The high school that produces more Nobel Laureates than most sovereign nations
In short: With nine Nobel Prize winners among its alumni, Bronx Science holds a distinction that would place it 23rd in the world, ahead of nations like Spain. But this legendary institution began in a repurposed, Gothic-style building, far from the modern laboratories it occupies today.
Founded in 1938 by Dr. Morris Meister, the Bronx High School of Science originally served as a specialized academy for boys. Its first home was an antiquated, Gothic-gargoyled edifice at 184th Street, a building that had previously housed several other New York City schools. The school's identity was deeply personal to Meister; he even chose the school colors—green for chlorophyll and gold for the sun—to symbolize the essential components of life.
The school's evolution was marked by significant shifts in both scale and accessibility. In 1946, following campaigns by the faculty and Parents Association, the school became co-educational. This move granted New York City girls the opportunity to attend a specialized high school decades before rivals like Stuyvesant or Brooklyn Tech followed suit. As enrollment grew, the school eventually moved to a new $8 million facility on 205th Street in 1959, designed by Emery Roth and Sons.
Today, the school is a powerhouse of academic achievement, recognized by Newsweek as the 4th best STEM school in the United States as of 2020. Its legacy is cemented by its massive contribution to scientific progress, boasting 132 finalists in the Regeneron Science Talent Search. The prestige is even reflected in its physical architecture, where a massive 63-foot Venetian glass mosaic mural depicts scientific icons like Marie Curie and Charles Darwin, serving as a permanent tribute to the pursuit of knowledge.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Bronx High School of Science
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