High School Scholars from Underserved Communities Nationwide Recognized for High Achievement in College Courses Offered by Nation's Top Universities

The National Education Equity Lab recognizes over 750 high school scholars who have excelled in college credit-bearing courses from the nation's top universities including Stanford, Howard, Brown, and Wharton

NEW YORK, Feb. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Educational Equity Lab (Ed Equity Lab), an education justice nonprofit that works to bridge the gap between high school and college for students from historically marginalized, low-income communities, today announced over 750 inductees selected for its 2023-24 Honor Society nationwide - from Albuquerque, Baton Rouge, and Flint to Los Angeles, New York, and Miami.

The students, representing 70 cities from 23 states, reflect the top 20 percent of students that participated in dual-credit Ed Equity Lab college courses this past Fall from Howard University, Stanford University, Princeton University, Wesleyan University, Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown University, Cornell University, Brown University, Morehouse College, Barnard College at Columbia University, and Arizona State University.

Some of the courses that scholars excelled in include Cornell University's Data Science and Decision Making, Wesleyan University's Introduction to Programming, Howard University's Environmental Studies and Justice, and Brown University's Law and Literature. 

"This year's class reflects the breadth of untapped talent across the country, demonstrating once again that while talent is evenly distributed in our nation, opportunity is not," said Leslie Cornfeld, Founder and CEO of the National Education Equity Lab. "We're grateful for the passionate commitment of our high school and university partners, who are expanding opportunities for these scholars to advance and demonstrate their vast talent. "  

Scholars in this year's Honor Society will be recognized in a ceremony tonight, February 15, featuring university professors, high school teachers, district leaders, family, and members of the National Education Equity Lab board. To attend the ceremony tonight at 6:00pm EST, contact Laura Moore at [email protected].

Former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, an Ed Equity Lab board member, congratulates the scholars today, noting, "Ed Equity Lab gives students from communities that are all too often overlooked a powerful opportunity to demonstrate what they are capable of. It's an honor to recognize their hard work and accomplishments today."

The National Education Equity Lab partners with top colleges and universities to deliver — and support — actual college credit-bearing courses in teacher-led Title 1 high school classrooms across the country, at no cost to students. Participating students gain the opportunity to take rigorous college courses from top professors, with weekly live discussions led by university teaching fellows, co-taught by teachers at their high schools. Scholars earn widely transferable college credits and a transcript from the offering institution upon successful completion. Starting in 2019 with a single Harvard humanities course in 25 high schools, the Ed Equity Lab has now served 20,000 students across 31 states, and aims to offer this opportunity in all eligible underserved high schools in the nation. 

The following districts had the largest number of scholars recognized in this semester's Honor Society:

• New York City Department of Education: 292 scholars recognized from 54 high schools
• Los Angeles Unified School District: 81 scholars recognized from 16 high schools
• Miami-Dade County Public Schools: 63 scholars recognized from 14 high schools
• Sewanhaka Central High School District (New York): 54 scholars recognized from 2 high schools

"I am proud to have brought college credit-bearing courses from our nation's top colleges into our Los Angeles Unified high school classrooms — and am not surprised that our scholars are thriving," Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho said. "Scholars from 16 of our high schools are among the top performing scholars in the nation in these college courses — propelling their skills, confidence, and college and career opportunities. Our work with the National Ed Equity Lab and their college partners has been a key part of my postsecondary opportunity strategy — previously in Miami, and now in Los Angeles. We are all proud of our students, and their representation in this year's National Ed Equity Lab Honors Society."

The following schools participating in the Ed Equity Lab all have students inducted into this semester's Honor Society:

Arizona

• American Charter Schools Foundation 
  • South Pointe High School, Principal McGill
  • South Ridge High School, Principal Sigman
• Kaizen Education Foundation
  • Glenview College Prep High School, Principal Ecton
• Lompoc Unified
  • Lompoc High School, Principal Pico

California

• Aspire Public Schools 
  • Aspire Vanguard College Preparatory Academy, Principal Saldana
• Birmingham Community Charter High School
  • Birmingham Community Charter High School, Principal Bennett
• KIPP Northern California
  • KIPP San Jose, Principal Võ
• Los Angeles Unified School District 
  • Belmont Senior High, Principal Mendoza
  • Benjamin Franklin Senior High, Principal Marquez Martinez
  • Diego Rivera Learning Complex Green Design STEAM Academy, Principal Chavez
  • Huntington Park Senior High School, Principal Garibaldi
  • James A. Garfield Senior High, Principal Favela
  • John F. Kennedy High, Principal Vazquez
  • John Marshall Senior High, Principal Garcia
  • Linda Esperanza Marquez High, Principal Chaikittirattana
  • Marquez High School of Social Justice, Principal Guzman
  • Nathaniel Narbonne Senior High, Principal Karuza
  • Reseda Charter High School, Principal Welsh
  • San Pedro Senior High School, Principal Aubele
  • Santee Education Complex, Principal Ruiz
  • Thirty-Second Street USC Performing Arts, Principal Kehrley
  • Valley Academy of Arts & Sciences, Principal Hanock
  • Woodrow Wilson Senior High School, Principal Verbera
• Lynwood Unified School District
  • Lynwood High School, Principal Gonzalez
• Visalia Unified
  • Golden West High School, Principal Lambert
  • Mount Whitney High School, Principal Aguilar

Colorado

• Colorado Springs School District 11
  • Palmer High School, Principal Burke
• Denver Public Schools
  • Bruce Randolph High School, Principal Olson

Connecticut

• Hartford School District
  • Weaver High School, Principal Webley
• Manchester School District
  • Manchester High School, Principal Miner
• Meriden School District
  • Francis T. Maloney High School, Principal Straub

Florida

• Miami-Dade County Public Schools
  • American Senior High School, Principal Papp
  • Hialeah High School, Principal Rodriguez
  • Hialeah Miami Lakes Senior High School, Principal Ramirez
  • Miami Central Senior High School, Principal Sands
  • Miami Coral Park Senior High School, Principal Weiner
  • Miami Norland Senior High School, Principal Gaines-Miller
  • Miami Senior High School, Principal Valdes
  • Miami Southridge Senior High, Principal Miret
  • Miami Springs Senior High, Principal Gonzalez
  • North Miami Beach Senior High School, Principal Milliken
  • South Dade Senior High School, Principal De Armas
  • South Miami Senior High School, Principal Penton
  • Southwest Miami Senior High School, Principal Bulnes
  • William H. Turner Technical Arts Senior High School, Principal Feazier
• The SEED Network
  • The SEED School of Miami, Principal Thomas

Georgia

• Fulton County Public Schools
  • Creekside High School, Principal Awak
• Henry County Schools
  • Dutchtown High School, Principal Shaw
  • McDonough High School, Principal Blasingame
  • Stockbridge High School, Principal Thornton
  • Woodland High School, Principal Jackson

Iowa

• Davenport Community School District
  • Davenport Central High School, Principal Ehlinger

Illinois

• Chicago Public Schools
  • Englewood STEM High School, Principal Timbers-Ausar
• Thornton Fractional District 215
  • Thornton Fractional North High School, Principal Rucinski
  • Thornton Fractional South High School, Principal Gourley

Indiana

• Indianapolis Public Schools
  • Crispus Attucks High School, Principal Franklin
• Victory College Prep Academy
  • Victory College Prep Academy, Principal Easter

Kansas

• Topeka Public Schools
  • Highland Park High School, Principal Watson
  • Topeka High School, Principal Dick
  • Topeka West High School, Principal Buckendorff

Louisiana

• Collegiate Academies
  • Abramson Sci Academy, Principal McElligott
  • Collegiate Baton Rouge, Principal Johnson
  • George Washington Carver High School, Principal Byrant

Massachusetts

• KIPP Massachusetts
  • KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate High School, Principal Clarke

Michigan

• International Academy of Flint
  • International Academy of Flint, Principal Cormier
• Pontiac School District
  • International Technology Academy, Principal Karaffa

Mississippi

• Jackson Public School District
  • Forest Hill High School, Principal Hampton
  • Jim Hill High School, Principal Brown
  • Lanier High School, Principal Bradley

North Carolina

• Duplin County Schools
  • Duplin Early College High School, Principal Smith

New Jersey

• Jersey City Public Schools
  • Infinity Institute, Principal Dobson
  • Innovation High School, Principal Dooley
• KIPP New Jersey
  • KIPP Cooper Norcross High School, Principal Ware
  • KIPP Newark Collegiate Academy, Principal Lewis
  • KIPP Newark Lab High School, Principal Burroughs
• Newark Public Schools
  • Newark School of Data Science & Information Technology, Principal Summey

New Mexico 

• Albuquerque Public Schools
  • South Valley Academy, Principal Perea

New York

• Brentwood UFSD
  • Brentwood High School, Principal Dulin
• Buffalo Public Schools
  • Math, Science, & Technology Prep at Seneca High School; Principal Womack
• New Visions Charter Network
  • New Visions Charter HS for the Humanities IV, Principal Kehn
• New York City Department of Education 
  • A-Tech High School, Principal Harris
  • Academy For Conservation And The Environment, Principal Mazzola
  • Academy of Hospitality and Tourism, Principal Miller
  • All City Leadership Secondary School (32K554), Principal Rivera
  • Astor Collegiate Academy, Principal Burgos
  • Bronx High School of Business, Principal Bajana-Vega
  • Bronx International High School, Principal Vega
  • Bronx School for Law, Government, and Justice, Principal Hernandez
  • Brooklyn Academy of Global Finance (BAGF), Principal Darbee
  • Brooklyn Collegiate: A College Board School , Principal Newman
  • Brooklyn Lab School, Principal Henry
  • Claremont International High School, Principal Demchak
  • Coney Island Prep High School, Principal Boise
  • Crotona International High School, Principal Ratra
  • Cypress Hills Collegiate Preparatory School, Principal Stipanov
  • Digital Arts and Cinema Technology High School, Principal Meconi
  • Eagle Academy for Young Men of Harlem, Principal Edwards
  • Flushing International High School, Principal Hesseltine
  • Fordham Leadership Academy, Principal Cabrejos
  • Frank McCourt High School, Principal Salzberg
  • Frederick Douglass Academy III Secondary School, Principal Carlos
  • Frederick Douglass Academy II, Principal Owusu Afriyie
  • Gotham Professional Arts Academy, Principal Michelin
  • Grover Cleveland (Q485), Principal Pascente
  • Health Opportunities High School, Principal Clayman
  • High School for Arts and Technology (Urban Assembly), Principal Garzaniti
  • High School for Service & Learning, Principal Farkas
  • Information Technology High School, Principal Woods-Powell
  • International High School at Union Square, Principal Ramsuchit
  • Long Island City High School, Principal Selenikas
  • Manhattan Village Academy, Principal White
  • Martin van Buren High School , Principal Nettleford
  • Mathematics, Science Research and Technology High School, Principal Thompson-Young
  • Mott Haven Village Preparatory High School, Principal Dubei
  • Origins High School, Principal Kammerman
  • Pan American International High School, Principal Velez
  • Pathways College Preparatory School, Principal Haseley
  • Pelham Preparatory Academy  , Principal Ferron
  • Performing Arts and Technology High School , Principal Encarnación
  • Repertory Company High School for Theatre Arts, Principal Fram
  • Richmond Hill High School, Principal Ganesh
  • Rockaway Collegiate High School, Principal Ali
  • School for Classics High School, Principal Tancredi
  • Science Skills Center High School, Principal McGregor
  • South Bronx Preparatory: A College Board School 07X221, Principal Flanagan
  • The Charter High School for Law and Social Justice, Principal Ferrer
  • The Facing History School, Principal Panagot
  • The HS for Innovation in Advertising and Media, Principal Michelena
  • The Young Women's Leadership School of Queens, Principal Panday
  • The Young Women's Leadership School of the Bronx            , Principal Eisenberg
  • Urban Assembly School for Emergency Management, Principal Bility
  • Vanguard High School , Principal Doyle
  • Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School, Principal Pichardo
  • Williamsburg High School for Arts and Technology, Principal Blair
• Sewanhaka Central High School
  • Elmont Memorial High School, Principal Baker
  • Sewanhaka High School, Principal Allen

Pennsylvania

• Mastery Charter Schools 
  • Mastery Charter Schools-Pickett Campus, Principal Munnelly
• Philadelphia City School District
  • School of the Future (PA), Principal Smith Jr.

Rhode Island 

• Central Falls School District
  • Central Falls High School, Principal McCarthy
• Highlander Secondary Charter School
  • Highlander Secondary Charter School, Principal Pabst

South Carolina

• Charleston County School District
  • Burke High School, Principal Swinton

Tennessee

• Davidson County
  • Antioch High School, Principal Burnette

Texas 

• El Paso Independent School District
  • Burges High School, Principal Yturralde
  • Irvin High School, Principal Stives
• KIPP Texas
  • KIPP East End High School, Principal Carias

Washington, DC

• Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools
  • Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools - Parkside High School Campus, Principal Mitchell
• District of Columbia Public Schools
  • Eastern High School, Principal Miller
  • School Without Walls, Principal Isaac
• Friendship Collegiate Academy
  • Friendship Collegiate Academy, Principal Jones
  • Friendship Technology Preparatory Academy, Principal Booth

SOURCE The National Education Equity Lab