Bronx High School of Science facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bronx High School of Science |
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Bronx High School of Science in July 2006
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75 W 205th St
, 10468
United States
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| Coordinates | 40°52′42″N 73°53′27″W / 40.87833°N 73.89083°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public, selective school |
| Motto | Inquire, Discover, Create |
| Established | 1938 |
| Founder | Morris Meister |
| School district | New York City Department of Education |
| School number | X445 |
| NCES School ID | 360008701922 |
| Principal | Rachel Hoyle |
| Teaching staff | 141.42 (on a FTE basis) |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 2,951 (2022–2023) |
| Student to teacher ratio | 20.87 |
| Campus | City: Large |
| Color(s) | Green and Gold |
| Athletics conference | PSAL |
| Mascot | Wolverines |
| Newspaper | The Science Survey |
| Yearbook | The Observatory |
| Affiliation | National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools |
| Nobel laureates | 9 |
The Bronx High School of Science is a special public high school in The Bronx, New York City. It is run by the New York City Department of Education. To get into Bronx Science, students must pass a special entrance exam called the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test.
The school was started in 1938 in the Bronx. It is located in a neighborhood called Kingsbridge Heights. While it is famous for its focus on mathematics and science, Bronx Science also teaches a lot about the humanities (like literature and history) and social sciences (like psychology).
Bronx Science has had more Nobel laureates (winners of the Nobel Prize in science) than any other high school in the world. Its former students have also won other big awards. These include two Turing Awards (like the Nobel Prize for computer science) and nine Pulitzer Prizes (for achievements in journalism, literature, and music).
People often call the school by shorter names like Bronx Science, Bronx Sci, or BX Sci. Sometimes, it's just called Science. Its founder, Morris Meister, used to call it "The High School of Science."
Contents
Discovering Bronx Science's Past
Early Years: 20th Century History
Bronx High School of Science began in 1938. It was a special high school for boys, focusing on science and math. Morris Meister was the first principal. The school first used an old building with a Gothic style. This building was at Creston Avenue and 184th Street in the Bronx.
The principal, Morris Meister, chose the school colors. He picked green for chlorophyll and gold for the sun. He said these colors represent life.
From the very start, parents and Principal Meister wanted a new building. The first building was too small for all the students. Some classes even had to be held in an "Annex" at another public school.
Moving Forward: 21st Century and Beyond
After 20 years, plans for a new building were ready. The new building cost $8 million. It was built on 205th Street, near other schools. On March 3, 1959, students and teachers moved into the new school. They moved library books by having each student take five books home from the old building. Then, they returned them to the new building on Monday.
The new school had modern classrooms and labs. The main entrance has a huge, 63-foot-long mosaic mural. It shows famous scientists like Marie Curie and Charles Darwin. The mural also has a quote from John Dewey: "Every great advance in science has issued from a new audacity of imagination." This mural is a work by Frank J. Reilly.
When Bronx Science celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1963, President John F. Kennedy praised it. He called it an important example of a program for gifted science and math students.
What Students Learn at Bronx Science
Bronx Science students follow a college-prep curriculum. They take four years of science, English, and social studies. They also take three or four years of math and two or three years of a foreign language. A year of fine arts is also required.
The school offers over 100 different courses. These include honors and advanced placement (AP) classes. AP classes can help students earn college credit early.
In science, students can take special honors biology. There are many advanced electives too. These include AP Biology, AP Environmental Science, and AP Psychology. Other cool classes are animal behavior, cell biology, and forensic science. For physical sciences, students can take AP Chemistry and AP Physics. Electives include astronomy, electrical engineering, and organic chemistry. The school is even getting an astronomical observatory soon!
Freshmen take courses in research literacy and engineering. Sophomores take classes in coding and rhetoric. These are called Foundational courses. Sophomores can also join a three-year research program. This program ends with a big research project and paper. Students can submit their work to competitions like the Regeneron Science Talent Search.
The math department offers AP Calculus, AP Statistics, and AP Computer Science. After AP classes, students can take advanced courses. These include multivariable calculus, linear algebra, and game theory. There's even a new class on financial and actuarial math.
Students must take four years of English. They can choose from AP English Language and AP English Literature. Other options include journalism and yearbook design. Juniors can take a unique AP American Studies course. This class combines English and U.S. History.
Four years of social studies or history are also required. Students can take AP European History and AP World History. Juniors can take AP United States History. Senior classes include AP United States Government and Politics and AP Microeconomics. Other social studies classes cover topics like race and gender, and Holocaust leadership.
Students need at least two years of a foreign language. Bronx Science offers French, Spanish, Latin, Italian, Chinese, and Japanese.
Students also need credits in fine arts. They can take drama, music, or art classes. Many students complete this during the summer program. They can also take music electives like jazz band or art electives like AP Art History during the school year. Health and physical education are also required.
Advanced Placement (AP) Courses Offered
Bronx Science offers almost all AP courses. These are college-level classes taught in high school.
- English – AP English Literature and Composition, AP English Language and Composition
- Social Sciences – AP U.S. History, AP European History, AP World History, AP U.S. Government & Politics, AP Microeconomics, AP Macroeconomics, AP Comparative Government & Politics, AP Human Geography, AP Psychology
- Mathematics – AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics, AP Computer Science
- Science – AP Biology, AP Environmental Science, AP Chemistry, AP Physics 1&2, AP Physics C
- Language – AP Spanish Language, AP Spanish Literature, AP French Language and Culture, AP Italian Language and Culture, AP Latin, AP Chinese Language and Culture, AP Japanese Language and Culture
- Arts – AP Studio Art, AP Art History, AP Music Theory
School Publications and Creativity
The Science Survey is the school's newspaper. Students do all the work, from writing to design. It is printed using money from advertisers. The paper is given out about five times a year for free. It has been the school newspaper since 1938.
Dynamo is a literary magazine. It features original poems and stories by students. The Observatory is the school's award-winning yearbook.
Other school publications include the Math Bulletin, Exposition (from the Social Studies Department), and Reactions (from physical science students).
Bronx Science's Amazing Reputation
Bronx Science is known around the world. In 2020, Newsweek ranked it as the 4th best STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) high school in the United States.
The school attracts smart students from all over New York City. These students come from many different backgrounds. The average SAT score for Bronx Science students is very high.
Almost all Bronx Science graduates go on to four-year colleges. Many attend top universities like the Ivy League schools. Bronx Science has had 132 finalists in the Regeneron Science Talent Search. This is the most of any high school.
Nine graduates have won Nobel Prizes, which is more than any other high school in the world. Nine graduates have also won Pulitzer Prizes. Seven of the Nobel Prizes were in physics. Because of this, the American Physical Society named Bronx Science a "Historic Physics Site" in 2010.
Bronx Science is part of the National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools. It is one of the three original specialized science high schools in New York City. The other two are Stuyvesant High School and Brooklyn Technical High School.
Getting to Bronx Science
The school is easy to reach by public transport. The New York City Subway has stations nearby. These are the Bedford Park Boulevard (B D trains) and Bedford Park Boulevard–Lehman College (4 train) stations. Several New York City Bus routes also stop near Bronx Science. These include the Bx10, Bx22, Bx26 and Bx28 routes.
Famous People Who Attended Bronx Science
Many people who went to Bronx High School of Science have become very successful. They have won Nobel and Pulitzer Prizes, Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, and Turing Awards. They have also won the U.S. National Medal of Science and held political office.
