U.S. News & World Report puts up a list of the 100 best high schools in the country each year. Newcomers High School in Queens managed to make it into the top ten this time around.

It is worth noting that this school caters exclusively to the children of immigrants who moved to the U.S. from 50 countries. "Many of our students got off the gang way at Kennedy Airport just yesterday," says director Orlando Sarmiento, a native of Columbia. "This school is something like a little Ellis Island."

The nearly 1000 students that attend Newcomers High School speak 30 different languages. Specialized education programs are developed for the students, including provisions for lessons in music and familiarization with different art forms. Instruction is carried out thanks to means provided by federal grants. "From the very beginning, we tell our students that we expect a lot from them and so they work persistently and intensively in order to fulfill our expectations," emphasizes Sarmiento.

The kids acknowledge that the school not only gives them knowledge of basic subjects, but also helps them better understand how life is structured in the United States and, thanks to this, feel more confident taking their first steps in a new country.

"It's great!" say 18-year-old Eric Leon from Ecuador. "The people that surround us are wonderful. I feel like I am home." Riaz Ahmed's family recently emigrated from Pakistan. They have settled in Jamaica, Queens. Riaz took his son, 15-year-old Mohib, to Newcomers High School.

"I am glad that he will be learning at this remarkable school," said the father, "and hope that it helps in the future."

New York State can lay claim to a considerable portion of the 100 high schools printed in the U.S. News and World Report magazine – 23 schools. Such famous educational institutions as Stuyvesant and Brooklyn Tech fell among these. But of all the New York schools, the immigrant school received the highest rank – sixth.

Before picking the top 100, the staff of the magazine examines 21,700 schools nationwide. The most important criteria are test scores, progress of kids from low-income and minority families and the percentage of students taking Advanced Placement exams. Thomas Jefferson High School in Virginia was named the best high school in the country.