"Stuy" was located further
uptown, on 15th street and 1st avenue, until 1992 when it was relocated to its current location at the west end of Chambers Street, a few blocks from the
World Trade Center. (Both sites are in
Manhattan).
Students from all over New York City attend the school, many with commutes longer than an hour (my own commute was 90 minutes, each way).
The most respected students are not the quarterback nor the cheerleaders, but rather those with academic prowess.
Famous alums include Lucy Liu, James Cagney, Paul Reiser, Tim Robbins, Thelonious Monk, and Dick Morris. Author Frank McCourt taught at Stuy for a while (in the '80s?) and often mentions it during interviews.
The football team is named the "Peglegs" (after Peter Stuyvesant's peg leg). Traditionally, Stuyvesant is very strong at fencing and boys and girls swimming.
Stuy has a fierce academic rivalry with Bronx Science (think of the '80s TV show Head of the Class.)