VOYAGES Preparatory

Voyages Preparatory High School offers personal attention to students over the age of 16 who have dropped out or fallen behind in their studies, including teen parents, court-involved youth, and young people with mental health issues. Many hold full-time jobs.

The school goes the extra mile to give students the support they need to get back on track. For some, that means counseling, flexible schedules and home visits by staff. For others, it mean referrals to mental health services or legal help or child care, according to the school’s Comprehensive Education Plan.

Nicholas Merchant-Bleiberg, who previously served as assistant principal at Lyons Community School in Brooklyn, has been principal since 2014.

Like most transfer schools, attendance is poor and not all students graduate. However, students feel safe and most teachers would recommend the school, according to the NYC School Survey.

The school is affiliated with Queens Community House, a multiservice nonprofit organization. Students have paid internships as part of the Learning to Work program.

Voyages shares the Elmhurst Educational Complex with the Civic Leadership Academy and Pan American International High School.

ADMISSIONS: Students must be at least 16 and have attended high school for at least one year. Contact the school to arrange an interview. (Clara Hemphill, DOE statistics, May 2018)