Byram Hills High School

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Byram Hills High School is a four-year co-educational public secondary school located in Armonk, New York. Its principal is Dr. William Donohue and its vice principals are Melissa Stahl and Vincent Vecchiariello. It is the only secondary school within the Byram Hills Central School District and serves students from the towns of Armonk, Bedford, Pleasantville, Chappaqua, and Greenwich, Connecticut. The school currently enrolls over 800 students in grades 9-12. The school operates on the semester system, with two quarters (referred to as marking periods) per semester. Byram Hills does not rank its graduating classes nor does it additionally weight the GPAs of its students. In addition, Byram Hills is a "closed campus", meaning students may not leave campus during the schoolday without proper notification.

Often considered one of the better public high schools in Westchester County, Byram Hills consistently sends its graduates to top universities and has a high graduation rate. In addition, the school has renowned academic, performing arts, and athletic progams. Byram Hills also features myriad clubs and extracurricular activities for its students.

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[edit] Academics

Students at Byram Hills are required to pursue a broad based curriculum, involving all areas of high school learning. During their four years, students are required to take four years of English, four years of social sciences, four years of mathematics, four years of physical education, three years of physical science, two years of foreign language, two years of visual or performing arts, one semester of health, and one semester of mentor. In addition, students also have the option of taking many different elective classes which they can use towards their core requirements. Typically, a student will register for anywhere between 6-8 courses a semester. To counter the heavy academic schedule, the school follows the "drop-day" cycle pattern. Each day, students "drop" one of their classes for that day's cycle (for example, if it is drop-day 1, then students skip their first period class), except for drop-day A, in which students must attend all of their classes (however, classes are then shortened to accommodate this). The drop-day schedule also guarantees each student to have at least one study (or "free") period every nine days. While freshmen cannot add additional free periods, upperclassmen may opt for more free periods if they choose to do so.

In addition to the core curriculum, Byram Hills also offers many Advanced Placement courses for those seeking college credits. The school currently offers 15 AP courses in all areas of study. In addition, the school offers various honors courses in mathematics and science. Moreover, Byram Hills also features several unique courses of study

[edit] Peer Leadership

Peer Leaders assist in teaching health to sophomores and upperclassmen. The role of the Peer Leader is very similar to that of a college-level teaching assistant in that Peer Leaders will often teach more than one class and work with the teacher to grade exams and teach lessons. Students completing their junior year are eligible to apply to become Peer Leaders for the following year.

[edit] Science research

Students entering their sophomore year have the option to involve themselves in Science Research, a three-year-long program founded by the late Dr. Robert Pavlica. In this program, students individually research a topic of their choosing and present their studies and research at the end of their senior year. Students also choose mentors (usually scientists, college professors, or professional researchers) to aide them in their process. In the fall of their senior year, students submit their findings and projects to enter the Intel Science Talent Search. Byram Hills consistently produces several students who go on to become Intel semi-finalists and usually about one or two who become finalists. In 2004, Jayne Wolfson '04 placed 6th nationally for her study examining the cognitive behavior of toddlers using pretend play.

[edit] Perspectives in Literature

Offered exclusively to seniors, this two-period year-long course satisfies English, visual art, and history requirements. While not an official AP class, students who complete this class are generally prepared to take the AP English Literature exam. While the class does not administer any graded exams, grades are determined almost exclusively by portfolios which the students are required to compile at the end of every marking period, based upon the material studied and personal experiences of that quarter.

[edit] Mentor

Mentor is a one-semester class that all freshmen are required to take during their first semester. The class is non-graded and is led by a faculty member and two seniors (Mentors), one boy and one girl. The class is designed to introduce freshmen to the world of adolescence and high school by integrating lessons about teen issues, study habits, drugs, peer pressure, and related topics. The lessons are taught through a variety of different mediums, including group discussions, films, games, and activities. Students completing their junior year are eligible to apply to become Mentors for the following year.

[edit] Senior Internship

Seniors are required to complete a six-week job-internship in lieu of taking classes at the end of their graduating year. During this time, students are often encouraged to seek positions in the fields they will most likely study in college, or take jobs in fields that interest them. Students are allowed to work wherever they choose, with many opting to work in nearby New York City. Students are also required to meet with an advisor once a week during the internship to track their progress. At the end of the internship, students prepare presentations to a committee to show what they have learned about their experience.

[edit] Athletics

Byram Hills features many different athletic programs for its students. Almost 3/4 of the school participates in at least one sport during the school year. Students may participate in athletics in either the fall, winter, or spring. Students participate at either the freshmen, junior varsity, or varsity level, depending on the sport and student. The mascot of Byram Hills is the Bobcat and its colors are blue and red. The programs compete in Section 1, in Class A for some sports and Class B for others. Among the schools most successful programs are Boys Soccer and Track and Field. In 2006, the Byram Hills Boys Soccer Team reached the state finals and placed second (Hayden Morris, '07, was named All-American). In 2007, the soccer team reached the state finals once again, this time bringing the state championship back to Byram Hills with an overall record of 23-1-1. Forward Will Ogden ('08) was named the Section 1 Player of the Year and was awarded All-American. The Byram Hills Track team is one of the top ranked teams in the state and consistently wins meets and events annually. In the 2006-2007 indoor season, the boys track team had 4 All-Americans (Michael Sass '07, Nick Fasano '08, Philip Cawkwell '07, John Granata '07), placing 5th at the National Meet indoors in the 4x800m relay; they were also the top public school team at the NY state championships for the 4x800. At Nike Outdoor Nationals, they placed 3rd in the Distance Medley relay, running the 2nd fastest time in NYS history for the event (School, County, and Section 1 records as well), and had an athlete (Philip Cawkwell '07) finish 2nd individually in the 2,000m Steeplechase (School and County Record). In 2004, the girls field hockey team won the New York State Scholarship Award, for having the highest combined team GPA in New York State. The basketball team has also shown recent success, reaching the sectional quarterfinals the past three years in row. Lastly, many students who have participated in the athletic program have gone on to receive all-section, all-county, all-state, and all-American honors. Moreover, a good portion of athletes have also continued to compete at the collegiate level in the NCAA.

[edit] Facility upgrades

To better accommodate the needs of the student athletes, the school underwent massive changes in its athletic grounds beginning in 2004 and ending by the start of the 2006-2007 school year. Among them, they included renovating the tennis courts, moving the football field closer to the main school building, installing an all-purpose turf with a track, upgrading fan seating, creating new baseball and softball diamonds, physically expanding the school's weight and conditioning room, and renovating the school locker rooms.

Boys Sports

  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Cross-Country
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Ice Hockey
  • Lacrosse
  • Skiing
  • Soccer
  • Spring Track
  • Swimming and Diving
  • Tennis
  • Winter Track


Girls Sports

  • Basketball
  • Cheerleading
  • Cross-Country
  • Field Hockey
  • Golf
  • Lacrosse
  • Skiing
  • Soccer
  • Softball
  • Spring Track
  • Swimming and Diving
  • Tennis
  • Volleyball
  • Winter Track

[edit] Extracurricular activities

Many Byram Hills students also participate in a variety of extracurricular groups and clubs, often more than one. There are currently 24 different clubs officially recognized by Byram Hills High School, although more come and go every year. Clubs range in all different activities and interests, engaging the interests of many different students.

Some of the clubs have gone on to achieve local and national fame. In 2006, the Academic Challenge club won the National Academic Championship and put team captain Nate Mattison '06 in the organization's hall of fame. In 2003, Youth Against Cancer (YAC) successfully brought Relay For Life to Armonk where it has been an annual event since then. Also in 2003, Byram Hills Stage performed an original musical written by Eric March '03 and Matt Rosenfeld '03 entitled Granola: The Musical. The production received local and regional attention and was later performed at the New York International Fringe Festival in August 2005. The Student Government at Byram Hills High School is known as the Parliament.

The current roster of clubs includes:

  • Academic Challenge
  • The Apocalypse Literary Magazine
  • The Arch Yearbook
  • Astronomy Club
  • Blue Crew
  • Byram Hills Stage & Crew
  • Club Rwanda
  • CTV20
  • Debate Team
  • Film Club
  • Food Bank Club
  • Game Club
  • Gay/Straight Alliance
  • Habitat For Humanity
  • Harvard Model Congress
  • Helping Young People Excel (HYPE)
  • Interact Club
  • Math Team
  • Mock Trial
  • Model UN
  • One Life Club
  • The Oracle Student Newspaper
  • Outdoor Club
  • Parliament
  • Peer Tutoring
  • Red Ribbon Club
  • Robotics Club
  • Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD)
  • Youth Against Cancer (YAC)
Preceded by
Holland Hall School		 National Academic Championship champion
2006		 Succeeded by
William Henry Harrison High School

[edit] Performing groups

While not technically extracurricular groups, Byram Hills is also noted for its Band and Choir ensembles. The Byram Hills Band has performed both locally and nationally. In addition to their yearly concerts, they have performed at Walt Disney World twice and competed in the Heritage Festival in Williamsburg, Virginia. The Choir has also performed nationally, having performed in Richmond, Virginia and in Washington, DC.

[edit] Parking and transportation

Because of its suburban setting, all students travel to school either by car or school bus. Students may only drive to school if issued a parking permit for that academic year. Parking permits are only issued to seniors. Juniors may drive only during the Senior Internship period and if issued a permit for the forthcoming school year. Sophomores (if any) may drive only during the final exam period.

[edit] Famous alumni and in Pop culture

 It has been suggested that Armonk%2C_New_York#Celebrity_Residents be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

Over the years, Byram Hills has graduated several students who have gone on to noted acclaim. Among them include:

Famous attorney David Boies, who represented Al Gore in the litigation concerning the Year 2000 Presidential Election, maintains his firm's headquarters in Armonk, and lives in Armonk as well. The corporate headquarters of IBM are also located in Armonk. Mike Mussina and Bernie Williams of the New York Yankees reside in Armonk. When they were with the team, former Yankees Joe Girardi and Jeff Nelson resided in Armonk as well.

Aerosmith were brief residents in 1977, when they recorded their album Draw the Line at the Cenacle in Armonk, where they also lived for several months while recording the album.


In the fall of 2005, The Hoax, a 2007 movie about a fictitious biography of eccentric aviator and mogul Howard Hughes, shot several of its scenes in Armonk.

Derek Fuhrmann, leader singer and guitar player for the band: The Crash Motive, graduated Byram Hills in 1999 and has had his songs featured in movies ( The Fantastic Four ), videogames (Madden) and on TV ( Friday Night Lights). His first nationwide realize is titled: Consequence, and is currently available in stores.

[edit] References

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