The Argo Jr – December 2024 Issue by rutgersprep

THE ARGO JR.

Included inthis

issue

AllAbout The Argo Jr.

This year, for the ﬁrst time, RPS Lower School has its very own newspaper: The Argo Jr. Agroupof LowerSchoolstudentsmetweekly this fall to work on creating the newspaper’s ﬁrst issue, which you arenowholdinginyourhands!

The idea for the newspaper club startedlastspringwhen5thgrader Basil McGinty started thinking abouthowgreatitwouldbeforthe Lower School to produce its very ownnewspaper.

Basil decided to write her own version of a lower school newspaper, writing a few articles aboutimportanteventsatthetime, includingthesolareclipse,theNew Jersey earthquake, and the 4th grade Journeys project. She then shared her newspaper with Lower School principal Ms. Tolia, who immediately proposed that a new ASP club be created, and thus the LowerSchoolNewspaperClubwas born.

Atotaloftwenty-two3rdthrough 5thgradestudentssigneduptojoin the club and take on the role of juniorreporters. Theclubadvisor, Upper School English teacher Ms. Angelos,wasluckyenoughtohave four excellent Upper School newspaper editors join her in leading the group: Renee Bou Mansour, ’25, Michael Chang, ’25, Kelli Chang, ’25, and Raislyn Palmer, ’27.

Atfirst,theclubmembersreviewed the Upper School newspaper, The Argo,tolearnaboutwhichelements gointoastandardpublication.They reviewed the 5 W’s & 1 H of newspaper reporting (who, what, where,when,whyandhow). Then, the group had its first “bullpen meeting,” in which student reporters pitched story ideas. Studentsspentweeksresearching, drafting interview questions, and writing rough drafts of their articles, before polishing up their finaledits.

Our goal was to create a newspaper infused with a positive outlook and focused on our RPS community. We hope you enjoy thisﬁrstissue!

RPS hosts the 2024 Diwali show

Meet the new RPS faculty Girls Soccer wins the State Championship!

Gettingtoknow Ms.Albright

by Basil McGinty, 5th grade

Ms.AlbrightistheLowerschool andMiddleschoolArtteacher. LikemanyLowerandMiddle Schoolers,I’vereallyenjoyed havingherasmyartteacherthis year. Iwantedtogettoknowher better,soIaskedhersome questions.

Mr.Figaro,new Bandteacher

by Arya Pandey, 5th grade

Mr.FigaroteachesBandatRPSfor theLower,Middle,andUpper Schoolstudents.Itishisfirstyear, somakesurehefeelswelcome!

Mr.Figaroishappytoteachhere becausehesaysthatallthe studentsandteachersarefriendly andwelcoming.IaskedMr.Figaro somequestionstotakealook insidesomeinformationyou probablydidn’tknow.

Where did you grow up? How do you like living in New Jersey now? IgrewupinPennsylvaniaina townwithalotoffarms.I’vebeen livinghereinNewJerseyfor elevenyearsnowandIreally enjoyit!IthinkNewJerseyhasa lotofbeautifulplacestovisit,lots ofhistorytolearnabout,andithas beenfunexploringthestate.

Why did you decide to become an art teacher? And why do you like being a teacher at RPS?

I’vealwayslikedtomakeart,andI realizedthatit’srewardingtoshow peoplehowtoexpressthemselves andmakethings.Ihavereally enjoyedbeinganartteacherat RPS;I’msoimpressedbymy students’creativityandenthusiasm forart!

What’s your favorite color -in art and in life?

Myfavoritecolorisorange.It’sso warmandcozyandit’smyfavorite partofsunsetcolors.

Mr.Figaro’sfullnameisStanley Figaro.HegrewupinOrlando, Floridaandattendedcollegeatthe UniversityofFlorida.Sincehewas akidhelovedmusic,sewingand reading.Throughouthisschool experienceasastudent,hewas askedbyteacherstohelpother studentslearnhowtoplaytheir instrumentsandthisinspiredhim tokeephelpingotherslearn instruments.Sinceheloved teachingsomuch,hebecamea banddirector.

Mr.Figaro’sfavoriteinstruments toplayarethetubaandthe recorder.Currently,hishobbiesare reading,writingandcreating music.

Who’s your favorite artist?

That’sareallyhardquestion becausewheneverIthinkofone artistIlike,Istartthinkingabout alltheOTHERartistsIliketoo, andthenIcan’tmakeadecision.I cansaythattheartmovementI likethemostisSurrealism.

What’s your favorite animal and do you have a pet?

Ihavetosaythatcatsaremy favorite!Ivolunteeratacat rescue,andrightnowIhavea fostercatnamedMaria. Shelikes tositonmeALLTHETIME,and sometimesshedroolsonmetoo.

IthinkwecanallagreethatMs. AlbrightisawonderfulArtteacher andwehopeyouallenjoytherest ofyouryearwithherinclass!

OverallMr.Figaroisa hardworkingteacherandwillgo outofhiswaytohelphisstudents andco-workers.

In RPS, we have a library. Most people think that libraries only provide books right? Well that is actually not true. Libraries have many important purposes and today, this article will be going overafewofthem. First, some people think that libraries aren’t very important and the only thing that they provide is books. But that is actually wrong, because libraries are much more than just that. The first library was made in 1879. It has now been 145 years since libraries have been around. Since then, libraries have gained technology, and now they are used for people to study, read, draw,andsomuchmore.

I asked our school librarian Ms. Printon some questions about the RutgersPreplibrary:

Did anyone ever inspire you to become a librarian or did you inspire yourself?

I really wanted to become a librarian because I love reading and always have. But I have a friend from high school whose mom is a librarian, and when I needed a job after college, I worked part-time for her at her library, which is where I really fell in love with libraries and what librariansdoforcommunities.

How long have you been the librarian at RPS and what did you do before that?

I have been the librarian at RPS since2019,sofiveyears.

TheRPSLibrary

by Veer Upadhyay, 5th grade

Second, libraries are helpful because they can relax stressed students, teachers and others. Libraries also include materials such as textbooks, educational programs, and sites that can give access to info that might be needed to complete a task. Libraries also serve community programs, workshops, events, and as a safe placeforsocialinteraction,making libraries very important communitycenters.

Next, let's go into the studying details. Libraries can improve skills, like reading and writing, by hosting competitions with academic concepts, like a reading club.

Before that, I worked part-time at the Franklin Township Public Library. I have been the librarian at RPS since 2019, so five years. Before that, I worked part-time at the Franklin Township Public Library,andIalsohadatemporary job at the publishing company WWWNorton.

What is your favorite part of being a librarian?

My favorite thing about being a librarian is being able to get books that the students at RPS are enthusiastic about. I love getting to know everyone as readers and learning what books will make themexcitedtoread.

And when reading, your brain is exposed to words which you might not know. Those words you will look up, find the definition, and expand your vocabulary. And vocabulary obviously falls under academicsorlearning. Libraries are helpful because they create a quiet space for reflection, studying, and more. Libraries are an important part of our daily lives.

What is your favorite book inside the RPS library?

This is a tough one so I’m going to cheat a little! I’ll give you a favorite for older readers andafavoritepicturebook.I’m reading to the fifth grade right now, The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels by Beth Lincoln. Afavorite for this time of year, Native American Heritage Month, is We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom, which I read to second grade. And lastly, my favorite read-aloud for the ECEC is probably Press Here by Herve Tullet or High Five byAdamRubin.

LowerSchoolGradeLevelProjects

by Amari Campolongo, 4th grade

Everybodyknowsthateachlower schoolgradeatRPShasaproject duringtheschoolyear. The1st and2ndgradeputonaplay together. The3rdgradehasthe PoetryCafeandNewJerseyDay. The4thgradehastheirJourneys Project,andthe5thgradehasthe GreekWaxMuseum.

Sincesomegradesdon’tknowthat muchaboutsomethingsinthe projects,IinterviewedMs.Toliato talkaboutthedifferentprojects.

Why does each grade have its own project?

Everygradewantstohaveabig showattheendoftheyearto showcaseallwehavelearned.The bigprojecteachyearalsomakesa goodreasonforparentstocometo schooltoseewhattheirchildhas beenlearning.It’slikea celebrationoflearning!

When do most of the projects happen?

Almost all of the projects happen at the end of the school year, during March,April, and May. Sometimes fourth grade's project happens in January and they are kind of famous for that.

What is your favorite thing about the projects?

Ilovetoseetheperformances!

Likethethirdgraderseachbeinga "waxmuseum"ofnotableNew Jerseyans,orthe1stand2nd graders’terrificplay,orallthe greatsongsandchoreographyin theKindergartenshow,andsoon!

Who works together to make the projects happen?

Theprojectsreallyarea collaborationbetweenthestudents inthatgradeandtheirmain classroomteachers.Sometimes, moreteachersareinvolved.Like forfourthgrade,Ms.Printonhelps withresearch,Mrs.Conroyhelps withtechnology,andMrs.Turlish helpswithdrama.

AnotherexampleisinJK, whereMrs.Schulzhelpswith thesongsfortheRainforest project.AnotherexampleisMr. Martinez-Gonzalezhelping thirdgradelearn square-dancing.

UpperSchoolGirlsSoccer

by Mackenzie Brown, 5th grade

Didyouknowthatourhighschool girls’soccerteamisthebestinthe country?Guesswhat?Igottotalk withtheircaptains-BrielleBaker, AddieHalpern,andEllie Robertson-abouteverythingfrom theirtoughestopponentstowhy theypickedRPS.Ilearnedso muchmoreaboutthisgreatteam. Here’syourchancetogettoknow theRPSgirls’soccerteam,too. Sincetheyarethebestteaminthe country,theymusthavehadsome toughgamesandtoughopponents. Iaskedthemwhotheirtoughest opponentswere/areandwhythey arethehardesttobeat.

Here’swhatoneofthecaptains said,“Ourtoughestopponentthis yearwouldprobablybeEpiscopal Academywhichweplayedearlier thisseason.Inpreviousyearsthey wererankedaverytalentedteam. Wetraveledtwohourstogetto theirfieldsandthenplayona grassfieldwiththeirsupporters presentandLOUD.Wecameout verystrongasateamandendedup winning4-1againstaverytough side.”Ifyouwenttothatgame thenyouprobablysawanepic match!”

Thatwouldbeagoodproud momentbutthatwasnottheir proudestmoment.Theirproudest momentwaswinningtheState Championship.Hereismoreabout that: “Ourproudestmomentasa teamwasprobablywinningthe statechampionshipoursophomore yearwhichwasthe2022-2023 season.”

“Thepreviousyearwehadlostto DePaulCatholicinwhatwasour secondlossoftheseason.Thenext chancewehadagainstthemwas onlyoursecondlossofthe season.”Thisteamjustkeeps gettingbetter.Don’tyouagree?

Ihadtowonder,howdidRPS discoverthesetalentedkids?Since thereare2,312schoolsinNew Jersey,whydidtheseplayerspick RPS?Ihadtoask.Theysaid,“We chosetheRPSsoccerteam becauseofthepeopleinvolvedin theprogram.Thecoachesandthe playersthatcamebeforeuswere soamazingandcreatedthe environmentthatweallwantedto beapartofandcontributeto.It wasoneofthebestdecisionswe havemadeaswenowlookback onwhatasuccessful4yearswe had.”

Doyoufeelinspired?Wellifyou don't,you’reabouttofeelso inspiredthatyoumightevenwant totrysoccer. Iaskedthecaptains whentheystartedplayingsoccer andtheysaid,“Wehaveplayed soccerforthemajorityofourlives rangingfromasyoungasfour yearsoldtoasoldasasecond grader!”Canyoubelievethat?!

Theysaid,“Soccerisan extremepartofourlivesand makesuswhoweareandgives uspeopleandexperiencesin ourlivesthatwewillnever forget.”

Herewasmylastquestionuntil youmoveontothenext amazingarticle-thelastandI thinkoneofthemostimportant. Iasked,“Howdidyouthreeget pickedforteamcaptain?”They replied,“Thethreeofuswere namedcaptainlastyearaftera pollgotsentouttotheteam. Everyonepersonallyvotedfor whotheywantedasacaptain andournameswerethemost commononessentin.”

ThisteamisoutstandingandI can'twaittohopefullywatch oneoftheirgameswhensoccer seasoncomesaroundnextyear! Ihopethisstorywasinspiring toyou.Toendonagoodnote,I wantyouto,nexttimeyouget theopportunitytotrysomething alittleoutofyourcomfortzone, doit!You’llneverknowifyou likeitunlessyoutryit.Maybe you’lllikesoccerandgettotry outforthehighschoolteam! TheonlythingIhavetosayis followyourdreamsandthey willcometruenomatterwhat peoplesay.

RPSMiddleSchoolSoccerTeams

by Nyan Patel, 5th grade

MiddleSchoolBoysSoccer

Thefutureislookingbrightforthe RutgersPreparatoryBoysMiddle SchoolTeam,ledby CoachCorey CheungandCaptainsZakBaig andIsmailRahman!Theyhave someveteransandlotsof youngstersonthepitch.Theyhope tokeepupthegoodwork.

Thisseason,theteamhasn’twon anygames,buttheyhaveshown greatteamworkandresilienceand manyoftheirplayersarereturning nextyear.

Theirteamismadeupofalotof 6thand7thgraders,andwithafew rebuildsnextyear,theyhopeto competetobeoneofthetopteams inthestate.

MiddleSchoolGirlsSoccer

TheMiddleSchoolGirlsareoffto agoodstartwithabanganda5-4 record!TheyareledbyCoach Applebaumandtwotothree8th graderswhohaveshownhard work,leadership,anddedication

Theylosttheirfirsttournamentin penaltykicksandthatisthefirst timeinagametheywenttoPK’s! Theyallcanplaydifferent positionssothereisnosetposition foreachplayer.Theyareunique becausetheyareallaboutthe team,notthemselves.Theyhopeto keepupthegoodwork.

UpperSchoolBoysSoccer

by Rayan Rao, 5th grade

HeadCoach

TheRPSUpperSchoolboys soccerteamheadcoachisJoseph Laureti.HealsoteachesUpper Schoolmath.He’sbeenteaching mathforthirteenyears,andfor nineyearsatRPS.Healsohas beencoachingfortwelveyears.

InhisRPScoachingcareer,hehas beenassistantcoachforhisfirst threeyears,andforthelastsix years,hehasbeentheheadcoach oftheboyssoccerteam.

WhenIaskedCoachLauretiwhat hethoughtabouttheteam,hesaid: “Ourteamhasshownalotof improvementoverthecourseof theseason.Whileourrecordmight notbeimpressivetosome,we havechallengedourselvesall seasonplayingagainstsomereally goodteams,manyofwhomare muchbiggerthanRutgersPrep. Butmostimportantly,allofthe playersontheteamhaveshowna tremendousamountofgrowthover thecourseoftheseasonwhichis themostimportantthing.”

TeamCaptains

Theteamcaptainsonthe soccerteamthisyearare NigelDjabain12thgrade, JaisRoyin10thgrade,Eric Llanasin11thgrade,and MattBilmesin11thgrade.

TeamFormation

Theteam'sformationisa 4-3-2-1,whichmeans4 defenders,3midfielders,2 forwardsandthen1striker and1goalie.

RPSCrossCountry

OneofthemainsportsatRutgers PrepisCrossCountry. We interviewedtheheadcoachandthe threecaptainsabouttheirseason thisyear.

CoachPhilomenaLoy

How is the team doing this season?

Ourboysteamhadanoutstanding year.Theystartedtheseasonby winningtheNewarkAcademy Invitationalandcompletedtheir seasonwitha2ndPlacefinishat theStateChampionship. Ourgirls teamhadmanyfirstyearrunners sothefutureisbrightforthis group.

Do you think the team has a good chemistry?

Absolutely!TheXCteamhas43 runnersthisyearallwhomotivate, supportandinspireandmost importantlytheyenjoybeing together.

by Nicholas Greiner, 5th grade

Why do you run?

Were there any team performances that stood out to you as particularly impressive?

IbrahimRasool,ZachMorrison, ElliottHollander,LucianKiraz, andAditTrivediallreceived1stor 2ndTeamrecognitioninmeets throughouttheseason.

What is your favorite memory from this season?

Ihavemany,howeverthreestand out.1.OurBoysTeamplaced2nd attheStateMeet 2.Ourendofthe seasonTeamChallenge 3.How muchtheteamenjoysgoingto Chick-fil-AafterourConference Meet!

IrunbecauseIwanttobeinvolved inasportforapplyingtocollegeand I'mtoodeepinnowtoquit.

What are your other hobbies?

Myotherhobbiesincluderiding mountainbikes,playingvideo games,cooking,andspendingtime withfriends.

What is your favorite class?

MyfavoriteclassisArchitecture withMr.Laurion.

How does it feel to be a captain?

Itfeelsgoodtobeacaptainbecause Ihaveworkedreallyhardtoget thereanditfeelsspecialtobein chargeofpeopleandhavethemlook uptoyou.

CaptainZachMorrison ’25

Captain

AmaliaTsampalis‘25

Why do you run?

IrunbecausenotonlydoIenjoy stayingactiveandfeeling physicallyaccomplished,butIalso butIappreciatebeingapartofits trulyamazingandencouraging community.Whetherit’sfeeling pumpedafteragoodrace,thinking criticallyaboutourperformanceas ateam,orevenjusthavingagood laughduringarun,Ilovebeing abletosharethesepreciousand fleetingmomentswithsomeofmy closestfriends.

What are your other hobbies?

Ilovetoplaythepiano,trynew foods,anddance!

What is your favorite class?

ProbablyAPPsychology.Ifindit fascinatingtolearnhowthemind works,andIfeellikeithelpsme betterunderstandmyself and my peers.

How does it feel to be a captain?

Ifeelveryproudofmyselfand grateful,butitalsofeelsabit surreal!Asayounggirl,Inever reallythoughtIwouldbeinthis position.NosportItriedever stuck withme.Butitgivesmesomuch joytoknowthatIwasableto dedicatemyselftoasportthatI’m passionateabout,andcontinuously gaveitmyallthesepastfouryears. I’malsosothankfulthatmy coachesfeltIwasqualifiedtolead, support,andbringencouragement tomypeers.

When did you get a passion for Cross Country?

Honestly,attheendofmy sophomoreyearwaswhenIreally startedtofallinlovewiththesport. Afteratoughfreshmanyear,I startedtoreallydevelopan appreciationforhowmuchrunning benefitsyourbodyandmindwhile alsofindingmyplacewithinthe community.Coupledwithseeing improvementinmyability,Ireally gaineda“runner’smindset” leadingmetostrivetodomybest andpushmyselfthroughmyjunior andsenioryears.”

CaptainAditTrivedi‘25

Why do you run?

IrunbecauseIwanttogain durabilityandrunlongdistances, becausemydreamistorun marathons.

What are your other hobbies?

MyotherhobbiesareVideogames andplayingbasketballatVeterans Park.

What is your favorite class?

MyfavoriteclassisCalculus becauseIloveMrLaurretiandthe wayheteachesisreallyintriguing andfun.

How does it feel to be a captain? Beingacaptainisreallyfun,not justbecauseyouleadagroupof people,butit’salsofunbecause youtalktoeveryoneontheteam, trytoseewhattheylikeanddon’t like,andgainadifferentfamily outsideofyourhome.

When did you get a passion for Cross Country?

EversinceIwasalittlekid,my dreamwastoalwaysruntrack, sincewatchingUsainBoltdust everyone-thatwasagreatsightto see.BecauseRutgersPrepdoesn’t offertrack,thenextbestoption wasCrossCountry,whichiswhyI pickedit.”

TheExperienceofaPomSquadGirl

by Julia Manolache, 5th grade

AtRutgersPrepwecallour cheerleadingteamthePom Squad.Theycheerforthe basketballteamandmore.In thisarticleIwillsharethe highlightsfrommyinterview withDebraAdetola,oneofthe membersofthePomSquad team.You’llgettoexperience behindthescenesofthereality andthingsyou’veneverthought thatcouldbepartofthe experienceasaPomGirl.

Fromthestart,Debratoldme thatitisnoteasytobeaPom Squadgirl,especiallyduring freshmanyearwhileshe“was stilllearningtheropes.”But beingina“freeing environment”whereyour teammatesaretheretohelp takesmostofthepressureoff, shesaid.

WhenIaskedDebraabouther favoritepartofbeingonthe PomSquad,shespokeaboutthe performances.Afterlong, sweatypracticeslearning choreography,shelooks forwardtothegameswhereshe “finallygetstoperform.”It appearedtomeshelikes“alittle friendlycompetition.”

Debraalsomentionedher greatestaccomplishmentonthe PomSquad,whichhappenedat theGirlsBasketballTeam Non-PublicBFinals.Itwasa greatbondingexperience,“that wasthemostwebleedmaroon I’vehadatRPS”shesaid. I couldtellfromheranswerthat shewassoproudofherteam.

Weconcludedtheinterview bytalkingaboutwhyDebra joinedthePomSquad.She toldmethatatfirst,shewas unsure,butthenshe continuedbecauseithad reallyimprovedherdancing andshelovedtheteam.

Ifyouconsiderjoiningthe PomSquadyoushouldlove dancingandhavea“senseof responsibilitybecauseitis notlikeothersports.” Debra sharedthatthesquadfeels likeaminihighschool sororityandthatyouwon’t leaveapomsquadseason withoutmakinganewfriend.

TheNewGagaPitatRPS

by Greta Apgar, 3rd grade

Thenewgagapitopenedin Septemberandquicklybecamea favoritegameontheplaygroundat RPS.Theschoolhadbeenthinking abouthavingagagapitfora coupleofyears.

Themaintenanceandfacility departmenthadtheideathatour studentswouldenjoyit.Mr. Stenslandhad noticedgagapitsat otherschoolsandstartedtodo someresearch.Atfirst,hethought aboutbuildingithimself,buthe decidedtolettheexpertshandleit andfoundagoodcompanythat makesthem.

Mr.Lewandowski,thepersonwho takescareofallourtreesand flowers,builtalotofthegagapit duringthesummertime.Thewhole maintenanceandfacilityteam helpedhimtoo.Thegagapitisan octagonandhasaturfgroundthat cushionskidswhentheyfalland nevergetsmuddy.

Studentswerenotallowedtostart playinginthegagapituntilMr. LambintroducedtheRutgersPrep GagaRules.Oneofthoserulesis thatthereisagagagovernorfor eachgame.

Ms.Toliasaid.“Ilovethatthereis agovernor.Ithinkit’s greatthata studentisthefirstonethatgetsto makethecallonwhethersomeone isoutornot.”

Kidshavesomuchfuninthegaga pitwiththeirfriends.Itisvery popularduringrecessandASP. WhenyouseeMr.Lewandowski, Mr.Stenslandoranyonefromthe maintenanceandfacility departmentaroundcampus,say thankyou! Andremember:Ga-Ga BALL!

TheSenior-FacultyFootballGame

Getreadyforsomefootball!Every October,theseniorsplayfootball againsttheteachersandthe coaches.Thisyearthegame happenedonOctober11thandthe teacherswonagain.

Howdidtheymakethisgameup?

Let’sinterviewMr.EppsandMr. Lamb!

Who started this tradition?

Mr.Lamb:Theseniorfaculty footballgamehasbeenaroundfor decades.Igothere28yearsago andplayedmyfirstgame.

Why do the teachers always win?

Althoughwehadatieoneyear, thefacultyhavealwayswon becausemanyofthefaculty membersthatplayedwereathletes whentheywereyoungerand understoodhowtoplaysports.

by William Borsuk, 3rd grade

Wedon'tgetcaughtupaboutwho getstheball,butratherplayasa team.

Do the seniors sometimes score?

Yes,theseniors scoresomeyears andsomeyearstheydon’t.Itreally dependsonwhenevertheseniors haveaquarterbackthatcangetrid oftheballquickenough.

Mr.Epps:Iwouldjustliketoadd thatthetimetheseniorstiedthe facultywasmysenioryear:2009.

Wewerealsotheclassthat startedthetrendofthe Senior/FacultyFootballvideo thatisnowshownongame day.Whatagloriousday.

What was the score of this year's game? What was the most unbelievable score you can remember?

Mr.Lamb:Ibelieveitwas 20-0.Itwasabigwin,butthere havebeensomebiggerwinsin thepast.

What was the most awesome play from the game?

Oneofthemorememorable placesformewaswhenMr. Quenaultthrewadeepball,and Mr.Bereznyseemedtocome outofnowheretomakethe catch.

Wehopethistraditioncarries on!

OnOctober31st,Icouldnotwait fortheHalloweenparade. The kidsinPre-Kthrough5thgrade wouldgettowalkaroundthe schoolintheircostumes. Parents wouldalsocometoschoolto watchtheirkidsintheparade.

Wewouldalsogettodoaspecial Halloweendance. Mrs. Schulz pickedthedanceforeachgrade, andwelearnedthedanceinmusic class. Oneofthegradesdancedto “MonsterMash.” Myclasssong was“ThisisHalloween.” Icould notwaitatall!Iwassoexcited!

Areyouinterestedinbooks?Ifso, thenIhopeyoujoinedMs.Printon forafabulousbookfair!Thebook fairhappenseveryNovemberin theRPSLibrary.

IaskedMs.Printonwhatbooks sherecommendsforstudents. You don’thaveto,butitis recommendedfortheyounger readerstobuy Ursula Upside Down byCoreyR.Tabor,and The Big Cheese byJoryJohn.Forolder readers,it’srecommendedfor themtobuy Merci Suárez Changes Gears byMegMedina,andof coursethe Percy Jackson seriesby RickRiordan. Fortoys,Ms. Printonsaid,“Wehavesomenew stuffsuchasfunkypens,scented erasers,invisibleinkpens, highlighters,andfunjournals.”

HalloweenatRPS

by Samar Rasool, 3rd grade

Aftertheparadewewouldgoto TrunkorTreat. TrunkorTreatisa partywherelowerschoolparents comeandbringtheircarsand decoratethemforHalloween. Theyalsobringlotsofcandyin theircarsandstudentsgetdressed inourcostumesandwalkaround tothecarstocollectthecandy. Somepeopledon’tgotoTrunkor Treat,butIthinkmostpeopledid thisyear.

EveryyearIcollectsomuch candy. Myfavoritetypeofcandy isSourPatchKids. Intheend,my favoritepartaboutHalloweenwas eatingthecandy!

TheRPSBookFair

by David Zhang, 4th grade

Beforethebookfairstarted,there wasabookraffle,whichgave awaydifferentsetsofbooks,each containing6books,tostudents. Thebooksetsthatwerethemost popularin4thgradewerethe wholesetof the Percy Jackson seriesandthesetwiththree Diary of a Wimpy Kid books,including thenewestbook, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hot Mess

HenryLinin4thgradewonthe Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hot Mess inthebookraffle. Then,the otherkidssearchedfor Hot Mess inthebookfair,onlytofindthat Hot Mess wassoldout. SoI guesstheothergradesgotthe booksfirst!Aftereverybodyin Fourthgradefoundoutthat Hot Mess wassoldout,almostallof themorderedHotmess,and everybodywhoordereditgotit thenextday.

Ifyou’reinterestedinwhere RPSgesthebookfairbooks from,it’sfromacompanycalled Literati,whichbringsusboxes ofbooksandtoys,whichtheyget fromFollett,whichisalsowhere Ms.Printongetsthebooksfor ourlibrary!

DiwaliistheHindufestivalof lights.Diwaliisacelebrationof lightoverdarkness,goodoverevil, andknowledgeoverignorance. TheDiwalishowwasfirstbrought toRPSin2005,andRPSworks hardtocontinuethistraditionto thisday.

SincethebeginningofSeptember throughNovember,RPSUpper Schoolstudentsworkedtogetkids tojointheRPSDiwalishow.In earlySeptember,emailswentout toRPSstudentswithinfoonthe Diwalishowandhowtojoin. Everyonewhosignedupwasput intodifferentrehearsalgroups, dependingontheirgradelevel.

RPSCelebratesDiwali

by Soren Apgar, 5th grade

UpperSchoolstudentswerethe students'teachers.UpperSchool studentsteachthedancebecause mostoftheUpperSchoolstudent teachershavedancebackgrounds.

Afterafewweeksofpracticeand hardwork,theshowhappened. TheshowhappenedonNovember 17th. Theshowhadlotsof choreographeddancesthat includedaTollywooddance,a Bhangradance,andBollywood dances.Theperformanceswere greatandallthehardworkthat wasputintotheshowpaidoff.

Theshowwasextraawesome thankstoRPSseniorsHansini Velichety,ManasviRajiv, AanyaPathak,andSaimaJaitly who spentcountlesshours workingtomaketheshow AWESOME!

TheHolidaySing

by Naomi Osei, 4th grade

OnDecember20th,RPSwillhavethe HolidaySing. LowerSchoolstudentswill sing10-12songstocelebratetheholidays. StudentswillsingaboutChristmas, Hanukkah,Kwanzaa,LunarNewYear, Diwali,andThreeKingsDay.

Mrs.Schulzstartsteachingthesongsaday afterHalloween.Shealsoteachessomeofthe samesongseveryyearbecausenewstudents cometoRPSandeveryoneneedsholiday cheer.

IaskedMrs.SchulzwhatherfavoriteHoliday Singsongisandshesaid,“Ilovethesong ‘S’Vivon’becauseithasacatchytune.”

‘S’Vivon’isasongyousinginHebrewand it'saboutHanukkah.MyfriendIyanasaid thatshelikes“RudolphtheRedNose Reindeer.”

Oneofthemostimportantpeoplewhohelps Mrs.SchulzwiththeHolidaySingisMs. Printon. Shehelpsinanypossiblewayand setsupthedecoronthedayoftheevent.

IlovetheHolidaySingbecauseIliketohear whatpeoplecelebrateandyouwillloveittoo.

TheShrekmusicaliscomingup soon!Beforewejumpinonsome informationaboutthisannual musicalthatourfantastic productionstaffmakeshappen,we needtoknowwhyithappened!

Mrs.Schulz andourformerUpper SchoolchoirteacherDr.Britt sharedaloveformusicaltheater andthoughtuptheideaofhaving anannualRPSmusical,withthe helpofthedanceteacherMs. ModeandthebandteacherMrs. Peterson. In2020,theydeveloped thefirstRPSmusical‘Seussical theMusical. Nowthatweare donewithourhistorylesson,let’s learnaboutthisyear’sSHREK musical!!

SpringMusical-Shrek

by Kaarthika Donepudi, 5th grade

Wait!WhyShrekthough? Mrs. Schulzwantedtoinvitelower schoolerstojointhecast,sincelast yearlowerschoolerswerenot eligibletojoin. Shrekisafairy tale,makingitperfectforabig cast.

Mrs.Schulzexplainedthatthis musicalismuchharderthanmost tomakehappen. RPShashelp fromVillagersTheaterwhichwill provideourperformancespace. Theirstaffalsoisagreathelp. RPSalsohiresasounddesigner,a lightingdesignerandasetdesigner tohelpwiththeshow.

Everyyear,Mrs.Schulzandthe restoftheproductionstaff workhardandsetupthisshow, butlet'shearhowdifficultit reallyisoutof10eventhough ourproductionstaffmakesit seemlikeabreeze. Mrs. Schulzsaysthatitisa6outof 10! Howdotheydoit??

NowIwonder,isthere anythingdifferentorspecial aboutthisyear’sproduction? Let'shearwhatMrs.Schulz saystothisquestion–“Expect theunexpected!”

LowerSchoolASPClubs

by Anvit Khanna, 4th grade

LowerSchoolASPclubsare makingtheschoolyearmorefun! Teachersstartedandareleading clubstoshowtheirpassionsto theirstudents.

Theseclubscanmotivatekidsto findtheirhobbiesandgivethem somethingfuntodoafterthe schooldayends.

Studentscanchoosefrommany differentcluboptions. Thisyear thereareclubsthatfocuson cooking,lacrosse,chess,coloring, crafting,anime,andknitting.

5thgradeteacherMr.Lewisstarted theAnimeClub. Hesays,“The purposeoftheanimeclubisto watchanimethatyoumighthave notseenbeforeanduseittoteach storyanalysisskills.”

Healsosaysthat,“Istartedan animeclubbecauseIlove storytellinginmostmediums.I alsoloveanalyzingstoriesand seeingthecommonthreads betweendifferentanime.Anime cluballowsmetocombinethose lovesandsharethemwith students.”

ThisiswhyLowerSchoolclubs aremakingthisschoolabetter place.

OnNovember5th,the4thgraders wenttotheEllisIslandMuseumof Historyfortheirfieldtrip.Werode aferrytogettotheisland.Wehad bookletstowritenotesabouteach roomwevisitedinEllisIsland.It wasprettyfunexploringtheisland andlearningfactslike:EllisIsland usedtobecalledFortGibson. Everyone,chaperonesandstudents alike,hadalotoffunexploringthe island.

WealsotookastopattheStatue OfLibertywhilecomingback fromEllisIsland.Whilewewere there,wewalkedaroundthestatue threetimes.

The4thGradeFieldTrip by Neel Chepuri, 4th grade

AfewofusalsogottheEllis Islandjuniorrangerbadge.Every nationalparkintheU.S.hasits ownjuniorrangerbadge.Junior rangerbadgesareawardsthatyou canearnbyansweringquestions eitheraboutnatureorhistoryto obtain.

IaskedMrs.WithumandMs. Lupohowtheyfeltaboutthefield trip,andtheysaid,“TheEllis Islandfieldtripisalwaysagreat time.Forusasteachers,weloveto seethestudents'faceswhenthey're intheactualbuildingafterlearning allaboutitintheclassroom.”

Theysaid,“Watchingthestudents exploreandnoticethingsthey’ve readaboutisalwaysfunforusto see.”

SandyHookBeachFieldTrip

by Shanvi Patel, 3rd grade

InOctober,the3rdgradewenton afieldtriptoSandyHookBeach. Wedidn’tjustgotohavefun,we mostlywenttheretolearnabout theLenapepeople.

Firstwewentfishing.Don’t worry,wedidn’teatthefish. Beforewewentinthewater,we worehugewaterproofoveralls.We didn’tuseafishingrodthough. Instead,weusedabignetwith sticksattachedonthesides. We caughtsomecrabsandlotsof shrimp.

Beforewehadlunch,wemadea firejustlikehowtheLenape peopledidwithastickandasmall littlepadwithholesinit.

Wehadtorubthestickreally, reallyfast;afteryoudothat, youshouldstartseeingsmoke. Noneofusactuallymadeafire. Itisreally,reallyhardtomake afirethatway.

Afterthat,wehadlunchand playedtwogamesrelatedtothe Lenapepeople. Itwasreally fun. Ithink,outofeverything wedid,Ilikedtouchingthefish themost.

FavoriteCafeteriaFood

by Jola Sokunbi, 5th grade

Food,Food,Food.Everybody lovesit!Atourcafeteriaeveryday weareprovidedwiththefreshest andmostnutritiousfood,fromthe tartestfruitstothemostseasoned vegetables.

Whichcafeteriafoodisyour favorite?

Youalsomightfindoutwhatother studentslikebest:

~James in 1st grade likes Chocolate Chip Cookies. Very sweet!

~Emma in 2nd grade says Bananas areherfavorite.Healthychoice!

~Samar in 3rd grade said she likes CheesePizza.Verypopular!

~4thgraderDavidsayshelikesthe delicious Meatball Subs! Nice choice!

~Mackenzie the 5th grader likes Home Fries and Penne Pasta. Superchoices!

Nowthatyou’vetakenalittlepeek atsomedifferentstudents’favorite foods,let'sdive intosomeinterviewquestionswith …ChefJoe!

Jola: What meal do you think is most common among lower school kids?

ChefJoe:Breakfastforlunchisthe student’sfavoriteforsure!They alsolovethepopcornchickenand thepizza.

Jola: When do you have all the time to cook these nutritious meals?

ChefJoe:Thediningcommons startsworkingat5:30amevery morning.Ourstaff,includingme, isninepeople.Weworkeveryday until2:00pm,andthenwestartto getreadyforthenextday.

Jola:Where do kids go first to get their food? (Deli, Panini press, Salad, Soup, etc.)?

ChefJoe:Mostkidsgostraight tothehotmealoptioneveryday.

ThankyousomuchtotheSage teamandChefJoe!

Nowtowrapupthisjuicy article,whatIwanttosayto youisstayhealthy,trynew foods,andhavefun!

Bandvs.Orchestravs.Choir

by Naya Jérémie-Brink, 4th grade

Whatisbetter,Band,Orchestra,orChoir?Wewillfindouthere.

Band

The band instruments are: flute, clarinet, trumpet, french horn, saxophone, xylophone, and drums. The band teacher is Mr. Figaro. In Band, you learn to love music. Music becomes a part of you. You play music in time and learn to playwithotherpeople.

Orchestra

Orchestra is 3-5 instruments: the violin, the viola, the cello, and the bass. They all use a bow. They’re string instruments, with metallic strings. In Orchestra, musicians play mostly classical, softer music, unlike the band, which plays louder music. The Orchestra teacherisMrs.Stephenson.

Jokes&Trivia

by Iyana Patel, 4th grade

TRIVIA!

● Whatisthemostpopularcandy?

○ It’sReese’speanutbuttercups!

● Didyouknowthathotwaterwillturn intoicefasterthancoldwaterwill?!

● Whatisthemostorderedfoodin America?

○ Friedchicken.

● DidyouknowthatAustraliaiswiderthan themoon?!

JOKES!

Choir

Choir members have a unique instrument: their own voices. In Choir, you lift your voice to sing. The choir teacher is Mrs. Schulz. The choir performs in school at events like the Halloween Lower school assemblyandtheHolidaySing.