Page 45 - New York Statewide Smart Scholars Overview and Profiles

P-TECH’s founding Principal Rashid Davis considers the school a “hollege”: a hybrid between
high school and college that creates a pathway from high school through college. PTECH
believes that all students can earn a college degree.
Through various initiatives PTECH teachers and staff members work to ensure students feel
ready and connected to as a means to drop-out prevention. Each student is mentored by a
faculty or staff member in addition to their industry partner at IBM. PTECH functions as a
community. Students feel welcome and safe. The year to date attendance is 91%. Students
follow an extended day and school year model.
The First Robotics Competition is one of the major highlights at PTECH each year. A group of
about 10-15 student work alongside a teacher/mentor over a couple of months and build a
robot. At the competition PTECH competes against schools from all over the world.
Another highlight would be the track team. PTECH students are not only scholars, but they are
star athletes too. Many of athletes are managing college course loads of 10-13 credits and are
still managing to break records city and statewide.
Student Quote:
My experience has made me want to be an engineer more than ever. I'm not sure if I want to be
that guy who goes around replacing equipment, but I do want to be that person who creates the
equipment, maybe even invents new equipment."
— Spencer Jones, Legacy Student at P-TECH Brooklyn- Fall 2015 Electromechanical
Engineering Technology Graduate

Principal Rashid Davis (third from
right) hosted President Barak Obama
(top row, center) and
US Secretary of Education
Arne Duncan (far right) when they
visited P-TECH on October 25, 2013.