Meet Your Neighbor: Principal McKenna

"I’ve been working with QCH for over 5 years now as partners in the Learning To Work (LTW) program. I've worked hand in hand with QCH leadership and staff to form a strong partnership at Queens Satellite. QCH provides paid internship opportunities for many of our students, and they also provide one-on-one counseling and supports, as well as college and career counseling.
I feel that schools had a very minimal impact on me when I was younger, and there were many decisions and choices I made that were not in my own best interest. I never had adults during my high school years that I connected with or who really took the time to know me as a person. I had to figure out a lot of things on my own later in life. I'd like to think we are helping our students in that regard – by hearing them, by knowing them, by connecting.
Our students at Queens Satellite are at the precipice of adulthood. This time in their lives is so important in making a successful transition into the adult world. Too many high schools are fixated on tests and performance and not enough on the life skills and critical thinking skills related to ‘growing up’. QCH’s LTW program helps bridge that gap at Queens Satellite. By providing internships, training, and other supports, the LTW program is a great bridge between school and work - between adolescence and adulthood."
– Thomas McKenna, Principal at Queens Satellite High School for Opportunity