RECOGNIZING
EXCELLENCE Fall 2020 Newsletter
Congratulations to our graduates!
Members of Rye Country Day School’s Class of 2020 are attending the following
Colleges and Universities Babson College Boston College (4) Bowdoin College Brown University (3) Bucknell University (2) Claremont McKenna College Colby College Colgate University (2) Columbia University (2) Cornell University (8) Dartmouth College (2) Elon University Fairfield University Georgetown University (2) Hamilton College Harvard University (5) Lehigh University (2) Miami University, Oxford (2)
(One attendee unless otherwise indicated)
Middlebury College Muhlenberg College New York University (3) Northeastern University (2) Northwestern University (5) Oberlin College Pomona College Princeton University Purdue University Skidmore College Stanford University Syracuse University (3) Taft School (2) The New School, Mannes School of Music Tufts University Tulane University Union College
University of California, Los Angeles University of Chicago (3) University of Miami University of Michigan University of Notre Dame University of Pennsylvania (4) University of Southern California University of St. Andrews, UK (2) University of Wisconsin, Madison Vanderbilt University (3) Wake Forest University (4) Washington University in St. Louis Wesleyan University (2) Williams College (2) Yale University
Read more about Upper School Graduation, Middle School Graduation, and the Fourth Grade Moving-Up ceremony. p. 2
Inside Student achievements from the 2019-20 school year.
Mr. Nelson concluded his remarks saying, “Congratulations to a most admirable and accomplished class of Rye Country Day School scholars. I look forward to hearing about your continuing successes. And, I know each and every one of you will contribute to making our world a better place.”
Senior Class President Tess Asness addressed her classmates.
UPPER SCHOOL GRADUATION
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2020! Rye Country Day’s Class of 2020 was recognized during the School’s first-ever virtual Graduation ceremony on June 5, 2020.
Chiamaka Nwakeze ’06 gave the commencement address. Ms. Nwakeze holds her undergraduate degree in neurobiology from Harvard University and is a joint doctoral student at Columbia University and the National Institutes of Health through the NIH M.D./ Ph.D. Partnership Training Program. After completing her doctorate at Columbia, she will attend Harvard Medical School.
The WildScats sang “From a Distance” by Julie Gold.
Alumni Executive Board President Scott Weiss ’96 welcomed the Class of 2020 into the RCDS Alumni Association at the Blue & Gold Dinner, also held virtually.
BLUE & GOLD DINNER
Surprise guests included: Former White House Communications Director and ABC News Anchor George Stephanopoulos; two time Super Bowl MVP winner and retired NY Giants quarterback Eli Manning; actor, comedian, writer, producer, and RCDS alumnus Nick Kroll ’96 (pictured left); and American Television Journalist and presenter of CNN’s Cuomo Prime Time Chris Cuomo. 2 | Recognizing Excellence Newsletter 2020
RCDS English teacher Dr. David Lehner was selected by the Class of 2020 as the evening's keynote speaker.
DRIVE-UP DIPLOMA PICK-UP The School concluded its slate of celebratory events for the Class of 2020 with a festive Drive-Up Diploma Pick-Up event on campus on Saturday, June 6. In partnership with the City of Rye, RCDS planned an exciting—and safe— opportunity for students to have an in-person celebration that included cheers and good wishes from over fifty faculty and staff in attendance.
www.ryecountryday.org | 3
2020 GRADE 4
MOVING-UP CEREMONY
The Class of 2028 was recognized at a virtual Fourth
Grade Moving-Up ceremony on June 2, 2020. Families and the graduates drove by campus afterwards for a celebratory farewell with their teachers.
4 | Recognizing Excellence Newsletter 2020
Mrs. Barbara Shea
Melissa Liebowitz
Lauren Mian '20
Stacy Kaufman
Caryn Olson
Nicole Leath
Scott Nelson
Dr. Meredith deChabert
What You Did During the Pandemic (SPRING 2020) A tribute to the 8th Grade Graduating Class of 2020 from the Middle School Faculty
You rose to the challenge. You wiped away the weariness. You showed up, even when you were worn out. You found focus and discipline. You demonstrated flexibility and courage. You made new memories with your closest family. You made life matter. You shared your enthusiasm. You kept going. You kept us going. You gave us purpose. You gave us your best and inspired us to do our best, too. You made us feel like we had the most important job in the world. You made us laugh when we felt like crying. You reminded us that hope springs eternal. You reminded us that there is good. You filled our hearts with admiration for your strength. You brought us joy and brightened our days. You showed us your heart side. You made us smile. You touched our souls. You lifted us up. You made us cry when we had to say goodbye. The missing was mutual.
Matthew Rosolen
Ellen Cartwright
Liam Bieber
Betsy Stedman
Dr. Meredith deChabert
Romi Schreiber
2020 MIDDLE SCHOOL
GRADUATION The Class of 2024 was recognized at a virtual Middle School Graduation ceremony on June 3, 2020. The ceremony included a special tribute poem to the graduating class from the Middle School faculty entitled “What You Did During the Pandemic,” a commencement address from class speaker Romi Schreiber ’24, and a welcome to the Upper School from Liam Bieber ’21.
www.ryecountryday.org | 5
ALUMNI PRIZE RECIPIENTS By Lori Ferguson
The Alumni Prize is the School’s highest honor, and it is awarded to seniors who have made the most outstanding contribution to the life of the School.
Abhinav Kumar ’20
When asked to name his favorite things at Rye Country Day School, Alumni Prize recipient Abhinav Kumar doesn’t hesitate. “Science research and music,” he enthuses. A quick scan of Abhinav’s outstanding accomplishments over the past eight years confirms that he has hit many high notes in both areas. Described by faculty as “an academic powerhouse,” Abhinav has distinguished himself repeatedly as a scholar. During his time at RCDS, he completed twelve AP courses, eight Honors courses, and three post-AP courses. After only one year of high school, he was selected for a summer research internship in the Engleman Laboratory Immunology Program at the Stanford University School of Medicine and was invited to return for the next three summers. And in 2019, he received the Rising Scientist Award from the Child Mind Institute for “outstanding academic achievement in science courses, commitment to addressing advanced scientific questions, and leadership in the classroom and in extracurricular activities.” Abhinav held numerous leadership roles during his time at RCDS, serving as a Peer Leader, Co-President of RCDS’s Students of Color and AsianAmerican clubs, and as the head Chinese OPI (Oral Proficiency Intern) his senior year. Abhinav distinguished himself in sports, too. A four-year varsity athlete on the Sabre Fencing team, he led the squad his senior year, and in 2019 won the Sabre Individual Gold Medal in the Independent School Fencing League. Abhinav’s love of music also shaped his time at the School. The gifted tenor led the WildScats, the School’s a cappella group; served as president of the concert choir; and founded Fourtissimo, a barbershop quartet. At the urging of RCDS faculty, he also entered international vocal competitions, taking prizes in Vienna and New York’s Carnegie Hall. Five years ago, Abhinav and his brother founded Music Measures, a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching piano and music theory to students from ages five to nine at the Stamford, CT, Boys & Girls Club. “Music calms my mind and increases my focus,” he says. Abhinav credits RCDS faculty and friends for encouraging him to explore new opportunities both in and out of the classroom. “The support I’ve received from teachers and friends has allowed me to contribute to our community and beyond,” he observes. He enters Stanford University in the fall and is focusing on a bioengineering major with a minor in computer science and music and, of course, a spot in an a cappella group.
6 | Recognizing Excellence Newsletter 2020
www.ryecountryday.org | 7
ALUMNI PRIZE RECIPIENTS By Lori Ferguson
Isabel Stronski ’20
Isabel ‘Isa’ Stronski admits that she was a bit bashful when she entered RCDS as a freshman. “I was very quiet and shy,” she says candidly. Four years later, the 2020 Alumni Prize recipient is no longer sitting quietly on the sidelines. “My teachers, coaches, and teammates have been great—they encouraged me to take risks and get out of my comfort zone,” she says. Sports played a central role in her integration into the RCDS community, Isa continues. “I’ve played club soccer since I was in elementary school, so when I came to Rye Country Day, I already knew a couple of girls on the team. Seeing them and participating in pre-season helped me transition more quickly into the community.” Sports remained a vital element of Isa’s life throughout her time at RCDS. During her four years on campus, she played varsity soccer and lacrosse and ran track, lettering and winning awards with every team. “Participating in sports taught me to communicate, assert myself, and lead by example,” she observes. Creative writing was another source of great joy for Isa during her years at RCDS. A 2019 winner of a National Gold Medal Scholastic Writing Award in the Personal Essay & Memoir category, Isa was an active contributor to OMEGA, the Upper School’s literary magazine, serving as Managing Editor her senior year. She also designed and participated in her own independent study program in novel writing her junior and senior years. Rye Country Day’s motto, Not for Self, but for Service, also proved resonant for Isa. Her sophomore year, she earned the Christine Nelson '80 Award for outstanding citizenship; her junior year, she received the Cornell University Book award for general academic excellence together with above-average involvement in extracurricular activities and meaningful involvement in community service; and her senior year, she served as co-head of both the prestigious Peer Leader Program and the Saturday Enrichment and Tutorial Program (SET), a literary-based academic program that serves elementary children in the local Port Chester school district. “The service opportunities I had at RCDS were incredibly meaningful for me,” Isa says. “I especially valued the relationships I formed with the kids in the SET program—I believe they will have a lasting impact.” Isa matriculates at Brown University in the fall, and although she is currently undecided on her major, she finds the interdisciplinary nature of the university’s new International & Public Affairs degree very appealing. “I’m excited to explore my options,” she enthuses.
8 | Recognizing Excellence Newsletter 2020
www.ryecountryday.org | 9
HEAD OF SCHOOL’S PRIZE RECIPIENTS By Lori Ferguson
The Head of School’s Prize is given to students who model leadership, courage, or academic excellence.
Tess Asness ’20
Tess Asness
For Tess Asness, the RCDS motto of Not for Self, but for Service boils down to one essential element: community. “During my 13 years at Rye Country Day, I learned the importance of being there for people and allowing them to be there for you,” she observes. “There’s such a sense of community here. People are invested in what they’re doing, and everyone is happy to be involved, whether it’s in the classroom, on the playing field, or in the larger community.”
Charumathi Badrinath
During her RCDS career, Tess was actively involved in campus life. In her senior year, she served as senior class president, oftentimes working behind the scenes on behalf of her classmates. She was widely recognized by faculty and administrators as the kind of person who gets the job done, yet never asks for credit or recognition. “I’ve always believed that if I’m going to complain about something, then I should also get involved with making the situation better,” she laughingly observes. She also acted as president for the Saturday Enrichment and Tutorial (SET) ESL Club and the Art with Heart club, where she helped lead painting classes at a local children’s psychiatric hospital. She was active on the playing fields as well, playing Varsity Soccer, captaining the Varsity Golf team, and leading the Girls’ Varsity Sabre team. Tess excelled in the classroom as well, completing eight AP classes, and taking sequential gold, silver, and bronze medals in the National Spanish Exam her freshman, sophomore, and junior years. Reflecting on receiving the Head of School’s Prize, she shares, “I didn’t see it coming, but I’m very honored. I have great respect for Mr. Nelson, and I’m honored that he saw me as someone deserving of this award.”
10 | Recognizing Excellence Newsletter 2020
Tess will matriculate at the University of Pennsylvania this fall and is considering a major in neuroscience. “I’m not yet sure what career path or major I’ll end up pursuing,” she admits, “but I figure if I start with a plan, I’ll be on track no matter what I do.”
Charumathi Badrinath ’20
While Charumathi Badrinath says she learned a great deal during her four years at RCDS, she asserts that her most valuable takeaway is simple: don’t be shy. “The sheer number of opportunities I was given to try new things at Rye Country Day—whether participating in the science research program or taking up fencing—was amazing. I learned that if I’m interested in something, I should check it out,” she says. Winners of the Head of School’s Prize are recognized for their courage, leadership, and academic excellence, and Charumathi is no exception. A dedicated scholar with a deeply rooted desire to contribute to the greater good, she possesses a keen interest in computer science and computational biology, fields she plans to pursue as an undergraduate at Harvard University. Charumathi was heavily involved in computer science as an RCDS student, completing 12 AP courses. She applied her coding knowledge during a 2019 summer internship at Memorial Sloan Kettering, developing a program that plots information about cancer cells. She also put her programming skills to work as an RCDS Community Engagement Fellow, significantly enhancing the website for Our New Way Garden, a White Plains, NY-based non-profit that uses gardens to educate the public on the benefits of locally grown food. Charumathi excelled in languages as well and
served as an RCDS Spanish Oral Proficiency Intern. On the extracurricular front, Charumathi was an active member of the RCDS Fencing team; ran cross country; achieved a Black Belt in Taekwondo; and earned an Associate’s degree in Bharatanatyam, Indian classical dance. As she heads to college, Charumathi evinces no interest in slowing down in her pursuit of knowledge and efforts to make a difference in the world. She matriculates at Harvard in the fall but has already been admitted to SPARK, an immersive six-week public service program at the university that enables incoming first-year students to design and execute a public service project in their hometown. She has also been awarded a spot in Harvard’s Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children (FIMRC) Global Health Immersion Program, a four-week program in which she will work with a cohort of like-minded students on projects related to Global Health. And she plans to build an app and refactor the website for Our New Way Garden to make it accessible on a mobile platform. “Throughout my life, I’ve had access to opportunities that have allowed me to improve myself and aim for higher goals,” she explains. “I want to help others achieve their dreams, too.”
Jaume Pujadas ’20
Throughout his years at RCDS, Jaume Pujadas was a familiar face on campus, committed to exploring all that Rye Country Day has to offer. A member of the student body since Pre-K, Jaume leveraged every opportunity for growth, both in the classroom and in the community. “RCDS gave me the chance to do anything imaginable,” he observes. “Over the years, I discovered that if there was something I wanted to do, there was always a way to go after it. And if I didn’t have the skills to do it alone, I learned how best to collaborate with others.”
Jaume pursued a rigorous academic schedule throughout his years at RCDS, completing 10 AP courses and earning numerous school awards, from the Princeton University Alumni Book Award to RCDS’s STEAM, Chinese, Math, and Science Department Awards, among others. He was also a disciplined competitor on the playing field, participating in soccer and serving as captain of the Varsity Fencing and Sailing teams.
Jaume Pujadas
Jaume was also an active participant in RCDS clubs. “Captaining the Young Physicists Tournament Team and the Robotics Team taught me how to apply classroom subjects to the real world,” he explains. A natural leader and mentor, Jaume was actively involved in the RCDS community. An extracurricular accomplishment of which he is particularly proud is being one of the founders of the RCDS Makerspace Apprentice Program, an initiative that enabled him to teach other students to use equipment in the Makerspace. “When approaching extracurricular activities, I wanted to do my best and help others,” he shares. Jaume was honored and delighted to be awarded the Head of School’s Prize. “It made me really happy to learn that the things I did were recognized,” he says. This fall, he enters the University of Pennsylvania’s Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology. His goal: a double major in computer science and finance. And of course, he’s already identified several extracurricular activities he plans to pursue, including the university’s electric racing team and business clubs. “It’s going to be great,” he asserts.
www.ryecountryday.org | 11
ADVANCED PLACEMENT SCHOLARS 138 Rye Country Day students were recognized by the College Board’s 2020 Advanced Placement Program for their outstanding achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement Exams. 23 AP NATIONAL SCHOLARS Students who received an average score of at least 4 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams. Tess Asness ’20 Charumathi Badrinath ’20 Christopher Brown ’20 Nicholas Califano ’20 Allen Dong ’21 Robert Fox ’20 Jackson Gaynor ’20 Deepta Gupta ’21 Zachary Hiken ’20 Abhinav Kumar ’20 Sebastian Lee ’20 Amelia Lower ’20 Alexander Margolis ’20 Emily Marrinan ’20 Evalise Melgar ’20 Chase Pomroy ’20 Jaume Pujadas ’20 Sabrina Reznik ’20 Joseph Scinto ’20 Aaron Serianni ’20 Aldo Stefanoni ’20 Isabel Stronski ’20 Ariane Voulgaris ’20 80 AP SCHOLARS WITH DISTINCTION Students who received an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. Caroline Antonacci ’20 Tess Asness ’20 Charumathi Badrinath ’20 Laura Baine ’20 Liam Bieber ’21 Amanda Bortner-Hirszman ’20
12 | Recognizing Excellence Newsletter 2020
Christopher Brown ’20 Nicholas Califano ’20 Justin Cheigh ’20 Miles Chun ’20 Christopher Connor ’20 Chloe Cornell ’20 Wendy Corona ’20 Isabella Dartnell ’20 Allen Dong ’21 Kathryn Farrell ’21 Jack Featherston ’20 Robert Fox ’20 Isabella French ’20 Samantha Friedman ’20 Kevin Garcia ’20 Jackson Gaynor ’20 Caroline Geller ’20 Tyler Gilman ’20 Francisco Gonzalez ’21 Matthew Guo ’20 Deepta Gupta ’21 Matthew Harkness ’21 Peggy Helman ’20 Zachary Hiken ’20 Max Hines ’21 Sarah Jensen ’21 Abhinav Kumar ’20 James Lambert ’20 Taylor Le Lievre ’21 James Leake ’20 Sebastian Lee ’20 Xavier Lee ’21 Nancy Linehan ’20 Amelia Lower ’20 Kyle Mandell ’21 Alexander Margolis ’20 Emily Marrinan ’20 Charles Mattson ’20 Evalise Melgar ’20 Ellen Mollerus ’20 Eesha Narain ’21
Olivia Nash ’20 Jacob Oddi ’20 Chidera Olewuenyi ’20 Anna Owens ’21 Georgia Pennington ’20 Chase Pomroy ’20 Jaume Pujadas ’20 Josep Pujadas ’21 Theresa Quinto ’20 Vladimir Reed ’20 Sabrina Reznik ’20 Kyra Riedel ’21 Noah Rosenthal ’20 Jason Russo ’21 Joseph Scinto ’20 Sena Selby ’20 Aaron Serianni ’20 Raif Shah ’20 Alexander Shane ’20 Ethan Silverman Guffey ’20 Brooks Sleeper ’20 Aldo Stefanoni ’20 Isabel Stronski ’20 Ahmed Suliman ’20 Nicholas Sullivan ’20 Hannah Tanenbaum ’20 Philip Tinker ’20 Ariane Voulgaris ’20 Graham Weber ’20 Max Weinstein ’21 Jack Weiss ’20 Koller Wolfe ’20 Josie Yeager ’20 24 AP SCHOLARS WITH HONOR Students who received an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. Charles Allen ’21 Campbell Babiarz ’21 Nicolas Briano ’21 Olivia Davis ’21 Andrew Felton ’21 Sofia Fonti ’21 Olivia Friedberg ’20 Peter Gasparro ’20 Olivia Giagni ’21 Ryan Hammel ’20 Alexander Harasimowicz ’21 Haley Herman ’21 Emma Leslie ’20
Matthew Mandell ’21 Emi McCarthy ’21 George Megdanis ’21 Jordan Miller ’21 Valeria Morales Ciriaco ’20 Maxwell Mullen ’20 William Murphy ’21 Ryan Peacock ’21 Katia Soares dos Santos ’21 Benjamin Solo ’21 Brian Villalta ’21 34 AP SCHOLARS Students who received scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams. Charles Baxter ’21 Katherine Capstick-Dale ’20 Maxwell Comora ’21 Jack D’Ambrosio ’20 Natalie Daetwiler ’20 Caitlyn Dahnke ’21 William Delves ’20 Arianna Farquharson ’20 Eliza Fogel ’21 Elizabeth Friedberg ’20 Lourdes Geraldo Espinal ’21 Cameron Goddard ’21 Mateo Gómez ’20 Rubén Gómez ’21 Lior Gurion ’22 Sebastian Jolly ’21 Aisling Kernan ’21 Philip Kimmel ’21 Kathryn Lefever ’21 Charlotte Madden ’20 Madeleine McCarthy ’21 Lauren Mian ’20 Saliyah Muhammad ’21 Jesse Perlmutter ’21 Charles Peters ’21 Angelina Pil '21 Charlotte Price ’20 Kate Rochat ’20 Samantha Roskind ’21 Isabel Showers ’20 Sadie Silverman Guffey ’20 Lucie Swan ’20 David Thurston ’21 Makayla Whealton ’21 *These lists reflect the College Board's AP Scholar reporting as of August 10, 2020.
www.ryecountryday.org | 13
2020 PRIZE DAY Rye Country Day School’s Prize Day ceremony was held virtually on June 4, 2020. We were thrilled to recognize our outstanding prize winners for their impressive achievements throughout the 2019-20 school year. Congratulations to all! UPPER SCHOOL AWARDS ALUMNI PRIZE The School’s highest honor, awarded to that senior who has made the most outstanding contribution to the life of the School. Abhinav Kumar ’20 Isabel Stronski ’20 HEAD OF SCHOOL'S PRIZE Given to that student who models leadership, courage, or academic excellence. Tess Asness ’20 Charumathi Badrinath ’20 Jaume Pujadas ’20 PARENTS ASSOCIATION PRIZE In recognition of exemplary personal growth and service to others. Christopher Connor ’20 Theresa Quinto ’20 Sabrina Reznik ’20 GRETCHEN PULVERMANN ’30 SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Given to an accomplished senior who will study performing arts in college. Chidera Olewuenyi ’20
14 | Recognizing Excellence Newsletter 2020
DENNIS PARKER ’73 PRIZE Given to a senior who has made our school community more inclusive by celebrating diversity, raising awareness about issues of equity and social justice, and inspiring others to recognize the humanity of all people. Arianna Farquharson ’20 Chidera Olewuenyi ’20 WILL MCCURDY ’05 AWARD Presented in recognition of courage, character, and commitment. Alexander Margolis ’20 CLASS OF 2008 AWARD Given annually to that freshman who has had the most positive influence in and outside of the classroom, noting his or her enthusiasm and dedication to school work and extracurricular activities. Makayla Blake ’23 Tyler Moyer ’23 CHRISTINE NELSON ’80 AWARD Presented to tenth graders in recognition of outstanding citizenship. Yuto Abe ’22 Ritchel Amankwah ’22 JAMES P. GODFREY H’95 AWARD Presented to that student who has performed significant service on behalf of others. Eesha Narain ’21 Gideon Prempeh ’21 Arly Rodriguez ’21
STEAM AWARD Presented to the senior who actively promotes and inspires collaboration and displays passion for design and creativity within the STEAM initiative. Miles Chun ’20 Jaume Pujadas ’20 SUSTAINABILITY AWARD Awarded to the student who best exemplifies the School’s sustainability initiative by seeking an understanding of the world around us, creating an atmosphere of environmental awareness, and promoting responsible stewardship of our planet. Peggy Helman ’20 MARY ANN REICHHARDT MEMORIAL AWARD In memory of the School’s Director of College Counseling. Given to a senior for a combination of outstanding academics and contributions to the School. Wendy Corona ’20 SENIOR DEANS’ AWARD Awarded to seniors who have made an outstanding contribution to their class and to the School during their senior year. Robert Fox ’20 Olivia Nash ’20 THE SUPERINTENDENT’S AWARD Given by the Lower Hudson Council of School Superintendents to two seniors for high academic achievement. Ellen Mollerus ’20 Aaron Serianni ’20 THE GLEN ROBERTSON AWARD (for Faculty) David Lehner
UPPER SCHOOL AWARDS BOOK AWARDS BROWN UNIVERSITY BOOK AWARD Alexander Harasimowicz ’21 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY BOOK AWARD Kathryn Farrell ’21 CORNELL UNIVERSITY BOOK AWARD Andrew Felton ’21 DARTMOUTH COLLEGE BOOK AWARD Sarah Jensen ’21 HARVARD COLLEGE BOOK AWARD Deepta Gupta ’21 THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY ALUMNI BOOK AWARD Muhamed Ka ’21 THE PRINCETON UNIVERSITY BOOK AWARD Max Hines ’21 THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA BOOK AWARD Liam Bieber ’21 WELLESLEY COLLEGE BOOK AWARD Jordan Miller ’21 YALE UNIVERSITY BOOK AWARD Kyle Mandell ’21
DEPARTMENT AWARDS ART LELIA CARTER BIRRELL ’68 AWARD IN 2-D Olivia Friedberg ’20 LELIA CARTER BIRRELL ’68 AWARD IN 3-D Olivia Nash ’20
LELIA CARTER BIRRELL ’68 AWARD IN PHOTOGRAPHY Miles Chun ’20 LELIA CARTER BIRRELL ’68 AWARD IN VIDEOGRAPHY Theresa Quinto ’20
ATHLETICS FAA SCHOLAR-ATHLETE Robert Fox ’20 Caroline Geller ’20 Aaron Serianni ’20 Isabel Stronski ’20 15 VARSITY LETTERS SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT Elizabeth Friedberg ’20 THE RICHARD LE MAIRE ’63 AWARD Presented to that senior boy who has contributed most to the School’s athletic program. Cullen Coleman ’20 THE MARY BORTON TROPHY Presented to that senior girl who has contributed most to the School’s athletic program. Olivia Friedberg ’20 Charlotte Price ’20
CLASSICS DEPARTMENT CLASSICS AWARD Vladimir Reed ’20 LATIN AWARD Ellen Mollerus ’20
COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT COMPUTER SCIENCE AWARD Charumathi Badrinath ’20 Josep Pujadas ’21 COMPUTER SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Kathryn Farrell ’21 Sebastian Jolly ’21
DRAMA & DANCE DEPARTMENT V. JANET LOTT SPIRIT OF THE THEATRE AWARD Given to that student who has contributed most onstage to the School’s drama program. Mateo Gómez ’20 Peggy Helman ’20 GLEN ROBERTSON MEMORIAL AWARD Given to that student who has contributed most backstage to the School’s drama program. Hunter Daum ’20 Evalise Melgar ’20 DANCE AWARD Presented to that student who has contributed most to the School’s dance program Chidera Olewuenyi ’20
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT SOPHOMORE ENGLISH AWARD Presented to that sophomore who has excelled in the study of English. Grace Casale ’22 Hudson Friedman ’22 Maya Kini ’22 SENIOR ENGLISH AWARD Charumathi Badrinath ’20 Amelia Lower ’20 CREATIVE WRITING AWARD Isabel Stronski ’20 Graham Weber ’20
www.ryecountryday.org | 15
UPPER SCHOOL AWARDS continued HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT JOSHUA BENNETT ’06 HUMANITIES AWARD Ellen Mollerus ’20 Aldo Stefanoni ’20 Hannah Tanenbaum ’20 CORNELIUS TACITUS PRIZE Presented to that junior who has excelled in the study of humanities. Lourdes Geraldo Espinal ’21 Max Hines ’21 Katia Soares dos Santos ’21
MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT MATHEMATICS AWARD Jaume Pujadas ’20 Alexander Shane ’20 GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY MEDAL Presented to a junior with the highest average in mathematics. Deepta Gupta ’21 Sarah Jensen ’21
16 | Recognizing Excellence Newsletter 2020
ROBERT REESER MEMORIAL AWARD Awarded to that senior who has displayed a growing interest and talent in math over the years. Natalie Daetwiler ’20 Josie Yeager ’20
MODERN LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT CHINESE AWARD Lauren Mian ’20 FRENCH AWARD Ariane Voulgaris ’20 SPANISH AWARD Amelia Lower ’20 Wendy Corona ’20 MODERN LANGUAGES AWARD Sebastian Lee ’20 Kyle Mandell ’21
MUSIC DEPARTMENT CHORAL AWARD Mateo Gómez ’20 Valeria Morales Ciriaco ’20 JOHN PHILIP SOUSA AWARD Sabrina Reznik ’20 MUSIC AWARD Abhinav Kumar ’20 Lauren Mian ’20
NATURAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT SENIOR SCIENCE AWARD Charumathi Badrinath ’20 Abhinav Kumar ’20 Jaume Pujadas ’20 Aaron Serianni ’20
2020 FRENCH AWARDS Middle and Upper School students participated in Le Grand Concours, the National French Contest in March. Platinum, gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded. PLATINUM MEDAL LEVEL 2B Anya Khemlani ’23 1st in Westchester, 1st in the nation
SILVER MEDAL LEVEL 01A Shea Hollwedel ’25 4th in Westchester, 6th in the nation
GOLD MEDAL LEVEL 01A Leah Steyn ’25 3rd in Westchester, 5th in the nation
LEVEL 1A Allison Bauer ’25 5th in Westchester, 6th in the nation Valerie Umanzor ’24 8th in Westchester, 9th in the nation
LEVEL 1A Tyler Hatstadt ’26 4th in Westchester, 5th in the nation Isabela Pierry ’25 2nd in Westchester, 3rd in the nation Caroline Snell ’24 2nd in Westchester, 3rd in the nation Robert Wang ’25 1st in Westchester, 2nd in the nation LEVEL 3A Felix Dosmond ’23 2nd in Westchester, 3rd in the nation LEVEL 4A Xavier Lee ’21 3rd in Westchester, 8th in the nation Kyle Mandell ’21 1st in Westchester, 6th in the nation Jason Russo ’21 3rd in Westchester, 8th in the nation LEVEL 5A Sebastian Lee ’20 1st in Westchester, 4th in the nation
LEVEL 2A Emily Kolodner ’23 4th in Westchester, 4th in the nation Archer Pil ’23 6th in Westchester, 6th in the nation LEVEL 3A Cameron Garbutt ’22 7th in Westchester, 8th in the nation Sarah Jensen ’21 6th in Westchester, 7th in the nation Jeffrey Tian ’22 4th in Westchester, 5th in the nation Ana Wilmer ’22 4th in Westchester, 5th in the nation LEVEL 4A Kyra Heffernan ’21 6th in Westchester, 14th in the nation Sebastian Jolly ’21 5th in Westchester, 13th in the nation Kathryn Lefever ’21 4th in Westchester, 12th in the nation LEVEL 5A Valeria Morales Ciriaco ’20 4th in Westchester, 10th in the nation
BRONZE MEDAL LEVEL 01A Davis Clarke ’25 10th in Westchester, 12th in the nation Elizabeth Hawkey ’24 8th in Westchester, 10th in the nation Samantha Lee ’25 8th in Westchester, 10th in the nation Mara Visentin ’25 10th in Westchester, 12th in the nation LEVEL 1A Heather Daum ’24 10th in Westchester, 11th in the nation LEVEL 2A Alexa Bournazos ’22 8th in Westchester, 8th in the nation Olivia Craig ’23 8th in Westchester, 8th in the nation Madison Danquah ’23 8th in Westchester, 8th in the nation Natalie Shin ’23 7th in Westchester, 7th in the nation Raghav Srinivasan ’23 8th in Westchester, 8th in the nation LEVEL 3A Andrea Chang ’22 10th in Westchester, 11th in the nation Natasha Gilman ’22 9th in Westchester, 10th in the nation Sinclair Kennedy-Nolle ’22 10th in Westchester, 11th in the nation Chidi Olewuenyi ’22 9th in Westchester, 10th in the nation Chima Olewuenyi ’22 9th in Westchester, 10th in the nation Marin Yearley ’22 8th in Westchester, 9th in the nation LEVEL 4A Lourdes Geraldo Espinal ’21 12th in Westchester, 20th in the nation Sasha Leonard ’21 12th in Westchester, 20th in the nation Alik Shehadeh ’21 10th in Westchester, 18th in the nation David Thurston ’21 12th in Westchester, 21th in the nation Brian Villalta ’21 9th in Westchester, 17th in the nation
www.ryecountryday.org | 17
2020 CHINESE AWARDS Middle School students participated in the National Chinese Essay Contest in October, and the results were announced in February. There are two levels of medal-equivalent recognition in the contest: Golden Apple and Silver Apple.
GOLDEN APPLE Jaymin Ding ’25 Celine Fong ’24 Connor Rusch ’25 SILVER APPLE Lauren Slovin ’25 Elizabeth Yepes ’25 HONORABLE MENTION Rhodes Boester ’24 Theodore Holtman ’24 Claire Yu ’25
NATIONAL GREEK EXAM The 2020 National Greek Exam was taken by over 1,650 students from 188 universities, colleges, and secondary schools in the United States and around the world. One RCDS Upper School student was named an award winner.
18 | Recognizing Excellence Newsletter 2020
BEGINNING ATTIC GREEK GREEN RIBBON (merit award) Andrew Felton ’21
NATIONAL LATIN EXAM The 2020 National Latin Exam was administered by the American Classical League to students across the United States and around the world. Sixty-seven Rye Country Day students in Grades 7-12 were named award winners across multiple levels of achievement. MIDDLE SCHOOL PURPLE RIBBONS FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT (Introductory Exam) David Kern ’25 Margaret Nichols ’25 Aedan Pearl ’25 Emma Silberstein ’25 Nicholas Smith ’25 ACHIEVEMENT CERTIFICATES (Introductory Exam) Isabella Jolicoeur ’25 Stephen Mulderry ’25 Margaret Owens ’25 Michael Pedone ’25 Eve Shurslep ’25 Gilad Wiegenfeld ’25 LATIN I SUMMA CUM LAUDE GOLD MEDAL AWARDS Sebastian Briano ’24 Rajiv Raval ’24 Cleo Saltz ’24 Eva Salzman ’24 Sydney Snell ’24* *denotes perfect certificate
MAXIMA CUM LAUDE SILVER MEDAL AWARDS Brynn Coady ’24 Anna Franzino ’24 Ayush Maini ’24 Isabella Romita ’24 Derek Zaeske ’24
MAGNA CUM LAUDE AWARDS Elizabeth Lemley ’24 Kiran Raval ’24 CUM LAUDE AWARDS Penelope Brody ’24 William Fallon ’24 Sameer Hirani ’24 Elizabeth Kavanagh ’24 Caroline Lazar ’24 Marshall Mandell ’24 Henry Peters ’24 Trey Stevens ’24 LATIN 2 SUMMA CUM LAUDE GOLD MEDAL AWARDS Natan Wiegenfeld ’24
UPPER SCHOOL SUMMA CUM LAUDE GOLD MEDAL AWARDS LATIN 2 Lauren Kim ’23 William Mahoney ’23 LATIN 4 (PROSE) Charles Allen ’21 Maxwell Comora ’21
LATIN 5 Ellen Mollerus ’20
MAGNA CUM LAUDE AWARDS LATIN 2 Ronen Borkar ’23 Victoria Medow ’23 Sydney Merrill ’23 Amitav Nott ’22 LATIN 3 (PROSE) Ryan Brush ’22 Christopher Casale ’22 Elizabeth Dobi ’21 Henry Featherston ’22 Sarah Jensen ’21 Ellie Stevens ’22 LATIN 4 (PROSE) Andrew Felton ’21 Ezra Kies ’21 LATIN 5 Jack Featherston ’20
CUM LAUDE AWARDS LATIN 2 Ty Green ’23 Andrew Lemley ’22 Nathaniel Smith ’23 Quinn Sullivan ’23 Ellie Thurston ’23 Jacob Turkeltaub ’22 LATIN 3 (PROSE) Jackson Merrill ’22 Sophia Salzman ’22 LATIN 4 (PROSE) Oscar Mindich ’21 Katia Soares dos Santos ’21 LATIN 5 Chidera Olewuenyi ’20 Vladimir Reed ’20 Joseph Scinto ’20
MAXIMA CUM LAUDE SILVER MEDAL AWARDS LATIN 2 Zachary Ben-Meir ’23 Adam Kern ’23 Tyler Moyer ’23 Sofia Petricone ’23
www.ryecountryday.org | 19
NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP
Aldo Stefanoni
Aldo Stefanoni ’20 was awarded a scholarship from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Aldo was selected from a talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding national finalists. Scholarship recipients are judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. Congratulations also to our National Merit Scholarship finalists, Ellen Mollerus ’20 and Jaume Pujadas ’20.
20 | Recognizing Excellence Newsletter 2020
PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLAR CANDIDATES “Charumathi, Jacob, and Aaron are outstanding students. We are extremely proud of their academic achievements and their leadership at school and in their local communities. They are exemplary models of the RCDS commitment to excellence and service.” —Head of School Scott Nelson
Charumathi Badrinath
Charumathi Badrinath ’20, Jacob Oddi ’20, and Aaron Serianni ’20 were named candidates in the 2020 U.S. Presidential Scholars program, which recognizes the nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors. While at RCDS, Charumathi Badrinath was a dedicated scholar and innovative thinker who excelled and led in her academic and extra-curricular work including 12 AP courses and exams. Focused on computer science, Charumathi completed a summer internship at Memorial Sloan Kettering where she developed a program for plotting cancer cell data. Charumathi was also the Squad Leader of the RCDS Fencing team, and she was a Community Engagement Fellow.
Jacob Oddi
Jacob Oddi’s notable academic success at RCDS included eight Honors/Advanced and seven AP courses by graduation. A skilled athlete and a leader among his peers, he was captain of the RCDS Varsity Hockey team. Combining his athletic interests with an active commitment to service, Jacob also volunteers with a special needs skating program in Bridgeport, CT. Aaron Serianni’s RCDS career was excellent and he had notable achievements in mathematics and the sciences, humanities, and classics. He graduated having taken 11 AP courses and exams. He was also captain of the Cross Country team. An adventurous learner who always strives to discover his next level of achievement, Aaron also participated in an eight-week wilderness program in New Zealand. Charumathi, Jacob, and Aaron were three of approximately 4,000 candidates selected from millions of U.S. high school seniors.
Aaron Serianni
www.ryecountryday.org | 21
2020 MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH AWARDS NEW YORK MATH LEAGUE CONTEST
Over one million students from the United States and Canada participate in Math League Contests each year. Every contest has questions from different areas of mathematics. The goal is to encourage student interest and confidence in mathematics through solving worthwhile problems. Many students first develop an interest in mathematics through problem-solving activities such as these contests. Schools compete in state-wide or multi-state league competitions. TOP SCORERS AT RCDS 8TH GRADE 1st – James Song 2nd – Jaymin Ding 3rd – Robert Wang 7TH GRADE 1st – Davis Clarke 2nd – Leah Steyn 3rd – Shea Hollwedel, Jonathan Wolf, Nicholas Smith 6TH GRADE 1st – Arav Ramaswamy 2nd – Milin Torgalkar 3rd – Harrison Millan, Andrew Gao, Andrew Mulderry
MATH OLYMPIAD
Last year nearly 170,000 students from 6,000 teams worldwide participated in the Olympiad. All 50 states and about 30 other countries were represented. TOP SCORERS AT RCDS 8TH GRADE 1st – Gilad Wiegenfeld 2nd – Rahul Arora, Jaymin Ding, James Song 3rd – Allison Bauer, Jun Sherry 7TH GRADE 1st – Turner Wolf 2nd – Davis Clarke 3rd – Arnav Vyas 6TH GRADE 1st – Arav Ramaswamy 2nd – Arjun Arora, Milin Torgalkar 3rd – Andrew Gao 5TH GRADE 1st – Tamir Wiegenfeld 2nd – Evan Kern, Maya Torgalkar 3rd – Jacob Fisch, Mark Shalette
AMERICAN MATH CONTEST The American Math Contest is divided into two levels: one designated for students through Grade 10 (AMC 10) and the other for students through Grade 12 (AMC 12). TOP SCORERS AT RCDS AMC 10 1st place - Rohan Malik ’23 2nd place - Peter Nicholas ’22 3rd place - Lior Gurion ’22
22 | Recognizing Excellence Newsletter 2020
TOP SCORERS AT RCDS AMC 12 1st place - Allen Dong ’21 2nd place - J.B. Russo ’21 3rd place - Jaume Pujadas ’20 3rd place - Taylor Le Lievre ’21
ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC
Abhinav Kumar
Nancy Linehan
NEW YORK STATE SCHOOL OF MUSIC ASSOCIATION HONORS
The following students received honors from the New York State Music Association. They all earned a spot in the honor ensembles by receiving outstanding scores on their NYSSMA solos last spring.
Jack de Haan
Juliette Moore
Valeria Morales Ciriaco
ALL-STATE MIXED CHORUS Abhinav Kumar ’20, tenor AREA ALL-STATE MIXED CHORUS Abhinav Kumar ’20, tenor AREA ALL-STATE WOMEN’S CHORUS Nancy Linehan ’20 Valeria Morales Ciriaco ’20 AREA ALL-STATE BAND Olivia Davis ’21, bass clarinet
Alanis Abreu
Olivia Davis
Rohan Malik
INTERMEDIATE ALL-COUNTY ENSEMBLES Rohan Malik ’23, viola Jack de Haan ’24, bass ELEMENTARY ALL-COUNTY ORCHESTRA Juliette Moore ’27, violin ELEMENTARY ALL-COUNTY BAND Alanis Abreu ’26, percussion Lincoln Feng ’26, clarinet ELEMENTARY ALL-COUNTY CHORUS Jacob Fisch ’27 Juliette Moore ’27
Lincoln Feng
Jacob Fisch
www.ryecountryday.org | 23
ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC continued
Abhinav Kumar ’20 won several vocal competitions, including the American Protégé Music Talent Competition, American Protégé International Vocal Competition, Vienna Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition, and the “Golden Classical Music Awards” International Competition. Abhinav also had several solo showcase performances at renowned venues including multiple performances at the Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, New York, and a performance at Gläserner Saal, Musikverein, Vienna, Austria.
Abhinav Kumar
Ayush Maini ’24, violinist and pianist, won the opportunity to perform the Bach Concerto for 3 Pianos in D Minor at the Suzuki Associations of the Americas’ 19th Biennial Conference in Minneapolis, MN. This year, he also had his orchestral debut with the Symphony of Westchester after winning the Young Artist Concerto Competition to perform the third movement of Mozart’s Concerto No. 5 for Violin. Finally, in January 2020, he held his second annual benefit concert for the New York Presbyterian Hospital entitled “Children Helping Children.” With musical performances by children to raise money for cancer research for children, their successful effort raised over $26,000 over the last two years. Ayush Maini
Lauren Mian
24 | Recognizing Excellence Newsletter 2020
Many thanks to Lauren Mian ’20 for delivering a beautiful performance of Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors” at the virtual Fourth Grade Moving-Up ceremony. Lauren qualified for an Area All-State but could not participate due to a conflict with an important college audition. In her junior year, Lauren sang in the Young Artist Showcase at First United Methodist Church in Stamford. Leading into her senior year, she participated in both Westminster Choir College’s Summer Contemporary Vocal Institute and NYU Steinhardt’s Summer Contemporary Vocal Workshop. From there, the 2019-20 school year included numerous on-campus performances and college auditions. Lauren will continue her musical career at The New School’s Mannes School of Music.
2020 SCHOLASTIC ART & WRITING AWARDS Thirteen RCDS students were recognized by the 2020 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. A jury of leaders in the visual and literary arts blindly judge student submissions on the basis of the awards’ core values: originality, technical skill, and the emergence of personal voice or vision. Student talent and skill are acknowledged by a Gold Key Award (top honor), Silver Key Award, or Honorable Mention.
Sasha Leonard
William Schnall
GOLD KEY Sasha Leonard ’21 Poetry: The Book of Lamb: A Collection of Cursed Prayers William Schnall ’22 Personal Essay & Memoir: Coming Out as Straight Graham Weber ’20 Photography: Trace Photography: Meteorites
Graham Weber
Chloe Cornell
SILVER KEY Chloe Cornell ’20 Personal Essay & Memoir: Emergence Humor: Share A Meaningful Identity, Interest, or Talent That Your Application Would Be Incomplete Without Olivia Friedberg ’20 Printmaking: Behind the Golden Haze Olivia Nash ’20 Ceramics & Glass: Black and White Garden
Olivia Friedberg
Jesse Perlmutter ’21 Photography: Leap of Faith
Graham Weber ’20 Photography: Morning Light through Texas Brush Photography: Imperial Sculpture: Bluff & Canyon Sculpture: Flight Path Flash Fiction: Original Sin Critical Essay: The Myth, the Wicked Lie
www.ryecountryday.org | 25
2020 SCHOLASTIC ART & WRITING AWARDS continued
Olivia Nash
Jesse Perlmutter
HONORABLE MENTION Andrew Felton ’21 Personal Essay & Memoir: Hidden Identity Critical Essay: A Plea from Prison to Safeguard and Provide Sanctuary to Undocumented Immigrant Families in my Community Kyra Heffernan ’21 Short Story: Matters of Convenience Poetry: May July Burn
Angelina Pil
Hannah Tanenbaum
26 | Recognizing Excellence Newsletter 2020
Andrew Felton
Daniel Hu ’22 Photography: Waiting
Kyra Heffernan
Daniel Hu
Angelina Pil ’21 Ceramics & Glass: Nest
Graham Weber ’20 Photography: Symbiosis Photography: Auroral Photography: Under the Sunset Photography: Almost Closed
Hannah Tanenbaum ’20 Ceramics & Glass: Pieces of the Puzzle
Ruth Zhao
Ruth Zhao ’23 Digital Art: Bringing Dawn
CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION WINNER Jeffrey Tian ’22 won the 2019 Congressional Art Competition for District NY-16. This high school visual art competition sponsored by the Congressional Institute recognizes and encourages artistic talent across the nation, and winning artwork from each congressional district is displayed in the U.S. Capitol for a year. Titled "War and Peace," Jeffrey’s watercolor depicts Syria before and after the civil war.
COMMUNITY SERVICE RECOGNITION Eliza Fogel ’21 was named a Distinguished Finalist in The Prudential Spirit Of Community Awards for her project to improve childhood literacy, “Our Books Your Books,” which included coordinating 10 free book fairs at community centers. Collaborating with community partners, Eliza collected 4,000 books and redistributed them to young readers. Eliza’s efforts earned her the President’s Volunteer Service Award, saluting those who strengthen the nation and communities through volunteer service.
www.ryecountryday.org | 27
RCDS TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS The 2019 Field Hockey Team 4TH CONSECUTIVE NYSAIS CHAMPIONS (11TH OVERALL TITLE)
The 2019-2020 Boys’ Ice Hockey Team 3RD CONSECUTIVE FAA LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
28 | Recognizing Excellence Newsletter 2020
The 2019-2020 Girls’ Ice Hockey Team 2ND CONSECUTIVE WHILMA MIRAN DIVISION CHAMPIONS
www.ryecountryday.org | 29
EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS Alana Jones
Elizabeth Friedberg
ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENT 15 VARSITY LETTER ATHLETE Elizabeth Friedberg ’20 entered Rye Country Day School in eighth grade and accomplished what no other Wildcat has. Elizabeth graduated having earned 15 Varsity letters, making the Varsity Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, and Golf teams as an eighth grade student. Elizabeth was not only a starter; during her five-year career, she was instrumental in four NYSAIS Field Hockey Championships, two WHILMA Ice Hockey Championships, and one FAA Golf Championship. There are few all-around athletes who can maintain commitment and dedication to multiple sports while excelling year-round in one. Elizabeth now plays field hockey for Cornell University.
Shane Regan
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL Alana Jones ’20, a starter for five years, scored her 1,500th point in her final high school game against Hackley. Alana received the team’s Wildcat Award for the most valuable player during her sophomore, junior, and senior seasons. She also received All-State Honorable Mention honors in her sophomore year, and as a senior, she was named to the All-State Class B Twelfth Team by the New York State Sports Writers' Association and to the Second Team by the Basketball Coaches Association of New York. In her sophomore, junior, and senior years, Alana received Honorable Mention honors for the NEPSAC Team. An FAA AllLeague recipient and a NEPSAC All-Star all four of her high school seasons, Alana was also nominated as a 2020 McDonald's All-American. Alana graduated from RCDS with 1,500 points and 522 assists and is continuing her career at Wesleyan University.
Ben Pearce
BOYS’ BASKETBALL Shane Regan ’20, a starter for three years, scored his 1,000th point against Greens Farms Academy. In his senior year, Shane was named to the All-State Class B Fourth Team by the New York State Sports Writers' Association. He was also named to the FAA All-League First Team and received NEPSAC All-League Class B Honorable Mention. Shane finished his RCDS career with a total of 1,271 points and earned the 2019-20 John Sabia Award as the most valuable player. Ben Pearce ’21, a starter since eighth grade, scored his 1,000th point in the final seconds of the Hamden Hall victory. In his junior year, Ben was named to the All-State Class B Sixth Team by the New York State Sports Writers' Association. Ben was also named to the FAA All-League Second Team and received NEPSAC All-League Class B Honorable Mention.
30 | Recognizing Excellence Newsletter 2020
THE BEST ON THE GRIDIRON
Cullen Coleman
Golden Dozen Scholar-Athlete Recognition Cullen Coleman ’20 was named to the 2019 Golden Dozen Scholar-Athlete team. Presented by the Westchester chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame, the Golden Dozen Award recognizes football players who have shown tremendous capacity both on the field and in the classroom. Cullen’s additional senior year honors include LoHud Super-11, MIFL All-League First Team, and Westchester/Putnam All-Star First Team. As a sophomore, Cullen was the NY State Champion in the 100 meter, and in 2018 and 2019, he led the Boys' Track team as NYSAIS Champions. Cullen received the 2020 Richard Le Maire ’63 Award as the student-athlete who gave the most to the RCDS athletic program. Noted as Westchester's biggest football recruit in 20 years, Cullen will continue his football career at Northwestern University.
FAIRCHESTER ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION SCHOLARATHLETES The Fairchester Athletic Association Scholar-Athlete Award is presented to the senior student-athletes who have reached the highest academic standards while playing a minimum of two varsity sports and earning Fairchester Athletic Association All-League honors. During the 2019-20 school year, the FAA honored 17 student-athletes, including four RCDS Wildcats: Caroline Geller ’20, Robert Fox ’20, Aaron Serianni ’20, and Isabel Stronski ’20. All four have attained academic excellence while also receiving All-Fairchester athletic recognition. Caroline Geller ’20 took seven honors and nine AP courses during her Upper School academic career. She earned four varsity letters in both soccer and track. Caroline was an FAA All-League recipient in track and now attends Cornell University. Caroline Geller
Robert Fox
Robert Fox ’20, whose academic program included five honors and eight AP courses, earned five varsity wrestling and four varsity track letters. Robert captained and earned All-League honors in wrestling and track. He will run for Columbia University in 2021. Aaron Serianni ’20, whose academic program included six honors and 10 AP courses, was a member of the Varsity Cross Country and Track teams since freshman year and served as captain of both teams. Aaron earned All-League honors in both cross country and track. He is attending Princeton University. Isabel Stronski ’20 took seven honors and nine AP courses during her Upper School academic career. She captained the Soccer and Track teams and earned eight varsity letters. Isabel was a NYSAIS Champion in the 800, 1,500, and 3,000-meter races and an All-League recipient in soccer and track. Isabel was named the 2019 USA Track and Field New York Athlete of the Year. She is now running for Brown University.
Aaron Serianni
Isabel Stronski
www.ryecountryday.org | 31
Non-profit U.S. postage PAID White Plains, NY Permit #1782
Drive-Up Diploma Pick-Up June 6, 2020