High School for Youth and Community Development,

Our school proudly bears the original name of the oldest and one of the most prestigious schools in the United States: Erasmus Hall. Erasmus Hall is singularly famous for graduating many notable alumni including Barbra Streisand, Earl Graves, Al Davis, Clive Davis, Bernard Malamud, Eli Wallach, Mae West...the list goes on and on.

The High School for Youth and Community Development (YCD) opened its doors in September 2004 and we have been progressing and advancing ever since. Our school began with a very ambitious vision: to provide an authentic, high-quality,college preparatory education to our surrounding community and students throughout Brooklyn and New York City. We have created a school that provides all of the elements of a rich liberal arts education -- including deep parent involvement, academic & athletic programs and scholarships, peer mentoring, college level classes in high school, and an excellent, comprehensive performing arts program. In the new Erasmus Hall campus complex, we have brought back the best parts of the former Erasmus Hall that stood as a jewel in the crown of the NYC school system.

On our website you will find links to all of the opportunities we offer students at our school. As a college pathway school, we place great emphasis on scholarships, both athletic and academic, and our track record demonstrates that we have been very successful in supporting our students in receiving competitive scholarships. We have paid internship opportunities both in the school and with various organizations and corporate entities such as Google. We also partner with multiple college pathway organizations that support our efforts in making college accessible and achievable for all of our students.

Our curriculum scope and sequence is designed to maximize student potential over the course of four years. In addition to Advanced Placement courses, we also offer pre-AP classes and an accelerated learning program in Math called the Calculus Project, which prepares students for AP Calculus in their senior year of high school. Our media and enrichment program includes elective classes such as our school-based Film as Social Media; Documentary film-making in partnership with the Educational Video Foundation; our coding classes in partnership with ScriptEd; and our Theatre and Music programs. All of our classrooms are outfitted with Smart Boards and most of our teachers provide instruction through Google Classroom. Over time, all of our students have the opportunity to develop digital portfolios of their work.

YCD is a very special school and a child’s time here is a very special experience. Our families and students will tell you that they feel accepted, challenged, and supported. We place academic and social-emotional learning at the forefront of our work. We believe deeply that all young people must be supported holistically. Our driving values are teamwork and community building. We are proud to be part of the inestimable Erasmus Hall tradition.

Regards,

Marie Prendergast

Principal