New Rochelle High School

School Announcements / Latest News

• Hundreds Gather in Support of Latinx Youth Leadership

  New Rochelle, New York -   New Rochelle High School will be hosting The 7th Annual Latinx Youth Leadership Conference in the Whitney Auditorium on April 27, 2019 from 9:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.  Drawing a crowd of over 400 participants, this annual event highlights the achievements and strengths of our students and Latinx community.

  Our theme this year is, ‘Breaking Walls and Breaking Stereotypes.’ The purpose of this event is to challenge misconceptions about Latinos, educate, celebrate and take pride in the diverse accomplishments and potential of Latin American peoples.  Attendees will participate in student organized workshops and interactive presentations related to: youth leadership, college and career planning, cultural identity, relationships, health, educational access and opportunities.

  Our keynote speaker will be New York State Assemblywoman, Catalina Cruz. This event is free of charge and open to the entire community.  For further information, please contact Gustavo Barbosa at (914) 576-4514 or gbarbosa@nredlearn.org

  New Rochelle High School

• Wall of Fame Nominations Being Accepted

  New Rochelle High School is accepting nominations for the next set of alumni to join the school’s Wall of Fame. If you know if any graduates who have made a mark in their field – academia, education, business, the military, entertainment, etc. – or who have made an outstanding contribution in volunteer service, nominate them using the form found here.    

  Nominees must have graduated from New Rochelle High School at least 10 years before the year of nomination. Find the full list of criteria and how to nominate a candidate here.Opens a New Window. 

  If you have any questions, please email Sue Riordan at: nrhsalumni@nredlearn.orgOpens a New Window.

  Nominations must be received by June 1. The Wall of Fame ceremony is held each December at the school.

  City School District of New Rochelle

• NRHS TheatreWorks Invites You to 'See Rock City'

  Get ready to see Rock City.

  
  

  The TheatreWorks performers at New Rochelle High School want to take you there and some other tourist-luring locales in the musical See Rock City and Other Destinations, playing this weekend (March 14-16) in the Linda E. Kelly Theater.  

  
  

  Never heard of the show? That's just fine with the actors, who are eager to be the first ones many audience members see performing it.

  
  

  "It brings a new level of interest, because you don't know what to expect," said senior Chloe Werner, who plays a Niagara Falls tour guide.

  
  

  Director Anthony Stirpe steered clear of the more famous musicals and chose this relatively unknown show of vignettes of self-exploration, each centered around a different landmark.

  
  

  "This show is about community and taking chances while moving forward," Stirpe said. "That's what we need right now."

  
  

  Showings are Thursday, March 14 through Saturday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee at 2 p.m. on March 16. Tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for students and seniors.

  
  

  Theater-goers will see the story of three sisters who travel together to scatter their father's ashes on Glacier Bay, and of Kate, a runaway bride, who is tempted to take a risk by the Niagara Falls guide.

  
  

  "We're all trying to find something," said Anthony Johnson, who plays Jess, the character who heads to the titular Rock City with Dodi, played by fellow senior Melissa Ramondelli.

  
  

  Students were enjoying the challenge.

   

  "A lot of the harmonies are very complicated, and we tackle a lot of sensitive topics," said Donatello Immediato, a senior. He plays one of two friends who skip school to take a trip to Coney Island.

  
  

  (The show also includes some slightly stronger-than-usual language, which Stirpe advises may be inappropriate for children under 13.)

   

  The students also enjoyed putting on a show with plenty of substantive parts to play.

  
  

  "There is no one character who's the lead," said junior Dylan Feldman, who plays Grampy. "Everyone gets to show their talent."

  City School District of New Rochelle

• Forensic Students Learn from Wrongfully Convicted Man

  New Rochelle High School forensic science students had just learned about DNA evidence. Yesterday, they and some schoolmates gained perspective on the topic they could never get from science studies alone, when they heard the harrowing first-hand account of man wrongfully imprisoned for 16 years before DNA evidence proved   that someone else committed the crime.

   

  "I was a sophomore," Jeffrey Deskovic said of his wrongful conviction in 1990. "I was younger than most of you."

  
  

  Despite the original DNA evidence in the case, Deskovic was convicted of murder on the strength of a confession he says was coerced. It wasn't until 2006 that Westchester County's then-District Attorney Janet DiFiore ordered another DNA test, which led to Deskovic's exoneration and release.

  
  

  He spoke Thursday in the Whitney M. Young Jr. Auditorium to an audience of mostly juniors and seniors from two forensic science classes, the AP Government class, the Law in Government Class and others. He told them about starting the Deskovic Foundation to further his work on behalf of others who are in prison for crimes they did not commit.

  
  

  "I wanted to take my work to the next level," he said. "I wanted to reach back into the prisons and free people - innocent people - who were in the same position I had been in."

  
  

  He told them of the challenges of returning to society after 16 years - unfamiliar technology, lost friends and family members, the difficulty in finding a job. He received a master's degree from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and is set to graduate with a law degree from Pace University in May.

  
  

  Speaking with the experience of a former inmate, he urged the students to appreciate what they have, enjoy sunlight and the freedom to travel and to understand that they can overcome difficulties. For those entering law enforcement, science or the legal professions, he implored them to dedicate themselves to doing the job well.

  
  

  "Take your job very, very seriously, and go that extra mile," he said.

  It was a message received by students such as senior Kimberly Sanchez, who plans to become a police officer.

  
  

  "It helps me to see how I should be as a cop," she said.

  City School District of New Rochelle

• Forrest, Manns Sign with Holy Cross, UMaine

  Huguenot running back Jordan Forrest had already announced that he would attend College of the Holy Cross next year, but teammate Khairi Manns kept followers in suspense until the signing ceremony.  

   

  On Wednesday - National Signing Day - Manns, the football team's defensive end, revealed that he will attend the University of Maine. They held a ceremonial signing in the New Rochelle High School library, applauded by family, friends, teammates and supporters. Several reporters captured the event.

   

  Forrest, Manns and the entire team have spent much of the year in the spotlight, mainly when they fought their way to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association state championship in the Carrier Dome in Syracuse in November. Ultimately, Aquinas Institute - a private school in Rochester - won the game, but the Huguenots' performance captured the hearts of New Rochelle.

   

  Last month, Forrest was named Player of the Year for Class AA by the New York State Sportswriters Association. Last week, he was named one of the "Golden Dozen" by the Westchester Chapter of the National Football Foundation for his excellence on the field and in the classroom.

  City School District of New Rochelle