Impact Report: Spring 2022

Together, We Discover More.

T H A N K YOU FOR SU PP ORT I NG T H E PI NGRY F U N D. Your generosity impacts every aspect of a Pingry education, including professional growth opportunities

for our faculty, enhancements to our facilities, and academic opportunities for our students. Although the specific topics of science and technology courses differ across our three divisions, they all have a common purpose: to allow students to think and explore.

Pingry’s science and technology programs provide students the opportunity to engage in hands-on experiments, research, collaborate, and problem-solve—all while incorporating a global perspective.

Your Pingry Fund support helps to make the Pingry experience remarkable.

Here are just a few of the many ways your participation directly impacts our students and faculty.

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“From Kindergarten through Form VI, Pingry students learn that science involves exploration, questioning, analyzing evidence, and challenging assumptions.

Rather than focus on memorization of facts, our faculty emphasize scientific reasoning and problem-solving. Our teachers also encourage students to embrace imagination, curiosity, ethics,

and risk-taking. Students learn to play with ideas and push beyond disciplinary boundaries to set ideas for a new purpose.

Students also habitually leverage the ideas, skills, and interests of their classmates, whom they come to regard as central to their learning.”

—DR. DELVIN DINKINS, ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL

PINGRY COMMUNITY RESEARCH JOURNAL At Pingry, students can get involved with hands-on research in the sciences and humanities thanks to the plethora of courses and clubs that are offered. The Pingry Fund makes this possible by compensating faculty advisors, filling budgets for equipment and other overhead costs, and providing the laboratory and research spaces students need to put their theories to the test.

The Pingry Community Research Journal (PCR) promotes intellectual curiosity and interest in science by highlighting those students’ original research. PCR’s editors—all Pingry students themselves—collect research from a number of sources: classes like AP Biology and student organizations including SMART, the Independent Research Team (IRT), and fyi sci. By publishing student research, the PCR editors not only celebrate and elevate the work of their peers but also develop scientific writing skills.

“Pingry provides ample opportunity for students to read scientific literature and perform novel research, whether in advanced courses or extracurriculars.

PCR complements that focus by providing a forum through which students can publish their own research,” says Editor-in-Chief Kristin Osika ’22. “This way, students can experience scientific publications from different perspectives—as an author and editor rather than just a reader.”

In science, the ability to clearly communicate research to a lay audience is essential. By writing and editing for PCR, students gain first-hand experience transforming complicated research topics into accessible reports and articles. “By editing the PCR, I learned about innumerable scientific topics, while also improving my scientific writing and literary skills. PCR provided an unparalleled opportunity

to enhance my skills as a scientist and as a communicator,” says Kristin.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, PCR hadn’t produced an issue in nearly a year. To rebuild the publication, Kristin had to develop and nurture a whole new set of skills—learning how to “hire” an editorial team, design and adhere to a strict timeline, follow up with authors and editors, and manage innumerable moving parts. Pingry Fund donors made a significant difference, as there are real costs associated with publishing in both web and print formats. The work of Kristin and her team paid off; PCR’s latest issue was released on April 11, and features articles as varied as Artificial Collagen as a Biomaterial and Creativity During COVID-19.

For community members not involved in the sciences at Pingry, PCR provides a single comprehensive publication that highlights research

by Pingry students. “Anyone who is curious about our work, whether it be a rising freshman or humanities teacher, can easily pick up a copy of PCR and gain a comprehensive sense of student interests and (incredible!) writing capabilities in science, while also learning more about topics ranging from astronomy, to music science, to cell biology for themselves,” says Kristin.

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SCIENCE SCHOLAR Recognition of Pingry students’ contributions to the sciences extends beyond the walls of the School. Katherine Xie ’22 received special accolades this year when she was announced as one of the top 300 scholars in the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2022.

The Regeneron Science Talent Search provides students a national stage to present original research, celebrating the hard work and novel discoveries of young scientists who are bringing a fresh perspective to significant global challenges. The scholars were selected from 1,805 applications received from 603 high schools across 46 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and eight other countries.

“I am honored to be counted in this group of exceptional high school seniors. It means a lot to be recognized for the research that I did, and this award has absolutely encouraged me to further pursue research in STEM,” says Katherine. “All the computer science classes I’ve taken since middle school, math classes like statistics, science classes ranging from biology to physics, and even English classes (which sharpened my writing skills) were all an integral part of my preparation—not to mention all the support I’ve gotten from countless teachers over the years.”

UPPER SCHOOL SCIENCE A veteran teacher with a master’s degree in Plant Pathology from the University of Wisconsin, David Maxwell, Science Department Chair, has been teaching at Pingry for the past 19 years. “My goal is to get kids hooked on science—the coolest thing there is,” says Mr. Maxwell. “At Pingry, the students are smart and eager to learn. More than that, the School gives me the support I need to teach biology the way it should be done—find an interesting question, then figure out the answer.”

Thanks to donor support, Pingry science students have access to laboratories and technology that rival what they will encounter in college and graduate school. Pingry Fund dollars help the School acquire and maintain this vital equipment, extend learning opportunities beyond our campus through science trips and other learning-by-doing programs, and promote continued growth and learning for teachers, like Mr. Maxwell, who bring science to life.

Mr. Maxwell’s AP Biology students represent only a fraction of those at Pingry conducting novel, collegiate-level research. The wide-ranging science research happening at Pingry requires an investment in resources and technology, and AP Biology is no exception. These budding scientists have been tasked with looking at increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and the effect that these levels have on plant growth. Of central importance to this work is a CO2 sensor device, provided by the generosity of Pingry Fund donors. “These devices aren’t inexpensive, and most schools don’t have anything like it,” says Mr. Maxwell, “but it opens a world of questions for students to ask which they wouldn’t be able to otherwise.” The best part?

“We’ll be able to use it again and again.”

“At Pingry, we can teach science in a way that’s real,” says Mr. Maxwell. “Science is not a set of tables to memorize—it’s a process to look at the world and find out what’s in it.” Performing their own research and engaging in the scientific process first-hand opens a world of possibilities for science students, encouraging them to formulate their own questions and embrace the process of trial and error.

David Maxwell Science Department Chair

In March, Olivia Taylor ’23

Olivia Taylor ’23 Tech Challenge Dean’s List Finalist

was named a FIRST Tech Challenge Dean’s List Finalist. She was one of 215 finalists out of approximately 35,000 nominees worldwide.

We are proud of Olivia for being the first Pingry student to earn this prestigious honor.

PINGRY ROBOTICS From nuts and bolts to software and code, The Pingry Fund provides the resources necessary to field a technology-heavy team like Pingry Robotics. Thanks to community support, the team has been competing—and winning—for the past 15 years. Here are just a few of the accolades they’ve picked up along the way: MIDDLE SCHOOL FIRST Tech Challenge: 2021-2022 INNOVATE AWARD WINNER sponsored by Collins Aerospace - Central West League Tournament 2019-2020 WINNING ALLIANCE - Upper Central League Tournament INNOVATE AWARD FINALIST sponsored by Collins Aerospace - Upper Central League Tournament UPPER SCHOOL FIRST Robotics Competition: 2022 WINNING ALLIANCE - FMA District Bridgewater/Raritan Event 2019 WINNING ALLIANCE CAPTAIN - FMA District Mt. Olive Event FINALIST ALLIANCE - FMA District Montgomery Event EXCELLENCE IN ENGINEERING AWARD SPONSORED BY DELPHI FINALIST ALLIANCE - FMA District Montgomery Event 2014 WINNING ALLIANCE - Mt. Olive District Competition

FIRST Tech Challenge: 2021-2022 WINNING ALLIANCE - State Tournament WINNING ALLIANCE - Central West League Tournament CONTROL AWARD - Central West League Tournament INNOVATE AWARD WINNER - Central West League Tournament (Middle School) 2019-2020 FINALIST ALLIANCE - Upper Central League Tournament MOTIVATE AWARD - Upper Central League Tournament CONTROL AWARD sponsored by ARM, Inc. - Robot-Ruckus Qualifying Tournament 2018-2019 WINNING ALLIANCE - Central West League Tournament THINK AWARD - Central West League Tournament FINALIST ALLIANCE - Robo-Joust Qualifying Tournament DESIGN AWARD - Robo-Joust Qualifying Tournament CONTROL AWARD - Liberty Science Center Qualifying Tournament 2017-2018 WINNING ALLIANCE - Central West League Tournament CONTROL AWARD - Central West League Tournament FINALIST ALLIANCE - Robot-Joust Qualifying Tournament 2015-2016 FINALIST ALLIANCE - Frozen Frenzy Qualifying Tournament 2013-2014 FINALIST ALLIANCE - Frozen Frenzy Qualifying Tournament

WHAT IS THE PINGRY FUND? EXPENSES NOT COVERED

BY STUDENT TUITION SMALL GIFTS MAKING LARGE IMPACTS

EVERY YEAR

Immediate needs

Area of Greatest Need • Arts • Athletics • Faculty Professional Growth Technology & Innovation • Tuition Assistance

Thank you!

S TAY C O N N E C T E D

pingry.org

To learn more about how to make your next Pingry Fund gift or to volunteer in our community, contact Director of Annual Giving and Community Relations Jane Hoffman ’94, P ’26, ’27, ’28 at 908-647-5555, ext. 1222 or jhoffman@pingry.org.