Townsend Harris H.S. Earns Intel Distinction Award

Townsend Harris H.S. Earns Intel Distinction Award

Townsend Harris H.S. at Queens College was selected as the 2008 School of Distinction for high school science by the Intel Schools of Distinction Program. The school will receive a $10,000 cash award.

In selecting Townsend Harris for this award, the Intel judges noted that the revamped science program at Townsend Harris offered its students a rich and diverse science curriculum that "capitalized on teachers' strengths and addressed student interests". All students study core courses of biology, chemistry and physics, supplemented by Advance Placement psychology and environmental science, as well as courses in robotics, forensic science, genetics, anatomy and physiology, organic chemistry, and science research that challenge students to achieve their best. The judges also noted that the school's science faculty have developed outstanding courses, and volunteer time to mentor students in science-based extracurricular activities such as independent research, Science Olympiad, FIRST Robotics, and the Brain Bee. During the past six years, the school has produced 17 Intel semifinalists, seven Siemens-Westinghouse semifinalists, 19 Intel ISEF finalists, and numerous local awards.

" I am pleased and proud of this magnificent achievement," Principal Thomas Cunningham said. "Effort and intellectual curiosity have been justly rewarded. What sets our school apart from many other top achieving schools is our humanitiesfocused curriculum. Our approach is holistic, integrating science and math with languages, history, art and music."

"I am very proud of this achievement," Susan Brustein, Townsend Harris High School Assistant Principal of Science and Technology, said. "Creating the program we now have at Harris has required great effort and planning by the entire science faculty. Science education at Harris is now multi-disciplinary, engaging learners in a variety of modalities- visual, auditory and kinesthetic- while simultaneously stressing reading, writing, oral communication skills and the ability to evaluate information. We set high standards for our students and provide the necessary support to ensure their success."

In all, Intel honored six schools: one elementary, middle and high school were selected for their outstanding science programs, another three were selected for their mathematics programs. Award sponsors include Dell Computers, eInstruction, and SMART Technologies. The awards were conferred on Tuesday, June 3,