By Eva Schiller ’21
On a typical Saturday morning at Pingry, the halls are mostly vacant, the sports fields are soaking in the autumn sun, and the parking lots are barren, black expanses of tarmac dotted with the occasional car. However, bright and early on Saturday, September 29th, the school was flooded with hundreds of parents eager to meet with their child’s teachers, tour the school, and visit their child’s classes for Back to School Day.
After classes, parents, students, and alumni crowded under the tents and onto the sweltering bleachers. They enjoyed foods divided into categories labeled American, Texan, and Italian, along with various desserts and refreshing drinks. Many members of the community were there to cheer on the sports teams showcased on Pingry’s state-of-the-art athletic fields. The football team, boys’ and girls’ soccer, field hockey, and water polo teams all demonstrated their skill, teamwork, and dedication.
Pingry’s teams put forth their best effort and enjoyed a handful of successes. Boys’ soccer had an impressive victory against Staten Island Academy. The opposing team was unable to score a single goal, while Pingry scored six. Field hockey also shut out their opponent, scoring seven goals against Pennington, while girls’ soccer played a close game against The Peddie School, winning 2-1. Girls’ varsity tennis played North Hunterdon High School, where they won all five matches.
“Homecoming provided such a great atmosphere, and having family, friends, and alumni as spectators truly motivated us to win,” says first singles player Gia Graziano (IV) of the matches. “Celebrating afterward was one of the best moments of the season.”
Inside the school, the varsity and junior varsity water polo teams spent Homecoming in the pool, winning high-scoring matches against The Friends’ Central School. The football team fought hard throughout their entire game but unfortunately lost by just one point in a nail-biting final quarter, with the score ending at 42-43. However, the game was a great chance for the Pingry community to crowd into the bleachers and bond through their support of the team.
While the focus of the entertainment was Pingry Athletics, students and alumni embraced the spirit and energy of their peers, showing school pride by taking pictures with Big Blue Bear, grabbing Homecoming 2018 T-shirts, and having their faces painted. “I loved watching the school band together in school spirit,” says Hannah Guglin (VI). “The sports really brought out the best in the students.”
As the sunny afternoon turned into evening, students returned home to dress up for the Homecoming dance. The theme this year was “Superheroes and Supervillains.” They returned donning creative costumes, ranging from the Powerpuff Girls to characters from The Incredibles. “I thought the superhero theme was really creative!” commented Rhea Kapur (IV).
In the gymnasium, the students relaxed after the stressful first few weeks of school. Student government collected five dollars for admission and encouraged dance attendees to donate extra money to be put toward hurricane relief.
Throughout the week, the student body had been building up to Homecoming with Spirit Week. The themes were Pajama Day, Halloween Day, Pingry Day, Multiples Day, and Spirit Day. On Spirit Day, everyone dressed in their grade’s color and celebrated at a Pep Rally run by the Student Activity Committee. Homecoming and the week leading up to it displayed the infectious energy of the community. It was a great opportunity for students, parents, and alumni alike to show their Pingry pride.