Opinion

Opinion Roundup: Why did the class of 29’ and new staff choose Townsend Harris?

Sebastian Koniarz, Aryan Sheikh, and Aarav Singh • January 21, 2026

In a city with over 500 high schools, each school has qualities that set it apart. Townsend Harris is a school known for its many unique traits. Amongst them, its academic reputation and humanities-centered curriculum. The incoming class of 2029, along with the new staff at Townsend Harris, were interviewed about what stood out to them about THHS specifically.

There are over 500 high schools in New York City, each with its own unique community, and perks. When it comes to choosing one of these institutions to attend, there are an abundance of reasons that could convince one to choose one high school over another. The Classic interviewed some students from the class of 2029 and new staff members to explore what stood out to them about Townsend Harris and what ultimately convinced them to join the THHS community. The overall question is: what makes THHS desirable as a place to go to school and to teach at? Is it because of the humanities-centered curriculum? Is it its location for Queens residents? Or do students just think it is a “good school” because that’s its reputation? See the various perspectives from members of the community below.

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“I often passed by Townsend on my way to other places, and it’s practically on the Queens College campus. It’s also pretty small so I thought it would be easier to navigate [compared to] some other schools [which] seem really big and intimidating. I also heard that Townsend was a humanities based school, and most schools are stem based so that was pretty interesting. I didn’t think the programs would be special, but there’s [surprisingly] many clubs here. I’ve also compared my schedule to other schools, and the programs have upgrades from programs in other schools, such as more English classes per year and the addition of Pre-AP classes that are more work, but prepare [us] for higher education.”

— Freshman Zella Suhu

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“During application season last year, I came across Townsend Harris and immediately put it on my ranking. I chose Townsend for its wide range of sports, clubs, teams, amazing reputation, etc. Many schools don’t have that level of creativity and opportunity for their students, and the fact that there is always a team or a sport made for someone makes the school seem more wholesome in general. It [offers] a connected environment in a calm, collective neighborhood. Not to mention, it being top ten high schools in NYC makes it all the better. The graduation rate, the overall ranking for the school, the opportunities Townsend offers sold it for me.”

— Freshman Sadiya Muntaqa

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“Before I applied to Townsend Harris, I went to Aspire meetings where they helped me with high school applications and gave me a tour of Townsend Harris. When I saw the English classroom with the couches, I admired the unique classroom setup. Additionally, Townsend’s ranking as one of the best high schools in New York was another reason why I applied. I got into Brooklyn tech as well but ended up rejecting the offer because Townsend Harris was more convenient to commute to, and I also prefer the size of Townsend compared to Brooklyn tech. Due to my experience in middle school, I thought that the teachers would be super strict and rude. I was also worried that I wouldn’t be able to find people who actually understood me. However, when I first met the teachers and students at Townsend, I was actually surprised at how nice and welcoming they were. I think Townsend is a lot better than what I expected it to be and I’m very glad I chose this school.”

— Freshman Aliya Yuksekbas

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“One of the things that really sticks out to me, and I learned this as soon as I got here, is the strong sense of community in the building. It’s a very tight-knit staff. The students get along well with one another and there’s traditions in the building that allow for someone who is maybe new [to Townsend], to be brought in right away. So Mr. Lee and I were just talking about getting ready for Founder’s Day. For some places Founder’s Day is not a big deal, here it’s a big deal. Watching the kids getting ready for S!NG, rehearsing for that, that’s another really cool thing. The opportunities here are plentiful. So it’s not like that everywhere. Sometimes music departments have just a couple of concerts throughout the year and that’s it. The opportunities for performances, the opportunities to be featured and participate in traditions here is something that’s really unique to Townsend.”

— Band Director Mr. LaRocca

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About the Contributors

Aryan Sheikh, Opinion Staff

Aryan is a freshman, and he would like to pursue a career in the medical field, but doesn’t know specifically what kind of doctor he wants to be. When he’s not working, Aryan likes to play the piano or badminton. His favorite Classic piece he has worked on is the opinion roundup on why students from the class of 2029 and new staff chose to come to THHS. His favorite Classic piece that was made by others was an episode of ADMITTED: “Alum Ramon Rodriguez shares his journey to being accepted into Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education.”

Bella Chen, Sports Photography Editor

Bella is a senior at Townsend Harris High School who hopes to pursue a career that gives her the opportunity to help people. Outside of journalism, she enjoys playing volleyball and cooking. Her favorite Classic piece she worked on is Scenes from Prom 2024, where she remembers the seniors’ happy faces and the delicious ice cream. Her favorite Classic piece made by others is an article titled “Mr. Wang Retires After Ten Years Serving as a THHS Guidance Counselor,” by Intishar Chinho. Mr. Wang was her guidance counselor and she agreed with all the kind things said about him.