Highlights From the Bronx Science English Department

Although Bronx Science is renowned for its robust STEM curriculum, it also fosters flourishing and engaging English classes.

Abigail Jones, Staff Reporter • May 12, 2025

Daniel Wu ’26 and Hana Cleeman ’26 collaborate on a project in AP English Language and Composition.

Gallery • 10 Photos

Katelyn Chiao

Daniel Wu ’26 and Hana Cleeman ’26 collaborate on a project in AP English Language and Composition.

Although Bronx Science is widely known for its focus on STEM, it is also home to a thriving English Department. Students are required to complete four years of English, with the option to select courses that align with their individual interests as they progress through the later years. During students’ first two years at Bronx Science, they are required to take standard English classes, while in the latter half of their Bronx Science career, they have more freedom in choosing classes such as A.P. English Literature: Science, Medicine, and Literature and World Literature. Just this year, Bronx Science introduced a selection of new English classes tailored to students’ interests, such as Science Fiction and Fantasy, and Exploring Graphic Novels: A Journey Through Visual Literature.

Each day, students immerse themselves in carefully created literary worlds, analyzing complex characters and events while searching for deeper themes beneath the surface. Bronx Science also offers unique interdisciplinary humanities courses, such as A.P. American Studies, which allows students to delve into American history and literature simultaneously. From studying timeless classics like The Great Gatsby to modern works like The Hate U Give, students are introduced to a diverse range of literature throughout their time at the school. Featured here is a compilation of students and teachers from various English classes, depicting the dynamic energy of the Bronx Science English Department.

About the Contributors

Abigail Jones, Staff Reporter

Abigail Jones is an Editorial Editor for ‘The Science Survey.’ She is passionate about journalistic writing because of its ability to illuminate changes and continuities in society through careful observation. She believes that journalistic writing is key to spreading awareness about not only mainstream news and enduring issues, but also the subtle details that characterize the world we live in. Simultaneously, she sees journalism as an outlet for self-expression and sharing of understanding. Abigail is equally enthusiastic about journalistic photography, as quality photos have the potential to capture the essence of a subject, as well as contribute unique perspectives that words alone cannot convey. Beyond her work in journalism, Abigail is actively engaged in her school community. She is a dedicated member of the Bronx Science Speech and Debate team, serves as a senator in student government, and participates in a variety of extracurricular activities, including the Sci4Bronx Tutoring Organization and the Journal of Biology. Outside of school, Abigail loves reading, walking through Central Park, and traveling the world. While she is uncertain about where her future will lead, Abigail is certain that she wants to continue exercising and developing her writing skills in the years to come.

Katelyn Chiao, Staff Reporter

Katelyn Chiao is a Managing Editor and Advisory Editor for ‘The Science Survey,’ part of the Editor-in-Chief Division. She finds that journalism is especially fascinating due to the fact it allows her to dive deeply into stories, to uncover truths, and to share meaningful insights, in order to inform and to connect with others. Moreover, Katelyn admires photojournalism’s ability t0 freeze moments in time, to capture emotions, and to creatively express perspectives that words alone cannot convey. Through her photos, Katelyn hopes to see and share the world in unique, meaningful ways. Outside of school, Katelyn fills her time with artistic endeavors, including painting, making ceramics, creating digital art, and visiting museums. She also enjoys exploring New York City’s culinary world by going on food crawls across different neighborhoods. Katelyn intends to study business in college, but she will continue to foster her passion for storytelling.

Isabel Goldfarb, Staff Reporter

Isabel Goldfarb is an Editor-in-Chief for ‘The Science Survey.’ She tends to focus on A.I., economics, and international politics in her reporting, but is now venturing into covering topics related to arts and entertainment. In addition to writing her own articles, Isabel edits her fellow journalists’ articles on subjects ranging from current events to features. She appreciates how the field of journalism allows one to explore what they are most passionate about, as well as express and challenge one’s own opinions on a wide range of issues. Aside from journalism, Isabel enjoys debating, reading, and fencing. In college, Isabel would like to study applied mathematics, economics, and political science, all of which have the potential to intertwine with journalism.

Vanessa Encarnacion, Staff Reporter

Vanessa Encarnacion is a Managing Editor and Advisory Editor for ‘The Science Survey.’ She enjoys the story-telling aspects of journalistic writing along with its ability to provide new perspectives on the world that we think we know. She finds photography to represent perfect time-capsules of important moments, and considers it to be one of the most precise types of art. Outside of journalism, Vanessa enjoys exploring other art forms, such as film and music. She plans to study finance in college.

Sofia Fernandez, Staff Reporter

Sofia Fernandez is a Copy Chief and Chief Graphic Designer for ‘The Observatory’ yearbook. She is also a Staff Reporter for ‘The Science Survey’ newspaper. Sofia believes that journalistic writing allows us to take on new and diverse perspectives. She finds this type of writing appealing and informative because it educates the reader in a creative and engaging way, while also highlighting the writer’s overall message. Photography really speaks to her heart since it allows her to capture a moment and cherish it as time goes on. She isn’t afraid to take new photos of things that she finds to be interesting. Whether it is photography or journalism, both fields allow her to demonstrate her own creative skills and that’s what she loves about them. Outside of school, Sofia pursues a variety of hobbies. These include listening to music, playing sports such as soccer and badminton for fun, working on graphic design, taking photographs, and watching television shows and movies. One of her favorite movies is Coraline because it is surrounded by conceptual fan theories and contains a great level of suspense, all of which is supported by its visual elements. In the future, Sofia plans on integrating her writing, graphic design, and photography skills by studying film and marketing in college.

Bethany Karlinsky, Staff Reporter

Bethany Karlinsky is a Copy Chief for ‘The Science Survey.’ She loves that through journalism one can craft a story that is both informative and riveting to read, benefitting people in a variety of ways. She believes in the necessity of true and reliable journalism. Bethany reads various articles from outside newspapers, as well as writes her own. Moreover, she also enjoys journalistic photography as she believes pictures can tell a story in themselves, making them a large asset to articles. Outside of journalism, Bethany is on the debate team and pursues social science research. She also loves to relax by listening to music and reading a good book. In the future she plans to integrate her love for debate and journalism, aiming to study political science, history, and psychology.

Kathryn Wu, Staff Reporter

Kathryn Wu is a Graphic Designer and Copy Chief for ‘The Observatory’ yearbook. She is also a Staff Reporter for ‘The Science Survey.’ Kathryn finds journalistic writing to be very expressive and enjoys how she can learn a lot about many different types of people through each of their unique stories. In addition to writing, Kathryn finds journalistic photography to be an amazing medium that captures stories visually. Kathryn is known to be very artsy and creative. Outside of school, you can find her spending most of her free time watching K-dramas, learning K-pop choreography, and singing karaoke with friends. Kathryn’s plans for the future aren’t set in stone and she is currently unsure of a specific career path. However, she would love to have a future career in a business or artistic field whether that is architecture, digital marketing, or some sort of graphic design.

Kaitlyn Toy, Staff Reporter

Kaitlyn Toy is a Graphic Designer and a Student Life Section Editor for ‘The Observatory’ yearbook, as well as a Staff Reporter for ‘The Science Survey’ newspaper. Kaitlyn finds that the most appealing aspect of journalistic writing is its ability to provide a platform for writers to articulate their thoughts and to communicate a wide range of messages to a large audience. She believes that journalism encourages the sharing of diverse thoughts and experiences, allowing similar ideas to unite and differing perspectives to inspire. Kaitlyn has a strong passion for photography. She perceives journalistic photography as a powerful means to convey and evoke deep emotions, capturing moments in time that people can look back on fondly. Similar to writing, photography serves as a medium of expression for Kaitlyn, allowing her to express herself and how she views the world through her lens. During her pastime, Kaitlyn enjoys reading, listening to K-pop, playing games, and spending time with friends and family. Driven by a keen interest for the biological sciences, she strives to enter the medical field and become a pediatrician. Regardless of the path she takes, she hopes to integrate her passions for journalism and photography with her career.

Eunseo Lee, Staff Reporter

Eunseo Lee is a Copy Chief for ‘The Science Survey.’ She is responsible for eliminating grammatical mistakes in order to ensure that the articles of the newspaper are engaging and understandable. She believes that the use of descriptive language within newspaper articles makes them remarkable and helps to tie pieces together overall. Outside of her work with ‘The Science Survey,’ Eunseo helps run a global nonprofit organization as co-president, teaching children from low-income families music theory and general musical etiquette. Through this work, she hopes to study psychology in college, as she is fascinated by developmental psychology and the possibilities that are opened through its study.