Oct 24, 2017 | School News
By Caroline Santoro ’19
On Friday, September 22, the community gathered in Hauser Auditorium for the Fall Awards ceremony. This annual event brings the school together and recognizes the outstanding academic achievements of Pingry students.
The ceremony began with recognition for high PSAT scores, awarded by the National Merit Scholarship Program. The program honored thirty-eight students, including twenty-two as Commended Scholars and twelve as National Merit Semi-finalists. Four high-scoring students of Hispanic backgrounds received praise from the National Hispanic Recognition Program.
Following the PSAT awards, Headmaster Nat Conard presented two character awards to a member of each grade: the Citizenship Prize and the Faculty Award. This year the citizenship prize was awarded to freshman Ore Shote, sophomore Hannah Dillon, junior Ketaki Tevan, and senior Jacqueline Chang. The Faculty Prize was awarded to freshman Chloe Mason, sophomore Rita Harrobin, junior Rashida Mohammed, and senior Brandon Rosen. The prestige of these faculty-determined awards epitomizes the value Pingry students place on being well-respected, ethical citizens. Mr. Conard also awarded the Scholarship Prize to the valedictorian of each grade: freshmen Rhea Kapur, Julian Lee, and Justin Li, sophomore Brian Li, junior Andrew Beckmen, and senior Alyssa Chen.
Students who excel in math and science were then presented a variety of awards, including the Bausch & Lomb Science Award, which was presented to Senior Jennifer Fish, and the Rensselaer Mathematics & Science Award, which was presented to Senior Raymond Chen.
Following those honors, Dr. Dinkins presented the college book awards, a tradition that is highly anticipated each year. A college book award is presented to the member of the senior class who embodies the values of the associated college. With the award, the recipient receives a book given to them by the college. This year the colleges represented were Brown (Megan Pan), Columbia (Ethan Chung), Cornell (Clyde Leef), Dartmouth (Jennifer Coyne), Mount Holyoke (Alexis Elliot), Penn (Jared Lefkort), Princeton (Jacqueline Chang), Smith (Madeleine Parrish), Wellesley (Rachel Chen), Williams (Alexandra Pyne), and Yale (Wallace Truesdale).
The Justin Society awarded students for their writing competition honors in the categories of fiction, poetry, memoir, and flash fiction. First place winners of these awards went up on the stage to receive their award from Dr. Cottingham.
The ceremony always concludes with the fall induction of seniors to the Pingry chapter of the Cum Laude Society. President Mrs. Lydia Geacintov explained the difficult requirements for induction eligibility: students must maintain an A- (Honor Roll) average, take a full college preparatory course load, and receive a minimum of half of the votes from the chapter’s electing members. Nine students were presented with this great honor, and they were met with praise from their classmates and teachers. Those students were seniors Naiyah Atulomah, Alyssa Chen, Rachel Chen, Jennifer Coyne, Josie Cummings, Clyde Leef, Megan Pan, Jackson Proudfoot, and Ally Pyne.
The Pingry community congratulations all of this year’s award recipients and looks forward to celebrating the academic successes of a new set of students next year.
Oct 24, 2017 | School News
By Jessica Hutt (IV)
One of the most timeless and treasured traditions at Pingry is the annual Convocation ceremony, during which every member of the student body makes a formal commitment to the Honor Code. This event serves as the official opening to the upcoming school year, beginning with the procession of faculty and trustees attired in their collegiate gowns.
Senior Faculty Member Miller Bugliari ‘52 opened the ceremony by delivering his Invocation, in which he addressed the Class of 2018 and reminded them of their responsibility to act as role models to the rest of the student body. He was followed by Student Body President Michael Weber ‘18, who paid homage to Walt Whitman’s “Song of the Open Road” by using the metaphorical “open road” as a model for the upcoming school year. Acknowledging that students may encounter challenges and obstacles along their “open road,” Weber said that students would also experience joy and passion greater than they could even imagine. The only flaw in this metaphor, Weber conceded, is that the man described in Whitman’s poem was alone, whereas Pingry students are surrounded by a number of people who will provide guidance along their journey to success. The next speaker was Honor Board Chair Ally Pyne ‘18, who suggested that students should “buy in” to the Honor Code and make an effort to avoid being the “weak link” in the upstanding behavior of the community.
Following Pyne’s address, representatives from each advisory came to the stage to present to Pyne and Weber a copy of the Honor Code that had been signed within each advisory. “The Honor Code is the most fundamental part of our value system at Pingry. This ceremony demonstrates student ownership of the Honor Code, and we hope that you will always remember this day and your promise to each other,” Ally said.
Board of Trustees Chair Jeff Edwards ’78, P ’12, ’14, ’18 then delivered a speech in which he determined that the most success is found when individual talents are combined. He encouraged students to “develop your talents, but don’t lose sight of helping the larger community.”
After recognizing the twenty-five Magistri (faculty members who have served the school for at least twenty-five years), Headmaster Nat Conard P ’09, ’11 reflected upon the fact that the Honor Code unites the community by encouraging each student to ask himself, “Would this choice be consistent with the attitude and spirit of the Honor Code?” Martha Lewand (IV) especially admired “how Mr. Conard cleverly connected free throws and cookies to make a fair point.”
Following Mr. Conard’s thought-provoking remarks, all those in attendance joined together for a rousing rendition of “Old John Pingry,” setting the tone for the new school year ahead. Isabelle Sheyfer (IV) summarized the day’s events by saying, “Convocation is the time for us to come together as a community and celebrate the love of learning and the Honor Code that unites us.”
Oct 24, 2017 | School News
By Vicky Chen
This fall, the start of the school year unfortunately coincided with the start of hurricane season. First came Hurricane Harvey, which destroyed over 100,000 homes in Texas and Louisiana. Then came Irma, which displaced thousands after hitting Florida and the Caribbean Islands.
As community servants, Pingry students were faced with the task of helping the victims who were struggling in the wake of these massive disasters. To begin the relief efforts, a school-wide Dress Down Day was planned for September 14. The cost to “dress down” was raised to two dollars (instead of the typical one-dollar fee), as this was a joint Dress Down Day that supported two separate causes: the victims of both Harvey and Irma. After hearing about the Dress Down Day, a student quickly approached Mrs. Shelley Hartz, the Director of Community Service, about organizing a bake sale on September 14 as well.
The fundraising efforts on September 14 were a great success. After an entire day of collecting donations, Mrs. Hartz said, “This was Pingry’s largest Dress Down Day monetarily. We collected over $4,000! The joint effort of both the Upper School and the Middle School made it an especially successful day.”
The money that was collected will go directly to two nonprofit organizations: The American Red Cross and the ASPCA. “The money that Pingry students donated will go a long way,” Mrs. Hartz said. “I also am hoping to take the check over to Walmart, where they will match it three to one. This means that whatever funds we raised will be multiplied by three.”
Ms. Barbara Chilmonik, Pingry’s Bookstore Manager, notified Mrs. Hartz that there were a number of organizations in New Jersey that were collecting physical donations and distributing them to hurricane victims. Immediately, a donation drive was also organized, and bins with lists of items that were much needed were posted around the school. As the week progressed, the bins around the school filled up with donations from students. They were later collected and distributed by Ms. Chilmonik to an organization in Holland Township, New Jersey.
Unfortunately, another natural disaster devastated a U.S. territory just weeks later–Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Again, students immediately rose to help the victims dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. Many students and teachers approached Ms. Hartz to devise a plan to help tackle the destruction that took place, and a Dress Down Day and bake sale were quickly planned.
In these tough times following natural disasters, Pingry students have proved able to unite and respond in a powerful and positive way. Impressed by the enthusiastic efforts of the community, Mrs. Hartz said, “I think that when a natural disaster occurs, whether it be locally, nationally, or globally, we recognize that we have a responsibility to step up and help our neighbors, wherever we are.”
Oct 24, 2017 | Athletics, School News
By Rhea Kapur ’21
Pingry Athletics is a key element in the lives of many students. Last year was notable in the school’s history because of the addition of the Miller A. Bugliari ‘52 Athletics Center (BAC). This past summer, existing athletics facilities were further improved. Ranging from upgrades to the softball fields to a completely new track and field area, the new state-of-the-art facilities are amazing resources for student-athletes.
The plan to strengthen Big Blue Athletics through advanced facilities encompasses not only indoor facilities like the BAC, but also new tennis courts and other renovated fields. Pingry Tennis continues to enjoy a successful program. Last year, the Girls’ Varsity team was the Non-Public “A” South Sectional Champions and the Non-Public “A” Group Champions after qualifying for the Tournament of Champions. The Boys’ Varsity team finished second in the Somerset County Tournament and third in the Non-Public “B” Group rankings. This success must be attributed in part to amazing tennis facilities, which have been completely redone this summer with 12 new tennis courts to set the stage for many seasons to come.
“They are really great courts; it’s such an amazing opportunity to become proficient at tennis and learn the game in a competitive environment, along with great coaching,” says Eva Schiller (III), a new student and player on the Junior Varsity girls’ tennis team.
A complete makeover of the Parsons Track and Field area was also an exciting, long-awaited project that was completed just before the start of school. The updates include a new scoreboard, a dual-sport artificial turf playing surface, goalposts, and a completely new, advanced track. The facility is becoming an indispensable part for the football, track, soccer, and lacrosse programs. Football coach Mr. Chris Shilts reflects that in the past, “We spent half our practice time moving to different areas to avoid trampling the grass field into a mud bowl. With this upgrade, we’ll have turf. We’ll have a first-rate facility that draws athletes in.”
Director of Athletics and Lacrosse Coach Carter Abbott said that before the renovation, during the lacrosse season, “Boys and girls [were] getting an hour of practice time each, while competitors [got] way more.” By removing previous disadvantages, this new track and turf field presents another opportunity for Pingry Athletics to thrive.
The last improvement to the exterior athletics grounds includes the construction of a new Junior Varsity softball field near the tennis courts and renovations on the Varsity softball field.
Oct 24, 2017 | School News
By Noah Bergam (III)
When students returned to Pingry this fall, they saw significant changes in Pingry’s technology use. Although Pingry has been using technology to advance its educational environment for years, the one-to-one policy was introduced three years ago, requiring students to have a laptop for all classes. Since then, Evernote, Papercut, Moodle, Membean, and Google Drive, among other internet applications, have all been major, sometimes required, parts of class curriculum. There are also numerous other projects, like the Pingry Website Portal and the student-made Pingry Today App, that currently play a big part in the everyday lives of Pingry students.
The most notable technological change this year was the shift from Moodle to Schoology. In the past, teachers have mainly used Moodle to send students homework and course updates. This year, all teachers are using Schoology for these purposes.
When asked why the change was made, Mr. Brian Burkhart, head of the Technology Department, explained, “Moodle didn’t have the same level of collaboration.” By switching to Schoology, Mr. Burkhart added, “The biggest thing was improved communication, and having one place to go.”
Back when Moodle was the main class distribution tool, many teachers chose not to utilize it and instead used Google Classroom, or, in some cases, no online tool at all. Now that all classes are required to use Schoology, accessing materials is much easier for students. Pingry students can log into their Schoology accounts with their Pingry login information at pingry.schoology.org.
Schoology was not the only change made over the summer. ID Cards are finally more than mini-portraits; they now hold an additional functionality for building security. All students are now able to access the building’s Dining Hall Entrance and Main Entrance by swiping their ID from 7 AM to 7 PM, a privilege only faculty had last year. Seniors are also able to access the Athletics Entrance within the same hours.
In addition, ID Cards are now the keys for students to use printers. Students can link their Pingry accounts by scanning their cards to any of the school printers and logging in. Next, students can email an attached project to uniflow@pingry.org, scan their card, select on the printer, and print. The reasoning behind these changes was, according to Mr. Burkhart, “a strong desire to get rid of PaperCut,” the more outdated software previously used for school printing.
There were also a host of changes made behind the scenes that most students may not even know about. There is a whole new student information system, Veracross, used to take attendance and record grades. According to Mr. Burkhart, “If you’ve ever been associated with the Pingry School, you’re in this system.”
Oct 24, 2017 | School News
By Jonathan Chen
Over the summer, Pingry underwent construction of the main building on the Basking Ridge campus to further improve the school.
The interior renovation created offices for new faculty members. Starting in the Upper School Office, the construction crew created a wall for Dr. Reid Cottingham’s new office, which is now where Mrs. Karen Peake’s office was last year. As the new Upper School Academic Dean, Dr. Cottingham has been enjoying her new office. “It is really convenient to be centrally located,” she said. “I can see more students, and this office enables them to find me more easily.” Ms. Audrey Enriquez is now located in Dr. Cottingham’s old office in the English wing.
Dean Ross, the Dean of Student Life for Form V and VI, and Mrs. Peake, Pingry’s registrar, have relocated to the old admissions office, now known as the “Admin Office.” Dean Ross has moved into the office that used to belong to the Director of Admissions. The office has been reconstructed with a newly installed door. Dean Ross appreciates the shift: “It is a lot brighter, I can see more people, and more students and faculty stop in to say hi.” Mrs. Peake’s office is directly next to Dean Ross’s office. The office of Dr. Delvin Dinkins, Pingry’s new Assistant Headmaster, is in Dr. Diana Artis’ old office, and Mr. Nathaniel Conard, Pingry’s Headmaster, is still located in his original office.
The admissions department has relocated to the Multi-purpose Room. The area has been completely renovated with brand new carpeting, desks, and rooms. Dr. Artis, Mrs. Brunhouse, and the rest of the admissions department have new offices in this newly renovated space. Two-thirds of the old Multi-purpose Room is now the “admissions suite,” since wrestling is now held in the Bugliari Athletic Center.
Finally, part of the mail room was changed into the office of Ms. Carol Mahida, the new Dean of Student Life for Form III and IV. The construction team installed a wall between the mail room and Dean Mahida’s office. The mail room is still in its original location, but it has been reduced in size.
All in all, the faculty looks forward to a great year in their new offices and positions. Dean Ross said, “It’s not that different, just a lot of internal shuffling.” Now, it will be easier to find the teachers and advisors, as their offices are located towards the main entrance of the school. Dr. Cottingham says, “I am very lucky to have such a nice office and to be surrounded by people whom I love to work with every day. This is going to be a great year!”
Oct 24, 2017 | School News
By Allie Verdesca (VI)
On a beautiful, hot Saturday in early October, Pingry hosted its annual Back-to-School Day and Homecoming. Just over 900 parents arrived promptly at 8:15 AM, prepared to experience a day in the life of their children’s schedule and a chance to say hello to their teachers. After a morning full of interesting discussions and back-to-school memories, the Homecoming events began in earnest. The focus this year was Pingry sports, celebrating the school’s beautiful new athletic spaces, including the football team’s new stadium and turf field.
A group of 700 students, parents, and Pingry alumni attended the festivities. Lunch was a bountiful barbeque, featuring hamburgers, hot dogs, grilled vegetables, and a table of delicious desserts, all made possible by the dedicated men and women from Sage Dining. Sporting events went on throughout the day, including water polo, boys’ and girls’ soccer, football, and field hockey. Visiting alumni could also participate in either a field hockey or a soccer game.
Pingry’s teams played well, especially boys’ soccer, beating its archrivals Holmdel with a nail-biting victory of 1-0. Captain Vineil Reddy (VI) accredited the win to a pre-game session by mental performance coach and psychology teacher Dr. Fisher and some Pingry soccer alumni, who encouraged the team to “focus on controlling the ‘controllables’” of the game. Reddy acknowledges the importance of this game to the morale of the soccer team, coming into the game with an overall record of 6-3-1. He believes that “this was the first game in which every single member of the team was completely focused.”
The soccer team was not the only one flaunting a victory. The field hockey team also won its game against Ridge, 5-2, with the help of junior Josie Jahng, who scored two goals and had one assist. The water polo team notched a strong win against Lawrenceville 10-7. However, the girls’ soccer team suffered a close defeat, losing 2-1 in overtime against Bernards. The football team also lost a high-scoring heartbreaker, 49-48, against Fieldston, with Obi Nnaeto (VI) scoring four touchdowns.
Both the Balladeers and the Buttondowns made their musical debuts for the year, singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “Old John Pingry” before the athletic competitions that day. While the games were occurring, children enjoyed games and face painting, and all attendees received free t-shirts.
After the athletic festivities were over, student council held its annual Homecoming dance themed “Under the Sea,” an evening full of music and friends. Senior Sehyr Khan says she “enjoyed all the fun outfits with her peers.” The dance was not only a rousing success but also a great way to raise money for the student council, and it marked the end of a pride-filled spirit week, complete with a pep-rally and themed dress down days throughout to keep spirits high. Overall, this year’s Homecoming was a great day to celebrate Pingry pride.
Oct 24, 2017 | School News
By Miro Bergam (V)
Mr. Conard closed off last week’s morning meeting with a speech addressing our country’s current national debates over the white supremacist rallies in Charlottesville and over NFL players kneeling during the national anthem. Mr. Conard began his speech by reciting passages from the Pingry Honor Code, the Bill of Rights, and the Preamble of the Declaration of Independence, stating that these are three texts that, as American citizens and Pingry students, are intended to guide us.
Mr. Conard then explained how today’s highly politicized society makes the discussion of such debates extremely difficult. As an educator, he said, “I am certainly entitled to my own political views; [however] I feel an obligation not to share them with you.” In the high-tension politics of today, this position becomes even more challenging, as any statement or lack of statement “is perceived as political or unpatriotic.”
Regardless, he finds the discussion of these political debates to be important. In order to conduct them productively at Pingry, he believes “we need to work hard to separate them from partisan politics.” He suggested that to achieve this we should listen to both sides, regardless of how ugly we may find the other side’s opinion. Mr. Conard said that although the white supremacists’ beliefs are “abhorrent to [him], and are both unacceptable and un-American,” he still believes “that they have a right to voice their opinions.”
This brought Mr. Conard to the topic of taking a knee during the national anthem. He maintained his stance on the freedom of expression and speech, saying, “If the flag is a symbol of our freedom, and is emblematic of the beliefs and rights articulated in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States, then one of those rights is the freedom to kneel in front of the flag.”
Mr. Conard ended his speech by encouraging students to engage in these conversations productively and listening to each other through respectful dialogue. He invited students to continue this conversation in a series of Open Forums, spaces open to the whole school to have such discussions.
An Open Forum was held in the O’Connor Board Room later that day. Attendees split into groups to discuss different topics, including gun control and the recent shooting in Los Vegas, the UN decision to vote against banning the death penalty on the basis of sexual orientation, and kneeling during the national anthem at Pingry sporting events. Vicky Chen (V), who attended the Open Forum, said, “I talked about kneeling during the national anthem at Pingry sports games, and it was nice to have a conversation as sensitive as that with such a large group of teachers and peers.”
Regarding Mr. Conard’s speech and the Open Forum, Nabeel Jan (V) said, “I think they were a great way to start a dialogue on free speech. I think by having conversations we can only go forward together and not into a state of polar arguments, something that we should apply to other issues in our currently divisive political climate.”
Oct 24, 2017 | School News
By Paige Maultsby (V)
Novelist, poet, and artist, Dr. N. Scott Momaday, visited Pingry on Thursday, October 5, for an assembly, a luncheon, and two creative writing workshops open to both Middle and Upper Schoolers. A Pulitzer Prize winning author and member of the Kiowa tribe, Dr. Momaday, was invited to the school, according to Assistant Headmaster Dinkins, “to animate the 2017-2018 professional learning theme, Diversity & Inclusion.”
The event was organized by Dr. Diana Artis, the Chair of the Diversity Department, with help from English Department Head, Chris Taylor, who coordinated student preparation for the event in English classes.
D r. Momaday spent the day sharing his knowledge and engaging in a thoughtful dialogue with students and faculty. Faculty prepared for the event by reading his Pulitzer Prize winning novel, House Made of Dawn. Guided by their teachers, students read selections of the novel and assorted poems in their English classes.
Though Dr. Momaday won the Pulitzer Prize for his 1968 novel, he considers himself to be a poet first and foremost. As for what draws him to poetry, he points toward its purity. “I think poetry is the best way to express yourself in literary terms,” Dr. Momaday told students during his workshop. “To write a poem is to say something in the best way that it can be said.” However, Dr. Momaday does not confine his writing to only poetry and novels; his past work ranges from plays to travel literature.
When it comes to influence, Dr. Momaday credits his parents with shaping him into the person he is today. He initially followed in the footsteps of his mother, who was a skilled writer, but later in life, he developed a passion for painting that his father had shared.
Also featured in his work is the influence of oral tradition. As a Kiowa tribe member, he grew up among countless stories, but they existed solely by word of mouth. “My father would tell me stories when I was a little boy,” Dr. Momaday said of his personal experience with the oral tradition. “They stuck in my mind, and I loved them so much I made him tell them to me again and again… One day I woke up to the realization that they were very fragile, that if I didn’t pass them on, they would be lost forever. So I started writing them down.” Out of this process came his best-seller, The Way to Rainy Mountain, a collection of Kiowa folktales supplemented with his commentary.
During the creative writing workshops, students had the chance to take their questions to Dr. Momaday, a true master of the craft. When asked to share what he has learned from being a writer, he responded, “How to be humble. Humility has a good amount to do with writing.” To the aspiring writers in the room, he advised, “If you can be humble about yourself and your experience and convey that humility to language, that’s quite an accomplishment. It’s worth doing.”
His words were not lost on the students. “I am so grateful that we were able not only to host him, but also to have personal discussions with him in the writing workshop,” said Grace Brown (V). “Not only did he give advice as an author which I can apply to my writing, but he also spoke on a deeper level to his thoughts about the human experience.” Though Dr. Momaday’s visit lasted no longer than a day — and ended with an evening event for parents at Short Hills — his stories and insights continue to resonate for many in our community.
Oct 24, 2017 | School News
By Ketaki Tavan (V)
This year, Ms. Carol Mahida, who taught English in the Middle School last year, has taken on a new position in the Pingry community. In addition to teaching two sections of Form III English, She is now the Form III and IV Dean of Student Life in the Upper School.
Historically, Mr. Jake Ross has been the Dean of Student Life for Forms III-VI, but this year, the position has been split. “The younger and older groups have different needs,” said Ms. Mahida.
Ms. Mahida attended the University of South Carolina for her undergraduate degree, where she majored in English and minored in History. For graduate school, she attended Columbia University’s Teachers College and received a master’s degree in English Education. When asked about her college experience, Ms. Mahida said she “appreciated the freedom to explore who I was and what I wanted to do.”
While Ms. Mahida loved her college experience, she found her high school years to be even more formative than her college years. “I was an average student at a really large public high school, and in an environment like that, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle. It wasn’t until I had two teachers that really saw me that I was able to learn what I was capable of,” Ms. Mahida said.
Because of her own high school experience, she commented, “what I love about working in a school environment is helping kids not fall through the cracks. I want to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to do what they want and to see what they’re capable of.”
When asked about her transition from the Pingry Middle to Upper School, Ms. Mahida said, “The Upper School is different from the Middle School in that students have reached a different maturity and skill level. Rather than teaching maturity and those skills, now I get to tap into the traits they have already developed and go deeper in conversation with students.”
Ms. Mahida was also drawn to the Upper School because of its significant female leadership. “It’s really exciting to see,” she said. “I have so many female role models that are incredible to watch and learn from.”
This year, Ms. Mahida thinks her biggest obstacle will be switching roles from teaching to being an administrator. “As a teacher, you’re guided by your classes, but as an administrator, you have to create your own schedule,” she said. “You have the time to plan and dream and help make goals for the school… it’s like being back in the learning stage, which is really humbling and exciting at the same time.”
When asked what she would like the school community to know, Ms. Mahida said, “Please introduce yourselves to me! I would to love learn more about everyone, and I’m always someone who will listen.”
