June Newsletter 2023

Congratulations Kindergarten!

On Graduation Day, June 13th, Cedar Hill Prep Kindergarten students donned their caps and gowns and excitedly marched down the aisle to the melody of Pomp and Circumstance. The Kindergartners’ performances included the singing of songs and reciting of poetry, all of which displayed an enormous growth of confidence and achievement within themselves.

The children received awards that reflected their individual accomplishments this year. These amazing Cedar Hill Prep Kindergarten students have grown and learned so much, it truly has been a thrilling adventure. Our Kindergarteners were celebrated by their very proud teachers, administrators, families, and friends.

Congratulations to our new CHP First Graders!

Click Here to Watch Ceremony

Preschool Last Week of School

The last full week of Preschool was so much fun for the students! Each day was a different themed event. Monday was Talent Day when the children demonstrated their individual talents to the class. We had singers, dancers, and artists. On Tuesday, Career Day, the children dressed up as their future career choices. There were some doctors, a boss, a singer, a police officer, a basketball player, an artist, a tennis player, and a fashion model. Wednesday, the children dressed in their pajamas for a movie day where they ate popcorn and watched Aladdin! On Thursday, the children enjoyed bringing in a special toy from home to present to the class. And to top off the week, the children celebrated the end of the year on Friday with ice cream and an imaginary day at the beach. What a great way to close out the school year! Have a safe, fun, and adventurous summer, Preschoolers, and we’ll see you in September!

Pre-Kindergarten Class A Theme Week

The Pre-Kindergarten class celebrated the last full week of school with a different theme each day. The children came dressed to school for the career they’d like to have when they grow up. Students came dressed as tennis players, astronauts, police officers, firefighters, doctors, and much more! Each student told the class what they would like to be when they grow up and why. This was one of the PreKindergarten students’ favorite days this year!

Last Week of Pre-Kindergarten Class B

It’s hard to believe that the school year is coming to an end. This was a year of learning to be kind. We’ve been creative in continually finding new ways to show our love and support to one another in our classrooms. The students so enjoyed spending time with each other this last week of school, playing and enjoying their way into the summer. We can’t wait to see everyone return in the new school year!

Grades 1–3 Awards Ceremony

The students at CHP had their award ceremony on a beautiful June morning. Students, teachers, and parents gathered together to close out the year by celebrating student accomplishments. The students at Cedar Hill Prep are involved in a wide variety of activities both in and out of the classroom. They participate in spelling bees, athletics, world languages, music, drama, art, and science fairs – to name just a few! Additionally, this year, students were able to visit the New Jersey Institute of Nature and take part in all sorts of activities including horse care, nature scavenger hunts, and reflection time by the lake.

All of the students at Cedar Hill Prep have unique abilities and interests, and it is important that their individual qualities are recognized with these awards which summarize an entire year of hard work and effort. It is important to us that each student gets to be to be honored for their positive contribution and academic achievement as well as their individual accomplishments.

We are all extremely proud of our students who have learned and created so much this year!

4th Graders compete in the IAC National Championships!

We were so proud when four of our 4th graders advanced from Regional Competitions to the National Championships of the International Academic Competitions that took place in June! Our 4th Graders joined eight of our Middle School students as they traveled to Arlington VA, to compete in the National History Bee, International Geography Bee, National Science Bee, and U.S. Academic Bee. Congratulations to Samarth Dakhera, Shivad Desai, Vihaan Patel, and Yajur Subramaniam for their terrific participation in these buzzer-based 4-day competitions where many of them competed in more than one Bee!

The rest of our 4th Graders cheered on their classmates and challenged their own learning through a week of Terra Nova testing. June was a big month for our 4th Graders!

Summer Birthdays!

Mrs. Gadaleta, Mrs. Yurman, and the Grade 4 Graduates wish a very HAPPY SUMMER BIRTHDAY to Anya Patel and Miraya Shukla!

Best wishes to our CHP Families, Staff, and Faculty for a wonderful summer! Thank you all for helping to make the 2022-2023 School Year a memorable one!

Congratulations Grade 4

On June 13th, hushed excitement filled the Multipurpose Room as Grade 4 students adjusted their graduation caps and gowns. Pomp and Circumstance began playing as the students marched outside and down the aisle, enjoying their final feelings of being CHP Elementary School students. This day marked their transition into Middle School!

For these curious, industrious, and creative students, the Grade 4 graduation ceremony celebrated their collaborative efforts this school year. These accomplishments were celebrated with students’ reflective speeches and moments of singing. In addition to receiving their Graduation Diplomas, each 4th Grader received awards that showcased their personal achievements throughout the year.

A special thank you to Narayan Lekhi, a graduating CHP 8th grader and alum of the Grade 4 Graduating Class of 2019, for enriching the students’ graduation experience with his inspirational (and quite humorous) message! These Grade 4 graduates have brought much pride to their CHP community and families, and we wish them well as they move on to Middle School!

Thank you to Ms. Nan and Mr. Seeley for your vision and leadership and to the entire Administrative Team and Music Department for engineering such a beautiful graduation experience!

Click Here to Watch Ceremony

Congratulations Grade 8

On June 14th, the Class of 2023 celebrated the culmination of their efforts at Cedar Hill Prep’s 8th Grade graduation. It was a bittersweet moment for our graduates, parents, teachers, and all who attended to see the class bid farewell to their ‘home away from home.’

The ceremony was a moving, uplifting celebration of lifelong friendships, hard work, and achievements for the 17 young men and women who will continue onto the private and public high schools of their choice. It was very meaningful to have three keynote speakers and alumni from the classes of 2015 and 2019 – Chase Johnson, Agni Rajinikanth, and Nia Goodloe-Pierre – deliver inspirational speeches to our graduates!

Our most sincere congratulations and best wishes for future success go to the following graduates as they embark on their new journeys into high school: Rishabh, Reina, Jasmine, Basava, Sharon, Narayan, Ananya, Mahadev, Siana, Montunrayo, Shameek, Dhruv, Tanivi, Anaya, Angelina, Jacob, and Gabriel. We are so proud of you!

Click Here to Watch Ceremony

Grades 5 - 7 Awards

June 12th was a night to remember for all CHP Middle School students. We enjoyed the awards ceremony where family, staff, and students cheered on all recipients. The awards were given for outstanding work in a wide range of achievements such as academics, sports, and citizenship.

Thank you to all who attended and a huge thank you to all of our bright, accomplished students in the CHP family!

Middle School Science Fair Awards

The Middle School Science Fair spanned a total of four months during the school year. In December, students proposed their project ideas to develop into an experiment. Once the topics were approved, the budding young scientists began their research phase! In the early stages of experimentation, the students did a lot of troubleshooting to ensure minimal errors. All their hard work culminated in the Science Fair where the students presented their projects to judges during the day and to the CHP community at night. The projects were so impressive and the fair was a huge success!

The winners of the 2022-2023 CHP Science Fair are as follows:

5th grade

1st: Vishnu Badhan

2nd: Lily Trotta

3rd: Nico Garofalo

6th grade

1st: Meghana Indupuru

2nd: Demetria Rott

3rd: Grace Liu

7th Grade

1st: Ethan Sanbeg; Ayan Joshi

2nd: Sophia Lai

3rd: Aryan Cherukuri

8th Grade

1st: Motunrayo Odukoya

2nd: Anaya Raju

3rd: Sharon Kim

Mummification

Sixth graders “wrapped up” their unit on Ancient Egypt in SS class by mummifying a classmate. After two rolls of toilet paper later, lots of gems, Ms. Kennedy’s best makeup, salt, oils, chanting (along with giggles), and fake tears, our beloved Anya was mummified! She was a beautiful Egyptian and we named her Anyapatra after Cleopatra!

Grade 5 Test Gravity

Students in grade 5 ended the year by testing gravity on raw eggs. We even got Principal Seeley involved! He climbed up a tall ladder and launched each egg device from the top of the middle school building to see if the eggs would survive the fall! Some did while others did not. Even in our failed designs, we succeeded because we learned what does not work and evaluated why. It was a great way to end the school year!

Grade 6 Astronauts

The last days of the school year are here, but they are far from over. In Grade 6, students are still preparing to be astronauts by testing how gravity works on the blood flow in their bodies. One way they’ve been experimenting is to measure the circumference of their legs before and after elevating them for 5 minutes. This has turned out to be quite the experimental experience!

Math Mart

During the last week of school, our 7th Grade students along with some 8th graders brought their knowledge about percentages, discounts, mark-up, and profit into the real world. This year, they were also challenged to incorporate an element of environmental sustainability such as serving biodegradable products or providing discounts for customers who brought in their own eating utensils.

They were vendors at “Math Mart”, a marketplace of goods and services, where students were serving fresh waffles, crepes, quesadillas, grilled cheese sandwiches, Ramen noodles, freshly popped popcorn, Boba teas, and more! They sold homemade candles and beaded necklaces and bracelets. They also had dumplings, edible slime, and face painting!

From understanding supply and demand to competition and pricing, the kids learned several key entrepreneurial lessons. They worked hard, but also made real profits!

Grade 8 Trip

On June 8th, the eighth grade enjoyed their overnight trip at Camelback Resort and Indoor Water Park. They thoroughly enjoyed the water slides, wave pool, lazy river, and surf simulator. Later that night, everyone enjoyed a competitive game of laser tag and arcade games. But they didn’t only focus on “fun” activities -- the students also enjoyed challenging themselves and each other with an impromptu workout session at the gym! The next morning, they had a delicious breakfast and spent some more time at the waterpark.

Everyone had a great experience bonding and making lasting memories!

Cedar Hill Prep Students Advanced to the National Finals in Arlington VA!

Cedar Hill Prep School congratulates its twelve students who participated in the National Finals of the International Academic Competitions from June 1st – June 4th. Having advanced from the Regional Competitions to the 2023 National Championships of the National History Bee, International Geography Bee, National Science Bee, and US Academic Bee, these CHP students were thrilled to have an opportunity to join over 1800 students from around the U.S. at this next level of competition.

Congratulations to Samarth Dakhera, Shivad Desai, Vihaan Patel, & Yajur Subramaniam (4th graders), Vishnu Badhan (5th grade), Meghana Indupuru (6th grade), Shray Chandwani, Revant Jear, Ayan Joshi, Sahith Mangu, & Aakash Mehta (7th graders), and Narayan Lekhi (8th grader) for their terrific participation in these buzzer-based 4-day competitions where many of them competed in more than one Bee!

These 12 competitors supported one another throughout and were so happy to rally as Samarth, Yajur, and Meghana became Quarterfinalists in their respective competitions, then followed by Yajur becoming a Semi-finalist in the U.S. Academic Bee!

CHP is so proud of the motivation, effort, and sportsmanship that these 12 students put forth! Congratulations to all!

ART

June Art Projects

Our students created a lot of amazing art for our campus this school year! Grades 3 – 5 sketched the playground equipment and invented new structures. They also built structures with rubber playground surface materials. Then they created fun sculptures and Dream Catchers from their collage bags.

The 6th graders built a monument to end the school year down by the creek on the CHP campus and the 7th Graders enjoyed decorating their own picture frames.

Painting Elective

This year students were able to choose some very creative courses for elective time. One of the electives was painting, which our students really enjoyed. Giving students quiet time for creativity lets their ideas flow right onto the canvas.

Painting Elective was one of many electives where students got to practice their unique talents and enjoy the end of each day!

6th Grade Monument to End of School, Summer Solstice

Spanish Induction Ceremony

The American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP) has established the Hispanic Honor Society to recognize students who have academic excellence in the Spanish language. To receive the honorable crown of membership, students must meet the overall GPA standard of 90%, an average in Spanish of 92%, and a complete percentage of service to the school and community.

CHP schedules its annual induction of foreign language students for the fall of each year. However, 2023 graduates Roshabh Dagli and Ananya Mehta will be among the alumni by Fall 2023, so we found it fitting to honor them at this year’s awards ceremony.

They have met the above-mentioned GPA criteria, served their school as house leaders, and played a remarkable role in raising $983 in proceeds from the Pulsera Project sale which helped to fund social empowerment projects in Latin America.

As a result of their commendable academic performance, service to the school, and their service to the Latin American community, they were inducted into the middle school arm of the Hispanic Honor Society, Sociedad Hispanica de Amistad.

The Induction ceremony entailed the lighting of three candles representing their pledge to use the Spanish language to form friendships and serve their school and community. The AATSP has issued a Certificate of Membership to Ananya and Rishabh for this great accomplishment!

Thank you to our CHP family and friends for their continued support for the many events during the 2022 - 2023 school year!

Thank you for outstanding dedication and commitment: Karen Simmonds, Christine Smith, Linda Lai, Scott Richards, and Vanashri Joshi to include all the families that helped and attended all events.

We look forward to seeing everyone in the Fall. Enjoy your summer, stay healthy, and be safe!

7th and 8th Grade Graduation Celebration

Thank you to all who attended this years

7th and 8th Grade “A Night at the Oscars” dance!

AROUND THE SCHOOL

Snakes-n-Scales

On Friday, June 2, 2023, Grades 3-8 engaged in Snakes-n-Scales, a hands-on educational outreach program about some of nature’s lesser known creatures. Erin Mellini, a highly qualified educator and owner of Snakes-n-Scales, shared stories of her rescues of unwanted or abandoned pets including snakes, lizards, turtles & more. She educated our students about the importance of these reptiles, not only to their environment, but to our entire world.

Coach Frankie introduced the Snakes-n-Scales program to CHP and the Science Departments will move forward to create more programs at NJIN in conjunction with Snakes-n-Scale so our students can develop and share a passion for wildlife and rescue!

Somerset Patriots Baseball Family Fun Night

On Saturday, June 3rd, CHP had our 11th annual Somerset Patriots Baseball Family fun night! The game was against the Portland Sea Dogs and the Double A-Affiliate for the Boston Red Sox. Mr. Seeley threw the first pitch, and Somerset lost the game 4-3. We had a great turnout with about 70 CHP families in attendance!

This was a great family night with good food and amazing fireworks after the game. Looking forward to seeing everyone next year!

Pizza with the Principal

On Friday June 9, students enjoyed our last monthly “Pizza with the Principal” for the school year. Our students will miss this monthly hang-out with Principal Seeley, but we’re sure they’ll have all sorts of summer adventures to share with him when they get back in the new school year!

Lil’ Cats Sports Training

We’re so excited about our Lil’ Cats aerobics program where we prepare our Kindergarteners - 2nd Graders for their future athletic achievements! By teaching our young athletes how to develop their physical prowess and strategy, we ensure that they are ready to hit the field running when they join the Middle School sports teams!

Our Lil’ Cats learned so many fundamental skills for all types of sports and had a ton of fun this year. We love raising our Lil’ Cats athletes into full-grown Wildcats!

Click Here to Watch Video

Preschool - Kindergarten

Grades 1

Grades 3 - 4

Grades 5 - 7

Alumni A Spotlight S

Congratulations to our CHP alums who graduated from Rutgers Preparatory School! We are thrilled to learn that our alums are attending such prestigious institutions as Stevens Institute of Technology’s Honors Program, UC Berkeley’s M.E.T. Program, John Hopkins University, Georgetown University, Syracuse University’s Journalism Program, University of Rochester’s B.S./M.D. Program, University of Virginia, University of Miami, and Morehouse College in the Fall!

We are so proud of you and all your hard work. Know that your CHP family is celebrating you today!

Happy Birthday to the Staff Summer Birthdays!

June

Donna Jones and Priya Kheny

July

Corrie Kennedy, Mary Duncan, Marali Chari, Rita Christopher, Maria Soto, Lisa Simon, and Nandini Kenche

August

Oral McFadden (Mr. Mac), Tamara Cortese Jessica Turkowsky, Hemlata Iyengar, and Ellen Kane

Cedar Hill Prep Class of 2019

Rutgers Prep Class of 2023