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One Pingry
The Lower School created a COVID-19 time capsule and dedicated it on June 1. The capsule’s contents were coordinated by Lower School Librarian Ann D’Innocenzo during the 2021-22 school year, “to capture this moment in time, remember how we experienced the difficulties, and celebrate how we have risen to the challenges,” she said at the dedication. Contents include digitized photos and videos of Lower School events held during COVID-19, a Pingry mask and face shield, goggles, plexiglass, floor signs with reminders about keeping six feet of distance, a copy of the Pingry Anywhere feature in the Fall 2020 issue of The Pingry Review, K–4 students’ written reflections on attending school during COVID-19, and fifth-grade students’ letters to their future selves. The capsule is dedicated to Health and Operations Team, Facilities Team, and Technology Team, who “have been essential to our ability to teach, to learn, and to attend school safely and in a safe environment,” Mrs. D’Innocenzo said. The time capsule will remain on display on the patio until it’s opened in 2032, senior year for the students who were in Kindergarten when Pingry transitioned to remote learning in March 2020. Kindergarten Teacher Judy Previti and Math Teacher Manny Tramontana P ’85, ’87 (“Trem”) are the 2022 recipients of The Cyril and Beatrice Baldwin Pingry Family Citizen of the Year Award. It is presented at Commencement to members of the Pingry family who, in rendering meritorious service to the community, have demonstrated those qualities of responsible citizenship that Pingry aspires to instill in all of those associated with the School. Ms. Previti completed her 18th year at Pingry and is known for the traditions of thematic and hands-on learning that combines subjects; singing while playing the guitar because learning through song is part of the Kindergarten curriculum and students have fun singing in multiple languages; and teaching American Sign Language because it helps students learn the songs. Mr. Tramontana’s career has included developing the Upper School math curriculum (especially Math 6), serving as Math Department Chair for 30 years, serving as Head Coach of the Varsity Baseball Team for over 30 years, and being inducted into Pingry’s Athletics Hall of Fame. Mr. Tramontana has stepped away from the classroom after 58 years but will continue to be involved with the School.
During Commencement, Anne DeLaney ’79, P ’09, ’11, ’14, ’14 received the Letter-In-Life Award, the most prestigious honor that Pingry bestows upon a graduate. Ms. DeLaney is a licensed clinical social worker, philanthropist, and former Pingry trustee who served two terms on the Board (1994–2009 and 2014–2020). In 2009, Pingry honored her with The Cyril and Beatrice Baldwin Pingry Family Citizen of the Year Award.
pingry.org/extras: Read Ms. DeLaney’s complete Letter-In-Life citation.
Stifel Award recipients Biology Teacher and Research Advisor Dr. Morgan D’Ausilio and Jayden Battles-Cobb ’26 with former trustee Henry G. Stifel III ’83 and his wife Mary Stifel.
TWO MEMBERS OF THE PINGRY COMMUNITY RECEIVED
the Stifel Award this spring: Jayden Battles-Cobb ’26 and award-winning Biology Teacher and Research Advisor Dr. Morgan D’Ausilio.
A leader in the Middle School and Student Government at the time, Jayden also serves as a spokesperson for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. He shared a few of the challenges that he has faced while managing ocular myasthenia—an eye condition that affects the eyelids.
Dr. D’Ausilio has been teaching at Pingry since 2012 and was diagnosed with cancer in 2021. As a parent and member of the faculty, she continued to give her best for her two young sons, students, colleagues, and advisees. “I honestly was surprised to be nominated [for this award],” she said, “because I never thought I was doing anything extraordinary by pushing through [and] continuing to teach and care for my family during my treatment.”
The Henry G. Stifel III Award is named for Mr. Stifel, who was paralyzed in an automobile accident during his junior year at Pingry. The Stifel Family established the award at Pingry in 1984 to “be awarded to the person who best exemplifies those characteristics exhibited by Henry G. Stifel III ’83 in the aftermath of his accident and spinal injury: courage, endurance, optimism, compassion, and spirit.” A Pingry lifer, Mr. Stifel is a former trustee who has received Pingry’s Cyril and Beatrice Baldwin Pingry Family Citizen of the Year Award and Letter-In-Life Award, is a Vice Chair of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation’s Board of Directors, and works at Morgan Stanley. pingry.org/extras: Read more about the Stifel Award recipients. The Departments of Athletics and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging partnered during Women’s History Month in March to present a roundtable discussion marking the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Part of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance—a watershed moment in the evolution of women’s sports. Pingry’s conversation featured members of the community who have made significant contributions to the athletics program as coaches, athletes, and administrators, and the discussion was supplemented by videos of faculty and staff talking about coaching girls sports at Pingry. Panelists reflected on the impact of Title IX, and Director of Athletics and Student Success Carter Abbott asked the audience to consider this question: “Going forward, how do you plan to support women in athletics?”
“I played with the boys during recess, but a teacher told me I couldn’t do that. I was really upset and told my mother, who questioned why the teachers wouldn’t let me play. She told me to go ahead and play. The next day, I recruited three of my friends and we started to play. Again, the teacher came out and questioned why I was playing. I said, ‘Because I can.’ I got called into the principal’s office, and the principal called my mother—the best conversation I’ve ever heard. The principal told her that I was being disruptive and playing football with the boys. My mother asked, ‘Why is that a problem?’ They didn’t have an answer and said, ‘She needs to stop.’ My mother said, ‘No, she needs to play.’ Now, when coaching the Middle School players, I give them every responsibility and I hold them accountable.”
– Liliana Torres, who started playing sports in the summer of 1976 and was in Grade 8 in 1977 when this incident took place
FRONT ROW: Student-athletes asking the questions: Jada Watson ’24, Ngozi Nnaeto ’24, Caitlin Schwarz ’22, Cece Korn ’23, Molly Parker ’22, Ally Williams ’22, Devon Nugent ’23, Michelle Lee ’22, and Anna Stowe ’22. (Not pictured: Emily Samaro ’22)
BACK ROW, panelists and moderators, left to right: Julia Featherman—Assistant Coach of Girls’ Varsity Soccer, Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse, and Girls’ Middle School Lacrosse Gerry Vanasse P ’14, ’20—Director of Middle School Athletics and former Director of Athletics Margi Dillon P ’17, ’18, ’20—played lacrosse in college; Head Coach of JV Field Hockey; Assistant Coach of Varsity Field Hockey Liliana Torres—played sports in high school and college; Head Coach of Girls’ Middle School “A” Basketball Taunita Stephenson—then–Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging for Strategic Initiatives Lindsay Holmes-Glogower ’99, P ’33—played soccer at Pingry and in college; former Assistant Coach of Girls’ Varsity Soccer; started Pingry’s Alumnae Soccer Game Deirdre O’Mara P ’17, ’19, ’21—played on her high school’s first girls soccer team; Head Coach of Girls’ Varsity Swimming Kate Whitman Annis P ’23—played ice hockey and lacrosse in high school and college; former Head Coach of Girls’ Varsity Ice Hockey Carter Abbott, Director of Athletics and Student Success—played sports in high school and college; coached at national level; Head Coach of Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse Lauren Molinaro—Head Coach of Girls’ Varsity Soccer; Assistant Coach of Girls’ JV Soccer and Girls’ JV Lacrosse Jessica Hoepfl—Head Coach of Girls’ JV Soccer and Girls’ JV Lacrosse; Assistant Coach of Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse “In high school in the late 1970s, girls started to become ‘stars of the team’ and wanted to be treated like athletes . . . Later, as an international long-distance runner, I became friends with a lot of women athletes who were amazing runners . . . At Pingry, I’ve been surrounded by great athletes and great teams and extraordinary coaches.”
– Gerry Vanasse P ’14, ’20
“I was in high school in the late 1970s and I had great coaching. My three sisters tended to have pretty inferior coaching, so when I became a teacher, I said I would dedicate all of my coaching to women . . . At Pingry, I saw the need for a girls track team [instead of a club]. The first year, in 1985, there were six girls on the team . . . after a number of years, the girls won a state championship and I was called into the Athletic Director’s office. The Athletic Director said, ‘I believe you’ve earned the promotion to go coach boys.’ I was incensed. I said, ‘We just won a state championship. The guys didn’t win a state championship. I built a program.’ We went on for seven more years to win state championships.”
– Tim Grant P ’03, ’06—Head Coach of Girls’ Varsity Track “It is important for my two sons to know the history . . . boys and men play a really significant role in equality. It is really important to have not just women and girls fighting for this, but also our male counterparts.”
– Lindsay Holmes-Glogower ’99, P ’33
One Pingry
Edward Scott, Jr. Cross Country Course
Pingry recently dedicated its cross country course to the late Ed Scott, Jr., a member of the Magistri who is best known for coaching cross country and track from 1968–1995; he amassed a career record of 343141-3 for both sports and guided the School to nine prep and parochial state titles. This was Coach Scott’s most recent Pingry honor. He is the namesake of The Edward Scott, Jr. Scholarship Endowment Fund, established in 1995 by Dan Markovitz ’81 and fellow alumni, parents, faculty, and friends. The Fund was fully endowed in 2021, now providing a full-tuition aid award to a student every year. He is also the namesake of the annual Ed Scott Middle School Cross Country Invitational, created by fellow teacher and coach Victor Nazario P ’90, ’94 (1997). In 2001, he was inducted into Pingry’s Athletics Hall of Fame.
Mr. Markovitz believes strongly in recognizing Coach Scott for inspiring his runners’ growth and development. At the dedication, he referenced the new plaque on the Cross Country Course Bridge by saying, “Bridges don’t call attention to themselves. They provide support. They enable a person to cross a divide. Mr. Scott helped all of us cross the divide between childhood and adulthood, between immaturity and maturity, between our current selves and our future, better selves.” Also attending the dedication were alumni runners from the 1960s through the 1990s; other members of the Magistri; Coach Matt Horesta and the Boys’ Varsity Cross Country Team; and Coach Sarah Christensen and the Girls’ Varsity Cross Country Team. pingry.org/extras: Further coverage of the dedication, and tributes from alumni
Two of Coach Ed Scott, Jr.’s sons—Ed Scott III and Drew Scott— with Head of School Tim Lear and Dan Markovitz ’81 (both of whom were coached by Ed Scott) in front of the Cross Country Course Bridge during the dedication.
– HEAD OF SCHOOL TIM LEAR
Lower School Librarian Ann D’Innocenzo is the newest member of the Magistri, having joined the faculty in 1997 and completed her 25th year this spring. Along with overseeing the library’s collections and teaching classes, Mrs. D’Innocenzo has initiated projects and events to encourage reading. One example is “Postcards to the Library” (launched in 2004), for which students mail a postcard to the library to represent every book they read during the summer. Another was “Go for the Gold,” which motivated students to read as much as possible during the 2018 Winter Olympics. She also coordinates the Lower School Library’s participation in the National African American Read-In, when classes visit the library during Black History Month to listen to guests read stories by African American authors. Mrs. D’Innocenzo is proud to have spearheaded the 2000 Time Capsule to commemorate the new millennium, and the COVID-19 Time Capsule in 2022 (read more about the second one on page 3). Beyond Pingry, the Global Literacy Project (GLP) honored Mrs. D’Innocenzo in December 2007 with the “Librarian of the Year Award”; she helped establish a new library and catalogue system for students in South Africa (her efforts were part of Pingry’s larger collaboration with GLP to donate books to that country).
Luke Ittycheria ’19, Daniel Ittycheria ’22, and Dr. Anju Thomas and Trustee Dev Ittycheria P ’19, ’22.
The Robotics Team 2577 at Bridgewater-Raritan High School.
Pingry Robotics competed in two tournaments in March: the NJ State FIRST* Tech Challenge and the Mid-Atlantic Robotics FIRST Robotics Competition Bridgewater-Raritan District Event. Pingry won both tournaments, marking Team 6069’s first FTC state tournament win since the team’s founding in 2012, and Team 2577’s third district event win since the team’s founding in 2008. “It is exceptionally uncommon to have two simultaneous championships,” says Physics Teacher and Lead Robotics Mentor Jeffrey Jenkins. Olivia Taylor ’23 became the first Pingry student to be named a Dean’s List Finalist for the FIRST Tech Challenge, one of 215 worldwide. The award recognizes the leadership and dedication of FIRST’s most outstanding secondary school students. * For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology The new turf field adjacent to the driveway of the main entrance to the Basking Ridge Campus was dedicated in May as The Ittycheria Family Field; it was made possible through the generosity of Trustee Dev Ittycheria and Dr. Anju Thomas P ’19, ’22 and their sons Luke ’19 and Daniel ’22. Prior to the renovation, rain made the field unusable most of the year, so converting the field to turf drastically increases the space and time available for students to play soccer, lacrosse, and other sports—a particular benefit for Middle School and JV teams, giving students the space to explore, grow, and prepare for varsity.
The Board of Trustees has made a significant statement about its ongoing commitment to DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) by unanimously adopting—and then sharing with the Pingry community in April—a DEIB Resolution that articulates why DEIB is important to Pingry. Even though DEIB formally became one of the School’s four pillars in 2007 and this Resolution reiterates Pingry’s longstanding principles, it is the first formal comprehensive Board statement on DEIB issues.* “Pingry’s administration was in the process of adopting policies, plans, and procedures relating to DEIB, but it lacked a comprehensive policy statement from the Board, which is responsible for Pingry’s overall strategy and identity. We felt that gap had to be filled so the administration would know where the board stands and would be empowered to proceed,” says Ian Shrank ’71, Chair of the Board of Trustees. It’s important to note that the Resolution represents guidance, not action. “This Resolution compels and empowers the School administration to design and communicate how we will achieve the Board of Trustees’ vision,” says Gilberto Olvera P ’29, ’33, Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. He sees this Resolution as being influenced by and complementary to the Honor Code, 2018 Strategic Plan, and Student Core Competencies.
Board of Trustees DEIB Resolution
Resolution Passed Unanimously on February 8, 2022 by the Board of Trustees of the Pingry School
RESOLVED, that the Pingry Board of Trustees cares about diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging
(“DEIB”) because the Board believes that:
1. It is in best interest of all Pingry students, and in furtherance of our Mission, that all members of the
Pingry community work to understand, empathize with and respect the differing perspectives of others.
2. The Pingry Honor Code requires “honorable behavior…based on personal integrity and genuine concern for others”, and that everyone “act as responsible members of the community, working for the common good rather than solely for personal advantage. They should honor the rights of others”.
These standards are entirely consistent with the principles of DEIB as enunciated in this resolution.
3. Students learn more comprehensively when they learn as part of a diverse group of students, and from a diverse group of faculty, who express a diverse set of perspectives.
4. Diversity within groups leads to better outcomes, better decision making, more effective problem solving, greater creativity, and stronger overall performance of organizations.
5. Pingry as an educational institution must optimally prepare its students to learn from, live with and work with others in diverse communities, both nationally and globally.
6. Adherence to these DEIB principles is an essential ingredient to (i) Pingry achieving its Mission, (ii) the success of Pingry’s 2018 Strategic Plan for all its students and staff, in particular student health and wellness, and (iii) the fulfillment of the Core Competencies for Pingry students, in particular
Intercultural and Global Citizenship.
*The Resolution was generated by the Board’s DEIB Committee—originally the D&I Task Force (formed in 2018), which became the DEI Task Force and, ultimately, DEIB Committee (April 2021), the first committee added to the Board in 17 years. The Board commonly adds a temporary committee, or task force, to quickly address a complex issue that doesn’t fall within an existing committee’s purview. In this case, the Board realized that DEIB issues need ongoing attention, so the task force became a committee. It generated a document in late 2021, explaining the Board’s perspective on the “what,” “why,” and “how” of DEIB at Pingry, for the administration to be able to act on.
A portion of the DEIB Resolution as it appears on Pingry’s website. Visit the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging page on the website (under the “About” menu) to read the full Resolution.
One Pingry
Dr. Robert H. LeBow ’58 Memorial Oratorical Competition Mirika Jambudi ’23 won the 2022 Dr. Robert H. LeBow ’58 Memorial Oratorical Competition with her speech, “Your One True Purpose Might Not Exist, and That’s Okay.” In it, she took issue with the concept of “passion” (as in, “pursue your passion”) because she said “passion” is not fixed— people grow and their interests change. She also took issue with the concept of a “career” as the only thing that can fulfill a passion. “Turning passion into profit—if you write, publish. If you’re an artist, sell . . . Where’s the passion in that? Awards, subscribers, money . . . we do things with the expectation of results. Interest in a job is important, but it doesn’t have to be your reason for existing on earth.”
This annual competition was funded in 2005 through the generosity of the Class of 1958, led by the late William Hetfield, in memory of their classmate. Dr. LeBow was an accomplished public speaker, addressing audiences worldwide about the need for health care reform, and the author of Health Care Meltdown: Confronting the Myths and Fixing Our Failing System, a book drawn from his public speaking engagements. pingry.org/extras: Watch all six speeches from this year’s event.
Celebrate Pingry!
All alumni and their families were invited to the Pottersville Campus in May for this fun event that celebrated the Pingry community.
Sailing
Sailing returned to Pingry this spring as a co-ed, studentorganized club team that competed in its inaugural season in the NJISA (New Jersey Interscholastic Sailing Association). The Sailing Team practices twice each week in Perth Amboy, and weekly regattas take place at the Toms River Yacht Club on Saturdays throughout the fall and spring sailing seasons. The team is coached by Jeff Bonanni and advised by Jane Hoffman ’94, P ’26, ’27, ’28, Associate Director of Development, Annual Giving, and Community Engagement.
Pingry won the NJISA 2022 Girls’ Fleet Championship in April, as skipper Pilar Cundey ’23 and crew Abby Baird ’24 jumped out to an early lead and never relinquished it, recording first- or second-place finishes in eight of the 10 races to win the regatta with a low score of 20 points. Pingry placed sixth out of 15 teams in the NJISA 2022 New Jersey State Championship, with Pilar and Abby placing second overall in the A Division, and skipper Max Naseef ’24 and crew Isabelle Baird ’24 placing eighth overall in the B Division. The fall season began with the annual Sailfest Regatta featuring 18 teams from 13 schools— Pingry Sailing placed third, led by skippers Max Naseef and Charlotte Cundey ’26. After the second season wrapped up in November, the Raritan Bay High School Sailing Association awarded Abby Baird “Crew of the Year” for her athleticism and her ability to motivate her teammates.
Prior to the 2021–22 school year, Pingry had a Sailing Team (a club team that competed against other schools) for about 15 years, inaugurated in 1958–59 by Jim Dunn ’59. One member of the 1962, 1963, and 1964 teams was Carl Van Duyne ’64, who captained the team his junior and senior years and would become an Olympic sailor with outstanding sportsmanship. He was inducted into the Barnegat Bay Sailing Hall of Fame and Pingry’s Athletics Hall of Fame, among other posthumous honors.
CLOCKWISE, FROM UPPER LEFT: Fall 2022 Pingry Sailing Team: Isabelle Baird ’24, Abby Baird ’24, Avery Hoffman ’26, Charlotte Cundey ’26, Max Naseef ’24, and Zayed Ali ’24; Pingry sailors completing at the Lawrence A. Wight Trophy Invitational Regatta at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT; 1962 Sailing Team with Carl Van Duyne ’64 (3rd from left in the 2nd row)
“I have grown up around the ocean and love pretty much every sport that has to do with it. A couple of years ago, my grandfather bought an old laser—a type of sailboat—and I instantly fell in love. Sailing gives me a sense of freedom that nothing else does. When I’m sailing, nothing else matters . . . In the summer of 2021, I learned that several schools had their own sailing teams . . . so I gathered together the small community of sailors at Pingry and decided to make it happen.” – Abby Baird ’24
