Jun 10, 2018 | School News
By Aneesh Karuppur (III)
On April 15, the sixth annual Pingry Research Exhibit, organized by Dr. Colleen Kirkhart this year, featured student-led and student-performed research and engineering projects. New this year were the humanities and social sciences exhibits, which added to the already existing sciences, technology, and engineering exhibits. Overall, the event was a big hit for all, and many visiting scientists were impressed with the sheer amount of novel ideas Pingry students and faculty have come up with this past year.
Kelli Gomez (VI), the head of Journal Club, opened the exhibit with a keynote describing new developments in research on pain management and her own personal connection to this topic after witnessing her mother’s difficult battle with pain following a car accident. Afterwards, parents, siblings, teachers, and students were invited to tour the various exhibits on display in the hallways and classrooms around the school.
The Independent Research Team (IRT) groups, composed of small 4-5 person teams that work on original research projects in various areas of the sciences, sometimes in conjunction with college researchers, shared the results they have gathered in the past year. In addition to presenting posters, several teams also had interactive activities for the visitors, such as showing them how to use an in-house-assembled microscope that tracks algae movements in three dimensions, how to dye fish using tapioca pearls with different color stains, and how to differentiate fruit fly traits under a microscope. Students Modeling a Research Topic (SMART) Team displayed a 3-D printed model of the protein they would be presenting at a national conference, and FYI Sci ran several kid-friendly demonstrations about basic science concepts and played science-related movies. Journal Club, which helps prepare students and faculty to present and discuss research papers every Thursday morning at 7:30, had a few of their past student presenters explain their papers to visitors. AP Biology classes presented their Masters projects in the upper halls of the exhibit, and Research Classes displayed their projects in the lower halls of the exhibit.
Humanities IRT presented their research on various topics like looking at evolutionary biology through the lens of children’s stories, the evolution of Communism, Game Theory, economic self-interest, altruistic punishment, and an analysis of William Faulkner’s writings.
In the technology and engineering section, Computer Science classes used the Student Technology and Publishing Center to demonstrate their programs, which included complex concepts like Artificial Intelligence and Neural Nets. In the Hyde and Watson Gymnasium, the Robotics club set up their numerous championship-winning robots next to a drone built by the IRT Swarm Robotics team.
To close this busy and exciting day, Brooke Conti ’09 delivered a keynote discussing the importance of basic research on the lab bench and how it has helped her in pursuing her doctorate degree at Rockefeller University.
In total, the over twenty exhibits about a range of interesting topics inspired many great minds, young and old alike. It is clear indeed that research exhibit will continue to showcase the ingenuity of Pingry students and faculty in the coming years.
Jun 10, 2018 | School News
By Miro Bergam ’19
This year’s graduating class both applied to and will be attending a record number of colleges. The class of 2018 applied to 183 different schools, nearly matching the record 184 in 2014. The range and diversity of colleges applied to are reflected in their final decisions, as the class will be attending 72 different colleges — an all-time record for Pingry.
“This was the stat that jumped out at me,” said Director of College Counselling Mr. Tim Lear. Lear continued, “Clearly, they researched schools all over the country (and world). 72 is, to my knowledge, an all-time record high and incredibly impressive for a class of only 139 kids.”
He went on to explain how this range “helps classes in the future. It’s gone from 57 in 2008 to 72. When a school sees that they have a Pingry kid being a leader in their community — running the school paper or doing research in a lab — they’re going to want to accept more kids from Pingry.”
98% of the class applied to some form of an early program, with 87% of the class getting accepted early. Both the percentage of the class applying early and the percentage of the class getting accepted early were 10 year record highs for Pingry. 19% of the class was recruited for athletics, up from 17% last year.
Yet another record was the number of applications written per student. Students filled out the highest number of applications, averaging out to 12.4, in 10 years.
Seven students have been accepted off the waitlist from Cornell, Duke, F&M, Rice, Villanova, Wellesley, and William & Mary. Three or more students were accepted to 61 different schools and two or more members of the class were admitted to all eight Ivy League universities.
Some notable records in regards to specific colleges include Yale University accepting (6) and enrolling (5), the highest number of Pingry students in the past decade; Williams matching its highest number of Pingry acceptances (6) in the past decade; and Swarthmore admitting the highest number of Pingry students (3) in the past decade. Acceptances were at 5 year highs at schools such as Duke (7) and Washington and Lee (3). Oxford University accepted its first Pingry student since 2011 and Arizona State University, Drexel University, Morehouse College, Spelman College, and George Mason University enrolled their first Pingry student in over a decade.
Lear commended the class of 2018 for being “fun and easy to work with. They were proactive with their deadlines and took constructive feedback exceptionally well.” He joked, “they were easier to work with than my own children.”
Jun 10, 2018 | Meghan Durkin, School News
By Meghan Durkin ’21
On April 13, Pingry’s annual Holocaust Assembly brought to life critical issues of the past and their relevance in society today. Actor Marc Spiegel performed a one-man play entitled Time Capsule in a Milk Can. In 2003, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum produced the play to commemorate the the museum’s tenth year since opening.
The play follows the story of Emanuel Ringelblum, an activist and Jewish man living in the Warsaw Ghetto during the Jewish community’s genocide in Germany. He, along with fellow Jews, recognized the importance of the preservation of their words, accounts, and documents during the systematic killing of millions of Jews.
Throughout the play, Ringelblum sat at his dimly lit desk, collecting and formulating a plan to ensure the safety of the historical documents he gathered during his time in Warsaw. Ultimately, he and his fellow activists decided milk cans were the optimal method of storing and hiding the documents due to their ordinary, unassuming nature. During each phase of the plan, students were asked to read parts of the different documents, making the play a truly interactive experience.
After the performance, students lit 12 candles, representing the six million Jews killed, along with five million others in Europe who fell victim to the violent hatred. Alexandra Weber (IV), one of the students who participated in the assembly, appreciated how the play “was able to find a great balance between making the assembly educational while also making it personal and sentimental.” She believes “it is a humbling reminder of how lucky we are to live in the world that we live in today. Hearing stories of people’s courage, bravery, and perseverance through such a difficult time always inspires me and, I hope, the rest of the Pingry community.”
As the faculty member overseeing the coordination of the Holocaust Assembly, Director of Community Service Mrs. Shelley Hartz chose this play because she wanted an “interactive, more personal and real” way to remind the community what happens “when people hate and people are afraid.” Ultimately, her goal was “to have conversations after and delve into how and why it is relevant today, insuring genocides don’t occur.”
Jun 10, 2018 | Brynn Weisholtz, School News
By Brynn Weisholtz ’20
On Thursday, April 19, the annual Prom was held at the Stone House at Stirling Ridge in Warren for the fourth year in a row. From 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm, juniors, seniors, and chaperones alike danced the night away in what was described as a night to remember. Leading up to this eventful evening, the day was filled with hair and nail appointments, confirming limos, picking up corsages and boutonnieres, and pre-party preparations. Despite the chilly weather, students enjoyed their pre-parties with family and friends and eagerly headed to the main event to share a night of special memories with their classmates. The night went off without a hitch and the prom was a memorable evening for all.
As the students arrived at Stone House, they walked through the doors towards the grand ballroom. The venue was decorated with round tables covered with white tablecloths and black napkins. Purple and white floral bouquets and lit candles laid atop each table and suspended from the ceiling were elegant chandeliers casting a glow of light around the room. Purple lights on the walls and dance floor rounded out the mood lighting and created a feeling of warmth and excitement for the upperclassmen.
Throughout the night, the floor was filled with an infectious energy while students danced the night away. Aanya Lall (V) said “the music was great and I loved how everyone was constantly dancing.” There was a consensus amongst the students that the best part of the evening was the lively music and being able to dance and enjoy this special night with their high school friends.
Beyond the dance floor, students found ways to entertain themselves and enjoy each others’ company. From posing for pictures in a photo booth containing endless props to relaxing by the outdoor fire pit, the students enjoyed being together, especially the seniors, as this was one of the final times the class would convene as one until graduation. Catered by Stone House, there was a wide array of food selections to choose from. Senior Kassidy Peterson (VI) stated that “the food was delicious, especially the tacos!” In addition to the taco bar, the food options consisted of a pasta bar, paellas, smoothies, milk and cookies, chocolate covered strawberries, and more.
Chaperones included Upper School Director Ms. Ananya Chatterji, Dean of Students Mr. Jake Ross, Chair of Diversity and Inclusion Department Dr. Diana Artis, Chemistry teacher Mr. Graham Touhey, Physics teachers Mr. Bill Bourne and Ms. Jill Kehoe, and Biology teacher Mrs. Deirdre O’Mara. Mr. Ross stated that “[he] enjoyed seeing the students let loose and have so much fun.”
It was obvious through pictures and shared memories that both students and faculty truly enjoyed Prom 2018. Coordinator Ms. Kehoe summed up the evening when she said “it was a success because of the many smiles I saw and the laughter I heard throughout the night. I loved seeing everyone dressed up and looking like adults.
Jun 10, 2018 | School News
Form VI
Student Body President: Andrew Cowen
Class President: Ethan Malzberg
Vice President: Matthew Keller
Miroslav Bergam
Jack Gambello
Felicia Ho
Allison Matthias
Leonard Zhu
Form V:
Class President: Burke Pagano
Vice President: Brian Li
Roger Matthews
Stuart Clark
James Cummings
James Wang
Alexandra Weber
Form IV:
Class President: Nolan Baynes
Vice President: Rohan Pande
Noah Bergam
Walker Johnson
Teodora Kolarov
Henry Wood
Emma Huang
Jun 10, 2018 | School News
Zachary Aanstoots
University of California, San Diego
Arnav Agrawal
Cornell University
Alexy Alin-Hvidsten
Washington and Lee University
Naiyah Atulomah
Johns Hopkins University
Benjamin Barral
Trinity College
Ouarida Benatia
Northeastern University
Alice Berndt
Davidson College
Krish Bhavnani
Williams College
Alexandra Brauer
University of Virginia
Elle Braverman
Vanderbilt University
William Capanna
Villanova University
Jessica Carvelli
University of Notre Dame
Giancarlo Castillo
Gettysberg College
Hailey Cernuto
Villanova University
Jacqueline Chang
John Hopkins University
Alyssa Chen
Harvard University
Rachel Chen
Harvard University
Raymond Chen
Duke University
Dylan Cheng
Villanova Univeristy
Ethan Chung
Brown University
Henry Cohen
Arizona State University
Jennifer Coyne
Yale University
Josephine Cummings
Yale Univeristy
Namita Davey
Rice University
Sydney Davis
University of Michigan
Kamilla Deak
Rutgers University – New Brunswick
Aidan Dillon
University of Notre Dame
Calvary Dominique
Northeastern University
Sara Donovan
New York University
Catherine Drovetsky
University of Chicago
Joei Drozjock
University of California, Los Angeles
Thomas Dugan
Villanova University
Colin Edwards
Rice University
Alexis Elliot
Harvard University
George Enman
Lafayette College
Jonathan Epifano
Fordham University
William Fallon
University of Pennsylvania
Ryan Feely
Bucknell University
Malcolm Fields
University of Notre Dame
Jennifer Fish
Carnegie Mellon University
Mitchell Flugstad-Clarke
Villanova University
Alexander Fradkin
Drexel University
Ryan Fuentes
Yale University
Ami Gianchandani
Yale University
Isabel Giordano
George Washington University
Raquel Gomez
Washington University in St. Louis
Dhruv Govil
Washington University in St. Louis
Jacob Gruber
Tulane University
Mairead Higgins
Georgetown University
Lindsey Hogan
St. Lawrence University
Megan Horn
Washington and Lee University
Jonathan Huang
University of Pennsylvania
Maya Huffman
Williams College
Phito Jean-Louis
Morehouse College
Iman Khan
Rutgers University – New Brunswick
Sehyr Khan
Wellesley college
Alexis Kinney
Colby College
Nicolas Ladino
Syracuse University
Neha Lall
Nova Southeastern University
Lindsey Larson
Claremont McKenna College
Clyde Leef
Georgetown University
Jared Lefkort
University of Pennsylvania
Jessica Li
Yale University
Rebecca Lin
Swarthmore College
Jeremy Lister
Northwestern University
Sophie Loesberg
University of Michigan
Emma Lombardo
Bates College
Michael Lu
University of Chicago
Ilana Lurie
Tulane University
Conor Mahoney
Washington University in St. Louis
Graham Matthews
University of Oxford
Colin McKinnon
Lafayette College
Aloysius McLaughlin
Dartmouth college
Apurva Memani
University of Southern California
Aubrey Molloy
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Brooke Murphy
Georgetown University
George Mychajluk
George Mason University
Chukwumaobim Nnaeto
Carnegie Mellon University
Mary Nussbaumer
Colorado College
Megan Pan
Princeton University
Matthew Parisi
Lehigh University
Madeleine Parrish
University of Chicago
Austin Parsons
University of Notre Dame
John Patterson
University of Virginia
Mitchell Pavlak
Johns Hopkins University
Kassidy Peterson
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Caroline Petrow-Cohen
Duke University
Bao Pham
Vanderbilt University
Jackson Proudfoot
Duke University
Alexandra Pyne
New York University
William Raincsuk
University of Notre Dame
Benjamin Ramos
Northwestern University
Nikhil Rao
College of William and Mary
Vineil Reddy
Duke University
Sanford Ren
Bucknell University
Lindsay Rispoli
Columbia University
Matthew Rockoff
Stevens Institute of Technology
Brandon Rosen
New York University
Channing Russel
Northwestern University
Shruti Sagar
Tufts University
Meghan Salamon
Boston University
Maxwell Sanchez
Northweastern University
Max Scherzer
Franklin & Marshall College
Avery Schiffman
Washington and Lee University
John Schuessler
Elon University
Cynthia Saxon Scott
Oxford College of Emory University
Sidney Shannon
Muhlenverg College
Sana Sheikh
Lehigh University
Tea Simon
Gettysburg College
Connor Smith
University of Notre Dame
Shea Smith
Princeton Unviersity
Matthew Stanton
Vanderbilt University
Kayla Stass
George Washington University
Myla Stovall
Wesleyan University
Jewell Strickland
New York University
Sean Tan
Williams College
Jordan Taylor
Spelman College
Jared Tiggs
University of Connecticut
Mariam Trichas
Cornell University
Wallace Truesdale
Columbia University
Melissa Tungare
University of Southern California
Benjamin Vazquez
Connecticut College
Alison Verdesca
Vassar College
Olivia Virzi
Northeastern University
Victor Volbrechtausen
Tufts University
Andrew Weaver
Franklin & Marshall College
Michael Weber
Bowdoin College
Jason Weiss
Vanderbilt University
Sophia Weldon
Southern Methodist University
Tyler Williams
University of Pennsylvania
Ryan Willsey
Wake Forest University
Owen Wolfson
Bowdoin College
Anna Wood
Middlebury College
Cameron Wright
Cornell University
Lauren Lindsey Yu
University of Pennsylvania
William Zhang
Williams College
James Zusi
University of Pennsylvania
Jun 10, 2018 | School News
The 1902 Emblem
The Class of 1902 Emblem is awarded to Josephine Cummings of the Class of 2018, who, while at The Pingry School, by the efficiency and the amount of service and loyalty of attitude has done the most for the school, and who has been judged therefore by schoolfellows and faculty to have shown of them all the greatest amount of school spirit.
The Class of 1902 Emblem represents the highest ideals of The Pingry School. The nominees chosen by their classmates and faculty are considered to embody the very principles of integrity and service that lie at the heart of the institution. Thus, even to be nominated for this award is regarded as a paramount honor.
Years at Pingry: 4
Trademark Characteristics: Hard-working, compassionate, adventurous
Activities: Student Government, Field Hockey, Lacrosse, Winter Track, Green Group, fyi sci, Outing Club
College Plans: Yale (after a gap year!)
Career Possibilities: Something that makes me happy (hopefully!) Favorite Memory at Pingry: Lying on the turf with the Field Hockey team after our last game and listening to music and talking about all “the moments of gold” that we had together. (and crying)
What I’ll Take Away: Sleep deprivation… but also a love of learning beyond anything I could have imagined, amazing memories, and the knowledge that being a good person matters more than pretty much anything.
What Piece of Advice Would You Give to Underclassmen?: Don’t let the stress overwhelm you. Before you know it you’ll be asking yourself where the time went and why you spent just a littttttle too much time studying. The friendships and memories you make will be the things you want to remember after high school ends.
The Magistri Laudandi Emblem
In every class, there is one student who graciously gives of him/herself to help theschool and fellow students, who demonstrates a personal integrity and generosity that inspire thebest in others. This person’s own achievements are many, yet his/her sense of purpose is to the greater good. While others may be identi ed as”the student most likely to succeed,” this person is prized as “the student who helps all succeed.”
The Magistri Laudandi Award is awarded to Clyde Leef.
Years at Pingry: 13
Trademark Characteristics: Green water bottle, Math help
Activities: Football, Peer Leadership, Pottery, Tutoring
College Plans: Georgetown University
Career Possibilities: Hopefully Favorite Memory at Pingry: Football season, especially preseason. Spending all day with the closest group of people and working hard in a common pursuit of the same goal is extremely rewarding
What I’ll Take Away: It’s about how hard you work, not the end product. My most ful lling classes were de nitely not my best grades. Separately, it’s not all about working. Taking time for yourself and whatever makes you happy is the key to staying on track.
What Piece of Advice Would You Give to Underclassmen?: It’s ok to not be ok — find a person/people you can trust and allow yourself to be open.
Nominees for 1902 Emblem (E) and Magistri Laudandi (M) Awards
Arnav Agrawal (M)
Years at Pingry: Only 3 🙁
Trademark characteristics: Outgoing, copious amount of nicknames, honest, wears nothing but Pingry Soccer shirts
Activities: Soccer, Tennis, Entrepreneurship Club, FBLA
College Plans: Cornell!
Career Possibilities: No idea
Favorite Memory at Pingry: Singing ‘Coming Home’ on the bus on the Soccer Trip in Spain, playing in the Student-Faculty Basketball game
What you’ll take away: The amazing community I’ve met at Pingry, from friends to teachers to coaches. Coming to Pingry sophomore year was the best decision of my life.
What piece of advice would you give to under- classmen? You’re so lucky to be attending Pingry. Make the most of it by getting to know your teach- ers and the rest of the students. Don’t be afraid to try new things or talk to someone you don’t know. Also, you can always relearn coursework, but you can never re-attend the party you missed.
Naiyah Atulomah (M)
Years at Pingry: 7
Trademark Characteristics: Kind, helpful, and relatively optimistic
Activities: Swimming, Community Service Club, iRT, Girl Scouts, Baking
College Plans: Johns Hopkins University
Career Possibilities: As of now, I’m thinking of becoming a Biomolecular Engineer or a medical researcher
Favorite Memory at Pingry: Winning Prep Championships and seeing the entire girls swim team at the edge of the pool cheering on our team- mates. It was amazing to see everyone swimming their fastest and showing great sportsmanship.
What I’ll Take Away: I have learned to havecon dence in the work I do because Pingry hastaught me that if I put the time and effort into my work, I will see the results.
What Piece of Advice Would You Give to Underclassmen?: Don’t be scared to join different clubs and talk to new people, you never know when else you will have this opportunity.
Ouarida Benatia (E, M)
Years at Pingry: 7
Trademark Characteristics: Always smiling, Always laughing until my sides hurt, Always exchanging life stories with strangersActivities: Stage manager for the Fall Play and the Winter Musical, FYI SCI Blog Manager, AFS Leadership, Peer Leadership, Blue Key, Outing Club, Daphnia Research Enthusiast, Babysitter for the (wonderful) Webster Family, Volunteer EMT
College Plans: Northeastern University!!!
Career Possibilities: Itinerant surgeon serving underprivileged areas abroad, A judge after that
Favorite Memory at Pingry: The day I gave my speech on honor for the Honor Board Speaker Series, I was also asked to provide the closing word for The Pingry Review. Everyone around me was so supportive and so wonderful and I truly felt the Pingry love.
What I’ll Take Away: Growing up, I was notoriously shy and kept to myself (it was written in every single report card comment I had received in elementary school). By being at Pingry and learning from the people I look up to in this environment, I have been able to step out of my bubble and get to know more of the people in our community. I will take away my newfound passion for wanting to know more about people in my life that I might not have stopped to talk to before, whether that be a teacher or a maintenance worker or a student I smile at every day in the halls.
What Piece of Advice Would You Give to Underclassmen?: Say “YES” more. During my junior year, I decided that I would “say yes” and sign up for almost everything announced at each morning meeting- whether that be an Outing Club campout or a Bridges Run or an opening for an FYI SCI position. That is how I got involved with 90% of the activities I participate in today- I can’t imagine how dull my life would be without that. Also, go tothe after-talks/ discussions for every in uential speaker at Pingry.It’s a whole other presentation in itself and the wealth of knowledge you can attain from these people is unbelievable. So just ask yourteachers to go and let the in uence ensue! You never know whatpiece of advice can change the path of your life forever.
Jacqueline Chang (E, M)
Years at Pingry: 8
Trademark Characteristics: shortest in the grade (hi Shruti!), amicable, spirited, caringActivities: EMT, Student Government, iRT, Hu- mans of Pingry, Varsity Track & Field, Varsity Swim Team (manager)
College Plans: Johns Hopkins University 2022! #gobluejays (Hi Naiyah!)
Career Possibilities: Med school? Doctoring? I’m only 18!! (help)
Favorite Memory at Pingry: Heelying [with red and green lights] around the school the last day before winter break
What I’ll Take Away: life-long friendships <3, dope selfies with the Class of 2018, bragging rights on my Membean level (5)
What Piece of Advice Would You Give to Underclassmen?: Take it all in. It’s over faster than you would expect. Also, always say hi to Mr. Keating in the hallway.
Sehyr Khan (M)
Years at Pingry: 8
Trademark Characteristics: Avid proponent of whole- some memes, hummus memes, and dog memes. I am always running in the hallways probably because I think I’m late because my watch is two minutes ahead of the Pingry clocks. I describe people I admire as “cinnamon rolls” and I love and hate myself for it.
Activities: Balladeers, Fyi-Sci, SDLC, Pingry Girls XC and Track, Peer Leadership, and Blue Key
College Plans: Wellesley College
Career Possibilities: I am obsessed with ophthalmol- ogy and world languages, hopefully I do something that combines the two.
Favorite Memory at Pingry: That’s hard, but it’s most likely the day the girl’s XC team came third at states this past fall. I had nothing to do with the win, but I was so proud to see my peers attain their goals together and be a witness of the culmination of everyone’s hard work. It made me so proud as a young woman and Pingrian. I also really loved the mornings I spent in the Chemistryand Physics of ce with Mr. Grant and the coolest groupof teachers ever, they made a tough year so much better without realizing it. Another was when my hummus pa- nini didn’t stick to the parchment paper sophomore year, it hasn’t happened since. Sorry, I didn’t stick to only one.
What I’ll Take Away: The wonderful educational ex- periences I had with all of my teachers, I am eternally grateful for them. Also, a fork from the cafeteria.
What Piece of Advice Would You Give to Underclassmen?: I cannot give just one piece so here are two: talk to everyone, give every person and every thing a shot, you never know who or what could positively impact you. Also, eat well, drink water, and take no one’s non- sense, you have a world to change.
Jared Lefkort (M)
Years at Pingry: 8
Trademark Characteristics: always laughing, scientist, friendly, kind, intelligent, outgoing
Activities: FYI Sci, tennis, Junior Academy of the New York Academy of Sciences, Peer Leadership, SMART Team, Blue Key, Journal Club Presenter, Volunteer at Trinitas Hospital
College Plans: University of Pennsylvania – planning on majoring in Health and Societies with a concentration in Global Health
Career Possibilities: Doctor/public health/health policy
Favorite Memory at Pingry: Boundary breaking on the Senior Peer Leadership retreat, I have never felt closer or more supported by my peers in all of my time at Pingry.
What I’ll Take Away: Pingry has provided me with many unique opportunities and the skills to positively impact the people around me and has taught me to pursue what makes me happy.
What Piece of Advice Would You Give to Underclassmen?: Take advantage of all of the opportunities you can at Pingry, try new things and reach out to people you never thought you would be friends with, you’ll be surprised how much life can change in four years.
Shruti Sagar (M)
Years at Pingry: 10
Trademark Characteristics: passionate, trustworthy, practical, friendly
Activities: field hockey, peer leadership, IRT
College Plans: Tufts University
Career Possibilities: Something public health, biology, or research related. I’m not really sure, I just know that I want to use my interests to help people and make the world a better place.
Favorite Memory at Pingry: There are so many, but two that stand out are the senior peer leadership retreat in June or singing “Maybe I’m Crazy” and “Phoenix” with our entire grade on the last day before winter break and ISP.
What I’ll Take Away: Getting to know people and having meaningful conversations with them is more important than any academic or extracurricular accomplishment or accolade. In other words, it’s nice to be important, but it is way more important to be nice. Every single person at Pingry has a story, and there is something really cool and unique to be learned by everyone about everyone if you let yourself do so.
What Piece of Advice Would You Give to Underclassmen?: Your happiness, stress, sadness, or excitement is just as valid as the person next to you. Don’t compare yourself to others, because you are just as worthy of success and even of failure as the people you surround yourself with. Also, go to as many games, concerts, performances, and research exhibits as you can, and just try to get to know as many people as you can. It’s really cool to see your classmates get excited about the things they love, and it’s really inspiring to know that you are surrounded by a generation of future change makers. You never know what or who you will nd that will impact your life in the most random yet meaningful way.
Rachel Chen (E, M)
Years at Pingry: 7
Trademark Characteristics: Smiling a lot, always on my way to a meeting, writing sappy goodbye letters, listening to Disney and showtunes unironically, napping in the library, liking dogs more than babies
Activities: Squash, The Record, IRT, Student Gov- ernment, SDLC, Pingry Politics, Lebow
College Plans: Harvard University
Career Possibilities: Open to anything! Possiblymedicine, probably not nance
Favorite Memory at Pingry: Competing in Lebow: the first year because I found an empowering passionin public speaking, and the second year because afterwinning the rst year, I had the platform to deliversome real talk (and defend SAGE dining!) to the whole school.
What I’ll Take Away: An appreciation for thedif culties of zebra sh husbandry and newspaperediting; the ability to crank out essays under time pressure; love and respect for the patience of some teachers; and six years of unforgettable friendship and memories.
What Piece of Advice Would You Give to Underclassmen?: Find something that you love and devote yourself to it! And then, more importantly, go out of your way to support other people in the things that they love.
Jennifer Coyne (E, M)
Years at Pingry: 4
Trademark Characteristics: Blunt, overly- friendly, short, extra-gluten, always on Membean
Activities: Field hockey, Handbells, Credit Union, IRT, Swimming (ha!), Lacrosse, Outing Club
College Plans: Yale University
Career Possibilities: Honestly anything except a doctor (thanks mom and dad!)
Favorite Memory at Pingry: That time we all sang Phoenix and Maybe I’m Crazy before winter break
What I’ll Take Away: Forming and nurturing relationships with people supersedes everything
What Piece of Advice Would You Give to Underclassmen?: Fail early and fail often! Getting consecutive 62% and 58% on math exams is not the worst thing in the world (I speak from experience, and I am sorry, Trem.). Remember to have fun, because the good ol’ days are now!
Alexis Elliot (E, M)
Years at Pingry: 13
Trademark Characteristics: Compassionate, driven, confident, outgoing, humble, savvy
Activities: The Pingry Record, Founder of EduPair, Peer Leader, Varsity Soccer, Honor Board, SDLC, BasketballCollege Plans: Harvard University
Career Possibilities: Diplomacy and International Business
Favorite Memory at Pingry: Playing on the World Cupeld with all of my sisters from PGS
What I’ll Take Away: Some of the best friendships and most interesting people! And if you set your mind on a goal, the path to get there may not be straight, and you may not even reach it. But if you keep working at it, you’ll look back on the growth you’ve achieved and be a better person for it.
What Piece of Advice Would You Give to Underclassmen?: Find out what you’re good at, and try to capitalize on it as much as possible. It not only will help you be successful, but will also give you something positive to add to the Pingry community. And while you go through high school, it’s easy to fall into the trap of being focused on your individual pursuits. Try and break out ofthat mold and be sel ess with your actions. Take time tolearn about other people and build lasting relationships because at the end of the day, those are what matter most.
Iman Khan (M)
Years at Pingry: 8
Trademark Characteristics: Kind, loving, wise caring
Activities: Community service work/helping others, singing, ahhh idk what else to putCollege Plans: TBD, but as of now, Rutgers University NBCareer
Possibilities: International human rights lawyer or working for the UN
Favorite Memory at Pingry: Mohammad al Samawi coming to speak
What I’ll Take Away: The importance of having people who genuinely care about you in the faculty and staff — how transformative it can beespecially when you are going through a difficulttime in life in general and school is feeling the strongest consequence of it
What Piece of Advice Would You Give to Underclassmen?: Work hard, love harder and be kind to one another. You all need each other. This is such a sensitive time for many of you and just that one smile or one conversation with another person can make the biggest difference in someone’s life.
Jackson Proudfoot (E)
Years at Pingry: 4
Trademark Characteristics: Driven, passionate, that computer kid
Activities: Outing Club, Robotics, STC, iRTCollege Plans: Duke University
Career Possibilities: Computer Engineer
Favorite Memory at Pingry: The backpacking trip to Grand Gulch, Utah during Spring Break of my Junior year.
What I’ll Take Away: The realization that everyone has their own story and an appreciation for all of the people who have helped me get to where I am today and who will help me get to where I am going tomorrow.
What Piece of Advice Would You Give to Underclassmen?: If you stop trying new things you may never discover some hidden passion trapped inside of you waiting to be released.
Alexandra Pyne (E, M)
Years at Pingry: 7
Trademark Characteristics: Kind, passionate, genuine, and lively
Activities: Honor Board, Soccer, Basketball, Fyi Sci, Peer Leadership 🙂
College Plans: Yes, I plan to go to college!
Career Possibilities: I’m open to anything…may- be something in biology, psychology, or education?
Favorite Memory at Pingry: Soccer practices and games with my PGS sisters and basketball workouts in the BAC!
What I’ll Take Away: Incredible friendships,insights from great teachers, self-con dence, andan unhealthy number of bagels consumed
What Piece of Advice Would You Give to Underclassmen?: Be kind, work hard, and do what makes you happy.
Madeleine Parrish (M)
Years at Pingry: 8
Trademark Characteristics: Loves everyone, optimistic, kind, coffee addict
Activities: Peer leadership, softball, student government, humanities research
College Plans: University of Chicago
Career Possibilities: Something in government or public service, or maybe law, maybe journalism, we’ll see
Favorite Memory at Pingry: Peer leadership retreat, and the time we blasted Maybe I’m Crazy, Phoenix, and Silence in the senior area and all knew every lyric.
What I’ll Take Away: Lifelong friendships and a community of people to always root for
What Piece of Advice Would You Give to Underclassmen?: Every single one of your classmates has something they are passionate about and you have so much to learn from them – foster relationships with as many of them as you can
Jun 10, 2018 | School News
Academic Awards
John R. Whittemore ‘47 Biology Award – Jacqueline Chang, Alexandra Pyne
Ernest C. Shawcross Chemistry Award – Jennifer Fish, Graham Matthews
Physics Award – Jennifer Fish, Graham Matthews
Science Book Award – Rachel Chen, Ami Gianchandani
Science Research Award – Jennifer Coyne, Mitchell Pavlak
Science In Society Award – Raquel Gomez, Alexandra Pyne
Whitlock Prize for Math – Jennifer Fish, Clyde Leef
Advanced Math Prize – Josephine Cummings, Ami Gianchandani
Computer Science Prize – Jessica Li, Jackson Proudfoot
Economics Prize – Michael Lu, Aloysius McLaughlin
Robotics Prize – Jackson Proudfoot
Union College Casmir A. France Award for Excellence in English – Jennifer Coyne, Ryan Fuentes
Paul H. and Sarah Rouslin Excellence in English Award – Jennifer Fish, Megan Pan
Martin B. O’Connor ’26 Journalism Award – Rachel Chen, Megan Pan
Yearbook Award – Brooke Murphy
Justin Society Award Competition
Prize for a Body of Work: Megan Pan
Prize for Drama: Alyssa Chen
Prize for Flash Fiction: Maya Huffman
Prize for Poetry: Alyssa Chen
Prize for Memoir: Namita Davey
Jean S. MacDonald History Prize – Maya Huffman, Madeleine Parrish
Psychology Prize – Giancarlo Castillo
Language Prize
Chinese: Ethan Chung, Rebecca Lin
French: Jennifer Coyne, Josephine Cummings
German: Michael Lu
Spanish: Arnav Agrawal, Jason Weiss
Advanced Language Prize
Chinese: Naiyah Atulomah, Alexandra Pyne
French: Alyssa Chen, Megan Pan
German: Aidan Dillon
Latin: Lindsey Yu
Spanish: Alexis Elliot, Madeleine Parrish
The DeGryse Prize in Modern European Languages – Raquel Gomez
Arts & Drama
Director’s Award for Achievement in Dramatic Arts – Megan Pan
Drama Department Stage Manager Prize – Ouarida Benatia
Drama Department Award for Technical Theatre – Sidney Shannon
Michael E. Popp Photography Prize – Conor Mahoney
Brendan J. Donahue ’79 Memorial Prize for Fine Arts – Nicolas Ladino
Brendan J. Donahue ’79 Memorial Prize for Pottery and Sculpture – Clyde Leef, John Patterson
Barbara Berlin Prize in Art History – Sehyr Khan
Music Award – Maya Huffman
School Service & Leadership
Michael Jupka, Jr. ‘76 Blue Key Award – Sehyr Khan
Community Service Award – Naiyah Atulomah, Alexandra Brauer
Paul R. Leary ‘90 Award – Madeleine Parrish, Tyler Williams
John Taylor Babbitt ‘07 Award – Myla Stovall, Owen Wolfson
Student Government Achievement Award – Michael Weber
Special Awards
The Pingry School Gift To Our AFS Student – Asja Alispahic
Pingry School Parents’ Association Women’s Sports Award – Ami Gianchandani
Centennial Cup — Gift of the Class of ’61 – Chukwumaobim Nnaeto
Sandy Apruzzese Big Blue Award – Sana Sheikh
Class of ’26 Reese Williams Award – Emma Lombardo
C. B. Newton Pingry-Princeton Scholarship Prize – Megan Pan
The Elizabeth Allan Smith ‘83 Memorial Pingry-Duke Scholarship Prize – Jackson Proudfoot
Faculty Prize – Phito Jean-Louis
Charles B. Atwater Valedictory Award – Alyssa Chen
The Henry G. Stifel III Award – Joei Drozjock
Advanced Placement Scholars
Alexandra Brauer
Colin Edwards
Graham Matthews
Elle Braverman
Mitchell Flugstad-Clarke
Jackson Proudfoot
Jacqueline Chang
Jonathan Huang
Alexandra Pyne
Namita Davey
Sehyr Khan
Owen Wolfson
Sydney Davis
Nicolas Ladino
Advanced Placement Scholars with Honor
Naiyah Atulomah Sanford Ren
Krish Bhavnani Cynthia Scott
Jennifer Fish Wallace Truesdale
Maya Huffman Alison Verdesca Jeremy Lister
Advanced Placement Scholars with Distinction
Alyssa Chen
Dhruv Govil
Vineil Reddy
Rachel Chen
Jessica Li
Melissa Tungare
Raymond Chen
Michael Lu
Lauren Yu
Ethan Chung
Megan Pan
William Zhang
William Fallon
Madeleine Parrish
National Advanced Placement Scholar
Alyssa Chen
Raymond Chen
William Fallon
Arnav Agrawal
Naiyah Atulomah
Elle Braverman
Jacqueline Chang
Alyssa Chen
Rachel Chen
Raymond Chen
Jennifer Coyne
Josephine Cummings
Namita Davey
Catherine Drovetsky
Alexis Elliot
Jennifer Fish
Ryan Fuentes
Ami Gianchandani
Maya Huffman
Clyde Leef
Jessica Li
Graham Matthews
Megan Pan
Mitchell Pavlak
Jackson Proudfoot
Alexandra Pyne
Vineil Reddy
Wallace Truesdale
National Merit Scholarship Program Commended Students
Arnav Agrawal William Fallon
Krish Bhavnani Jennifer Fish
Raymond Chen Jonathan Huang
Catherine Drovetsky Clyde Leef
Colin Edwards Rebecca Li Michael Lu
Graham Matthews Matthew Stanton
Madeleine Parrish Wallace Truesdale
Kassidy Peterson Melissa Tungare
Bao Pham
Jason Weiss
Jackson Proudfoot Lauren Yu
Alexandra Pyne
National Merit Scholarship Finalists
Alyssa Chen Namita Davey Megan Pan
Rachel Chen Jessica Li Mitchell Pavlak
Ethan Chung Jeremy Lister Vineil Reddy
Jennifer Coyne Conor Mahoney William Zhang
National Hispanic Recognition
Program Scholars
Elle Braverman Benjamin Ramos
Maxwell Sanchez Raquel Gomez
Presidential Scholar Candidates
Scholar Athlete Awards
Cipriano Family Scholar-Athlete Award – Jennifer Coyne, Clyde Leef
Somerset County Scholar-Athletes – Ami Gianchandani, Victor Vollbrecthausen
Skyland Conference – Aidan Dillon, Mairead Higgins
NJSIAA (State) – Kassidy Peterson
NJISAA (Independent Schools) – Krish Bhavnani, Rachel Chen
Athletics Awards
Girls’ Cross-Country Award – Anna Wood
Boys’ Cross-Country Award – Colin Edwards
Andrea Montague Field Hockey Award – Myla Stovall
Tom Boyer Football Award – Clyde Leef, Chukwumaobim Nnaeto
Michael Jupka, Jr. ’76 Football Award – Thomas Dugan, Andrew Weaver
Timothy C. Cornwall ’64 Boys’ Soccer Sportsmanship Award – Mitchell Flugstad-Clarke, Vineil Reddy
Dick Gradwohl Boys’ Soccer Cup for Most Team Spirit – Alexy Alin-Hvidsten, Wallace Truesdale, Owen Wolfson
Elizabeth Allan Smith ’83 Girls’ Soccer Award – Alexis Elliot
John R. Dufford, Jr. Tennis Trophy – Brooke Murphy, Lindsey Yu
Water Polo Award – William Fallon, Victor Volbrechtausen, Matthew Stanton
Frank L. Romano Boys’ Basketball Award – Zachary Aanstoots, Michael Weber
Joe LaValley Boys’ Basketball Award – Phito Jean-Louis
David M. Allan Memorial Girls’ Basketball Award – Megan Horn, Ally Pyne
Virginia Nazario Fencing Award – Malcolm Fields, Aubrey Molloy
Varsity Boys’ Ice Hockey Award – George Enman
Girls’ Ice Hockey Award – Caroline Petrow-Cohen
Girls’ Ski Team Award – Lindsey Hogan
Boys’ Ski Team Award – Nicolas Ladino
Girls’ Squash Team Award – Namita Davey
Boys’ Squash Team Award – Krish Bhavnani
Boys’ Swimming Award – Victor Volbrechtausen
Ashley G. Marsh and Family Swimming Award – Naiyah Atulomah
Michael Jupka, Jr. ’76 Wrestling Award – Aidan Dillon
Girls’ Winter Track Award – Avery Schiffman, Anna Wood
Boys’ Winter Track Award – Benjamin Vazquez
Class of 1935 Graham Churchill Baseball Award – Max Scherzer
Girls’ Golf Award – Ami Gianchandani
Boys’ Golf Award – William Capanna
Richard C. Weiler Boys’ Lacrosse Award – Jason Weiss
Girls’ Lacrosse Sportsmanship Award – Sana Sheikh
Pingry Girls’ Lacrosse Cup – Mairead Higgins, Shea Smith
Pingry Softball Award – Madeleine Parrish, Kassidy Peterson
Boys’ Tennis Award – Nikhil Rao
Boys’ Track Award – Zachary Aanstoots, Benjamin Vazquez
Richard G. Gradwohl Girls’ Track Award – Avery Schiffman, Sophia Weldon
Twelve Letter Award – Connor Smith, Anna Wood
Mar 25, 2018 | Arts, Brynn Weisholtz, School News
By Rhea Kapur (III)
From February 7th through March 6th, the Hostetter art gallery was home to the 22nd Annual Pingry Student Photography Exhibition. Over two hundred photographs were submitted, depicting the best work of students spanning fifteen different public and private high schools near Pingry. The judge of this year’s show was Peter Jennings, a photographer, director, and artist based in New York.
The work included both traditional, film-based photographs and digital prints. Many different tones and moods were represented, ranging from dark and mysterious to light and upbeat. The exhibit captured a range of unique perspectives about current events and everyday moments.
For example, Conor Mahoney (VI)’s photograph, titled “Anger Management,” features a fist punching into water, possibly symbolizing the need to release the stress and anger that high schoolers frequently experience. Additionally, “Cigarettes” by Remi Nichols from North Hunterdon High School was another standout work, featuring a jar full to the brim with cigarette stubs. It potentially speaks to the cost of smoking in society and how it must be controlled and contained to minimize the terrible health-related impact on future generations. Lastly, “Bliss,” a black-and-white photo by Arieliz Ramos from County Prep HS, featured two young girls laughing together, referencing the incomparable bond of friendship and the joy it brings between sisters, friends, and family.
For the observers of this exhibition, the experience of viewing and interpreting the photos was enthralling. Monica Chan (III) reflected on how “it was interesting to see how Pingry hosts different photographers and allows them to display their work.” An artist herself, Monica remarked that “she finds photography useful as a reference to use when drawing,” taking inspiration from the exhibit in that way.
Mr. Boyd reflected on how “this show provides an opportunity for Pingry students to get a snapshot of student photography in New Jersey.” He also spoke to how Hostetter has “allow[ed] Pingry to realize its full artistic expression.” With its constant variety of exhibitions, he advises Pingry students to visit the gallery often, saying how many students’ lives have been “forever changed by its exceptional vision.”
Visual Arts teacher Mrs. Jennifer Mack-Watkins also remarked that “the stories that these young artists are telling with their photographs have to do with common themes that teenagers go through,” and she has seen how enriching it is for other students to observe the work. Mrs. Mack Watkins views this exhibit as a “great way for students to connect with each other” overall.
The following Pingry students were featured in the 22nd Annual Pingry Student Photography Exhibition:
Brynn Weisholtz (IV), Grace Brown (V), Maddie Parrish (VI), Mitchell Pavlak (VI), Olivia Nugent (IV), Namita Davey (VI), Natalie Ladino (IV), Conor Mahoney (VI), Mariam Trichas (VI), Owen Wolfson (VI), Madeline Skapper (IV), Leighton Mayers (V), Maddie Massey (IV), Evan Taylor (V), Nicolette Brigante (IV), Noelle Mullins (IV), Peter Papadopoulos (IV), Ben Ingrassia (V), Ben Mandelbaum (V), Caroline Dannenbaum (IV), Annie Oatman (IV), Abby Jay (V), Tyler Williams (VI), Rita Harrobin (IV), Mercedes Garcka-Kenny (IV), Sophie Loesberg (VI), Aubrey Molloy (VI), Alli Simon (V), Ilana Lurie (VI), Ben Ramos (VI), Nicole Toney (V), Sidney Shannon (VI), Annie Smith (IV), Abby Beckmen (V), Zach Trichas (V), Ryan Geller (IV), Olivia James (V), Kamal Brown (V), George Mychajluk (VI), Lindsey Larson (VI), Alberto Choussy (V), Brian Benson (V), Hailey Cernuto (VI), Chase Barnes (V), Nikki Vanasse (IV), Jordan Taylor (VI), Sophia Weldon (VI), and Kassidy Peterson (VI).
Mar 25, 2018 | Brynn Weisholtz, School News
By Brynn Weisholtz ’20
On February 14, the Black Student Union (BSU) held the annual all-school Black History Month assembly. Bringing both the students and the faculty together in Hauser Auditorium, the school celebrated the achievements and honored the hardships of black people in the past and acknowledged the present day struggles of the black community. This was the second year this assembly was run by the Black Student Union, which is headed by the Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Department, Dr. Diana Artis.
Roughly 20 high school students took part in the assembly in both performance and organization. “We were all proud to show the school what black history means to us,” said Noelle Mullins (IV).
The assembly showcased various student performances such as singing, reciting poetry, performing spoken word, and showing prerecorded videos. Highlights included Glory by Macklemore sung by Jared Tiggs (VI) and Iman Khan (VI), the poem Still I Rise by Maya Angelou performed by a group of students, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised by Gil Scott-Heron recited by Channing Russell (VI), Tyler Williams (VI), and Obi Nnaeto (VI), and a moving letter by Jordan Taylor (VI) to her adopted cousins, encouraging them to stay strong in the face of oppression.
Each BSU member contributed to this assembly and showed why they believe it was important to hold. Speaking about the message of the gathering, Gabrielle Billington (IV) said, “It is important for all people to understand the significance of recognizing the black community no matter what race they are. There is so much history that has shaped this community to be what it is today.”
While only thirty minutes long, the assembly had quite an impact on the audience. It evoked the realization that, as Brian Benson (V) said, “black history is not explored enough in the average history class, and in general, people need to learn more about the topic.” Sydney Tindall (IV) said of the experience, “This assembly showed the truths of black history through the efforts of others and expressed the injustices that have been seen throughout history.”
