Pace University High School

School history

Established by Pace University and the New York City Department of Education, Pace High School was founded with grants from New Visions for Public Schools with money donated from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and George Soros’ Open Society Institute. Pace High School opened its doors to its first class on September 13, 2004. The school is among the 330 out of over 1,400 New York City public schools (23.6%) designated as an Empowerment School which allows it more autonomy in choosing a curriculum. Pace High School graduated its first class in 2008. Everyone graduated and went on to two and four-year colleges. Pace University High School also awards the top 5 students of the graduating class a full 4 year scholarship to Pace University.

Overview

Located in lower Manhattan, Pace High School is offered a high level of involvement with a national university, being just ten blocks away from Pace University's New York City campus. Pace High School students are granted University identification badges, which allow them access to the University's campuses, computing system and e-mail, libraries, student union, gymnasiums, and cafeterias.

Incoming 9th grade students participate in "First Summer" Freshman Retreat in August; a freshman orientation where students spend three days and two nights at the Pace University Pleasantville-Briarcliff campus in Westchester County, New York getting to know the high school staff, students and school programs.

11th graders are placed in internships, as well as a community service component of 180 hours required for graduation; the goal being to create a résumé of quality educational experiences. Starting in the 11th grade students can take classes at Pace University.

Student body

The school accepts about 108 students each year out of more than 4000 applicants. 30% of the student body comes from Brooklyn and Queens, but the school has students from all five boroughs. Although the first graduating class was roughly 50% Asian (because it drew its initial students from the surrounding Chinatown neighborhood), subsequent classes were more diverse, so the school's demographics are now evenly divided among the Latino/a, African-American, and Asian ethnicities.

Pace University High School graduated its first class in 2008. The graduation rate for the Class of 2008 was 100%. Students went on to many colleges. These include Baruch College, Brooklyn College, John Jay, Hunter College, Queens College, Binghamton University, Buffalo State, New Paltz, Stony Brook University, Cornell University, Pace University, St. John’s University, Syracuse University, Penn State University, and Rutgers University.

Pace University High School graduated its second class in 2009. Students went on to many colleges including Pace University, Middlebury College, Brooklyn College, John Jay, Penn State, Albany, Old Westbury, and Queens College, Brown University, Syracuse University, and many others

Already students have been accepted to schools like Penn State, St. John's University, Baruch College, Syracuse University, Pace University, New Paltz, Stony Brook University and Fordham University with some students receiving full scholarships to those universities.

Advancement Placement Classes/Honors Classes

Currently, Pace High School offers a few Honors Classes and College Level classes. Some classes are taught at [Pace University] at no charge to the students. Students will get college credits for the College Classes. Honors classes are taught at the high school. To be placed in the honors classes, a student must maintain a B+ or higher average in their 10th/11th grade year. A few classes the school offers are:

The school also allows students with a high average in the 11th and 12 grade to take college courses for free at Pace University during the school year. To be eligible students must be enrolled in Honors Writing Seminar during their 11th grade year.

Awards

Extracurricular activities

Pace High School has many extracurricular activities for students. Extracurricular activities include fine arts, drama, student government, yearbook, literary magazine, debate team, anime, technology, film, step, and National Honor Society. Every year, the activities change.

Besides the intramural sports, the high school also participates in the Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL). The school sponsors a men's and women's basketball team, but its limited space restricts its athletic offerings. The school has a small outdoor track and field (rare for public schools in Manhattan), as well as a gym facility in the building that is shared with the middle school students and used only for gym class.

Field trips

Field trips to Pace University are called "the bridge to bridge walk" because Pace High School is located at the foot of the Manhattan Bridge, and Pace University is located at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge (a 10-15 minute walk).