OCTOBER 2009 UPDATE: Denise Simone, who became the school's principal midway through the 2006-2007 school year, passed away. Chancellor Joel Klein issued a statement on Oct. 23, 2009:  "Denise Simone was a dynamic and widely loved educator who changed the lives of more than a generation of New York City schoolchildren. Mostly recently the principal of New Explorers High School in the Bronx, Denise previously taught English - her specialty was Shakespeare - for 23 years at Susan E. Wagner High School in Staten Island, Leon M. Goldstein High Schoool for the Sciences in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, and Seward Park High School in lower Manhattan. She imbued her students with a love for learning and the desire to excel in their studies." There was no immediate announcement as to her successor as principal.

DECEMBER 2002 REVIEW: Located in South Bronx High School, the small New Explorers High School is centered on the idea that students turned off by education can become engaged in learning by studying their neighborhood. The school, which began as a program, was founded by former South Bronx High teachers concerned that many of their students had lost a sense of curiosity and considered school boring.

"The kids did not connect with anything community, school, or even family," says Principal Despina Zaharakis. "They were not connected with school or life." The program seeks to prompt an urge for connection by making students more aware of their neighborhood and the larger world beyond, while asking them three questions: Who am I? How has the past affected me? How will I affect the future?

The summer before ninth grade, incoming students attend a one-week "bridge" program in which they explore The Hub, as the school's neighborhood is known. They write down impressions about the area, from its smells to its sights. Through the school's affiliation with the Bronx County Historical Society, students also delve into their neighborhood's past. They have access to historical records, biographical information about famous Bronx residents, background on immigration patterns over the decades, and other data.

Ms. Z, as the students affectionately call the principal, sports an eyebrow ring, and a blond streak highlights her jet-black hair. She encourages kids to build personal confidence and reject any idea that inner city children cannot succeed. It's an important part of her work, because 90% of New Explorers' students enter school with below-average reading and math skills. Furthermore, only five students come from two-parent families, and some kids are homeless. The school makes efforts to circumvent such obstacles. Because most students' homes are not conducive to study, for example, the school hosts a homework club every day after school. Electives like astronomy and journalism are geared not just to supplementing the curriculum, but boosting basic skills in math and literary, too.

Kids work collaboratively on innovative projects such as video book reports. For some, this approach is successful. Other students, however, seem to lack the confidence to tackle a novel learning device. In one case, we saw students shying away from the assignment to create a video book report that many would consider fun. Despite the reassurances of the teacher, they appeared to fear taking on something new.

The school is housed on the fifth floor of the building and has its own resource room and technology lab. There are two other small schools in the building: Mott Haven Village and Sports Academy. By fall 2005 the school will have students in 9th to 12th grades. (Jacquie Wayans, December 2002, updated 2003)

"The class size is not 20, but are about 30. The classes are nearly full of students who do not care about their education."

"The students at this school are very disruptive and won't pay attention for more than 5 minutes. I cannot learn sometimes because other students want to take up the whole time arguing with teachers. Some other students also plan to frame teachers just because they are doing their jobs. I wish these other students would just go away and let me learn."