Preston High SchoolFounded in 1947

Values, Vision, and Voice

High school! A time to dream and to pursue life with energy and purpose…to raise the bar of personal expectations and to work hard to achieve such goals. As you grow into young adulthood, you will find that success depends on the VALUES that both ground you and enable you to fly. Honesty, respect, hard work, openness to new ideas and strategies for learning, all of these will assist you to set realistic goals and to focus on achieving them. You will be supported in your efforts by a community of teachers and learners who share your desire for success. And, one day you will fly to new heights with confidence and determination.

At Preston you will learn about a VISION for a world embraced by compassion, one step at a time. As each person experiences compassion, she is enabled to pass it on, influencing a larger world. Within a supportive community, your own vision will unfold. As you dream of possibility and work towards your own fulfillment, you will learn to honor every other person in the pursuit of her dreams. In this way, you will contribute to the positive energy of the entire school community.

You will find your VOICE as you share your personal gifts with the community, gifts of mind and heart, gifts that enable you to persevere when you are called to the next level of study and achievement, gifts that motivate you to seek and preserve truth by always acting out of an honest heart. As you stretch towards your own possibilities, you will discover what may have been hidden strengths and unknown talents. As you mature, you will be challenged to use your voice to mark your own individuality, to promote integrity, to articulate your values intelligently and with conviction. In the words of a graduate, you will be prepared to “bring light and hope to your societies.”

“There are three things that I have learned at Preston that will forever be a part of me. They are values, vision, and voice…This community has always prompted me to utilize my gifts and talents, to discover what I am passionate about, to have goals. Here I became more certain of my vision for the future.”

—Christine Velez ’05

A Challenging Academic Environment…Preston enjoys a long-standing tradition of academic excellence. Our curriculum encourages the development of the whole person

by enabling students to grow in body, mind and spirit. Our student body is motivated to learn by our engaged and dedicated faculty

who bring state-of-the-art technology and a wide range of instructional strategies into the classroom with them. We offer not only a

stimulating college preparatory curriculum but also such advanced educational opportunities as intellectually rigorous Honors and AP programs, interscholastic competitions and career-related courses and internships.

Preparing our young women for the finest institutions of higher learning is among our primary goals at Preston High School. We take pride in

our graduated students’ ability to distinguish themselves academically in the most competitive environments. We are equally proud that our

students leave Preston with a sense of global awareness, civic responsibility, and compassionate commitment to the world in which they live. The goal of the Preston learning environment is to lead our students to futures of great merit.

“Students here are competitive, taking pride in what they do. It inspires you.”

—Simone Ebanks ’09

“The teachers at Preston give up their time for us before school and even after school. They make sure the student understands the subject inside and out. This has made me a better student.”

—Jessica Marino ’09

“Girls at single-sex schools surpass their co-ed peers in reading, writing and science. They also demonstrate higher educational aspirations, spend more time on homework and are more likely to achieve later in their careers.”

—Source: University of Michigan Study

A Personal Approach in an All-Women Environment…Preston has long recognized the advantages of learning in a single-gender environment. Our student body is a closely-knit group of young women striving for excellence. Preston’s all-women learning community fosters students’ leadership skills in an atmosphere that promotes not only individuality and competitiveness, but also teamwork and cooperation. Our students benefit from a personal approach to learning, which recognizes the importance of the

individual. We offer small classes, a supportive teacher mentoring program, and individualized college planning, which begins from the moment our students enter our school.

Preston’s Guidance and College Counseling Center provides support and information to students and parents

as they consider college options, enabling them to make informed decisions regarding colleges. Beginning in freshman year,

meetings and workshops are conducted to explore issues such as selecting the appropriate college environment, choosing

course offerings that will provide a competitive edge, and pursuing scholarship and grant assistance.

No Standing on the Sidelines at PHS…Seeking to educate our students beyond the classroom walls, Preston provides a wide range

of before and after-school activities. From participation in Panther athletics to membership

in interest- and career-related co-curriculars, from leadership opportunities in student council to active involvement in special events and school traditions, Preston students

connect with each other in many ways and form the life of the school.

Our Athletic Program…Basketball—Freshman, Junior Varsity, VarsityCheerleading—Competition and VarsitySoccer—VarsitySoftball—Junior Varsity and VarsityStep TeamSwim TeamTrack TeamVolleyball—Junior Varsity and Varsity

Our Co-Curricular Program…English Honor SocietyItalian Honor SocietyNational Honor SocietySpanish Honor SocietyStudent Council

Asian ClubEuropean ClubGaelic SocietyItalian ClubLadies of ColorLatin ClubNyasa ne Nimdie / African ClubSpanish / Aspira Club

Book ClubPreston Echoes NewspaperCreative Writing ClubMetropolitan ClubVeritas Literary MagazineYearbook

Big Sister Litter SisterCampus MinistryCompassion ConnectionEmmaus Retreat TeamJunior AmbassadorsPeer MediationS.A.D.D.S.T.A.R. ClubYouth for a United World

Alternative Band Art ClubChorusFilm ClubGospel ChoirPreston Players / Spring Musical

Amnesty InternationalChess ClubComputer ClubFlag TeamMath LeagueMock TrialNews and Views Political Round TableScience ClubTennis ClubUltimate Frisbee Club

“Preston offers many activities as well as clubs, where students can show off their talents while making new friends”

—Amanda Ramos ’09

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Please visit our website at www.prestonhs.org/co-curricular for full descriptions and pictures of our clubs and societies

Our Community Connection…Preston was founded and is a sponsored mission of the Sisters of the Divine Compassion. Here,

learning takes place within a Catholic framework, where religious, human and moral values are taught and practiced

with sense of compassionate awareness for the individual and larger community. At the core

of our mission is active participation in local and global communities and a strong commitment to serving others.

The Freshman Experience at Preston…Each year, our incoming freshman class arrives from over fifty different Catholic, public, and private schools in the Bronx,

Westchester, Manhattan, and Queens. Our students bring with them their rich cultural and ethnical diversity

which continues to enhance our community both in and out of the classroom. Even before the school year starts, our

newest students are introduced to the Preston community and its traditions through Summer Orientation.

This three-day experience provides incoming freshmen with opportunities to get to know their classmates in a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere, and to learn from Student Council leaders what to expect in

September. A Parent Orientation is also held in the summer where parents are introduced to each other and the larger

Preston community. Once the school year begins, every freshman connects with her Big Sister, a Junior who takes

responsibility for helping her make the transition to high school. One hallmark of the freshman experience is the strong bond that is forged among students within and across grade levels.

“A student at Preston is never alone. We each have an entire community that is always there beside us”

—Alyssa Capriglicone ’09

“There is an immediate sense of family when you walk into the building. Everyone in Preston cares for the other people around them”

—Victoria Deering ’08

“Preston has inspired me to work hard at my academics, to take challenging honors courses, and to break out of my comfort zone. I went from being timid and laid back to being an ambitious leader.”

—Carolyn Damo ’08

“The most significant thing Preston has done for me is that it has made me more aware. I am aware of the needs of those around me, both in my community and throughout the world, and I am more aware of myself, my talents, gifts, abilities, and tastes, than ever before.”

—Allison Masserano ’08

“For me, coming to Preston was a risk. This school has taught me that life is full of risks and that I should not fear something just because it seems intimidating.”

—Shakira Perez ’09

“The friends that I have made here are some of the kindest, funniest, smartest, and silliest people I will ever meet. I know that our friendship will not end with graduation but begin over again as we step into the real world together, united as a family.”

—Adwoa Nyantakyi ’08

“Preston has taught me to be dissatisfied with mediocrity” —Jasmine Gomez ’09

Mission and HistoryPreston High School, located in the Throgs Neck section of the Bronx, New York, is a private Catholic college preparatory high school founded for young women by the Sisters of the Divine Compassion.

The mission of Preston High School is to empower young women as they discover their own potential and value through a broad and challenging education, active participation in community and a commitment to Christian service, so that they may become compassionate leaders for change in the world.

Preston High School was founded in 1947 and was originally housed in the Ash-Havemeyer-Huntington mansion. The facilities were expanded in 1960 to accommodate its growing population and diversified offerings, and improvements and additions are continually made to insure that Preston offers an innovative learning environment. Nestled on the banks of the East River between the Whitestone Bridge and the Throgs Neck Bridge in Bronx, New York, the original structure still anchors the school grounds and provides a beautiful reminder of Preston’s history.

Preston High SchoolValues, Vision, and Voice

Located on the East River between the Throgs Neck and Whitestone Bridges2780 Schurz Avenue, Bronx, New York 10465

Tel: 718-863-9134 ext. 132 • Fax: 718-863-6125www.prestonhs.org

Preston High School is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and chartered by the New York State Board of Regents.