Archbishop Molloy High School (also called Molloy, Archbishop Molloy, or AMHS) is a co-educational, college preparatory, Catholic school for grades 9-12, located on 6 acres (24,000Â m2) on Manton Street, near Queens Boulevard Main Street in the Briarwood section of Queens in New York City, Molloy currently has an endowment of about $6,000,000 (as of Nov. 2010). The school's current principal is Mr. Darius Penikas, who started his term in 2015. Molloy's motto is "Non Scholae Sed Vitae," which is Latin for "Not For School, But For Life." It is located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn next to the Briarwood subway station (E FÂ trains).
History
The school is staffed by the Marist Brothers, founded by Saint Marcellin Champagnat
In 1892, Br. Zephiriny opened St. Ann's Academy in two brownstone buildings at East 76 Street and Lexington Avenue. Initially a parish elementary school, the program soon expanded to include a two-year commercial course and then a full four-year high school program. Initially conducted entirely in French, the school gradually moved to English-language instruction, and by the start of the 20th century, the Brothers anglicized the name to St. Ann's. During the Theodore Roosevelt era, the school briefly took on a military air, with uniforms and a marching band. Boarding facilities were added, and the phenomenal growth of the school began. When the original parish church was replaced in 1912 with the huge present-day Church, the Brothers acquired the old building and converted it as a gymnasium. A purpose-built five story school building was then constructed, and other neighboring buildings were acquired.
Sixty-five years after its foundation, the school enrollment had swelled to 800 in grades one through twelve, and all available buildings were bursting at the seams. Moreover, some of the earliest buildings had deteriorated structurally, and required replacement.
Archbishop Thomas Edmund Molloy, the Ordinary of the Diocese of Brooklyn, offered the Marist Brothers a 6-acre (24,000 m2) site he had purchased in central Queens County. In 1957, the Brothers moved to the new site, naming the building in honor of Archbishop Molloy. The expanded facilities enabled the school to nearly double its enrollment, meeting the urgent needs of the postâ€"World War II baby boom generation. Despite the move, many of the hallowed St. Ann's traditions continued as the faculty and students moved en masse to the new site. Today, students are still known as Stanners (St. Anner's), and the school newspaper is the Stanner.
In 1987, the Ralph DiChiaro Center for Arts and Sciences was dedicated, giving the school new, state of the art, facilities, including a theater, computer labs and a biology lab. In 2000, Molloy became co-educational and opened the doors to women for the first time. It graduated its first female in 2004.
Richard Karsten, class of 1981, was appointed President of Molloy in July 2010. He served on the school's first director in the 1990s and is a member of the Stanner Hall of Fame.
Stanner
Stanner is a word created by Archbishop Molloy High School. Before modern-day Molloy was built in Briarwood, Queens, the school was named St. Ann's Academy. The students were known as "St. Ann-ers," a nickname which, over time, simply became "Stanners." All of Molloy's students, current and alumni, are known as Stanners.
The school always makes it a point that students should act "Stannerly," though the meaning of "Stannerly" is not specifically defined. One assumption is that it means "like Jesus," but that definition was called into question in the 2003-2004 school year when Brother Roy George called Jesus "the ultimate non-conformist." The school's administration, as the students know, praises conformity to the school's rules. It is generally acknowledged, however, that to act Stannerly is to show respect for yourself and others; be a friend, show good will towards others regardless of race, color or creed, and to follow the rules set forth by the school administration.
Several things in the school have this name, including the school newspaper, "The Stanner." In addition, the school's athletic teams are known as the Stanners.
Academics
Archbishop Molloy's academic program is very competitive. A variety of honors classes and thirteen Advanced Placement Program (AP) classes are offered by Molloy. The school's Science Olympiad team is consistently among the top three schools in the city, recently taking second place. Amongst Catholic schools, Molloy has the highest percentage of its graduates earning Regents diplomas. The U.S. Department of Education recognized the school as a "National School of Excellence." Molloy was named as 1 of 96 most "Outstanding American High School" by U.S. News and World Report in 1999, as well as an "Exemplary School" by the United States Department of Education. 100% of Molloy's graduates attend college.Admission is based on the entrance examination (TACHS or and a review of 6th, 7th, and early 8th grade records.
In 2006, one of Molloy's seniors, Mary Catherine Wen, along with her partner Jenny Yeh, were national finalists in the Siemens Competition in Math, Science, and Technology. Their project, "Proliferation and Alignment of Osteoblasts on Oriented Magnetic Nanocomposites," won them $20,000 in college scholarships.
Athletics
Molloy is nationally known for its successful sports program, particularly in basketball, baseball, soccer, and track and field. Molloy's basketball team was coached by the legendary Jack Curran, the winningest coach in New York City and New York State history, until his death on March 14, 2013. His replacement was announced as Mike McCleary. After taking over as coach for Lou Carnesecca in 1958, Curran has led Molloy basketball to over 870 wins and 5 city titles. He has also produced 6 NBA players. Curran has also coached Molloy's baseball team since 1958, leading them to more than 1,300 wins and 17 CHSAA titles. In 1966, Curran coached Molloy baseball to win 68 consecutive games, a national record which would stand until April 2, 2005. Curran is the only coach to be named National Coach of the Year in two different sports: basketball in 1990 and 2009 and baseball in 1988. He has been named CHSAA Coach of the Year 25 times in baseball, 22 times in basketball, won city championships in three different decades and has been elected into seven different Hall of Fames, including the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame.
Molloy's track team has been noted, winning 24 CHSAA indoor track titles since its inception. Tom Farrell, a Molloy graduate, won a bronze medal at the 1968 Olympics in the 800 m run. Chris Lopez (1991) currently has the New York High School indoor state record in the triple jump, set on March 2, 1991 with a mark of 50' 7.25". Molloy's dominant track and field program has more CHSAA team titles than any other CHSAA school.
Molloy's soccer team in the 2004 season went undefeated en route to its second State Championship. In that season the varsity team managed to win the Brooklyn/Queens Championship, City championship, and State title.
Notable alumni
- Rosalyn Gold-Onwude (2005) - Basketball Analyst
- William "Bill" Morrissey (2005)- WWE professional wrestler under the stage name Colin Cassady a.k.a. Big Cass or William Morrissey
References
External links
- Archbishop Molloy High School web site