Francis Lewis High School

Francis Lewis High School
Address
58-20 Utopia Parkway
Fresh Meadows, New York 11365
USA
Coordinates 40°44′27″N 73°47′38″W / 40.74083°N 73.79389°W / 40.74083; -73.79389Coordinates: 40°44′27″N 73°47′38″W / 40.74083°N 73.79389°W / 40.74083; -73.79389
Information
Type Public
Motto Preparing students for success in college, career, and life
Established 1960 - first graduating class 1963
Status Open
School district New York City Department of Education
CEEB code 331926[1]
Principal David Marmor[2]
Grades 9 to 12
Number of students 4600+
Color(s)                Red, Black, and White
Athletics 30 sports
Athletics conference PSAL
Mascot Patriots
Nickname Lewis • Franny Lew • Franny
Team name Patriots
Rivals Benjamin N. Cardozo High School
Bayside High School (Queens)
Yearbook Galaxy
Website www.francislewishs.org

Francis Lewis High School (FLHS) is a public high school located in Fresh Meadows, in the New York City borough of Queens. It is the most applied to public school in New York City with 9,890 applicants in 2016. Operated by the New York City Department of Education, the school serves students of grades 9 through 12. The school is named after Francis Lewis, a representative of New York and signatory of the Declaration of Independence.

The school has approximately a 92% attendance rate and 86% graduation rate.

Student body

As the most-selected non-specialized public high school in New York City,[3] Francis Lewis is one of the most overcrowded schools in New York City, with an enrollment of approximately 4500 students, exceeding the 2,300 capacity by 176 percent.[4][5]

For the 2014 academic year, the student body was 54% Asian, 23% Hispanic, 14% Caucasian, and 7% African American.

On March 2016, Francis Lewis had 9,468 applicants applying for a seat in the school.[6]

During the 2017-2018 school year, Francis Lewis has 4,600 students enrolled.[7] 1,300 of the students were freshmen.[8]

Academics

To give students high school credit and Regents credit, Francis Lewis offers numerous classes such as Integrated Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry/Algebra II, Pre-Trigonometry, English, Living Environment/Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science, Global History and Geography, US History and Geography, US Government and Economics, Health, Music Appreciation, and Graphic Design.

For Physical Education, Francis Lewis offers Frisbee, Racket Sports, Soccer, Basketball, Yoga and Dance, Weight Training and Conditioning, and Volleyball.

Language studies

In keeping with the school's diversity, Francis Lewis offers numerous foreign languages, including Chinese (Mandarin), French, Greek (for the fourth year of the University Scholars progtam), Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, and Spanish. The school previously taught Arabic and Hebrew, but has terminated such classes due to interest declining.

Advanced Placement courses

In 1978, Francis Lewis High School was the first public high school to achieve certification to the International Baccalaureate[9][10] which supplemented the Advanced Placement (AP) courses by offering college credit for work done during high school (based on the final test score). Students may choose the full program to get a full years' college credit, or simply courses of interest (for credit towards single college courses such as math or humanities).

Students can choose from 20 AP courses offered at Francis Lewis, including Biology, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Chemistry, Chinese Language and Culture, Computer Science A, English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, Japanese Language and Culture, Latin, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Physics 1, Physics 2, Psychology, Spanish, Statistics, United States Government and Politics, United States History, and World History. AP Environmental Science and AP French have been cancelled due to lack of interest.

College Now! Courses

Francis Lewis offers several courses from College Now (CN), a program offered by CUNY to allow students access City University of New York classes as well as college credit.

Students can choose up to six classes including Astronomy, Health and Nutrition, Criminal Justice/Sociology, Computers in Modern Society, English, and Pre-Calculus.

Special Programs

Francis Lewis offers a number of programs upon admission, including:

  • The Jacob K. Javits Law Institute for law studies. Students take semesters studying American law, analyzing the court system, and participating in mock trials.[11]
  • The University Scholars Program, a highly selective program which gives its students an accelerated humanities program including Mythology and Philosophy. Students are required to take two foreign languages.[12]
  • The Math and Science Research Program that offers advanced studies of math, science and statistics. Students analyze scientific articles, write scientific papers, design and conduct experiments, and participate in science fairs.[13]
  • Math Team is a program that allows students to participate in citywide math competitions in addition to required math courses.
  • The Robotics and Engineering Program offers students education in engineering. Students learn how to construct and program their own robots and compete in citywide competitions.[14]
  • The International Relations Program allows students to take an accelerated class in international relations including conflicts and trade. Students take field trips to the United Nations building to analyze relations between different country leaders.[15]
  • The Computer Science Program allows students to learn how to code on a computer and improve their programming skills.

The Science Research Program has garnered various Siemens Competition and Intel Science Talent Search finalists and winners.[16][17]

Francis Lewis offers several more programs that are offered before sophomore year, including:

  • The Journalism Academy offers students a classes to better understand news writing, reporting, and production. Students learn to produce a news story, learn to photojournalism skills, and broadcast and report through multimedia.[18]
  • The Music Program allows students to further their music skills with different types of instruments and through voice.[19]
  • The Virtual Enterprise International Academy allows students to learn the basis of designing and selling a product. Student learn marketing techniques, and they use these skills to try to sell a product to real investors.[20]
  • The Sports and Medicine Academy teaches students necessary skills for working in the medical field. Students study human anatomy, medicines, and medical conditions.
  • The Sports Academy for students interested in playing sports.
  • School of Design allows students classes to further their art skills.[21]
  • The Dance Academy allows students to take a dance class in addition to the physical education class. Students learn how to do classical dances and modern dances.

The Journalism Academy has garnered several awards in the Newsies, a citywide award ceremony for high school journalism.[22]

The Virtual Enterprise program has garnered honors with top ranking companies in citywide competitions making nationals.[23]

Francis Lewis High School previously had a Drama program, but lack of interest led to its termination.

Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps

In 1994, the US Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) program was established in the school.[24] It is the largest in the nation, with more than 1000 cadets of the 1,725 high school chapters in the country.[25] The battalion is an honor unit with distinction, and is considered one of the best and well-known US Army JROTC units in the nation.[26] It has a 100% graduation rate, and more students are accepted and enroll into the United States Military Academy than any other high school in the country.[27]

There are six JROTC teams, Academic, Choir, Drum Corps, Honor Guard, Raiders, and Drill Team(Armed and Unarmed). Three teams compete: Academic, Drill Team (Unarmed- Patriot Pride, Armed- Patriot Guard) and Raiders (female- Patriot Strength, male- Patriot Force).[28]
The Patriot Guard were national champions in 2007,[29] 2009-2011,[30] and placed second in 2012. The Patriot Pride came in second in 2006, 2008 and 2009 and first in 2010 and 2013 National Championships in Daytona, Florida.[31]
The female Raiders had been national championships for four consecutive years, until their defeat in 2013.[32] The male Raiders' most recent first place title was in 2011, having come in third in the 2012 Nationals and second in the 2013 Nationals.[33]
The Academic team placed as finalists in the JROTC Leadership Academic Bowl in 2011, 2012, and 2013, and was first at the 2015 Leadership Bowl Nationals.[34]

The JROTC Program can be chosen as a major or an elective a student can have in addition to their program as of the 2016-2017 school year.

Notable alumni

  • Steve Dorff (1968) - composer/music producer
  • Rick Elice (1973) - actor, writer
  • Irv ("Mr. G") Gikofsky (1963) - Metro NY TV weatherman and winner for four Emmy Awards and as Edward R. Morrow Award[35]
  • Steve Greenberg (1978) - record producer, former President of Columbia Records
  • Peter Guttman (1972) - Travel journalist, lecturer, and author
  • Heejun Han (2007) - Finalist on American Idol, Season 11
  • Albie Hecht - Former President of Nickelodeon, Founder of Spike TV
  • Mike Jorgensen (1973) - baseball player, manager
  • Ronnie Mund - Radio Personality of the Howard Stern Show and Professional Limo Driver for Howard Stern
  • Jonathan Pontell - television director, producer and editor.
  • Ron Shandler (1974) - national baseball analyst, author of Baseball Forecaster, founder of BaseballHQ.com, columnist for USA Today.
  • Dennis Walcott - Former Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education and current President and CEO of the Queens Borough Public Library System (as of 2016)
  • Chris Welty (1981) - computer scientist

References

  1. ↑ "The state University of New York". Suny.edu. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  2. ↑ "Principal's Message—Francis Lewis High School". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  3. ↑ Montefinise, Angela (2008-10-12). "JAM-PACKED QNS. HS IS CITY KIDS' TOP PICK". New York Post. Retrieved 2015-09-05.
  4. ↑ "1 in 3 city schools overcrowded: audit". Daily News. New York. 2014-07-09. Retrieved 2015-08-21.
  5. ↑ Medina, Jennifer (2009-09-28). "At Francis Lewis High School in Queens, Crowding Signals Success". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2015-08-21.
  6. ↑ "Francis Lewis High School has highest applicant number in city". Retrieved 2016-09-19.
  7. ↑ Caracciolo, Thomas. "Francis Lewis Addresses Student Overcrowding in Stages". FLHS News. Retrieved 2018-01-12.
  8. ↑ Francia, Caryl Anne. "FLHS Opens its Doors to the 2017-2018 Freshman Class". FLHS News. Retrieved 2018-01-12.
  9. ↑ "The first IB class at Francis Lewis High School 1975-1978". Ferretronix.com. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
  10. ↑ Schools Across Frontiers: The Story of the International Baccalaureate and ... - Alexander Duncan Campbell Peterson - Google Boeken. Books.google.com. 2003. ISBN 9780812695052. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
  11. ↑ "Jacob Javits Law Academy". Jacob Javits Law Academy. Retrieved 2016-09-19.
  12. ↑ "Courses". Francis Lewis HS English Language Arts. Retrieved 2016-09-19.
  13. ↑ "scienceresearch2". Retrieved 2016-09-19.
  14. ↑ "FLHS Robotics". www.flhsrobotics.com. Retrieved 2016-09-19.
  15. ↑ "International Relations". www.francislewissocialstudies.com. Retrieved 2016-09-19.
  16. ↑ Gustafson, Anna (2010-11-10). "Francis Lewis teens win spot on Siemens list • TimesLedger". Timesledger.com. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
  17. ↑ "2012 semifinalists and Regional Finalists Announced in the Siemens Competition". Nycprivateschoolsblog.com. 2012-10-21. Archived from the original on 2013-10-05. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
  18. ↑ "Francis Lewis High School". Francis Lewis High School. Retrieved 2016-09-19.
  19. ↑ "home". Retrieved 2016-09-19.
  20. ↑ "virtualenterprise". Retrieved 2016-09-19.
  21. ↑ "flhsart". flhsart. Retrieved 2018-01-12.
  22. ↑ Lam, Crystal. "Francis Lewis Wins Big at the 2017 Newsies!". FLHS News. Retrieved 2018-01-12.
  23. ↑ Kim, Kenny (5:09 PM - 10 Jan 2018). "So thankful for my team for working so hard. Time for nationals ready to work even harder, stay even later, and doing what we love. A big thanks to our coordinator Mr. Power for being the greatest teacher in the world and for teaching us so much. Another congrats to blueprint.pic.twitter.com/aEWTXv0Eg6". @kennykim706. Retrieved 2018-01-12. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  24. ↑ Winerip, Michael (2011-06-19). "At High School in Queens, an R.O.T.C. Program's Enduring Influence". The New York Times.
  25. ↑ "Queens Junior ROTC Cadets Put Discipline On Display". NY1. 2012-05-30. Archived from the original on 2013-02-16. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
  26. ↑ "Francis Lewis HS JROTC is perfection - Queens Chronicle: North/Northeast Queens News". Qchron.com. 2013-02-13. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
  27. ↑ "Bigger is better at 4,000-student strong Francis Lewis High School in Queens". Daily News. New York. 2013-10-16. Retrieved 2015-08-21.
  28. ↑ "FLHS PATRIOT BATTALION JROTC - Francis Lewis Patriot Battalion". Flhspatriotbattalion.com. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
  29. ↑ "NHSDTC Masters Level Past Champions - 1987 through the present". Thenationals.net. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
  30. ↑ "National High School Drill Team Championships : Masters Level Event Standings" (PDF). Thenationals.net. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  31. ↑ "Video". NBC New York. 2013-09-26. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
  32. ↑ "2014 Raider Nationals Overall Score Report Female Division" (PDF). Thenationals.net. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  33. ↑ http://www.army.mil/article/114427/Campbell__Adairsville__join_Smith_Cotton_as_2013_National_Raider_champs/
  34. ↑ http://collegeoptionsfoundation.net/2015-jlab-results/
  35. ↑ http://pix11.com/author/mr-g/
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