RPS Today
Summer 2023
Creativity
fuels, drives and empowers our community
As we reflect upon the past year, we are filled with immense pride and joy at the many achievements and milestones our school community has accomplished.
Congratulations to all our students, faculty, and parents for making this year such a resounding success. It is through your hard work, dedication, and unwavering support that we continue to set the highest bar of excellence in education. Each day, we witness the transformative power of our community coming together to inspire young minds and shape the leaders of tomorrow.
One theme that has emerged throughout the year is the profound importance of creativity in school and in life. Creativity fuels innovation, drives progress, and empowers individuals to think beyond traditional boundaries. We encourage every member of our school community, both past and present, to embrace their unique creative spirit and explore the endless possibilities that lie before them. As we emphasized at Commencement: start curious and stay curious. That novel sense of curiosity is the foundation for our students’ creativity.
Our students epitomize creativity through their diverse achievements. From scientific breakthroughs to artistic masterpieces, from athletic triumphs to social entrepreneurship ventures, their creativity has been the driving force behind their success. We are immensely proud of their accomplishments and the resilient commitment they have demonstrated in pursuit of their passions.
In this edition of RPS Today, we celebrate not only the accomplishments of our students but also updates from our alumni who continue to make their mark in the world. As you peruse the pages of this magazine, we invite you to share updates of your successes as well as your memories of Rutgers Prep. By sharing notes and photographs we hope you are reminded of the special friendships and experiences that were forged during your years here.
We extend a warm invitation to all our alumni to return and reconnect with your alma mater. The doors of our school are always open to you, and we eagerly await your visits, be it for Alumni Day, mentorships, concerts, plays, athletic contests, or simply a stroll down memory lane. Our current students would be inspired by your presence and the wisdom you can impart.
Dr. Steven Loy Head of SchoolLower School Closing Ceremony
Award Winners
KATHIE RUSYN MUSIC AWARD
Benjamin Gu ’30
Jeremy Brown ’30
MONARCH AWARD
Shruti Chinthamaneni ’30
ROSE ANN HOWARTH PRINCIPAL’S AWARD
Colin Carter ’30
Middle School Closing Ceremony
Award Winners
EVELYN P. DANIELS PRINCIPAL’S RECOGNITION AWARD
James Hamlette ’27
LIBRARY ASSOCIATION AWARD
Raislyn Palmer ’27
INCENTIVE AWARDS
Luke Panacek ’29
Daniel Lernerman ’28
Ashwika Tipparaju ’27
PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION AWARD
Maddy Ngo ’29
Ammar Baig ’28
Ethan Yip ’28
Kayo Odusote ’27
HIGHEST HONORS
Sophia Lensborn ’29
Ella Lin ’28
Raislyn Palmer ’27
Eighth Grade Speaker: Aidan RicoClass of 2023 257th Year Commencement
MICHAEL ONYEKWERE Head of School’s Prize
JORDAN ATKINS Head of School’s Prize
JULIET BOU MANSOUR 1942 School Prize
KEYON MAJIDI Senior Class Speaker
HANNAH GARROW Donald J. and Peg McGinn Award
ANTHONY MENTO Class of 1970 Award
ERNEST RENDA Gottlieb Award
KEYON MAJIDI Juliana M. Ratych 1977 Memorial Alumni Award
JENNIFER BEKOS Goldblatt Award
LUCIANA WEI Theodore Strong Memorial Prize
Class of 2023 Matriculation Choices
The University of Alabama
Albright College
American University (4)
Boston University (2)
Brandeis University (3)
University of California-Berkeley
University of California-Davis
University of California-San Diego
University of Connecticut
Carnegie Mellon University
Clemson University
Colgate University
College for Creative Studies
Drexel University
Duke University
Elon University
University of Florida
Fordham University
Franklin and Marshall College (2)
Georgetown University (2)
Grinnell College
University of Hartford
High Point University
Howard University
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Illinois Institute of Technology
Indiana University-Bloomington (2)
Johns Hopkins University
Lafayette College
Lehigh University (2)
Marist College
University of Maryland-College Park (3)
Mercer County Community College
University of Miami (2)
Morehouse College
New Jersey Institute of Technology (2)
The New School
New York University (4)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Northeastern University
University of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania State University (3)
University of Rhode Island
Rice University
University of Rochester (6)
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rutgers University-New Brunswick (6)
Savannah Coll. of Art & Design - Atlanta (2)
University of South Florida
University of Southern California (2)
Spelman College
Stevens Institute of Technology (3)
Syracuse University
United States Military Academy of West Point
Ursinus College
Universiteit van Amsterdam
University of Virginia
Vanderbilt University
Washington University in St. Louis
Wellesley College
Wentworth Institute of Technology
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Class of 2023 College T-Shirt Video
Celebrating Faculty and Staff for Their Service
Ten Years of Service
Fifteen Years of Service
RJ Anderson
Dariusz Czajka
Sandi Klinger
Katherine Lauder
Derrick Laurion
Jose Nunez
Teddy Angelos
Barbara Corbin
Kris Stensland
Christy Owsik
Twenty Years of Service
Twenty Five Years of Service
Departing Faculty
Retiring Faculty
Ismael Vargas
Tim Cohen
Mike Lamb
Valerie Pierce
Heather Vaccarino
Colin Britt 2017 - 2023
Kevin Merges 2000 - 2023
Nishita Desai 2013 - 2023
Allan Furtek 2002 - 2023
Year-End Celebrations
College Process Kick-Off Night Takes Rutgers Prep Class of 2024 on a Journey Through Admissions with Expert Help
In what has become a rite of passage in the Rutgers Prep Upper School experience, the College Process Kick-Off night in early February brought together our College Counseling Team, three expert admissions panelists, and the entire Rutgers Prep Class of 2024 and their parents for an informative and energizing presentation.
This year’s admissions panelists, who got the program off to a strong start, addressed topics ranging from the college search process to the role of standardized testing, essays, and recommendation letters in the application review process. The admissions professionals who took time away from their review of applications to share their perspectives and wisdom with the RPS Class of 2024 were Erica Padilla, Regional Associate Director of Admissions for the New York Metro Region at the University of Rochester; Rodney Morrison, Vice President for Enrollment Management at the University of Delaware; and Kristy Materasso, Director of Recruitment and Alumni Relations for New York University. Ms. Padilla shared her perspective on several different approaches students might take while in the process of building their initial college list. Mr. Morrison explained some of the nuances of the shifts in standardized testing policies over the past few years, while also sharing a bit of his own perspective as a first-generation college student. Ms. Materasso helped
give students and their parents a sense of the ways in which her office counts on the input of trusted adults like their teachers and counselors as her admissions officers are seeking to make distinctions amongst many academically qualified candidates for admission.
After thanking the panelists and taking a brief stretch break, the gathered crowd re-convened to hear the Rutgers Prep College Counseling Team explore the college search and application process from a Rutgers Prep perspective. Students were encouraged to center their own values and goals, to resist the urge to take shortcuts, and to take accountability for the many parts of the process that they will have control over. Each family was provided with a collection of RPS-curated resources, including recommended books, websites, and podcasts; parents who were observed taking pictures of the team’s slides were reassured that the entire slide deck would also be shared out with the students and parents the next day. The last portion of the program was reserved for a Q&A session, during which Rutgers Prep’s three full-time college counselors expertly fielded questions on everything from whether it’s possible for families to know what to expect in terms of financial aid (possibly; check out each college’s net price calculator online) to whether or not an interview ever has a negative impact on an admissions decision (probably not). The program wound down to a discernible buzz of positive, engaged energy. One mother commented: “You delivered an information-packed, but easily digestible program this evening, and this group ate it up.”
When RPS juniors and their families logged into ArgoNet (Rutgers Prep’s learning managment system) the following morning, they discovered that a questionnaire was awaiting them. With the completion of those questionnaires, students in the Class of 2024 and their parents/host parents/caregivers will be ready to schedule their family meetings with their counselor, and the process of building initial college lists will have begun in earnest. The RPS College Counseling team is looking forward to supporting the Class of 2024 on this journey.
Good Health Starts Early: RPS Parents Share Expertise on Dental and Heart Health with Junior Kindergarten Students
At Rutgers Prep, we are committed to developing the whole child, which includes physical, intellectual, social, and emotional development. In February, Junior Kindergarten students had the opportunity to learn about dental and heart health in celebration of Dental Health Month.
To kick off the month, Dr. Olga Dubinski, a dentist and mother of three RPS students, visited the classroom. The JK students learned about good oral hygiene habits, such as brushing their teeth after breakfast and before bed, and healthy snack options that can keep their teeth clean and healthy. Dr. Dubinski emphasized the importance of regular dental check-ups to keep dangerous bacteria at bay and even prevent heart complications in the future.
In addition to dental health, JK students also learned about heart health from several physicians. Dr. Harish Bhatt, parent of three RPS alumni and grandfather of JK student Nikash, brought in pictures of the heart for each student to take home and a model heart for the class to examine. Dr. Bhatt explained that the heart is a muscle with four chambers–or rooms–and helped students feel their own pulse in their wrists.
After Dr. Bhatt’s visit, the JK students made their own stethoscopes and listened to each other’s heartbeats. They even took their stethoscopes home to listen to their families’ heartbeats. Dr. Christopher Taurani and Dr. Bindu Sachdev, parents of Bella, also visited the class and brought in real stethoscopes to help students hear their own heartbeats. Dr. Taurani explained how blood flows into the heart from veins, goes to the lungs to be oxygenated, and then returns to the heart to be pumped out through arteries.
To keep their hearts healthy, the JK students learned about the importance of drinking lots of water, eating fresh fruits and vegetables, and exercising every day. These habits are not only beneficial for a healthy heart, but also for overall physical and mental health.
At Rutgers Prep, we are dedicated to cultivating healthy habits and lifelong learning for our students. These lessons in dental and heart health are just a small part of our comprehensive approach to nurturing the whole child.
Rutgers Prep Alumna Vienna Pharaon ’03 Shines on National Television (and Social Media) as Published
Author and Therapist
We are proud to celebrate the achievements of Vienna Pharaon, Rutgers Prep alumna from the Class of 2003, who was recently interviewed on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Vienna is a marriage and family therapist who has gained a huge following on Instagram, where she shares her knowledge with over 675,000 followers.
In her new book, The Origins of You: How Breaking Family Patterns Can Liberate the Way We Live and Love, Vienna explores the ways in which breaking family patterns can change the way we approach relationships. Through her work, she helps people to unpack the baggage of childhood and examine the wounds of their past to identify the root of their current relationship patterns.
Vienna’s approach to healing is grounded in a fourstep origin healing practice, which involves witnessing the wound, acknowledging the pain, grieving the wound, and pivoting to new patterns and a new way of existing in the world. Her book is a valuable tool for anyone seeking to heal from their past and create healthier relationships.
Watch the video of her "Good Morning America" interview above
Element-ary Education: Kindergarten Scientists Put Weather on Their Radar
Kindergarten students at Rutgers Prep are natural scientists, and their curiosity and creativity are nurtured through engaging science experiments and activities. By providing hands-on experiences that encourage exploration and discovery, students develop foundational knowledge in science and build essential skills that will serve them throughout their lives.
“Ask a kindergartener the names of some of their bones, or how a lightbulb turns on, and you may be surprised that they know the answers,” said Kindergarten Teacher Amy Merges. Throughout the year, RPS kindergarteners explore various science topics. In January and February, students spent a lot of time learning about the weather. They learned how to use a thermometer to measure the temperature, and discovered that water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit. They observed how heated water turns into vapor and how ice melts when heated. These experiences helped them develop an understanding of the different states of matter and how they can change.
Through experiments and observations, they also learned how to predict when snow will melt based on the temperature. In addition to building knowledge, Kindergarten students used these topics in science as a way to develop their creative writing skills, imagining funny reasons why their snowmen would melt, like taking it on a trip to Florida or putting it in the dryer!
Groundhog Day provided an opportunity for students to learn about light and shadows. They discovered that light can go through some objects and that sometimes an object blocks the
light and creates a shadow. By using flashlights and objects to create shadows, they also practiced their tracing and cutting skills.
The benefits of science in Kindergarten at Rutgers Prep go beyond just building knowledge and skills. By encouraging curiosity, perseverance, and critical thinking, students develop a strong foundation for future learning. They learn to ask questions, explore the world around them, and solve problems in a way that is engaging, fun, and meaningful.
By providing opportunities for exploration and discovery, Kindergarten students at Rutgers Prep are able to build a strong foundation for future learning, and develop a lifelong love of science.
Upper School Black Student Union Presents Live
Wax Museum
The Rutgers Prep Black Student Union (BSU) is an organization that seeks to provide a platform for students to discuss issues, accomplishments, and current events related to race and identity in the Black community. “We seek to educate our community and encourage everyone to make a positive difference in our school and world,” said Jordy Atkins ’23, one of the BSU presidents. “The Black Student Union is open to everyone and anyone – during meetings we have deep and important conversations, listen and learn from our peers and other sources, and expand our knowledge. We also celebrate our accomplishments and look to have an enjoyable experience together as we often play games such as Black trivia,” said Atkins.
The museum, which was visited by students and faculty in the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools, aimed to bring to life the stories and achievements of Black people who have made significant contributions to society. The students worked with club advisor Mrs. Young and other faculty members to organize the event, which required selecting the historical figures to represent, ensuring accuracy and respectfulness in their portrayal, and bringing the figures to life through costumes, props, and speeches. “The members of BSU hope that the wax museum will help to generate Black awareness through an event that is fun and interactive to be a part of,” said Cameron Piggeé ’23, another of the BSU’s presidents. “The wax museum stands as an event that creates a sense of unity by bringing people together of all ages, fostering a spirit of cooperation and collaboration. Furthermore, the event promotes community
engagement and social interaction, providing an opportunity for people to connect with each other and enjoy themselves,” said Piggeé.
The students’ dedication and hard work in bringing the historical figures to life through costumes, props, and speeches were remarkable, and the event was a fun and interactive way for members of the RPS community of all ages to connect, learn, and celebrate.
Take a look at the photos and see how many figures you recognize in the Live Wax Museum!
Senior Creative Writing Class Shares Original Children’s Stories with Kindergarten Students
This spring, Ms. Angelos’s Senior Creative Writing class took on the challenge of writing and illustrating their own children’s stories, and recently, they were able to share those stories with the Kindergarten.
The Creative Writing class spent three weeks revisiting the world of children’s literature: exploring the RPS library, reading a variety of books, and analyzing what makes each of them a classic, for children and adults alike. Seniors then worked in pairs to write and illustrate their own original picture books.
Kindergarteners listened to each story and talked about the parts they liked best and also asked the authors how they created each
story. One story featured a puzzle piece that got lost and several Kindergarten students really enjoyed how other toys helped the piece find its way back to the puzzle.
Seniors Mark Dale and Devin Gary wrote The Great Game about a game of chess, and when asked by one of the kindergarteners why the pictures had no color, explained that chess pieces are black and white!
The kindergarteners also happily howled along with the main character of Luna the Husky, read about a penguin and a polar bear on a quest to see a sunset, and were charmed by the illustrations in Momo’s Orchestra, written and illustrated by Katherine Guo and Sally Tao.
The RPS Class of 2023 Caps Off Academic Year With Adventure and Discovery During “Senior Explorations” Week
Senior Explorations Week at RPS was a whirlwind of adventure and discovery! The Class of 2023 truly made the most of their last hurrah before endof-year celebrations began.
Dr. Cooper’s seniors ventured into the world of entrepreneurship at Disney, where they learned the secrets of theme park design, but not before exploring Magic Kingdom prior to rope-drop, meaning they got access to the park before anyone else.
Dr. Britt’s group immersed themselves in the vibrant art scene of NYC, exploring The Color Factory and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and getting backstage tours of both Madison Square Garden and the Metropolitan Opera House!
Ms. Zanfardino and her talented culinary explorers whipped up homemade gnocchi, tantalizing tacos, and indulgent crème brûlée French toast.
Mr. Kuchar’s group took to the sea and skies, riding the waves at the Jersey shore and experiencing the thrill of indoor skydiving.
And last but not least, Mr. Lid’s seniors crafted their own stunning glass art in Pennsylvania, in an intensive course that taught them the techniques used in glass blowing and glass fusing.
What a week of incredible journeys and lifelong memories!
On October 24, 2022, the beautiful, impactful life of Barbara Herzberg came to an end. I will provide some facts of her story although the effort to describe her feels flat in comparison to our actual experience of her. When she passed, a group of her devoted students and beloved colleagues got together to sanctify her life by remembering her. But to describe her, to reflect upon her legacy, is a daunting endeavor that is likely to be inadequate. Any attempt to create a picture of Barbara Herzberg is prone to coming off like a black and white photograph of a colorful, awesome landscape filled with birdsong.
Barbara Herzberg started life in Cincinnati, Ohio where she developed a passion for theater. A high school English teacher named Ed Sauer came from the Harvard faculty to teach in her school and became her role model. “He didn’t treat us like kids, and he knew so much. The discussions were great.” Her father was a businessman by day, a writer with great wit by night. She followed him to his men’s club where he and his buddies put on shows. From Cincinnati, she moved on to college at Oberlin and graduate school at Tufts. Throughout and beyond, she pursued her passion and gift for acting in multiple theater settings. She bragged proudly of being a founding member of the Cincinnati Playhouse. One observer commented on her huge talent packed into short stature, “When Barbara steps on stage, she grows three feet!” She married her husband, Norman, a mathematician, and had no children.
Ms. Herzberg was an English teacher at Rutgers Prep from 1971 to 2000. She taught “Aeschylus to Ibsen,” Dostoyevski, Flaubert, Hesse, and her favorite, “Willy S.” Those walking past her classroom, peering in, were no doubt curious to know, “What is going on in there?” Students were sometimes engaging in rapt discussion of meaning, learning how to interpret the fictional human behavior, symbolism, and images created from words in the literature she taught. More often, those students were on their feet, dramatizing the play at hand, bringing it to life, gaining understanding through the physical enactment. The casual observer in the hallway could see that otherwise distracted teenagers were immersed and excited.
We remember the way she made us feel. We were fascinated by the insight. We had the thrill of watching her act the parts and loved her infectious fervor that turned us into actors. We remember the pleasure of getting up on our feet to learn and putting our personal stamp on the recitation of the lines. She engaged us deeply in the discussion. She modeled unique, outside-the-box humor. She listened. She
“Though she be but little, she is fierce.””
William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
observed, understood, and cared about each student with a passion. She knew each one who returned to her classroom and could comment meaningfully on who that person was inside. Until the final months of her life, she could discuss with great feeling the personal strivings of a particular student as he made his college choice decades earlier. When I once asked her to describe to my husband the nature of another friend in high school, we heard nuanced observations of what made her tick, her abilities, and her connection to her friends. Barbara’s great caring led her to make friendships with her students that lasted to the end of her life. In the final years, during one of our long phone chats, always fascinating and hilarious, she once said to me, “When I see what you have become, I feel like I did something worthwhile with my life.” She might have said that to any of the students who cleaved closely to her. The comment shows her great devotion, her determination to make an impact. It acknowledges that she knew she had made a difference, that we deeply internalized her methods of observation, interpretation, enactment, and kindness.
Many of us have treasured our Oscars, clippings from a spider plant named Oscar, that Ms. Herzberg gave to her students upon graduation. They are lasting reminders of her impact.
Those who gathered to remember Barbara decided she should have a living memorial, one that would express her passion for theater, for moving us to immerse ourselves in it, and to know the kind of pleasure it provided her. A proper memorial should be egalitarian, benefitting all interested students. In this spirit, we are creating the Barbara Herzberg Memorial Fund to support drama programs at RPS.
Cynthia Berkowitz ’79Written in admiration on behalf of Mrs. Herzberg’s students and performers
The Barbara Herzberg Fund
A group of Alumni have established a fund in memory of Barbara Herzberg that will support the Drama program at Rutgers Prep. If donations reach or exceed $50,000, the fund will establish an endowment in her name. The endowment will provide ongoing support for the arts and annual reports will be provided to donors. If the $50,000 threshold is not met, donations will support the drama program in the coming years. If you would like to contribute to the fund, you can make a donation online, or mail a check payable to "Rutgers Preparatory School" and in the memo line, include "Herzberg Fund." Mail your check to:
Rutgers Preparatory School Advancement Office
1345 Easton Avenue Somerset, NJ 08873
Your generosity will have a direct impact on students, as they learn and grow through drama productions and explore their own creativity. Thank you for honoring Barbara's legacy.
Click here to make a donation online
Alumni Events
Alumni Day, London, Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame, Young Alumni Reception, Justice Art Reception, St. Andrew’s Basketball Game and Washington, DC
Join
the RPS Faculty Book Club in November and April!
The RPS Faculty Book Club meets once a month between September and April to discuss a selection of literature curated by the Humanities Department. Each November and March, the Faculty Book Club invites Current Parents and Alumni to participate in the conversation. The two selections are listed below, and if you are interested in participating, please reach out to Hannah Garrow, Co-Chair of the Humanities Department at garrow@rutgersprep.org.
November: Afterlives by
Abdulrazak Gurnah
CLASS NOTES
March: The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories by Jamil
Jan Kochai
Class Notes - Bell Bottoms, Bee Gees and the Copper Beech (1964-1983)
Rob Kaufelt ’65 writes: “Hi to all. This past Memorial Day weekend the nicest couple came for lunch at Small Farm, where we held our 50th reunion. Who, you may ask? Whom? Michael and Maureen, class of ’65, and we caught up on times old and new. And who should I wind up speaking to just today after many many months? Yes, Davy Pickar, the one and only. Finally, my friend Arthur from the neighborhood here in the Village went to Nashville for a few days, asked us did we know anyone? Yes, and with luck he’s with Mary Beth Stone as I write! Keep me posted.”
Kenneth Lehn ’67 writes: “I am enjoying semi-retirement from the practice of law and splitting my time between NJ and a home in the Berkshires. I’m spending more time with my 2 kids and 4 grandkids.”
George Grabowich ’73 and his wife traveled to Europe for three weeks this past spring. The weather was excellent and they took over 3,000 photos! They are pictured here at Krka River Falls, Croatia.
Janet Berkowitz ’76 is a certified peer specialist working throughout the tristate area using the creative arts to transform mental health. Her latest program is called ‘The Bridge,’ an interactive workshop designed to bridge that gap between mental health providers and the consumers whom they serve. She continues to produce and perform in her show on suicide and bullying prevention and serves on the NJ Suicide Prevention committee, as well as other organizations committed to suicide and addiction recovery.
Philip Kosnett ’78 (U.S. Ambassador, Ret) left the Foreign Service in 2021 after a career representing the United States in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. His current endeavors include consulting, commentary, writing, and game design. Marine Corps University Press has released his edited volume, Boots and Suits: Historical Cases and Contemporary Lessons in Military Diplomacy.
Class Notes
Madonna, Macintoshes and Make-Shift Classrooms (1984-1999)
Scot J. Wittman ’86 writes: While being selected to be featured on a billboard in Times Square is the flashiest feather in my cap, there are other recent moments in my studio career that I consider to be more substantial. I thank Argonauts of all stripes for joining me at my Boston solo show’s opening earlier this year; here is a great documentary about it which includes behind the scenes footage of my life-size 3D print of a dancer. I’m also happy to report that within 48 hours of “going live” regarding official gallery representation in California that I have sold a few masterworks. Up ahead: collaboration with Harvard. To learn more and/or join my Mailing List visit my website www.mapographer.com”
Marc Bromfeld ’85, James Keller ’85 and Rick Marcou ’85 gathered for an impromptu meet up in NYC!
Ronobir Lahiri ’90 LA-based sitar player, was featured in Vogue India as he played at a wedding in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Rabiya “Bobbie” Kader ’93 writes: “Life is going by too fast! My two sons are now 9th and 11th graders at RPS!”
Rajiv Singh ’94 has rejoined Columbia University as an Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology. He and his wife, Ritu, are raising their two boys in northern NJ, and mourning the recent loss of their dog, Madison (AKA FDIP - Fastest Dog in Park).
Gia Bocra Liwski ’94 was named the LGPA Teacher of the Year. Gia has been teaching golf for more than 25 years and is founder of Golf Experiences for Her®, a golf and lifestyle events company.
Nidhi Kumar ’95 is featured every Monday morning, around 7:15am EST, on the CBS New York feature “On Call with Dr. Kumar.” Tune in!
Archana Kasangra ’97 and her husband Manak Ahluwalia ’96 attended the art show of fellow RPS alum, current Dean of the Arts, and Archana’s former photography teacher, Scot Wittman ’86. The show JUSTICE was hosted in a gallery at Milton Academy, outside of Boston, where Archana and Manak’s three children, Shyla (freshman), Armaan (7th) and Javaan (5th), currently attend!
Andi Grumet Sawin ’92 and Sripriya Radhakrishna Prince ’98 were coaching lacrosse games in Colorado when they got to talking. Come to find out - they are both Argonauts who were coached by Carole Zboray! What a small world!
Class Notes - RPS 2.0 (2000-Current)
Kim Sikora Rakestraw ’03 writes: “We have been living in Hilliard, OH since 2015 when I graduated from The Ohio State University with a MS in Nursing. That year I also began working at Nationwide Children’s Hospital as a pediatric nurse. I’m now one of the Discharge Planning nurses in the Division of Infectious Diseases. Josh works for Accenture Federal Services in their Information Services Division supporting various DoD departments.
Holden just finished kindergarten and did amazing! He loves everything science and sports. He’s a great big brother to Ivey who is 18m.”
Halcyon Person ’06, Head Writer of Karma’s World, featured on Netflix, was the Happy Meal toy in participating McDonald’s around the USA in March and April.
Josh Sherman ’08 and Liza Astrachan met at an unconventional time during the heart of the pandemic. Their love blossomed very quickly and by March of 2022, Josh popped the difficult but easy question, “Will you marry me?” The planning started quickly where they decided to wed this May 28th at the dreamy venue of Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange, NJ. It was a complete fairytale: Liza found her prince in Josh. They look forward to a lifetime of adventures first starting with their honeymoon to Africa embarking on a safari. Josh and Liza hope to follow the tradition and have their children attend Rutgers Prep.
L to R: Rachel Stolly ’21, Mark
Sherman ’78, Randi Schindler Paris ’82, Maria Thellmann ’13, Kiersten
Mulvey Hovan ’12, groom Josh
Sherman ’08, Craig Sherman ’83, Randy Sherman ’83, Barry Sherman ’76, Sarah Sherman ’06, Arielle
Sherman ’12. Not pictured Alyssa Coiro ’12.
Eric Loy ’09 and wife Samantha are over the moon with the birth of their daughter, Elliott Rudy Loy.
Phoenetia Browne ’11 writes: “I’m coming to the end of my season here in France, we are the champions of our Group in France Feminin D2 and will be promoted to France Feminin D1 for the upcoming season. I also started running a girls summer camp in St. Kitts last summer and will be doing it annually going forward. MPWR Empowering Girls Through Football.” Click here to view Instagram post.
Shelby Bharrat Yunus ’10 married Javed Yunus this past May. Their Nikkah Ceremony was on May 6, and their wedding on May 12 at The Garden City Hotel. Fellow classmates Courtney Williams ’10, Mahathi Malladi ’10, Adrienne Mireau ’10, and Moazam Shah ’10 celebrated the big day with the happy couple.
Jackie Marotto-Panagakos ’11 married Andreas Panagakos at The Ryland Inn on May 20, 2023. While many faculty and staff were in attendance, including Jackie’s parents, Sue and Bob, other students from the Class of 2011 included Alex Campanaro, who was Maid of Honor, Monica Kane, Colleen Kramer, and Kim Krauszer.
Dylan Ritter ’13 graduated from Vanderbilt with his Ph.D. in Cell and Developmental Biology. He is currently at Sloan Kettering in NYC doing research for his postdoc. He is pictured here with brother Austin Ritter ’14.
L to R: Mary Klinger, Larry Santowasso ’91, Jim Klinger, Stacy McMillen, Bob Marotto (father of the bride!), Monica Kane ’11, Sue Marotto (mother of the bride!), Meredith Santowasso, Chuck Rusyn, bride and groom Jackie Marotto Panagakos ’11 and Andreas Panagakos, Philomena and Steve Loy, John Sullivan, John and Sherry Riggi, Kathie Rusyn, Ana Aymes ’94, Patria Sullivan, Colleen Kramer ’11, Charlie Aymes, Kim Krauszer ’11, Alex Campanaro ’11, Tara and Jim Bratek ’87
Arielle Sherman ’12 CFP® CIMA® , passed the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) exam. Working alongside her dad, Mark Sherman ’78 CFP® they make up a true Argonaut dream team!
Diego Miller ’14 & Andrés Miller were featured on the CBS hit show, LINGO. The episode aired on Wednesday, January 25.
Class Agents
Class of 1945
Gerald O’Brien job@consolidated.net
Class of 1947
John Witmer witmer@nctv.com
Class of 1948
Clyde Harms clydeharms@gmail.com
Class of 1950
Kearney Kuhlthau kykandchk@gmail.com
Class of 1952
William Cramer wjc72536@yahoo.com
Class of 1954
Elfriede Riddering Heidelberg
Class of 1958
Jim Burke jvburke11@gmail.com
Class of 1959
Linda Levy Hamelsky queenbeee7@comcast.net
Class of 1960
Henry Gurshman gurshmanlawfirm@aol.com
Class of 1963
Charles Collard cecollard44@gmail.com
Class of 1964
Stephanie Matusz Stillman stillstef@msn.com
Robert Sutherlin suth9@yahoo.com
Class of 1965
Vivian Czarda Andrus vivandrus@aol.com
Peter Lederman plederman@lomurrolaw.com
Larry Sporn lawrencem@sporn.us
Class of 1967 Peter Lampen peter.lampen@gmail.com
Alisa Pasternak Zlotnikoff alisazee@aol.com
Class of 1968
Barbara Paulus Lampen barbara.lampen@gmail.com
Class of 1970 Bryna Greenwald Pomp bgpomp@aol.com
Class of 1971
Victoria Daniel Kozo vkozo@rci.rutgers.edu
Class of 1972 Bill Ihling billihling@gmail.com
Class of 1973 Merryl Colburn Bernstein merryl.bernstein@gmail.com
Jack Kamin whosetheboss2001@yahoo.com
Class of 1974
Walter Deutsch whdii@aol.com
Robert Frisch yagmot@aol.com
Class of 1975
Rory O’Connell rory07960@yahoo.com
Class of 1976
Charlie Daniel mjd095@hotmail.com
Class of 1977
Mark DiGiovanni guaranteed1@gmail.com
Class of 1979
Peter Clarke pl.clarke@verizon.net
Class of 1980
Dana Stahl Mermelstein dana.mermelstein1@verizon.net
Class of 1981
Marla Siegel Kurzec mkurzec@aol.com
Class of 1982
Janine Orlando janineorlando@gmail.com
Sueanne Schulman sueanne212@aol.com
Class of 1983
Ellen Berman ejb512@aol.com
Dawn Hughes dawnt49209@aol.com
Anita Kothari Walsh akw1184@gmail.com
Class of 1984 Alexis Balsamides Wade aawade@mac.com
Class of 1985
Marc Bromfeld bromfeld@yahoo.com
Diana Davidson Lerner dianalerner1226@gmail.com
Class of 1986
Erika Barnes Holliday happyholliday@comcast.net
John Miller gringoscholar@gmail.com
Class of 1987
Donna Goodman dl.goodman@yahoo.com
Mark Nathan nate3564@hotmail.com
Class of 1988
Brian Cohen bcohennyc@gmail.com
Class of 1989
Todd Haedrich tmhaedrich@gmail.com
Tim Herrmann therrmann@intuitivevp.com
Class of 1990
Megan Coakley Glover megcoakley@hotmail.com
Joshua Greenstein joshuagreenstein@gmail.com
Veronica Lippencott (nee Akinyi Ouma) verouma@hotmail.com
Class of 1991
Jason Grey greyjason@hotmail.com
Geoffrey Gussis geoff@gussis.com
William Somers somers515@yahoo.com
Class of 1993 Luis Garcia luisfergarcia@gmail.com
Erica Golliday Higgins ericamhiggins@hotmail.com
Class of 1994 Jwan Allen jwan.allen@gmail.com
Violette Renard Recinos violette.recinos@gmail.com
Class of 1995
Tara Auciello tara.a@alumni.duke.edu
Sara Papa Belyea sbelyea@gmail.com
Class of 1996
Ria Rasalan Gaviria Rasalan@gmail.com
Matthew Scherb mascherb@gmail.com
Class of 1997
Amanda Lin yi_zue@hotmail.com
Nicole Finner Mordecai nicolefinner@gmail.com
Nicole Fiumefreddo Rafanello nicole.rafanello@gmail.com
Class of 1998
Camile Melton Brown camimelt@hotmail.com
Jeremy Hollander jerholl7@gmail.com
Sripriya Radhakrishna sripriyaprince@gmail.com
Jeremy Wang-Iverson jwangiverson@gmail.com
Class of 1999 Jessica Belser jessbelser@gmail.com
Nakul Rao nakulrao@gmail.com
Class of 2000
Vanessa Abreu Deyhle vadeyhle@gmail.com
Portia Hunt portia.hunt@gmail.com
Liz Lampen Kim lizlampenkim@gmail.com
Patchaya ‘Beam’ Seilaudom itsbeam@gmail.com
Class of 2001
Rachita Bhatt rachitabhatt@gmail.com
Lauren Michaels laurenmichaels@gmail.com
Jose Torres josetorres527@gmail.com
Class of 2002
Jordanne Owen jordyowen@gmail.com
Melissa Zaccagnino m.zaccagnino@gmail.com
Class of 2003
Katie Shimalla Bartolucci kcbartolucci@gmail.com
Charles Cunnell parakuihi@gmail.com
Class of 2004 Sudipta Bandyopadhyay sudipta@bandyopadhyay.me
Ilana Galex ilanag86@gmail.com
Shirley Torho shirley.torho@gmail.com
Class of 2005 Adil Ahmed justadilahmed@gmail.com
Mark DiGiovanni markf.digiovanni@gmail.com
Rick Halmo rick.halmo@gmail.com
Class of 2006 Sonal Bhatt sonal1021@gmail.com
Kenneth Feibush kfeibush@gmail.com
Jordan Hollander jsfhollander@gmail.com
Class of 2007
Victoria Hartmann Bishop hartmann.victoria@gmail.com
Ryan Klipstein rklipstein@rutgersprep.org
Ashley Merchant ashley.merch@gmail.com
Sarah Thornton sarahelizabeththornton@gmail. com
Class of 2008 Nikhil Anbarasan nikhilanbarasan@gmail.com
Lauren Wink Brenner lauren.brenner30@gmail.com
Ariel Strauss ariel.r.strauss@gmail.com
Class of 2009 Ashwin Karanam akaranam@me.com
Kelsey Rene kelseyarene@gmail.com
Ankita Thakkar ankita.m.thakkar@gmail.com
Class of 2010 Georges Richa georgesmricha@gmail.com
Kammi Shah kammishah@gmail.com
Syed Moazam Shah moazamshah@gmail.com
Class of 2011
Niki Kakarla nikila.kakarla@gmail.com
Kim Krauszer krauszerk@gmail.com
Class of 2012 Rayan Dutta dutta.rayan@gmail.com
Andrew Parr parrandr@gmail.com
Class of 2013 Annette Browne browne.annette@yahoo.com
Prastama Perkasa prazperkasa@gmail.com
Class of 2014 Samantha Bernstein samanthabernstein509@gmail. com Megan Groner groner.megan@gmail.com
Timothy Magier timmagier@gmail.com
Class of 2015 Christian Klipstein dcklipsteinjr@aol.com
Lindsey Schafer lschafer08@aol.com
Kendra Sullivan kesullivan@fcps.edu
Class of 2016 Tanvi Kodali tanvi.kodali123@gmail.com
Sarah Parr sarahaparr@gmail.com
Riya Patel riya112197@gmail.com
Class of 2017
Josh Kutner kutnerjoshm@gmail.com
Madison Mento madiepink13@gmail.com
Rebekah Park bekahpark@gmail.com
Joseph Ramallo jvramallon@outlook.com
Class of 2018
Grace Del Buono grace.delbuono@gmail.com
Varun Kadikar vkadikar@gmail.com
Samatha Kodali samatha2k@gmail.com
Nikhil Lahiri niklahiri2000@gmail.com
Skyler Scioscia skyescioscia31@gmail.com
Class of 2019 Brynn Bean beanb2020@gmail.com
Nima Majidi nima.majidi23@gmail.com
Pranav Wadhwa pranav_wadhwa@yahoo.com
Class of 2020
Julia Chorun juliac707@aol.com
Nolan Patel nolanpatel@gmail.com
Tylan Porterfield tylan.mykia@gmail.com
Matthew Romage mromage87@gmail.com
Gurnoor Virdi gurnoorvirdi@gmail.com
Class of 2021 Kiran Lahiri klahiri02@gmail.com
Riya Lahiri riyalahiri02@gmail.com
David Merges david.merges@gmail.com
Alexandra Schantz allyschantz@gmail.com
Sontee Scott sonteescott801@gmail.com
Class of 2022
Samantha Balaban sbalaban6562@gmail.com
Elizabeth Romage liz.romage@gmail.com
Christian Wright boscob2110@gmail.com
Class of 2023
Siya Angras siya.angras5@gmail.com
Juliet Bou Mansour julietbmansour@gmail.com
Rohan Kaila rkaila2005@gmail.com
Keyon Majidi keyon.majidi@gmail.com
In Memory of...
Lewis Bronfman, Class of 1956, April 15, 2023
Leonard Diamond, Class of 1948, November 15, 2021
Louis Johnson, Class of 1966, July 12, 2020
Laird Klingler, Class of 1962, November 12, 2022
James Lamont, Class of 1952, May 21, 2023
Barbara Beacham
Faculty Member from 1970-1996, December 21, 2022
Jennifer Elliott Hill, Lower School Music Teacher, April 3, 2023
Rose Ann Howarth
Faculty & Lower School Principal from 1970-2003, April 4, 2023
Barbara Herzberg
Faculty Member from 1971-2000, October 24, 2022
Kate Andersen-Sheft
P’06, P’09, P’12, Trustee 2013-2023, May 18, 2023
Craig Seligman, Class of 1987, June 27, 2023
