Middle School News

Middle School ski trip

On February 7, 2020, the Middle School traveled by bus to Shawnee Mountain in East Stroudsburg, PA, for the annual Middle School Ski Trip. A rainy, foggy morning created wet, slushy conditions on the mountain, but that didn’t stop the group of excited and eager Middle Schoolers! As the day went on, the fog cleared and the rain turned to light snow. After a full morning of skiing and snowboarding, students came back to the lodge to warm up and have lunch. In the afternoon, some students went tubing and others went back out to the slopes.

At the end of the day, Grades 6 and 7 packed up their gear and returned to Pennington. Grade 8 continued the fun overnight with a trip to the movies, dinner, and more time on the slopes the following day. We believe taking the time to get out of the classroom as a community enhances our relationships and provides opportunities to interact in new and different ways. In addition, the Middle School also used this trip as a way to celebrate a semester’s worth of academic effort and achievement. Many students learned to ski or snowboard for the first time, and others practiced while hanging out with their friends!

Middle School celebrates Kindness Week

From February 10 to February 14, the Middle School celebrated Kindness Week. This special week is one when students plan a variety of activities in order to spread kindness throughout Pennington. All week the Middle School students wrote nice notes, made crafts like friendship bracelets, and spread love and positivity. In addition to Kindness Week, the Middle School also celebrated Valentine’s Day with some special, meaningful valentines.

Global Perspectives—locker project

Middle School students in Global Perspectives were asked to create an art installation in their locker representing seven descriptors of culture: “family patterns,” “customs and traditions,” “language,” “arts and literature,” “religion,” “forms of government,” and “economic systems.” This unit in the class focused on building identity and finding commonalities among the students. They had artistic freedom to decorate the locker, but usually students mixed pictures, labels, and objects. It was a fun project to have students complete, because it gave them insight into one another's lives and the cultures that they bring to our community!

What makes a sustainable community ?

At the end of the first semester, the Middle School embarked on a day full of exploration of the question, “What makes a sustainable community?” Pairs of faculty members designed field trips relevant to the three themes of cultural identity, immigration, or climate change. These themes touch on the multifaceted reality of what creates sustainable development and communities, as captured from the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. Groups went out to locations such as Long Beach Island, Philadelphia, Hamilton, West Windsor, and Hopewell to actively find answers to the question. Students spoke to local political officials and experts in these fields, viewed art and murals, explored topics of science, and created projects with their collected wisdom and materials. Each group had a special lunch together, as well. All in all, students learned that a variety of viewpoints and skills is needed to make a community sustainable. Their discoveries included ideas of teamwork and collaboration, support, sharing of ideas, respect for others and the Earth, understanding where we come from, and envisioning where we can go in the future.

Opposite page: Mr. Moore and Mr. Ding’s group participated in a mural walk in Philadelphia to explore topics of immigration; this page, above: Ms. Alito and Ms. Houston’s group, who visited an Escape Room and then designed a climate change-themed room on campus; below: Mrs. Shaffer and Mrs. Farina’s group, who visited the Hydrogen House in Hopewell and made their own sustainable tree art that graced our Middle School lobby into the spring.

Art with Guatemala

In early March, students put the final touches on their works of art that were sent to students in Guatemala. The art was intended to represent a value they have. The students also added in cultural detail (such as the background or clothing) to communicate what life is like in the United States. The students in Guatemala had the same task! Artorama The seventh-graders started Artorama class on April 20 with Ms. Hall and Ms. L. Houston. In order to have students prepared and ready for their upcoming art lessons and the annual puppet show project, Ms. Hall packed up art supplies and the students’ sketchbooks. The two teachers divided up the list of students in the class and hand-delivered these Artorama gift bags right to the front doors of the seventh-graders!

Artorama Puppet Show

The seventh-graders in Artorama made puppets with the supplies dropped off for them by their teachers in April. They filmed their shows and then shared them with local kindergarten and first grade students at Toll Gate Grammar

School in Pennington.

Odyssey of the Mind Competition

This year marked Pennington’s ninth year of participation in the Odyssey of the Mind program. Beginning in November 2019, our Middle School teams began their planning and work for the long-term competition. The teams met each day after school until Spring Break, and while the solutions proved very creative, and we were ready for this regional competition, it was canceled due to concerns regarding COVID-19.

Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college, according to the New Jersey Odyssey of the Mind website. Odyssey of the Mind team members work together to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics. The Pennington School prepared solutions to the “Longshot Solution” Division II and “Net Working” Division II.

In the “Longshot Solution” presentation, team members collected supplies via three original team-made vehicles to complete a chemical reaction. The students had to perform an original skit that included characters and special effects, with an emphasis on running the vehicles to the “reaction center.” In the second problem, the team created a series of devices, including a pneumatic tube system, to represent segments of a home network device.

To prepare for the competition, the students built multiple vehicles and devices, designed and crafted costumes, created musical instruments, wrote scripts, made props, and designed and painted backdrops. In a normal year, the teams placing in the top two spots in each problem and division advance to the State Finals. Following that competition, the top two teams from each problem and division advance to the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals. For more information, visit https://njootm.org.facilisi.

Distance learning advisee friends

Young adult novelist Shannon A. Thompson once wrote, “We were together even when we were apart.” The Class of 2026 proved that to be true during their time together in Pennington’s distance-learning platform. Distance did not keep the sixthgraders from taking care of their close Advisory friends. In fact, with a little ingenuity and creativity, they figured out a way to both recreate one another and have some laughs with the new “2.0” versions of their friends. Each student in Advisory “remade” their friends out of paper, cloth, reusable household items, or anything they could use to build. Afterward, the new 2.0 version and the creator enjoyed some activities together. Whether it was playing soccer, LEGOs ®, a game, or enjoying a meal, all the 2.0 versions had a wonderful time with their buddies. After photographing the fun, students shared pictures and videos of their time together in their morning Advisory class. Not only did the sixth grade find ways to stay connected, but they also found ways to laugh and to bond. A few miles on a map can be conquered by a wonderful imagination!

Cooking Class

Lisa Fitzpatrick’s eighth-grade students were asked to perform scenes from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The plan was that they would perform it after Spring Break, but four of her students— Teagan Walsh, Sanjana Padmanabhan, Cici Yu, and Praslin Hayes—asked if they could present it via Zoom. They never had the chance to finish videorecording it before Spring Break, so they regrouped and shared an amazing piece of creative perseverance. Starting at the end of April, about ten Middle School students participated in Teacher of Middle School Spanish Tracy Kuser’s hour-long Cooking in Quarantine class. Every week, the students tackled new recipes including: fried rice, chocolate lava cakes, and fresh salsa, guacamole, and homemade tortilla chips. The goals of this class were to teach students to improvise with ingredients in the house, learn about new dishes, relax, and have fun!

Kuser came up with the idea for the class when she was cooking at home during the quarantine. She says, “During the quarantine I have noticed myself really relying on that creative outlet for calm and joy. I also found myself constantly trying to figure out how to be as efficient as possible with my ingredients (so I didn't have to go to the store often) and it was this thought that inspired me to offer these Cooking in Quarantine workshops.”

For Kuser, one of the most rewarding aspects of this activity was hearing from students after the class. She says, “I love hearing a student tell me how they have made the dish multiple times since the workshop or how they

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

MS Athletics Winter 2019–20

Girls’ Basketball Coach: Patrick Murphy

The 2019–20 Middle School Girls’ Basketball team had an outstanding season. The fun started with a sign-up that was so large that we created two teams and held a combination of games for both squads. Team members included eighth-graders Shahrin Akhtar, Micah Bowser, Nicolette Kirikian, Keke Nwoye, and Tess Zabele and seventh-graders Lia Brunetti-Carroll, Charlotte Close, Eliza O’Neil, Mykaela Sanders, Abby Stevenson, and Myla Tudor. Five sixthgraders also joined the hoops action: Amelia Buck, Laney Keith, Olivia Lee, Natalie Maschler, and Issy Wallace. The Red Raiders were successful in all respects: each and every player gained valuable experience on the court, and the team managed to win ten games while losing only three. The coach is excited for the next season!

Boys’ Basketball Coaches: Nathaniel Van Yperen and Will Burke

The Middle School Boys’ Basketball season was a success. Twenty-seven boys came out for basketball, so we were able to field two full teams. The A team consisted of mostly eighth-graders: Keane Brown, Nicky Esposito, JT Shamsey, Arun Bhattacharjee, John Hillman, Alex Brackin, Ray Heaton, Tom Craig, and Justin Davidyock. Topher Kelley represented the seventh grade, and sixth-grader Tait Brown gained experience as a swing player between the A and B teams. The A team finished with a 4–5 record, which included several very close losses. Throughout the season, the A team played hard, developed existing skills, and modeled sportsmanship. The B team consisted of players spanning grades 6–8, including James Bradley, Tait Brown, Michael Carroll, AJ Gray, Garrett Hardt, Jayce Hulme, Justin Jamieson, Grayson Levy, Dustin Liu, Lucas Medina, Teddy Molner, Leo Momo, Benjamin Pearlberg, Ian Sendak, and Hunter Shaffer. For many of the players, this was their first experience with organized basketball, but every player received substantial minutes on the court. The team exhibited an admirable amount of enthusiasm and support for each other.

MS Athletic Awards Winter 2019–20

Girls’ Basketball Coach’s Award–Nicolette Kirikian Fearlessness Award–Keke Nwoye

Boys’ Basketball–A Team Red Raider Award–JT Shamsey Coaches’ Award–Keane Brown

Boys’ Basketball –B Team Red Raider Award–Benjamin Pearlberg Coaches’ Award–Tait Brown

Swimming Red Raider Award–Owen Doughty Most Improved Award–Will Arthur Coaches’ Award–Alex Lee Coaches’ Award–Michela McCagg

Swimming Coaches: Brandon Hullings and Bill Hutnik

Nothing could stop the Middle School Swimming team this year from having a good time, improving our techniques, and reaching personal bests. The Middle School team finished the season at 1–1 after a shortened season due to the closure of the pool. Some of the swimmers chose to stay the course and train in the weight room until the Middle School Championship. Owen Doughty and Alex Lee earned first-place finishes at the Ranney Invitational while setting Pennington Middle School records in the 50 Backstroke and 200 Freestyle, respectively. Because the season was interrupted, we also remain undefeated (1–0) in dual meets in the new decade! Good luck to all of our eighth-graders as you join the Upper School swim team next year, and congratulations on a unique but successful season!

Middle School PLAY

A Note on this Year's Middle School Radio Play This year, with a strong group of eighthgraders, and dedicated sixth- and seventhgraders, we had every hope to re-mount this production with full sets, lighting, and costumes. But this spring was a huge surprise! Lucky for us, we picked a show set in the 1920s. We entered rehearsal with plans A (onstage production), B (staged as a radio play), and C (radio recording) in mind. Plan C is where we landed—Pennington's first-ever radio show! This was not an easy process, but it provided the students, and Leah and Sophia, with a great opportunity to stay creative and connected in an uncertain time, full of surprises.

A Note on the Production History of Muddah Goose The play’s author, David Lightfoot, was a Pennington faculty member who served the Cervone Center as an excellent teacher of Compensatory Skills. Lightfoot was also a dedicated hall parent, and he could also write and direct. During his tenure at Pennington from 1997 to 2011, he wrote six original Middle School productions to fit our students and the topics they were studying at the time. He also served as the play director. Simply put, he knows Middle Schoolers, and we love his plays. Pennington originally mounted this production under his direction in 2002, and then again in 2010. Suzanne Houston also directed it in Princeton in 2003. There is something really special about this show because all of the many characters have their own moments to shine. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the students in both of those earlier productions went on to serve as the core members of the Upper School Drama trips to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2007 and 2012.

by Lisa Houston

Director’s Note by Sophia Amaro ’20 and Leah Balerna ’20

Pennington Drama has been a huge part of our lives since Middle School. Directing the Middle School Play was something we always knew we wanted to do; therefore being given the opportunity to direct Muddah Goose was a dream come true. It feels as though our Pennington Drama careers came full circle, and being able to inspire Middle Schoolers to love drama as much as we do has been the most rewarding experience. We have learned so much about ourselves, each other, and the wonderful faculty and students here at Pennington. We have faced many challenges, had many laughs, and created so many special relationships with the new people we have gotten to know through creating this production. The Pennington Middle School is truly a special place, which is all reflected in the outcome of Muddah Goose.

We are incredibly grateful for the amazing cast and crew that stuck by the production through the events of COVID-19. The Middle Schoolers always brought infectious positive energy to every virtual rehearsal, which continued to inspire us throughout the entire process. We have learned the true meaning of community while directing this production. We had so much support from our mentors, and the actors could not have succeeded in creating this radio play without them. We took everything day by day and were able to create a production so unique that it will make its mark in Pennington Drama history, which is everything we could have hoped for. Muddah Goose was so special because it brought out everyone’s creativity and determination to create an amazing show despite any challenges. After going through this experience we know that we are capable of doing anything, no matter where life takes us. Muddah Goose has shown us that when one door closes, an even better one opens up.

This year's Middle School Play directors (below)

With the help of our mentors, we were able to come up with the idea for a radio show that anyone could listen to in the comfort of their own homes. Since Muddah Goose is set in the 1920s, it was the perfect way to perform the play. Radio plays were the basis of many people’s entertainment during that time, and we were so excited to be able to transport our audience into the world of Breezy City. We wanted to make sure that anyone who wanted to continue to participate in the show could, and our tech crew truly stepped up to the challenge. Middle School Tech Crew created stills of the different locations in the show as a backdrop for the show. Some members of the Tech Crew also recorded the sound effects for the entire show. The show would not have been possible if it were not for their creative ideas. The Costume Crew was able to design outfits for each character using articles of clothing the actors had in their homes. This way, they were still able to get into costume and take photos with their groups to use to promote the show. We were lucky to have such a talented group of kids to help us along the way, and we will always be grateful.

We would like to thank the very special people who helped us put together this production of Muddah Goose. Ms. S. Houston has taught us so much over the past year, and she continued to motivate us even at our low points. Mrs. Fitzpatrick did more than we could have asked for in designing the costumes. Ms. Hall and Ms. Houston were always there for us with words of wisdom to carry us through each day, and their ideas with the Tech Crew are the reason we were able to create such an incredible radio play. We would like to thank Mr. Secrest for all of the work he has put into this production, and for putting up with us every day. We are so thankful for his guidance; we would have been lost without him. To our Middle Schoolers, thank you for sticking by us and never giving up. You have made a huge impact on our lives and we can’t wait to see you in more shows in the future. This experience has truly taught us that “Sometimes, a surprise can be a good thing.”

All photos were taken via a Zoom photo shoot with costume items that students found at home.