Townsend Harris High School recently received $250,000 in State funding for their Bridge Year Program from New York State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky and New York State Assemblywoman Nily Rozic.
Stavisky and Rozic presented a check to Principal Brian Condon, after which, they spent the afternoon talking with students who have benefited from the Bridge Year Program and have taken courses such as English, Astronomy, Sociology, and Urban Studies.
Townsend Harris High School has always offered its seniors a unique opportunity to attend classes at Queens College and earn college credit. Under the previous mayoral administration, there were attempts to cut the program despite strong support from local elected officials, the THHS administration, faculty, and students.
Stavisky, who helped fight to fund the program, said “this is a program that should be replicated throughout New York City. With the evergrowing costs of college, this gives students a foot in the door while at the same time exposing them to the excellent opportunities that Queens College has to offer.”
“This is a program that should be replicated throughout New York City,” Stavisky, who helped fight to restore funding from the State, said in a statement. “With the ever growing costs of college, this gives students a foot in the door while at the same time exposing them to the excellent opportunities that Queens College has to offer.”
Assemblywoman Rozic, who is herself an alumnus of Townsend Harris and benefited from the Bridge Year Program said, “Giving our students the tools to advance in their higher education is imperative for their success at the university-level and beyond.”
“I am proud to have secured funding with Senator Stavisky for the Queens College Bridge Program at Townsend Harris High School, which will help transition high school seniors to the new responsibilities of college coursework and allow them to gain college credits at no additional cost to families,” Rozic said in a statement.
Since taking the helm at Townsend Harris High School five years ago, Principal Brian Condon has been an outspoken proponent of the program and has brought together City and State officials to keep the program running.
“On behalf of the entire Townsend Harris Community, I thank State Senator Toby Stavisky and Assemblymember Nily Rozic for securing $250,000 to fund our renowned Queens College Bridge Year Program,” Principal Condon said in a statement. “Their visionary leadership and willingness to fight to keep this program alive for another year will ensure that the next senior class of Townsend Harris High School students will attend college courses while in high school. Furthermore, it will continue to allow Townsend Harris High School at Queens College, a public high school, to be a place that offers students of all backgrounds the greatest educational opportunities this city and state have to offer.“
With a new administration now in place, Rozic and Stavisky said they hope this funding will bring fresh opportunities for the school and encourage Mayor Eric Adams and the City Council to continue to invest in the Bridge Year Program.
