OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2013
Panther
Pride
RANNEY STUDENTS FIGHT HUNGER AT CROP WALK On Sunday, October 20, Upper School students joined together with Community Service Club Advisor and Upper School Spanish Teacher Ina Gurman to participate in the 2013 Red Bank CROP Hunger Walk. The event is a 5-mile walk/run held each year to raise funds to fight hunger in Monmouth County and around the world. The day was filled with music, fun activities and a food collection to benefit those in need. Ranney also received first place in the banner/poster competition, which the school has participated in for the past eight years and won first place all but two of those years. National Art Honor Society students designed the banner reflecting the theme “Change the Equation” by including images of food with labels that have facts about hunger in America. “The students felt that too often we think that we live in bounty, but it is surprising how many people in America and in our own neighborhoods are going hungry and need our help,” said Visual Arts Chair Kate Greenberg. “This design was meant to drive that point home.” For more information on the Red Bank CROP Hunger Walk, visit www.redbankcropwalk.com.
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Celebrating Seniors Throughout the month of October, Ranney’s fall sports teams celebrated the careers of senior team members who have dedicated their time and leadership to the athletic program throughout their years at Ranney School.
Above: (Front) Steven Jacobson, Will Rotolo, Jihad Chater, Mo Meleis, Ronnie Geraghty, Joshua Pelman, Joe Esquivel-Murphy, Brandon Flynn and Head of School Dr. John Griffith. (Back) Assistant Soccer Coaches Will McGinty and Mohamed Albana and Head Coach Michael Ling.
Above: Director of Athletics Tom Moriau, team manager Soroya Dookie, Alessandra Johnson, Joyce Dayan, Paige Place, Kenna Conley, Jenna DiSalvo and Madison Pflaster with Head Varsity Girls’ Soccer Coach Ian McNamara and Dr. Griffith
Below: Assistant Field Hockey Coach Kendall Petschauer, Alexandra Esquivel-Murphy, Briana Richardson, team managers Elise Birde and Caroline Daroci, Head Coach Eileen McEnery and Dr. Griffith.
Below: Giulia DiGuglielmo, Head Varsity Tennis Coach Christel Contrera and team manager Francesca Toto.
For more athletic news, updates and results, visit the new Ranney School Athletics Blog: pantherpress.ranneyschool.org/athletics/
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MADISON BOYAN (SPRING LAKE) Congratulations to senior Madison Boyan on being named a state finalist for New Jersey in the 2013 Wendy’s High School Heisman Award competition. Madison is among a select pool of 1,020 state finalists nationwide (20 from each state plus Washington, D.C.). Each state finalist will be recognized with a bronze medal and a Heisman patch. From the pool of finalists, 102 students will be selected as state winners.
JARED KATZ (HOLMDEL) Congratulations to Jared Katz ’16 and his hockey team (the Generals) who recently won the New Jersey District Playoffs after winning the State Championship this fall. Jared and his team will represent the state of New Jersey at the USA National Championship in Reston, VA, in April 2014. Best of luck!
COMMUNITY SERVICE SPOTLIGHT Students sported pajamas for a dress down day this month to support the “Bring a Pair/Wear a Pair” K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital Pajama Drive. Well over 1,000 pajamas were collected school wide to provide each child at the hospital with a warm, cozy pair of pajamas this winter when they arrive at the hospital. Thank you to the generous donors within the Ranney community!
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TAYLOR ZENNER (WALL) Congratulations to Taylor Zenner ’17 who took home a first place trophy at the New Jersey Drama and Forensics League tournament held at Dumont High School in late October. Taylor competed in both Extemporaneous and After Dinner speaking events. Taylor's humorous yet sincere speech beat the state competitors at the season's first meet. His first place win earns him a spot to compete at the NJDFL state championship meet in February 2014. Left: Taylor as “Tevye” in Ranney’s Middle School production of Fiddler on the Roof Jr. in February 2013.
Performing Arts Fall/Winter Calendar DEC. 10– UPPER SCHOOL WINTER CONCERT 7:00 P.M. DEC. 17– MIDDLE SCHOOL WINTER CONCERT 7:00 P.M. JAN. 10– UPPER SCHOOL COFFEEHOUSE 7:00 P.M. JAN. 31-LOWER SCHOOL COFFEEHOUSE 6:00 P.M. FEB. 6-8-MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSICAL “THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, JR.” 7:00 P.M. FEB. 12– LOWER SCHOOL WINTER CONCERT 6:00 P.M. MARCH 6-8- UPPER SCHOOL SPRING MUSICAL 7:00 P.M.
SOPHIA JACKMAN (FREEHOLD)
Note: Dates may change. Please check the calendar on the Ranney School website for updates.
Sophomore Sophia Jackman was recently cast in Two River Theater’s high school production of “As You Like It.” Sophia will play “the Duke” and joins a cast of local area high school students who will present an adapted version of the play to Middle and Lower School students in the Two River Theater education program. Sophia is a Ranney Thespian and a member of the Tri-M® Music Honors Society and Honors Orchestra. She has been involved in multiple plays and musicals, including the Upper School Fall play “Our Town.” Left: Sophia as “Feste” in Twelfth Night, the Upper School’s 2012 Fall play.
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CARMINE MASTROKOSTAS (FREEHOLD) Congratulations to eighth grader Carmine Mastrokostas on being cast in the Axelrod Performing Arts Center’s production of Les Miserable. Carmine will play a student named “Joly” and has a strong role in the ensemble throughout the show. He is the youngest member to be cast as a student.
Carmine as “Motel” in Ranney’s Middle School production of Fiddler on the Roof Jr. in February 2013.
MIDDLE SCHOOL FORENSICS TEAM Congratulations to the Middle School Forensics Team and their coaches Mr. John Doyle, Mrs. Lilly Torrente and Mrs. Marie LaRocca for a great showing at the Rumson Country Day School Festival in early November. The following team members were finalists in the competition: Shana Fitzmaurice ’19 (Spring Lake) Humorous Interpretation– 6th & 7th grade Sathya Edamadaka ’19 (Allentown) Storytelling– 6th & 7th grade Abby Granata ’18 (Wall) Humorous Interpretation– 8th & 9th grade Ankur Govil ’18 (Manalapan) Storytelling– 8th and 9th grade Alexander Roberts ’18 (Ocean) Storytelling– 8th and 9th grade www.ranneyschool.org 4
JACQUIE LEE CONTINUES ON THE VOICE This fall, the entire Ranney community has been tuning in to NBC’s “The Voice,” patiently awaiting the familiar face of junior Jacquie Lee to appear on their television screen. The 16-year old Ranney “lifer” from Colts Neck, NJ, has a passion for charity, athletics—including the Ranney Varsity Field Hockey and Softball teams, and of course, singing. At the opening of the season of “The Voice” in September, Jacquie, who started at Ranney in the first grade, nailed a rendition of the late Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black.” Celebrity judges Blake Shelton and Christina Aguilera turned their chairs, vying for Jacquie as one of their team members. After picking Christina as her coach, Jacquie defeated contestant Briana Cuoco in the Battle Rounds and after several other remarkable performances, including “Love is Blindness”, “I Put a Spell on You” and “Clarity”, Jacquie has earned a spot in the Top 8. Jacquie has been featured in USA Today, Asbury Park Press, The Two River Times, New Jersey News 12 and several national news and entertainment websites. On Tuesday November 19, the entire Ranney campus “dressed down” in red to support Jacquie in the next round. Students and teachers spoke about Jacquie to Asbury Park Press and News 12 New Jersey reporters and reminisced about her many performances at Ranney School. “I remember Jacquie’s ‘outgoing spirit, sparkling APP.com personality, happy-go-lucky nature, and vivacious personality’–all words that I used to describe her in her report cards,” said Mrs. Connie Congemi, Jacquie’s third-grade teacher and “Mulan Jr.” co-director. “When she auditioned for Mulan, I was totally blown away as was Music Teacher Mrs. Lillianne Torrente. She had the whole package—a great voice (who knew what was to come), great stage presence and an ability to handle the task in such a calm grown-up way.” Jacquie’s mother, Mrs. Denise Lee, says she and her husband are very thankful for the Ranney community. “Our Ranney family has been so supportive of Jacquie and we are thankful to have all the kind words and encouragement from the families, faculty, staff and administration. The school has kept her grounded through this process and we are grateful. It makes this journey that much more meaningful and special to know there are so many people close to her heart and home cheering her on!” Lower School students showed their support with creative signs made especially for Jacquie Lee on November 19.
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