Martin Van Buren High School, in New York City

My old high school--which was a giant city school when I attended, with well over 1,000 students graduating each year--hasn't been thriving, and a group of alumni are hosting a Celebration to help revive it.

It turns out that I am the second, not the first Nobel laureate to have attended.
Here are the details.

Saturday, May 17, 2014   •   1:30pm – 12:00 Midnight

A Day of Celebrating Martin Van Buren High School’s
Past, Present and Future!

at Martin Van Buren High School, Queens Village, NY


BASKETBALL CLINIC:  1:30pm – 3:30pm

MVB Alum, and Head Coach of Fordham University’s Basketball Team, Tom Pecora, and his team will conduct a clinic for 6th-8th grade youth from community schools.

 MVB OPEN HOUSE:  3:00pm – 5:00pm

Learn about MVB’s new and exciting programs,
Visit with former teachers, Tour the school, Meet today’s students

Everyone is welcome. There is no charge for this event.

MVB SHOWCASE:  5:00pm – 6:00pm

The Best Of MVB,
Showcasing our band, chorus, and dance troupe.
Everyone is welcome. There is no charge for this event.

HALL OF FAME:  6:00pm – 8:00pm

Honoring Distinguished MVB Alumni

Alvin Roth, Nobel Prize Economics

Frank Wilczek, Nobel Prize Physics

MVB’s 1958 Championship Baseball Team

Ray Kurzweil, Inventor and Futurist

 Donny Deutsch, Media Personality


Attendance is free for this event, but space is limited. Please sign up in advance by email at mvbhsalumns@gmail.com


All-CLASS REUNION: 8:00pm – 12:00 midnight

Join the 55 graduating classes for the first ever all-class reunion at MVB!

Here's some news coverage of the run-up to the event, which includes this:

"After the city lifted zoning restrictions more than 10 years ago, students left Van Buren en masse for schools like Francis Lewis, Bayside and Cardozo high schools. Van Buren received a “D” on its most recent city progress report and received a below-average rating on last year’s school survey.

But under the leadership of new Principal Sam Sochet, the school is poised for a turnaround, Wilson said, and part of the celebration day’s schedule includes an open house promoting a handful of new programs."