The Academy of American Studies Queens, NY
http://www.academyofamericanstudies.com/

Slide Show Academy of American Studies Gilder Lehrman Research Center Ribbon-Cutting/ Tenth Anniversary Celebration, October 12, 2006 View Slide Show

Principal: Ellen Sherman
Founding Principal: Michael Serber
School Phone #: 718-433-2556 0r 2557
GLI Coordinator: Mark Solkoff

Founded by the New York City Board of Education in partnership with the Gilder Lehrman Institute

Number of students enrolled: 598
Attendance rate: 93%
Cohort from 2002 who graduated by 2006 - 90%
Graduates with Regents/Advanced Regents endorsed diplomas - 95%
Graduates who were accepted to higher education - 100%
Graduates who went on to higher education - 99%
Number of applications for freshman class (150 open seats) - 3,000

(From left to right) Isabel Garcia points to a list of college acceptances for the class of 2006, students in a museum studies class put together an exhibition, and history teacher Joshua Yang prepares for class.

American history is alive and thriving at the Academy of American Studies, founded in 1996 by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History as the first history high school in the nation. The Institute has since established 31 history high schools or intensive history programs within high schools in in 11 states and the District of Columbia. Students at these schools “major” in history, taking up to four years of American history instead of one as is the norm in many high schools. They analyze original documents, take trips to historic sites like Gettysburg and Independence Hall, and spend an entire year, instead of a few weeks, concentrating on one era in history.

At the Academy, freshmen study the Revolutionary War, the founding fathers, slavery, and the reform movements of the 1800s, while sophomores focus on the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the balance of the nineteenth century. Juniors concentrate on the twentieth century and the structure of American government. Seniors conduct independent research and write a 10-15 page thesis on a history topic of their choice.

“Our mission is to prepare our students for tomorrow’s challenges by providing insights into America’s rich history,” says Academy principal Ellen Sherman.

It's a recipe that works. New York magazine has twice named the school as one of the best in the city. The Academy boasts a 90 percent graduation rate. All seniors who apply to college are accepted by at least one; 97 percent enroll in college. Some 83 percent of students who take the advanced placement U.S. history exam score a grade of three or higher on a five-point system, and several sophomores have been finalists in an annual Civil War Essay Contest sponsored by the Gilder Lehrman Institute.