The Charter School of Educational Excellence (CSEE) in Yonkers is celebrating its 20th anniversary, marking two decades of dedication to developing critical thinkers, motivated leaders, and lifelong learners.
The school community has logged a period of remarkable growth and achievement, particularly in recent years, solidifying its place as a cornerstone of academic rigor.
A major milestone was the 2021 opening of a state-of-the-art, $27 million, 78,000-square-foot high school. This new facility has been instrumental in expanding opportunities for students. The high school’s first senior class graduated in 2023, with students earning acceptances to prestigious universities such as Cornell, NYU, and Boston University. This success was a precursor to the 2025 graduating class of 88 seniors, who secured an impressive $20 million in scholarships and will attend institutions including the University of Virginia, NYU, University of Rochester, and Lehigh University.
The new high school is also a hub of opportunity. It provides students with 24 college credits and boasts an auto technology lab, a culinary arts training kitchen, advanced technology and science labs, an art studio, a gym, and a band practice room. The school’s commitment to a holistic education includes an extended eight-hour school day, which allows for deeper focus on core subjects and time for PE, health, music, foreign language, and the arts.
The school’s athletic program garners national attention. In the past year, the CSEE opened a new fitness center and saw its girls’ volleyball team win a state championship. The school was also featured in a national high school sports safety video filmed by the NBA and the Hospital for Special Surgery, highlighting its commitment to student-athlete well-being. This was further affirmed in April when a national sports medicine coalition cited CSEE’s athletics program as a model for preventing youth athlete injuries.
“The momentum we’ve built is a testament to the hard work of our entire community and the unwavering support of our partners,” said co-founder Eduardo LaGuerre. “With the help of the business community, we and our foundation have elevated education for Yonkers’ most disadvantaged children, providing them with the resources and opportunities they need to succeed.”
CSEE’s mission is rooted in community partnership, and this was recently highlighted by the acquisition of two new mini-buses, thanks to $215,000 in funding secured by State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. The buses will support the school’s robust extracurricular and athletic programming, further enriching the student experience.
As CSEE looks to the future, it does so with a proud history of achievement, a robust engagement with local businesses, and a clear vision for continuing its legacy of empowering students to reach their full potential.
