A phrase that feels ever so familiar to current Masters students, alumni and faculty is that we are an “art school.” To a large extent, that categorization certainly is true. Both the performing and visual arts programs here at Masters rank up with some of the superior high school art programs in the country with our world-class, talented and passionate arts faculty. Moreover the school is continually making efforts to update infrastructure including the remodeling of the Claudia Boettcher Theatre along with Strayer Hall within the next 10 years. Furthermore, the school community bolsters the programs with its undying support through large turnouts for events. 

We as a community have painted ourselves as an arts school – and other schools do too. Other top independent schools have shrugged their shoulders, categorizing us as only an art school. 

But while we are an arts school, we are much more than just that. We bring several more elite programs to the table. Over the years, Masters has made leaps and bounds in pouring in resources to enhance all of our programs. 

The flagship building of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center marks the beginning of a new era for the school and increases the legitimacy of our already prestigious programs in the Department of Engineering and Computer Science. Additionally, the building houses the award-winning cybersecurity team and even welcomed the Diamond Challenge, a business competition that spans over 111 countries, this weekend.

The school has also seen much more success in sports. Masters is no longer an easy team to beat, that some of the other typical “powerhouse” Fairchester and NYSAIS teams can laugh at and expect to demolish. We see this in our excellent and thriving boys soccer, girls tennis, basketball, track and fields programs, squash, and fencing and with pushes to recruit more student athletes, and hire more world-class coaches. An example being the hiring of the new baseball coach who comes from a nationally ranked program, in order to keep pushing our programs to success. Masters is now a team to fear on the courts and fields.

We’re even a top journalism school. With an already established reputation for the newspaper, it only continues to grow and get better, even though it’s already been named the number one high school paper in New York Stat.e, Tower continues to get better. Not only that, but the new journalism department continues to strengthen its newer broadcast program, raking in awards.

In the classroom, Masters faculty and students contribute daily to our culture of academic excellence. Every year, course lists are growing to add a diverse range of classes. Students now have new avenues to explore their fields of interest.     

After great pushes from the administration and the Board of Trustees, Masters is becoming a school where students with a wide range of talents, skills and interests can strive and succeed in. But most importantly, Masters is building up students to be well-rounded individuals, ready to step up and be leaders by the time they graduate.

It’s time to stop underestimating us. We’re not an art school – we are an everything school.