AAA Academy

Wilson H. Pierce, Director

Wilson H. Pierce, a life-long Trail-Blazer, received an Athletic Scholarship to Central Missouri State in the late 1960’s. He majored in Education and began his first teaching assignment in the early 1970’s in Missouri. Later, he taught in Gary, Indiana, where he and his wife were teachers and part of the longest strike in Gary, Indiana’s history. He decided to leave the field of Education to embark upon a new career after being told that he qualified for food stamps.

Wilson was appointed to the Illinois Bureau of Investigations in 1971. He rose through the ranks of the Illinois State Police and became the first African-American Captain and later the first African-American Chief of Police of Country Club Hills, Illinois. His commitment and love for children continue to be visible through the Cadet Program and the Bike Rodeo he established. He coached basketball, football, and baseball which allowed him to develop personal relationships with youth throughout the City of Chicago and its suburbs.

Wilson has received many awards, certificates, and recognitions including and yet not limited to: Train-the-Trainers in Cultural Diversity, Management Training, Contract/Labor Management, Police Executive Research Forum, FBI Academy, Highway Interdiction Program, Division of Criminal Investigation, Stress Management, Management Program, etc.

Wilson went full circle when he retired as the Chief of Police and returned to Education in 1999 as Director of Student Services. He was responsible for placing students out-of-district who did not fit the traditional environment. Because of his extensive background in Law Enforcement and continued relationship with students, Wilson was disturbed that many of the existing programs were not working. He brought this concern to the Vice-President of the Board of Education for School District 160 in 2000. He believed their combined skills, experiences, and passion for children could do a better job of modifying student behavior and raising academic levels. On that belief, they literally put their money where their mouths were and began the process to establish the Alternative Academic Achievement Academy.