When Principal Kayode Ayetiwa arrived at Health, Arts, Robotics, and Technology (H.A.R.T.) High School, then under its previous name of “Humanities & Arts Magnet High School,” the institution was struggling.
Nearly a decade ago, Humanities & Arts High School was facing the possibility of closure as the graduation rate hovered around 67%, with low attendance rates. Yet today, with a new name, bold direction, and a long-term vision, the school is able to tell a very different story.
However, the transformation of H.A.R.T. High School did not happen overnight. When Ayetiwa first arrived at the school, he had to address the lack of engagement he noticed between the students and their teachers before building the programs that H.A.R.T. offers today. In Ayetiwa’s first year there, graduation rates rose to about 82%. Over the years, the school has gradually introduced new programs based on the combined vision of students and staff.
H.A.R.T. has transformed itself into a STEM-focused school offering programs in robotics, engineering, medicine, software engineering, game design, business, the arts, and more. Its graduation rate has climbed to as high as 96%, while attendance has risen to about 90%.
Principal Ayetiwa argued that the transformation was not due to simply adding new programs, but changing the culture of the school.
“I saw that despite the fact that there were struggles, there was still a glimmer of hope,” Ayetiwa said.
Having grown up in the Cambria Heights neighborhood where H.A.R.T. High School is located, Principal Ayetiwa said he personally felt connected to the school and believed it could become something greater.
Originally a pre-med student, he was encouraged to consider a career in education due to a shortage of African-American men in the field. So Ayetiwa began as a science teacher, working in middle and high schools across Brooklyn and Queens before eventually taking the steps to become a principal.
“There’s nothing like seeing students go from good, better or indifferent,” he said. For Ayetiwa, the feeling he gets when he helps youth is “hard to replace with anything else.”
H.A.R.T. High School Was Built On Structure
When Ayetiwa arrived at H.A.R.T., he said one of the school’s biggest problems was its lack of structure. As students were frequently out of classrooms, he believed that part of the reason was that they did not have a strong enough reason to want to be in classes. So he set out to give students a reason to be excited about what was happening in the classroom.
That change also required changes among the school staff. Ayetiwa said some staff members, when he first arrived, had become comfortable with the way the school was operating, and he realized that was the first step in the school’s transformation.
“I need strong people to help me maintain discipline, but I need strong teachers to keep them in the classroom,” he explained.
He recognized that to change the school for the better, it would require people who were willing to embrace the new vision. That team currently includes Assistant Principal Anna Raghubir, who joined H.A.R.T. toward the end of 2023. Raghubir also began her career as a science teacher before joining H.A.R.T. as an assistant principal.
Principal Kayode Ayetiwa and Assistant Principal Anna Raghubir
Ayetiwa’s hiring process is not simply about finding someone who can supervise. He looks for people who can elevate the school.
“I don’t like to micromanage,” Ayetiwa said. “I need someone who can lead themselves.”
Ragbuhir oversees the Science and Career and Technical Education departments at H.A.R.T., and for her, the school’s progress is due to more than the programs themselves.
“It’s still effort and work,” Raghubir said. “We also really care about what we do. So we move different.”
Health, Arts, Robotics, and Technology Programs
As one of the city’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) schools, which offer high school students academic instruction combined with hands-on training for specific careers, H.A.R.T. High School’s programs are designed to connect classroom learning with certifications and entry pathways into potential long-term careers.
The school’s robotics and engineering programs incorporate computer science and drone technology. Students can learn programming languages such as JavaScript and work toward industry-recognized certifications.
The medical program provides students with opportunities to become certified in areas such as medical assisting and EKG technology.
The school also has a software engineering and game design program where students learn coding and programming while developing their own games and software.
For students interested in business and the arts, another program combines marketing and graphic design, with added certifications in Adobe software.
The school also offers programs as part of its curriculum, including lifeguard certification, and is one of the NYC DOE’s rare driver’s education programs as a DMV-approved site, with its own vehicle!
Ayetiwa said the school develops new programs in phases, gathering feedback from students and considering the curriculum, staffing, and resources needed to make each one come to life. An approach that has worked well for H.A.R.T. since it creates a sense of ownership for the students.
“That’s their investment and their vision,” Ayetiwa said.
Raghubir said that the same mindset extends into the classroom, where teachers approach every student believing that they will succeed.
“There is no ‘you can’t‘ ever,” Raghubir said. Setting high expectations for their students helps students achieve more and it shows in the success happening around the school.
This mindset at H.A.R.T is a key element to their institution’s transformation.
EquityNYC reported New York City’s graduation rate of 83.26% for the class of 2024, and the NYC Public Schools reported an attendance rate of 89.80% for the 2024-2025 school year. H.A.R.T. High School rises above those numbers.
So it stands to question, what is stopping other high schools in the city from implementing similar programs that engage their students and meet the demand that the current education landscape needs?
Those in the community can get a chance to see what is happening at H.A.R.T. High School in person, this Friday at the school’s annual DRONES FIREWORKS Spectacular.
5:00 PM | H.A.R.T. Open House & School Tour
Get an exclusive preview of our state-of-the-art Gaming, Medical, Drones, Robotics, and Computer Science facilities before the evening’s main event.
H.A.R.T. High School (Main Entrance on 116th Avenue)
207-01 116th Avenue, Cambria Heights, NY 11411
6:00 PM | Doors Open
DRONES FIREWORKS Spectacular
Campus Magnet Field at HART High School (Enter on Francis Lewis Blvd)
207-01 116th Avenue, Cambria Heights, NY 11411
Bring your family. Bring your friends. Bring everyone.
It will look impossible. It will look like AI. But it’s H.A.R.T. and it’s happening LIVE.
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