Elisabeth Irwin High School

Elisabeth Irwin High School is a private high school located in New York City, New York, and is part of the Little Red School House and LREI community, which also includes the Little Red School House and Elizabeth Irwin Elementary School. The school is named after its founder, Elisabeth Irwin, a pioneer in progressive education who was influenced by the works of John Dewey and Maria Montessori. The school's curriculum is designed to foster critical thinking, creativity, and social responsibility, with a focus on community service and social justice, similar to the approaches used by Brown University and Wesleyan University. The school's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is reflected in its diverse student body and faculty, which includes alumni from Harvard University, Yale University, and Columbia University.

● History

The school was founded in 1921 by Elisabeth Irwin, a Columbia University-trained educator who was inspired by the Progressive Education movement, which emphasized student-centered learning and democratic education, similar to the approaches used by Francis Parker School and Dewey School. Irwin's vision was to create a school that would foster a sense of community and social responsibility, with a focus on civic engagement and environmental sustainability, similar to the approaches used by Bennington College and Hampshire College. Over the years, the school has undergone several transformations, including a merger with the Little Red School House in 1942, which was founded by Rhoda Kaufman and Edith deF Fisher, and has been influenced by the works of Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. Today, the school is part of the LREI community, which includes the Little Red School House and Elizabeth Irwin Elementary School, and has partnerships with organizations such as New York University, The New School, and Bank Street College of Education.

● Academics

The school's academic program is designed to be rigorous and engaging, with a focus on critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving, similar to the approaches used by MIT and Caltech. The school offers a range of courses in subjects such as mathematics, science, English, and history, as well as foreign languages like Spanish, French, and Mandarin Chinese, which are also offered at University of California, Berkeley and University of Michigan. The school also has a strong arts program, with courses in music, theater, and visual arts, similar to the programs offered at Juilliard School and Tisch School of the Arts. The school's faculty includes experienced educators who have taught at institutions such as Harvard University, Yale University, and Columbia University, and have been influenced by the works of Howard Gardner and Daniel Kahneman.

● Campus

The school's campus is located in the West Village neighborhood of New York City, and features a range of facilities, including classrooms, laboratories, and performance spaces, similar to the facilities found at New York University and The New School. The school also has a library and a media center, which provide students with access to a wide range of resources, including books, journals, and online databases, such as JSTOR and ProQuest. The school's campus is within walking distance of many cultural institutions, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Guggenheim Museum, and Carnegie Hall, which are also popular destinations for students from Cooper Union and School of Visual Arts.

● Student Life

The school's student body is diverse and active, with a range of extracurricular activities and clubs, including debate team, drama club, and environmental club, similar to the activities offered at Andover and Exeter. The school also has a strong athletics program, with teams competing in sports such as basketball, soccer, and volleyball, which are also offered at University of Chicago and University of Pennsylvania. The school's students are encouraged to participate in community service and volunteer work, with many students involved in organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and American Red Cross, which are also supported by Brown University and Wesleyan University. The school's alumni have gone on to attend institutions such as Harvard University, Yale University, and Stanford University, and have been influenced by the works of Malcolm Gladwell and Steven Pinker.

● Notable Alumni

The school has a long list of notable alumni, including actors like Ben Stiller and Jennifer Jason Leigh, who have also worked with Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino. The school's alumni also include musicians like Lenny Kravitz and Jason Mraz, who have also collaborated with Stevie Wonder and Elton John. The school's alumni have also gone on to become writers and journalists, including Jonathan Safran Foer and Sarah Kendzior, who have also written for The New Yorker and The New York Times. Other notable alumni include politicians like Rashida Jones and Cory Booker, who have also worked with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, and have been influenced by the works of Nelson Mandela and Angela Davis. The school's alumni have also included business leaders like Arianna Huffington and Sara Blakely, who have also been featured in Forbes and Fortune, and have been influenced by the works of Warren Buffett and Bill Gates.