Congratulations to the Class of 2019! View their college choices.

Congratulations to the students who were honored at the 2019 Prize Day and Graduation ceremonies. All students are members of the Class of 2019 unless otherwise noted.

ALUMNI PRIZE
Presented at Graduation

Faith Hardy

Charlotte Townley

ALL SCHOOL AWARDS
Presented at Prize Day

Will McCurdy '05 Award: Nathalie Felton

Class of 2008 Award: Grace Casale '22, Hudson Friedman '22

Christine Nelson Award: Jesse Perlmutter '21, Robert Thalheimer-Santamaria '21

James P. Godfrey Award: Miles Chun '20, Evalise Melgar '20, Theresa Quinto '20

Senior Deans' Award: Sarah Colin, Alexander Hackett, Charles Moysak

Dennis Parker '73 Prize: Patricia Bautista, Faith Hardy

Sustainability Award: Warren Kennedy-Nolle

Gretchen Pulvermann '30 Scholarship Award: Faith Hardy

Mary Ann Reichhardt Memorial Award: Yusra Suliman

Parents Association Prize: James Chen, Erin Salomon, Kioni Shropshire-Maina

The Headmaster's Prize: Patricia Bautista, Julian Martelly, William Shabecoff

The Glen Robertson Award: Iain Pollock, Upper School English Teacher

DEPARTMENTAL AWARDS
Presented at Prize Day

Art Department

Lelia Carter Birrell '68 Award: Jared Kim

Videography Award: Alexia Hartogensis

Athletic Department

The Mary Borton Trophy: Paulina Harasimowicz

The Richard Le Maire '63 Award: Allan Houston III

Classics Department

Classics Award: Margaret Dunn

Latin Award: Madeline Mandell

Computer Science Department

Computer Science Award: Alexia Hartogensis

Computer Science Achievement Award: Laszlo Kopits

Drama & Dance Department

V. Janet Lott Spirit of the Theatre Award: Faith Hardy

Glen Robertson Memorial Award: Lily Rosen, Hope Santomero

Dance Award: Amber Michaca, Aisling Sullivan

English Department

English Award: Margaret Dunn, Charlotte Townley, Cecilia van Paasschen

Creative Writing Award: Kioni Shropshire-Maina

Sophomore English Award: Kyle Mandell '21, Katia Soares dos Santos '21

Humanities Department

Joshua Bennett '06 Humanities Award: Annabel Halaby, Jason Schnall

Cornelius Tacitus Prize: Wendy Corona '20, Aldo Stefanoni '20

Mathematics Department

Mathematics Award: Connor Marrs

Robert Reeser Memorial Award: Alexia Hartogensis, Alexander Kelly

George Washington University Medal: Aaron Serianni '20

Modern Languages Department

Modern Languages Award: Samantha Bobman, Paulina Harasimowicz

Chinese Award: Jaume Pujadas '20

French Award: Warren Kennedy-Nolle

Spanish Award: Kyle Mandell '21

Music Department

Choral Award: Franklin Hong, Jessica Yaffa

John Philip Sousa Award: Mia Hotsuki

Natural Sciences Department

Science Award: James Chen, Nathalie Felton, Connor Marrs, Charlotte Townley, Jialin Yang

BOOK AWARDS
Presented at Prize Day

Brown University Book Award: Wendy Corona '20

Columbia University Book Award: Charumathi Badrinath '20

Cornell University Book Award: Isabel Stronski '20

Dartmouth College Book Award: Abhinav Kumar '20

Harvard College Book Award: Ellen Mollerus '20

The Johns Hopkins Book Award: Aaron Serianni '20

The Princeton University Book Award: Jaume Pujadas '20

The University of Pennsylvania Book Award: Nicholas Califano '20

Wellesley College Book Award: Sabrina Reznik '20

Yale University Book Award: Valeria Morales Ciriaco '20

RCDS Upper School students took advantage of two programs offered by White Plains Hospital designed to provide hands-on experience in a variety of healthcare careers.

Isabella Dartnell '20, Ariane Voulgaris '20, and Caroline Geller '20 participated in the White Plains Hospital Clinical Tutorial Program. During this semester-long educational course, they met doctors, surgeons, nurse practitioners, nurses, and other clinical staff. They toured the emergency room, explored the medical simulation room used to train medical staff, and learned about the machines and technology available in the radiology lab. Hands-on learning included how to use a harmonic scalpel by cutting and cauterizing raw chicken, how to intubate with a laryngoscope, and how to suture using a rubber template. They also practiced cauterizing with a grapefruit and administered an epidural to a pineapple.

In another wing of White Plains Hospital, Yuto Abe '22, Tess Asness '20, Sofia Bolger '21, Kathryn Farrell '21, and Philip Kimmel '21 participated in a two-day workshop on robotic technology where they learned about the history of robotic surgery and the process of preparing the robot for surgery. The highlight of the program was using the da Vinci robot to simulate surgery and stitching. Reflecting on the experience, Yuto Abe explained, "[The simulations] allowed me to get a sense of how these robots function and how it can be different from a surgeon using only his bare hands when operating."

Congratulations to Charlotte Price '20 on being honored with the US Lacrosse All-American award. Charlotte has played on the Girls' Varsity team since eighth grade and is just three goals away from her 200th career goal. This season, the midfielder helped lead the team to the NYSAIS finals with 91 goals and 12 assists. Next year, she will serve the team as a captain.

In addition to being named All-American, Charlotte was named FAA All-League for the third straight year. For the past two years, she has also been named a WNEPSWLA All-Star. Congratulations, Charlotte!

Coming together to reflect on and celebrate the accomplishments of the academic year, Rye Country Day School faculty and staff attended the Faculty & Staff Tea on May 30. This festive annual gathering recognizes individual faculty and staff for their outstanding contributions to Rye Country Day through seniority fellowships, endowed awards, vacation grants, and anniversary and retirement celebrations. Congratulations and deep gratitude to all of our awardees and honorees!

Seniority Fellowships
Faculty and staff who have served Rye Country Day for over 10 years are eligible for one of five Seniority Fellowships.

Meredith deChabert Assistant Head of School, Middle School Principal	Jennifer DeVito Upper School Librarian	Laura Festo Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
Johnny Flynn Humanities Department Chair, Grades 5-12 Humanities Teacher	Ethan White Upper School Humanities Teacher, Coach

Summer Vacation Grants
Nominated by their peers, six faculty members (two from the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools), two staff, and two administrators are awarded Summer Vacation Grants. Designated for travel and vacation during the summer months, these special grants recognize outstanding service to Rye Country Day. Many thanks to our dedicated colleagues. We can't wait to hear about your adventures!

Debra Simpson Lower School Science Teacher	Jamie Radwan Lower School Learning Specialist	Ellen Cartwright Grade 7 & 8 Dean, Director of Middle School Study Skills Program
Tammy McKenna Language Arts Teacher, Middle School Learning Specialist	Kerry Linderoth Director of Sustainability, Upper & Middle School Science Teacher	Dan Murray Upper School Latin Teacher, Coordinator of Global Studies
Stephanie Melgar Computer Technician	Ariana Wimpy Student Billing Manager	Eliza McLaren Director of the Institute for Innovative Teaching & Learning, Director of Marketing & Communications
Dion Beard Director of Facilities

Endowed Faculty Chairs
The Rye Country Day School Endowed Faculty Chair program was established to honor and reward outstanding teachers in all three divisions of the School, while also providing additional funds for overall faculty compensation. Since the program's inception, eight Endowed Faculty Chairs have been created, seven of which rotate every three years.

Joel Brockman Memorial Chair - Lower School Whitney Turner Lower School Computer Science Teacher	Sue & Edgar Wachenheim III Humanities Department Chair Johnny Flynn Humanities Department Chair Grades 5-12, Upper School Humanities Teacher	RCDS Parents Association Chair Debra Pager Director of Student Support Services, Lower School Psychologist
English Chair Ted Heintz Grade 10 Dean, Upper School English Teacher	Middle School Chair Marcia Mignon Middle School Science Teacher	Middle School Chair Beatrice DeSabatino Middle School Latin Teacher
Lower School Chair Laura Festo Pre-Kindergarten Teacher	Class of 2006 Chair Gary Solem Upper School Art Teacher

Endowed Awards
Endowed awards are presented to faculty and staff for outstanding service to RCDS. Recipients are those who meet the specific criteria for each award.

Frank Effinger Award for outstanding service to RCDS Elizabeth Bennett Athletics Office Administrator, Coach	Priscilla Liebman Award in recognition of courage and outstanding service to RCDS Ileana Hernández Carafas Upper School Spanish Teacher	Linda Grossman Award for outstanding service to RCDS Morgan Fitzpatrick Admissions Office Administrative Assistant
Carol Lichtenfeld Award for outstanding advising in the Middle School Denise Francella Physical Education Teacher & Coach	Will McCurdy Award for outstanding advising in the Upper School Donald Kyle '81 Dean of Upper School Students & Upper School English Teacher

Cohen Excellence in Teaching Awards
The Cohen Excellence in Teaching Awards are yearly grants awarded to faculty members who have been nominated by their peers and selected by the administration for outstanding instruction and contributions to the School. These awards are the result of a leadership gift from the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation to the Advancing a Tradition of Excellence campaign.

Karen Cosgrove Grade 2 Teacher	Stacy Kaufman Grade 4 Teacher	Carrie Donahue Middle School Counselor
Amanda Sackey Middle School Science Teacher	Tim Silverman Middle School Spanish Teacher, Upper School Counselor, Peer Leadership Director	Doug Cerrone Upper School Mathematics Teacher
Jen Doran Upper School Science Teacher	Ali Morgan Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Humanities and Drama Teacher, Coach	Gil Castagna Physical Education Teacher, Coach
Heidi Southard Head Athletic Trainer, Upper School Health Teacher

Anniversaries
With meaningful dedication spanning up to 40 years, the following faculty and staff were recognized for their ongoing service at Rye Country Day School. Congratulations to our anniversary celebrants and thank you for your commitment to Rye Country Day!

From left to right: Joe LaVigna, David Yellen, Lauris Khan, Matt Cavanaugh, Gil Castagna. Not pictured: Lorraine Brimat-Smith

40 Years

• Gil Castagna: Physical Education Teacher; Coach

• Lorraine Brimat-Smith: Middle School Administrative Assistant
• Matt Cavanaugh: Grade 9 Dean, Upper School Spanish Teacher
• Lauris Khan: Upper School Mathematics Teacher
• Joe LaVigna: Maintenance
• David Yellen: Upper School Mathematics Teacher

Retirees
Rye Country Day bid farewell to six members of the faculty and staff who concluded their careers at the close of this academic year. We thank them and wish them all the best in retirement.

• Denise Francella: Physical Education Teacher & Coach (27 years)
• Heather Robinson: Library Assistant (26 years)
• Susan Nelson: Director of Publications (25 years)
• Kate Ordway: English Department Chair, Upper School English Teacher, AP Art History Teacher (21 years)
• Carmela DeCarlo: Upper School Administrative Assistant (17 years)
• Ileana Hernández Carafas: Upper School Spanish Teacher (12 years)

Do you want to receive the alumni e-newsletter in your inbox? Please update your contact information.

Dear RCDS Alumni, It's hard to believe that Rye Country Day's 150th anniversary year is about to come to a close. Our sesquicentennial kicked off with over 400 alumni attending festivities during Wildcat Weekend. The celebration continued throughout the year with alumni donating their time to present as keynote speakers, lead roundtable discussions, host alumni networking events, present Book Awards, and offer mentoring and internship opportunities to our young alumni and seniors. Our alumni also joined us at receptions in California and NYC. With only two weeks left in the 2018-19 Alumni Annual Giving Campaign, we have the opportunity to close out this special anniversary year by setting a new record. If 350 new donors make a gift of ANY amount, we can achieve the highest alumni participation rate in RCDS history. Make your gift today and help us write the final chapter in this milestone 150th anniversary year. MAKE YOUR GIFT Thank you for celebrating with us! Warm Regards, The Office of Alumni Affairs Campus News Class of 2019 Graduates: Congratulations to the Class of 2019! On June 7, 98 spectacular students graduated from Rye Country Day School. We are looking forward to cheering them on at the following colleges and universities in the fall. One of Seven Presidential Scholar Semifinalists in the State of Connecticut: Headmaster Scott Nelson remarks, "Nathalie Felton '19 has achieved tremendous academic success at Rye Country Day. We are very proud of her accomplishments and look forward to following her future success at Brown University and beyond." Read more. Princeton Prize: Faith Hardy '19 and Patricia Bautista '19 were honored with a Certificate of Accomplishment by the New York City Committee for the Princeton Prize in Race Relations. Read more. Wildcat Champions: Congratulations to the RCDS Wildcats on an outstanding spring season! Boys' Track & Field clinched FAA & NYSAIS titles with a winning performance by the 4x100M relay team. Boys' Golf took home the NYSAIS championship, and Boys' Lacrosse was named co-champion of the FAA. Girls' Track & Field, Boys' Tennis, and Girls' Tennis also had players named champions. Read the full recap here. National Merit Scholarships: RCDS seniors James Chen and Matias Esquivel Losada were awarded National Merit $2500 Scholarships by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. James and Matias are two of 2,500 students chosen from a nationwide pool of more than 15,000 National Merit finalists to receive the National Merit $2500 Scholarship. In the fall, James will be heading to Harvard University, and Matias will attend Yale University. Triple Jump Record Broken - TWICE! The school triple jump record was broken twice in one week this spring season. Class of 2018 alumnus Maxwell Smith had held the triple jump record of 41-3.50, but sophomore Gideon Prempeh broke that record at the JV Westchester County Champs with a mark of 41-5. Two days later, fellow sophomore Greyson Humphrey (pictured) beat THAT record at the NYSAIS Championships with a mark of 41-5.50! Congratulations to both Gideon and Greyson! HARRIET ROFMAN SUNRISE GARDEN: This spring the RCDS community gathered to thank and honor Harriet Rofman for her many years of service to the Rye Country Day Middle School. The Middle School garden will from now on be known as the Harriet Rofman Sunrise Garden. View photos of the ceremony. Service Showcased: At the Public Purpose Community Dinner, a wonderful annual tradition, students, families, faculty, and community partners gathered to celebrate the many ways students have made a meaningful difference this year. Dozens of students from across divisions showcased their work to over 150 attendees. Read more and view photos. Stories Behind the Art: To celebrate this year's All-School Art Show, four RCDS artists were interviewed about their creative process to share the "stories behind the art." Watch videos from each division. Skills Spotlight: Using your knowledge of physics, create a musical instrument that can produce an eight note scale Eighth graders used materials and tools available in the makerspace, as well as their understanding of physics, engineering, and math to create, test, and tweak musical instruments. In the end, each student had to perform a song in front of the class demonstrating his or her instrument's ability to produce a scale. Read more. RCDS Faculty Awarded Fellowships through the Institute for Innovative Teaching & Learning: RCDS is pleased to announce five Institute for Innovative Teaching and Learning projects for 2019-20 led by 12 faculty. Read more. ORDER YOUR COPY! Click here to take a look inside Rye Country Day School, a limited-edition commemorative book detailing the storied history of the School and its first 150 years. This visually stunning coffee table book includes the fascinating history of Rye Country Day School, archival photographs, and contemporary photography featuring the campus, students, and faculty as captured by award-winning photographers. Purchase your copy today! From the Archives WHERE IT ALL STARTED: The tradition of wearing white dresses for graduation began in the early days of Rye Seminary and still continues to this day. Here you see the women from the Rye Seminary Class of 1912. View larger. Alumni News NYC Reception: As part of the 150th anniversary festivities, over 70 alumni joined us for an outdoor reception in NYC to celebrate the kick-off to summer and to toast Coach "C" on his 40th anniversary at RCDS. ALUMNI PRESENT BOOK AWARDS: Thank you to the 10 alumni who returned for this year's Prize Day to present College Book Awards to members of the eleventh grade who best meet the criteria established by the various colleges and universities: Russell Dritz '97, Ayelén Rodriguez '10, Benjamin Selzer '95, Henry Townley '14, Katie Hunt '02, Maya Rock '98, Emily Duarte '15, Craig Daily '90, Scott Weiss '96, Michèle Lallemand Brazil '92. As Mr. Nelson introduced the alumni presenters, it was hard not to be inspired by each of their college, career, and service experiences. Read more. SABIA & FRANCELLA RECOGNIZED: At the Spring Sports Awards Ceremony, two-time RCDS Alumni Hall of Fame winner Coach John Sabia was presented with the Maria Effinger Award, and the Girls' Varsity Lacrosse Coaches' Award was renamed for retiring PE teacher and coach Denise Francella, who, in her 27 years at RCDS, has exemplified an unwavering commitment to the PE Department and Middle and Upper School teams. Read more. BLUE & GOLD DINNER: At the Blue & Gold Dinner, the Rye Country Day Alumni Association welcomed the Class of 2019 as the newest members. Newly appointed English Department Chair, Mr. Iain Pollock, addressed the seniors as their chosen faculty speaker. RIOS '02 ADDRESSES STUDENTS & PARENTS: Francesca Rios '02 returned to campus to share her perspectives on internet safety and social media with fourth - eighth grade students, as well as parents. As an assistant district attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney's cybercrime division, Francesca shared her perspectives on internet safety and social media. Read more and view tips for internet safety here. SOTO '13 HOSTS LUNCH & LEARN: Over 60 Middle and Upper School students attended a Lunch & Learn presented by Andres Soto '13. Andres, who graduated from Columbia University's School of Engineering and Applied Science with a degree in Applied Math, is now a Google Software Engineer. During the session, Andres reflected on his journey through RCDS as a student of color from an immigrant family, explored applications and intersections of math, physics, and algorithms, and highlighted recent projects focusing on artificial intelligence and machine learning. View photos. UPDATE US: Are you or a classmate in the news? Please let us know. Submit a class note or email us at alumniaffairs@ryecountryday.org. POST A JOB OR INTERNSHIP: Is your company hiring? Looking for an internship? Help connect fellow RCDS alumni by submitting the information to our alumni network. ALUMNI IN THE NEWS Eliza McCurdy '13 was featured in a documentary entitled "AFTER RIKERS: Justice by Design" which aired on PBS as a part of 'Justice Week.' Check out the trailer here. On May 23, photographer Rachel Boillot '05 presented her new book, Moon Shine, a photographic portrait of musical heritage in Appalachia, at the Rye Arts Center. Rachel's work was recently featured in The Guardian, which you can view here. John Treacy Egan '80 recently appeared in "A Comedy of Tenors" at Olney Theater in Olney, Maryland. Fellow alum Lisa Nevans Locke '81 had the opportunity to attend a performance and shared that as the lead, "he stole the show!" In early May, RCDS hosted the 4th annual Ryan B. Mahoney Memorial Regatta. Over 30 sailors competed at American Yacht Club in Rye, NY, in memory of alumnus Ryan Mahoney '98 who lost his battle with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 2012. Congratulations to Melanie Mandell '16 on being named NESCAC Player of the Year! Emily Lazar '89 was featured as a keynote speaker at New York Music Month: Innovation at the Intersection of Music + Tech presented by the NYC Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment. Variety magazine recently interviewed David Holstein '01. Read the article here. Sarah Dodds Brown '91 was recently profiled by the American Law Institute. The profile begins on page 12. COMING UP Wildcat & Reunion Weekend October 19, 2019 Facebook Alumni Group LinkedIn Alumni Group

The Edward E. Ford Foundation Community Engagement Fellowship Program at Rye Country Day School, now in its fourth year, enables RCDS Upper School students to partner with a community organization to develop and implement innovative, sustainable projects that address the needs of the organization. The Upper School students who are accepted as Community Engagement Fellows spend the summer completing their service projects at community partner organizations with funding provided by the Edward E. Ford Foundation and the RCDS community. This allows community organizations to benefit from the students' enthusiasm and passion at no cost, and it enables Upper School students from all socioeconomic backgrounds with a commitment to public purpose to participate.

The 2019 cohort of fellows includes 14 students working in partnership with 10 organizations across Westchester and Fairfield counties and New York City including Backyard Sports, The Port Chester Carver Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, Community Resource Center, DreamYard, The Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon, New York League of Conservation Voters, Our New Way Garden, The Thomas H. Slater Center, and Westchester Children's Museum.

Launched in 2016 with a generous $50,000 grant from the Edward E. Ford Foundation, which was matched by donations from the Rye Country Day School community, the program was conceived out of a recognition of the importance of purpose-driven citizenship. The program's goal is to offer summer service opportunities for students and to foster ongoing partnerships between RCDS and local community organizations. Fellows collaborate with community partner organizations and RCDS faculty members on all phases of their projects, with faculty offering cross-disciplinary guidance as the fellows chart their paths to active community engagement. Community and academic partnerships are at the heart of this program, and a commitment to service is the fellows' guiding principle as they bring together innovation, hard work, interdisciplinary thought, awareness, empathy, and decision-making skills to propose, design, and implement impressive purpose-driven projects.

Throughout the spring, the fellows prepared for their summer projects by participating in a series of seminars exploring service learning models and best practices and awareness in community service. Students engaged in conversations about systemic social inequality to better appreciate the missions and value of their community partner organizations. They also reflected on their own identities and the communities with whom they will partner in order to ensure thoughtful, mutually beneficial relationships. With this preparation complete, students are ready to experience the full value of service learning as they gain compassion and leadership skills while deepening their community connection. A list of the 2019 fellows and their projects follows, and we plan to share updates from individual fellows throughout the summer.

The students will present their projects at the E.E. Ford Community Engagement Fellows Symposium on Thursday, October 3, 2019 at 6 p.m. in Memorial Hall. All RCDS students, families, faculty, friends, and community partners are invited to attend.

2019 Community Engagement Fellows

	Eliza Fogel '21 Partner: Westchester Children's Museum, Rye N.Y. Project: Eliza will be leading a children's literacy program for children who visit the museum. Faculty Mentor: Stacy Kaufman, Lower School Teacher (Grade 4)
	Christopher Connor '20 Partners: Backyard Sports, White Plains, N.Y., The Thomas H. Slater Center, White Plains, N.Y., The Port Chester Carver Center, Port Chester, N.Y., The Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon, N.Y. Project: Continuing from last summer's project, Connor will work with Backyard Sports build gaga pits at the Carver Center and The Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon, and he will expand the programming at The Thomas H. Slater Center to include gaga, yoga, and other activities. Faculty Mentor: Iain Pollock, Upper School English Teacher
	Peggy Helman '20 Partner: New York League of Conservation Voters, New York, N.Y. Project: Peggy will conduct research on the levels of lead found in the pipes of Westchester County and New York broadly, analyzing the findings so the NYLCV can run an educational campaign to publicize the results. Faculty Mentor: Kerry Linderoth, Director of Sustainability; Upper and Middle School Science Teacher
	Anna Owens '21 & Oliver Kies '21 Partner: Community Resource Center, Mamaroneck, N.Y.Project: Building on a previous Fellow's project, Anna and Oliver will build new shelves, and reorganize the Reading Nook with a new organizational system, making it easier for young people to pick books while visiting the CRC. Faculty Mentor: Iain Pollock, Iain Pollock, Upper School English Teacher
	Sebastian Lee '20 & Charumathi Badrinath '20 Partner: Our New Way Garden, White Plains, N.Y. Project: Sebastian and Charumathi are revamping the website for ONWG including building a new online volunteer management system, and working on-site repairing the infrastructure.Faculty Mentor: Amanda Sackey, Middle School Science Teacher
	Wendy Corona '20 Partner: The Port Chester Carver Center, Port Chester, N.Y. Project: Wendy will organize and lead a STEM camp for students. Faculty Mentor: Cathie Bischoff, Science Department Chair; STEAM Coordinator; Upper School Science Teacher
	Isabella Dartnell '20 & Caroline Antonacci '20 Partner: The Port Chester Carver Center, Port Chester, N.Y. Project: Isabella and Caroline will organize and lead a STEM camp with a "girls empowerment" theme. Faculty Mentor: Jen Doran, Upper School Science Teacher
	Samantha Roskind '21 Partner: New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital Project: Partnering with children from the hospital, Samantha will create a children's book about heart conditions that will be sold as a fundraiser for research. Faculty Mentor: Joanne Aventuro, Lower School Teacher (Grade 3)
	Eesha Narain '21 Partner: The Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon, N.Y. Project: Building on her experience from last summer's Fellowship, Eesha will lead a dance camp. This year, the camp will also include a drama/acting component. Faculty Mentor: Tameka Farrell, Upper School Science Teacher
	Isabel Stronski '20 Partner: DreamYard, Bronx, N.Y. Project: Isabel will facilitate an athletic-based women's empowerment program for children in the community. Faculty Mentor: Elizabeth Bennett, Athletics Office Administrator; Coach
	Chidera Olewuenyi '20 Partner: Carver Center, Port Chester, N.Y. Project: Chidera will lead a dance camp for kids at the Carver Center, building on a previous fellow's project. Faculty Mentor: Tia Gueye, Upper School Mathematics Department Chair; Middle and Upper School Mathematics Teacher

Congratulations to Cullen Coleman '20 who has committed to Northwestern University where he will continue his football career as a Wildcat!

Cullen is Westchester's most sought-after football recruit in decades. He received 33 offers from some of the biggest names in college football including Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, and Notre Dame. Read more about his recruitment process here.

Congratulations, Cullen!

COMMITTED!!! STAYING A WILDCAT!!! pic.twitter.com/JzuhvpkaJ7

— cullen coleman (@CullenColeman) July 6, 2019

In June, 21 RCDS students from grades 10-12 enjoyed a transatlantic learning experience through the Global Studies summer program Sicily: Intensive Study of Ancient Civilizations. The program was designed by RCDS faculty through an interdisciplinary and collaborative process, and it was offered in partnership with The Paideia Institute for Humanistic Study, a Brooklyn-based non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the study of the classical humanities through innovative, experience-based educational programming. Aimed at distilling how our understanding of diverse perspectives and of ourselves is deepened through intensive cultural immersion, the program facilitated engagement with other cultures, both ancient and modern. RCDS faculty chaperones and Paideia Institute staff guided the students as they experienced firsthand the indelible marks of the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome as represented on the island of Sicily. Immersed in historic settings, students integrated their knowledge of Latin language, history, and literature with their direct experience of Sicilian culture. Their experience provided a memorable opportunity to compare ancient and present cultures, discover cross-disciplinary connections, explore archaeological sites, and connect with new locales.

Participating Faculty

Dan Murray Coordinator of Global Studies; Upper School Latin Teacher

Tameka Farrell Upper School Science Teacher

Jay Gerlach Drama and Dance Department Chair; Drama Teacher

Looking Ahead: #RCDSGlobal in 2020

June 2020, open to 9th - 11th grade students, application details forthcoming

Iceland
Sustainability and Renewable Energy

Students will discover Iceland's incredible sources of sustainable energy through outdoor activities and visits to high tech facilities. While learning about Iceland's approach to energy, students will examine the larger topics of energy and climate change, and they will gain a greater appreciation for the way local efforts toward conservation impact both the local environment and the world. The program is offered in partnership with Broadreach, a world leader in international education.

El Paso, TX
Border Studies & Collaborative Leadership

Students will gain a multifaceted perspective on the immigration experience through partnerships with local NGOs, conversations with community leaders, and seminars designed to promote students' understanding of global issues, leadership, and local culture. Students will deepen their understanding of timely, current border issues with global and local implications. The program is offered in partnership with World Leadership School, a socially conscious company and a leader in the area of travel safety.

Just after the conclusion of the school year, 14 Upper School students gathered for the fourth annual RCDS Ethics Project, a retreat developed by an interdisciplinary faculty collaboration aimed at expanding students' knowledge and analytical skills around matters pertaining to ethical awareness and active, purpose-driven engagement. This year's retreat examined ethics and the law, and participating students worked together to develop the ability to navigate complex ethical dilemmas through creating and practicing models for effective decision making. Students practiced and exemplified the character traits and analytical skills identified in the RCDS Portrait of a Graduate as holistic thinkers, ethical decision makers, skilled collaborators, and active community members.

Grade 11 Dean and Upper School English Teacher Jenny Heath shared the following recap of the project:

The retreat this year was great! The topic was ethics and the law. We had a group of 14 rising 10th, 11th, and 12th graders, who were energetic, bright, and intellectually curious. They dove headlong into a variety of complex issues including: the use of genetic genealogy in crime investigation and the resulting privacy issues; mass incarceration and various causes such as minimum sentencing laws; the causes and effects of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994; and ethical challenges involving free speech and privacy as they relate to social media platforms and regulation. Over the course of our four days together, the students engaged in debates, watched and listened to a range of multimedia sources, spoke with a variety of guest speakers, and wrote a proposal to the U.S. administration based on their generative conversations. The faculty members involved were Charles Sliter (Upper School Humanities Teacher), Sarah Danziger (Classics Department Chair and Upper School Latin Teacher), and me. From a faculty perspective, one of the things I love about the program is being able to work with colleagues in other departments to create an interdisciplinary curriculum.

Our guest speakers were:

Awilda Alvarado P'20
A probation officer in Westchester County for over 30 years, Aida currently works with the Felony Drug Diversion Court.

Kyle Rawlins
As co-founder of Designing Justice + Designing Spaces, a nonprofit architecture firm that designs and develops "buildings, spaces, and tools to attack the root causes of mass incarceration," Kyle spoke to us just after visiting a decommissioned prison in Texas that his firm is going to lease and turn into a community center that provides a multitude of services including job training for formerly incarcerated people.

Patrick Early, RCDS Security
A member of the NYPD throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Patrick spoke about police training and oversight, ethical codes followed by police, and tricky ethical issues that he observed and encountered while on the force.

Erin Delaney
A law professor at Northwestern University's Pritzker Law School and a former clerk for the U.S. Supreme Court, Erin touched on the intricate legal aspects of incarceration.

Participating Faculty

Sarah Danziger Department Chair, Classics Latin Teacher, Upper School

Jenny Heath Dean, Grade 11 English Teacher, Upper School

Charles Sliter Humanities Teacher, Upper School

Six RCDS seniors have been awarded scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. The seniors were selected from a talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding national finalists. Congratulations to all of our scholarship winners!

	James Chen Awarded: National Merit $2,500 Scholarship Attending: Harvard University
	Matias Esquivel Losada Awarded: National Merit $2,500 Scholarship Attending: Yale University
	Joseph Farrell Awarded: College-Sponsored Scholarship Attending: University of Chicago
	Nishan Shehadeh Awarded: Corporate Scholarship Attending: Vanderbilt University
	Nicholas Tallis Awarded: College-Sponsored Scholarship Attending: Santa Clara University
	Jialin Yang Awarded: College-Sponsored Scholarship Attending: University of Chicago

On June 6, Ethan Silverman Guffey '20, Isa Stronski '20, and Graham Weber '20 were recognized with National Honors at the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Ceremony at Carnegie Hall. Isa, pictured with Upper School English teacher Iain Pollock, won a Gold Medal in the Personal Essay/Memoir category for her narrative "Las Cucarachas." Ethan won a Gold Medal in the Digital Art category for his piece "Pink Walls and Palm Trees." Graham won a Silver Medal medal for his photograph "Power." Congratulations!

In 1986, Rye Country Day launched ACTION, an academic enrichment program that provides exciting opportunities for highly-motivated students from local middle schools entering grades 7, 8, or 9. Funded by the RCDS community, the four-week summer program has grown to include up to 75 students, expanding their academic and intellectual horizons by introducing interesting courses, new material, and engaging challenges. ACTION serves students from local communities whose families may not have the resources to participate in such summer programs, and it offers a diverse range of educational experiences both on and off campus. The program promotes confidence and strength of character while helping students grow academically and develop as leaders.

ACTION emphasizes learning for the sake of learning, and all participants take project-based courses in science, math, history, English, leadership, video, and physical education. With a 10 to 1 student/teacher ratio, the program guarantees each student individual attention from experienced and dedicated RCDS faculty. Student counselors, who are mostly former ACTION students, are an additional valuable resource as they bring knowledge about the program and its benefits. In addition to utilizing Rye Country Day's state-of-the-art facilities, including the computer and photography labs, the makerspace, athletic facilities, the Dunn Performing Arts Center, and the Cohen Center for the Creative Arts, ACTION students enjoy weekly experiential learning opportunities that extend beyond the classroom, such as outdoor activities, theater productions, and educational excursions.

Now in its 33rd year, the ACTION program is stronger than ever, and we are grateful to the RCDS community whose generosity ensures the continued growth of this meaningful initiative. This year's cohort of participants enjoyed a variety of topics in the classroom as well as a Broadway musical and a thrilling high ropes adventure program.

Support the Academic ACTION program with a gift today

Reflections from Community Engagement Fellows

We asked E. E. Ford Fellows about their experience partnering with local organizations to complete meaningful community engagement projects.

Charumathi Badrinath '20 and Sebastian Lee '20 are partnering with Our New Way Garden in White Plains to update the organization's website, build a new online volunteer management system, and help repair garden infrastructure. We recently caught up with Charumathi to learn a little more about her community engagement experience as a 2019 E. E. Ford Fellow.

What is your Community Engagement Project?

During my time as an E. E. Ford fellow, I have worked closely with Our New Way Garden's founder and president Ms. Amy Benerofe to revamp the organization's website and redesign their logo. In addition, I will be creating a promotional video for the organization's newly created YouTube channel.

What has been your favorite part of the experience so far?

My favorite part of the experience has been learning more about my partner organization through creating their website and logo. In order to create a product that portrays Our New Way Garden the way they want to be portrayed, I first needed to understand (through multiple phone calls with my community partner and some research of my own) why they exist and what message they are trying to send to the world. As my project progressed, this understanding became deeper and deeper, and I was better able to produce web pages and logo pieces that captured the essence of the organization.

What advice do you have for peers who are interested in community engagement and public purpose?

The best piece of advice I have received regarding community engagement and public purpose that I would give to like-minded peers is to put the organization's needs before your desires. A common example of this, cited by Ms. Drago during training, is that organizations can receive endless amounts of donations that they can't use. While the donor has a sense of satisfaction for having donated, their contributions don't align with the organization's needs, and they are less helpful than intended.

This advice came in handy when I redesigned the ONWG logo. Although I was happy with my initial design, I needed to add many modifications over the span of almost 10 hours before it aligned with what the organization's needs and vision.

Do you have any additional comments or anecdotes you'd like to share?

This is an excerpt from one of my weekly reflections about working in the garden at Reach Academy, a school for mentally disabled children from low-income backgrounds:

Readying for the 2019-2020 academic year, faculty and staff read from a list of books examining citizenship.

You're never too old for summer reading! At RCDS, faculty and staff say farewell to the academic year by looking forward to collectively devouring books from a recommended list. Think of it as a school-wide book club that encourages community conversations and energetic exchange of ideas even when campus is a little quiet. This summer, the list is a precursor to the focus of the 2019-2020 academic year: citizenship. One of the "big four" in the RCDS Portrait of a Graduate, the theme of citizenship will be woven into community-wide discussions, curricular conversations, faculty meetings, advisory, and more. For faculty and staff, the reading list is just the beginning of a meaningful year of teaching, learning, and being in community.

Citizenship at RCDS means that students are encouraged and prepared to make a positive difference in the world as aware, engaged, and purpose-driven citizens. It urges students of all ages to practice empathy, examine local and global issues, appreciate differences in opinion, recognize stereotypes and bias, and embrace and understand the importance of diversity. Aware, engaged, and purpose-driven citizens are upstanders, not bystanders. They are thought leaders and innovators who engage in open, appropriate, and effective interactions across difference. They are changemakers who seek solutions and take bold action to address societal needs and issues.

The 2019-2020 focus on citizenship embodies the Rye Country Day motto of Not for Self, but for Service, and the resulting community conversations and lessons will have poignant relevance for our students through the various stages of their lives. And, of course, a community of seasoned teachers and administrators will tell you there is no better way to prepare for critical discussion and generative debate than to read, read, and read!

Check out the RCDS faculty and staff summer reading list, and, if you're curious or inspired, add one or more to your bookshelf.

• The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by Greg Lukianoff, Jonathan Haidt
• The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World by Melinda Gates
• Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen by Jose Antonio Vargas
• White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo, Michael Eric Dyson (Foreword)
• The Art of Community: Seven Principles for Belonging by Charles Vogl
• Good Citizens: Creating Enlightened Society by Thich Nhat Hanh
• Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World by Tony Wagner
• The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, Cornel West (Introduction)
• Engaging Youth: Connecting to Identity, Place, Community, and Nature for a Sustainable Future by Kate Aubin
• The Privileged Poor: How Elite Colleges are Failing Disadvantaged Students by Anthony Abraham Jack
• You're More Powerful Than You Think: A Citizen's Guide to Making Change Happen by Eric Liu
• Waking Up White, and Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debby Irving
• Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
• The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt
• Empowering Global Citizens: A World Course by Fernando Reimers
• Generation Citizen: The Power of Youth in Our Politics by Scott Warren
• Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi
• White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son by Tim Wise
• Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress by Steven Pinker
• Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment by Francis Fukuyama
• Centered Leadership: Leading with Purpose, Clarity, and Impact by Joanna Barsh
• On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder
• Citizen You: Doing Your Part to Change the World by Jonathan Tisch and Karl Weber
• Do It Anyway: The New Generation of Activists by Courtney Martin
• Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing World by Adrienne Marie Brown

Reflections from Community Engagement Fellows

We asked E. E. Ford Fellows about their experience partnering with local organizations to complete meaningful community engagement projects.

Isabella Dartnell '20 and Caroline Antonacci '20 are partnering with The Port Chester Carver Center to organize and lead a STEAM camp. We recently asked Isabella four questions about her experience as an E. E. Ford Community Engagement Fellow.

What is your Community Engagement Project?

Caroline Antonacci and I are running a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) camp at the Carver Center for our fellowship project. The Carver Center is a community center located in Port Chester, N.Y. that provides services such as after school programs, citizenship classes, and a food pantry. This summer, the center is offering a day camp for children from underserved communities. This organization helps countless children and families with financial aid, so many do not have to pay to go to camp. Volunteers and staff members help the camp run smoothly and efficiently. We do STEAM experiments with the students in order to build their confidence in learning. The goal is for them to do their best and feel happy about their work in the classroom.

What has been your favorite part of this experience so far?

The most rewarding part of this experience is working with such grateful and inquisitive children. As an experiment, we put different types of beans in a bag to see which would grow best. One camper, who was particularly excited about the beans, asked, "Can I have another bean please? Or maybe a few? I want one for my mom, my dad, my grandma, my grandpa, and my brother." I gave her the beans without hesitation and watched as her smile grew wide. Her generosity and elation touched me.

What advice do you have for peers who are interested in community engagement and public purpose?

My advice would be to keep it simple and make it fun. Everyone who is interested in community engagement and public purpose most likely wants to change the world and help everyone, but that is impossible when only dedicating 4 or 8 weeks of time. Instead, come up with a project that is meaningful to you and can help a specific group of people. This way, you will never feel overwhelmed, and you will be able to see progress in the community you are aiding.

Do you have any additional comments or anecdotes you'd like to share?

Caroline's and my class is organized so that 10-15 minutes at the end are set aside for introspection. On aluminum boat day, however, none of the children wanted to sit and draw about what they had learned because they were too riled up by the tub of water we had sitting in the middle of the room. So, Caroline and I decided we could play Simon Says for a few minutes and then all answer the question: What was your favorite part of the experiment? After a rowdy game of jumping, crawling, and sitting on command, we formed a circle. I was expecting the children to say they liked the pennies or aluminum, but every single child said, "I liked playing with the water." Capturing children's attention and imaginations is demanding. We learned to observe what captivated our students, and we will always remember to create a fun program for the children. For example, the children constantly sang songs from the Disney movie Coco, so we began playing the music during class. They went wild!

Also, during our slime experiment, I was moved by one child. He never particularly enjoyed participating in activities before this class because he was more interested in his shark toy. However, moments after making his own slime, he decided to create a shark out of the slime. He laid thin strips of the stretchy substance out on the table and spent nearly an hour creating his masterpiece. Each tooth, gill, and fin was placed so meticulously—I wouldn't have had the patience to create the shark myself! When I asked him about it, he showered me with shark statistics and facts about his favorite: the Megladon. The fact that this seven-year-old student had such a strong passion struck me.

Reflections from Community Engagement Fellows

The Edward E. Ford Foundation Community Engagement Fellowship Program at Rye Country Day School enables RCDS Upper School students to partner with a community organization to develop and implement innovative, sustainable projects that address the needs of the organization. Learn more about the program and meet current and past fellows here.

In this Q&A series entitled "From the Fellows," 2019 E. E. Ford Fellows share their reflections on their community engagement experience.

Caroline Antonacci '20 and Isabella Dartnell '20 partnered with The Port Chester Carver Center to organize and lead a STEAM camp. During her time at the Carver Center, we asked Caroline four questions about her experience as an E. E. Ford Community Engagement Fellow.

What was your Community Engagement Project?

Isabella Dartnell and I ran a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) camp at the Carver Center for our fellowship project. The Carver Center is a community center located in Port Chester, N.Y. that provides services such as after school programs, citizenship classes, and a food pantry. This summer, the center offered a day camp for children from underserved communities. The center also helped countless children and families with financial aid, so many did not have to pay to go to camp. For one hour a day, Isabella and I did STEAM experiments with the students in order to build their confidence and help them enjoy learning so that they can do their best and feel good about themselves in the classroom.

What was your favorite part of the experience?

My favorite part of this experience was seeing the students grow to love learning, especially science. On the first day, we asked the students, who are four years old, if they knew what science is. Not many of them knew. By the end of our two weeks of working with them on experiments, they all were very eager to learn more and told us that they loved doing projects with us. I also loved when students asked me questions about how experiments work because it showed that they were interested and that they wanted to learn more.

What advice do you have for peers who are interested in community engagement and public purpose?

I would advise my peers to find an organization that interests them and ask about ways to get involved. It is pretty easy and there are so many opportunities. Also, RCDS has a lot of great opportunities such as clubs, SET, SCOPE, etc. I recommend taking advantage of these. Finding something that really interests you is the key. If you do not enjoy it, it will not be meaningful.

Do you have any additional comments or anecdotes you'd like to share?

Saying goodbye to the students, although sad, really showed how much of a bond we had. They were all sad for us to go, and they wanted to keep exploring science with us. This showed me that we reached our goal for students to love learning and for them to be confident!

One of my favorite days working with the students was the day after my birthday. Isabella told them it had been my birthday the day before, and then a lot of them made me birthday cards and pictures. It was so cute, and it made me so grateful for the connection we had.

Niche, a leading resource for researching U.S. colleges, schools, neighborhoods, and companies, has given high marks to Rye Country Day School. RCDS was named the #1 Best Private K-12 School in Westchester County, the #1 Best Private High School in Westchester County, the #1 Best High School for STEM in Westchester County, and the #13 Best Private K-12 School in the United States.

See Rye Country Day's complete Niche rankings here.