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With better than 95 percent of graduates going on to attend college, standout sports and dance programs, and recent recognition as a national "School District of Character," Yorktown High Principal Joe DeGennaro has a lot to be proud of these days.
Yorktown was just one of four school districts in the country honored as a School District of Character,' by Character.org.
In addition, the 2016 senior class at Yorktown High sent 12 students to Ivy League universities.
At the core of the success, DeGennaro said, is the process of helping students who enter high school develop into young adults as they move on to take on life's challenges.
DeGennaro grew up in Hastings and attended Hastings High, where he played four years of basketball, before heading to Springfield College. He also spent time at Mercy College , and is currently in his ninth year at Yorktown.
He also spent eight years at Irvington High School as assistant principal and 10 years at Hastings High School, where he was a teacher, coach and interim assistant principal.
DeGennaro lives in Yorktown with his wife, Jill, and children Dana (20, at Villanova), Nick (18, at Western New England) and Charlie (11).
Watch the video to see DeGennaro talk about the character award, the school's sports and dance programs and more.
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