News January-February 2013
The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
Inside 2 Freshmen Study Greek Epic 2 Gill St. Bernard’s School
Gives Back
3 Gill St. Bernard’s Hosts
Winter Art Exhibtion
4 Middle School Student
Becomes Apple App Developer
4 Student Life Recap:
Upper School Shows Spirit
5 Third Grade Students Explore Life of Lenni Lenape Indians
5 Seventh Grade Pasta Car Challenge 6 Lower School Holds Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Assembly
6 Conquering Cyberbullying 7 Lower School Recital 7 Winter Jazz Concert 7 Lower School Presents Annie, Kids 8 Middle School Annual Concert 8 GSB Student Sings National Anthem at Lakers Game
8 Upper School Concert 8 Early Childhood Program Presents The Nutcracker 9 Vemuri Sisters Earn Musical Accolades
10 GSB Strings Ensemble’s Winter Recital
10 GSB Hosts NJAIS Trustee Enrichment Day
10 Athletics-
JV Wins Oratory Prep Tourney
11 Varsity Sports Round-Up 15 Dates to Remember 16 Community Blood Drive
From the Headmaster As expected, this winter is proving to be a difficult one. While the area and most of New Jersey may have been spared the brunt of Nor’easter Nemo, our schedule of activities at the school was certainly disrupted. The anticipated snow resulted in the cancelation of several activities such as the Upper School semi-formal, the Middle and Upper School ski trip as well as the postponement of many athletic contests scheduled throughout the weekend. While disappointing— especially in the case of events that cannot be rescheduled—the decisions to cancel and postpone GSB events are intended to make sure that students, parents, faculty and staff are safe. It is important to remember that GSB families come in from a 30-plus mile radius around the campus and some of our athletic contests involve students and coaches from around the state. Often, the decisions are influenced by area school superintendents who control our busses. This puts a damper on school spirit as enjoyable events fail to take place. I would like to thank the entire GSB community for its continued understanding and flexibility. As is typical, this time of the year is also a challenging one in the world of academics. First semester grades are complete and many students are faced with the pressure to improve their marks before the end of the school year, which will be upon us surprisingly soon. In fact, the month of February typically sees the lowest levels of student morale. It is hard to say if it is the academic pressure, the winter weather or other factors that are the main causes. What is important to remember though, is that while February seems to be incredibly long, it is the shortest month. I am happy to share that our seniors are once again having a great deal of success in the college process. As of press time, more than 70% of our seniors have at least one or more early decision, first-choice acceptances. The complete list is shaping up and is a strong one already—a testament to the hard work and talent of our students. Many thanks to our Upper School faculty and our College Guidance team for
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
Headmaster Sid Rowell.
their dedication to this important process for GSB. I look forward to sharing the complete college list with the entire community in April. In addition, GSB athletics continue to give us reasons for justifiable pride. Recently, varsity boys’ basketball captain Jaren Sina ’13 reached a career milestone with his 2,000th point in a victory against Watchung Hills. Jaren’s shot not only broke a 1989 Somerset County record, but also the school’s previous record of 1,978 points secured by Alex Mitola ’12, just last season. All of our athletic teams have had excellent seasons. I encourage everyone to read the news about Jaren’s milestone career point as well as the achievements of our other teams in the GSB newsfeed on our website. There is a lot happening in the arts as well, with many performances from the various divisions such as the Joe Show in addition to the musical production of Little Women by the GSB Players this April. Finally, the success of our Winter Art Show this past January has certainly set the bar for even-greater attendance at our next exhibition this May. March will be here soon, and as the weather warms, so will our spirits. Trust me. Warm regards,
Sid Rowell 1.
The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
January-February 2013
Freshmen Study Greek Epic and Drama Shortly after reading “The Odyssey,” one of two major ancient Greek poems attributed to the well-known author Homer, Gill St. Bernard’s Class of 2016 continued its study of Greek epics by viewing an original production known as MythUnderstood and attending a workshop in the Theater on December 7.
Left: No. 11 Productions members depict (l. to r.) Homer and Oedipus;
Presented by an independent acting troupe entitled No. 11 Productions, Right: Lucille Dunn ’16 attends a workshop with No. 11 Productions member Sarah. MythUnderstood is a comedic musical about Oedipus, the mythical Greek king of Thebes, and his journey to finding Cyclops. According to Upper School English teacher Laura Wengel, the school also worked with No. 11 Productions during last spring’s Unit trip to The Luna Stage in West Orange. “They are a unique, intelligent, and very talented group of young actors and playwrights,” said Wengel. “We definitely plan to bring No. 11 Productions back to GSB in the future.” Before participating in a question-and-answer session with the cast and crew, each freshman also met additional Greek gods like Aphrodite, Athena, Hades, Hermes, Poseidon and Zeus throughout the play. Everyone then separated into groups of 12 to act out a Greek tragedy of their own. “Responses from both students and faculty who attended were overwhelmingly positive,” said Wengel. “The students were completely engaged throughout the entire process, from viewing the creative and hilariously presented original production, to creating their own short plays during the workshop.” Gill St. Bernard’s School Gives Back to Superstorm Sandy Victims After seeing the widespread devastation caused by Superstorm Sandy in late October, students across all divisions joined together to donate food, clothing, money and even technological devices to those in need. “When service to others is woven into the fabric of a school as it is here at GSB, everyone benefits from the understanding that it is a regular part of life to work on behalf of others with no expectations of recognition or return,” said Community Service Coordinator and Director of Studies Peter Schmidt. Among several groups that benefited from generous donations made by GSB was S.H.I.P. (the Samaritan Homeless Interim Program), a private relief agency in Somerville that lost nearly all of its stock of food due to the storm. S.H.I.P. received nearly 700 canned goods from the Class of 2024 with the help of other Lower School families. Aside from donating food to those affected by the hurricane, Gill St. Bernard’s also provided aid to severely impacted shore communities that lost electronics as a result of flooding from the storm. Led by Director of Academic Technology Michael Chimes, the school worked closely with an organization known as Computers4Kids to collect hundreds of outdated computers, tablets, printers and other digital devices for those in need. Each item was transported to Computers4Kids’ headquarters where it was refurbished and then redistributed to schools and Head Start programs along the Jersey Shore. Other Sandy relief initiatives included a GSB shoot-a-thon in the Athletic Center on December 16, new sweatshirt donation and bake sales. Approximately 60 parents, coaches and players joined in GSB’s shoot-a-thon, raising more than $6,000 in pledges as all gave anywhere between 25 cents to $10 for each three-point shot made by select participants in a two-minute time period. Money was also raised by the Student Government Association, which donated approximately $1,300 in coin drive funds, Sandy-gram proceeds, and t-shirt and bracelet sales. Along with selling articles of clothing and accessories, students also donated new sweatshirts to affected residents from the Coney Island Houses, a low-income housing project. Working with The Church of St. Luke and St. Matthew in Brooklyn, N.Y., which has served as a clearinghouse for material donations since the storm, Gill St. Bernard’s was able to provide approximately 100 sweatshirts for those in need.
Top: GSB raises more than $6,000 at a shoot-a-thon to benefit victims of Superstorm Sandy; Bottom row: (L. to r.) Merna Reese ’24 and her first grade classmates donate nearly 700 cans to S.H.I.P.; The Middle School hosted a Munchkin sale to raise money for Sandy relief on December 4.
The Middle School held a Munchkin sale on December 4. Proceeds from this and an additional bake sale resulted in the donation of more than $350 to the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund. According to Lower School Director Peggy Campbell-Rush, who dedicated personal time to boxing and labeling more than 1,500 books, toys, educational games and craft supplies for two homeless shelters in Staten Island, N.Y., every little bit helps. “Give where you can, when you can and as often as you can,” she said. To give to those still affected by Superstorm Sandy, please see the GSB website for a full list of relief-related events.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
January-February 2013
Gill St. Bernard’s Hosts Winter Art Exhibition The fine arts department opened its annual winter art exhibition with a formal reception on January 19. Approximately 75 students, faculty, staff members and parents attending the event not only witnessed a unique display of Middle and Upper School projects representing all art courses taught during the fall 2012 semester, but also had a look at the recently renovated Founders Hall art gallery and studio space. Among those works showcased by Middle School students were a variety of still-life drawings and paintings, as well as pen and ink perspective drawings, and self-portrait collages completed by Sarah Isusi’s studio art classes. “Their work enhanced the physical space, sparked conversation and provided a moment of quiet reflection for many viewers,” said Isusi. Robert Ort’s Middle School woodworking classes also displayed original birdhouses, clocks made of maple, cherry, walnut and mahogany, and custom-made canoe paddles. In addition, an array of original handmade furniture created by Gerry Cirillo’s Upper School woodworking classes was showcased. Upper School photography students representing both Oscar Beck’s and Ort’s classes exhibited numerous photographs capturing light sculpture, pictures and poems, water sculpture and various landscapes as well. Likewise, Beck’s studio art and painting classes presented still-lives and paintings of objects in space. Finally, the division’s portfolio classes, taught by Isusi, highlighted charcoal and pastel drawings of still-lives and interior spaces, as well as large-scale expressive self-portraits. “This exhibition offered students the opportunity to display their talents and be honored by their accomplishments in a professional art gallery setting,” said Isusi. All artwork will be available for viewing until March 2013. Nichole Morley ’17 shows off her self-portrait collage. Top: Stephanie Fuentes ’14- oil on wood; Middle row: (L. to r.) Chloe Esposito ’18- acrylic on canvas; Casey Puglisi ’14- pastel; Bottom: Nicholas Bilynsky ’13- chalk pastel still-life.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
January-February 2013
Middle School Student Becomes Apple App Developer A new iPhone app, “Catching Gearz,” which joined the Apple gaming world in December was developed by sixth grade Gill St. Bernard’s student Nicholas Wu. Upon creating the application software program, whose steampunk-themed storyline portrays a young boy on a quest to catch the “gearz” that will repair his broken ship, Wu, who was 11 at the time, became one of the youngest app developers in the world. While “Catching Gearz” actually marks the third iPhone game Wu has ever created, it is the first to be published in the Apple App Store. An impressive feat just developing the app, Wu also managed the many rounds of code reviews with representatives from Apple on his very own. Wu, who began making iPhone games at age 10, says it was his ultimate goal to be published in the Apple App Store before age 12. “I was very happy and relieved when Apple accepted my proposal
because my birthday was coming up,” he said. When not serving as a game developer for Apple, Wu can be found playing the drums and building his ideal world in Minecraft, a game about breaking and placing blocks. Nicholas Wu ’19. Wu was also recently accepted to the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) and will attend various courses offered at Stanford University over the summer. In the meantime, he is currently working on another application software program and developing new levels and features for “Catching Gearz.” “It’s always fun and interesting to learn about Nick’s new endeavors,” said his mother Maria Wu. “His independence and openness to learning makes him resourceful and we are very proud of his accomplishments.”
STUDENT LIFE RECAP
Upper School Shows Spirit The Upper School hosted several spirit-themed contests for class points between January 22 and 28. Aside from dressing in mis-matched clothing, sports jerseys, the color blue, and as their favorite actor or movie character throughout the week, students also participated in numerous activities including a hula hoop relay, dodgeball tournament, karaoke contest and senior skit with their fellow classmates each day.
Top left: (L. to r.) Kristen Calabrese ’14, Emmy Gordon ’14 and Kylie Stephenson ’14 dress as characters from the Disney movie, 101 Dalmatians; Top row: Jack Lowe ’15 performs Beyoncé’s “Love on Top;” (L. to r.) Kimberly Lindquist ’13 and Alexis Molnar ‘13; Middle row: Winners of the hula hoop relay race (l. to r.) Scoey Young, Brian Steck and Ryan Osterman from the Class of 2013; (L. to r.) Hannah Geldzahler, Emma Clayton and Emily Carmosino cheer for the junior class at GSB’s dodgeball tournament; Bottom left: Team America members and winners at this year’s dodgeball tournament, (l. to r.) Michael Renna, Jae-Chiang Wong, John William Murphy, Nicholas Baker, Timothy DiBisceglie, Mark Leonhard and Matthew Amoroso from the Class of 2013.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
Third Grade Students Explore Life of Lenni Lenape Indians Third grade students learned about the Lenni Lenape Indians during a visit from John Kraft of Lenape Lifeways in Evans Hall on December 4. As a culmination of a study of the Native Americans, Kraft discussed various ways in which the Lenape tribe, whose name means “ordinary people,” once prepared food, dressed, worked and even had fun. At the assembly, students dressed in outfits similar to what the Lenape wore, and later broke into smaller groups for a question-and-answer session with Kraft. Aside from studying the Lenni Lenape Indians over the past several months, third grade students also used their textbooks and minds to travel from the Northwest Coast to Morgan Zuanic ‘22 dresses in the Southwest with the Navajo deerskin apparel similar to that once worn by the Lenni Indians, through the Great Lenape Indians. Plains with the Sioux tribe, and across the Eastern Woodlands with the Delaware Indians.
Seventh Grade Students “Use Their Noodle” to Complete Pasta Car Challenge Seventh grade students participated in a pasta car challenge, a competition that “boiled” down to just three teams who were awarded spirit points for their corresponding homerooms, on December 12. An event inspired by the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), GSB’s pasta car challenge was led by Middle School teachers Toni Brescher, Teri Cosentino and Stacy Schnurr, who required that students work together to create handmade automobiles using only pasta and glue. For more than 40 years, PBS has provided teachers, students and families with resources that transform teaching and learning. “It was quite amazing to watch this group of seventh graders share ideas in the classroom and support one another when things didn’t go as planned,” said Cosentino. “That’s what the spirit of competition is all about.” While Schnurr’s spirit team, the Flaming Cheetos, took first place following a record distance completed by Josephine Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
January-February 2013
The Art of Tree Tapping In January, Teri Cosentino’s Middle School science class received a visit from Rich Hoffman of the Lord Stirling Environmental Education Center (EEC), which is part of the Somerset County Park Commission. He discussed the origination of the sticky substance known as sap and its progression to syrup and later a sugar, and also touched on the history of maple sugar production. A program now in its second year at GSB, Hoffman also gave students from the Class of 2019 a tree tapping demonstration on campus. A natural resource first discovered by the Lenni Lenape Indians and colonists, sap is produced by maple trees found exclusively in the Northeast United States and Canada. During this lesson, Hoffman showed ways in which to identify a maple tree and drill into its bark, addressed climate change and explained the difference between deciduous and coniferous trees. Once each of the three trees that the students drilled during their lesson has been tapped, the class will then collect the sap, boil it down to make maple syrup (40:1 ratio) and enjoy a pancake and waffle breakfast while comparing GSB’s homemade syrup to store-bought brands. Rich Hoffman of the Lord Stirling Environmental Education Center (EEC) shows students how to tap a maple tree.
Neville’s car, the team known as the Purple Sparkly Rainbow Unicorns captured second and third place based on results from cars made by Sophie Parker, and Charles Han with Connor Kirk. Their cars, along with several others, also entered PBS’s national contest, the Top Builder: Pasta Car Challenge. After choosing its favorite designs, PBS then allowed all to vote on the overall best builder. One nationwide winner and four runners-up were selected in early January.
Front: (L. to r.) Third place pasta car challenge winners Connor Kirk ’18 and Charles Han ’18; Back: (L. to r.) Second place winner Sophie Parker ’18 with pasta car champion Josephine Neville ’18.
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
January-February 2013
Lower School Holds Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Assembly Lower School students celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream for peace and equality during an all-school assembly in Evans Hall on December 17. The event, which, in the opinion of Lower School music teacher Leigh Siebert, was the best MLK assembly yet, opened with a performance by the third grade singing “I Have a Dream.” Additional songs performed throughout the assembly included “Black and White” by Mary Tuohy’s second grade students and “Free at Last” by the entire Lower School student body. While Tuohy’s class shared individual thoughts and definitions on what it means to dream, both Diane Lipnickey’s and Janet MacDonald’s kindergarten and fourth grade classes also recited a poem. Relying on both sound and sight to spread a message to their fellow peers, Debora Miller’s second grade students also displayed handmade pictures mirroring lyrics to the Louis Armstrong song, “What a Wonderful World.” Duke Delehanty ’25.
Conquering Cyberbullying One Cookie at a Time Fourth grade students at GSB conquered cyberbullying in the computer lab this January. As part of the Lower School’s digital citizenship curriculum, students were asked to engage in a discussion, participated in online games at digitalpassport.org and visited their favorite feline, professor Garfield’s, “Infinite Learning Lab.” Using what they discovered, the Class of 2021 then created fortune cookie proverbs targeted toward three different groups of people: those who may have personally experienced cyberbullying, those who may have witnessed someone else being cyberbullied and those who may have acted as a cyberbully at some point.
Connor Udoff ‘21 packages his anti-cyberbullying fortune cookies.
After typing, printing and cutting out various sayings created in Microsoft Publisher, each student also stuffed the fortunes into “Upstander Fortune Cookies.” Aside from sharing the cookies with their families at dinner the following evening, students also shared what they learned about cyberbullying. “Through this lesson, we were able to equate cyberbullying to what it feels like to be bullied in real life and helped facilitate a fun and tasty conversation about cyberbullying among each child and his or her parents at home,” said Lower School teacher Jill Fedon.
Did You Know? Approximately 21 percent of teens say they have been cyberbullied in their lifetime. –The Cyberbullying Research Center Nearly 10 percent of teens say they have cyberbullied someone else online or via text message. –Cox Communications The percentage of youth reporting physical bullying declined from 22 percent in 2003 to 15 percent in 2008. –Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine Eighty-four percent of youth said they would not forward an embarrassing email about someone else. –National study of youth commissioned by the Girl Scouts
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
January-February 2013
Lower School Recital Showcases Piano and Guitar Playing Skills Lower School students of all ages showcased a wide array of talent at a recital held in the Chapel on December 3. Beginning with kindergarten pianists and ending with fourth grade guitarists, songs heard throughout the evening included holiday tunes like “Jingle Bells” by Sara Pakka ’23 and “Silent Night” by Blake Bertolini ’22, as well as traditional classics like “Old MacDonald” and “Yankee Doodle” by Lucy Halstead ’25 and Sofia Criscola ’25. Modern-day hits spanning Adele’s “Turning Tables” played by Natalie Sturman ’21 to “Shake, Rattle and Roll” compliments of Kate Chen ’23 were also shared during the musical event. Instructors Kathleen Burke, Sheri Alexander and Beth Shirley would like to congratulate all performers on a job well done. “We are delighted to work with so many students who, while rising to meet the challenge of preparing for each performance, discover their own special talents and abilities and apply what they have learned to other areas of study and life itself,” said Burke.
(B.to f.) Teacher Kathleen Burke with Benjamin Sturman ’22.
GSB Kicks Off Holiday Season with Winter Jazz Concert The Gill St. Bernard’s School hosted a winter jazz concert on December 5, as audience members fell into the holiday spirit while listening to such songs as “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and “Silent Night” within the Chapel. Also heard throughout the evening was Harold Arlen’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” accompanied by alto saxophone soloist Christopher Johnson ’20, and Henry Mancini’s “The Pink Panther,” joined by a solo from Stefanie Morrison ’19—also on the alto sax. Directed by Max Wild, GSB’s Wild Knights Jessica Abowitz ’18, Ethan Brooks ’15, Ivor Guest ’15, Charles Han ’18, Jacob Kruger ’15, Jennifer Montejo ’16, Jasmine Muldrow ’14 and Lucas Zuanic ’20 also performed “Song for my Father” and “Cantaloupe Island” while showcasing their flute, drums, alto sax, guitar and piano playing skills.
Lower School Presents Annie, Kids
Jessica Abowitz ’18 plays the flute at GSB’s Winter Jazz Concert.
The Lower School opened its winter production season with the full-length musical Annie, Kids on December 6. Based on the popular Harold Gray comic strip “Little Orphan Annie,” Annie premiered at the Alvin Theatre, now the Neil Simon Theatre, on Broadway in 1977. With music composed by Martin Charnin and Charles Strouse, such hit songs as “Tomorrow” and “Easy Street” left audience members singing along from their seats, as GSB’s third and fourth grade students shared a young girl’s journey to finding a family and escaping the “Hard-Knock Life” experienced in a New York City orphanage owned by the cruel and embittered Miss Hannigan (Sophia Spallucci ’21). Directed by Amy and David Southerland, both of whom have extensive experience in educational and professional theater, this heartwarming musical proved perfect for any age group, as Annie (Emma Chesman ’21) won over everyone, including billionaire Oliver Warbucks (Anthony Curialle ’22), with her bright smile and optimistic demeanor. Also announced at the conclusion of GSB’s Annie, Kids performance, the Lower School will next perform the musical 101 Dalmatians.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
The cast and crew of Annie, Kids with (l. to r.) Directors Amy and David Southerland.
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
January-February 2013
Middle School Students Sing Out at Annual Concert More than 100 Middle School choir members joyfully sang for families, friends and faculty members at a Middle School concert in the Athletic Center on December 13. Directed by music teacher Amy Southerland, the concert welcomed the winter season and celebrated holidays such as Hanukkah and Christmas. Additional songs performed included “Viva La Vida” as sung by the 7th and 8th grades choir and “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” as performed by the 5th and 6th grades choir. Finally, the evening concluded with a performance of “I Sing Out.”
Olivia Escousse ’19.
GSB Student Sings The National Anthem at Lakers Game Tyler Merna ’19, who first began his singing and acting career at the age of six, presented “The Star-Spangled Banner” during a Lakers game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif., on January 13. Working with vocal coach Bob Marks and dance teacher Janine Molinari to perfect his craft over the years, Merna’s previous performing experiences include the Broadway musical Mary Poppins and roles in several off-Broadway productions. In addition to making his television debut through a recurring role on 30 Rock, Merna will also appear on Comedy Central’s Inside Amy Schumer this April. He recently voiced a character in the animated 3-D film Savva, which will be released later this year.
Tyler Merna ’19 (l.) with cast members from the Broadway musical Mary Poppins.
Upper School Concert Celebrates Neglected Holidays The performing arts department hosted a “neglected holidays” concert in the Chapel on December 19. An event led by GSB’s choral director of 12 years, David Southerland, the Upper School concert included approximately 40 Concert Choir members representing the Women’s Ensemble and Chamber Choir, and featured performances commemorating neglected holidays like Valentine’s Day, Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s Day and more. “For years, I struggled with the notion that half of our choral year was spent working on holiday music, which is only a tiny sliver of the choral repertoire available in the world today, but expanding the repertoire to an all-holidays concert opened it right up,” said Southerland, who selected the evening’s song line-up from a list entailing hundreds of scores.
Maxwell Lieblich ’14.
Also honored during such songs as “Build Me Up, Buttercup,” “Little Shop of Horrors” and “When the Saints Go Marching In” were May Day, Halloween and All Saint’s Day. “As the goal of this concert format was repertoire expansion, I took the liberty of occasionally pairing a song with a holiday even if the association was fairly loose,” Southerland explained.
Early Childhood Program Presents The Nutcracker Gill St. Bernard’s youngest students hosted a holiday performance in Evans Hall on December 20. The Early Childhood program began its event with a concert containing festive songs performed by primary through kindergarten students. Teacher Kathleen Burke, on piano, was joined throughout the concert by student-accompanists who used handchimes, triangles, sleigh bells and tambourines. Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
January-February 2013
Following a brief intermission, which included a piano duet from sisters Isha ’22 and Iyanah ’19 Vemuri—both Carnegie Hall performers and recent recipients of outstanding performance awards during a Music Educators Association of New Jersey (MEA-NJ) recital (see article below)—family and friends then enjoyed GSB’s annual performance of The Nutcracker. An event that has taken place for approximately 23 years in the Lower School division, the performance was directed by Jill Fedon, and adapted from “The Nutcracker” by Peter I. Tchaikovsky and The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E.T.A. Hoffman. Now in her 16th season as director of The Nutcracker, Fedon shared that, each year, she is more and more proud of the production and how hard the students work. “I love to see the talents and personalities of each child shine on the stage,” said Fedon. This year’s spirited performance spread smiles and cheer as audience members watched the dream of a young girl named Clara (Mary Young ’25), whose imagination carried her far beyond her home to the Land of Snow and to the Land of Sweets with a handsome Nutcracker Prince (Austin Lustig ’25). Vemuri Sisters Earn Musical Accolades at Local and International Piano Competitions This school year has seen much musical success from sisters and accomplished pianists Iyanah ’19 and Isha ’22 Vemuri. After showcasing their talents at a Music Educators Association of New Jersey (MEA-NJ) recital at the Randolph Performing Arts Center on December 16, where each received outstanding performance awards for a duet, the girls won first place for Iyanah’s solo and a duet performance at the Crescendo International Competition in December. This is an annual competition open to international participants representing the United States, Austria, Germany and Russia. The sisters joined first place winners during a follow-up performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City on January 26.
Top row: The Nutcracker Prince Austin Lustig ’25; Angel Eva Goodrich ’27; Flower Girl Anna Torgovnik ’26; Middle row: Snowflake Ciara Rose DeCarlo ’26; Mouse King Jack Chesman ’25; Angel Benjamin Fedon ’27; Bottom row: Russian Candy Canes Maxwell Kim ’25 and Ethan Tai ’25.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
Iyanah and Isha are involved in performing at community-focused events throughout the year. After a Gill St. Bernard’s “Welcome Wednesday” performance on November 28, the girls also played during a televised Christmas recital at a Bridgewater nursing home in early December. Each performed at numerous Somerset County nursing homes last summer as well. (L. to r.) Iyanah ’19 and Isha ’22 Vemuri receive outstanding performance awards at an MEA-NJ recital.
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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
January-February 2013
GSB’s Strings Ensemble Proudly Presents its First Winter Recital Gill St. Bernard’s Strings Ensemble proudly presented its first winter recital in Evans Hall on December 20. Making its debut at the event was GSB’s beginner orchestra comprised of Whitney Lapper ’24 and Alyssa Morrison ’22 who played, on violin, the American folk song “Boil Them Cabbage Down.” Also present was the intermediate strings ensemble, conducted by Kimberly McCrann, which performed on the violin, viola and cello, the folk songs “Frère Jacques” and “Shepherd’s Hey,” as well as traditional holiday tunes like “Up on the Housetop.” A reception sponsored by GSB’s strings families concluded the event. Natalie Sturman ’21.
GSB Hosts NJAIS Trustee Enrichment Day Gill St. Bernard’s School opened its doors to hundreds of administrators and trustees from private schools across the state during a New Jersey Association of Independent Schools (NJAIS) Trustee Enrichment Day on January 12. Aside from attending numerous workshops focused on facility growth, technology planning, school security and more, participants also heard from National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) President Pat Bassett who presented the keynote address. During his address, Bassett examined what the MacArthur Foundation calls the “Six C’s” in education today: creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, character, communications and cross-cultural competency. Bassett also shared that he believes the current mode of high stakes testing will shift more to high value demonstrations of learning in the education sector. “Having a record, digitally, of what you can do with your knowledge will change everything in terms of motivation for kids,” said Bassett. “This is what we want to come out of the independent school experience; doing, not just knowing.”
ATHLETICS JV Boys’ Basketball Wins Oratory Prep Holiday Tournament Congratulations to the JV boys’ basketball team, which took first place in a holiday tournament at Oratory Prep during winter break. The tournament began with a 47-41 victory over Newark Academy on December 27. Leading the Knights throughout the contest were Austin Scott ’16 with 22 points and Adam Mitola ’16 with nine. Similar to GSB, Oratory Prep also qualified for the tournament’s championship game following a win against Pingry in the semifinal round. Once again leading Gill St. Bernard’s, this Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
(L. to r.) JV boys’ basketball team wins the Oratory Tournament; JV boys’ basketball player Dylan Blackman ’16.
time to a 54-45 championship victory over Oratory, was Scott with 21 points. He was followed by Mitola with 13 points and Harrison DeMaira ’15 who chipped in nine. 10.
The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
Varsity Sports Round-Up *RESULTS AS OF 1/27/2013 Varsity Boys’ Basketball: Record: 7-6 Meet the Knights: Austin Colbert ’13, Christopher Jenkins ’13, Jonathan Schreer ’13, Jaren Sina ’13, Scoey Young ’13, Cole Moriarty ’14, Kyle Williams ’14, Raymark Abogado ’15, Harrison DeMaira ’15, Ian Demarest ’15, John Michael Mea ’15, William Saks ’15, Tyus Battle ’16, Adam Mitola ’16, Austin Scott ’16 Season at a Glance: The Knights captured their first victory of the 2012-13 season with a win over Franklin High School on December 18. Players Jaren Sina ’13 (23 points), Tyus Battle ’16 (21 points) and Jonathan Schreer ’13 (21 points) paced a balanced offensive attack as the Knights raced out to a 37-18 halftime lead and eventual 73-49 victory. Despite a gamehigh 28 points by Sina, the varsity boys’ basketball team fell to Bridgewater-Raritan on December 20, but soon recovered with a 69-50 win over Paramus Catholic High School just eight days later. While Sina poured in a game-high 24 points, including six of GSB’s 15 three-pointers, Schreer (14 points) and Raymark Abogado ’15 (12 points) also knocked down four three-pointers apiece. Shortly after clinching a 52-44 conference win over Immaculata High School on January 3, complete with 16 points from Battle and 14 from Sina, the boys next traveled to Wheeling, W. Va. for the Cancer Research Classic on January 5. Despite 29 points from Sina and 17 by Battle, the boys fell 84-63 to nationally ranked DeMatha Catholic High School of Hyattsville, Md. The team secured back-to-back victories the following week. Among these was a 62-61 overtime victory against Hunterdon Central Regional High School on January 8. While Sina (28), Battle (15) and Schreer (12) paced the offense, Ian Demarest ’15 also made seven free throws to help secure the close win. The boys then moved into first place in the Delaware Division when they hosted Hillsborough High School in a 74-48 rout on January 10. Once again, Sina led the way with 23 points and 13 assists, Schreer added 17 and Battle scored 15 to help the Knights secure a 28-point fourth quarter run. Gill St. Bernard’s next competed in the Dan Finn Classic in Jersey City, N.J. on January 19. Despite falling 49-30 to the national power Long Island Lutheran during the tournament, Christopher Jenkins ’13 scored nine points on three threepointers and Austin Colbert ’13 and Battle added eight Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
January-February 2013
points apiece. The boys quickly recovered with back-to-back wins over Franklin High School and Bridgewater-Raritan the following week. Aside from defeating Franklin 83-47— led by Sina with a game-high 32 points including a school record 10 three-pointers—the VARSITY BOYS’ BASKETBALL Tyus Battle ’16. boys also earned a 66-53 win over Bridgewater-Raritan on January 25. While Colbert netted 18 points and garnered 12 rebounds, Sina also scored 16 points and dished out 12 assists, and Schreer knocked down four three-pointers to once again give GSB first place in the Delaware Division of the Skyland Conference. The team also participated in a Hoop Group event against the Abington Heights High School of Pennsylvania on January 27. Despite a hard-fought battle between the Knights and Comets at the Lehigh Valley Showcase event, GSB fell by one. The boys were paced on offense by Battle with 19 points, Jenkins with 13 and Colbert with 10. Varsity Girls’ Basketball: Record: 12-2 Meet the Knights: Trevena Bennett ’14, Alexandra Ferreira ’14, Taylor Rooks ’14, Jasmine Sina ’14, Morgan Rooks ’15, Samantha Kramer ’16, Angelique Norwood ’16, Kennedy Whitehead ’16
VARSITY GIRLS’ BASKETBALL Taylor Rooks ’14.
Season at a Glance: Despite dropping two games to national level competition at the start of the season, Gill St. Bernard’s varsity girls’ basketball team quickly rebounded to earn 12 consecutive victories in the weeks that followed. Beginning with a 73-55 win over Franklin High School on December 18, the Knights saw Taylor Rooks ’14 earn 24 points, six rebounds, five assists and five steals, Trevena Bennett ’14 score 15 points and grab 10 rebounds, and Jasmine Sina ’14 net 20 points, including four three-pointers. The girls then traveled to Bridgewater-Raritan High School, where Taylor Rooks once again led the Knights, this time with a game-high 26 points and seven steals. Also contributing to the 58-46 win over Bridgewater-Raritan on December 20 were teammates Morgan Rooks ’15 and Sina who guided the Knights through 11.
The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
a 24-12 fourth quarter run. Bennett also proved a key player throughout the contest, as she grabbed 10 rebounds to help the girls take an early lead in the highly competitive Delaware Division. While much of the GSB community took a well-deserved holiday vacation, the varsity girls’ basketball team participated in the Mount St. Dominic Holiday Festival between December 27 and 30. With 10 of the best teams in New Jersey participating in this year’s tournament, the Knights were crowned champions after defeating Montclair, Mount St. Dominic and St. John Vianney. Perhaps the most exciting among these three victories was a dramatic 68-61 overtime win against St. John Vianney in the finals. Taylor Rooks led the way with 31 points and 15 rebounds. Bennett also posted a “double-double” with 10 points and 13 rebounds. Meanwhile, Morgan Rooks and Sina chipped in 10 points apiece. Winning continued for the team, which improved its record to six wins and two losses following a 67-39 Skyland Conference victory over Immaculata on January 3. Throughout the contest, Bennett scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Taylor Rooks netted 24 points, Sina added 11, and Morgan Rooks chipped in with seven points and six rebounds to give GSB control of the Delaware Division. The girls also defeated Immaculate Heart Academy while attending the Scholarship Fund for Inner City Children Festival at Kean University on January 4. Leading the Knights in the 59-54 victory was Taylor Rooks who scored a game-high 25 points and Sina who contributed 17, as she went 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Taylor Rooks also scored a game-high 30 points during GSB’s next win of the season over Hunterdon Central on January 8. Trailing 31-30 at the half, the girls pulled away with an 18-4 third quarter run to secure the win. Also contributing to the 61-47 win was freshman Samantha Kramer, who earned a career-high 11 points. The winning continued with a 66-43 victory over Bishop O’Connell High School of Virginia on January 21 in Washington, D.C. While Taylor Rooks led the Knights with 23 points and 10 rebounds, Sina also had 17 points—including three three-point shots—Kramer scored nine points and dished out five assists, and Bennett earned eight points on top of a game-high 16 rebounds. Taylor Rooks also poured in 27 points and Bennett added nine points and 10 rebounds in the 53-45 win over Franklin High School one day later. In addition, the girls defeated Bridgewater-Raritan 73-53 on January 25, as Taylor Rooks scored 30 points and Sina added 17 points and 10 assists. Bennett also had 14 points and 11 rebounds and Kramer chipped in with seven points, six assists and three rebounds to help the girls improve their record to 12-2 and remain unbeaten in conference play.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
January-February 2013
Varsity Swimming: Record: 0-3 Meet the Knights: Caragh Corcoran ’13, Pearson Treanor ’13, Sam White ’13, Hannah Geldzahler ’14, Dylan Polachi ’14, Cricket Treanor ’14, Nita Diverio ’15, John Eckert ’15, Joseph Esposito ’15, Ivor Guest ’15, Emily Western ’15, Sophie Connell ’16, Elisabeth Middleton ’16, Jennifer Montejo’ 16, Gregory Niccolai ’16, Carter Silvey ’16 Season at a Glance: With a record number of student-athletes on this year’s swim roster, GSB had an impressive showing at its season-opener with Morristown-Beard on December 10, earning five wins in 10 events. From the girls’ squad, Jennifer Montejo ’16 took first in the 100 meter butterfly (1:12) and the 100m backstroke (1:14). Meanwhile, earning dual wins for the boys’ squad was Joseph Esposito ’15 who won both the 200m freestyle (2:20) and 400m freestyle (4:38). Montejo VARSITY SWIMMING and Esposito also joined Caragh Corcoran ’13. Sam White ’13 and Gregory Niccolai ’16 to earn a 400m freestyle relay victory in 4:48. Both Montejo and Esposito continued to shine at a tri-meet with Newark Academy and Golda Och on December 17, where Montejo not only established a new mark in the 100 meter butterfly—taking third in 1:06—but also earned runner-up in the 100 meter backstroke (1:07). In addition, Esposito set school records in both the 200 meter freestyle (1st place/1:56) and 500 meter freestyle (2nd/5:01). Once again White, along with Pearson Treanor ’13, teamed up with Esposito and Montejo to finish third in the 400 meter relay (4:25). Carter Silvey ’16 (30.1 seconds) and Ivor Guest ’15 (31.9) also swam well in the day’s 50 meter freestyle event. Once again leading the team—this time at the Skyland Conference Championship Meet on January 5—was Esposito who earned a third place medal in the boys’ 500 yard freestyle event (4:58) and took seventh in the 200y freestyle (1:54). Other GSB participants at the boys’ meet included Pearson Treanor in the 50y freestyle (27.8 seconds) and 100y backstroke (1:17), Guest (50y freestyle/29.1), Dylan Polachi ’14 (100y breaststroke/1:27), Silvey (50y freestyle/29.8), John Eckert ’15 (100y freestyle/1:15) and White (100y freestyle/1:16). Silvey, White, Polachi and Guest also swam the 200y freestyle relay in 2:02, while Esposito, Guest, Polachi and Pearson Treanor teamed up in the 200y medley relay (2:12). Pacing 12.
The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
the girls’ swim squad at this event was Montejo who earned a 10th place finish in the 100y butterfly (1:05) and 11th in the 100y backstroke (1:06). Montejo also teamed with Caragh Corcoran ’13, Nita Diverio ’15 and Cricket Treanor ’14 in the 200y medley relay (2:25) and with Elisabeth Middleton ’16, Corcoran and Cricket Treanor in the 200y freestyle relay (2:07). While swimmers Diverio (1:47), Middleton (1:48), Cricket Treanor (1:48) and Hannah Geldzahler ’14 (1:56) competed in the day’s 100y breaststroke event, Middleton (36.8) and Geldzahler (43.8) also participated in the 50y freestyle. Leading GSB in a dual meet against Perth Amboy High School on January 9 was Corcoran, who won the 100 yard backstroke (1:17) and took second in the 200y individual medley (2:50). Corcoran also teamed with Pearson Treanor, Diverio and Silvey to take third in the 200y medley relay, while Guest, Silvey, Diverio and Pearson Treanor placed third in the 200y freestyle (2:09). In individual events, Guest took third in the 100y freestyle (1:07) and Diverio finished fourth in the 100y breaststroke (1:52). Esposito won both the 200 yard freestyle (2:00) and the 100y butterfly (1:02) in a dual meet with Phillipsburg High School on January 22. In addition, Polachi won the 100y freestyle (1:06), while Montejo (2:32) and Corcoran (2:57) took first and second in the 200y individual medley. Pearson Treanor also finished second in the 50y freestyle, Geldzahler took second in the 100y breaststroke and Silvey finished third in the 100y backstroke. Varsity Fencing: Boys Record: 0-8 / Girls Record: 0-8 Meet the Knights: Sabre: Jaclyn Hammond ’13, Iman Jebara ’13, Ryan LaPre’ ’13, Harrison Loomis ’13, Devon Kaiser ’15, Zeel Patel ’15, Samuel Solondz ’15, Jacqueline Luberto ’16; Epee: Xauen Zirpolo ’15, Luke Fischer ’16, Jasmine Davis ’13, Katherine McLellan ’13, Madison Bruno ’15, Jada Davis ’16, Mycroft Zimmerman ’16; Foil: Stefan Lambert ’15, Margaret LaPre’ ’13, Ross Pollack ’16; Juliet Benjamin ’14, Kenneth Meyer ’15, Colette Bilynsky ’16, Sam Zimmer ’16 Season at a Glance: The varsity girls’ fencing team opened its 2012-13 winter season with a 14-13 loss to Hackettstown on December 14. Leading the way for the Knights throughout this very close contest were Jada Davis ’16, Katherine McLellan ’13 and Jasmine Davis ’13 who earned a 7-2 team victory in epee competition. Jaclyn Hammond ’13 also won her sabre match 2-1—followed closely by Zeel Patel ’15—while both Margaret LaPre’ ’13 and Juliet Benjamin ’14 earned points at foil. Luke Fischer ’16 paced the boys’ effort with a 3-0 epee victory over Hackettstown. In addition, Sam Zimmer ’16 and Harrison Loomis ’13 won both their foil and sabre matches Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
January-February 2013
2-1. Stefan Lambert ’15, Ross Pollack ’16, Xauen Zirpolo ’15 and Samuel Solondz ’15 also earned individual points for the boys’ squad, which was eventually defeated 16-11. Following a tough match at Ridge High School on December 18, the boys’ sabre team consisting VARSITY FENCING Ross Pollack ’16. of Solondz, Loomis and Ryan LaPre’ ’13 later went on to defeat North Hunterdon High School 5-4 on December 20. Fischer and Kenneth Meyer ’15 each won epee matches, while Lambert and Zimmer earned points at foil. Meanwhile, from the girls’ squad, Jasmine Davis and McLellan saw victories at epee, Hammond won her sabre match and Margaret LaPre’ secured a win at foil. Fencers Colette Bilynsky ’16 and Jacqueline Luberto ’16 also picked up foil points for the Knights. Shortly after earning epee wins over both Hackettstown and North Hunterdon, Fischer also finished second overall in the Freshman Boys’ Epee Division during a statewide fencing competition at Morris Knolls High School on December 29. The season continued with a match against Montgomery High School on January 8, during which Jasmine Davis, Jada Davis and McLellan defeated their opponents 6-3 in girls’ epee competition. Hammond also won her sabre match, while Margaret LaPre’ added a point at foil. For the boys, Fischer won at epee, Loomis and Solondz scored at sabre, and Zimmer chipped in with a foil point. Loomis, Solondz and Ryan LaPre’ also combined for a 5-4 boys’ sabre victory over Bernards High School on January 10. Meanwhile, Fischer won his epee bout 2-1, Lambert won 2-1 at foil, and Zimmer (foil), Pollack (foil) and Zirpolo (epee) each earned individual points in a hardfought 15-12 loss to the Mountaineers. Pacing the girls’ effort with a 2-1 epee victory was Jada Davis. McLellan and Jasmine Davis each earned individual epee points as well, while Margaret LaPre’ and Benjamin did the same at foil. Hammond and Jasmine Davis both swept their individual girls’ fencing matches 3-0 in a GSB dual meet with Watchung Hills on January 17. While Jasmine Davis teamed with Jada Davis, McLellan and Madison Bruno ’15 to lead the Knights to a 6-3 victory in the epee weapon, Hammond won her match at sabre and Margaret LaPre’ earned a 2-1 victory at foil. Benjamin and Bilynsky each earned foil points as well. In the boys’ match, Loomis and Ryan LaPre’ earned sabre points, Lambert and Zimmer scored at foil, and Fischer picked up a point at epee. McLellan, Bruno, Jada Davis, and Jasmine Davis also combined for an 8-1 team victory in girls’ epee over Hunterdon Central on January 22. Meanwhile 13.
The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
at sabre, Hammond won 2-1 and Iman Jebara ’13 added a point as well. On the boys’ side, Fischer and Solondz were victorious, Loomis and Ryan LaPre’ scored sabre points and Zimmer chipped in with a point at foil. Loomis and Fischer next notched individual victories for the GSB boys fencing team during a dual meet with Voorhees on January 24. While Solondz and Ryan LaPre’ joined Loomis with sabre points, Hammond also won her girls’ sabre match. In addition from the girls’ squad, Jasmine Davis, McLellan, and Bruno scored epee points, and Margaret LaPre’, Benjamin and Devon Kaiser ’15 rounded out scoring in foil and sabre. Varsity Indoor Winter Track: Meet the Knights: Svetozar Brankov ’13, Emily Iannaconi ’13, Emily Quinn ’13, Brian Steck ’13, Alexandria Benoit ’14, Joshua Corbett ’14, Dana Klein ’14, Sabrina Kogut ’14, Rebecca Richardson ’14, Jordan Taylor ’14, Patrik Andersen ’15, Shane Burchard ’15, Armani Comick ’15, Edward Fischer ’15, Jacob Kruger ’15, Alec (Peter) Johnson ’15, Michael Tafaro ’15, Andrew Wible ’15, Nathaniel Benoit ’16, Sahara Ensley ’16, Benjamin Hiramoto ’16, Michael Iannaconi ’16, Amanda Leonhard ’16, William Metzler ’16, Zoe Quan-Shau ’16, Lillie Wilson ’16, Ludi Zhu ’16 Season at a Glance: The Knights began their winter season with a N.J. Spiked Shoe Holiday Invitational held at the New York City Armory on December 17. Earning two medals each throughout the invite were runners Brian Steck ’13 and Dana Klein ’14. While Steck took silver in the boys’ 800 meter (2:02) and mile (4:32), Klein also earned bronze in both the girls’ 800 meter (2:25) and mile (5:16). In addition, Ludi Zhu ’16 placed sixth in the freshmen girls’ 55 meter dash containing approximately 100 other runners. Zhu’s time of 7.9 seconds also qualified her for the Eastern State Championships. The varsity indoor track team next earned two gold medals in the Somerset County Indoor Track and Field Championships at Lehigh University on December 27. Once again conquering the 1600m was Steck who took gold in 4:33. Emily Quinn ’13 also won the girls’ 3200m in 11:17. Meanwhile, Klein finished runner-up in the girls’ 1600m, just four seconds shy of the top spot. Gill St. Bernard’s continued its season at the NJSIAA Non Public B Relays in Toms River, N.J., on January 12. While it was Klein, Sabrina Kogut ’14, Emily Quinn and Alexandria VARSITY INDOOR WINTER TRACK Benoit ’14 who earned gold in Zoe Quan-Shau ’16. Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
January-February 2013
the day’s distance medley relay (13:03), Alexandria Benoit and Kogut also joined Emily Iannaconi ’13 and Zhu for fourth in the sprint medley relay (4:43). Likewise with a fourth place finish for the girls’ squad were Armani Comick ’15 and Zoe QuanShau ’16, who combined for 47 feet in the team shot put. From the boys’ squad, Steck, Jordan Taylor ’14, Nathaniel Benoit ’16 and Patrik Andersen ’15 took fourth in the day’s sprint medley relay (3:58). Additional fourth place finishes also came from Jacob Kruger ’15, Michael Iannaconi ’16, Svetozar Brankov ’13 and Andrew Wible ’15 in the 4x800 (9:45), and Steck, Brankov, Taylor and Andersen in the distance medley relay (11:02). Together, Joshua Corbett ’14 and Michael Tafaro ’15 went 59’8” (sixth place) in the team shot put as well. The team once again returned to Lehigh University, this time for the Skyland Conference Championships on January 26, where Steck earned a gold medal time of 4:28 in the boys’ 1600 meter run. Meanwhile, Andersen posted a top-20 time in the 3200m (10:32) to help the boys’ team finish ninth overall. Also competing at the championship meet were Kruger (3200m), Corbett (shot put), Shane Burchard ’15 (shot put), Michael Iannaconi (1600m) and Nathaniel Benoit (400m and 55m). From the girls’ squad, which earned an overall ninth place finish, Emily Quinn secured a school record 10:57 (2nd place) in the 3200m. Also earning points were Klein in the 1600m (4th/5:18) and Alexandria Benoit in the 800m (6th/2:27). Emily Iannaconi also ran the 800m in 2:35 and Comick threw a 30’1” shot put. Varsity Ice Hockey: Record: 3-8-3 Meet the Knights: Nicholas Blackman ’13, John William Murphy ’13, Peter Stone ’13, Thomas Troxell ’13, Brian Williamson ’13, Alexander Bauer ’14, Brendan Dougher ’14, Alexander Ferruggia ’14, Kiliaen O’Connor ’14, Harald Parker ’14, Casey Saladino ’14, Christopher Ward ’14, Ethan Brooks ’15, Jack Lowe ’15, Alyx Schrecengost ’15, Gunnar Valentine ’15 Season at a Glance: Gill St. Bernard’s varsity ice hockey program earned the first win of its inaugural season with a 5-2 victory over High Point Regional High School on December 5. This was followed by a 1-1 draw against Morris Hills High School on December 10, as Christopher Ward ’14 converted a pass from Kiliaen O’Connor ’14 with 1:39 left in the third period to even the score. Keeping their opponents at bay throughout this intense match-up were Nicholas Blackman ’13, Alexander Ferruggia ’14 and Alexander Bauer ’14, who provided a strong defensive effort in front of goaltender Gunnar Valentine ’15. Despite 34 saves by Valentine during the team’s next game of the season with Park Regional High School on December 15, the 14.
The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School
Gill St. Bernard’s ice hockey team eventually fell 7-0 to drop its record to 1-2-1. The ice hockey program quickly recovered, however, as it finished third in a six-team round robin tournament held at Codey Arena in West Orange, N.J., between VARSITY ICE HOCKEY December 27 and 30. While Alexander Ferruggia ’14. Ferruggia converted a pass from Thomas Troxell ’13 midway through the third period to give GSB a 2-1 victory over Governor Livingston in the first round of the tournament, it was O’Connor who earned two goals and one assist in a 5-5 tie against West Orange during round two of the tournament on December 28. During this contest, both Ward and Harald Parker ’14 secured one goal and two assists each to help the Knights storm back from a 3-0 deficit with four second period goals. Also among these was a Blackman finish from John William Murphy ’13. Ward, Blackman and Brian Williamson ’13 each saw goals in a loss to Millburn in the tournament championships on December 30 as well. The Knights next played to a 2-2 tie with Morris Catholic on January 2, as Ferruggia scored a power play goal three minutes into the game and Jack Lowe ’15 assisted on a Ward goal later in the first period. Despite sincere effort, the boys were unable to overcome Mount Olive during their next game of the season on January 5. The team’s one goal of the match-up came from Alyx Schrecengost ’15 assisted by Ward. Once again, Schrecengost led the team with two goals and an assist in a 5-0 win over John F. Kennedy Memorial High School on January 10. Also contributing to the final score were Ward and Blackman with one goal and one assist apiece and Williamson with one goal. Goaltender Valentine made eight saves in the team’s first shutout of the season. The Knights next played Parsippany Hills High School on January 21. Although Ward assisted a Parker goal early in the second period, Parsippany scored three late goals to secure the victory. After tying 1-1 with Morris Hills at the start of the season, the varsity ice hockey team hoped to settle the score on January 26. Despite two goals from Ward off two assists by Schrecengost, the Knights were unable to maintain their 2-1 lead and fell 4-2 following three third period goals by Morris Hills. While Valentine recorded 20 saves for GSB, also making significant contributions on the ice throughout the game were Peter Stone ’13, Brendan Dougher ’14, Casey Saladino ’14 and Ethan Brooks ’15.
Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934
January-February 2013
Dates to Remember Monday, February 25 Middle School Piano Recital
Tuesday, March 5 Lower School Admission Open House (Tell all your friends!)
Thursday, March 7 Community Blood Drive (Sign up at www.gsbschool.org/blood-drive)
Monday, March 11–Friday, March 22 Spring Break (Classes resume Monday, March 25)
To view more school events, or information on the above, please see GSB’s online calendar.
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GILL ST. BERNARD’S SCHOOL St. Bernard’s Road P.O. Box 604 Gladstone, NJ 07934 908-234-1611 www.gsbschool.org
C O M M U N I T Y B LO O D D R I V E Sponsored by GSB Thursday, March 7th, 2013 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 pm Brueckner Hall (upstairs Athletic Center) Visit GSB’s web page with full information at: http://www.gsbschool.org/blood-drive Attendees can reserve a time if they wish, but are not required to do so.