Co-Founder Martin Smallhorne

Martin Smallhorne

“…an energetic young administrator who works hard to create a personalized program”

               TIME Magazine, May 2007 “Stopping the Dropout Exodus.”

Martin Smallhorne is a School Leader of the Young Adult Borough Center (YABC) at Herbert H. Lehman High School in the Bronx.  This evening school program is designed specifically to meet the needs of high school students who are considering dropping out.  Most of the students in this program have struggled in the traditional high school setting and have not earned enough credits to graduate from high school on time.  The YABC program gives students the opportunity to earn their high school diploma, gain job readiness skills and prepare for their post-secondary pursuits. Since 2005, when Mr. Smallhorne began this program at Herbert H. Lehman High School, a significant amount of students have earned their high school diplomas and gone on to many postsecondary success stories.  His passion has always been; student advocacy for “at-risk children.” His simple, but powerful philosophy of high expectations and excellent habits are an essential component of his everyday affairs.

He has been featured in Time Magazine, “Stopping the Dropout Exodus” May, 2007, which illustrates the importance of alternate programs for aging youth in New York City schools.  Mr. Smallhorne has been recently featured on ABC Channel 7, “Here and Now” and the Daily News promoting College Goal NY, a program that assists students who are applying for college with financial aid, which starts with the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form.A former member of the St. Barnabas Hospital Board of Trustees, he is also a member of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and the National Alliance of Black School Educators.

A native of Jamaica, West Indies and a proud product of the New York City public school system, Smallhorne received his B.A. in History, Philosophy, and Sociology and later his M.A. in Education at SUNY Stonybrook University. He also received a second M.A. in Administration and Supervision at Brooklyn College. Smallhorne was a teacher for five years at Pacific High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., the first established alternative high school in New York City. He went on to become a Director of The Two Bridges Academy, Brooklyn, N.Y. and a Principal (IA) at the West Side High School Annex in Harlem. His experience in leading “at-risk” students led him to his current position as School Leader of YABC at Lehman High School.

“Children are young, but they’re not naïve. And they’re honest. They’re not going to keep awake if the story is boring. When they get excited you can see it in their eyes.”

Chinua Achebe