As part of the New Century High Schools initiative, a private-public partnership establishing alternatives to large, factory-like high schools, Millennium Art Academy is a small school working with several community organizations. The principal is Maxine Nodel, a veteran teacher who is "appalled at how kids get cheated" in the system. She is dedicated to helping kids who are considered at-risk: truants, those in special education, or in "eight plus" programs that target students who have been retained because they have not met promotion requirements by the end of the 8th grade.

Almost 75 percent of 9th graders enter the school reading below grade level. Nodel seeks to address their problems with a small team of teachers, a fulltime social worker and an innovative project that has kids working in a local senior citizen center. The students help out there, while also putting together a book based on interviews with an elderly person. The project, organized through one of the school's partners, the city's Department for the Aging, allows kids to interact with older people who also grew up in the Bronx, but whom they perhaps would never have approached. We talked to students who showed sympathy for those without families to visit them. These students also knew by heart the oral history of their subject, a European immigrant. Most importantly, students discovered similarities in the human experience that surprised them. According to Nodel, when they found out that their elderly friend had faced starvation as a child, the students realized "wow, she was poor too."

In classrooms, students participate in group projects, or engage in discussions led by energetic teachers. A history teacher had his class explore how different religions "communicate with God." In a math class, students working in groups examined -- and debated -- different methods of factoring binomials. Some students were distracted at times and didn't show much interest in the work, but teachers managed to pull them back into the lesson.

Nodel chose an art theme for the school because she believes that "an arts-infused curriculum helps students understand abstract concepts." DreamYard, an arts education organization that is another of the school's partners, supplies instructors who teach art and help to integrate art into the curriculum. They also helped organize the exhibition of students' work at the well known auction house, Sotheby's, which will become an annual event for the school. Unfortunately, Millennium's temporary home at Lehman High School does not include adequate art studios. When we visited, the art class was being held in a small room that lacked a sink. Nodel hopes for more classroom space for the school when it moves to Stevenson High School in September 2004.

Admissions: Students and their parents must attend an orientation. (Catherine Man, March 2004)

Maxine Nodel, the principal at the school, writes to announce that the Millennium Art Academy was recently presented with the Robert F. Wagner, Jr. Award. According to the press release, the school received the honor because of their efforts to engage students with Bronx elders "in the realm of academic and altruistic exploration." The program "has been substantial enough for visitors from other school systems (national and international) to consider adopting it as a paradigm for the restructuring of their city schools." (May 2004)

A professional development advisor at the school writes, "Millennium Art Academy is a vision in the process of being realized, and it is an inspiration. With so many new small schools springing up all over New York--each with its own 20-syllable name and three-tiered purpose--it's getting difficult to keep them all straight. But when you get to know a school the way I've gotten to know Millennium Art Academy, you begin to recognize that one small school really can achieve something profound and singular." She continues, "MAA is first and foremost about humanity, a humanity that gets nurtured in an environment wherein the goal is to help each and every student understand, appreciate, and ultimately meet his or her own unique potential. It's a truly remarkable little reminder of what can become when cynicism and faithlessness get checked at the door." (May 2004)

A 15-year old 9th grader at Millennium writes, "Before I came to this school, I had a very bad year in 8th grade and I thought I was going to have another bad year in my first year of high school. But I was wrong! Not only am I passing all my classes but I made honor roll. This is a great school and I am learning a lot." She adds, "The principal is great! She cares SO MUCH about the students! And all the teachers spend alot of time with the students after school." (May 2004)

A student says, "I was surprised the school accepted me. I had problems in school before, but here the teachers really sit down and help you, and offer their time after school." (March 2004)