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Alumni Newsletter Summer 2023
�DFTDATAATDDDATFFFTAAAAATTDADDTFFADDTATDADTTDAFDFDDFFFATDDDAAFDTTD� Mr. William Arthur Bruckmann III ‘66 and Mrs. Cynthia Bruckmann 4396 Meadowlark Ln Boynton Beach FL 33436-6931 T2
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CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2023 It was a beautiful, sunny day on Friday, June 9, when RCDS’s Class of 2023 accepted their diplomas. Faculty, family, and friends gathered on the athletic fields to celebrate the forty-one graduates who sported traditional RCDS commencement attire—white gowns, white slacks, and navy blazers. Commencement speaker and long-time RCDS pre-k teacher Lucy Bogdon shared words of wisdom with the graduates, some of which she taught when they were four years old. Eighth-grade speaker Timmy McCooey ’23 congratulated his classmates and reminded them to appreciate and carry on the lessons and values instilled in them by RCDS educators. “Eighth-grade graduates, welcome to a much larger world. Education is the one thing no one can take away from you. We have been so lucky to go to school here together. Just don’t forget the great things RCDS has taught you. Always be Kind, Always be Honest, Always be Responsible, and Always be Respectful. If you live by these four pillars, you will make the world a better place and you will become a better person.” Keeping with RCDS tradition several graduates were honored with awards to acknowledge their achievements.
SHOP RCDS GATOR GEAR COMMENCEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS: 8th Grade Commencement Speaker:
Timmy McCooey 8th Grade Athletic Awards:
Harbour Goldsmith & Ryan Wetmore The Blake Award:
Grace Dinger, Nikolas Memtsoudis & Henry Moore The Swede Joseph Chevalier Memorial Award:
Ava Faustini The Theodore K. Reiss Memorial Award:
Chloe Melconian The Second Highest Scholarship Award:
Kitty Olson The Highest Scholarship Award:
Andrew Rodrigues The Trustees’ Prize:
Henry Bird The Joseph N. Dempsey, Jr. Award:
Cassidy Carton & Greyson Remey
BEGIN HERE. SUCCEED ANYWHERE. Our graduates are regularly recognized for their leadership, strength of character, academic achievement, and outstanding executive functioning skills no matter where their paths take them. See below for a list of secondary schools and colleges that our Class of 2023 and Class of 2019 graduates are attending.
CLASS OF 2023: A SELECTION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL MATRICULATIONS Blair Academy The Peddie School Rumson-Fair Haven High School Canterbury School Phillips Academy – Andover St. Andrew’s School Christian Brothers Academy Pingry School St. Rose High School Delbarton School Portsmouth Abbey School Trinity Hall Georgetown Preparatory School Ranney School Westminster School High Technology High School Red Bank Catholic High School Woodberry Forest School The Lawrenceville School Red Bank Regional High School – Finance CLASS OF 2019: A SELECTION OF COLLEGE MATRICULATIONS Aberystwyth University (Wales) Lafayette College American University Ohio State Boston College Queen’s University (Canada) Boston University Rice University Bucknell University Rutgers University Chapman University Southern Methodist University College of Charleston St. Lawrence University Dartmouth College Syracuse University Fairfield University Trinity College
Tulane University University of Colorado University of Miami University of Notre Dame University of Richmond University of South Carolina University of Vermont University of Wisconsin Wake Forest University
Visit our online store at www.rcds.org/gatorgear for Under Armour, Nike, and Champion t-shirts, polos, sweatpants, fleece jackets, duffel bags, and more.
CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2023 In this issue: Alumnus Devotes Life’s Work to Helping Others Generations of Gators Stay Connected Celebrating the Class of 2023 RCDS Honors Phi Beta Kappa Inductee
Truly Great N-8
Dear RCDS Community, I hope that you and your families are enjoying the slower pace of summer days. It’s hard to believe that another school year has come and gone. Some years ago, I read the book When Breath Becomes Air by Dr. Paul Kalanithi, in which he wrote of medical residency, “the days are long, but the years are short.” As an educator, that thought resonated with me, and while I do not often feel that my days here at RCDS are long, as I enjoy them greatly, the years certainly are short. The 22-23 school year was a year marked by joy, learning, and outstanding achievements by our students in the classroom, on the athletic fields, and in the arts. It is a privilege to witness their progress, help them grow both academically and as people, and be a part of their childhood. As an RCDS graduate, you join more than 3,000 alumni across generations who once called RCDS home. Whether you are in high school, college, or well into your career, one thing is for certain: you will always be a Gator, and you make us proud every day. We kindly request that you keep us informed of your professional endeavors and personal triumphs—some of which you will read about in this newsletter—so that we may join you in celebrating. We hope that the news of your classmates connects you back to your days at RCDS. Your willingness to share experiences, stay involved with our special school, and ’pay it forward’ for today’s students allows us to honor our timeless traditions and ensure our promising future. If you’re in the area, stop by for a visit. We look forward to seeing you and to hearing your RCDS story. Respectfully,
Carson T. Smith Head of School
MATT HOIDAL ’87 DEVOTES LIFE’S WORK TO HELPING OTHERS Matt Hoidal ’87 is a graduate of the Hill School and St. Lawrence University. He is also a lawyer and a marathon runner, but among his many achievements one of his most notable is becoming a “change maker”. When Matt was studying for the bar exam, he discovered an organization called Camp Sunshine, a national retreat for children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. Over twenty years later he is doing nonprofit work on a scale that he never anticipated. “I had wanted to be an attorney since I was a very young kid,” said Hoidal. “But I could feel my heart pounding away and it said, ‘You need to do something here.’ That was really my wake-up call.” Hoidal’s involvement with Camp Sunshine made such an impact on him that he ended up accepting the position of Executive Director and working for the organization fulltime for 13 years. Through this experience, Matt witnessed the human spirit at its best and was inspired to create something of his own. In 2017 he founded World of Change, an organization that benefits those in need and empowers young students to become change makers themselves. Since its founding, WOC change makers have gathered millions of coins for more than 200 nonprofit programs worldwide specifically focusing on impact across three areas: food (meals), housing (beds), and education (backpacks). “I love educating kids,” said Hoidal. “And I love walking into an auditorium, feeling their excitement, gaining their interest, and inspiring them to get involved in a very tangible way.” RCDS is thrilled to partner with World of Change for the 2023-24 school year. Hoidal will visit RCDS students in the fall to share the WOC mission and guide them to create meaningful change first-hand. The initiative will be integrated into the School’s Service Learning Program and will engage students from grades N-8.
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Alumni Snapshots 1. Susan Kyrillos, Jane Denny (former faculty member), Erin Brennan ’89, Goose Henderson ’75, Senator Joe Kyrillos ’75, Dr. Carol Penn ’72, and her husband connect at Parker Family Health Center Celebration. 2. Jack Puma ’20, Andrew Dinger ’20, and John Spitz ’20 enjoy a round of golf with Coach Campy. 3. Gus Lyle ’22, Harris Marcus ’22, Coach Campy, Max Menkowitz ’22, Jonah Shapiro ’22, Chris Gibson ’22, Emilio Bedoya ’22, Beau Devine ’22, Jack Harris ’22, and Finn
Carlston ’22 return to RCDS for a pick-up basketball game. 4. Chloe Krasko ’19 and Ellyana Perosi ’19 return to RCDS to reconnect with their former teachers.
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5. Mallory Arronne ’19 visits RCDS 8th graders to discuss the transition from RCDS to secondary school and answer questions about her high school experience.
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Alexander Marx ’85 is the English Department Chair, Asst. Head Football Coach and Defensive Coordinator at Thomas Heyward Academy in Ridgeland, SC. Chelsea Cooper ’04 and her husband Talha Demirci welcomed baby girl Elle to the world on January 24, 2023. Alexandra Giaimo ’04 studied broadcast journalism at Syracuse University and has worked in sports television for a decade as a professional journalist. This spring she accepted a position as a correspondent for the MLB Network.
RCDS HONORS PHI BETA KAPPA INDUCTEE CLAIRE CAROLI ’13
JESSIE FAHAY ’98 USES THE ARTS FOR CHANGE
Each year, RCDS takes a holiday on the Tuesday after Presidents’ Day to commemorate the achievements of its alumni inducted to the Phi Beta Kappa Society. PBK is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious academic honor society. It recognizes the best and brightest liberal arts and sciences undergraduates from 293 top schools across the nation through a highly selective, meritbased invitation process. This year, RCDS honored Claire Caroli ’13, one of the most recent RCDS graduates known to have earned the distinction.
Jessie Fahay ’98 is the proud founder and Executive Director of Ripple Effect Artists, Inc an Actor’s Equity 501(c)3 theatre company. The organization addresses injustice and causes social impact through art—primarily by producing masterful plays— presenting them along with talk-back discussions in partnership with educators and advocacy groups. These events, education, and game-changing philanthropy aim to cultivate empathy, shift audiences from APATHY to ACTION, and create a RIPPLE EFFECT in the larger community. In February she spoke at a TEDx event at NC State Raleigh about how arts and advocacy can ongoingly partner together.
Claire’s journey after RCDS took her to Rumson-Fair Haven High School and then on to Boston College where she majored in Islamic Civilization and Societies and studied Arabic. Claire is a paralegal at Rose Law Partners, a commercial litigation law firm in Boston and is currently applying to law school.
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6. Lydia Lu ’18 and Madame Ronzier meet up to discuss the latest read for their French book club—Les Victorieuses by Laetitia Colombani.
Submit Your News at rcds.org/alumninews
Ms. Brennan’s class pet Oreo is a stuffed panda that has accompanied RCDS first graders on more adventures than we can count! Each year, students in Ms. Brennan’s class take turns welcoming Oreo into their home and documenting their activities for a week. The worldly panda has frequented sporting events and local restaurants and has even traveled on planes to spring break destinations. The exercise instills lessons like responsibility and encourages writing practice as students document their escapades in a journal. This year, alumna Mallory Arronne ’19 spotted Oreo in the hands of RCDS first grader Davis DePietro ’30 at Brennan’s Deli. She couldn’t resist sharing an old photo of herself with Oreo and connecting about all of the shared RCDS experiences she and Davis had in common. Creating classroom traditions like journaling Oreo’s adventures cultivates a positive classroom culture. It promotes student involvement and ensures that students feel valued and supported in their learning. Plus, it perpetuates the sense of community and belonging that is a hallmark of the RCDS experience.
“My hard-working nature definitely comes from the influence of my teachers at RCDS,” said Claire ’13. “I only ever want to hand in my best work. I carried that with me to high school, in college, and in my job now. I wouldn’t want to give something to my boss that I’m not proud of. RCDS instilled that in me.” 2.
ALUM NOTES
MS. BRENNAN’S CLASS PET CONNECTS GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS
Mr. Horner helps students develop into incisive writers and strong communicators.
Share Your News We love to celebrate our alumni! Keep us updated with what is happening in your secondary school, college, career, family, and beyond. Submit your news at www.rcds.org/alumninews.
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Your gift supports educational excellence and enhances the RCDS student experience. It is an investment not only in our students but also in our dedicated teachers. Make a gift to RCDS in honor of one of your favorite teachers at www.rcds.org/donate. Mr. Scott tours 8th graders around Boston for their final RCDS class trip.
Mrs. Bogdon delivers an emotional commencement speech to the Class of 2023 after retiring from 35 years of teaching at RCDS.
Marissa Brogger ’05 is the Chief Speech Writer for the United States Attorney General. Mara Bey ’08 got engaged to marry Jack Ritterbush of Danville, CA in April 2023. They are planning a wedding in Lake Tahoe in September 2024. Sam Eisenstadt ’11 was named champion of the Spanish Cup as the defensive back assistant coach for the Barcelona Dragons, an American football team based in Spain. The year prior, Sam was named coach of the year and earned a national championship as head coach of the Örebro Black Knights in Sweden. John Giordano ’13 completed rigorous training to become a Uniformed Division Officer with the United States Secret Service and received the Director’s Leadership Award. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history and criminal justice from the University of Scranton and was named to the dean’s list six times.
Mrs. Clark leads service-learning initiatives to encourage Gators to be Kind, Honest, Responsible, and Respectful.
Eric Hoffman ’13 completed intensive training to become a Uniformed Division Officer with the United States Secret Service. He received his undergraduate degree in criminal justice and sociology and an M.A. in homeland security from Rider University. Jake Roberts ’14 graduated from Drexel University with a degree in mechanical engineering and was named to the dean’s list with a 3.9 GPA. Caitlin Hickey ’15 graduated from the University of Notre Dame this Spring. She received a BBA in finance from the Mendoza College of Business and a minor in studio art. Caitlin will be joining Ares Management’s Direct Lending team in New York this fall. Nicole Molnar ’15 has achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA every semester at TCNJ and was re-elected to the Phi Betta Kappa Society after she was initially invited as a junior last year. Ava Clark ’16 and Mollie Lonardo ’13 explored Rome while Ava ’16 studied abroad in Italy for her spring semester. After learning about the historic city in Latin classes at RCDS, they were thrilled to visit ancient landmarks together in person. Jake Milkowski ’16 was sworn into the Rumson First Aid Squad as second lieutenant. Luke Devlin ’17 traveled with his Dickinson College lacrosse teammates to West Virginia to build homes for Habitat for Humanity. Mrs. Diehl connects with students over family-style dining.
Von Factor ’17 played in the Division III National Championship, The Stagg Bowl, as a defensive end for the University of Mount Union. Lydia Lu ’18 is a trained classical singer and is majoring in engineering and music with a minor in French at Northeastern University. Quinn Bender ’19 was the salutatorian of Communications High School’s 2023 graduating class and delivered the commencement speech. Chloe Constantinopoulos ’19 was recognized at RFH’s commencement with the following awards: the American Association of University Women 2023 Book Award, the Northeast Conference Award for Excellence in French, the Psychology Achievement Award, and the Tigger Stavola Foundation Scholarship. Angie Getz ’19 scored a Peddie lacrosse team-high of four goals and had a team-high of two assists in their 2023 season opener vs. Stuart Country Day School. Cade LaGrassa ’19 smashed a double in RFH’s season opener, a vital moment that tied the game eventually leading the Bulldogs to beat rivals RBC. Trestan Simon ’19 was named valedictorian of Red Bank Regional High School’s 2023 graduating class. Alex Baret ’20, Nik Doumas ’20, Liam Hackett ’20, Troy Monte ’20, and Mychal Walker ’21 were crowned Shore Conference Champions on RFH’s hockey team. Alex Baret ’20, Paige Cecil ’19, Leah Cohen ’20, DJ Devine Jr. ’20, Lucy Devlin ’20, Caroline Hickey ’20, Ella Mason ’20, Alastair Orr ’20, Christopher Padovano ’20, Broderick Page ’20, Hudson Skove ’20, and Grayson Turkaly ’20 were inducted into the RFH chapter of the National Honor Society. Mrs. Kerr keeps Gators healthy whether it’s providing an icepack, a Band-Aid, or a hug.
Danny Cook ’20, DJ Devine ’20, Reed Elsas ’20, Zachary Factor ’20, Alastair Orr ’20, and Aidan Mishkin ’20 led the RFH football team to nearly beat undefeated Caldwell High School in the first state title bid at Rutgers University. Hudson Skove ’20, a rising RFH senior, made history in the 215-pound NJSIAA state final when he defeated his opponent, 3-2 in an ultimate tiebreaker, to become the first wrestling state champion in RFH history! Photo Credit: Robert Badders Finn Carton ’21 has received his varsity letter in crew as a sophomore at CBA and qualified for the Shore Conference in swim for his 100 Fly. He is also an active member of the CBA digital media team. Kathryn Smith ’22 was awarded three varsity letters as a freshman at the Loomis Chaffee School.
RCDS CLASS OF 2019 STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMITMENTS: Paige Cecil ’19 committed to play lacrosse at Lafayette College. Grace Gibson ’19 committed to play soccer at St. Lawrence University. McLane Gmelich ’19 committed to swim at Dartmouth College. Alexandra Popham ’19 committed to play lacrosse at Rutgers University and received first team all state honors. Bennett Raphalian ’19 committed to play lacrosse at Rutgers University. Quinn Stankovits ’19 committed to play lacrosse at Dartmouth College. Nate Whittemore ’19 committed to row at Trinity College.
Mrs. Kirman and Mrs. Leslie greet students with a smile every day.