Spring 2025: Bulletin

RYE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL

2024-2025

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Leigh Geller

President

Rosa Perkins

Vice President

Tom Davidson

Treasurer

Ben Moss ’93

Secretary

Andrew Adams

Carlo Bertucci ’98

Lynelle Chang

Sarah Dodds-Brown ’91

Tyler Dickson

Jackie Emmet

Nicole Jackson Fanjul ’02

Amy Fisch

Eric Geveda

Alison Hinds-Pearl

Blanca Hirani

Jennifer Kherani

David Kurd

Eric Lane ’92

Tina Mathias

Blair Endresen Metrailler ’96

Patty Perez

Elizabeth Shah-Hosseini

David Thomas ’04

Susheel Torgalkar

Vicki Tung

Andrew Wallach

Jinghua Yan

Nicole Jackson Fanjul ’02

Alumni Executive Board President

Lynelle Chang

Parents Association President

TRUSTEES EMERITI

Edward B. Dunn

Frederick A. Klingenstein♦

Michael C. Murr

Carmen Ribera-Thain ’75

Edgar Wachenheim III

Kim Wachenheim Wagman ’84

♦ Deceased

ALUMNI EXECUTIVE BOARD

Nicole Jackson Fanjul ’02 President

Thomas Alston ’05

Melanie Baevsky Besvinick ’07

Doug Behrman ’04

Joshua Bennett ’06

Ellen Sluder Cohen ’95

Ryan Davidson ’11

Jeffery Grasso, Jr. ’12

Kenji Hashimoto ’99

Grant S. Johnson ’10

Cynthia Luo ’14

Andrew S. Nathanson ’09

Sarah Strong ’12

Daniel I. Wallance ’00

EX OFFICIO: HONORARY FACULTY

Gil A. Castagna, Jr.

EX OFFICIO: ALUMNI TRUSTEES

Carlo Bertucci ’98

Sarah Dodds-Brown ’91

Eric Lane ’92

Blair Endresen Metrailler ’96

Ben Moss ’93

David Thomas ’04

EX OFFICIO: MEMBERS

Randall Dunn Head of School

Lynette Gioffre Director of Advancement

Melissa Mahoney Wirth ’97 Director of Alumni Relations

CREDITS

On the Cover: Collage of Members of the Winter 2025 ChampionshipWinning Athletic Teams, photos by Dana Maxson Photography Editor: Dania Abu-Shaheen

Alumni Content Editor: Melissa Mahoney Wirth ’97

Photography: RCDS staff photographers and Dana Maxson Photography Design: Rose Creative Group

FROM THE

HEAD of SCHOOL

Dear RCDS Community,

Our school-wide theme of CONNECTION made the 2024-25 academic year memorable and meaningful. Students, families, faculty, staff, and alumni stepped up to strengthen our community by celebrating the bonds we share and creating new ones. In a time that can feel overly focused on differences, I am proud that RCDS embraced unity and led the charge on recognizing common ground.

Connection is the antidote to division and the bedrock of strong communities. Intellectually, connecting ideas, concepts, and disciplines leads to innovation. Personally, connecting to others enriches our lives more than anything else. Combining these two dimensions paves a path to lasting excellence, demonstrating the transformative power of connection—both in heart and mind.

From interdisciplinary and competency-based learning units and immersive experiential education opportunities to robust community education events (symposia, book clubs, panels, and more), the RCDS community’s love of deep, interconnected learning was unmistakable this school year. Just as vibrant was our love of community, honored through flagship events, including Wildcat Days and cultural celebrations such the Arts Festival & International Fair and various heritage month observances.

In this issue of the Bulletin, you will read stories about and from our students, educators, and graduates. You will be reminded of this community’s generous heart, and our shared commitment to excellence with a greater purpose—to leave our world better and more connected than we found it.

As always, thank you for your partnership!

Yours,

Randall Dunn Head of School

Connecting with Blue & Gold Spirit: Snapshots from Wildcat Days and the Arts Festival & International Fair!

NEW TRUSTEES

In July 2025, RCDS will welcome the following new trustees

❶ Carlo Bertucci ’98 joined Amazon in 2011 and is currently Vice President of Corporate Development, leading mergers and acquisitions, investments, and strategic growth initiatives across the company. Mr. Bertucci has led many of Amazon’s largest transactions, including acquisitions of Kiva Systems, Whole Foods Market, Pill Pack, MGM &One Medical, and investments in YES Network, Saks Global, and Overtime. Prior to Amazon, he worked at Lehman Brothers. Mr. Bertucci earned his B.A. from Duke University and his M.B.A. from MIT Sloan. He and his wife, Devorah, have two children, Eliana (Class of 2030) and Adrian (Class of 2032).

➋ Rebecca Brown graduated from Duke University with a B.A. in Economics and French. She worked in investor and public relations for several years before receiving her J.D. from Columbia Law School. During her career as an attorney, Ms. Brown specialized in civil litigation and criminal justice. Since her family came to RCDS in 2018, Ms. Brown has supported the school community through a number of volunteer roles. Most recently, she served as President of the Parents Association (2022-2024), during which time she was also a member of the RCDS Board of Trustees. Currently, she serves on the Duke University Annual Fund Advisory Board. Ms. Brown and her husband, Tim, live in Rye with their three sons, Hank (Class of 2027), George (Class of 2029), and Arthur (Class of 2032).

➌ Nicole Fanjul ’02 is a Partner at Latham & Watkins LLP, focusing on debt finance transactions for lenders in a variety of complex financing structures. In addition to her commercial work, Ms. Fanjul frequently advises on immigration-related pro bono matters. Her professional accomplishments have earned her recognition as one of Bloomberg Law's 40 Under 40 Honorees and a spot on Crain's New York Business list of 2024 Notable Black Leaders. Ms. Fanjul earned her J.D. from Harvard Law School and her B.A. from Duke University. She is a member of the Board of Trustees for The Acceleration Project, a nonprofit that boosts economic development by deploying local professionals to provide strategic and tactical advice to small businesses in their communities. She is currently the President of the RCDS Alumni Executive Board. Ms. Fanjul and her husband, José, live in Rye with their two sons, Giovanni (Class of 2033) and Christian (incoming Class of 2038).

➍ Jean Joseph is a Senior Managing Director at Blue Owl Capital and manages the firm’s Private First Lien and Liquid Credit strategies. Prior to joining Blue Owl in 2018, Mr. Joseph spent over a decade at Goldman Sachs & Co. with his most recent role as a Managing Director and Portfolio Manager in its Investment Management Division responsible for the division’s leveraged loan strategies. Prior to Goldman, he held several roles across public and private credit markets as a member of Wells Fargo Securities, GE Capital, and Atherton Capital. Mr. Joseph received a B.B.A. from the University of Notre Dame where he captained the Varsity Men’s Soccer Team and was a recipient of the Francis Patrick O’Connor Award. Mr. Joseph also received an M.B.A. from the Goizueta Business School at Emory University, where he attended as a Consortium for Graduate Study in Management Fellow. Jean and his wife, Tracy, have two children who both attend Rye Country Day School (Jasmine, Class of 2034, and Julien, Class of 2036).

Rye Country Day Thanks Leigh Geller P'20, P'22, P'25 for her outstanding leadership. During her time as Board President, Leigh has led with incredible dedication to our mission and core values. With steadfast, strategic vision Leigh worked tirelessly to advance our outstanding school. The Board and the Rye Country Day community have been fortunate to have her passion, expertise, energy, and deep commitment to the School’s continued excellence. As we thank Leigh, we enthusiastically welcome her successor, Rosa Perkins P'26, P'28, as Rye Country Day’s next Board President.

Leigh Geller

Rosa Perkins

PRINCIPAL PERSPECTIVES

■ LOWER SCHOOL

Connection

Developing a student’s strong sense of belonging and connection is vital to our work with young children. To be successful in and out of school, students need connection, and it is paramount for schools to provide a safe, joyful, and engaging place for developing the social and emotional competencies that contribute to that success. Through the Responsive Classroom approach, Lower School teachers are guided by a principle rooted in connection: What we know and believe about our students—individually, culturally, and developmentally—informs our teaching, expectations, and responses. The goal is for students to experience a genuine sense of significance and engagement at school and beyond. Through consistent routines and pedagogical techniques, such as guided discovery and reflection, teachers engage our students to think critically and creatively, which generates interest and excitement. Students practice the habit of reflection, which supports their academic, personal, and community learning—they continually learn about themselves and their classmates, and create a sense of belonging. Teachers develop robust experiences that allow students to practice empathy, active listening, collaboration, communication, problem-solving, social interaction, and connection. With healthy connections and a strong sense of belonging, our students thrive and their learning deepens. It has been a joy to celebrate the power of connection this past year!

■ MIDDLE SCHOOL

Middle School success at RCDS is all about connection. This year, we have focused on the variety of connections that define school life. Academically, our faculty have focused on the connection between knowledge and skills—teachers have engaged students in reflective work to connect content with transferable skills that will serve them through their education and lives beyond the schoolhouse. This important work will continue in the years to come. Many highlights of our year took place during Community Meetings, assembly times during which we celebrated the myriad contributions of students in our school and heard from inspiring guest speakers and performers who connected with both our students’ heads and hearts to expand their awareness and deepen their learning. We have also focused on our relationships with technology, as the Middle School brought increased intentionality to how our young people use technology for and at school. The cell phone and smartwatch policy has been a great success in this regard, helping our students disconnect from the internet and connect to one another in person.

Finally, we have connected throughout the year with our sense of purpose—young people thrive when they live purpose-driven lives. Our students did so on the stage, on the athletic fields, in the classroom, and in other co-curricular programs like our Social Impact projects, the epitome of our motto, Not for Self, but for Service.

■ UPPER SCHOOL

Like the themes of teamwork and kindness of previous years, our focus on connection allowed us to continually highlight and celebrate a foundational cornerstone of our Upper School community. The new cell phone policy inspired the most immediate and impactful change to our daily life in Upper School, as students filled their time together chatting, laughing, and sometimes even playing board games! Connection remained at the very core of our daily schedule and community gatherings, providing students academic, athletic, artistic, and service opportunities to commune with each other and faculty. And so many programs of the Upper School (from SET, SiSTEM, SCOPE, and Community Engagement Fellows to our Global and Language Exchange Programs) expanded perspectives and fostered cross-cultural friendships. I have always appreciated how writer Brené Brown describes connection as “the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.” As I reflect on this year in the Upper School, I take great pride in having witnessed both grand and unassuming examples of this sustaining and strengthening energy woven into the fabric of the Upper School.

Mr. Vineyard

D r. Sotirhos

Mr. Quag l i a roli

Class of 2025

Throughout your RCDS careers, you have impressed, inspired, and invigorated us. We are proud of your many accomplishments and contributions to our community. Welcome to the alumni family!

CONGRATULATIONS ALSO

to the Class of 2029 on your Middle School graduation. We look forward to following and celebrating your achievements in the Upper School.

to our Fourth Graders on the occasion of your moving-up. We can’t wait to watch and applaud your Middle School adventures.

GRADE 8 GRADUATION (2021)

GRADE 4 MOVING-UP (2017)

Highlights from Rye Country Day

RCDS RECEIVES E. E. FORD FOUNDATION EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP GRANT

On April 23, Head of School Randall Dunn announced that Rye Country Day School is the recipient of a prestigious E. E. Ford Foundation Educational Leadership Grant of $250,000, which will be matched on a 1:1 basis by funds raised from the RCDS community. The grant will support the development and launch of a replicable four-year (Grades 9-12) programmatic sequence focused on social impact through transferable skills. The matching funds raised will be placed in a permanently restricted endowment designated for Public Purpose work at the School.

In the grant proposal, Mr. Dunn wrote, “Our hope is to fully embed social impact work into the Upper School curriculum, so that every single RCDS graduate will experience a four-year sequence exploring social issues, building transferable skills, and gaining understanding of their own purpose.” In keeping with the RCDS founding motto, Not for Self, but for Service, Mr. Dunn emphasized the School’s mission-level goal to “foster a lifelong passion for learning, understanding, and service in an ever-changing world.” We aspire to formally “steer young people towards a lifetime of social impact work,” he added.

With the support from the Educational Leadership Grant, RCDS will be able to expand upon one of its most successful programs, the Community Engagement Fellowship (CEF), which was launched through an E. E. Ford Traditional Grant in 2016. With the annual impact of the CEF program established and deeply significant to student participants and partner organizations, Rye Country Day is eager to offer similarly transformative Public Purpose experiences to all students in the Upper School.

Addressing the great importance of this grant, Director of Public Purpose Rebecca Drago shared, “We are so incredibly grateful and proud to be named an ELG recipient. Public Purpose is woven into the DNA of Rye Country Day School. We want to expand the reach of our work here on campus, deepen our partnerships with local partner organizations, and help fellow schools bring a social impact lens to their curricula.” Ms. Drago will partner with Upper School Principal Peter Quagliaroli to integrate the four-year social impact sequence into the existing Upper School curriculum.

“Our ultimate goal–and responsibility–is to help students connect the subjects and concepts they study to reality, build their toolkit for understanding problems, and collaborate towards solutions,” said Mr. Dunn. “Our graduates carry the RCDS motto, Not for Self, but for Service, throughout their lives as they go on to be thoughtful leaders in both their professions and communities. RCDS is delighted and ready to build on our legacy of service and to guide other institutions in doing their part to serve the greater good.”

To support this meaningful initiative, please contact Director of Advancement Lynette Gioffre at lynette_gioffre@ryecountryday.org

JOINING RCDS IN 2025-26

CHRIS HUGHES ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL

Mr. Hughes, who is currently Head of Garrison Forest School in MD, will begin his tenure at Rye Country Day School in July.

TOM CURRAN DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

Mr. Curran, who is currently Director of Athletics at Fairfield College Preparatory School in CT, will also begin at RCDS in July.

Planes LEARNING BEYOND INTERNATIONAL BORDERS

Rye Country Day School was delighted to introduce Language Exchange Programs during the 2024-25 school year to offer Upper School students the opportunity to deepen their language skills and gain a more robust understanding of foreign practices and cultures. The program’s destination countries—China, France, and Spain—match with the RCDS Upper School modern language offerings.

Trains and Automobiles

LOCAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

GRADE 5 VISITS THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Sixteen students traveled to AIX-EN-PROVENCE, FRANCE, where they stayed with host families, attended La Nativité School, and explored the region from March 20 to April 1. In class, they studied subjects like math, chemistry, and French literature, while also engaging in lessons on the stock exchange and debates on free speech. Outside the classroom, they visited historical sites such as Cosquer Méditerranée, Notre Dame de la Garde, and Arles, and they enjoyed French meals and activities like pétanque. Upper School French teacher Baptiste Bataille coordinated the program and traveled with the students.

On February 19, fifth graders traveled to New York City’s beloved American Museum of Natural History to complement their study of the Earth in science class with Ms. Mignon. Visiting the Hall of Planet Earth and the Halls of Gems and Mineral expanded the students’ knowledge of plate tectonics, earthquakes, and volcanoes. The Middle Schoolers were especially thrilled to see the

Star of India, the largest gem-quality star sapphire known in the world. The group enjoyed the film Passport to the Universe in the Hayden Planetarium, which immerses viewers in a thrilling journey through space, including flying beneath the rings of Saturn, floating through the heart of the Orion Nebula, and plunging into a black hole!

WILDSCATS RETURN TO BARCLAYS

The WildScats took the court for the third consecutive year to perform the national anthem at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, marking the opening of the Legends Classic College Basketball Tournament.

Meanwhile, another group of eight students traveled to SHANGHAI, CHINA, where they attended classes at Fudan High School and visited landmarks like the Bund and Zhujiajiao Water Town. They bonded with host families over activities like hot pot, biking, and shopping. In the second week, they visited Suzhou, Nanjing, and Hangzhou, exploring UNESCO sites and participating in cultural activities like tea picking. Upper School Chinese teacher Joanne Shang coordinated the program and traveled with the students. Next year, the exchange will continue with RCDS hosting their French peers in October 2025 and welcoming Chinese students in February 2026.

US SPANISH STUDENTS VOLUNTEER AT CARVER CENTER

Upper School Students enrolled in Spanish courses volunteered at the Carver Market food pantry in Port Chester. They practiced their Spanish skills as they worked the checkout counter, unloaded and packed items, and welcomed and guided market guests.

MORE TRAVEL & LEARNING THIS SUMMER

Through its Global Studies program, Rye Country Day School prepares students to participate actively and ethically as global citizens. In the American South, participants will tour historic areas of the civil rights movement in Georgia and Alabama. In Peru, travelers will explore the rainforests and cultural heritage sites. In Iceland, students will analyze how the country confronts global warming and explore the sources of sustainable energy.

● CIVIL RIGHTS IN THE AMERICAN SOUTH: Experiencing history in Atlanta, GA & Montgomery, Selma, and Birmingham, AL, led by Dr. Mitschele.

● LOST CITIES & LIVING JUNGLES: Discovering Peru led by Mr. Leath and Ms. Linderoth.

● VIKINGS & VOLCANOES: Exploring Iceland's Climate Past and Future, led by Dr. Bischoff and Mr. Flynn.

Back on campus, RCDS students welcomed exchange students from Oak House School in BARCELONA, SPAIN. Upper School students, who will be traveling to Barcelona in June, served as diligent and welcoming hosts, supporting the OHS students’ academic and cultural experience in the United States. Outside of RCDS classes, the students bonded through potluck dinners with host families and trips to New York city. Upper School Spanish Teacher José Benítez-Meléndez coordinated the exchange and will travel with RCDS students to Barcelona in June.

CROSS DIVISIONAL LEARNING AT THE NORWALK MARITIME AQUARIUM

Upper School Marine Ecology students prepared for a field trip to the Maritime Aquarium by sharing their knowledge of the Long Island Sound with Grade 2. They gave presentations on pollution, species diversity, and crabs, and showed 3D models of horseshoe crabs. During the trip, second graders teamed up with Upper School buddies for a scavenger hunt and aquarium exploration, while Upper Schoolers toured and discussed marine science careers. It was a great cross-divisional learning experience!

US MODEL UN CLUB SHINES

In December, the RCDS Model UN club participated in the Bronx High School of Science Model UN Conference, where delegates represented Japan, Poland, and Ethiopia, debating topics like disarmament and environmental protection. In January, the club attended the Ivy League Model UN Conference in Philadelphia, one of the world’s largest high school Model UN events, with 2,000 participants. RCDS sent 18 students, representing Lebanon across various committees, including the UN Human Rights Council, the World Health Organization, and the Disarmament and International Security Committee. Both experiences offered excellent opportunities for students to showcase their skills in negotiation, problemsolving, and teamwork.

CEDAR STREET DANCE COMPANY

EXPERIENCES PAUL TAYLOR DANCE COMPANY PERFORMANCE

Upper School students from the Cedar Street Dance Company were invited by Paul Taylor Dance Company’s signature outreach program, Polaris Project, to attend one of their performances at Lincoln Center in November. The Cedar Street Dance Company has fostered a strong relationship with the Paul Taylor Dance Company since 2023, including performances, master dance classes, and performance opportunities for students.

WILDCATS AROUND THE WORLD

The Global Studies program continued its Wildcats Around the World roundtable, a lunch-andlearn series aimed at sharing global perspectives and experiences.

THE IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE

In December, 11 Upper School students facilitated their own discussion on the theme of “Sharing the Immigrant Experience.” The panelists shared and compared their global perspectives as immigrants to the United States, reflecting on their varied experiences in relationship to school life, cultural norms, language, language support for family members who are not native English speakers, and more. Attendees were interested to learn more about their peers’ lives in Brazil, China, Colombia, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Switzerland, and Turkey

Tia Agarwal ’26

Elaine Fong ’27

Taeko Fueno ’25 Angelina Gui ’27

Baptiste Bataille

Upper School French Teacher, French Exchange Program Coordinator (France)

Jose Benítez

Meléndez

Upper School Spanish Teacher, Spanish Exchange Program Coordinator (Puerto Rico, Italy, and United Kingdom)

Rosie Isiyel ’25

Daphne Panie ’27

Isa Pierry ’25 Chaim Sciamma ’27

Lauren Slovin ’25

Eliana Thomas ’26

Lizzy Yepes ’25

Building on the theme of the immigrant experience, the next Wildcats Around the World was focused on employees. The panel was coordinated by Tia Agarwal ’26 and co-moderated with Isa Pierry ’25, who asked a variety of questions about immigration journeys and cross-cultural experiences and insights.

Angelo Bove

Upper School Science Teacher (Italy)

Meredith deChabert

Assistant Head of School for Academics, Institutional Research, and Data (St. Croix)

Vivek Freitas

Upper School English Teacher, Grade 11 Dean, (India)

Reham Islam

Upper School Computer Science Teacher (Bangladesh)

Maggie Parker Modern Languages Department Chair, Upper School French Teacher (France)

Joanne Shang

Upper School Chinese Teacher; Chinese Exchange Program Coordinator (Hong Kong and Taiwan)

Both the student and employee panels demonstrated the value of global connection and perspective-sharing. “Learning about the experiences of others, helps our students develop a deeper understanding of other perspectives and of themselves,” shared Director of Global Studies Dan Murray. “We are very grateful to Tia and Isa for their leadership in developing and coordinating the student and employee panels.”

Faculty Panelists

Students Panelists

REFLECTING ON EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL

● In November, senior Kyle Sisitsky spoke at Wildcats Around the World, sharing his transformative experience spending a year abroad in France. He discussed his daily routines in Rennes, highlighting both the academic and personal growth he gained, including significant linguistic development and new global perspectives. Kyle also reflected on his return home and continued to draw lessons from his time in France, emphasizing the value of cultural immersion. He encouraged his peers to consider travel as a way to enrich their learning.

Upper School students who traveled to Southeast Asia shared their experiences visiting Hong Kong, Macau, and Kuala Lumpur in June 2024. The group discussed the variety of cultural experiences they had, from historical sites and museums, to their time spent speaking with experts and participating in a beach cleanup. There was also talk of airports, hotels, and shopping malls, and of course, lots of delicious food. Students expressed that their biggest takeaway was the lasting new friendships that were forged from this shared experience.

● In the fall, students who traveled to Greece during the summer of 2024 discussed their perspectives and experiences on the RCDS Global Studies trip. The group elaborated on what they learned about the Greek culture in Athens and Delphi, as well as the similarities and differences discovered in their exploration of democracy and government between the U.S. and Greece.

Student Participants

Teddy Cooper '25

Allie Hine '25

Tara McIntosh '25

Student Participants

Tia Agarwal '26

Lincoln Feng ' 26

Joaquin Gonzalez '25

Julia Heintz '25

Rosie Isiyel '25

Drew Mulderry '26

James Murphy '25

Isa Pierry '25

Zander Stempel '25

Sydney Winter '25

Sophia Maldonado '27

Xavier Perkins '26

Zoe Sterling-Dixon '26

Tancrede Weinstein '27

● As part of Latine Heritage Month, the Upper School’s Hispanic/Latine Cultural Club (HLCC) hosted a DOMINOES tournament during Wildcats Around the World. HLCC leaders taught students and employees how to play and offered prizes to tournament winners.

GENETICS AND HEREDITY IN GRADE 7 SCIENCE

Before Spring Break, seventh graders started their study of genetics and heredity in science class. They learned about proteins, chromosomes, DNA, and what controls the inheritance of traits from one generation to the next .

An exciting element of their learning was extracting DNA from strawberries. First, students mixed mashedup strawberries with a DNA extraction liquid made up of dish detergent, salt, and water. Next, they poured an equal amount of ice-cold ethanol alcohol into the strawberries without mixing the two. After waiting a few seconds, students watched as the DNA began to isolate the cells of the strawberry into a layer of white cloudy substance at the top of the beaker. Finally, students were able to physically pick up the DNA using a wooden stirrer.

Since strawberries have 8 copies of each of their 7 chromosomes, it is easier for the human eye to examine extracted samples (humans only have 2 copies of each of our 23 chromosomes).

CONGRATULATIONS!

Alyssa Chu ’25, Jaymin Ding ’25 , and Leah Steyn ’25 were named candidates for the 2025 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, which recognizes the nation's most distinguished graduating seniors for their accomplishments in academic success, leadership, and service to school and community.

“We are all extremely proud of Alyssa Chu, Jaymin Ding, and Leah Steyn. These young leaders are terrific exemplars of Rye Country Day’s commitment to outstanding scholarship and active citizenship. Congratulations, Alyssa, Jaymin, and Leah, on this well-deserved recognition.”

–Head of School, Randall Dunn

Full coverage of these awards will be published this fall in the 2025 Excellence Magazine.

The fifteen Rye Country Day students who were named National Merit Semifinalists in the fall advanced to Finalist standing. Finalists receive a Certificate of Merit attesting to their distinguished performance in the competition. Approximately 1.5 million high school students enter the program each year. Across the nation, only one percent of high school students who take the PSAT qualify for this honor.

Rahul Arora ’25

Alyssa Chu ’25

Zachary D'Amico ’25

Jaymin Ding ’25

Christopher Emmet ‘25

Shaurya Grover ’25

Ariel Israel ’25

Isabella Jolicoeur ’25

Julia Kroin ’25

Alexander Rivas ’25

In October, the American Geosciences Institute (AGI) selected an RCDS fourth grader and third grader as finalists in the 2024 Earth Science Week Visual Arts Contest. Their artworks were selected out of hundreds of applicants in Kindergarten through fifth grade. The theme of the visual arts contest was Putting the ART in eARTh Science.*

Eighth-grader Emma W. ’29 was awarded a Village Bookstore Prize for her dramatic script, “Social Media Storm.” Presented by the Village Bookstore of Pleasantville, NY, and local author Joe Wallace, this recognition aims to empower middle school writers who demonstrate exemplary skill and promise in their writing abilities, and to encourage their interest in and love for the craft.**

41 Rye Country Day School students were honored for their outstanding original work with Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mention Designations in this year’s Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Known as the nation’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in Grades 7 through 12, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are judged by luminaries in the visual and literary arts.

Leo Roth ’25

Ethan Schales ’25

Kyle Sisitsky ’25

Leah Steyn ’25

Turner Wolf ’25

Full coverage of these awards will be published this fall in the 2025 Excellence Magazine.

14 seventh- and eighth-grade students traveled to the Ethical Fieldston School to participate in Ethical MUN (Model United Nations). The conference asked student committees to tackle moral dilemmas to resolve conflicts based on the Korean War, the Anna Delvey scandal, Dance Moms, Sorority Tiktok, and Operation Neptune Spear. To prepare, the students researched their committees’ assigned topics and drafted position papers with creative solutions. Throughout the conference, students were able to practice their public speaking, diplomacy, and writing skills. The conference concluded with each committee finalizing their resolution papers, which they arrived at through agreeing on compromises and building consensus.

RECOGNITIONS

Bianca G. '29 received Honorable Mention for her role as Todd Spodek in the Anna Delvey Scandal

Nina K. '29 earned an Outstanding Delegate award for her role as Paul O'Leary in the Anna Delvey Scandal

Helena P. '29 received Honorable Mention for her role as Veronica Williams in Sorority Rush Tiktok

Ian Z. '30 earned the Best Delegate award for his role as Prime Minister Lee Beom-seok in the Korean War representing South Korea

Jaymin Ding ’25 celebrated a number of exciting research publications:

• In December, his original research, Multi-wavelength Classification of Active and Star-forming Galaxies on the BPT Diagram with Supervised Machine Learning Models, appeared in the academic journal Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. In January, Jaymin was selected to present this research at the 245th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society, an international professional astronomy conference representing the largest gathering of astronomers and astrophysicists from around the world. Professors and postdoctoral, graduate, and undergraduate students present their research. Jaymin was one of only two high schoolers to be selected to present.

• Also in December, his paper Performing Spectroscopic Parallax via Machine Learning Classification of Stars in the Morgan-Keenan System to Efficiently Calculate the Distance to Stars, which was developed from an independent study that Jaymin completed with Dr. Mary Krasovec during the 2023-24 school year, was published by the Journal of Research High School. The paper develops a novel machine learning method that finds the distance to a star based solely on a photograph.

• In November, Jaymin's paper, Improved Fermi Gamma-ray Source Classifications with SRG/eROSITA X-ray Counterparts using Machine Learning was accepted to MIT's Undergraduate Research Technology Conference.

In March, Eliana Chorost ’26 represented RCDS as a Borlaug Scholar at the NY Youth Institute, hosted by the World Food Prize Foundation at Cornell University. With mentorship from Director of STEAM Dr. Cathie Bischoff, Eliana conducted a deep dive into The Health Impact of Increased Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods in China for her research. Her work was also reviewed by The World Food Prize Board of Reviewers, a distinguished group of educators and experts dedicated to mentorship and personalized guidance.

Keira Zheng ’25 was named the Connecticut recipient of the Distinguished Young Women (DYW) honor for 2025. A national non-profit organization that rewards the scholastic achievements and leadership of high school girls, DYW’s mission is to empower young women to develop their full, individual potential by providing scholarships, personal development opportunities, and a positive peer network. In addition to competing for and winning the title in her home state of Connecticut, Keira was also awarded the Spirit Award for her character and enthusiasm, a distinction voted on by all 16 candidates. She will go on to compete for the national title of Distinguished Young Woman of America in June. Blake James ’25 was named one of 1,336 high school seniors selected as semifinalists in the highlycompetitive national CocaCola Scholars Program. Blake was chosen from a pool of over 105,000 outstanding high school seniors from across the country. Coca-Cola Scholars Program Semifinalists represent the top 1.27% of applicants, who demonstrate exceptional academic performance, leadership, and service.

CONGRATULATIONS!

At the Westchester Engineering and Science Fair (WESEF) on March 15, seven US students received recognition for their outstanding scientific research, the most ever for RCDS! The students competed against more than 500 high school students from 30 schools across Westchester, Putnam, and Sullivan counties. Illaria Liedtke ’27 earned the top honor of being one of 20 students selected to advance to the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the highest level of recognition in high school STEM research.

WESEF AWARDS

Chaaranath Badrinath ’26 2nd Place in Bioinformatics/Computational Biology and Creative Approach to Research Award

Project Title: Using Agent-Based and ODE Modeling to Capture

Immune Response to T-cell Engager Therapy and the Rise of Treatment Resistance in Multiple Myeloma

Henry Fogel ’25

Innovations in Biological Sciences Research Award in Health and Medicine

Project Title: Loadsol, Load Monitoring Device for the Partial Weight Bearing Post- Operative Management of Ankle Fracture

Alex Gurion ’26

Excellence in Medical Research Award

Project Title: Phage Amplification and Specialized Transduction of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis to Develop Auxotrophic Strains

Ishana Kumar ’26

2nd Place in Behavioral and Social Sciences

Project Title: Reducing Breast Cancer Mortality through Assessing and Mitigating Biases in Access to Cancer Care

Illaria Liedtke ’27

1st Place in Neuroscience and ISEF Finalist

Project Title: Toward Remote Control of Neural Function: Extracellular Matrix Paramagnetic Hydrotalcite Renders

Brain Astrocytes Responsive to Static Magnetic Field via TRPV4 Ion Channel-Mediated Calcium Influx

In November, an RCDS second grader medaled twice in the New York State Tae Kwon Do Association Governor’s Cup. Competing in the 8-9 age bracket as a blue belt, she won a gold medal in board breaking and a bronze medal in forms.*

Charlie Pearle ’26

2nd Place in Health and Medicine

Project Title: The Effect of Two Training Strategies on Quantitative Neuromuscular Control Testing Outcomes

Leah Steyn ’25

3rd Place in Biochemistry

Project Title: Developing a Bulk Drug Substance Lyophilization for Monoclonal Antibodies to Achieve Ultra High Concentration Drug Products

At the New York State Science and Engineering Fair (NYSSEF) was held on March 24 at the New York Hall of Science, and two Upper School students earned awards for their outstanding research projects in life and physical sciences.

NYSSEF AWARDS

Illaria Liedtke ’27

1st Place in Life Science

Leon Zhou ’26

3rd Place in Physical Science

10 RCDS seniors were selected to show their work in the Young Artists Exhibition at Katonah Art Museum, an annual showcase for aspiring artists who are seniors in high school. Now in its 42nd consecutive year, the Young Artists Exhibition celebrates over 350 artworks from nearly 40 high schools throughout Fairfield, Putnam, Rockland, and Westchester counties.

Melanie Asness ’25

Willow Edwards ’25

Maria Flores ’25

Julia Heintz ’25

Anika Kini ’25

Sophia Lynch ’25

Leo Roth ’25

Jude Sadler ’25

Lauren Slovin ’25

Ainslie Whitman ’25

Upper School Art Teacher Erin Dolan had her work featured in the Wilton Library’s art exhibition called “Amazing Stories and Wondrous Visions.” Ms. Dolan had three paintings—Wanderland , Ephemeral Radiance, and Tapestry of Color included in the November/December exhibition highlighting the Wilson Avenue Loft Artists.

At the 2024 National Science Teaching Association Conference on Science Education in New Orleans, LA, Director of STEAM and Upper School Science Teacher Dr. Cathie Bischoff led a session called Maker Science: Design and Implementation of Authentic Maker Science Projects. Dr. Bischoff discussed how conference attendees could integrate authentic and meaningful hands-on maker projects into science classes. Upper School Science Teachers Jen Doran and Michael Hirsch co-presented a workshop and participated in a speed-sharing session. Their workshop, Empowering Scientific Communication: A Scaffolding Approach for Lab Report Success, demonstrated how to divide a

standard five-section lab report into defined sections with clear prompts for clarity, grading, and executive functioning support.

In January, the Middle States Association (MSA) announced that RCDS earned the RAIL (Responsible AI in Learning) endorsement in AI Literacy, Safety, and Ethics. The two-year certification was given to schools who have set a remarkable standard for AI in education through dedication and pioneering spirit. With his endorsement—the world's only endorsement in AI for K-12 schools—institutions signal their responsiveness to the most significant technology since the public Internet. The endorsement in AI Literacy, Safety, and Ethics is the first of a number of RAIL endorsements that will be awarded in the coming years. Rye Country Day is one of just 50 schools around the world to earn this recognition.

In February, Physical Education

Teacher Nicola Clarkson and Upper School Spanish Teacher Laura Mungavin represented RCDS at Global Education Benmark’s Global Summit on Climate Education at the Drew School in San Francisco, CA. Held in partnership with the Klingenstein Center at Columbia University’s Teachers College, the summit was centered around developing and empowering students as active and engaged global citizens in the era of climate change. Ms. Mungavin also served on a panel discussion titled Climate Education

Across the Curriculum, where she discussed the development, pedagogies, and impact of her “Environmental Issues in the Spanish Speaking World” course, which is offered every other year to Upper School students.

Upper School Chinese Teacher Joanne Shang presented at the 2024 American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Annual Convention and World Languages Expo in Philadelphia. In her workshop, Transform Chinese Teaching: Practical AI Applications in Action, Ms. Shang demonstrated how practical, hands-on AI applications can help educators create engaging content, offer personalized student support, and integrate cuttingedge technology for an enhanced educational experience.

Rye Country Day was one of the 847 schools honored by the College Board for having positive female representation in Computer Science Courses in 2024. The RCDS Upper School was awarded the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for its female representation in the AP Computer Science Principles course. Schools receiving the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award either reached 50% or higher female exam taker representation in one of or both AP computer science courses, or a percentage of female computer science exam takers that meets or exceeds that of the school’s female population.

CONGRATULATIONS!

RCDS student musicians earned places in the local and state ensembles hosted by the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) . They were selected based on their performances of distinction at last spring's Solo Festival.

NYSSMA All-State Ensemble

• Vreeland Tuncer ’26 , mixed chorus

• Alexander Rivas ’25 , trumpet, wind ensemble

• Leon Zhou ’26 , viola, symphony orchestra (and selected as principal)

• Samantha Lee ’25 , alternate, viola

• James Ding ’26 , alternate, violin

Westchester Area All-State Ensemble

• Aarush Dey ’27, tenor, mixed chorus

• James Ding ’26 , violin, string orchestra

• Taeko Fueno ’25 , violin, symphony orchestra

• Samantha Lee ’25 , viola, string orchestra

• Alexander Rivas ’25 , trumpet, band

• Vreeland Tuncer ’26 , alto, treble chorus

• Leon Zhou ’26 , viola, symphony orchestra

Nicholas Neubardt ’28 (Intermediate Band - Bass Clarinet), Natalie Zhu ’28 (Intermediate Band - Flute), and William Z. ’31 (Elementary Band - Bb Clarinet) were selected for the Westchester County School Music Association (WCSMA) All-County Ensembles for students in Grades 7-9.

The string quartet Solenne—featuring Emma Camillo ’27, James Ding ’26, Emma Maini ’27, and Leon Zhou ’26 —was selected to perform at the 5th Annual Westchester/Hudson Valley/Connecticut SemiFinal Regional Young Musicians Concert in Bronxville. The students gave a spirited performance of Dvorack’s "American Quartet" and were one of eight ensembles in the region selected to perform by The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Solenne is part of the Honors String Orchestra program, taught by RCDS Orchestra Director Keith Burton.

Bass player Jack Herzog ’26 was selected for one of Westchester County School Music Association’s 2025 All-County HS Jazz Bands. Jack’s group was led by renowned bassist Dr. Anthony Macelli during their performance at Hommocks Middle School in Mamaroneck on March 21.

Wes Lichtenstein ’27 was recognized by St. Vincent’s Hospital Westchester as an outstanding student volunteer at the 33rd Annual Youth Awards. Winners were recognized for their exceptional volunteer service and commitment to St. Vincent’s values—respect and compassion for ourselves and others, excellence in service, the dignity of human life and commitment to the community. In addition to receiving the St. Vincent’s Youth Award, each student had the honor

of being presented the U.S. Congressional Certificate of Achievement by Congressman George Latimer. Wes was honored for this volunteer work with the Port Chester-Rye-Rye Brook EMS' Explorers Program and The New York Academy of Sciences Junior Science Academy. These pursuits stem from Wes’s personal interest in cancer research and generally improving public health.

rcds Hosts!

GEBG STUDENT ACTION SUMMIT: Arts and Innovation for an Equitable and Sustainable Future

Global Education Benchmark Group (GEBG) held its second Student Action Summit of the 2024-25 school year at Rye Country Day School on January 25. As the hosting school, Rye Country Day had the opportunity to select the summit’s focus, Arts and Innovation for an Equitable and Sustainable Future, in partnership with GEBG.

These student-centered oneday summits are part of a regional pilot program that allows student leaders to collaborate, share, and engage in dialogue around global issues of concern and share their purpose as global citizens. Summits are open to participation from all GEBG member schools and their partners.

Arts and Innovation for an Equitable and Sustainable Future was designed by 10 RCDS student leaders for high school students passionate about using creativity and technology to address today's most pressing social

and environmental issues. The event brought together over 40 young innovators, artists, and activists from seven schools to explore the intersection of arts, technology, sustainability, and social justice. Students came to the day with initiatives that they were interested in developing and they left with an action plan that they co-developed with peers from their school and guidance from faculty mentors.

The day began with an inspiring keynote from Kyle Wyche, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Ecotone

Renewables (read more about Zeus on page 24). Hands-on workshops and collaborative sessions helped participants develop their practical skills, engage with experts, and work on projects aimed at fostering equity and environmental resilience. In addition, students led a number of sessions on dialogue for which they had trained with GEGB prior to the Summit.

STUDENT-LED WORKSHOP TOPICS

• Automated Aerobic Composting System for Food Waste at Schools

• Sustainable Proposals and Climate Action in Schools

• Photocatalytic Degradation of Polyethylene Microplastics With Fe3O4@TiO2-Ag nanocomposite

• Sustainability on Campus- Earth Club: Past, Present, and Future

• Reel Moments: 30-second Reels to Promote Tolerance and Reduce Hate

• H5N1 (Bird Flu, Avian Influenza) Implications & Action for Fowl & Humanity

• Design Thinking for Sustainable Development

RCDS CO-HOSTS YPT, FINISHES IN TOP 3

Rye Country Day School was the co-host and third-place finalist of the 2025 Young Physicists Tournament (YPT), an annual physics research and debate tournament for high school students. RCDS shared co-hosting duties with Trinity School, and YPT was held on Rye Country Day’s campus on February 1-2, with 16 participating schools from around the world. The top spot went to Cary Academy, with Phillips Academy Andover and RCDS in second and third place respectively.

A special highlight of the event was the keynote speech from Michael Massimino, former NASA astronaut, current professor of mechanical engineering at Columbia University, and senior advisor of space programs at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. Mr. Massimino captivated the audience with his signature blend of humor and inspiration, as he shared anecdotes from his illustrious career. Mr. Massimino emphasized the value of education, perseverance, and resilience. The audience was especially enthralled with his story about one of his space walks, when careful use of brute force prevented a Hubble repair mission from being derailed by a stripped bolt. The anecdote set a fitting tone for YPT: tackle all obstacles creatively and fearlessly!

Summit Organizers: Anika Bhat ’25, Ana Petricone ’25, Davis Clarke ’25, Shawn Wei ’26, Darren Wong ’26, Leo Roth ’25, Michael Goneos ’27, and Skyla Perez ’26 (not pictured: Isabela Pierry ’25, Joaquin Gonzalez ’25)

COMMUNITY EDUCATION

In 2024-25, the annual Conversations with the Head series continued with events covering the topics of Dialogue as a Critical Skill for Students, Competency-Based Learning, and Innovation and Independents.

CONVERSATIONS WITH THE HEAD: DIALOGUE, CBL, AND INNOVATION

In October, the School’s Dialogue Team led a conversation on the importance of dialogue for success in school, college, and beyond. Their presentation was part of the 2024-25 required training for RCDS employees to support the School’s commitment to providing our students and educators with the skills and resources they need to engage in civil and empathic conversations around difficult topics. The work was a continuation of last year’s collaboration with GEBG around building community and connection across difference.

As a follow-up to the Zoom, the Dialogue team led a special workshop for parents and guardians in December. Structured as a fish-bowl exercise, the workshop demonstrated the dialogue skills and best practices that were shared with all parents/guardians via Zoom earlier in the fall. Twenty-five parents and guardians gathered in the PAC Foyer, sitting in a

RCDS Dialogue Team

Randall Dunn Head of School

Carrie Burke Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

circular formation, ready to practice dialogue led by the RCDS team. The experience was a way for parents/ guardians to experience the deep learning their students receive at school. It also helped them learn about ways they can continue to center the importance of practicing dialogue at home.

In January, Mr. Dunn and RCDS administrators and teachers provided an overview of Competency-Based Learning (CBL) and breakout groups of parents/guardians participated in a CBL experience.

In April, RCDS parents and guardians joined Head of School Randall Dunn and Global Online Academy Executive Director Michael Nachbar for a conversation about the longstanding relationship between independent schools and innovation. The two leaders discussed the history of independent schools as hubs for innovation as well as what changes schools can expect in the present and future.

Many thanks to the parents and guardians who joined us for these generative conversations!

Meredith deChabert Assistant Head of School for Academic Programs

Rebecca Drago Director of Public Purpose

PARENT-FACULTY BOOK CLUB

Throughout 2024-25, RCDS parents/guardians and teachers gathered to discuss renowned books about issues that are important for our school community to explore. The spirited discussions were a testament to Rye Country Day’s commitment homeschool partnership and learning in community. We look forward to continuing this event series next year!

Jessica Flaxman Dean of Faculty & Employees

Kamauru Johnson Director of Counseling

Dan Murray Director of Global Studies

2024-25 READINGS

Fall: The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt Winter: Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick

Spring: Never Enough by Jennifer Breheny Wallace

ROBOTICS

BACK-TO-BACK BOT BATTLES FOR MS

On January 26 and February 1, RCDS Middle School Robotics teams Wildcats 18693 A, B, and C competed in backto-back VEX IQ Southern State Tournaments after months of hard work.

First at Huntington High School, Team A ranked 9th and advanced to the Finals, finishing 5th. Teams B and C placed 10th and 15th. For the Skills portion, Teams A, B, and C showed their autonomous coding and driving skills and ended ranked 8th, 19th, and 22nd respectively.

Then at the South Bronx Charter School, Team A led match play and scored a season-high 70 points. Teams A and C reached the finals, with Team A winning the event's top award. In Skills, Team A set a program record with 112 points, Team C placed second (44), and Team B followed with 33. All three teams advanced to the State tournament.

US ROBOTICISTS HOST AND SHOWCASE SPORTSMANSHIP

On January 11, the Upper School Robotics Team hosted its third annual VEX Robotics Competition, featuring 23 teams from 11 schools throughout New York City and Westchester, Orange, and Rockland Counties. The event showcased students’ STEM skills through challenges like ring scoring, mobile goal placement, and end-of-match climbs.

RCDS RESULTS:

• Team C: 8th in qualifications, 9th in skills

• Team B: 14th in qualifications

INTERDISCIPLINARY LEARNING AFTER SCHOOL

and skills

• Team A: 15th in qualifications, 8th in skills

Teams B and C advanced to the Elimination Round, and Team A received the Sportsmanship Award, which is given to the team that demonstrates courtesy, helpfulness, and respect both on and off the field.

ROBOFEST CELEBRATES & IGNITES CURIOSITY

On Saturday, December 7, Rye Country Day hosted RoboFest for students in Grades 2–6. Participants from RCDS and other schools showcased their robotics skills through challenges inspired by the wonders of the world. Another challenge was to program robots to dance to Shakira’s Waka Waka!

Many thanks to our parents, faculty members, and Upper School student volunteers for a terrific day of learning and creativity that celebrated the curiosity of young minds and the wonders of STEAM.

The Science & STEAM After-School Club gives students in Kindergarten through Grade 3 the opportunity to explore the exciting world of science, technology, engineering, art, and math. Through each engaging activity, Lower Schoolers also gain deeper understanding of the world around them! Throughout 202425, students explored a variety of hands-on experiments and challenges including leaf chromatography, an egg drop, balloon rocket races, creating homemade thermometers, and even learning how to tap a maple tree for syrup.

Connection through

Community & Cultural

Celebrations

To learn about and honor various traditions and cultures this winter, RCDS marked Lunar New Year, Black History Month, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, along with school events like the Liebman Memorial Concert, the Arts Festival & International Fair, and JCC hosted Shabbat Dinner.

LUNAR NEW YEAR

At Upper School Community Meeting, students in Chinese Language classes gave a number of performances, including a traditional Lion Dance, songs entitled Peach Blossom and Ode to Joy, a violin and flute duo version of Chinese New Year Medley, and Baduanjin (mini tai chi). Students discussed 2025 as the Year of the Snake—a year for intellectual growth and rejuvenation and deepening personal connections. Parent volunteers treated students and faculty to oranges, stickers, and a festive photo booth!

Middle School parent volunteers organized a Lion Dance parade through the halls of the Main Building. At MS Community Meeting, students in Chinese Language classes led a presentation about the holiday and sang a poem called New Year’s Day, which highlights traditional customs. The students also painted Chinese calligraphy live on stage during the performance.

Lower School students also enjoyed the lion dance and fourth graders led a presentation about Lunar New Year during Community Meeting. Parent volunteers also visited Pre-K, Grade 1, and Grade 3 classrooms to lead fun Lunar New Year activities.

JCC HOSTS SHABBAT DINNER

On Friday, February 7, the RCDS Jewish Community Circle hosted a Shabbat dinner on campus for all students and their parents/guardians. The event included tours of the We Are RCDS exhibit, dinner, and music from MS music teacher Melissa Liebowitz.

LIEBMAN CONCERT: OMNY TAIKO

ARTS FESTIVAL & INTERNATIONAL FAIR

On April 5, the RCDS community gathered for the 2025 Arts Festival & International Fair. This annual collaboration between the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Art Department, and the Parents Association welcomes hundreds of students, families, and faculty for a festive afternoon, featuring activities for the whole family, including collaborative art projects and performances by students and guests. This year's guest performers included Dhol Player Neil Desai, Bushwick Jam, Li-Garden Dance Company, and the Connecticut Chinese Education Association. A highlight was the delicious food donated by RCDS families to showcase the cultural heritages within our Wildcat community.

In January, students experienced an engaging performance by OMNY Taiko, a nonprofit group that promotes the Japanese art of taiko drumming. Under the direction of Crissy Lau, performers shared the history of taiko, demonstrated drum-making, and encouraged audience participation through cheers, drumming, and Japanese phrases like Sāikō ("Let’s go!"). The event was part of the Priscilla M. Liebman Memorial Concert Series, which celebrates diverse musical traditions. Established in 1992 by Alan and Jacqueline Stuart, the series honors former RCDS administrator Priscilla Liebman and now also serves as a tribute to Mr. Stuart, a former trustee who passed away in August 2024.

HONORING THE LEGACY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

ASSEMBLIES:

Serving the Greater Good

On Friday, January 17, students in all divisions gathered for assemblies honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., centered around the theme of activism for the greater good. The assemblies featured videos on Dr. King’s life, presentations on different forms of activism, and messages encouraging students to be upstanders and human rights advocates.

Highlights included a Lower School sing-along to Give Light, a Middle School art piece inspired by the “I Have a Dream” speech, and Upper School students writing passionate, compelling, and respectful letters about community issues in which they want to effect change.

ANNUAL MLK DAY OF SOCIAL IMPACT

On Saturday, January 18, during the annual Day of Social Impact, students and families created winter care packages and greeting cards for Building One Community, an immigrant resource center and longtime RCDS community partner. The included items (warm hats, gloves, scarves, chapstick, coloring books, thermoses, and more) were donated by RCDS families. Volunteers also decorated the bags with Dr. King's quotes in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole— reflecting the backgrounds of B1C’s clients.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

In recognition of Black History Month, in February, RCDS hosted a number of activities throughout the divisions celebrating the achievements and contributions of Black Americans.

• Each day on Schoology, members of the Upper School Students of Color Mentoring Club shared thoughtfully written paragraphs about notable Black leaders, including W.E.B. Du Bois, Thurgood Marshall, Toni Stone, Mae Jemison, and Satchel Paige.

• At divisional Community Meetings, MS and US students listened to a presentation by Assistant Director of DEI Joshua Rivera ’15, a Howard University graduate, about the establishment and evolution of Historically Black Colleges and

Universities (HBCUs) in the United States. Following the presentation, other RCDS faculty members who also attended HBCUs joined Mr. Rivera on stage to share their experiences and insights on the value of HBCUs in the landscape of higher education.

Faculty Panelists

Jonathan Carter, MS Math Teaching Fellow (Morehouse College)

Natasha Dooley, US Science Teacher (Howard University)

Kamauru Johnson PhD, Director of Counseling; US Psychologist (Morehouse College)

Joshua Rivera ’15, Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; US Humanities Teacher; Coach (Howard University)

Shaba Simmons, MS Math Teacher (Spelman College)

Pre-K students in Ms. Graziosa and Ms. Fleischman’s class conducted an author study on Peter Reynolds, focusing on Say Something, a book about using your voice to make a difference. The class noted how both the book and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. shared similar messages about speaking up and helping others. Each student then wrote their own meaningful messages and created a mural that was displayed in the LS hallway. With phrases like “share your toys” and “be thankful,” the mural demonstrated the wisdom and positive impact of our littlest Wildcats!

• At Lower School Community Meeting, the fourth graders led the division through a Black History Trivia game. In P.E., Lower Schoolers teamed up in groups to conduct research on notable Black athletes and their impact on their sports and communities.

Celebrates Grand Opening

On Wednesday, February 12, over 120 RCDS community members and friends gathered in the Cohen Center for the Creative Arts for the grand opening of WE ARE RCDS: BRIDGING, BELONGING, & BUILDING COMMUNITY.

The celebratory reception included special remarks and guided tours of the customized two-years-in-the-making educational installation developed in partnership between RCDS and Common Circles. Aimed at fostering empathy, reducing bias and antisemitism, and building a sense of belonging, the exhibit uses art, technology, storytelling, and lessons from the Holocaust to spread awareness and build bridges in communities.

Head of School Randall Dunn opened the evening sharing, “This incredible exhibit and the partnership it represents is central to our shared commitment to building a more inclusive, connected world.”

Thanking Common Circles Founder Marla Felton, P'19, P'21, Creative Director Sue Spiegel, and RCDS Assistant Head of School Meredith deChabert for their collaboration since the spring of 2023, Mr. Dunn emphasized, “As an educational institution we know the critical role we must play in building awareness and educating our community about antisemitism and all forms of hate.”

At the podium, Dr. deChabert detailed the two years of teamwork it took to bring the Common Circles exhibit to RCDS. “As I experienced the exhibit [in White Plains School District] that spring [of 2023], my educator’s mind raced with connections to both existing

were onto something brilliant. We had to bring it to RCDS.”

Carrie Burke, RCDS’s Director of DEI, recounted her own experience participating in the exhibit and her educator’s view of this work's importance for students. Lynette Gioffre, the School’s Director of Advancement, briefly spoke about the importance of supporting the partnership’s longevity through philanthropy.

Marla Felton and Sue Spiegel, the dynamic founding duo behind Common Circles, delivered heartfelt remarks, which inspired both smiles and tears from the audience and imparted their infectious commitment to the cause of strengthening communities through education and human connection. They expressed their own words of gratitude to their many partners, including loved ones, RCDS, advocacy organizations, and each other. Ms. Felton also shared the origin story of Common Circles, which she launched in 2015 as a tribute to her uncle Martin Greenfield who survived the Holocaust and immigrated to the United States to build a life of joy, accomplishment, and purpose.

not spread.

Members of the RCDS community who contributed their own familial stories of hope and survival to the exhibit were in the audience, adding even more meaning and relevance to the unforgettable evening.

RCDS sophomore Chaim Sciamma ’27 closed out the remarks portion of the evening with his own reflection on visiting the exhibit with classmates, and he sang Nothing More by Alternate Routes.

Before guests dispersed to take tours of the exhibit, a joyful group surrounded Mr. Dunn, Dr. deChabert, Ms. Felton, and Ms. Spiegel for a ceremonial ribbon cutting. With that, the exhibit’s grand opening was official, and the lessons of history and the power of humanity were alive and strong.

Reflecting on the powerful event, Mr. Dunn said, “We are so grateful to the many community members who joined us. I look forward to the exhibit’s continued presence on our campus and to meeting the many community members I know will come to experience it.” Dr. deChabert added, “Our hope is that other schools will work with RCDS and Common Circles to envision how they might bring this customizable installation to their campuses. Get in touch!”

Support this meaningful educational experience at ryecountryday.org/give

“Part 2 of the Common Circles exhibit builds powerfully on the work done in Part 1 to increase awareness and celebrate the range of identities in our community. Seeing and hearing the testimonials of Anita Lasker-Wallfisch and Alan Moskin–and other survivors and liberators–is crucial to remembering the atrocities of the Holocaust. The experience moves us all–young and old–to remember our responsibility to be upstanders and to do everything we can to make sure such horrific events never happen again.” — Head of School Randall Dunn

ABOUT THE EXHIBIT

In the Spring of 2023, Rye Country Day began its partnership with the non-profit organization Common Circles as part of the School’s ongoing commitment to building a connected and inclusive community that stands together to challenge bias and hate. The collaboration has resulted in, WE ARE RCDS, a two-part interactive educational exhibit that will be integrated into Rye Country Day’s curricular work and on view for the entire RCDS community through the 2025-26 school year.

Founded by RCDS alumni parent Marla Felton P’19, P’21, Common Circles partners with schools to bring together art, community participation, and history to improve intergroup relations, offer Holocaust education, reduce antisemitism, increase empathy, and encourage changed behaviors.

ABOUT PART 1: WE ARE RCDS

Part 1 of the Common Circles exhibit, We Are RCDS, is an interactive museum experience that invites visitors to explore their own identities, embrace a diversity of perspectives and ideas, challenge first impressions, and express their hopes for humanity and the RCDS community. A detailed description of Part 1 was printed in the 2025 Winter Newsletter.

ABOUT PART 2: VOICES AGAINST HATE: LESSONS FROM THE HOLOCAUST

Part 2 of the exhibit documents the history of the Holocaust and antisemitism and offers testimonials from survivors and liberators, as well as information about Jewish identity. By giving audiences the knowledge and tools to define, recognize, and combat antisemitism, the exhibit empowers participants to stand up against hate in all its forms.

The deeply moving, experiential element of Part 2 happens through the Dimensions in Testimony Interactive Biographies* from the USC Shoah Foundation. Visitors are able to hear firsthand accounts from Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, a Holocaust survivor, and Alan Moskin, a Jewish American liberator, gaining a deeper

understanding of their harrowing experiences during one of history's darkest chapters. Through AI technology, visitors are also able to ask their own questions and have an exchange with those who experienced the Holocaust. The exhibit also includes written stories of hope and survival from members of the RCDS community, along with narratives highlighting other local Holocaust and WWII survivors, liberators, and upstanders.

Describing the intention of the exhibit, Common Circles Founder Marla Felton P’19, P’21, says, “School trips to museums are not easy, so we decided to bring the museum experience to the schools themselves.”

Common Circles Creative Director, Sue Spiegel, adds that “The We Are RCDS experience is a non-confrontational and creative way to delve into our varied identities and start to learn more about one another.”

*DimensionsinTestimonywasdevelopedinassociation with Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, with technologybyUSCInstituteforCreativeTechnologies,and conceptbyConscienceDisplay.FundingforDimensions inTestimonywasprovidedinpartbyPearsFoundation, Louis.F.Smith,MelindaGoldrichandAndreaCayton/ GoldrichFamilyFoundationinhonorofJonaGoldrich, Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, and GenesisPhilanthropyGroup(R.A.).Otherpartnersinclude CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center.

EXTRA EXTRA!

READ ALL ABOUT IT: SOIL SAUCE, RIGHT HERE! WELCOME TO RCDS, ZEUS!

Written By: Zara Khemlani ’27, OriginallypublishedinRyeCroponMarch4,2025

On the Rye Country Day School campus, a new anaerobic digester, nicknamed ZEUS, will help turn student and faculty food waste into a fertilizer called “Soil Sauce.” ZEUS stands for Zero Emission Upcycling System, and the School is partnering with Ecotone Renewables, an agriculture service based in Pennsylvania, to maintain the composter. The company’s initiative is to “Empower Sustainable Communities” and they will perform this maintenance weekly. The “Soil Sauce” they collect, will be used around campus gardens and landscaping, helping to further this sustainable initiative. In addition, the composter has a rainwater collection system which generates renewable energy.

The composter itself is housed in a twenty-foot repurposed shipping container, which is located in the area behind the dining hall along Boston Post Road. Rye Country Day School’s Upper School Enviro Club, has been working hard to share information about the new composter in community meetings across multiple divisions. Kerry Linderoth, RCDS Director of Sustainability and an Upper School Science teacher, has also shared the details of the composter during a recent professional development day. Ms. Linderoth shared her enthusiasm for this project

MOVE OVER MT. OLYMPUS, ZEUS MOVES TO RCDS!

Thanks to the generosity of current parents Jean and Tracy Joseph P'34, P'36, the School partnered with Ecotone Renewables earlier this winter to install ZEUS (Zero Emission Upcycling System), an anaerobic digester that facilitates sustainable food waste management on campus.

Housed in a twenty-foot upcycled shipping container behind the dining hall along Boston Post Road, ZEUS features a patented anaerobic food waste processing system that reduces carbon footprint, while saving time and resources.

HOW IT WORKS

Food waste is collected onsite and fed into the ZEUS digester, where it is mixed with water and ground into a liquid slurry. The slurry is digested by microbes in ZEUS's airtight “stomach.” The liquid byproduct is bottled into Soil Sauce, a nutrient-rich plant fertilizer that infuses powerful macro and micronutrients into a variety of plantings, including flower, herb, and vegetable gardens and house plants.

and stated, “We are very excited about the new ZEUS anaerobic digester on campus, which will process up to 500 pounds of food waste per week, including food waste from our dining hall.”

Ms. Linderoth explained how “this system helps reduce our environmental impact by converting organic waste into useful byproducts, including renewable energy and liquid fertilizer, which supports our ongoing commitment to sustainability and responsible waste management.”

In the coming months, a member from Ecotone Renewables will be coming to campus to share more about the composter, and they will also be hosting tours of the system! As for student involvement, the sustainability team is planning to work with members of the RCDS community to paint a mural on the sides of the composter. Ms. Linderoth encourages students and teachers to get involved with the digester and to reach out to her with any questions.

CELEBRATING OUR PLANET THROUGH LEARNING AND COMMUNITY.

On April 22, Rye Country Day School celebrated Earth Day with its annual Earth Day Fair. Led by the Sustainability and Public Purpose Offices, this beloved RCDS tradition brings together students and employees for an afternoon of celebrating our beautiful planet!

Highlightsofthe2025EarthDayincluded:

REPTILE SHOW featuring alligators, turtles, snakes, and more!

EARTH DAY SONGS performed by the WildScats a cappella group, as well as an energetic playlist courtesy of DJ Chaim Sciamma '27

PARACHUTE RECYCLING GAMES that emphasize the importance of sorting recyclables correctly led by P.E. Department

EARTH DAY FAIR

Educational presentations, games, and demonstrations from Upper School students, art faculty, and RCDS community partners

Our New Way Garden and NY Botanical Garden

TOURS OF ZEUS (Zero Emission Upcycling System), the School’s new anaerobic digester that facilitates sustainable food waste management on campus

PRE-K & KINDERGARTEN BOOK NOOK with Mr. Dunn for Earth Day stories

FUN GAMES ON ATHLETIC FIELDS including, kickball, football, soccer, volleyball and spikeball

RYE NATURE STATION mobile classroom exhibit on ecology presented by Rye Nature Center

GIANT EARTH BALLOON for a unique look from inside the Earth’s core

ALL ABOUT EF!

By Jamie Radwan, Lower School Learning Specialist

Libby Jelliffe, Director of Learning Support Services; Middle School Learning Specialist

Executive functioning (EF) is a hot topic that has received a great deal of airtime in recent years. But what is it, and why is it so important that it warrants our time and attention? Executive functioning skills—planning, organization, emotional regulation, and self-control, to name a few—are the brain’s command center, guiding everything from completing homework to managing big emotions. Essentially, EF is the group of mental skills that allow people (children and adults) to complete tasks. Strong EF skills correlate with success in academics, friendships, and even future careers. If you are accessing and using your EF skills, then you are smoothly navigating learning, social interactions, and daily life skills more successfully!

EF SKILLS

● Working Memory: Holding and manipulating information for a short period of time

● Inhibitory Control: Managing impulses, ignoring distractions, and resisting temptations

● Cognitive Flexibility: Flexible thinking, thinking about something in more than one way and shifting behavior

● Planning: Setting goals and steps to achieve them

● Task Initiation & Completion: Starting a task and completing it

● Time Management: Estimating time; allocating it effectively

● Organization: Structuring and arranging thoughts, actions, and materials effectively

● Emotional Regulation: Managing and controlling emotions, especially in stressful situations

●Focus/Goal-Directed Persistence: Maintaining focus and effort toward a goal

● Self Regulation: Thinking about thinking; metacognition

What is Metacognition?

The awareness and understanding of one's own cognitive processes, enabling individuals to monitor, regulate, and improve their learning and problem-solving. Essentially, knowing how you learn and using that knowledge to get better at learning!

People use executive functions to do everything, and the great news is: these skills can be taught. Research shows that the more humans practice a skill, the better they are at using it (practice makes progress!) Practice and repetition strengthen neural pathways—and this applies to executive functioning just as it does in athletics, academics, etc.

Additionally, research shows that children’s brains continue to develop until about 25 years of age. This means there is ample time and opportunity to help build these skills in students and children, and at Rye Country Day we do just that with intention and purpose!

RCD-EF

From Pre-K to Grade 12 at RCDS, executive functioning skills are fostered in each division and infused into the curriculum and daily lives of our students.

● In the Lower School, executive functioning skills are taught implicitly throughout the day, whether the student is in the classroom, on the field, or on the stage. Students work on skills like time management, organizing their spaces and belongings, or outlining ideas before writing, all with directed support from their teachers. As the students move through the Lower School, students take on more and more of these skills and need less guidance or repetition to make them their own. This helps prepare them for Middle School.

● In the Middle School, EF skills are taught explicitly through the curriculum and with the expertise

of our Study Skills Coordinator, Ms. Sarah Peck, in conjunction with a content teacher. For example, students are taught how to use homework planners to plan, prioritize, and organize homework demands. Students are also taught how to study for assessments and use the study guides as a working tool. The goal is to make these routines into habits to empower our Middle School students and equip them for success in their Upper School years.

● In the Upper School, students are taught EF skills such as furthering their outlining skills for an essay to support organization, planning, and time management in writing. Additionally, building selfadvocacy skills to support needed metacognition and goal-directed persistence is a top priority.

HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS

● Smart but Scattered by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare

THE KEY: ROUTINE

A throughline to our approach to EF at RCDS is routine. By design, EF skills become part of daily routines in each division. This is because routines help take the pressure off practicing EF skills. If skills can become rote and done without much thought, then working memory is freed up to tackle other tasks.

Routines can also be implemented at home. For example, for Lower School students, children may want to put their backpack in the same location when they get home from school. This simple routine will make it easier to get out the door to school the next day. (No one is spending time and energy searching for a backpack, and we know exactly where it is.) Similarly, having a designated distraction-free homework space at home can also set your child up for success. This puts the mental energy on doing homework as opposed to getting organized to do it.

Understanding executive functioning isn’t just about improving homework habits; it’s about equipping students with the tools they need to navigate life with confidence and independence. For example, routines help to organize children—and adults—so they can spend less time getting ready for tasks and more time engaged in them! And research resoundingly tells us that being more present or engaged in life is continually linked to satisfaction, joy, and success. This is particularly why RCDS prioritizes equipping our students with EF skills and tools. We want to give our students tools that set them up for academic success and lifelong independence.

● The Everything Parent’s Guide to Children with Executive Functioning Disorder by Rebecca Branstetter, Ph.D.

● Executive Functions, What They Are, How They Work, and Why They Evolved by Russell Barkley

STEPHEN TOFANO

MS Manual Arts teacher Stephen Tofano will retire after 27 years at RCDS at the end of the 2024-25 school year. Mr. Tofano always brings a spark to his classroom, and his students and colleagues can attest to the fact that learning with him is always exciting. He not only teaches skills—he infuses a soulful joy into the work, helping students confidently believe in what they can make with their own two hands. In Mr. Tofano's class, every project becomes a portal into deep, engaged learning. With a signature knack for inspiring creativity, curiosity, and joy, Mr. Tofano is an artist, maker, and mentor who has left a deep and lasting imprint on the Middle School. Thank you, Mr. Tofano, for enriching our school community for 27 terrific years! We will wish you all the best retirement.

LIZANNE ROSENZWEIG

MS Spanish teacher Lizanne Rosenzweig will retire after 21 years at RCDS at the end of the 2024-25 school year. Known for her incredible ability to quietly elevate everything around her—not just curriculum, but the spirit of the classroom—Ms. Rosenzweig is beloved by her students, families, and colleagues. Her dedicated, joyful commitment to language and learning has left an indelible mark on the RCDS community. A mentor, storyteller, source of light, and proud parent of three RCDS graduates—David '11, Kenny '06, Steven '03—Lizanne Rosenzweig will forever be a Wildcat and an inspiring example of the impact of a generous heart and firm belief in the power of education and connection. Thank you, Sra. Rosenzweig, for 21 outstanding years at RCDS. Le deseamos lo mejor en su jubilación!

JOAN KUBISCH

Upper School Spanish teacher

Joan Kubisch will retire after 20 years at RCDS at the end of the 2024-25 school year. If you know Sra. Kubisch, you know this: she is a unifier who models the value of life-long learning (she even once enrolled in an Upper School painting class!) A fierce advocate for anyone in need and always an upstander, Ms. Kubisch encourages confidence in her students by letting them know their voice matters—and that they should use their voices to be helpful and purposeful whenever they can. She has planted seeds of care, courage, and deep connection in all of her relationships at RCDS. Thank you, Sra. Kubisch, for your service and your heart. Our community is more connected because of you. Estamos emocionados y emocionadas por tu próximo capítulo.

In 2025-26, RCDS will welcome 140 new students. Here are some fun facts about our newest Wildcats.

BY HOMETOWN

Danbury, CT

Darien, CT (2)

Greenwich, CT (12)

New Canaan, CT

Old Greenwich, CT (3)

Riverside, CT (3)

Weston, CT

Stamford, CT

Palm Beach, FL

Honolulu, HI

Alpine, NJ (2)

Jersey City, NJ

Bronx, NY (4)

Armonk, NY (2)

Bedford, NY (2)

Bedford Corners, NY

Bedford Hills, NY

Bronxville, NY (6)

Brooklyn, NY (2)

Chappaqua, NY

East Amherst, NY (2)

Goldens Bridge, NY

Harrison, NY (2)

Hartsdale, NY

Irvington, NY

Larchmont, NY (6)

Mamaroneck, NY (5)

Mount Vernon, NY (6)

New York, NY (7)

New Rochelle, NY

Pelham, NY (2)

Plainville, NY

Pleasantville, NY

Port Chester, NY (2)

Purchase, NY (4)

Rye, NY (26)

Rye Brook, NY

Scarsdale, NY (10)

West Harrison, NY (2)

White Plains, NY (2)

Yonkers, NY (3)

Westbury, NY

Austin, TX

Bellevue, WA (3)

Monique Caterina Kindergarten Teacher

n Who inspired you to become a teacher?

I was inspired to become a teacher by my Nana Dot who worked in elementary schools and my Kindergarten teacher Mrs. Rubin. As a young child one of my favorite memories is playing school with my friends. Throughout my life, most of my work has centered around children, and I cannot believe I have been teaching for 22 years!

n What is your favorite part of teaching Kindergarten?

My favorite part of teaching Kindergarten is watching the tremendous growth children make academically, socially, and emotionally throughout the school year. At this age students are filled with so much joy and excitement for learning. I love watching children’s literacy development as they become confident readers and writers. Through read-alouds and projects, students learn about the various Heritage Months and seeing their curiosity and connection to different cultures and the world around them is quite rewarding.

n Do you have one standout example of CONNECTION from this past year?

In Kindergarten we have Fourth-Grade Buddies with whom we meet once a month. It is wonderful to see the connection between the classes and watch these friendships blossom. The Kindergartners are bursting with joy every time they see their buddies for our monthly gatherings, in the hallways, or during our Community Meetings.

n Being a part of a classroom community represents early lessons in responsible citizenship. What does this look like in daily classroom experiences for Kindergartners?

Each day we begin with a Morning Meeting. This creates a positive nurturing environment where students learn the importance of being part of a community. Children have the opportunity to do their class jobs each week, which develops independence and responsibility.

n As an early childhood educator, what are the lessons you consider essential for students as they begin their academic and personal growth journeys? How can these be supported at home?

Each child unfolds in their own time and at their own pace. It is important to value children’s academic, social, and emotional development equally. When we support all aspects of a child’s development it creates balance, inspires curiosity, and empowers a love of lifelong learning.

"When we support all aspects of a child’s development it creates balance, inspires curiosity, and empowers a love of lifelong learning."

Andrés Cerpa US English Teacher, Grade 11 Dean

n What inspired you to become an English teacher?

I knew that I wanted to become an English teacher after taking a poetry course in my sophomore year of college. The conversations the professor inspired activated my imagination and created a feeling that we were not only reading but exploring the world. Being an English teacher allows me to be part of meaningful conversations about the human experience and continually learn.

n You’re a celebrated poet. Tell us how poetry factors into your teaching?

I view writing as a long conversation—a conversation that spans space and time. The ultimate goal of writing is to inspire others to express and understand themselves. As a teacher, whether it is assigning a book, an essay or creative project, I have the same set of goals. Teaching and writing are creative acts and they nourish one another.

n What are some takeaways that you hope will remain with your students throughout their adult lives?

I hope that my students will remember that reading literature can be transformative, and that they still find value in self expression. Also, I want them to remember the 4 C’s of essay writing: Clear, Concise, Cohesive, Complex.

n Tech is very prevalent in the lives of teenagers. How do you navigate this in your teaching?

Students are writing informally in their daily lives more than ever. My hope is that I can help them craft their unique voices so that they can express themselves in a variety of mediums. In my classroom, we have begun to navigate responsible use of AI and consistently utilize multiple modes of communication to create compelling projects. Throughout the year, we have had students make digital art galleries, videos, podcasts, and recorded multimedia performance pieces to express their relationship to literature and the world.

n You’re the Grade 11 Dean. What is your favorite part of this role?

Getting to know and support so many students. It is a great privilege to be part of so many students’ RCDS journey.

n Is it ever too late to start reading and/or writing poetry?

No! Remember, poems are not puzzles to be solved but frameworks to help us explore. Start small and have fun.

"I hope that my students will remember that reading literature can be transformative, and that they always find value in self expression."

Adele Dominicus Middle School Math Teacher

n What is your favorite unit or mathematics concept to teach?

I love teaching the quadratic formula! It’s the culmination of the Algebra 1 curriculum. To make it memorable, I always introduce it by singing the formula to the tune of "Pop Goes the Weasel." (Nothing says corny like a math teacher singing jingles!) This quirky approach not only brings a bit of fun into the classroom, it also helps students remember the formula more readily.

n What about learning math usually surprises or intrigues Middle Schoolers?

Math is not as black and white as one might think. There are often multiple pathways to arrive at an answer. This flexibility is one of the beautiful aspects of math—it encourages creativity and critical thinking. By exploring various methods, students can find the approach that resonates best with them and develop a deeper understanding of the concepts. This diversity in problem-solving techniques also fosters a richer and more engaging learning experience

n What inspired you to become a math teacher, and in Middle School specifically?

Middle school is the best! I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of this group’s learning journey. They are demonstrating increasing independence, confidently expressing their own opinions, taking on

more responsibilities, and showing signs of developing a stronger sense of self. I thoroughly enjoy laughing with them in class and in the hallways. I always say that I didn’t find math, but math definitely found me. Math is a mysterious and beautiful subject, yet it often is not the most liked. My goal has always been to show my students how math can be fascinating and approachable. I always try to inspire a sense of wonder and curiosity about math by helping students see its relevance and application in everyday life. Together, we discover the joy in solving problems and the satisfaction that comes from understanding complex concepts.

n What are some math takeaways that you hope will remain with students throughout their adult lives?

You are all math people! Embrace the mindset that math is for everyone. Always strive to find the joy in your learning journey. Remember, each problem you solve is a step towards unlocking new levels of understanding and curiosity. Celebrate your progress and the moments when everything just clicks.

n How have advancements in technology impacted teaching and learning math?

Teachers need to embrace AI as a useful tool in the classroom. With proper guidance and patience, AI tools such as ChatGPT can enhance student learning in math. My students have utilized AI to create study guides, practice tests, and even linear functions for a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts. AI has not only engaged them in innovative ways but also personalized their learning experience, adapting to their individual needs and skill levels. As educators, we must remain open to incorporating technology to foster a more dynamic and effective learning environment.

"You are all math people! Embrace the mindset that math is for everyone. Always strive to find the joy in your learning journey."

2024-25 WINTER SPORTS AWARDS

On Thursday, March 6, the RCDS Athletic Department hosted the Winter Sports Awards, honoring and celebrating varsity athletes. It was an exciting season for the Wildcats, with seven teams winning championships. Each team’s athletes were celebrated with a variety of awards including All-League Honors, Coaches Award, Wildcat Award, and more.

ATHLETICS SPIRIT AWARD

• Kyle Sisitsky ’25

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

• 2025 NYSAIS Champions

• Coaches Award: Sydney Cohn ’25

• Wildcat Award: Anika Bhat ’25

• 2025-26 Captains: Claire Jiang ’26, Sahar Harris ’26, Mei MacIntyre ’26

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

• FAA Honorable Mention: Amir Hogans ’26

• Coaches Award: Johnny Gasparro ’25

• John Sabia Wildcat Award: Lucius Lui ’26

• 2025-26 Captains: Lucius Lui ’26, Henry Kosann ’27

BOYS’ FENCING

• ISFL All-League: Ray Cao ’26 (2nd, Boys’ Epee)

• ISFL All-League: Leon Zhou ’26 (2nd, Boys’ Foil)

• Joe Rue Coaches Award: David Kern ’25

• Maureen Hartman Wildcat Award: Leon Zhou ’26

• 2025-26 Captains: Ray Cao ’26, Cooper Wu ’26, Leon Zhou ’26

GIRLS’ FENCING

• 2025 ISFL Season Champions (Girls’ Foil)

• 2025 NYSAIS Champions (Girls’ Foil)

• ISFL All-League: Grace F. ’29 (1st, Girls’ Foil)

• ISFL All-League: Selena Zhang ’26 (3rd, Girls’ Foil)

• ISFL All-League: Eliana Thomas ’26 (5th, Girls’ Foil)

• NYSAIS Tournament: Grace F. ’29 (1st, Girls Foil)

• Joe Rue Coaches Award: Anika Kini ’25, Lizzy Yepes ’25

• Maureen Hartman Wildcat Award: Selena Zhang ’26

• 2025-26 Captains: Elaine Fong ’27, Ishana Kumar ’26, Selena Zhang ’26

BOYS’ ICE HOCKEY

• 2025 FAA Champions

• 2025 FAA Tournament Champions (Second consecutive)

• FAA All-League First Team: Ari Israel ’25

• FAA All-League Second Team: Lachlan Bommer ’25

• FAA All-League Second Team: Paul Heintz ’27

• FAA Honorable Mention: Jacob Tucznio ’27

• Maria Effinger Coaches Award: Ari Israel ’25

• Charles Stahlin Wildcat Award: Lachlan Bommer ’25

• 2025-26 Captains: Richie Morrow ’26, Paul Heintz ’26, Andrew Eason ’26

GIRLS’ ICE HOCKEY

• FAA All-League Second Team: Olivia Bongiorni ’26

• FAA All-League Second Team: Freya Collins ’26

• FAA All-League Second Team: Julia Heintz ’25

• FAA Honorable Mention: Summer Sisitsky ’27

• Gil Castagna Coaches Award: Freya Collins ’26

• Wildcat Award: Julia Heintz ’25

• 2025-26 Captains: Freya Collins ’26, Olivia Bongiorni ’26

BOYS’ SQUASH

• 2025 NYSAIS Champions (Fourth consecutive)

• FAA All-League: Henry Fogel ’25

• FAA All-League: Chris Mathias ’25

• FAA All-League: Winn Metrailler ’26

• FAA All-League: Turner Wolf ’25

• FAA Honorable Mention: James Murphy ’25

• Coaches Award: James Murphy ’25

• Wildcat Award: Winn Metrailler ’26

• 2025-26 Captains: Winn Metrailler ’26 and Andrew Mulderry ’26

GIRLS’ SQUASH

• 2025 Division III U.S. High School National Champions

• FAA All-League: AJ Bodenstein ’26

• FAA All-League: Sadie Kolodner ’28

• FAA Honorable Mention: Georgina Murphy ’28

• Coaches Award: Sadie Kolodner ’28

• Wildcat Award: AJ Bodenstein ’26

• 2025-26 Captains: Yana Thukral ’26 and Alexandra Lynch ’27

BOYS’ INDOOR TRACK

• All-State: Joaquin Gonzalez ’25 (Long Jump & Triple Jump)

• All-State: Dorel Dunkley ’25 (Shot Put)

• NYS Federation Qualifier: Joaquin Gonzalez ’25 (Triple Jump & Long Jump)

• Coaches Award: Tyler Perry ’25

• Wildcat Award: Joaquin Gonzalez ’25

• 2025-26 Captains: Michael Allen '27, Marshall Brown '28, Harry Holtman '26

GIRLS’ INDOOR TRACK

• All-State: 4x400m Relay (Keira Zheng ’25, Mary Grace Eubanks ’25, Kayla Rosen ’28, Taeko Fueno ’25)

• All-State: 4X200m Relay (Payton Richardson ’28, Ava Morgan ’27, Jocelyn Rice ’27, Ailey Denson ’28)

• NYSAIS Champion: 4X200m Relay (Payton Richardson ’28, Ava Morgan ’27, Jocelyn Rice ’27, Ailey Denson ’28)

• NYS Federation Qualifier: 4x400m Relay (Keira Zheng ’25, Mary Grace Eubanks ’25, Kayla Rosen ’28, Taeko Fueno ’25)

• NYS Federation Qualifier: 4X200m Relay (Payton Richardson ’28, Ava Morgan ’27, Jocelyn Rice ’27, Ailey Denson ’28)

• Coaches Award: Mary Grace Eubanks’25

• Wildcat Award: Keira Zheng ’25

• 2025-26 Captains: Jocelyn Rice ’27, Payton Richardson ’28

WRESTLING

• 2025 PSAA Champions

• FAA Honorable Mention: Joseph Rafferty ’26

• PSAA All-League: Kenji C. ’29

• PSAA All-League: Brayan Escalante ’28

• PSAA All-League: Harry Moss ’26

• PSAA All-League: Joseph Rafferty ’26 (League MVP)

• NYS Federation Qualifier: Kenji C. ’29

• Coaches Award: Harry Moss ’26

• Frank Antonelli Wildcat Award: Joseph Rafferty ’26

• 2025-26 Captains: Harry Moss ’26 and Joseph Rafferty ’26

'25 WINTER CHAMPIONS

CONGRATULATIONS, WILDCATS, ON A TERRIFIC WINTER SEASON!

 Girls’ 4x200m Relay  boys' ice hockey  boys' squash

 fencing - Girls' foil  girls' basketball

girls' squash  boys' wrestling

CHAMPIONSHIPS

On Wednesday, February 26, the Girls’ Varsity Basketball team captured the NYSAIS Championship after defeating Riverdale Country Day, 45-31, in an exciting game hosted by The Spence School. The team had a strong tournament run, defeating Marymount, Sacred Heart, and Riverdale Country Day by more than nine points.

On Wednesday, January 22, the Varsity Wrestling team secured the Private School Athletic Association (PSAA) Championship title after defeating Long Island Lutheran, 3532, in their final home match of the season. This marks the Wildcats’ first championship since the 2022 season. With victories over Martin Luther, Stonybrook, and Long Island Lutheran, the Rye Country Day finished with an impressive 3-0 record in conference play.

On Friday, February 14, the Boys’ Varsity Squash team captured its fourth consecutive NYSAIS Championship, defeating Hackley 7-0, at Spence 412 Athletic & Ecology Center. This wrapped up a successful NYSAIS Tournament, as the team did not drop a single match. The Wildcats defeated Grace Church School, 7-0, in the quarterfinals, Trinity, 7-0, in the semifinals, and Hackley, 7-0, in the championship match. On Sunday, February 23, the Boys’ Varsity Squash team finished 10th at the 2025 Division I U.S. High School Squash National Championships. The tournament was held at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center in Philadelphia, PA, from February 21 to 23. Ranking tenth in the nation concludes an exciting season for RCDS Boys’ Varsity Squash.

On Saturday, March 1, the Boys’ Varsity Ice Hockey team captured the 2025 FAA Teddy Balkind Memorial Championship, defeating King, 6-3, on home ice. The team had a great postseason tournament, defeating Kingswood Oxford 9-2 in the semifinals and King, 6-3, in a rousing championship game. The win marks the second consecutive season that the team is crowned FAA Tournament Champions. It was an exciting conclusion to the team’s outstanding 17-2 campaign.

On Sunday, February 23, the Girls’ Varsity Squash team was named 2025 Division III National Champions of the 2025 U.S. High School Squash National Championships. The team was victorious in all matches of the tournament, beating St. George’s 5-2 in the opening round, St. Mark’s 5-2 in the quarterfinals, Milton 5-2 in the semifinals, and Phillips Exeter 5-2 in the championship. The tournament was held at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center in Philadelphia, PA, from February 21-23.

Varsity Fencing delivered an outstanding performance at the inaugural NYSAIS Fencing Tournament, with one team and five individual student-athletes earning medals for their top-four finishes. The Girls’ Foil team, made up of Grace F. ’29, Ishana Kumar ’26, Eliana Thomas ’26, and Selena Zhang ’26, achieved a remarkable 51-3 record in individual bouts and went on to secure the NYSAIS Championship with a flawless 6-0 performance. Earlier in the month on Thursday, February 20, the team was also named ISFL Champions, after finishing the regular season undefeated with a perfect 9-0 record.

The Girls’ 4x200m Relay Team, consisting of Ailey Denson ’28, Ava Morgan ’27, Jocelyn Rice ’27, and Payton Richardson ’28, were crowned NYSAIS Champions with a new season-best time of 1:47.65. The fantastic mark also earned all-state honors.

RECOGNITIONS

The Girls’ 4x400m Relay Team of Mary Grace Eubanks ’25, Taeko Fueno ’25, Kayla Rosen ’28, and Keira Zheng ’25 placed third, clocking in at 4:14.37 to earn allstate honors.

Individual honors were awarded to the top-four fencers in each weapon category at the NYSAIS Tournament:

Grace F. ’29: 1st in Girls’ Foil

Selena Zhang ’26: 2nd in Girls’ Foil

Ishana Kumar ’26: 3rd in Girls’ Foil

Ray Cao ’26: 2nd in Boys’ Epee

Leon Zhou ’26: 2nd in Boys’ Foil

The Varsity Fencing team had an outstanding performance at this year’s ISFL Individual Championships, with four RCDS students receiving medals for placing in the top eight in their respective disciplines.

Ray Cao ’26: 2nd Place in Boys’ Epee

Matthew Lee ’26: 3rd Place in Boys’ Epee

Grace F. ’29: 2nd Place in Girls’ Foil

Ishana Kumar ’26: 3rd Place in Girls’ Foil

Dorel Dunkley ’25 finished second in the shot put, with a monster toss of 4103.50 to earn all-state honors.

Joaquin Gonzalez ’25 had a phenomenal meet, finishing second in the triple jump (40-09.25) and third in the long jump (19-09.25). Joaquin earned all-state honors for both of the marks and is a New York State Federation Qualifier in both events.

Grace F. Selena Zhang Ishana Kumar

Ray Cao Leon Zhou

Matthew Lee

On Thursday, February 20, six members of the Middle School Wrestling team medaled in the 2025 FAA League Championship at Brunswick. The team had a stellar outing, with each Wildcat winning at least one match during the competition. Congratulations, Ross, Ethan, Jayan, John, Gus, and Colin on these accomplishments!

FAA Championship Final Results

Ross K. ’29: 2nd Place

Ethan W. ’30: 2nd Place

Jayan K. ’30: 3rd Place

John T. ’30: 3rd Place

Gus V. ’30: 3rd Place

Colin H. ’30: 4th Place

Six student-athletes on the RCDS Varsity Wrestling team medaled at the 2025 NYSAIS Wrestling Championship. Placing second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth, these Wildcats had an impressive showing:

Kenji C. ’29: Second Place

Kenji’s strong finish also qualified him to compete at the NYS Federation Tournament in Albany, NY from February 28 to March 1.

Joseph Rafferty ’26: Third Place

Harry Moss ’26: Fourth Place

Brayan Escalante ’28: Fifth Place

Bruno G. ’29: Sixth Place

James G. ’29: Sixth Place

Lachlan Bommer '25 was named to the 2024-25 lohud Ice Hockey Super 6, while Paul Heintz '27, Ari Israel '25, and Jacob Tucznio '27 were recognized as part of the Best of the Rest. This distinction highlights the premier boys' ice hockey players in Westchester, Rockland, and Putnam counties and the top runnerups. The selections are based on past performances and evaluations from local coaches, identifying players expected to make a significant impact during the winter season.

Amir Hogans ’26 was named to the NYSSWA All-State First Team Defense.

On Friday, December 6, both RCDS Varsity basketball programs were named 2024 Columbia Prep Tip-Off Tournament Champions.

The Girls’ Varsity Basketball team beat Democracy Prep, 50-16, in the first round and then defeated Hunter College High School, 45-36, to win the Championship.

The Boys’ Varsity Basketball team topped Democracy Prep, 64-56, in the first round and then beat Columbia Prep, 89-62, to win the Championship.

On November 24, Nina M. ’30 won the Girls’ Under 13 Westchester LifeTime Silver Squash

Tournament. This was Nina’s first silver tournament win, dropping just one game throughout the entire competition.

On December 7, Magnus J. ’31 came in third place in the Boys’ Under 13 WCC Junior Bronze Tournament. Magnus won three straight games in this impressive start to his first year of competitive squash.

In 2024, Veer B. ’31 won three bronze medals in Youth Under 12 fencing tournaments—two at the regional level and one nationally. He placed third at the Trick-or-Retreat (33 competitors), Cobra Challenge (111 competitors), and the Ultimate Fencing RYC (42 competitors). Veer also finished in the top 12 at three other tournaments that year.

Grace F. ’29 became the youngest A-rated USA fencer of women’s foil in the United States after earning a gold medal at the USA Fencing Regional Junior and Cadet Circuit on December 15. Fencers earn certain ratings (A through E), depending on the size and level of a tournament, along with the quality and size of the opponent pool. An A rating can only be earned with a combination of a substantial-size pool, a highly rated set of opponents, and a significant finishing position. An A ranking is the highest mark in USA fencing. On December 6, Grace also had another impressive tournament, placing 6th in the Junior Women’s Foil event at the USA Fencing Super Junior and Cadet Circuit in Atlanta.

Winn Metrailler '26 delivered a standout performance at the Arlen Specter Philadelphia Junior Championship Tournament in January, securing a runner-up finish. Throughout the competition, he dropped just two games to reach the finals. As a result of his impressive performance, Winn ascended to the No. 4 ranking in the Boys' Under-17 Division in the United States. From March 14-16, Winn competed at the US Junior Squash Championships at the Arlen Specter Squash Center in Philadelphia,

Pennsylvania, earning third place in the Boys’ Under 17 age group. Winn played a total of five matches at the tournament and reached the semifinals after a strong start, winning his first two matches, 3-0. He dominated the 3rd and 4th-place playoff, 3-0, to secure 3rd place in the Boys’ Under 17 age group nationwide.

On December 8, Zachary Mathias ’28, Audrey D. ’29, and Maclane A. ’30 each medaled at the MSquash Sono Junior Silver Squash Tournament.

Zachary Mathias ’28 won the Boys’ Under 15 Division, winning all but one game throughout the tournament.

Audrey D. ’29 came in second in the Girls’ Under 15 Division, and made it to the finals after an impressive tournament.

Maclane A. ’30 placed third in the Girls’ Under 15 Division, winning all but one game throughout the tournament.

Luke T. ’30 and the 2012 Mid-Fairfield Junior Rangers competed in the 65th Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. The team was crowned tournament champions, finishing the competition with a

ANNUAL ATHLETICS IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PANEL OFFERS PRACTICAL TOOLKIT AND PLAYBOOK

FOR COLLEGIATE SPORT HOPEFULS

On December 3, the Athletics Department and Office of College Counseling teamed up to host the annual Athletics in College Admissions program via Zoom. Bringing together RCDS coaches, college counselors, and teachers with collegiate athletic experience, the event was a detailed exploration of the recruiting process for students hoping to continue their athletic careers in college. Going beyond the recruitment stage, the panel also shared their insights on the experience of participating in sports during their undergraduate years. Members of the College Counseling

6-0 record. The 2012 Mid-Fairfield Team is the No.1-ranked 2012 team in North America after an amazing 68-0 record throughout the 2024-25 campaign. The Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament is one of the most prestigious minor hockey tournaments in the world. It is a yearly tournament that features 120 teams from all over the world. This year’s tournament was held from February 12-23, 2025.

Jenny Xu '27 and Arianna Yu '28 won three medals at the International Skating Union Synchronized Skating Junior World Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden, proudly representing Team USA as members of Skyliners Junior. Held on March 7-8, the competition, which featured 24 teams from 19 countries, showcased the world's top junior synchronized skating talent. In their short program, Jenny and Arianna’s team earned a silver medal for their impressive performance to "Nessun Dorma" from the opera “Turandot.” They followed this with a bronze medal in their long program, which was set to the theme of "Northern Lights" and featured music from the film “Interstellar.” With their outstanding performances, Jenny and Arianna’s team also

Office and Athletics Department also summarized the various supports in place at RCDS for students wishing to pursue athletics in college. Thank you to our panelists and attendees for an informative discussion.

Panelists

secured the overall bronze medal at the Championships. Having qualified in early February, Jenny and Arianna were one of only two teams from the United States selected to compete in this prestigious event.

WINTER WILDCAT WEEKEND

2025

Rye Country Day School hosted its third Annual Winter Wildcat Weekend on Friday, January 31, and Saturday, February 1. Friday evening was full of blue and gold cheer, as students came out in large numbers to support our six Varsity teams competing in the Scott A. Nelson Athletic Center. The festivities continued on Saturday with the Family Skating Party in the ice rink.

Kate Antonelli: Lower School Associate Teacher; Girls' Varsity Lacrosse Assistant Coach

John Calandros: Physical Education and Varsity Football Coach

Courtney Doucette: Director of Admissions & Enrollment Management

Clemmie Everett: Humanities Department Chair; Upper School Humanities Teacher; Varsity Field Hockey Coach

Georgette Summers: Interim Athletic Director, Varsity Field Hockey and Girls' Lacrosse Coach

Tara Kalinisan: Associate Director of College Counseling

Performing Arts

30 Years of Festival Chorus

Music, passion, and community

In January, the Festival Chorus Concert— founded by Music Department Chair Mary Marcell in 1995—celebrated its 30th anniversary. Audiences gathered at Rye Presbyterian to listen to 100+ intergenerational voices sing a beautiful collection of selections from Craig Hella Johnson’s Considering Matthew Shepard.

The chorus featured the US Concert Choir, alumni, parents/guardians, employees, and community singers. An instrumental ensemble (strings, clarinet, electric guitar, and rhythm section) accompanied the multi-genre performance (classical, blues, gospel, and chant).

Considering Matthew Shepard is a three-part fusion oratorio that blends diverse musical styles to narrate the story of Matthew Shepard, a 22-year-old college student found murdered in Laramie, WY. in 1998. His death became a catalyst for change, leading to the passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The tragedy shed light on the pervasive issue of homophobia and the struggles faced by the LGBTQ+ community.

Prompting listeners and performers alike to find the courage to face hate and the human suffering it causes, Craig Hella Johnson’s composition urges us to come together to heal

and amplify the justice work that has taken place since Matthew’s death.

Ms. Marcell selected this year’s piece with the hope that the experience would spread the message “love is always worth fighting for— for all of us.” Expressing the complex emotions the performance evokes, Ms. Marcell said, “It prompts us to ask the questions: how do we go on after such horror and how do we find love amongst such hate.” She continues, “Gathering as a community to mourn and uplift our spirits in song can be a balm as we grapple with difficult realities.”

Congratulations and many thanks to the RCDS Festival Chorus for 30 years of beautiful music. Special thanks to Mary Marcell for founding, leading, and music directing this wonderful Rye Country Day tradition.

Watch this video celebrating the harmony of connection over three decades of bringing our voices, minds, and hearts together.

Big Little Voices

Kindergarten Winter Sing

On March 5, Kindergartners delivered a beautiful Winter Sing performance for their parents and guardians. They performed joyfully, as they highlighted their expanding musical skills—from vocals to rhythm instruments and improvised song lyrics. They even performed a folk dance.

Grade 1 Winter Sing

On February 26, first graders performed for their families and Middle School friends at the Grade 1 Winter Sing. The performance showcased the songs, movements, and techniques they have learned in music class with Ms. Franklin—from high and low pitches to repeating rhythms to create a harmony.

Grades 2-4 Concert & Ice Cream Social

On April 3, Students in Grades 2, 3, and 4 delighted audiences with their vocal and instrumental skills (recorder, ukulele, and percussion). The Lower Schoolers were especially proud to showcase the work they had done in music specials with Ms. Franklin.

Middle School Musical

This year’s Middle School musical was TheLightning Thief:ThePercyJacksonMusical, adapted from the best-selling book The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. The cast and crew delivered a terrific performance of the action-packed mythical adventure featuring an energetic rock’n’roll original score.

“I am so proud of the incredible work our students did to bring Percy Jackson to life. They worked hard and had a great time!”

– Drama & Dance Department Chair Kate Henerey

Upper School Musical

The 2025 Upper School Musical, Head Over Heels, was a spectacular production featuring the songs of the iconic '80s band The Go-Go's. Celebrating the power of love, the jukebox musical emphasizes the joy people experience when they follow their heart, live authentically, and embrace all that makes them unique. For two nights, the cast and crew impressed the RCDS community with their beautiful singing, compelling acting, and energetic dancing.

“I sat in the audience in awe of their talent, passion, and dedication. Their hard work, deep appreciation for this story, and unwavering belief in the power of theatre made this show everything it could be. I am incredibly proud of them, and my heart is still full of gratitude for this experience and amazing group of people. They really are rockstars.”

– Jeff Hogan, Upper School Drama Teacher

Space, Form and Objects, the Upper School 3D art exhibit, was a dynamic showcase of innovation and craftsmanship, with each piece exploring the relationship between form, space, and materiality, through artful engagement with threedimensional design. Student-artists' technical skills and artistic sensibilities were evident in the show’s evocative architectural models, ceramics, clay 3D-printed forms, sculptures, installations, fiber art works, and fashion designs.

Visual Arts

Middle and Upper School 3D Art Exhibits Innovation and Craftsmanship Across Mediums

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR TALENTED STUDENT

Middle School artists presented shadow boxes and ceramic works, highlighting their creative techniques and artistic problem-solving. The impressive sculptural works on display included coil pots, ceramic birds, cupcakes, animal jars, and mixed-media constructions. Throughout the year, Middle Schoolers worked to refine their skills in shaping, balancing, and detailing three-dimensional forms. The exhibit emphasized the creative progress in each grade level, showing how students transition from initial explorations in hand-building and texture to more advanced projects that incorporate intricate forms, surface decoration, and glazing techniques.

The Middle and Upper School 2D Art Show showcased a wide range of student artwork created in Drawing, Painting, and Photography classes. The pieces reflect the students’ journey of growth, beginning with foundational skills (such as drawing from direct observation) and progressing to a variety of more advanced techniques.

AP Photography Exhibition

2024 Lower School Art Show

Every year, the Lower School Art Show showcases beautiful creations from students in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 4. The exhibition of artwork was a culmination of the students’ learning and creativity in the art room throughout the first half of the school year. Artworks included drawings, paintings, sculptures, collages, and more. Each student in the division had a piece in the extensive exhibit!

The AP Photography Exhibitions showcased the images students took during summer. The images represent the emerging concepts they have learned in AP Photography, such as advanced composition, layering, and narrative sequencing. The photos are a reflection of the technical and creative growth students have achieved. These images are the foundation for their main thesis for their AP Photography Portfolios, which they will complete in the second half of the year.

2026 Spring Benefit

Saturday, April 18, 2026

Westchester Country Club

Vice President - Volunteers: Giulia Bertucci Arencibia P'26, P'28, P'33

New Alumni Board Members

RCDS is pleased to welcome new additions to the School’s Alumni Executive Board. The Rye Country Day Alumni Executive Board Committee acts as an ambassador of the School to the broader alumni community. Members preserve, encourage and stimulate loyalty and support for Rye Country Day School as a whole, foster strong relationships between the School and its alumni, and promote interaction with the School through alumni participation in activities and philanthropic support.

Ryan Davidson ’11

While pursuing his M.B.A. at The Wharton School, Ryan Davidson came up with the concept for the mobile app Impact Local. Drawing on his education as well as his experience as a hedge fund analyst, Ryan focused on developing an app that made it easy to do good right in one’s own neighborhood with just a few simple clicks. Impact Local highlights regional charities and provides users with the tools needed to research those organizations and reassure themselves that a donation is well directed. The app was launched in New York City in January 2023 and today includes approximately 40 organizations that can accept donations directly through the app and another 1,000 that require users to take one additional step to donate by going to the organization’s website.

Jeffery Grasso, Jr. ’12

Jeff Grasso Jr. is Director at Grasso Development Corp. He holds an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School and a B.A. in Economics from Union College. Jeff graduated from Rye Country Day School in 2012, where he was a captain of the Varsity Baseball Team and a key member of the NYSAIS Championship-winning Varsity Basketball teams in 2009 and 2010. His father, Jeff Grasso Sr., owns Grasso Development Corp, a real estate development company, and his mother, Margaret Grasso, is a real estate broker at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. His sisters, Jessica (RCDS ‘14) and Juliette (RCDS ‘20), work at Tiger Global and Morgan Stanley, respectively.

Kenji Hashimoto ’99

Following his master’s program in electrical and computer engineering from Cornell University, Kenji Hashimoto began his career at Intel Corporation as a Senior Test R&D Engineer. He soon moved to Silicon Valley for a position at Zazzle, where he was focused on uniting art and technology to power the online customization of physical products. This led Kenji to found his start-up, Indivio, which allowed marketers to customize their digital video ads. In December 2021, Indivio was acquired by Israeli-based tech company Cloudinary. Today Kenji and his team work with industries from retail and e-commerce to travel and hospitality and assist in marketing initiatives for brands such as Nintendo, Peloton, Levi’s, and NBC.

Cynthia Luo ’14

At RCDS, Cynthia Luo enjoyed singing with the WildScats, fencing, dancing with the Cedar Street Dance Company, and serving as a Peer Leader. She then attended Harvard College before entering the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Cynthia is now living in Los Angeles and working as a resident emergency medicine physician at Harbor-UCLA. She recently got married in upstate New York, with her sister Kasey ’17 serving as the maid of honor.

Additionally, the Alumni Executive Board is excited to have two alumni return to serve another term on the committee.

Melanie Baevsky Bevinick '07

Melanie Baevsky Bevinick currently leads DoorDash's Enterprise & MidMarket Partnerships Team, a group focused on structuring and renegotiating partnerships with the nation's largest restaurants. She previously led Digital Partnerships at NBCU, working directly with Snapchat, Apple, YouTube, and others. Prior to NBCU, Melanie was a founding member of Pinterest's New York office, where she led Retail Partnerships on the East Coast, and Twitter's New York office, where she joined as the company's first Account Coordinator on the U.S. Sales team. At Twitter, Melanie moved on to further build and specialize within the Tech vertical as a Senior Account Manager working with large agencies and clients, including Microsoft, LG, and General Electric. She received her bachelor's degree at Cornell University.

Daniel Wallance '00

Daniel Wallance is a cybersecurity consultant having worked in the United States, Middle East, and Europe for global corporations. He graduated from M.I.T. where he was a Fellow in the System Design & Management Program, jointly operated by the Sloan School of Management and the M.I.T. School of Engineering. Daniel also earned a master's degree from Harvard Business School. Prior to M.I.T., Daniel was the operations director at a boutique investment firm where he designed the firm’s business systems and processes, including redundant and secure enterprise-wide IT systems.

Reunited & It Feels So Good!

Saturday, October 19, 2024

Wildcat Weekend & Reunion brought many familiar faces back home to RCDS, as alumni reunited with classmates and beloved faculty members at various events. It was absolutely wonderful to welcome our Wildcats back home to RCDS!

Golden Alumni Dinner

The Class of 1974 gathered with a record number of attendees to celebrate their 50th reunion. The classmates gathered for a reception in the Pinkham Building Main Hall, followed by dinner in the Middle and Upper School Dining Hall. Some even joined by Zoom!

Reunion Cocktail Reception

Alumni with class years ending in 4 and 9 gathered in the PAC Foyer to catch up, make new connections, and celebrate shared RCDS bonds. Former faculty members also joined the festivities.

You’ve Got Mail!

Parents of alumni came together on campus to make Valentine’s Day packages filled with candy and sweet messages for their children in college. Hosted by the Office of Alumni Relations, this beloved tradition is a terrific example of the meaningful connections parents make both with each other and the School during their time at Rye Country Day and beyond.

Celebrating Connection In The Alumni Community

Alumni Winter Games

On Saturday, December 21, the RCDS Alumni Winter Games brought old friends together for an afternoon of camaraderie and friendly competition. With Coaches Castagna and Effinger leading on the ice and Coach Haft on the court, over 40 alumni spanning multiple decades reunited for spirited games. Hockey players Erek Nimphius '06 and Alex Linhart '02 and basketball player Joe Burns '17 were honored as the Most Valuable Players for their respective sports.

While the alumni competed, RCDS Upper and Middle School student volunteers hosted a fun-filled afternoon of winter crafts and activities for younger attendees, creating a festive and familyfriendly atmosphere.

RCDS on the Road: DC

On Monday, January 27, 2025, the Office of Alumni Relations hosted a regional alumni gathering in Washington, DC.

Reflections on RCDS

In February, seven recent graduates volunteered as panelists for the annual Reflections on RCDS event. The young alumni reflected on their RCDS years and how they are helping them thrive in their postgraduate endeavors. All of the panelists touched on the School’s supportive community and the sense of belonging they felt when they were enrolled. Service was also a prominent theme, as the panelists talked about the ways in which they are giving back to their college and personal communities.

The conversation, which gave prospective families a firsthand look at the lasting benefits of the RCDS experience, was moderated by Senior Associate Director of College Counseling Aimee Rincon.

Thank you to our panelists!

Charlotte Ballantoni '22, Skidmore College

Jack de Haan '24, Brown University

Elizabeth Hawkey '24, Bucknell University

Sameer Hirani '24, Northwestern University

Anya Khemlani '23, Northeastern University

AJ Pisacano '23, Georgetown University

Seneca Song '24, Berklee College of Music

RCDS Wildcats spanning eight decades came out to connect with each other and with Head of School Randall Dunn, Director of Alumni Relations Melissa Mahoney Wirth ’97, Director of Advancement Lynette Gioffre, Director of College Counseling Jeff Bates, and Coach Gil Castagna. A special highlight of the evening was the presence of former Drama Department Chair and US English Teacher Cary Fuller H’89. In addition to reminiscing, alumni were delighted to hear exciting news from campus.

It was a terrific night of Rye Country Day spirit and community. We are so grateful for the continued engagement and support of our alumni and look forward to more RCDS on the Road events in the future.

Alumni Summer Internship Program

CREATING NETWORKS FOR GROWTH

Rye Country Day School is renowned for its commitment to developing leaders with a passion for lifelong learning. In 2024, the Office of Alumni Relations took a new step in that mission with the launch of an exciting new initiative: the Alumni Summer Internship Program . The offering is designed to provide college-aged alumni with real-world opportunities for professional growth in a diversity of fields, from finance and fashion to law, medicine, and education.

The internships are made possible thanks to a generous network of RCDS parents and guardians like Steve Bjornson P'30, P'32, P'34, Senior Vice President & Head of Operations, Vaccines, for Pfizer Research & Development. Last summer, Mr. Bjornson, who also serves as Pfizer’s Pearl River, NY Site Head, hosted RCDS alumni Peter Nicholas ’22 and Adé Larsen ’23 as interns at Pfizer’s 1100+ colleague campus in nearby Pearl River, NY.

“When our children entered Rye Country Day two years ago, my wife Anna and I indicated that we wanted to be involved in the school as much as possible,” Mr. Bjornson observes, “so when Director of Alumni Relations Melissa Mahoney Wirth '97 reached out and inquired about Pfizer’s interest in hosting interns, I jumped at the opportunity.”

The company’s existing internship program, Pfizer Futures, was a natural fit, Bjornson continues. “Pfizer offers a robust college internship program across many of its US locations, including in Pearl River and at its global headquarters in New York City. Rye Country Day’s Alumni Internship Program not only gives me an excellent opportunity to support RCDS graduates but also nurture a strong pipeline of next-generation talent for Pfizer. It’s a win-win.”

Steve Bjornson P'30, P'32, P'34,

Pfizer’s first two RCDS interns offer just the type of talent Bjornson hopes to cultivate. Peter Nicholas '22 is a junior at Emory University pursuing a double major in neuroscience and biology. He plans to enter an MD/PhD program after graduation then practice medicine and work in research. “I’ve been interested in a career in biotechnology since middle school, so having the opportunity to learn more about drug and vaccine development at Pfizer while still in college was incredibly valuable,” observes Peter. “Collaborating with other interns and Pfizer professionals gave me great insight into my potential career. Everyone I met was generous with their time and knowledge.”

Over the course of the summer, Peter focused on software development and coding. “Coding isn’t my area of expertise, so the work was challenging,” he concedes, “but learning Pfizer’s proprietary coding language and then using it to solve problems was rewarding. Coding is an essential skill to have in biotech, so I was incredibly grateful for the experience.” This coming summer, Peter will be doing another Pfizer internship, this time in portfolio management in the company’s New York headquarters. “I’m excited to learn how a drug development project moves from early discovery to manufacturing and distribution,” he observes. “My goal is to push innovation in medicine forward while also remaining mindful of the impact of the pharmaceutical industry on society, and my experiences at Pfizer have given me greater clarity on how to pursue those aims.”

his time at Pfizer. “I was collaborating with amazing intellectuals working at the top of their field. They treated me as a colleague and generously shared their knowledge,” he enthuses. “It was an amazing experience that gave me great insight into what my career could look like. I’m interested in biologics in medicine and health, so working under a product manager in Pfizer’s vaccine research and development facility for 12 weeks was terrific exposure.”

As a sponsor, Mr. Bjornson is similarly enthusiastic about the experience. “I’m a strong believer in science and deeply appreciate Rye Country Day’s approach to education,

did great work for Pfizer during their time on campus. “I’m delighted to provide visibility within the company to RCDS students, but they must earn that privilege, and both Adé and Peter did.” Pfizer’s internship program is highly competitive with over 10,000 applications for approximately 500 internships. “Peter and Adé were selected amongst strong candidates from top academic institutions, and they are a testament to the quality of RCDS graduates.”

The experience is one Adé will not soon forget. “I came away from my internship with a new appreciation for the power of taking initiative,” he observes. “I learned that if you’re interested in a project, you need to reach out to people and ask how you can get involved. I also gained greater awareness of the variety of roles possible within Pfizer and the subjects I need to pursue while still in college. My internship offered me invaluable life skills that I will continue to use throughout my career. I’m incredibly grateful for the experience.”

which encourages exploration and understanding at a foundational level,” he observes. “We need talented individuals pursuing STEM careers at all levels, so allowing students to witness the real-world applications of their knowledge across our ecosystem— from biology and informatics to chemistry, finance, and statistics—is incredibly important. These internships offer us the opportunity to highlight the different aspects of our research environment.”

Peter is similarly enthusiastic. “Getting career advice and practical experience from the scientists I worked with at Pfizer was a tremendous benefit. They helped me gain a better understanding of the opportunities in biotech and the wide array of professional opportunities available within the pharmaceutical industry. And they helped me see the benefits of pursuing an MD/PhD path.” Mr. Bjornson was also a great mentor, adds Peter. “He’s a busy guy, but he was always available to Adé and me. It was clear he wanted us to have a meaningful experience.”

Mr. Bjornson’s second RCDS intern was Adé Larsen '23. A past recipient of Rye Country Day’s Head of School’s Prize and currently a sophomore at MIT, Adé is a pre-med major and has his eye set on obtaining dual degrees in medicine and business. He has nothing but praise for

Hosting interns is gratifying on a personal level as well, Mr. Bjornson adds. “The joy for me comes with matching students’ interests with our industry’s challenges and giving them a glimpse of what their future could be.” And, Mr. Bjornson notes, both Adé and Peter

Scsn the QR Code to learn more about the Alumni Summer Internship Program

Adé Larsen ’23

Peter Nicholas ’22

Alumni Profile

By Lori Ferguson

ADAM BERENZWEIG ’93

A tech mind with an environmentalist heart

As a student at Rye Country Day, Adam Berenzweig breezed through math classes, took a deep dive into computer science, and jammed with the band on saxophone and bass guitar. As fate would have it, this sampler platter of experiences foreshadowed the elements that have figured prominently in his career as an engineer probing the possibilities of machine learning and the interface between humans and computers.

Following graduation from Rye Country Day, Adam hit the ground running. After earning a B.S. in computer science from Yale University and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Columbia University, he joined Google as a software engineer, leading the team that launched Google Play music. Next up was a stint as Chief Technology Officer for the machine learning and image recognition technology company Clarifai. Then in June of 2017, he embraced a new challenge as director of research and development for CTRL-Labs, a neural interface start-up working in the Brain-Machine Interface (BMI) space.

In simple terms, CTRL-Labs develops wearable computing devices. Its primary project: an armband that provides a noninvasive neuromuscular interface between user and computer. The device obviates a user’s need for a keyboard, joystick, or mouse, instead reading muscular micromovements in the arm created by motor neuron signals travelling from the brain through the spinal cord to the hand and transmitting them to the computer.

Such devices are important for several reasons, Adam explains. For one, wearable computing permits the seamless integration of technology into one’s life. “Imagine you’re walking down the street with shopping bags in your hand and your phone rings,” he says. “Normally you’d have to scramble to extract your phone from your pocket or bag, unlock the screen and answer. With a wearable device, you can skip all those steps

and answer with a micromovement that sends a command to your phone to answer.”

And this is just one of many examples, Adam continues. The technology not only enhances convenience but also allows for digital user experiences that are richer and more complex, for example in gaming. “We consume information at an incredibly high bandwidth, but we produce it much more slowly,” he explains. “A fast typist can only produce 80 to 100 words per minute and speaking quickly yields just 100 to 150 words per minute. Neural signals from the brain, however, move much more quickly, so tapping into them directly has powerful implications.”

The technology also offers important opportunities in medicine, Adam notes. “The clinical applications are revolutionary. Wearable tech such as this could allow people with spinal cord injuries as well as Parkinson’s, ALS, and other neurodegenerative diseases the ability to communicate despite their condition.” Industry leaders are taking note; Facebook (now META) purchased CTRL-Labs in 2019, folding it into the company’s Reality Labs initiative.

Now Adam is focused on another challenge. In February of this year, he left Reality Labs to focus his tech talents on a new target: the nation’s food system. “I’ve always been an environmentalist at heart,” he observes, “and a few years ago I read a report by the nonprofit Project Drawdown that captured my attention. The report ranked the top 25 climate change solutions on a series of metrics including impact, cost, feasibility, and likelihood of success, and I was really surprised to discover that half of the solutions focused on food systems and land use. I decided to see how I might use my tech background to effect positive change in this space.”

The answer was Long Future Farms, a 270-acre agroforestry farm and neighboring 180-acre property in upstate New York that grows food “in a way that’s sustainable, balanced and healthy for people, animals and the planet.” The idea is to raise animals amongst trees and crops that

enhance soil health with minimal outside input; the plants nurture the animals and the animals fertilize the plants in a harmonious circle that maximizes resilience in the face of climate change.

As Cofounder and Climate Impact Officer, Adam is working to transform farming into a process that’s in harmony with nature rather than harmful to it. “Our animals range freely and graze on grasses rather than grains, a diet that’s much healthier and more natural than those supplied in factory farms. Their waste fertilizes the trees and enriches the soil. And the meat they produce is better too, more flavorful and rich in Omega 3s.”

The entire process is more harmonious and sustainable, he argues. “If you think about it, our primary connection to the land is food—there’s almost a spiritual element to it. I believe that if we can return to producing food in complete, sustainable ecosystems, it will have tremendous implications for environmental health and climate resilience through greater food security.”

Adam credits Rye Country Day for preparing him to pursue his wide-ranging interests. A student beginning in the second grade, he enthusiastically lists the many benefits he enjoyed, from a rigorous academic program supported by outstanding teachers to a supportive community of friends, some of whom he remains in close touch with to this day. In fact, Adam notes, RCDS classmate Alex Mooradian '93 is involved with Long Future Farms. “He came out to visit last summer and got excited about the mission, and now he's running the business side of the operation.”

Academically, Rye Country Day gave him a leg up in several regards, says Adam. For one, the opportunity to accelerate his education in continuedonpage56

“If you think about it, our primary connection to the land is food— there’s almost a spiritual element to it. I believe that if we can return to producing food in complete, sustainable ecosystems, it will have tremendous implications for environmental health and climate resilience through greater food security.”

Class News & Notes

1969

Richard Perlman ’69, Chairman of the Family Law Section of the Sarasota County Bar Association, recently conducted a program entitled: Family Feuds; How the Police Keep The Peace. The program focused on how law enforcement responds to reports of domestic violence and the recent efforts of Gabby Petito's mother to enact the Gabby Petito bill requiring law enforcement to implement a Lethality Assessment to more effectively screen for domestic violence and take the necessary steps to deal appropriately with the victim and perpetrator.

1973

Winter Park’s Mayor Sheila DeCiccio dedicated February 14 a special day as Winter Park's official Will Graves Day! Will Graves ’73 graduated Rollins College with a Masters Degree in Business Administration. With over 50 years of Volunteer Leadership, Will has been in 24 publications and coined the term “National Community Activist” in the December 7, 2008 issue of Chief Executive Magazine.

1976

Robert Herbst ’76, P’11, P’14 continued his powerlifting career, taking home the gold medal at the Single Event National Powerlifting Championships held in Hanson, MA. Robert competed in the middleweight division (75 kgs/165 lbs). Following this victory, on November 2, he took silver at the WDFPF World Powerlifting

Championships in the middleweight (75 kg) division, M6 age group. He also earned the title of Oldest Person to 10-meter yoke carry (male) in the Guinness World Records. To set the record, he carried 273 kgs./601 lbs. 10 meters in under one minute at an age of 65 years, 123 days.

1978

Julie Beck Hill ’78 writes, "I went back to school this Fall! While I continue to work as an Oncology Nurse Practitioner at the VA in West Haven, CT, I am pursuing a Masters in Divinity at Duke. Duke has a hybrid program where you spend one week per term on campus and then have remote classes the rest of the year. It is a great program and I am loving being in school again. I am hoping to transition to the role of hospital chaplain when I retire from the VA. I am modeling lifelong learning for my grandkids."

1980

Jaime Allen ’80 shared that in November an original musical of his called Alexsei's Quest was showcased at the Manhattan Theater Club.

1981

Donald Kyle ’81 welcomed his first grandson, Jack Thomas Kyle!

1983

George Stein ’83 shared his new endeavor in South Central LA called LA LAcrosse. LA Lacrosse is a program that teaches boys and girls the sport of lacrosse. Its goal is to bring this sport to children who otherwise would not be able to participate due to expense.

1984

Brent Forester ’84 offers thanks to his Tufts Medicine colleague, Dr. Jim Lech, for joining him on a podcast discussing the diagnosis and holistic treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, caring for caregivers and opportunities to promote healthy brain aging. He will also serve as the CEO for the Tufts Medicine - Acadia Healthcare joint venture Behavioral Health Hospital in Malden MA, a 144-bed state of the art psychiatric hospital slated to open in the fall of 2025.

1988

Charlie Fields ’88 recently joined the Executive Board of The NFL Alumni NY/Long Island Chapter as Treasurer. This organization bridges the gap between retired NFL players and local businesses, creating meaningful connections and fostering community engagement.

Congratulations to New York Times Reporter and San Francisco Bureau Chief, Thomas Fuller ’88 whose book The Boys of Riverside- A Deaf Football Team and a Quest for Glory about a deaf football team was chosen as the number 1 book in 2024 by Amazon Books Editors Picks! The incredible story of an all-deaf high school football team’s triumphant climb from underdog to undefeated, their inspirational brotherhood, a fascinating portrait of deafness in America, and the indefatigable head coach who spearheaded the team.

1991

Jonathan Levine ’91 is now Dean of University Of Wisconsin at Madison’s Veterinary School.

1993

Blythe Keeler Robinson ’93, President & CEO of Sheltering Arms, was recognized as one of Atlanta Business League’s 100 Most Influential Black Women!

1995

Evan Shapiro ’95 was featured on FASTer with Amagi where Evan discussed his quixotic career, the birth of the media-utility bundle, the future of FAST, and more.

Christian DeGennaro ’95 started a new job at Amagi Corporation!

Jory Benerofe ’95 was featured on the podcast As We Create. Jory is a creative director and strategist. After 20 years at Vineyard Vines, Jory has gone on to lead creative teams at HumanCo and is currently building his own creative consultancy.

45th REUNION

30th REUNION

Class News & Notes

1996

Rene Lumley-Hall ’96 was invited to join the Council on Foreign Relations as a Life Member and looks forward to contributing to important dialogues on global challenges and continuing to learn from the extraordinary network of leaders.

1997

Liz Finklestein ’97 started a new position as a Style Advisor for Saks Fifth Avenue in Greenwich, CT.

1998

Pamella Jenkins ’98 shares that she started a new position as Recruiting Coordinator at NCSA College Recruiting.

Carla LoPinto-Khoury ’98 writes, "I have been promoted to Professor of Neurology at Temple UniversityLewis Katz School of Medicine."

2001

Exiger Chief Marketing Officer Kody Gurfein ’01 was named one of The Top 50 Women Leaders in Software of 2024.

2002

Katie Hunt ’02, Co-Founder and CEO of Oh Norman!, recently joined Jenna Todey on The Woman Inc. Podcast for an inspiring and insightful conversation where she shared the journey behind creating Oh Norman!—The Healthy AF Dog Brand—alongside actress Kaley Cuoco.

2003

Julia Turshen ’03 released her new cookbook What Goes with What. Alongside Varsity Hockey Coach Steve Forzaglia and Grade 10 Dean and Upper School English

Teacher Ted Heintz, Geoff Exum ’03 participated in a 24-hour hockey game fundraiser for LivFree, an organization that offers support to families dealing with pediatric cancer. The event raised over $160,000 and Geoff, Steve, and Ted raised over $11,000, smashing their goal of $4500, thanks in large part to assists from the RCDS and Rye Rangers communities.

2005

Jackfir, the certified-clean men's skincare brand founded by Charlie Razook ’05, was once again featured in GQ Magazine as “The Best Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin.”

Partner Vanessa Jackson Young ’05 was named to Bloomberg Law’s “40 Under 40” list! Her profile highlights some of her biggest deals, the most important lesson she learned as a first-year attorney, how she defines success, her proudest moments, and her greatest mentors.

2006

Robi Hager 06 returned to Theatre Horizon to reprise his Barrymore Award-Nominated performance as Jonathan in tick, tick...BOOM!, which he co-directed with Steve Pacek.

Daniel Lust ’06 co-authored a book titled College Sports Law in a Nutshell, which covers the full legal history of college sports all the way to the recent developments of sports gambling, conference realignment, the NIL era and House v. NCAA. Dan was also recognized in the newly released 2025 edition of Best Lawyers in America in the Sports Law category.

Beautiful Blessed Child, a play written by Daria Miyeko Marinelli ’06, won the Ollie Award for the most ambitious new play by an emerging playwright. The play was featured by Broadway World as 1 of 8 in IAMA Theatre Company’s 7th Annual New Works Festival.

2010

The Assessment, a film produced by Grant Johnson ’10, had its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. Set in a future world destroyed by climate change, the sci-fi thriller follows a couple who must pass an assessment before they are allowed to have a child. The film stars Elizabeth Olsen, Alicia Vikander, Himesh Patel, Indira Varma, Nicholas Pinnock, Charlotte Ritchie, Leah Harvey, and Minnie Driver.

Caroline Holden ’10 started a new role as a Growth Marketing Manager at Datavolo!

Nichelle Holmes ’10 accepted a new role at Northrop Grumman as Senior Content Strategist.

Katie Sandling ’10 and Adam Colombo ‘10 welcomed baby Maya Sandling Colombo into the world on March 24, 2024.

2011

Congratulations to Allie Farber Tisch ’11, daughter of Pam Farber ’80 who married Charles Tisch in July.

Ryan Herbst ’11, son of Robert Herbst ’76 and brother of Eric Herbst ’14, married Michelle Edelson on October 14, 2023, in Great Barrington, MA.

Lowes Moore, III ’11 stars as Eddie Kendricks in the musical Ain’t Too Proud- The Life and Times of The Temptations.

20th REUNION

15th REUNION

2012

This past fall, Elizabeth Mignon ’12 started a new position as 8th Grade Level Coordinator at The Dalton School.

2013

Carolyn Binder ’13 is excited to share that she has been promoted to Senior Business Development Manager, Creators at Amazon.

2014

Francesca Columbo ’14 writes, “After finishing my first year of my MBA at the University of Michigan - Stephen M. Ross School of Business, I’ve started a new position as a Product Management II Intern at Intuit in San Diego."

Avery Wagman ’14 was promoted to Supervisor at Publicis Sport & Entertainment. In April, she married Anders Larson.

2015

10th REUNION

Brooke Castagna ’15 reports that she is officially a psychotherapist at New Horizons Psychological Services, PLLC with specialties in Eating Disorder Treatment, anxiety, depression, OCD, ad BFRBs

2016

Billy Grossman ’16 started a new position as Business Development & Marketing Manager, Sport & Military at Q30 Innovations.

2017

Taylor Regan ’17 started a new position as Assistant Manager, Global

Marketing & Product Innovation, at SkinCeuticals. She will be focusing on developing and executing global marketing strategies and leading product innovation for the brightening category and medical professional category.

2018

Sam Berger ’18 was promoted to Vice President of Business Development at Crescent Pine Family Office Group.

Tatiana Fernandez ’18 joined SpaLife Beauty as a Social Media Marketing Associate. She will be focusing on developing and implementing innovative social media strategies to enhance brand awareness, engage our audience, and drive growth across digital platforms.

2019

Allan Houston, Jr. ’19 joined The Passman Saperstein Bahr Group at Morgan Stanley.

LEAVING A LEGACY

2020

5th REUNION

Wesleyan University graduate and lacrosse player Laura Baine ’20 earned 2024 NCAA Division III All-American and AllNESCAC First Team honors after a fantastic 2024 season during which she set career-highs in points (79), goals (49), and assists (30). Laura is only the seventh player in Wesleyan program history to record 100 career goals, as well as earning NESCAC Player of the Week and IWLCA D-III Offensive Player of the Week honors. Her 197 career points are second all-time in program history.

new position as Beauty Account Coordinator at Alison Brod Marketing and Communications on the L’Oreal Paris Account."

Last spring, Charlotte Price ’20 wrapped up a notable lacrosse career at Middlebury College, winning three National Championships and three NESCAC All-Academic honors. She was also a member of the IWLCA Division III Honor Roll in 2023 and 2024. Charlotte now works as a New Business Associate at Plaid.

On February 8, senior guard Shane Regan ’20 of No. 1 Wesleyan University achieved a significant milestone, recording his 1,000th career point for the Cardinals. He became the 28th player in the program’s history to reach this achievement. Regan delivered an outstanding performance, scoring 14 of his game-high 22 points in the second half.

A senior guard, Regan is currently averaging a team-leading 17.9 points per game. His exceptional play has been a driving force behind the Cardinals' No. 1 ranking in NCAA Division III Basketball, as they remain the last undefeated team in NCAA Division III with a perfect 22-0 record. Regan, who earned New England Small College Athletic Conference First Team honors for the 2023-24 season, continues to build upon his impressive list of accolades.

The Susan J. Life Society recognizes and honors the generosity of those who have made provisions for the School in their wills or estate plans.

For more information on ways to combine planning for the future and support of Rye Country Day School, please contact Julie McCrory ’03, Manager of Stewardship and Engagement, at (914) 925-4526 or julie_mccrory@ryecountryday.org

Nancy Linehan ’20 finished her undergraduate program at Syracuse University and graduated summa cum laude majoring in psychology and neuroscience and minoring in addiction studies. In June, she joined Soar Autism Center in Centennial, CO as a behavioral technician working with ages 2-6.

Cassandra (Sadie) Silverman Guffey ’20 is finishing her first year as a Pre-Kindergarten Associate Teacher at RCDS.

Ryan Hammel '20 writes, "I’m happy to share that I’m starting a

In 2024, Sena Selby ’20 graduated from Claremont McKenna College having majored in philosophy and public affairs with honors. She also pursued the Leadership Studies sequence. Sena completed her final year with CMS Women’s Tennis as a two-time captain and as a threetime ITA Scholar Athlete. She has relocated to Tokyo, Japan, where she is working in International Sales and Public Relations at Yonex.

On December 8, Emory University Junior Ben Pearce ’21 recorded his 1,000th career point for the Eagles, becoming just the 19th player in the

*Photo courtesy of Wesleyan University Athletics

Class News & Notes

program’s history to do so. In addition to reaching this achievement, Ben recorded his second career double-double, with a season-high 26 points and a career-best 12 rebounds.

A junior guard averaging 17.8 points per game, Ben helped the Eagles earn the No. 1 spot on the D3hoops.com poll in Division III basketball for the first time. He continues to stack the accolades at Emory, earning University Athletic Association First Team honors in 2023-24 and UAA Rookie of

Gideon Prempeh '21 completed an internship as a corporate communications intern at Bloomberg, a partner of Prep for Prep for more than 30 years.

2022

Charlotte Ballantoni ’22 writes, "Last semester, I had the incredible honor of being selected by the Skidmore College Classics Department to be inducted to the Iota Nu chapter of Eta Sigma Phi. Eta Sigma Phi is the national collegiate honors society for students of Greek and/or Latin. I am humbled and grateful by the induction and am eager to finish my Classics minor. Many thanks to the RCDS Classics Department for fostering my love of Latin and the classical world!”

2023

Sabrina Fang ’23 represented Canada on the women’s foil team in the Paris Olympics last summer. Sabrina turned in a tremendous freshman campaign at Princeton, earning second-team All-Ivy League honors as a rookie in 2024 and was a 2024 USFCA All-Region honorable mention. This was her first trip to the Olympics after she went 10-5 at the Ivy League Championships and finished 11th at the NCAA Regional.

2024

Ronald Feng ’24 was awarded Honorable Mention by the 2023-24 committee for the Milton Fisher Scholarship for Innovation and Creativity. Administered by the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, the Milton Fisher Scholarship for Innovation and Creativity is a four-year renewable scholarship open to exceptionally innovative and creative high school seniors and first-time college freshmen.

Wildcat

Weekend & Reunion

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2025: ALUMNI HALL OF FAME DINNER

Celebrate and honor alumni who have achieved significant milestones or made outstanding contributions in their fields, society, or RCDS. Nominate a classmate or teammate for this prestigious recognition at ryecountryday.org/halloffame

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2025: REUNION COCKTAIL RECEPTION

All alumni with class years ending in 0 and 5 will return home to RCDS to celebrate! The day will include on-campus activities, a festive reception, fun class gatherings, and more. Learn more and register at ryecountryday.org/reunion

Alumni Profile

Continued from page 52

mathematics was incredible. “In the fourth grade, my friend John Chakan and I were bored in our math class, so our teacher Mrs. Hecker asked if we wanted to jump ahead a grade. We both said ‘yes,’ and we stayed ahead in our math courses for the rest of our time at RCDS.”

Having access to computers beginning in Middle School was also a boon, he continues. “My Middle School computer science courses with Mrs. Jones

were super influential,” he recalls, “and my AP computer science courses with Mr. Bartels in Upper School were fantastic. They fully prepared me to jump into a computer science major. As an entering freshman at Yale, I already knew how to program.”

Adam is quick to point out, however, that despite a deep interest in math and computer science, his activities at Rye Country Day varied widely. “I also participated in theatre, sports and musical

activities,” he notes. Such diversity of experience is intrinsic to the mission of RCDS, where students are encouraged to explore the passions both in and out of the classroom and embrace the mindset of a lifelong learner, something Adam both acknowledges and appreciates. “My time at RCDS was great…a well-rounded academic experience,” he concludes.

In Memoriam

Rye Country Day School expresses its deepest condolences to the families and friends of the following members of our community who passed away since the last publication of the RCDS Bulletin.

Alumni

Jeffrey Benjamin ’81

Samuel Brookfield ’60

Emmy Kearney Coley ’54

Nina Berry Gerosa ’74

Courtney Michelle Hannans ’98

Nancy Faunce Haslett ’54

Michael Holmes ’82

Grace Butler Johnson ’62

Richard (Dick) A. R. Pinkham ’63, P’92, P’94, P’99, GP’22 (Former Trustee)

Helene Lippincott Peterson ’66

Cornelia Thompson Northrop ’58

Jane Eyre Repp ’48

Adam Schapiro ’91

Randy Eder Steinman ’83

Joseph William Weed ’54

Sarah Lee Arnold Whittemore ’52

Friends

Ann Demetreou Hopkins

Bob Schantz

Past Parents/Grandparents

Joseph Cassin P’90, P’93

John Furth P’77, P’79, GP’10, GP’14, GP’16

Elisabeth Geller GP’20 GP’22, GP’25

Peter Jovanovich P’96, P’98, GP’35

Ruth Manecke P’78, P’80

Louisa Marcus GP’23, GP’27

Steven Mason P’94, GP’29, GP’31

Mary Louise Reid P’68, P’71, P’74, P’78, P’79, P’85 (FormerTrustee)

Salvatore Sabia P’78, P’80

Ron Schliftman P’96, P’98, P’01 (FormerTrustee)

Sidney Sobel GP’14, GP’15, GP’18

Alan Stuart P’83, P’86, P’88 (FormerTrustee)

Stephen Taffet GP’17, GP’19, GP’20, GP’25

J. Scott Toth P’96, P’99, P’08

Roger Weiss P’91, GP’20, GP’23

Past Faculty and Staff

Stephen Balser ’63, P’98

UpperSchoolPrincipal(1996-1998),DirectorofStudies(1998-2014)

Barbara Goldfarb P’84, P’86 LowerSchoolTeacher(1974-1982)

Doug Higgins P’78

UpperSchoolPrincipal,MathandEnglishTeacher, andDirectorofComputerEducation(1971-1984)

Elizabeth White Hopkins LowerSchoolTeacher(1984-1985)

Bob MacLean

UpperSchoolEnglishTeacher,HockeyandLacrosseCoach(1965-1979)

Dick Pike H’11

UpperSchoolEnglish,Psychology,andDramaTeacher;IceHockey,Softball,and SoccerCoach;FounderoftheGirls’VarsitySoccerProgram(1971-2011)

Ann Sullivan AssociateHeadofSchool(2014-2018)

David Tafe P’96

UpperSchoolLatinandGreekTeacher,ClassicsDepartmentChair(1973-2013)

3 Cedar Street Rye, NY 10580

Visualizing History

In preparing their Global Trade projects, seventh-grade World History classes practiced collaboration skills in groups, creating a three-dimensional map in the Makerspace that depicts the Columbian Exchange/Transatlantic Trade, Indian Ocean Trade, Silk Road, and/or Trans-Saharan Trade.

Students’ maps also illustrated the different cultures that interacted along these routes. Later, each student assumed the perspective of a character that would have traveled along their map and wrote a diary entry that reflected the journey. The project culminated with some classes students presenting their projects to classmates.

“Skill development is at the core of this unit–our learners built perspectivetaking, writing, creativity, and public speaking skills through the project. Thanks to the Grade 7 World History teaching team for leading this learning experience.”

—Pen Vineyard, Middle School Principal