The Student-Run Newspaper of Townsend Harris High School at Queens College

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Mr. Heathwood conducting the THHS Band.
Former band director Kevin Heathwood reflects on his time at THHS after taking a new role at the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts
November 3, 2025
Sophomores working during health class.
Required health course begins to shift back to sophomore year from senior year
October 27, 2025
Seniors pose for photo during senior sunrise
Annual Senior Sunrise: Class of 2026
October 24, 2025
After close to four decades of THHS seniors taking courses at QC, the partnership was put on pause this year due to financial constraints.
Inside the “pause”: how financial constraints led THHS to put a hold on a decades-long partnership with Queens College
October 22, 2025
Ms. Chang in her office in the guidance suite on the third floor of THHS.
Shikira Chang becomes interim acting assistant principal of pupil personnel services
October 20, 2025
Ms. Garklavs, who previously held a role in the ISS department, took a new role teaching in the English department this school year.
Charlene Garklavs hired as full time teacher in the English Department
November 10, 2025
Grace Kent joined the THHS Social Studies Department earlier this fall.
New teacher Grace Kent offers sociology and anthropology courses at THHS
November 7, 2025
AP United States History students visiting the National Museum of the American Indian in Manhattan.
AP U.S. History students visit National Museum of the American Indian
November 4, 2025
English department teacher leader, Ms. Lipinski.
Ms. Lipinski becomes an “English Department Teacher Leader”
October 31, 2025
The Nightingale Theater Company attends a trip to watch The Great Gatsby on Broadway.
Nightingale Theater Company attends The Great Gatsby on Broadway
October 28, 2025
Townsend Harris alum returns to the school during Career Day to discuss her job details with students. Career Day is when some alums choose to return to THHS and share details about their work to educate students about various fields.
EDITORIAL: We are lucky to have an active alumni association and should work to expand interactions with our predecessors
November 11, 2025
Students reflect on their thoughts on the new Cell Phone Ban policy.
Opinion Roundup: How is the new cell phone ban going after one marking period?
November 5, 2025
Let's Talk Testing: A special feature looking back at a year of testing-related opinion pieces in The Classic
Let’s Talk Testing: A special feature looking back at a year of testing-related opinion pieces in The Classic
October 29, 2025
Students play volleyball in the gym
Opinion Roundup: reduced physical education schedules makes room for a return to sophomore health, fewer zero band labs
October 26, 2025
Students completing their chemistry lab during normal school hours.
Opinion Roundup: the elimination of zero band for underclassmen in biology and chemistry
October 19, 2025
Two student volunteers smile in front of the bodega where they sell snacks.
Band Bodega reopens with snacks and lunch options after a hiatus last year
October 30, 2025
Students reading during one of the independent reading sessions at last year's Witching Hour event.
After “Witching Hour” read-a-thon event sells out in just three minutes, students take on reading challenges to get off the waitlist
October 23, 2025
S!NG Semore co-overall director Nicolette Cuzzo prepares for the season.
With preparations for S!NG underway, Semore co-overall director Nicollete Cuzzo discusses the playwriting process
September 16, 2025
Students perform at the end of the Nightingale Summer Retreat.
The Nightingale Theatre Company holds its fifth annual summer retreat
September 4, 2025
Ariella performing on stage at THHS.
Musician Spotlight: Jazz Ensemble’s Ariella Casabar talks about taking up trumpet playing
August 20, 2025
With the new cellphone ban in NYC schools, students recall their middle schools restrictions on cellphones
With the statewide cell phone ban in effect, students reflect on their middle school cell phone restrictions
October 17, 2025
The new leaders of Tech Crew share their plans for the 2026 S!NG season.
Under new leadership, Tech Crew members start preparations for the 2026 S!NG season
October 15, 2025
Founders of SoulSketchCollective juniors Vanessa Lee and Michelle Shi promote mental health resources for students.
Juniors found nonprofit organization designed to promote mental health resources for NYC students
September 23, 2025
Saniha Jasrah's presentation of her findings from her research project in The Urban Barcode Research Program.
STEM Spotlight: Junior Saniha Jasrah researches the hygiene of school electronic devices during the Urban Barcode Research Program
September 17, 2025
The Science Olympiad team during a competition in the 2024-2025 school year
Science Olympiad team reflects on past season while looking ahead as school year approaches
August 25, 2025
The Student-Run Newspaper of Townsend Harris High School at Queens College

The Classic
The Student-Run Newspaper of Townsend Harris High School at Queens College

The Classic
Let's Talk Testing: A special feature looking back at a year of testing-related opinion pieces in The Classic

Let’s Talk Testing: A special feature looking back at a year of testing-related opinion pieces in The Classic

October 29, 2025

Click here to access the full story.

Queens College President Frank Wu and featured students Lauren Mistretta, Stavros Georgiou, Stephanie Giraldo Deabreu, TJ Mitchell, Lydia Zafeiri, and Makhai Grainger in the Amazon Premiere series The College Tour's episode on Queens College following the episode premiere

Queens College featured on Amazon Prime’s series The College Tour

Nabeeha Saeed, Community News Editor • October 6, 2025

Last month, Queens College hosted the premiere of an upcoming episode of the Amazon Prime series The College Tour. The episode put a spotlight on the opportunities and accomplishments of Queens College...

The world according to Zead: senior Zead Husain tells The Classic his THHS story

The world according to Zead: senior Zead Husain tells The Classic his THHS story

Yasmeen Ismail, Editor-in-Chief • September 20, 2025

Click on the image below to see a special feature that explores the people that make up the Townsend Harris community:

ADMITTED: alum Shamonti Shamim and Aima Hossen share the essays that got them accepted to Cornell University and MIT

Ryan Chen, Editor-in-Chief • September 14, 2025

ADMITTED is The Classic's premier college admissions podcast, where we sit down with Townsend Harris seniors and discuss the essays and strategies they used to get into their dream schools. In this episode,...

Students using personal electronic devices in school before the cell phone ban began.

With velcro pouches and lots of complaints, Townsend Harris students adjust to new statewide cellphone ban

Julina Chen and Xinyi Chen • September 12, 2025

With New York State’s “distraction-free schools” law in effect as of the start of the school year, Townsend Harris High School has provided all students with velcro pouches to store their smartphones...

KFON Powerful

Special Feature: A look back at Festival of Nations 2025

Sophie Lin, Sayemah Nadi, and Tajrian Noor • July 2, 2025

The Classic has prepared a special visual feature that looks back at FON 2025 with a focus on how costumes help tell the story of FON. Click on the image below to access the feature.

A JOKE? Last night, The Classic reported on the Steel Hawks' decision to name their robot after a viral video that discusses oral sex. Below, the editors-in-chief share their opinion on why the story merits serious attention.

EDITORIAL: Why we’re not laughing at the robotics’ coaches approval of the “Hawk Tuah” robot name

Bridgette Jeonarine, Toluwanimi Oyeleye, and Isabella Zapata • April 7, 2025

Last night, The Classic reported that the Steel Hawks Robotics team entered into the Hudson Valley Regional robotics competition on March 6 having named their new robot “Hawk Tuah” and having decorated...

The 2025 Steel Hawks robot bumper reads “SCORE ON THAT THANG” at the Hudson Valley Regional competition. The slogan, along with the original 2025 robot name (“Hawk Tuah”), are both references to a 2024 viral video that discusses oral sex. The team eventually removed the bumper slogan and changed the robot’s name.

Robotics coaches face criticism after team names 2025 robot after viral “Hawk Tuah” video that discusses oral sex

Yasmeen Ismail, Managing Editor • April 6, 2025

When the Townsend Harris robotics team entered the Hudson Valley Regional robotics competition at Rockland Community College on March 6, they entered with a robot named Hawk Tuah. The name, as well as...

New schoolwide grading policy addressing the use of AI in student work

Schoolwide grading policy now expressly forbids use of AI without citation, but some look for loopholes

Krish Wadia, Breaking News Manager • January 22, 2025

Earlier this school year, Assistant Principal of Pupil and Personnel Services Jessica Graf emailed students and families a copy of the 2024-2025 Schoolwide Grading Policy. The policy categorizes the use...

The White House behind a police barricade, as seen during a Classic overnight field trip to Washington, DC.

Would you date a MAGA supporter? As Trump takes office, survey shows partisan divisions hardening with regard to high school social life

Bridgette Jeonarine, Editor-in-Chief • January 20, 2025

“I would never feel comfortable [dating] someone who has those views,” said a senior girl, speaking about supporters of Donald Trump, who was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States earlier...

Cell phones should not be banned in school as banning phones hinder students' educational benefits and communication.

EDITORIAL: The DOE Should Not Implement a Systemwide Cell Phone Ban

The Editorial Board • September 26, 2024

Imagine being isolated from the outside world as soon as you step into the school building. With the possibility of a new cell phone ban being implemented, this may become an unfortunate reality for New...

Math teachers Abid Choudhury and Kayla Gill teach in an ICT math class.

“A model for special education in this city”: the ten-year story of how building a special education program transformed this top NYC school

Bridgette Jeonarine, Toluwanimi Oyeleye, and Isabella Zapata • April 4, 2024

In April 2014, the New York Daily News reported that parents at Townsend Harris High School were angry. The New York City Department of Education was pushing THHS to expand access to special education...

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