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The Bronx High School of Science (commonly called Bronx Science or Science) is a specialized New York City public high school. Founded in 1938, it is located in the Bedford Park section of the Bronx. Admission is by an exam open to all grade-eligible students in New York City, reportedly taken by more than 20,000 students annually.[2] Although known for its focus on mathematics and science, Bronx Science also heavily emphasizes the humanities and social sciences. As a result, it has continually attracted gifted students with a wide variety of interests. Bronx Science has developed a worldwide reputation[3][4] as one of the best[5] high schools in the United States, public or private, ranking thirty-third in U.S. News and World Report's 2008 list of America's "Gold-Medal" high schools.[6] It attracts an intellectually gifted blend of culturally, ethnically,[7][8] and economically diverse students from New York City.[9] Every year almost all Bronx Science graduates go on to selective four-year colleges; many attend Ivy League and other prestigious schools.[10] Bronx Science has counted 132 finalists in the Intel (formerly Westinghouse) Science Talent Search, the largest number of any high school.[11] Seven graduates have won Nobel Prizes — more than any other secondary education institution in the world — and six have won Pulitzer Prizes.[12][13] Bronx Science is a member of the National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology (NCSSSMST).[14] Together with Stuyvesant High School and Brooklyn Technical High School, it is one of three original "specialized" science high schools operated by the New York City Department of Education.
[edit] History[edit] The founding The Bronx High School of Science was founded in 1938 as a specialized science and math high school for boys, by resolution of the Board of Education of the City of New York, with Morris Meister as the first principal of the school. They were given use of an antiquated Gothic-gargoyled edifice located at Creston Avenue and 184th Street. The building, built in 1918 for Evander Childs High School, had been successively occupied by Walton High School (1930) and by an annex of DeWitt Clinton High School (1935). The initial faculty were composed in part by a contingent from Stuyvesant High School.[15] Principal Meister put his imprint on the school from its formation, for example selecting as school colors "green to represent chlorophyll and gold the sun, both of which are essential to the chain of life."[16] [edit] Expansion to co-educationBronx Science started with about 150 ninth year students and 250 tenth year students, the remaining facilities of the building being used by DeWitt Clinton. As more boys began to attend Science, the Clinton contingent was gradually returned to its own main building. During their joint occupation, which lasted for 2 years until 1940, the two schools had separate teaching staff and classes, but the same supervision and administration. In 1946, as a result of the efforts of Principal Meister, the faculty, and the Parents Association, the school became co-ed, opening the doors to the gifted and talented girls of New York, giving them equal opportunity to pursue a quality education in a specialized high school, previously denied to them. This expansion to co-education preceded its rivals Stuyvesant (1969) and Brooklyn Tech (1970) by more than two decades. In 1958, after 20 years as principal of the school, Morris Meister resigned to become the first president of the newly organized Bronx Community College. Alexander Taffel succeeded Meister as principal. [edit] The move to modern facilitiesFrom the very beginning, a campaign for a new building was conducted by the Parents Association and Principal Morris Meister. Working with the Board of Education and the City of New York took twenty years to see the dream become a reality, but under Principal Taffel's guidance, plans were finally completed for a new building specifically designed by the large architectural firm of Emery Roth and Sons[17] and equipped for the Bronx High School of Science. The new building would be on 205th Street near Bedford Park Boulevard, in a predominantly institutional area, commonly referred to as the "Educational Mile" between DeWitt Clinton High School and its large football field on one side, and Harris Field and Hunter College (now Lehman College) on the other. On March 3, 1959, students and faculty occupied the new building for the first time, solving the problem of how to move the books from the old library to the new in typical Bronx Science manner: on Friday afternoon each student took home five library books from the old building, and on Monday returned them to the new one.  They entered a school equipped with the most modern facilities and state-of-the-art laboratories, classrooms, and technical studio areas, all designed to the specific needs of the specialized Bronx Science curriculum. Gracing the main lobby entrance was a large, 63-foot (19 m), Venetian glass mosaic mural depicting major figures from the history of science such as Marie Curie and Charles Darwin under the protective hands of a God-like figure representing knowledge, with this quote from John Dewey: "Every great advance in science has issued from a new audacity of imagination." The mural is an original work of art by Frank J. Reilly entitled Humanities Protecting Biology, Physics, Chemistry, reflecting the breadth of the school's mission: to excel not only in the sciences and mathematics for which it was founded, but also in the humanities. Legions of students over the years, bemoaning the lack of swimming facilities, have sarcastically referred to the mural as "the Science swimming pool", perpetuating the idea - perhaps apochryphal - that a choice was made to fund a mural rather than a pool in the new building; but the mural continues to epitomize the special nature of the Bronx High School of Science.[18] The move was not without incident. In the first spring of the move, rumors swept the school that various Bronx youth street gangs were coming to the school, and that the Fordham Baldies would shave the hair of Science students. This never happened. Another incident did happen that spring: The first time Science girls appeared on the outdoor physical education field in skimpy shorts/t-shirts (which probably showed less than in the average high school in 2006), some students from the neighboring, all-male DeWitt Clinton High School charged the separation fence between their field and the Science field. The fence held, but the female students exercised indoors for the remainder of that year. When Bronx Science celebrated its silver anniversary in June 1963, President John F. Kennedy hailed it as "a significant and pathfinding example of a special program devoted to the development of the student gifted in science and mathematics." The President had occasion to know the quality of the school's product since he had recently selected one of its graduates, Harold Brown, of the class of 1943, for the position of Director of Defense Research and Engineering; he would later serve as Secretary of Defense under President Jimmy Carter. [edit] Holocaust Museum and Studies Center In 1978, Stuart S. Elenko, a popular Social Studies faculty member, single-handedly founded a Holocaust Museum and Studies Center at Bronx Science. It has been funded by grants, donations, and the New York City Council. The Museum was one of the first of its kind in the United States, and houses an impressive collection of rare documents, photographs, artifacts and other material from the Nazi era; the Studies Center sponsors speakers and puts together and distributes educational materials about the Holocaust. The Museum has had over 60,000 visitors, and has received wide acclaim from leaders in the field. In 2003, the Museum celebrated its 25th Anniversary with a gala. In 2004 an anonymous benefactor - an alumnus of the school - made a very large donation which is allowing the Museum to modernize and be totally revamped; eventually it will move out of the library where it now resides, and turned into a full-sized museum. In 2006, the Museum finally moved out of its original home into a larger space. Its facilities have been upgraded to include a plasma television screen and a computer to display presentations about different topics related to the Holocaust. Renovations are still being made to improve the aesthetics of the new location. Tours of the museum are given by students in the Holocaust Leadership Class to any guest that requests one, as well as to sophomore World History students. The Museum and the tours have received tremendous reviews and only add to the excellent educational experience.[19] [20] [edit] Recent administrationWhen Alexander Taffel retired as principal in 1978, the chairman of the Biological Science Department, Milton Kopelman, became Principal.[21] He remained so for over ten years. Upon Principal Kopelman's retirement in 1990, long-time faculty member and Biology Assistant Principal Vincent Galasso became Principal. He was followed by Physical Science Department Assistant Principal Stanley Blumenstein, a 1963 graduate of Bronx Science. In 2000 William Stark, a popular Assistant Principal of the Social Studies Department, was appointed Acting Principal. He was expected to move up to the Principal's office, when Chancellor Harold O. Levy decided to try to find a Nobel laureate to become Principal;[22] that effort failed, but Stark was still not offered the job as principal. Stark gave an ultimatum which said that if he wasn't officially offered the job by a certain date, he would take another position being offered to him elsewhere. When the deadline came and went, Stark accepted a job as Principal of Manhasset High School. Many faculty and parents were upset that Stark was not appointed in a timely way and thus had left the school; Vincent Galasso agreed to an interim appointment for one term in 2001.[22] Despite Levy's desire to appoint a Nobel laureate, Valerie J. Reidy, Assistant Principal of the Biology Department, was appointed Principal in September 2001; she was the first female Principal in the school's history. She has been a controversial figure, and several teachers left the school in response to her becoming principal. Some teachers have openly criticized her to newspapers, and the general opinion of the students is one of dislike.[22][23] Most recently, this resulted in student protests in 2005 and 2008[24] objecting to the administration's policy on cutting classes, and worrying that the administration's policies are driving away teachers deemed insubordinate. [edit] EnrollmentThe Bronx High School of Science has a student body of about 2,800 students. Admission is based exclusively on an entrance examination, known as the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT),[25] open to all eighth and ninth grade New York City students interested in attending one of the specialized schools. Each year, thousands of students from the five boroughs of New York City take this comprehensive examination covering math (word problems and computation) and verbal (reading comprehension, logical reasoning, unscrambling paragraphs). Out of the 26,000 students taking the entrance examination only about 700 are admitted to Science, based on a system of ranked scores. The student body is diversified, comprising almost every ethnic group in New York City. In 2008, 59.92% of the school was of Asian descent.[26] The students are evenly split between males and females.[27] [edit] Facilities and resources
[edit] Academics Bronx Science students take a rigorous, well-rounded, college preparatory curriculum that includes four years of lab science, math, English, social studies, three years of foreign language and a year of fine arts, with required courses and a wide selection of electives, including AP classes. Over 600 classes are offered.[30] Students have an opportunity to do independent research, and many compete in the annual Intel Science Talent Search (formerly known as "Westinghouse"). After the completion of four years at Bronx Science, and the fulfillment of the Bronx Science academic track, students graduate with a Bronx Science degree - more advanced and more prestigious than a typical New York State Regents Degree. The core science courses chosen are typically biology, chemistry, and physics; many students choose to take the Advanced Placement versions of these courses, which allow students to place out of introductory college science courses that match Science rigour. In the life sciences, the students have the additional option of taking a special "double honors" biology course, which features extra laboratory exposure. Science electives include microbiology, physiology, forensic science, human genetics, evolution, astronomy, organic chemistry, electronics and others. In mathematics, beyond the standard AP courses in AB/BC calculus and statistics, courses in multivariable calculus and computer science (including AP Computer Science) are among the choices. A course in linear algebra and differential equations was offered for the first time in fall 2007. Students take four years of English, which also allows for electives, including courses in journalism, Shakespeare, creative writing and AP English. Four years of social studies or history classes are required, and include US and world history, economics, with electives in psychology, law, finance, and global studies, among others. Three years of languages are required. Bronx Science offers French, Spanish, Latin, Italian, Russian, Modern Greek, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. At one time Hebrew and German were also offered. Students are required to take Technical Drawing (formerly known as Mechanical Drawing) and a Science Techniques Laboratory course; technology courses include engineering and architectural drawing, telescope making, computerized graphics, robotics technology, and medical illustration. Art and Music Appreciation are also required courses, with a range of studio art electives and music performance electives available. Health and Physical Education courses are also required, with activities including step aerobics, weight training, basketball, skating, team handball, fitness and yoga. [edit] Representative Electives
[edit] Advanced Placement courses
[edit] Student opportunities[edit] ResearchAlong with a rigorous academic foundation and an array of extracurricular choices, students are provided with original research opportunities in the biological, physical, and social sciences, and programs that hone students' investigative skills and prepare them for academic competitions. Interested students may apply for research programs in their freshman year and begin a three-year sequence of voluntary work on their projects in their sophomore year. During this time, students collaborate with scientists at local laboratories to develop and complete an independent research project, usually concentrated during two summers. The program culminates in the writing of a scientific paper in the senior year, which is submitted to various competitions, such as the Intel Science Talent Search ("Westinghouse") competition. Since the inception of this prestigious national competition in 1942, Bronx Science has accumulated the highest number of finalists: 132.[11] [edit] Publications
[edit] Student life[edit] Events A comprehensive events calendar is maintained on the school's website.[32]
[edit] Extra-curricular activities[edit] Sports
[edit] Academic teamsFounded in 1969 by renowned debate coach Richard B. Sodikow, the Bronx High School of Science Speech and Debate Team has been prominent and successful. With the creation of Lincoln-Douglas Debate in 1979, came the creation of the Bronx Science LD squad which has had national success. David Yalof won the national championship in 1984, and two years later, Hee-Sun Hong received the first-ever Tournament of Champions title in Lincoln-Douglas Debate. In 1988, Jonathan Koppell and Peter Colavito closed out the final round of the Tournament of Champions. Bronx Science debaters have amassed many major titles: Emory University's Barkley Forum for High Schools, the Harvard National Invitational, the Lexington Winter Classic, Hendrick Hudson, T.A. Edison, University of Southern California, Villiger, the Northeast Regional Championships, the Newark Debates, the Westchester Classic, the Robert J. Kaiser Invitational, the Scarsdale Jeffrey Williams Lincoln-Douglas Debate Championship, Woodward Academy Novice Nationals, Woodward Academy Second Year Nationals, the MBA Round Robin, the Bronx Round Robin, the Glenbrooks Round Robin.[35][36][37]
[edit] Clubs
 [edit] Dress codeThe school's dress code has evolved over the years. Once boys were required to wear ties and "collar" shirts and not allowed to wear "patch-pocket" pants (jeans) or hats; girls were required to wear skirts or dresses, no matter what the weather. Offenders were sent home if they were not dressed according to the rules. Many girls walking to school in the winter along wind-swept Goulden Avenue between the Jerome Park Reservoir and Clinton's football field, wore slacks under their skirts and removed them when they arrived at school. Boots also had to be removed. In 1968 the students successfully demanded that the dress code be relaxed; girls then were allowed to wear slacks and boys could wear t-shirts. Today's students still are not allowed to wear hats (a NYC Department of Education rule), and the dress regulations are less specific, forbidding clothing that is "distracting", "offensive", or "degrading"; anything promoting drug use or offensive language is similarly banned; and "undergarments must not be visible, and tops and bottoms of outer garments must meet or overlap".[41] [edit] FacultyThe Bronx Science faculty comprises educators who possibly represent one of the most highly qualified high-school teaching staffs in the world. Many hold advanced degrees, including the Ph.D., in their field, and many have taught at universities. A rigorous hiring process fosters qualified staff: Unlike most New York City public schools, teachers are not hired according to seniority. Instead, teachers are interviewed and a committee of current teachers from the department meets to decide whether or not an individual upholds the qualities of a potential Bronx Science faculty member. So, although many new teachers are young and un-tenured, they come to the classroom familiar with the up-to-date methods of instruction. Strong alumni relations are apparent at Bronx Science. In fact, many teachers are alumni of the school: Michael Contente (ret. June 2007), the former coordinator of the Department of Mathematics (1966); Jean M. Donahue, Ph.D., the assistant principal of the Department of Biology (1977); Fred Levy, assistant principal of the art, music, and technology departments; David Cohen (math and technology), Richard Lee (biology), Sherrill Mirsky (math), Beatrice Robertson (math), Polly Schoenfeld (English), Daniel Abella (filmmaking), John Liu (Global and U.S. History) . Surprisingly, because of such relations, many teachers have had other teachers as students at Science at some time during their career.  Many teachers are approachable and willing to help students. Students can speak to their teachers before and after class, or schedule a conference with their teachers during lunch or a free period. Students can also communicate with their teachers via e-mail, which is provided free of charge to the entire Bronx Science staff, faculty, and student body, through the school's computer network. Many teachers also play an active role in the advancement of the school's vision. For example, Fanny K. Ennever, Ph.D., a teacher in the Physical Science Department and adjunct assistant professor at Columbia University,[42] was responsible for securing a $27,500 grant in both 2004 and 2005 for developing and modifying the Bronx Science chemistry laboratory curriculum, in order to make sessions less "cookbook" and more inquiry-based.[43] Every year, the senior members of ARISTA National Honor Society vote for the Honored Teacher Award. Winners of the award include Patricia Nunez, Gregory Greene, and James Perna. During the 2007-2008 school year, the award was given to Mr. Reutershan (Multivariable Calculus), Dr. Wheeler (Advanced Placement Biology), and Mrs. Ramos (Advanced Placement Chemistry). For the 2008-2009 year, the award was presented to Louis DiIulio (Advanced Placement United States History). [edit] Popular referencesIn Season 1, Episode 18 of The West Wing, Mallory O'Brien mentions Bronx Science in a discussion of public school reform and school vouchers. Rob Lowe's character, Sam Seaborn says, “Boston Latin, the oldest public school in the country, is still the best secondary school in New England.” Mallory O'Brien replies "They all can't be Boston Latin and Bronx Science." In the television show Head of the Class, Bronx Science is named explicitly throughout the show as Fillmore High School's rival, often appearing against them in academic competitions. In Season 1, Episode 12 of What I Like About You, Henry says he goes to Bronx Science and has a GPA of 3.7. In one episode of Everybody Hates Chris, Chris and his friend both apply for Bronx Science. In the end, only Chris's friend was accepted. Northern Exposure was a show about a doctor whose medical education was financed by an Alaskan town where he was then obliged to work. Dr. Joel Fleischman (played by Rob Morrow) often reminisced about his high school days at Bronx Science. When Dr. Fleischman's role diminished, he was succeeded by Dr. Phil Capra, played by Paul Provenza, who is an actual Bronx Science graduate. [edit] Notable alumni and former studentsThe Bronx High School of Science counts seven Nobel Prize-winning physicists among its graduates:
No other secondary school in the world has as many alumni who have won Nobel Prizes. If Bronx Science were a country, it would be tied at 23rd with Spain for number of Nobel laureates (as of 2008). Were Bronx Science a university, it would be tied for 58th place, matching UNC-Chapel Hill, UMD and McGill. Bronx Science also has six Pulitzer Prize-winning graduates:
Six alumni have won the National Medal of Science, the nation's highest scientific honor bestowed by the U.S. President and thus far awarded to 425 scientists and engineers. Bronx Science also counts among its graduates twenty-nine current members of the United States National Academy of Sciences (NAS), an honor attained by only about 2,000 American scientists. Twenty-two Bronx Science graduates are current members of the United States National Academy of Engineering (NAE), ten are current members of the Institute of Medicine (IOM), and at least one is a current member of the Royal Society of Canada. Other notable graduates and former students include:[49]
[edit] Alma Mater
Science High our school that towers, seeking truth and light; all for thee our hearts and powers solemnly unite.
Harken now the chorus heighten as our praises soar; through the years your glories brighten: Science evermore. In our hearts your name is graven, there to keep immortal. Hope and faith have found a haven, hidden in your portal.
Harken now the chorus heighten as our praises soar; through the years your glories brighten: Science evermore. [edit] References
[edit] External links
Coordinates: 40°52′42″N 73°53′27″W / 40.87833°N 73.89083°W Categories: Educational institutions established in 1938 | Gifted education | High schools in New York | High schools in New York City | National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology schools | New York City Department of Education | Public education in New York City | Specialized high schools in New York City | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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