Dec 9, 2019 | Opinion, Uncategorized
By Maile Winterbottom (V)
As a Pingry student, I experience a lot of stress. From essays to tests to presentations to quizzes, the work never seems to stop piling on. However, there is a common theme in the stress that my peers and I experience: poor timing.
Over the past few years, I’ve started to notice that assessments come in big stressful waves, usually lasting a week or so. One week might be pretty uneventful, with a lull in big assessments and stress levels on the decline. Then, before you know it, you have six tests in one week, not to mention a paper due for English class. Looking at my planner, plenty of weeks are completely covered in the red ink that signifies a large test or essay, while others are almost empty of it. This led me to ask myself: why can’t all of this work be divided up evenly between the weeks?
Students at Pingry are constantly caught between two extremes– weeks packed with work followed by others with almost none – at the expense of their mental health, free time, and success in school. During busier weeks, the challenge for dividing one’s time among different assignments becomes greater than ever. Instead of being able to focus on one thing and achieve success in that area, students are forced to ask themselves: “Should I study for my math test or should I finish my English paper?” This conflict can cause students to do poorly on some assignments when in reality, they just didn’t have enough time. Some may argue that time management isn’t all that hard, and that students should just buck up and bear the weight of these stressful weeks. However, we are often given short notice about assignments, and even with proper notice, too many tests can still leave students in sticky situations.
If more consideration was put into the timing of tests, there would be numerous benefits for students and teachers alike. Students could put more attention into individual assignments and perform better, rather than just throwing as much time as possible into a heaping pile of essays and tests. Teachers would then see a more realistic evaluation of a student’s knowledge. Most of all, students’ stress would decrease if their large assessments were divided up more evenly.
To improve assessment timing, I suggest creating new rules similar to the Three-Assessment Rule (if you have three major assessments in one day, you can opt to move one of them). One possible rule could be: if students have more than five assessments in a week, they can opt to move one of them to the next week. Especially leading up to breaks, where students are faced with six or seven assessments in a week, this rule could benefit the community greatly. Another possible addition could be a universal day each week where assessments are prohibited. This would give students a “day off”, allowing them to study up on assessments they have in following days.
With the faculty’s goal for this year being student wellness, poorly timed assessments is a problem that needs to be solved. However, if given enough attention, addressing this issue has the potential to benefit Pingry as a whole. It would certainly be a big step towards improving the mental health and wellness of students.
Oct 18, 2019 | Editorial, Mirika Jambudi, Opinion, Uncategorized
By Mirika Jambudi (III)
The world I’m growing up in scares me to death. It seems like everywhere I look there is something to be afraid of. In fact, I’m almost fifteen and I just got permission this summer to ride my bike to my friend’s house. It’s only two blocks away, but I understand why. The world I’m growing up in is scary because it’s dangerous. I can’t tell you that it’s more dangerous than any other period in human history, but I can tell you this: we’re certainly more aware of it. The news flashes every day with new stories of gunmen, arson, murder, and scandal in our very own White House. That shadow in the corner of my eye, that’s danger. The creak on the stairs when I’m home alone, that’s danger. This constant fear bleeds into every single aspect of my life.
In school, we’ve had lockdown drills for as long as I can remember. An announcement is made, so we lock the doors, draw the blinds, huddle in the corner, and stay as silent as possible. For those 4-7 minutes, I examine my best friend’s shoelaces intently. I imagine what I would do, if at that very moment, the drill was real and a shooter barged into the classroom. I count the bricks on the wall. I wonder if this is what it felt like to live during the Cold War, diving under desks to take cover at the prospect of nuclear war. Then, I wonder why people believed that a wooden desk could stop an atomic bomb. Probably, I think, for the same reasons we draw the blinds and lock the doors. Ever since the shooting in Parkland, Florida, though, something has changed. Everything feels more real. The idea of a school shooting used to be almost nonexistent. Something that happened to those poor kids in Sandy Hook, but could never happen to us.
But the national uproar 5,000 miles away brought about changes reaching all the way to Pingry. Now, we have more detailed lockdown procedures. Recently, we had an assembly describing safety procedures, and our newly installed lockdown buttons in case of an emergency. We know what to do during lunch, during time between classes. We know that if there’s an emergency, we are to go into the nearest open classroom, let as many kids in as possible, lock all the doors, and hide. The threat has become omnipresent. It’s not far away and vague anymore, but something that could actually happen to us. Even in the bathroom stalls, the inner doors are plastered with laminated posters explaining what to do if someone is in the bathroom while a lockdown is in progress. It tells me what keywords to listen for to make sure the all-clear is legitimate. The danger of a school shooting stares me in the face while I use the bathroom. It’s an unfading feeling of unease, present even when I’m walking down the hall with a friend, goofing off like an average pair of freshmen. I see the security guards on duty keeping an eye on everything, watching for any signs of suspicious activity. I understand why they are there, of course, but it reminds me that nowhere is safe.
I live in the epitome of suburbia, so it’s strange to have this fear everywhere I go. We have become desensitized to shootings and gun violence, and barely react to the now daily reports of shootings. Everywhere is unsafe: first movie theaters, coffee shops, and retail stores, and now schools. For me, school is a place I look forward to going every day; however, some days, when I step off of that yellow Kensington bus, I feel afraid of the unknown, and I concoct imaginary emergency scenarios in my head. I have my parents on speed dial, as a “just-in-case.” I have a message in the notes section of my phone for my loved ones, should something actually happen to me, though the chances are slim. I really shouldn’t have to worry about this; I’m just your average high school freshman trying not to fail Spanish and science, binging rom-coms and Disney movies in her free time. We shouldn’t have to worry that when we leave our houses in the morning for school, it might be the last time our parents see us alive.
Our government should have stepped up on gun policies and implemented stricter gun laws years ago, right after the incident at Sandy Hook. How many more lives must be lost until our government takes charge? Our nation needs action, and it is long overdue.
Oct 18, 2019 | Brynn Weisholtz, Editorial, Uncategorized
Brynn Weisholtz (VI)
As I boarded the plane and walked to my seat, I paid little attention to the people surrounding me––I was unaware of who they were, how they looked, and where they were going. I placed my carry-on bag in the compartment above my head, took my seat, secured my seatbelt, inserted my airpods and chose my favorite playlist; I was settled in and ready for a relaxing flight. It’s odd––every individual has their own life, in which they make their own choices, have their own opinions, and live with their own consequences. As such, we rarely think about strangers because we are so consumed with our own existences.
But on this flight, I thought about the person three rows ahead of me en route to our sunny destination.
Listening to my downloaded Spotify playlist, my song was interrupted by a loud disturbance, an escalating conversation between a passenger and a United Airlines representative. I wasn’t sure what the argument was about. Was it a seating issue? Was the passenger on the wrong plane? Did she possess a liquid more than the permitted 1.7 ounces? All I could deduce was that something very serious was going on.
The stranger in row 7 became a topic for most of the passengers on the plane. People were suddenly interested in something other than their magazines and music. What we came to learn is that this woman entered the aircraft as every other paying passenger did, and was asked to leave the plane because of her clothing. Her crime was wearing a tube top. Apparently, exposing one’s midriff on a United Airlines flight is against the company’s dress code and results in removal from the aircraft. How could this be? She wasn’t unclothed. I didn’t find her outfit tasteless, especially since I had, on multiple occasions, boarded a United Airlines flight wearing some variation of that outfit; actually, on that very flight, I, too, donned leggings and a tube top; however my stomach was covered by a zippered sweatshirt, for the sole purpose of staying warm inflight. I was actually shocked that this was an issue, as I had never even heard about a dress code for a flight. After some research, I located the United Airlines Dress Code, which bans attire like swimwear and mini skirts.
While, I understand the necessity for some of these restrictions, whether it be to safeguard people from derogatory words or protect passengers from clothing deemed hazardous by the airline (i.e., open toes shoes or barefoot), I do question the implementation of the airline’s dress code when deciding what makes an outfit fit for travel. This passenger was not offered a complimentary shirt or article of clothing, nor was she provided with a blanket to wrap around her exposed area. Rather, she was forced to forgo her seat and return to the terminal. United Airlines did not care that she would be missing out on her vacation or that she paid for this flight and hotel accommodations. All that seemed to be of importance was that her clothing was out of dress code for the flight.
This inherently begs the question: how can our society, which preaches freedom of expression, dictate what we as people wear when it is not offensive nor harmful? Limiting a person’s clothing choices in a public arena is in opposition to a freedom we hold in high regard in America. And the lack of compassion expressed by the employees for the passenger and the situation was equally as shameful in my opinion. I am confident that the woman did not choose to wear a tube top to blatantly defy the airline’s policy. On the contrary, she likely chose her outfit for the same reasons I chose my outfit that morning….it was comfortable.
Oct 18, 2019 | Summer Experiences, Uncategorized
Maile Winterbottom (V)
In the midst of some last-minute scrambling to put my summer plans together last April, I quickly scrolled through possible programs and trips I could attend. I came across a two week trip to Iceland held by Overland Summers, a program that takes kids on trips led by college students. It was a backpacking trip, something I was interested in undertaking, and I was up for the challenge. So I clicked “register” and embarked on the journey.
When the day came for me to leave, I was a nervous wreck. I wondered what I got myself into. I thought my two years as an avid Pingry Outing Club participant would prepare me for this, but as the trip grew closer, the thought of strapping my belongings to my back for two weeks in a foreign country felt like something I could never do. Nevertheless, I hopped on the plane to Reykjavik (Iceland’s capital) with my half broken-in hiking boots and didn’t look back.
As soon as I met my group of nine other high school students and two college students (who led the trip), my anxiety that had built up over the weeks prior seemed to dissipate. We settled down at a campsite in Reykjavik on our first night and prepared for the next week, which we would spend backpacking. We would through-hike the Laugavegur trek, a fifty-mile trail popular among tourists in Iceland. I had never done anything like it before.
Although the nerves were sinking in, the girls that I had met just a day ago were already turning out to be my close friends. We talked about our lives back home, our concerns for the trip, how much we missed home, and so much more. There were four girls including me on the trip, and every night we would go into a tent and talk for at least an hour about everything that happened that day, and any other things that were on our mind.
When we arrived at the start of the Laugavegur trek, my anxiety for backpacking had returned, especially after our leaders told us that the first day would be the hardest day of the trip, with ten miles of ground to cover and many difficult uphills. My pack was heavy with food for the group, my clothes for the next week, my tent, and my sleeping bag (weighing forty pounds altogether!). As it turned out, the forty pounds on my back didn’t hold me back from having a great first day on the trail. The ten miles, although difficult, left me feeling accomplished, and the views added to my sense of achievement. When we got to the second campsite, we had pad thai for dinner and played cards, as we continued to bond with our group.
The rest of the trip proved to be one of the most breathtaking and formative experiences I’ve ever had. I met so many different people from different backgrounds and hearing their stories brought me to tears on several occasions. The trail was tough, but it brought us together as a group. Sometimes, completing even the smallest obstacles, like crossing a river or making it to the top of a steep hill, were so gratifying for me. At the end of every day, when I would take off my pack and look back on the miles I just hiked, I thought of the songs I sang, the stories I told and heard, and even the lunch I had, all the while thinking of how grateful I was to be in such a beautiful place.
My trip to Iceland left me feeling humbled by the outdoors and even more appreciative of our environment. In addition, I made some great bonds with the people on my trip who I’m still in contact with. The raw beauty of everything I saw along the way was incomparable to anything I’ve ever seen and taught me more than I have ever learned in the classroom, with concrete walls and fluorescent lighting. It made me realize the importance of embracing nature and taking that leap into the unknown.
Oct 18, 2019 | Andrew Wong, Summer Experiences, Uncategorized
Andrew Wong (IV)
As my freshman year approached its finale of final exams, I looked forward to a summer of rest and relaxation.
Half a world away in Hong Kong, students were also busy preparing for their exams and their summer. Unlike me, though, they were ready to forsake their fun summer activities and travel plans this year for something they all knew was more important than a trip abroad. On June 9, 2019, a few days after the school year ended at Pingry, hundreds of thousands of students took to the streets of Hong Kong, on a hot, humid afternoon.
Why?
Hong Kong, formerly a British colony, was handed back to China in 1997. As part of the handover, Hong Kong was allowed to have “a high degree of autonomy,” with the ability to “enjoy executive, legislative, and independent judicial power” until 2047, when it would become fully integrated into China.
However, since the handover, this autonomy has steadily eroded. As seen in the last five years, with the barring of six pro-democracy lawmakers from local elections, the kidnapping of local booksellers by the Chinese government, and the arrests of prominent student activists, it has become all too clear that mainland China had been encroaching on Hong Kong’s sovereignty.
In March 2019, Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, proposed a bill that would allow fugitives in Hong Kong to be extradited back to mainland China to stand trial in the Chinese judicial system, an opaque legal system with a conviction rate of 99.99%. Many Hong Kongers were outraged by this extradition bill. They could no longer afford to sit and watch their government appease Beijing’s hunger for power.
In early June, a summer of revolution began. One million Hong Kongers swarmed the streets, followed by two million the next week, all demanding that the extradition bill be withdrawn. Despite this, Carrie Lam refused to withdraw the bill.
After a long July of violence, which saw protestors storm the Legislative Council, innocent students viciously attacked by triads in a suburban train station, and a young nurse providing first aid to protestors have her eye shot out by the police, I arrived in Hong Kong. Arriving at the airport, I saw young student protestors, not much older than myself, handing out flyers detailing the various instances of police brutality and the corruption of the Hong Kong government. Later that night, I watched on the news as riot police stormed into the airport while elsewhere in the city, tear gas and rubber bullets were fired into crowds of young protestors.
I was shocked. Why must these students spend their valuable summer risking their lives, while we get to spend our summer lounging on the beach or at home in peace? What is it that prompts an entire generation to rise up in open revolution?
The day school started, on September 4th, I heard the news that everyone in Hong Kong had longed to hear for the last three months––the extradition bill would finally be withdrawn.
It was too little, too late. Since the start of the protests, 2,000 people have been injured, 1,500 people from ages 12 to 75 have been arrested, and there are rumors that some protestors have died as a result of police brutality.
Returning to Pingry, I found peace on campus. I saw students going about their day without the burden of anxiety that comes from tyranny and oppression. In comparing the settings of my summer and my normal life, I realize just how valuable freedom is.
I am proud of the fact that I stood with Hong Kong in the fight for liberty this summer. In August, I was part of the “Peaceful, Rational, and Nonviolent” march, organized by the Civil Human Rights Front in response to weeks of constant police brutality against civilians. I saw the full unity of Hong Kong on display that day, where 1.7 million people of all ages, from little babies in strollers to the elderly, came out despite torrential rain. With chants of “Fight for freedom! Stand with Hong Kong!” and “Hong Kongers! Keep going!” our march pushed forward while a heavy monsoon poured. The scenes that played out that day deeply moved me. It was a powerful display of resistance and perseverance from ordinary Hong Kongers against the abusive power of mainland China.
For many Hong Kongers, what they hope can be achieved as a result of months of struggle can be perfectly summed up in the lyrics of “Glory to Hong Kong,” which has become the anthem of the Hong Kong protests. The song grants hope: “We pledge, no more tears on our land. In wrath, doubts dispelled, we make our stand. Arise! All ye who would not be slaves again: For Hong Kong, may Freedom reign!”
There is still a long road ahead and more months of struggle for the protesters. However, I, along with many other Hong Kongers, hope that in the end, the struggle for freedom will triumph.
光復香港！
時代革命！
香港人加油！
Sep 17, 2019 | Noah Bergam, Uncategorized
By Noah Bergam ’21
A few times in the past month I’ve brought up in casual conversation that CLIMATE CHANGE IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE FACING AMERICA, outweighing all other problems except maybe healthcare.
I admit, it’s an annoying way to hijack a perfectly good lunch hour: “Way to make me feel bad about this hamburger, Noah!”
I also will contend that it’s a bad habit to publicly blurt out political opinions for no real reason. I try not to, but when it happens, it happens, and it’s usually a respectful experience I can walk away from with new insights.
Specifically, I’ve come to realize that my thoughts about how to address climate change––that we need heavy carbon taxes, unrestricted economic overhaul, and short term economic fallout––are not necessarily right, that my all-caps thoughts aren’t necessary, trump card, scientific fact; they’re opinions, and I tend to lose sight of that.
I think a lot of us do. In a way, it’s selfish to go out and assert that this issue is number one because we understand science, that we need to merge all of our priorities down this road, no questions asked. I’m aware of my privilege––I live in a community that has wealth enough to support cleaner industries and not live off manufacturing jobs.
I still believe climate change is the number one issue facing America. But I’ve begun to realize that treating it as such is not the best solution.
I don’t think that’s hypocritical. My vision for a perfect world doesn’t have to line up with my policy plan for an imperfect world. For example, I might believe abortion is an immoral action, but from a policy standpoint I would be pro-choice, because banning abortion would be a public health disaster; there would just be an illegal abortion system that would end up hurting more than helping.
Similarly, while I may think climate change deserves an immediate Green New Deal, I understand the huge ramifications of pushing an unwilling nation into such a project.
Of course, it’s quite necessary that we have to make America and the rest of the world come to terms with the facts of climate change. Our nation especially needs to stop treating it as a partisan issue. The battle for activism and awareness is crucial no matter what course of action we take.
But until that battle is won, a real Green New Deal is not an economically viable solution.
The only way out is investing in technology and making legitimate progress in geoengineering, carbon capture and storage, environmental engineering of all kinds, and of course, renewable sources. We must optimize solar and wind, clean up and consolidate nuclear energy––in all cases, positively incentivize the shift away from fossil fuels. Until fighting climate change becomes profitable, it will be virtually impossible to enact change to the fossil-fuel-industrial-complex without incredible pushback.
What is not going to fix climate change is words alone.
If history has taught us anything, it’s that technology effects change much faster than words. The Industrial Revolution was easily the most effective and indelible revolution in history. While most human-led rebellions ended up putting power back into the hands of the wealthy and powerful, the Industrial Revolution and the eddies of it that still spin around the world today have actually increased the average standard of living in practically every regard, what with vaccines, birth control, and boosted agricultural productivity.
Of course, history provides us with rife examples of revolutions that have succeeded in their goal, that have successfully changed the status quo in regard to equality under law or self-determination.
But climate change doesn’t stem from prejudice or independence per se, although it is definitely tied to those concepts. To fix climate change, making the average person acknowledge its threat and act accordingly is just the first step: a necessary words-based revolution that we must fight, but a first step nonetheless.
Many activists, and even candidates for president, are chasing a second step that is still a words-based revolution––and that is where we see the issues. This second step, in their eyes, is to regulate industry on an unprecedented level, to force the US economy, and hopefully that of the world as well, to discard short term profits for the long term betterment of the earth. Some spin on the concept of a Green New Deal.
The issue is visible in the phrase itself. Roosevelt’s New Deal was catalyzed by dire circumstances, not scientific consensus of a future issue. Global warming is a slow burn, nothing like the sharp crash of the 1929 world economy. World destruction is foreseeable, but is not something the government wants to necessarily take the jump and address at the moment, while the economy is still going well. Governments and economies have a tendency to act ad hoc, or worse, push the issue to the future, rather than foresee issues and act accordingly. The US government, designed with a conveniently short four-year executive term, has done so with a whole host of issues, ranging from slavery to civil rights to Vietnam.
Why should we have reason to believe that today is any different?
If we do find a solution to climate change before climate change causes massive disaster, we have to find the solution. No matter how much Greta Thunberg and Extinction Rebellion chastise the world’s officials, we can’t rely on such officials to design unrealistic compromises with what little green options they have. They need more to work with. They need something marketable.
That marketable solution, of course, will take government funds in the form of research grants and subsidies; it will take serious, dedicated scientific work. We need to develop the technology that can challenge fossil fuels on a global scale. Because, yes, even if America or Britain or Sweden can forcefully, governmentally realize a green economy, there is certainly no guarantee that developing nations who have yet to reap the full benefits of fossil fuels will follow suit and give up all their potential gains.
When thinking in crisis mode, it is easy to lose sight of just how hard it is to get the rest of the world on the same page as you. The world is abundant with problems. The lunch hour is rife with opinions.
And that lunch hour ends. The world churns on. The Arctic melts. Words certainly matter, but they work slower than we think.
Jan 13, 2019 | Andrew Wong, Athletics, Uncategorized
By Andrew Wong ’22
The boys’ winter track team has now been renamed to the boys’ indoor track team. Despite losing many seniors after a strong season last year, the team is back, being led by Captain Nick Robinson (VI). This year, although comprising a small roster, the boys are determined to push through the harsh winter weather and build a strong core of runners over the course of the season.
With training sessions every day in the cold weather, Head Coach Chris Shilts said, “Despite the weather not being in our favor, we are going to work hard so we can to improve as much as we can.” With new freshmen to fill in the gaps left by the seniors, Robinson said, “My hope is to be able to put together at least a couple of very competitive relay teams with our small roster, and win big at our State Championship on February 16th.”
Jun 10, 2018 | Brynn Weisholtz, Eva Schiller, School News, Uncategorized
By MIRO BERGAM ’19, NOAH BERGAM ’21, MEGHAN DURKIN ’21, VICKY GU ’20, FELICIA HO ’19, ANEESH KARUPPUR ’21, BROOKE PAN ’21, EVA SCHILLER ’21, KETAKI TAVAN ’19, BRYNN WEISHOLTZ ’20.
After completing their classes in early May, 139 seniors pursued Independent Senior Projects (ISPs). These projects ranged from translating a grandfather’s autobiography about the Korean War to studying the effects of climate change on beach towns, allowing seniors to explore their interestsin the nal months of theirhigh school careers. We break down the projectsby their general eld ofinterest.
Travel and Cultural Exchange
Interested in learning more about “Short Stories in Costa Rica,” Krish Bhavnani traveled to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica to immerse himself in Spanish culture and
develop “my own artistic voice” by writing two short stories in Spanish. In addition to writing, he also participated in frequent surf lessons to have conversations and interact with members of the Santa Teresa community.
Rachel Chen visited both cities and landmarks in China to reconnect with her roots and compare An- cient and Modern China with the Western World. Her experience culminatedin a personal re ection andseveral sketches inspired by her trip. Upon her re- turn, she shadowed several doctors at the St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livings-ton to experience rsthandthe responsibilities and realities of being a doctor.
Avery Schiffman continued her passion
for learning the Chinese language by exploring Chinese cuisine in China- town, NYC, participating in Kung Fu and Tai Chi at a nearby Shaolin Kung Fu center, and visiting various museums about the impact of Chinese artwork on Chinese communities in each dynasty. She posted several blog posts about her excursions, as well as a video documenting her experiences and interviews with Chinese immigrants.
To answer the question, “How did Paul Cézanne’s life in Aix-en-Provencein uence his artwork?” Katya Drovetsky and Ilana Lurie traveled to Aix-en-Provence in France to trace Cézanne’s artistic life. Using their AP Art History and AP European History knowledge, the pair researched and completed a travel journal recording their personal experiences in the Aix-en- Provence.
Isabel Giordano and Caroline Petrow-Cohen tackled the question of what efforts Germany and its government are making to commemorate and condemn its dark past in the Holocaust by traveling to Berlin, Germany, and visiting public monu- ments, museums, and two concentration camps. Their project concluded with a final research paper exploring their findings.
Maya Huffman, hoping to continue her Japanese studies after visiting Japan last year, and Wallace Truesdale, who has been interested in Japanese media and culture for years, spent around five hours a day learning Japanese from apps and DVDs. At the end of their project, they created worksheets and exercises to help others learn Japanese.
In the process of learning to speak and write Korean at a basic level through lessons and conversations with her great aunt, Lindsey Yu compiled a fully translated English version of her great grandfather’s autobiography about the Korean War and their family history. The autobiography included anecdotes from relatives, a family tree, and images of people and places mentioned in his work.
Galvanized by the effects of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico and its continued struggle to recover from the storm, Sanford Ren traveled to Puerto Rico to experience the devastation firsthand. He wrote a blog, compiled a photo journal, and prepared a research paper on the economic recession plaguing Puerto Rico and proposed ways to fix it.
Technology and Mechanics
Using their knowledge of physics, computer science, and engineering, Arnav Agrawal and William Zhang constructed and programmed a 3D printer, which they used to create a working telescope. With their innovative use of cutting edge machinery, the two also managed to observe the night sky and pursued their interest in stargazing.
Namita Davey gained valuable experience working in the tech field by shadowing Marina Thottan, the Director of Network Intelligence and Control Systems at Nokia Bell Labs. She worked on projects ranging from online games to network design, all while embracing NBL’s reputation as an innovative, cross disciplinary center of computer science research.
Hoping to expand his knowledge of the tech industry and the professional world, Obi Nnaeto interned at the Google Creative Lab in New York City. Through this internship, Nnaeto observed and documented the creative process at Google, as well as the dynamics of a modern workplace.
Working under the program designer at lowMu inc., a real estate technology company, Billy Fallon and Max Sanchez aimed to centralize the communication required for a real estate transaction by programing a web application. The app’s many useful functions include an online calendar and the ability to fill out address and subject lines of emails.
Jennifer Fish and Ami Gianchandani worked towards improving the lives of Pingry students by coding a digital version of the planned absence form. By streamlining the process for both students and teachers, the pair left a legacy at Pingry as well as explored the practical uses of their computer science knowledge.
Using a motion sensing device called Microsoft Kinect, Graham Matthews programmed an interactive video game that tracks the movements of the user’s hands. In order to accomplish this, he had to learn an entirely new coding language and expand his knowledge of obscure areas of computer programming.
By taking courses online and spending time at Hanu Software, Alex Fradkin studied the connectivity of everyday objects through internet, which is generally referred to as the Internet of Things. Using what he learned, Fradkin coded a virtual reality environment that users can interact with and change.
Fulfilling “a childhood dream,” Ish McLaughlin spent his time working at the Hilltop Auto Repair in Summit and getting hands-on experience as a mechanic. In addition to performing basic service on cars, McLaughlin helped the shop harness social media as a tool to expand their customer base.
Inspired by his interest in data analysis and neurological disorders, Mitchell Pavlak conducted a study of how close a role genetic mutations play in migraines. Throughout the process, he also learned and documented the multiple algorithms required to sort and analyze the data.
Anna Wood helped to develop an app called Strive, which allows endurance athletes to maintain their health by tracking their heart rate, stride length, and other physical statistics. She also worked with Great Expectations to introduce healthy, easy recipes to women and children at the Center.
Sports
In order to investigate the impact of sports and athletes on culture and political movements, Zach Aanstoots and AJ Weaver researched both past and present examples of athletes asserting their voice in issues of equality. To supplement their research, they also visited the Studio Museum in Harlem.
Ben Barral interned for the New Jersey Devils’ Human Resources Manager through helping with ticket sales, the Devils Outreach Program, and marketing. While at the Prudential Center, he observed the makings of a successful organization and sought to understand how the Devils have changed their association to stay relevant in today’s society.
Through assistant coaching both Pingry’s middle school lacrosse team and his town’s youth lacrosse team, Aidan Dillon focused on improving his leadership skills. He worked with Mr. Greg Sullivan, a Pingry teacher and lacrosse coach, to plan practices and reflect on their effectiveness afterwards.
To understand how organizations maintain a healthy business model, Michael Weber interned for the Somerset Patriots, a minor league baseball team in Bridgewater Township. He worked at the ticket office both selling tickets and answering calls from potential buyers, while also exploring how the Somerset Patriots work together to build a long-lasting, successful organization.
Hoping to learn about the life and regiments of professional athletes, Malcolm Fields shadowed Kaito Streets, a coach and student at Advance Fencing and Fitness Academy preparing for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Throughout the month, he watched Streets practice both his mental and physical approach, while Fields took classes himself to improve upon his own skills.
With an interest in sports analysis, Max Scherzer interned at Rutgers University to help collect and analyze data regarding ticket sales and potential season ticket holders in order to maximize fan turnout at sporting events. Working with Mr. Ryan Gottlieb, the Associate Athletic Director for Sales Strategy and Business Intelligence at Rutgers, he documented his new found knowledge of the world of sports analytics in a daily journal.
Apurva Memani completed an internship with Vashkevich Fencing Club, where he has trained before, as an Assistant Fencing Coach. Focusing on sports management and economics, along with fundamental communication and leadership skills, he gave individual and group lessons at the club.
To continue both her interest in playing and coaching tennis, Brooke Murphy shadowed Matt Sabo, a coach for ProSmart Tennis Academy and a former professional tennis player himself. She focused on learning how to teach young players and improving her coaching techniques by helping Sabo run clinics.
Environment and the Outdoors
Exploring the fields of marketing and public relations, Giancarlo Castillo worked as an assistant in the development department at the Summit Arboretum. He spent most of his time answering to whoever needed his help in order to benefit the arboretum’s main fundraiser, ART in the garden.
In an effort to redefine the image and stereotypes of New Jersey, Colin Edwards and Jason Lefkort created a movie from footage of beautiful scenery they recorded as they biked across the state. Everyday, they biked a different trail exposing the diverse and historically significant sights they passed by.
Mitchell Flugstad-Clarke worked for a nonprofit organization named Harding Land Trust, where he explored his interest in entrepreneurship by helping HLT develop their approaches toward social media as well as improving their website design.
Meghan Salamon traveled to Yosemite National Park with her brother, Ryan, acting as her mentor. Before she left for her trip, her enthusiasm for health and nutrition led her to plan out each day’s meal to ensure their proper caloric intake. The two of them hiked all ten trails of Yosemite Valley, taking pictures and many video logs.
Jack Proudfoot was greatly influenced by his role in the Outing Club when he decided to develop outdoor education opportunities for the students at Pingry. He completed this through creating an environmental education course for the Pingry summer camp so he can later expand his classes to fit into separate school year-long courses.
Inspired by their passion for the outdoors and their interest in Native American culture, Alexis Kinney and Mary Nussbaumer traveled to New Mexico to see the Anasazi ruins at Chaco Canyon. Both had backpacked at the Bears Ears National Monument last March and were determined to return and tackle the question, “How does the National Park Service protect these historic landscapes while keeping them open to the public?”.
Hoping to open their eyes to the natural beauty of Northern Jersey, Téa Simon and Shea Smith traveled to four different preserves and took photos for a visual project they presented to the rest of their peers. They hope to influence their peers to further connect their day to day lives to nature and the outdoors with their work.
Sean Tan pursued his interest in protecting the environment through working at the New Jersey Audubon, where he was able to inform the community about the importance of preserving wildlife and the repercussions that society could face if they were ignored. His work at Sherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary involved tasks ranging from physical labor to data entry.
Business, Finance, and Management
Jack Schuessler pursued his interest in economics and business through an internship at Kennedy Lewis Investment Management, LLC. He studied the strategies a private credit fund uses in the real world and gained experience and understanding about his own passions along the way.
As an aspiring entrepreneur, Alexis Elliot took on the financial side of business by shadowing an established business women, Lisa Opoku. Under Opuku’s guidance, she implemented and built upon her problem-solving capabilities, all the while absorbing the ins and outs of managing a successful business.
Syd Davis expanded his knowledge of engineering, finance, and management by shadowing the President and Chief Operating Officer of Crisdel, Frank Criscola. Davis gained exposure to the various jobs and departments within the company, which he shared with the public through a blog detailing his reflections and experiences.
Jonathan Epifano, Henry Cohen, and Victor Vollbrechthausen travelled to Spain to work at Salvo Global Properties Inc. The three focused on different topics individually: Epifano centered his attention on architecture as well as financial studies; Cohen focused more on the real estate and construction aspects of the company; and Vollbrechthausen concentrated on the business side of the company.
Adam Freeman shadowed the owner at Industrial Foam Inc., where he monitored the inflows and outflows of money and learned how a small business operates. He focused particularly on the role of the owner in the business’ success and sought to understand the owner’s responsibilities and adaptation over time.
An enthusiast for community-driven events, Dhruv Govil worked at a nonprofit organization, Farnnstead Arts Inc., where he helped grow the involvement of its supporters in Basking Ridge and in the rest of the state. He proposed solutions to benefit the company’s attractions while providing fun experiences to bring the community together.
Combining his passions for sports management and economics, Jacob Gruber interned at PricewaterhouseCoopers in their DEALS practice. During his time there, he discovered how both corporations and private equity clients value and assess acquisition targets.
To gain insight into growing and maintaining a small business, Megan Horn shadowed Priscilla Vincent, owner of Priscilla’s Cafe. She learned the day-to-day routine of the owner and she used her discoveries to formulate her own business plan. Horn then travelled to Cape Cod with Millie Deak to study the effects of climate change on beach towns and discover the history and growth of now popular spots.
Phito Jean-Louis, in order to further examine his interest in business and entrepreneurship, shadowed Chike Uzoka, an entrepreneur coach and entrepreneur himself. Through watching and participating in workshops with Mr. Uzoka, Jean-Louis gained more knowledge around the field and worked to discover if the career was for him.
Emma Lombardo worked on her startup, StringFling, a customized handmade bracelet and keychain business that recently launched on the online store Etsy. She experienced the life of an entrepreneur by learning from her mentor, an entrepreneur himself, as well as buying her own materials, managing her own budget, and responding to clients.
Inspired by an internship at a financial analytics firm during the summer before his junior year, Michael Lu self-studied advanced finance and economics topics and earned a New Jersey Insurance License. In addition to researching these concepts on his own, he also shadowed a financial consultant at World Financial Group.
Neil Reddy explored the life of a trader by researching strategies for investment, watching seminars, and learning from an expert at a hedge fund on how stocks are analyzed. In a daily blog he sought answers to questions like, “How do investors choose companies to invest in?” and “How does the industry of a certain stock influence investment?”.
Drawing from his personal experiences playing lacrosse, Jason Weiss worked for a company named SwaxLax based in Summit, NJ. Through his internship at the company, he learned the basics of the sales industry such as managing invoices and becoming proficient in QuickBooks. Finally, he compiled his experience into a presentation about the business, outlining how the product “goes from production to the hands of the consumer.”
Science
Mentored by Andy Christie on-site and Ms. Tandon at Pingry, Naiyah Atulomah decided to work at Christie’s Artisan Bread and Pastry Shop in Clinton, New Jersey. While working behind the counter and gaining an understanding of how businesses and kitchens are run, Atulomah also researched how different ingredients affect types of bread and experimented with baking her own.
Under the guidance of Dr. Marie-Pierre Jolly, Raymond Chen tackled combining basic machine learning with neuroscience. Using a vast array of resources, including online courses, online textbooks, and instructors from his Columbia University Science Honors Program, he developed a greater understanding of the computational side of machine learning.
Matt Stanton investigated the differing habits and behavior of Black Sea Bass, Striped Bass, and Fluke by fishing in Montauk, New York. During fish migration period in May, he used surfboards, kayaks, and boats to fully observe their differences, culminating in a research paper discussing his ideas for new regulations which conflict with current DEC policies.
Music and Theatre
Hoping to see how unlimited practice time would increase his skill level, Ethan Chung studied the history of music pieces and practiced instruments for at least four hours a day split between piano and cello. He also attended concerts in New York City to help build his music knowledge and decide what role music will play in his future.
Connor Smith explored photography, a course he regretted never taking at Pingry, and combined it with his love of music to produce a collection of music photography. He attended various concerts and, under the mentorship of teacher Mr. Miles Boyd and owner of RMC Records EJ Gaub, he photographed young musicians at the recording studio and other artists during their performances.
Jonathan Huang returned to the Short Hills campus to give back to the music program, as it guided him towards some of his happiest high school moments in the Buttondowns. He helped run music classes under the mentorship of Mrs. Finn and also planned Field Day and other events through the front office.
As a final farewell to the Drama Department, Megan Pan produced and directed David Auburn’s Pulitzer-winning play, Proof. Her goal was to learn about steps it takes to produce a play from beginning to end while still serving as a mentor for younger students within the drama program.
To pay homage to his tabla instructor and guru Kaumil and the Taalim School of Indian Music in Edison, NJ, Nikhil Rao spent roughly three hours a day practicing the tabla, a Northern Indian classical drum. Ultimately, he composed a ten to fifteen minute duet which he performed and videoed featuring himself and his instructor.
Brandon Rosen spent the month building his professional singing career by writing and recording songs, one of which will be released as his next single. Most of his work took place at the Mannes School of Music in New York City and at Germano Studios.
Jewell Strickland worked on the technical facets of Megan Pan’s production of David Auburn’s Pulitzer-winning play, Proof, and assisted backstage for the middle school musical technical team. For both plays, Strickland designed the lights and sets for the show and drew layouts for various scenes.
Education
Hailey Cernuto worked with the Children’s Education Department at the Reeves Reed Arboretum. Under the mentorship of Jackie Kondel, the Director of Education at Reeves Reed, Cernuto worked to better understand what goes into creating a meaningful educational experience.
Determined to be role models for younger kids, Tommy Dugan and Cameron Wright volunteered as gym teachers at the Pingry Lower School. Under the mentorship of Leslie Miller, they planned and taught physical education classes and also helped organize the annual Lower School field day.
George Enman and Jamie Zusi worked under the mentorship of Mr. Birotte to serve underprivileged schools in Newark and Elizabethport. Building on work they had done on previous Rufus Gunther Days and with the charity Lacrosse the Nation, they helped teachers with their classes and coached a variety of sports.
Feeling that the Pingry experience had given him a limited perspective, Ryan Fuentes decided to visit five different types of schools for five days and shadow students there in order to better understand different academic experiences. For the rest of the month, he worked to document his grandfather’s stories from the Cuban Revolution and write satirical stories.
An admiration for education led Sehyr Khan to work with ECLC in Chatham to help teach special needs children. Under the mentorship of Ms. Fran Ryder, a supervisor at the school, she observed the classroom, talked to the teachers, and participated in a variety of activities. Throughout the month, she updated a blog to document student experiences at the school.
Under the mentorship of Ms. Erin Sweeney from the nonprofit organization Schools That Can, Jessica Li spent the first half of May working to help bring computer science to Newark schools. For the second half, Li focused on another large academic pursuit of hers: biological research. While shadowing Dr. Armstrong from Novartis in Morris Plains, she learned about the science and marketing aspects of drug development.
Ally Pyne volunteered at Pingry as a teachers’ assistant for the Research I Class and at the Presbyterian Church Preschool and Kindergarten. Under the mentorship of Dr. D’Ausilio for the Research Class and Ms. Maury Fryer for the preschool, Pyne was able to witness the differences and similarities between the learning styles of preschool- and high school-aged students.
After having spent a senior year at Fusion Academy, Matthew Rockoff worked on a video project that embodies the experience that current seniors at Fusion Academy have had. He also helped create and continue a peer mentorship program, similar to the Peer Leadership program at Pingry.
Medicine
Inspired by past summers she spent shadowing her mother, a gastroenterologist, Sana Sheikh shadowed Dr. Tanveer A. Janjua, a dermatologist. With little prior knowledge about dermatology, Sheikh left her comfort zone to explore her ideal career choice as a physician from a new angle.
Austin Parsons shadowed orthopedic surgeon Dr. Hunt and Senior Director of Business Operations Ms. Kathryn Van Nest. For the first two weeks with Dr. Hunt, Parsons saw the work of an orthopedic surgeon and considered the field as a future career path. For the second two weeks with Ms. Van Nest, he witnessed the inner workings of the pharmaceutical company Johnson and Johnson.
Interested in the field of psychology and applied behavioral analysis, Jessica Carvelli interned at the Child Development and Autism Center at the Goryeb Children’s Hospital in Morristown. She worked with clinical staff and physicians and observed the full range of developmental delays and disabilities that the patients present, as well as the therapies that the Center provides.
A volunteer EMT throughout high school, Ouarida Benatia shadowed anesthesiologist and Pingry alumnus Dr. Matthew Chow of the Morristown Medical Center to figure out what it is like in the operating room. She documented the ups and downs of her experience in a collection of poems under the mentorship of English teacher Dr. Susan Dineen.
An EMT with a longtime passion for medicine, Jackie Chang shadowed anesthesiologist Dr. Chow as well as NICU doctor Dr. Ladino. Between these two doctors, Chang was able to witness the science, emotion and workings behind both anesthesiology and neonatal care, and was even able to attend a research conference about an artificial placenta with Dr. Ladino.
Ryan Feeley shadowed Dr. Sanja Kolarov, an internist at the Morristown Medical Center. In order to learn about a variety of different medical specialties and gain a better idea of his future career path, Feeley maintained a blog to document all that he learned from his experiences.
Following her interest in the medical and dental fields, Neha Lall shadowed both a physician, Infectious Diseases and Travel Medicine expert Dr. Meher Sultana, and two endodontists, Dr. Maya Prabhu and Dr. Carmen Cicalese. By exposing herself to two very different specializations, Lall could consider their differences and similarities and better understand what she wants to pursue in the future.
Colin McKinnon shadowed Dr. Marjut Kokkola-Korpela, a specialist in tropical diseases and HIV/AIDS. Interested in the future of disease prevention, McKinnon came to understand the demands of the infectious disease field, observe how diagnoses are made, and understand how different aspects such as physician work and research play into the job as a whole.
Aubrey Molloy decided to shadow two doctors: spine surgeon Dr. Mark Drzala and cardiac anesthesiologist Nimesh Patel. Inspired by a medical trip to Argentina she took the previous summer, Molloy pursued her passion for medicine and science as well as her desire to help people by witnessing and documenting life in the operating room.
History and Humanities
Alexy Alin-Hvidsten researched the geopolitical history of his ancestors as a means of better understanding his heritage and lineage. He studied the Russian Revolution, the whaling business of Norway, and primary documents such as his great aunt’s novel.
Jeremy Lister visited different museums and historical sites like the National Holocaust Museum and the Tenement Museum for inspiration for his original writing. He took what he saw and used it to write a collection of historical and realistic fiction short stories.
Lindsay Rispoli and Mariam Trichas studied and visited different commercial, culinary, and artistic centers in New York, such as the MET and the New York Stock Exchange. They photographed the city and kept a blog that recorded their observations of gentrification, innovation, and evolution in the city.
Myla Stovall visited different eateries in New York City to research the culinary histories of Little Italy, Chinatown, and Harlem. She kept a blog and wrote a paper outlining her discoveries of how heritages and immigrant histories can be traced through the food and restaurants of NYC.
Focused on exploring the line between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation, Jordan Taylor designed and sewed a dress based on Ancient Egyptian fashion. She sought to better understand Egyptian life and culture as a means of exploring cultural appreciation as a whole.
Jared Tiggs built upon his involvement in a rap group called BOE to pursue a music career of his own. He spent the month of May writing and recording original songs to create and refine his musical body of work.
Visual Arts
Clyde Leef and Jake Patterson combined their love for working with clay and commitment to community service. They hosted “Clay Nights” to raise money for an art-oriented charity and teach the community about creating clay pots. Individually, Leef and Patterson also created their own pots using techniques that would not be possible in the time span of a regular class.
Inspired by Chinese and Spanish techniques of throwing and glazing pottery, Ben Vasquez explored his individual style while incorporating outside influences for his ISP. Vazquez pushed his technical boundaries, such as mimicking the extreme thin quality of Chinese pottery and the post-production painting and glazing from Spanish pieces. In order to further heighten his knowledge, he worked under Mr. Freiwald’s direct guidance and visited other workshops within New Jersey.
Melissa Tungare and Lexi Brauer helped combat the speech impediment consequences of ALS. Technology Against ALS, a nonprofit organization, is currently developing technology that tracks eye movement, and Tungare and Brauer expanded its AI eye-recognition database by photographing the eyes of diverse ages, sexes, and races. In addition, they conducted research and device trainings in TA-ALS’s office, met with a lawyer to create a TA-ALS participant waiver, and distributed flyers.
Alyssa Chen pursued her love for calligraphy and hand lettering. In addition to perfecting her skills through practice, research, and mentorship, she launched an Etsy shop to sell digital and physical copies of her work. Chen used her internship in a public relations/brand advocacy department in a credit union to further understand the strategies involved in creating her own brand.
Jenny Coyne furthered her studies of Native American culture through literature and pottery. At Pingry, she researched online resources and consulted Mr. Freiwald to implement Native American symbolism and techniques into her own pottery. To explore Native American literature, Coyne read nearly 1,000 pages of novels and wrote reflections about them.
Mairead Higgins drew portraits representing her senior class and wrote passages describing individual students’ sentiments and experiences while at Pingry. Though she spent most of her time in Pingry’s art studio creating the portraits, she also interviewed corresponding and random members of her class with questions such as “What gets you up in the morning?”, “What were the best five seconds of senior year?”, and “In ten years, what will you remember about Pingry?”
Kelli Gomez merged her passions for art and music by painting based on songs. She created a piece for each track from the albums Current, by Tame Impala, and Channel Orange, by Frank Ocean on-campus as well as in Natirar, a nearby public park. In addition to visiting modern art galleries, she studied the details of studio art under Mr. Delman.
Nick Ladino utilized the translucent quality of glass as a unique canvas for his art. In his creations, he merged the worlds of physical and functional utility with mental and mind-stimulating utility. Though he first began working with glass in his Portfolio class this year, he continued to gather inspiration and techniques by visiting glass-related museums and exhibits in New York City.
Rebecca Lin pursued her love for animation by creating a storyboard animatic. Inspired by the K-Pop group BTS’s “Love Yourself” album and Unicef campaign, Lin’s animatic is about accepting one’s own mistakes and imperfections. She used traditional media to draw on-campus and planned and organized storyboards at home.
Saxon Scott expanded her artistic skill set by learning to create digital art with software and a tablet. Though her mentor, Mr. Boyd, oversaw her work, Scott mostly taught herself through a series of online tutorials for Adobe Illustrator. With her newfound proficiency in digital art, she plans on combining her love of science with graphic design in the future.
Looking to take more time in exploring her passions of drawing and painting without the busy schedule of school, Sophia Weldon visited several art galleries and the Botanical Garden in New York City. Inspired by the many works on exhibit, she created a portfolio of drawings, paintings, and photographs inspired by works currently on exhibit.
Photography
Combining his fascination with the ocean and interest in photography, Dylan Cheng traveled to Turks and Caicos for his ISP to dive and take underwater photography. In preparation for his trip, Cheng took an official PADI online course in photography. He then taught himself how to use various editing softwares to transform his photos into a gallery.
Lindsey Hogan explored her interest in photography by learning the basic principles of photo-taking and editing. Through spending time in New York City and Hunter, NY, hiking and taking pictures of the wildlife she saw, Hogan discovered how she personally sees the outdoors and what photography means to her.
Looking to push herself out of her comfort zone, Sidney Shannon’s photography work was centered around sparking thoughts and questions in the minds of her audience. She experimented with portrait work inspired by surrealism and fashion photographers as well as with using colored gels to add contrast to her work.
Owen Wolfson undertook multiple projects that all incorporated his interest in photography. He developed a webpage on the Pingry website to help the artists of the Pingry community gain exposure, spent time with Mr. Bruce Morrison to learn about sports photography, and took some of his own photography in an effort to dive deeply into his artistic identity.
George Mychajluk visited Chinatown, the Ukrainian Village, Koreatown, Little Italy, and other landmarks of New York City to photograph immigrants and learn more about their culture. He also practiced advanced techniques such as night and bulb photography.
Conor Mahoney grew as a photographer by working as an assistant to Mr. Jon DeCola, a Pingry alum. He helped Mr. DeCola with lighting set up and handled the post-production scanning of his images with specialized software and hardware. Mahoney spent the rest of his time shooting on his own in the NYC area.
Media and Communications
Josie Cummings worked with Tobias Fox, Newark Science and Sustainability founder and managing director, and Pingry’s FYI Sci club to enhance both her understanding of sustainable living as well as her film editing and production skills. Using the raw footage Tobias Fox provided, Cummings created videos about energy sources and climate change for FYI Sci.
As an intern at the TV show Younger, Calvary Dominique observed its production in the show’s office as well as in filmings in Manhattan and Brooklyn. In this way, Dominique learned more about technical and supplemental roles of filmmaking as well as the process of filming and casting a TV show.
Joei Drozjock interned on the set of the ABC television show Pyramid and followed Vincent Rubino, one of Pyramid’s head producers. Though she assisted with minor tasks dealing with logs and transcriptions, Drozjock mainly observed and created a film summarizing the development of a TV season.
By creating a set of short videos introducing and describing available languages taught at Pingry for the website, Lindsey Larson enhanced her own filming and editing skills while leaving a creative legacy at Pingry. The videos of the entire Language department and Chinese, Spanish, German, French, and Latin courses are aimed to both inform and captivate prospective parents and students.
Inspired by Ferdinand Magellan’s historic voyage around the world, Bao Pham recreated Magellan’s journey through a creative culinary experience. Pham learned, researched, and made recipes from across the globe and produced a video compilation of his progress.
Ben Ramos, an aspiring filmmaker who lacked the time to pursue as much of his passion as he wanted to, spent the month diving into the entire process of making a film. This process involved storyboarding, planning, scouting for locations, filming, and editing.
Channing Russell and Tyler Williams studied the rise of the Black Media industry during the 1980s, 1990s, and through to the present day. They analyzed films ranging from A Soldier’s Story (1985) to White Men Can’t Jump (1992) to Moonlight (2016).
During the school year, Ryan Willsey was never able to find time to make videos longer than five minutes outside of his Portfolio class. During May, he created a documentary about out-of-the-way places of significance in the New Jersey and New York City area using video footage taken through his drone.
Community Service
Elle Braverman, Will Capanna, and Matt Parisi worked with the family of John Taylor Babbitt ‘07 and the John Taylor Babbitt Foundation, which works to raise awareness for sudden cardiac arrest, on Pingry’s annual Walk With Heart event. They made trips to Pingry’s Lower School, advertised with local media about the event, and secured donors for the foundation.
Alice Berndt and Olivia Virzi spent every day at the Bridges headquarters in Summit, creating a system to catalog the inventory in the facility, working on the Bridges blog, and preparing for weekly runs into NYC to serve those in need.
Shruti Sagar, Millie Deak, and Maddie Parrish worked on establishing a club and program at Pingry to support Syrian refugees called Pingry Students Organize for Syria. Sagar also worked with Mr. Tobias Fox of Newark Science and Sustainability and students from Seton Hall University to design a curriculum for Newark elementary schools.
Sara Donovan decided to connect her two loves of fashion and politics into one project during May. She spent her time touring the streets of New York City and photographing and interviewing people of different backgrounds and displayed them in a photo project.
Sophie Loesberg helped Temple Har Shalom create a library for the Temple’s Pre-K program by sorting out pre-K books from the Temple’s larger library. She also assisted in archiving and cataloging the Temple’s historical documents and records.
Through interning and shadowing colleagues of Jane Aronson, founder of Worldwide Orphans in Maplewood, Iman Khan learned how nonprofits are established and developed.
Kassidy Peterson worked with Raritan Headwaters to preserve and monitor clean water in the surrounding community. She monitored streams, helped educate younger students about clean water, and marked trails and safe places for people to enter and exit the streams in kayaks.
Politics and Law
Allie Verdesca took an in-depth look at art created by women during May. She observed many different works of art and determined the time period, subject matter, and representation in museums, and determined which piece she would add to the AP Art History curriculum if given the chance.
Jun 10, 2018 | Uncategorized
Several teachers are moving on from the Upper School after a few years.
Mr. Paul “Woody” Garavente, also fondly known as “Mr. G” or “Coach G,” is leaving after three years of teaching in the Upper School. Since coming to Pingry, Mr Garavente has played a variety of roles such as a financial literacy teacher, a substitute teacher and a lacrosse coach to name a few.
Mr. Garavente has always “had a passion for business and economics” and he spent 29 years on Wall Street prior to starting his second career as a teacher. His experiences have influenced his approach to teaching financial literacy to Pingry students.
When asked about what he will miss the most about the community, Mr. Garavente cited “his interactions with all of his students.” He added that one favorite memories from his time here was the “end of the season banquet with the JV basketball team,” specifically when “he spoke to the players and the captains, Veronica Williams (IV) and Solape Fakorede (IV), gave speeches for him.”
Next year, Mr. Garavente plans to tutor students and continue to coach lacrosse. His passion both in the classroom and on the field will be greatly missed.
Ms. Sade Jack, Upper School French teacher, is departing after one year. Working at Pingry has given her the opportunity to share her knowledge of and love for French with her students. Most importantly, she wants them to remember that “learning a new language is difficult, but altogether a very rewarding experience whose benefits far outweigh the cons.”
Ms. Jack said that she will miss her “students’ sense of humor,” especially since she loves to laugh, as well as the “warmth and support of the world languages department and from all the members of the Pingry community.”
Additionally, she really enjoyed all of the special assemblies that were held throughout the year, specifically the “Hanly lecture, the Chinese New Year assembly and A Conversation with Wes Moore Assembly.”
Next year, Ms. Jack plans to teach at the St. Andrew’s school in Delaware.
Ms. Anne Sher is also departing the Upper School after one year. For the past year, Ms. Sher has taught honors Geometry and coached the JV girls’ basketball team.
When asked about what she will miss about Pingry, Ms. Sher said she “will definitely miss her students the most, all 55 of them,” because she could “always count on them to make her smile and laugh, even on a long, boring day.” She added that she has seen “so much growth and change in them” and is very sad that she will “miss the rest of their high school careers and their continued growth and success.”
Ms. Sher’s favorite memory is coaching the JV girls’ basketball team because the team “had such a fun time and improved so much.” Even if the team lost, she said “the team would be cheering, screaming, and jumping up and down on the bench as if we had just won the NBA finals.” She appreciated the close-knit nature of the team and commented that it was “nice to get to know some of my students outside of the classroom and feel like part of a supportive and fun community.”
Next year, she is moving to Connecticut and will continue to coach basketball and teach Honors Geometry at a boarding school. Her enthusiasm for math and basketball will be missed.
Finally, Mr. Ryan Staude, also fondly known as “Staude,” will be leaving after two years of teaching history in the Upper School. Specifically, he taught World History 9 and AP US History.
One of his favorite memories from his time in the Upper School was “the end of the year surprise party that his period four APUSH class held for him this year.” He greatly appreciated their thoughtful gifts, including “their edited and illustrated version of ‘How the Soviets Stole Christmas.’”
Mr. Staude is “sad that he is leaving Pingry and will not see his current APUSH students graduate;” however he will “remember each and every one of them.” He wants his students to remember “that history matters and that it is relevant today” and most importantly, “don’t trust the communists.”
Next year, Mr. Staude will be the history department chair at the O’Neal School in North Carolina. His passion for history will be missed by many students.
