at the White House. In 2003, John Dewey High School was named as one of 209 successful schools that then-chancellor Joel L. Klein exempted from the citywide uniform curriculum. In 2007, John Dewey High School was named one of America's Top 500 High Schools by U.S. News & World Report. In 2008 and 2009, Newsweek named John Dewey High School one of America's Top 6% of high schools in its rankings, citing "how hard staffs work to challenge students with Advanced Placement college-level courses and tests." In 2010, John Dewey High School's short film produced by the Film Class titled "A Block From Home" which was about an innocent victim who was caught in cross fire gun violence nearby Sheepshead Bay High School and takes on the progressive healing and the will to forge ahead. It was a part of Tribeca Film Festival in the Our City My Story event. In 2013, U.S. News & World Report awarded John Dewey High School a silver medal for ranking as one of America's Top High Schools, and for ranking #127 in New York State. In 2015, Niche named John Dewey High School as the fifth best high school in Brooklyn, the second best high school in the New York City Department of Education's District 21, top 100 most diverse schools in New York State, and was given an "Overall Niche Grade" of a B+, the only school in the district to achieve this grade. In 2016, Niche gave John Dewey High School an "Overall Niche Grade" of an A−. Notable appearances The school is shown during the chase scene of the Academy Award-winning movie The French Connection, which was largely filmed on a train that was parked at the Bay 50th Street station, located right outside the school, which at that time was served by the New York City Subway's B train. Actor Michael J. Fox was the guest speaker for the Class of 1984, he was also given an honorary high school diploma. Dr. Ruth Westheimer, sex therapist, professor, author, and talk show host, was the guest speaker at graduation for the Class of 1985. First Lady Hillary Clinton visited in April 2000 as part of the "Principals For a Day" program. Radio personality David Brody from Z100 and Elvis Duran and the Morning Show was the guest speaker at graduation on June 26, 2012. Brody graduated from John Dewey High