Ann Molina had one of those ‘go big or go home’ moments on February 28.

She had been invited to O’Neill High School to speak to students as Black History Month ended, and Women’s History Month was just starting. Molina was the perfect person to do so, as she is, as all who know the lifelong Highland Falls resident knows, both Black and a Woman.

“I thought I was going to go up to the high school and talk to 20 or 30 students in the cafeteria,” Molina said last week. Instead, she spoke in the auditorium, to the entire student body, nearly 600 seventh through twelfth graders.

“I was nervous,” she said. “But they were a really great audience.”

Molina also said she expected to speak for about 20 minutes. That turned into about 40 minutes, with a question-and-answer session.

O’Neill Principal Robin Haberman had invited Molina to speak, asking her to share her personal story and life experiences.

“In her presentation, she stressed volunteerism and giving back to the community,” Haberman said.

“I told them that I grew up in Highland Falls and that I love this community,” Molina said. She added that she also shared that Highland Falls today is different than when she attended Highland Falls High School, graduating in 1969 – “it was an integrated school, but still segregated in some ways.”

Molina, who said her family came to Highland Falls because her father was in the military, said there were times growing up that she felt she “stood out like a sore thumb”. But, she said, she did not ever feel not supported by the Highland Falls community.

Talking about her past is something Molina is willing to do, but her true love is talking about volunteering. She was asked why she spends so much time volunteering, and answered easily: “It is good to give back, and I promise you, you’ll get to meet wonderful people along the way”. She spent some time getting information about how the students in the audience currently volunteer, and offered them other local resources where their time and talents would be welcome.

Among them? The Center of Highland Falls, which she opened 10 years ago and now serves as a community resource, along with some of Molina’s other organizations, like the Hudson Valley Women’s Association and Friends. Those two groups hosted the March Mania basketball tournament for local middle and high schoolers in the O’Neill gym on Friday evening and Saturday. Molina was on hand, as she always is, supervising, selling concessions and doing whatever else it takes to provide a good experience for the participants. But, mostly, she’ll be acting as she always does, and like she told the students – helping to match up volunteers with activities.

She suggested they check out her organizations, the fire departments, the food pantries, youth programs like coaching sports, and gave them other ideas as well. Some of the students expressed interest in meeting with her at The Center at a later date, and Molina said there were some staff members interested in getting more involved in the community as well.

“The students were a respectful and engaged audience,” Molina said, “and asked good questions. One student asked if I’d ever met Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which I didn’t, but … my mother did attend the same church he did growing up in the Atlanta area.”

While she enjoyed interacting with the students, Molina said one particular part of the event was a “true gift” to her. That was when, under the direction of Lucas Rau, members of the school’s Select Chorus sang ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’, and Rao explained the history and purpose of the song that has been called the ‘Black National Anthem’.

“It was just amazing,” she said.