Wyman honors alum Orlondo Williams at the 2026 Amplify Gala
Three alumni and two community partners were honored at Wyman’s 2026 Amplify Gala for their extraordinary commitment to young people, the community, and Wyman.
Our alumni honorees represent the incredible impact of connection – young people who found their voices and strength through Wyman, and have gone on to build meaningful paths forward. Today, they continue to amplify hope and opportunity for others in their communities.
Orlondo Williams’ story brings this impact to life. Now the youngest high school principal in Missouri, Orlondo believes every young person deserves access to quality, affirming learning environments. He has dedicated his career to creating transformative educational experiences.
Orlondo Williams is a Teen Outreach Program and Wyman Leaders alum.
His journey with Wyman began as a middle schooler at Normandy Middle School. Orlondo participated in the Teen Outreach Program until 8th grade and was nominated for and joined Wyman Leaders in 2015.
Orlondo graduated from Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science in Education. He went on to earn his master’s degree in Education, and is currently pursuing his Doctor of Education degree from Saint Louis University.
Today, Orlondo is following his personal mission to serve, lead, and inspire the next generation as the Principal at his alma mater, Cardinal Ritter College Prep.
He was motivated to go into education because of his experience as a student at Cardinal Ritter. Every day, Orlondo was surrounded by inspirational Black male teachers who poured into and nurtured him as a student. He was so inspired by the men in his classrooms, and what they stood for as leaders, that he decided to become a Black man in the classroom, with high expectations for his students – just like his teachers had for him.
Orlondo’s experiences with Wyman provided him with support both in and outside of the classroom, while helping him develop critical life and leadership skills at a young age. He learned the value of collective effort, leadership, and service. In fact, Orlondo’s first volunteer experiences were through the Teen Outreach Program, where he was introduced to what it truly means to be a servant leader. Wyman’s community partnerships also greatly impacted Orlondo’s educational path – he received a full-ride scholarship to attend his high school and attended Missouri State University debt-free.
To Orlondo, organizations like Wyman are important because of our responsibility to invest in tomorrow’s leaders. He credits much of who he is today to the experiences, lessons, and leadership opportunities he gained through his time at Wyman. As Orlondo says, “Wyman taught me to believe in myself because they believed in me before I knew how to.”
In addition to his work as an educator and his support of Wyman, Orlondo supports The Village 314 – an organization that connects young Black males to mentors, academic assistance, and life skills training. Orlondo is also a Life Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, where he continues to serve through scholarship, mentorship, and leadership initiatives.
Orlondo is a passionate advocate for youth development and has dedicated his career to creating transformative educational experiences that prepare students for college, leadership, and life. He believes that all young people deserve access to rigorous, culturally responsive, and affirming learning environments.
Read about all our 2026 Honorees:
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