High School for Environmental Studies: A Green Oasis in Hell’s Kitchen

There’s a remarkable educational institution in Hell’s Kitchen located in a building with such an unusually storied past, it’s nearly a match for the daily stream of excitements that define life at the High School for Environmental Studies (HSES) today. Does that sound like a starry-eyed way to write about a public school? So be it, for when you enter the five-story Art Deco edifice at 444 W. 56th St., between 9th and 10th Avenues, you are entering the former New York headquarters of the 20th Century Fox Film Corporation: it’s true!

While that tale of Hollywood on the Hudson must remain for another time, for present day education reporters, the name of HSES Principal Heather DeFlorio looms as large as any movie star or studio executive once did. Straus News recently spoke with DeFlorio about the school, how she got there and what makes HSES so special.

How did you choose teaching education and teaching as a career?

My dad is a musician and a huge fan of Crosby, Stills and Nash, so I grew up listening to “Teach Your Children” and “Chicago” on Saturday mornings with that refrain, “You can change the world, rearrange the world.” That message really stayed with me - I always knew I wanted to do something that would impact people and make the world a better place. I’m an avid reader and I truly believe that stories can move people toward change and betterment. Literature has this incredible power to build empathy and open minds. So in 2008, I started my career as a high school English teacher in Queens, and I haven’t looked back since.

How did you go from teaching to administration?

When I was teaching, I co-created something called a teacher inter-visitation video club. A group of teachers across different grades and content areas would meet after school. One teacher would bring a 20-minute video of themselves teaching, and we’d watch together, discuss the moves the teacher made, what we observed, and provide constructive feedback - all with the goal of improving our practice. I saw firsthand what kind of impact this collegial feedback could have on a classroom, and how a school culture of open, supportive feedback could improve the experience for all students. As a leader, it’s important to me that we’re all continuously learning and striving to improve, including the adults in the building.

I started to want to have a larger impact than just the four walls of my classroom. I went through the NYC DOE’s LEAP program to become an assistant principal, and in 2016, I landed at High School for Environmental Studies as the assistant principal of humanities. I became principal in the 2021-22 school year, and I’m now in my 10th year on the leadership team here and my 5th year as principal. It’s been an incredible journey.

Many people don’t realize there is an HSES, let alone a few minutes walk from Columbus Circle.

HSES was founded in 1992, and we were actually the first high school in New York City to focus on environmentalism. Originally, we were housed downtown in the Stuyvesant building, and a year later we moved to 444 W. 56th St., which is where we still are today. What’s fascinating is that our building is the former Fox Movie Studios, and we pay homage to that history through our film and media studio and media electives, with state-of-the-art equipment donated by CBS.

In addition to being conscious of our building’s history, it’s important to me that we explore what it means to be an environmentalist right here in New York City. Every 9th grader takes an elective called Urban Environmentalism, where they engage in hands-on, project-based learning experiences that position them in the role of improving our urban landscape to be more sustainable. Since I’ve been in leadership, we’ve really built out our environmental focus so that every single student experiences our vision and mission throughout their time at HSES. It’s woven into the fabric of everything we do.

What kind of students does HSES attract, and how do they engage with issues beyond the classroom?

Our school attracts students who are genuinely invested in their future and are active in improving our earth and society. We have a very active Green Team that focuses on sustainability initiatives, a club called the Activist Eagles that focuses on social justice in NYC and beyond, and a Creating Change Club that’s all about small and big impact - everything from decorating the entire school in snowflakes in winter to spread joy, to collecting canned goods to donate to a local pantry. Our students are engaged, they’re aware, and they’re taking action in ways that are meaningful to them and their community.

We’re huge advocates of student athletics. Where does HSES practice? Go Eagles!

Go Eagles! I’m really proud of our athletics program. I’ve been focused on building a program that emphasizes teamwork and community, and it’s paying off. Our Boys Volleyball team and our Girls Tennis team both won city championships in the last year. Our cross country team practices at Central Park, and our soccer teams practice at DeWitt Clinton Park. We’re very lucky to have our own gymnasium, so our indoor sports teams practice right here in the building. Athletics are such an important part of the high school experience, and I’m thrilled we can offer that to our students.

What makes HSES a special place to get an education?

HSES is an extremely special place. We serve approximately 1,000 students and offer a robust academic program for both students who are interested in green careers and the environment, and students who are simply looking for a well-rounded high school experience.

Beyond Urban Environmentalism in 9th grade, every student engages in Peer Group Connections, a program where 11th and 12th grade Peer Eagle Leaders lead small groups of 9th graders through a research-based advisory curriculum. Every student takes Intro to Ethics in 10th grade, where they analyze and debate classic ethical cases as well as environmental ethics. There’s a real emphasis on critical thinking, discourse, and evaluation of sources and audience - skills that are more important now than ever.

Once students advance to 11th and 12th grade, they have opportunities to take hydroponics courses in our hydroponics and aquaponics lab, Food Systems - a course that explores how food brings us together and tells the story of who we are, complete with a cooking component. We’re actually slated to have one of our classrooms converted to a professional industrial kitchen this summer.

Even if students don’t engage in these environmentally themed courses, they can join the Chicken Tenders Club and take care of our four amazing chickens - Aretha, Taylor, Beyoncé, and Charli - on our roof. We also have a Rooftop Garden Club and a full rooftop garden.

We also prioritize real-world experiences. Every 10th grader takes our College and Career Readiness elective, where we use an app called Tomorrow Today to connect students to internships in NYC that align with their passions. I believe deeply in giving students opportunities beyond the classroom.

And our students are thriving. Last year we had students receive full scholarships to Princeton, Stanford, and many other top universities. But more than that, our students leave HSES as critical thinkers, engaged citizens, and people who believe they can actually change the world. That Crosby, Stills and Nash refrain I grew up with? That’s what we’re doing here every single day.