Over 900 High School Students Recognized for High Achievement in College Courses from the Nation's Top Universities

The National Education Equity Lab's Spring 2024 Honor Society honors students – hailing from cities from across the country, including San Francisco, Topeka, and Miami, to El Paso, Chicago, and New York City  –  recognized for outstanding achievement in college credit-bearing courses from Stanford, Howard, Spelman, Brown, and other top colleges and universities

NEW YORK, Aug. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Education Equity Lab (Ed Equity Lab), a nonprofit that works to bridge the gap between high school and college for students from historically marginalized, low-income communities, announced the inductees for its Spring 2024 Honor Society. Over 900 high schoolers are being recognized for their top academic performance in dual-credit college courses at some of the nation's most prestigious universities.

"For too long, we've allowed zip codes to determine educational opportunities in this country. But, every semester, the thousands of students participating in college courses taught by the nation's top professors underscore that this country is rich in talent. We have to create more opportunities for young people to demonstrate their fullest potential," said Leslie Cornfeld, founder and CEO of the National Education Equity Lab. "Today, we're celebrating the talented students who excelled last semester, and we thank the incredible high school educators and college leaders and faculty who have joined us in this mission."

The scholars, who come from 61 cities across 24 states, performed in the top 20% of all scholars nationwide taking Ed Equity Lab courses from universities including: Howard University, Stanford University, Wesleyan University, University of Pennsylvania (Wharton School; School of Social Policy & Practice), Georgetown University, Cornell University, Morehouse College, Brown University, Spelman College, Barnard College at Columbia University, and Arizona State University.

"We are immensely proud of our students' achievements in the National Ed Equity Lab's program. Their success in these rigorous college courses underscores the boundless potential within our diverse student body," said David C. Banks, chancellor, New York City Public Schools. "By bringing top universities into our high schools, we are not only advancing college and career readiness and building bold futures for our students, but also showing our scholars what they are capable of."

Some of the courses that scholars excelled in include Cornell University's Climate Change and You, The Engineer, Morehouse College's Professional Communication, Brown University's Introduction to Public Policy: How to Change the World, and the Wharton School's Grit Lab: The Psychology of Passion and Perseverance.

"Our students' success in the Ed Equity Lab's college courses is a testament to their talents and the quality of education we provide in LAUSD," said Alberto M. Carvalho, superintendent, Los Angeles Unified School District. "This recognition highlights the power of bringing top universities into our high schools to expand successful access to higher education, ensuring our students are well-prepared for the future."

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. The Ed Equity Lab has now served 25,000 students across 31 states, and is on track to serve 1 million scholars over the next decade.

"The achievements of our students in the Ed Equity Lab's program reflect the incredible talent and drive present in Henry County," said Dr. Carl Knowlton, interim superintendent, Henry County Schools. "By excelling in college-level courses, these scholars are setting a new standard of excellence and demonstrating that with the right support, every student can reach their full potential."

Scholars in this year's Honor Society will be recognized in a ceremony tonight, August 21, featuring university professors, high school teachers, district leaders, family, and members of the National Education Equity Lab board. To attend the ceremony tonight at 6:30 pm EDT, contact Sasha Bentley-Rohret at [email protected].

The following districts had the largest number of students recognized as National Education Equity Lab Honor Society Scholars:

• New York City Department of Education: 351 scholars recognized from 68 high schools;
• Los Angeles Unified School District: 111 scholars recognized from 21 high schools;
• Miami-Dade County Public Schools: 88 scholars recognized from 16 high schools;
• Sewanhaka Central High School District (New York): 37 scholars recognized from 2 high schools;
• Lompoc Unified School District (California): 21 scholars recognized from 1 high school.

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

Arizona

• American Charter Schools Foundation
  • Desert Hills High School, Principal Miller
  • Ridgeview College Prep High School, Principal Rodriguez
  • South Ridge High School, Principal Sigman

California

• Birmingham Community Charter High School
  • Birmingham Community Charter High School, Principal Bennett
• Emery Unified School District
  • Emery Secondary, Principal Goode
• Inglewood Unified School District
  • City Honors International Prep School, Principal Araya
• KIPP Northern California
  • KIPP San Jose, Principal Võ
• Lompoc Unified
  • Lompoc High School, Principal Pico
• Los Angeles Unified School District
• • Belmont Senior High, Principal Mendoza
  • Benjamin Franklin Senior High, Principal Marquez Martinez
  • Boys Academic Leadership Academy, Principal Samuel
  • Diego Rivera Learning Complex Green Design STEAM Academy, Principal Chavez
  • Fairfax Senior High, Principal Choi
  • Huntington Park Senior High School, Principal Garibaldi
  • 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
  • Mervyn M. Dymally High School, Principal Bradley
  • Nathaniel Narbonne Senior High, Principal Karuza
  • NAVA College Preparatory Academy, Principal Casillas
  • 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
  • Thomas Jefferson High School, Principal Puich
  • Valley Academy of Arts & Sciences, Principal Hanock
  • Whitman Continuation High, Principal Charles
  • Woodrow Wilson Senior High School, Principal Verbera

• Lynwood Unified School District
  • Lynwood High School, Principal Gonzalez
  • Marco Antonio Firebaugh High School, Principal Reed

• San Francisco Unified School District
  • Jordan (June) School for Equity, Principal Chui
• Visalia Unified
  • Golden West High School, Principal Lambert
  • Mount Whitney High School, Principal Marroquin

Colorado

• Colorado Springs School District 11
  • Doherty High School, Principal Hienton
  • Odyssey Early College Career Options, Principal Miller
• 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
  • Booker T. Washington High School, Principal Lawrence
  • Hialeah Miami Lakes Senior High School, Principal Ramirez
  • Homestead Senior High, Principal Louis
  • Miami Coral Park Senior High School, Principal Weiner
  • Miami Edison Senior High School, Principal Dominique
  • Miami Jackson Senior High School, Principal Turner
  • Miami Norland Senior High School, Principal Gaines-Miller
  • Miami Northwestern Senior High School, Principal Tate-Wyche
  • Miami Senior High School, Principal Valdes
  • Miami Southridge Senior High, Principal Miret
  • Miami Springs Senior High, Principal Gonzalez
  • North Miami Senior High School, Principal Stewart
  • Robert Morgan Educational Center, Principal Williams
  • South Dade Senior High School, Principal De Armas
  • South Miami Senior High School, Principal Penton

Georgia

• Fulton County Public Schools
  • Creekside High School, Principal Awak
• Henry County Schools
  • Luella High School, Principal Hardnett
  • Stockbridge High School, Principal Thornton

Illinois

• Chicago Public Schools
  • Englewood STEM High School, Shelton
• Thornton Fractional District 215
  • Thornton Fractional South High School, Principal Bouler

Indiana

• Indianapolis Public Schools
  • Crispus Attucks High School, Principal Franklin

Kansas

• Topeka Public Schools
  • Topeka High School, Principal Dick

Louisiana

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

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

Minnesota

• St. Paul Public School District
  • Open World Learning Community, Principal Gundale

Mississippi

• Jackson Public School District
  • Callaway High School, Principal McClung
  • Forest Hill High School, Principal Hampton
  • Jim Hill High School, Principal Brown
• South Tippah School District
  • Blue Mountain High School, Principal Holt

New Jersey

• Jersey City Public Schools
  • Infinity Institute, Principal Dobson
  • Innovation High School, Principal Dooley
• KIPP New Jersey
  • KIPP Cooper Norcross High School, Principal Taylor
  • KIPP Newark Collegiate Academy, Principal Lewis
  • KIPP Newark Lab High School, Principal Burroughs
• Newark Public Schools
  • Central High School, Principal Mitchell
  • Newark School of Data Science & Information Technology, Principal Summey
  • University High School, Principal Flournoy-Hamilton

New Mexico

• Albuquerque Public Schools
  • South Valley Academy, Principal Perea

New York

• Achievement First Charter
  • Achievement First East Brooklyn High School, Principal Ng
• Brentwood UFSD
  • Brentwood High School, Principal Dulin
• KIPP NYC
  • KIPP NYC College Prep High School, Principal Samuels
• New York City Department of Education
  • 07X427 Community School for Social Justice, Principal Guzman
  • A-Tech High School, Principal Harris
  • Academy For Conservation And The Environment, Principal Mazzola
  • Academy for Scholarship & Entrepreneurship, Principal White
  • Academy for Young Writers, Principal Brown
  • Academy of Hospitality and Tourism, Principal Miller
  • All City Leadership Secondary School, Principal Rivera
  • Antonia Pantoja Preparatory Academy, A College Board School; Principal Mercanti-Anthony
  • Bronx Career and College Preparatory High School, Principal Winn
  • Bronx Health Sciences High School, Principal Sharoyan
  • Bronx High School for Medical Science, Principal Lenihan
  • Bronx High School of Business, Principal Bajana-Vega
  • Bronx International High School, Principal Vega
  • Bronx Legacy High School, Principal Waugh-Gordon
  • Bronx School for Law, Government, and Justice, Principal Hernandez
  • Bronxdale High School, Principal White
  • Brooklyn Lab School, Principal Henry
  • Claremont International High School, Principal Demchak
  • Crotona International High School, Principal Ratra
  • Cultural Academy for the Arts and Sciences, Principal Alexis
  • Cypress Hills Collegiate Preparatory School, Principal Stipanov
  • Eagle Academy for Young Men of Harlem, Principal Edwards
  • Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School, Principal Corley
  • East Side Community School, Principal Federman
  • Flushing International High School, Principal Hesseltine
  • Frank McCourt High School, Principal Salzberg
  • Frederick Douglass Academy III Secondary School, Principal Carlos
  • Grover Cleveland, Principal Pascente
  • Harvest Collegiate High School, Principal Burch
  • Health Opportunities High School, Principal Pendharkar
  • High School for Arts and Technology (Urban Assembly), Principal Garzaniti
  • High School for Violin and Dance, Principal Sim
  • Information Technology High School, Principal Woods-Powell
  • International High School at Union Square, Principal Ramsuchit
  • International Leadership Charter High School, Principal Edward
  • Longwood Preparatory Academy, Principal Johnson
  • M.S. 223 The Laboratory School of Finance and Technology, Principal Lincoln
  • Manhattan Village Academy, Principal White
  • Martin van Buren High School, Principal Nettleford
  • Mathematics, Science Research and Technology High School, Principal Thompson-Young
  • Millenium Art Academy, Principal Guy
  • Mott Haven Village Preparatory High School, Principal Dubei
  • Nelson Mandela High School for Social Justice, Principal Anderson
  • Origins High School, Principal Kammerman
  • Pan American International High School, Principal Velez
  • Pelham Preparatory Academy, Principal Ferron
  • Performing Arts and Technology High School, Principal Encarnación
  • Queens Satellite High School for Opportunity, Principal McKenna
  • Renaissance High School for Musical Theater and the Arts, Principal Gumina
  • Richmond Hill High School, Principal Alamarie
  • Rockaway Collegiate High School, Principal Ali
  • School for Classics High School, Principal Tancredi
  • School for Excellence, Principal Konadu
  • School of the Future, Principal Goldstein
  • Schuylerville Preparatory High School, Principal Bell
  • Science Skills Center High School, Principal McGregor
  • South Bronx Preparatory: A College Board School, Principal Flanagan
  • The Charter High School for Law and Social Justice, Principal Burke
  • The Facing History School, Principal Panagot
  • The HS for Innovation in Advertising and Media, Principal Michelena
  • The Manhattan International High School, Principal Rodriguez
  • The Young Women's Leadership School of Queens, Principal Pineda
  • University Heights Secondary School, Principal Joseph-Roseboro
  • Urban Assembly School for Emergency Management, Principal Bility
  • Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School, Principal Pichardo
  • Wings Academy, Principal Jackson-Dickens
• Sewanhaka Central High School
  • Elmont Memorial High School, Principal Baker
  • Sewanhaka High School, Principal Allen

North Carolina

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

Ohio

• Middletown City District
  • Middletown High School, Principal Cotter

Pennsylvania

• Mastery Charter Schools
  • Mastery Charter Schools-Pickett Campus, Principal Munnelly
• Philadelphia City School District
  • John Bartram High School, Principal Johnson
  • Olney High School, Principal Roth
  • William L. Sayre High School, Principal Eberle
• Upper Darby School District
  • Upper Darby High School, Principal Alloway

Rhode Island

• Highlander Secondary Charter School
  • Highlander Secondary Charter School, Principal Pabst

South Carolina

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

Tennessee

• Metro Nashville Public Schools
  • Antioch High School, Principal Burnette
  • Cane Ridge High School, Principal Alexander
  • John Overton High School, Principal Crutchfield
  • Maplewood High School, Principal Bowie
  • Stratford STEM Magnet School, Principal Pratt
• Peer Power Foundation
  • Peer Power Foundation, Principal Benson

Texas

• El Paso Independent School District
  • Burges High School, Principal Yturralde
  • Irvin High School, Principal Stives

Washington, DC

• Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools
  • Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools - Parkside High School Campus, Principal Mitchell
• District of Columbia Public Schools
  • Roosevelt STAY Opportunity Academy, Principal Little
  • School Without Walls, Principal Isaac
• Friendship Public Charter Schools
  • Friendship Collegiate Academy Online, Principal Cherry
  • Friendship Technology Preparatory Academy, Principal Booth

SOURCE The National Education Equity Lab