT, I KEEP MY EAR TO THE GROUND ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS ITS THAT EMPLOYERS ARE LOOKING FOR FROM OUR GRADUATES.

AND SO IT GIVES OUR STUDENTS CERTAINLY AN ADVANTAGE IF THEY'RE COMING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, WHETHER THEY DECIDE TO GO TO COLLEGE OR NOT.

AND THE CAREERS, THEY'RE PAYING PRETTY NICE MONEY IN THESE AREAS.

AND SO JUST IMAGINE IF YOU HAVE BEEN EXPOSED SINCE YOU WERE FIVE YEARS OLD, YOU KNOW, TO ALL OF THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF STEM AND BY THE TIME YOU ARE READY TO GRADUATE, MY GOODNESS, YOU ARE AHEAD OF THE GAME.

YOU ARE READY.

>> SO Dr. WILLIAMS, THE STUDENTS ARE REMINDING YOU OF YOUR YOUTH, YOU ARE DOING A LOT TO PREPARE THEM FOR TOMORROW.

I WANT TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU DO OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT LIKE WHO IS Dr. TONJA WILLIAMS?

>> THAT'S A HEAVY QUESTION.

>> RIGHT.

>> BECAUSE Dr. WILLIAMS WAS NOT ALWAYS Dr. WILLIAMS, YOU KNOW.

>> RIGHT, YEAH.

>> I GREW UP NOT VERY DIFFERENT FROM MANY OF MY STUDENTS.

I WENT THROUGH BUFFALO PUBLIC SCHOOLS FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12th GRADE, AND IF YOU HAD ASKED ME BACK THEN IF I EVER THOUGHT THAT I WOULD EVER EVEN GET INTO EDUCATION, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE SAID NO.

I REALLY WANTED TO BE A HAIR DRESSER.

THAT'S WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO DO.

>> NOW DID YOU GO TO COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL?

>> NEVER, NO.

NEVER.

YOU KNOW, I STARTED OUT ACTUALLY IN COLLEGE AS A SOCIOLOGY MAJOR AND I DID A LOT OF COUNSELING WORK, COUNSELING.

I WAS A MARRIAGE COUNSELOR, I DID FAMILY THERAPY.

AND AT SOME POINT, I WAS ABOUT 23 YEARS OLD AND I DECIDED I WANTED TO WORK AT THE COLLEGE LEVEL.

AND SO I APPLIED FOR A POSITION.

IT WAS IN WHAT WE CALL THE HIGHER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM.

>> HEOP.

>> YES.

I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF GOING OUT AND RECRUITING STUDENTS FOR THE HEOP PROGRAM.

THEY WOULD SEND ME TO BROOKLYN, SYRACUSE AND... >> ALL THE URBAN AREAS.

>> YES, ALL OF THE URBAN AREAS.

WHAT I FOUND WHEN I WAS OUT RECRUITING, THERE WERE STUDENTS I WAS MEETING IN HIGH SCHOOL THAT HAD HOPES AND DREAMS OF, YOU KNOW, DOING AMAZING THINGS AND IN SOME CASES WERE NOT PREPARED TO EVEN BE CONSIDERED FOR ACCEPTANCE INTO THE COLLEGE.

SO I DECIDED, HMM, I NEED TO GO BACK AND DO SOMETHING BEFORE THIS THEY GET TO THE COLLEGE LEVEL.

Y DECIDED TO GO BACK AND GET MY MASTERS IN COUNSELING EDUCATION.

SO I BECAME A GUIDANCE COUNSELOR >> I THINK ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS IS GETTING YOUNG PEOPLE TO FOCUS IN ON WHAT YOU KNOW THEY NEED BUT THEY HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT THEY NEED IT, RIGHT?

AND THAT'S THAT HEOP TIME TRYING TO CHOOSE UNIVERSITIES AND THEY'RE PICKING OUT THEIR DREAMS, AND HAVING TO SIT THEM DOWN AND SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU DIDN'T NECESSARILY DO WHAT YOU NEEDED TO DO IN ORDER TO GET HERE.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETIMES A TOUGH SPACE.

OR I IMAGINE, IN YOUR ROLE, YOU SEE THE CONDITIONS THAT CREATE SITUATIONS THAT KEEP THE STUDENTS FROM FOCUSING ON WHAT THEY COULD OR SHOULD.

>> TOUGH TIME.

IT'S A TOUGH TIME FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.

YOU KNOW, THEY'VE EXPERIENCED A LOT, A LOT.

AND, YOU KNOW, THIS PANDEMIC HAS CHANGED SOCIETY AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE ISOLATION THAT YOUNG PEOPLE EXPERIENCED AND BEING REMOVED FROM, YOU KNOW, JUST THE STRUCTURE AND, YOU KNOW, THE TRADITIONAL DAY-TO-DAY, GOING TO SCHOOL.

AND IT'S HARD ECONOMICALLY FOR FAMILIES IT'S VERY TOUGH TO GO TO SCHOOL AND FOCUS ON LITERACY IF YOU'VE GOT TOOTHACHES OR IF YOUR HEALTH IS NOT WELL OR IF NUTRITIONALLY YOU DON'T HAVE THE PROPER NUTRITION.

IT'S TOUGH.

IT'S REALLY TOUGH.

OUR KIDS ARE DEALING WITH A LOT.

>> IN THAT DEALING, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU TRY TO OFFER, BECAUSE AS SUPERINTENDENT YOU ARE ALSO THINKING ABOUT THE STAFF, THE TEACHERS, THE OTHER ADMINISTRATORS THAT CREATE THE EXPERIENCE AND ARE ALSO DEALING WITH SOME OF THE SHIFTS.

>> I CARE ABOUT EVERYBODY.

SO 32,000 CHILDREN AND 8,000 STAFF EVERY DAY.

YOU KNOW, AND SO WE'VE TRIED TO CREATE ALMOST A WELLNESS CONDITION FOR EVERYONE.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME.

I HAVE A LITTLE SAYING, AND I USED TO USE IT AS A PRINCIPAL.

IF YOU DON'T FEED THE TEACHERS THEY WILL EAT THE CHILDREN.

HAVE I TO MAKE SURE THE TEACHERS ARE GETTING WHAT THEY NEED.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO SETTLE A TEACHER CONTRACT THAT HAD BEEN OUTSTANDING FOR QUITE SOMETIME AND I WANTED OUR TEACHERS TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE VALUED.

THEY ARE HIGHLY RESPECTED.

I WANTED THEIR SALARIES TO BE COMPETITIVE TO WHAT, YOU KNOW, THEIR COLLEAGUES IN SUBURBAN AREAS WERE EARNING AND SO I REALLY DO TRY TO FIND WAYS TO POUR INTO OUR TEACHERS AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING IS CHANGING LIVES BECAUSE MY PARENTS HAD NOT GONE TO COLLEGE BUT THEY CERTAINLY HAD AN EXPECTATION THAT I WAS GOING AND THAT WAS VERY CLEAR TO ME, YOU ARE GOING TO COLLEGE.

IT'S NOT ABOUT IF.

IT'S WHERE.

AND I HAD PEOPLE IN SCHOOL TO HELP ME NAVIGATE TO DO WHAT I NEEDED TO DO SO I WAS READY WHEN THE TIME GAME.

>> YOU MENTIONED YOUR PATIENCE, YOU MENTIONED COMING UP THROUGH THE RANKS AS A COUNSELOR, WORKING IN THE HEOP PROGRAM, THINKING ABOUT EDUCATIONAL, WHAT THEY CALL EDUCATIONAL ACCESS, RIGHT?

>> YES.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK IN YOUR LIFE HAS PREPARED YOU TO LEAD IN THIS WAY.

>> I THINK IT WAS THE WAY I WAS RAISED.

I COME FROM A BLUE COLLAR FAMILY AND THERE WAS PRIDE.

THERE WAS RIDE IN HARD WORK, BEING HONEST TREATING PEOPLE DECENTLY AND EDUCATION WAS REALLY IMPORTANT, AND MY DAD, YOU KNOW, HE DROPPED OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL AND WENT TO WORK IN THE STEEL MILLS, YOU KNOW, AND MY MOTHER, SHE WORKED FOR THE POST OFFICE, FOR ABOUT 40 YEARS AND WE WERE IN COLLEGE AT THE SAME TIME, SHE WENT BACK TO GET HER DEGREE.

THAT WAS INTERESTING.

>> Y'ALL WEREN'T IN THE SAME CLASS?

>> NO, WE WEREN'T IN THE SAME CLASS.

I WOULDN'T HAVE HAD THAT.

BUT THEY INSTILLED IN BOTH MY SISTER AND I THAT EDUCATION IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND IT WILL NEVER HURT YOU.

IT WILL NEVER HURT YOU.

>> AND WHEN YOU MENTIONED GOING TO COLLEGE WITH YOUR MOM, IT MADE ME THINK OF ANOTHER FRIEND OF MINE, WHO ALSO TALKED ABOUT SHARING A CAMPUS EXPERIENCE SHE WAS A LITTLE PERSON WHEN HER MOM WOULD TAKE HER TO CAMPUS WITH HER HOW OFTEN DO YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR MOM WHEN YOU ARE IN THE SCHOOL BUILDING AND WHEN YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT THE LEGACY OF YOUR WORK?

>> EVERY DAY, YOU KNOW, I TALK TO MY MOM EVERY DAY.

SHE WILL WATCH THIS SHOW AND SAY WHY DO YOU HAVE YOUR HAIR IN YOUR EYES.

SHE IS A MOM.

AND SO EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND I NEVER TAKE FOR GRANTED THE SACRIFICES THAT MY MOTHER MADE AND EVEN THOUGH I'M FULLY ADULT AND I HAVE ADULT CHILDREN AND A WONDERFUL GRANDSON WHO IS GOING TO DO AMAZING THINGS MY GOAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO MAKE MY PARENTS PROUD.

SO IF THERE WAS EVER A TIME THAT I WASN'T SURE ABOUT DOING SOMETHING, IF IT WAS SOMETHING I COULDN'T DO IN FRONT OF MY PARENTS OR SAY IN FRONT OF THEM, I TRIED NOT TO.

YEAH, I THINK EVERY DAY ABOUT, YOU KNOW SHE WEARS IT WITH A BADGE OF HONOR.

THIS IS MY DAUGHTER AND AGAIN THERE WAS NOTHING EXTRA REMARKABLE ABOUT HOW I GREW UP.

IT WAS JUST ABOUT HAVING EXPECTATIONS, EXPECTATIONS.

>> YEAH, WHEN YOU SAID THAT AND YOU THINK ABOUT WHERE YOU ARE, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST LIKE THAT IS AMAZING.

YOU DON'T OFTEN-- I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT BEFORE YOU SAT DOWN ON THE COUCH THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T OFTEN SEE LEADERSHIP WITHIN SCHOOL DISTRICTS FROM PEOPLE THAT ATTENDED THAT SAME SCHOOL DISTRICT.

YOU MIGHT SAY I GREW UP HERE, I MOVED HERE.

BUT TO BE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE SAME DISTRICT THAT YOU ATTENDED AS A YOUNG PERSON, IS PRETTY POWERFUL AS WELL.

>> AMAZING.

>> I GROO YOU UP ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STATE.

LITERALLY, AND RIGHT OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK CITY.

>> I HEARD THE ACCENT.

AND MY QUESTION TO YOU IS DO YOU SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING WITH LEADERSHIP IN NEW YORK CITY ABOUT, LIKE DO YOU HAVE LIKE A PEER GROUP, ARE YOU FRIENDS WITH THE SUPERINTENDENTS DOWN THERE BECAUSE WHEN THEY SAY THE SECOND LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN-- I'M LIKE WHO DO YOU TALK TO-- HOW DO YOU BALANCE, HOW DO YOU CHECK IN WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO MAKE DECISIONS?

>> I ABSOLUTELY DO.

WITHIN NEW YORK STATE, WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE CALL THE BIG FIVE.

AND IT'S THE FIVE LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN NEW YORK STATE.

AND THE SUPERINTENDENTS AND I, SYRACUSE, ROCHESTER, YONKERS, BUFFALO AND NEW YORK CITY, WE DO CHECK IN.

WE DO.

IT'S IMPORTANT.

BUT I HAVE A GREAT TEAM A GREAT GROUP OF STAFF THAT, YOU KNOW, WE LIFT EACH OTHER UP, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT.

I'VE GOT A GREAT GROUP OF GIRLFRIENDS, JUST GIRLFRIENDS, YOU KNOW, THAT I HAVE SNOAN FOR A LONG TIME.

I'VE GOT A WONDERFUL FAMILY.

>> WHEN YOU GET PROBABLY THE RARE OPPORTUNITY TO STEP AWAY FROM WORK, WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO?

>> I LIKE TO DO LOTS OF THINGS.

FAMILY TIME IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.

I ENJOY READING, YOU KNOW, I'M A VORACIOUS READER.

I ENJOY TRAVELING.

I REALLY LIKE ROAD TRIPS.

I REALLY LIKE ROAD TRIPS AND SEEING OTHER PLACES.

>> SO IF YOU COULD TAKE YOUR STUDENTS ANYWHERE.

>> ALL 32,000 OF THEM OR JUST A COUPLE?

>> MAYBE A COUPLE AT A TIME.

IF THERE COULD BE ANYWHERE YOU WOULD TAKE THE STUDENTS OF BUFFALO BECAUSE TRAVEL IS SO IMPORTANT, SEEING DIFFERENT PLACES IS SO IMPORTANT.

BUT IF COULD YOU GIFT BUFFALO CITY DISTRICT STUDENTS, NOT ALL AT THE SAME TIME, BUT AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO SOMEWHERE, WHERE WOULD IT BE?

>> PROBABLY GHANA.

I'VE NEVER BEEN BUT I CERTAINLY WOULD LOVE TO GO AND DO I PLAN TO GO.

IT'S ON MY BUCKET LIST AND TO BE ABLE FOR STUDENTS TO EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW,-- A MAJORITY OF OUR CHILDREN ARE CHILDREN OF COLOR TO BE ABLE TO GO AND TO JUST EXPERIENCE WHAT THAT IS LIKE.

THAT WOULD BE NICE.

>> THANK YOU Dr. WILLIAMS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME AND ALLOWING US TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AND THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING FOR THE DISTRICT.

IF YOU WANT TO VIEW THIS EPISODE AGAIN OR VIEW PAFT SEASONS OF THE SHOW, GO TO WCNY.ORG/BEHINDTHEWOMAN.

NEXT TIME, JOIN ME AS I SIT DOWN WITH JULIE SNYDER, THE CEO OF FOREST LAWN CEMETERY IN BUFFALO.

TO DISCUSS HER EXPERIENCE OF RUNNING THIS HISTORIC CEMETERY COMMITTED TO PRESERVING THE LEGACY OF ITS RESIDENTS.

MY NAME IS Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS AND ON BEHALF OF THE "BEHIND THE WOMAN" TEAM, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.