Seniors Pursue Their Interests During ISP Dr. Richardson
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE NATION'S OLDEST ON THE WEB: COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL www.pingry.org/re- NEWSPAPER cord VOLUME CXXXVIII, NUMBER 5 The Pingry School, Martinsville, New Jersey JUNE 10, 2012 COMMENCEMENT 2012 Dr. Richardson, Beloved School Seniors Pursue Their Counselor, Retires After 43 Years Interests During ISP seven years of hard work. He profound difference in people’s inspired by McFarland’s rior design. Grace Putman By DAN ABEND (VI) then began teaching a psychology lives, dealing with people who are By KASIA AXTELL (V), interest in architecture and experimented with different course, before he and colleague struggling,” he said. BEN KAMINOFF (IV), and by the Drafting classes she photography techniques. After 43 years as a teacher and VINITA DAVEY (V) coach, Dr. Michael Richardson is Mrs. Pat Lionetti decided to offer Dr. Richardson can also be took at Pingry. Later, Cassidy, Putman, and retiring at this school year’s end. an AP Psychology class instead. described as an innovator during Lang took cooking classes Dr. Richardson, or Dr. Rich as he He has taught that class and re- his time at Pingry. He founded On Monday, May 7, the Cailee Cassidy com- and worked at the farm at is frequently called, is a man of mained the school’s psychologist both the school’s pottery program, Class of 2012 embarked on pleted a photography proj- Ninety Acres on the Natirar many talents, and over his career and counselor throughout the which he taught for a few years, Independent Study Proj- ect that focused on specific estate in Far Hills. The final remainder of his career. he has held numerous and the girls’ soccer program, ects (ISP). Each year, week of their ISPs, positions in various aca- which he coached as ISP gives seniors a the girls researched well. He also, along demic and athletic fields. chance to pursue their and prepared recipes He has been Head of the with Mrs. Lionetti, interests and explore changed the format of while keeping a blog Middle School, advi- the realm outside of that documented the sor, history teacher, art the Peer Group retreat to the overnight trip to Pingry as they prepare process. teacher, Track and Field to make the transition and Soccer coach, and Bryn Mawr, a model that is still used today. into the adult world. Liz Jolley, Kyra school psychologist and ISPs vary from stu- counselor. In addition to re- Topor, Rebecca dent to student, and In the academic field, styling the retreat, Curran, and Maisie Dr. Rich began as a his- Richardson spent a this year was no ex- Laud pursued their tory teacher, offering great deal of his ef- ception. While some interests in the culi- lessons in a variety of forts assisting with students stayed on nary arts and spent courses in the discipline, the Peer Leadership campus to do their the first part of their before discovering his Program as a whole. ISPs, others travelled ISPs taking cooking interest in psychology. Although he was a as far as China to pur- lessons and visiting After going back to member of the faculty sue their interests. farmers’ markets in school to get certified group that founded The seniors presented New York City with as a school psychologist, the program, origi- the results of their a Pingry mother, Mrs. he began doing testing nally he was unsure projects at this year’s “if it would actually Flora Feitel. Jolley and seeing students for ISP night on Wednes- created a slideshow counseling. Ten years work or be a good day, June 6. thing.” A Dali-inspired elephant painted by E. that included photo- later, he decided to get a graphs she took of doctorate in clinical psy- The first Peer Kong during his ISP. E. Kong (VI) Leader retreat, how- Arts and Design the girls’ cooking ex- chology. Though getting Dr. Rich and Mrs. Lionetti on the annual Peer body parts of many Group retreat. Courtesy of Mrs. Lionetti ever, assured him that periences and trips to New his doctorate was arduous Eleni McFar- people and compared them — especially because “I Although he has done ev- the program was worth York. For the remainder of land created four artwork against each other on a was working full time at Pingry erything at Pingry from being the effort and was something he her ISP, she photographed wanted to be involved in. “After groups consisting of four larger scale. Elise Lang scenery in Peapack-Glad- and basically going to grad school Middle School Head to teaching interned with an interior full time while squeezing in an art, his favorite position of all the first retreat I was completely pieces each. Two of the stone, while Laud went on designer in Morristown to internship and dissertation,”— he was being a counselor. “You have groups focused on insects learn about cooking, table was able to get his degree after an opportunity there to make a Continued on Page 14 and the other two on Continued on Page 16 buildings. The latter was setting, and, of course, inte- SENIOR REFLECTIONS COLLEGE SUMMARY 1902 & MAGISTRI AWARDS DEPARTING FACULTY SPORTS P. 2-5 P. 6-7 P. 9-11 P. 14-15 P. 19-20 2 THE PINGRY RECORD SENIOR REFLECTIONS JUNE 10, 2012 EDITORIAL An Open Letter to the Pingry Community in most respects. all of that I have worked with so a certain activity is no reason not to By WILLIAM SAULNIER (VI) I was not like that before I came many great people who all mean start a club for your own passion. Dear Pingry, to Pingry. I was shy, reclusive, the world to me. Most of you Also, as one last request, please Well, it’s time for me to leave quiet, not saying much, with no know who you are, I am sure, but someone start the Young Demo- Thanks, Facebook the place where I and the rest of friends, and very alone in middle I want to repeat that all of you are crats Club. I think my biggest the Class of 2012 have spent some school. It was not a fun time for the reason why I felt comfortable regret is not starting that. Usually, when I am struggling to start an editorial, I flip of the most formative years of our me, so I viewed high school (and here, at Pingry, To my classmates: Lastly, to the teachers and open the New York Times op-ed section and look for inspi- lives. Kind of strange, is it not – all Pingry) as an opportunity to re- It has been an awesome ride with administration: I have gotten to ration. This time, on a whim I went to Facebook instead. the choices and the circumstances invent myself as someone else. you guys. I know I was always a know a lot of you very well over Perfectly preserved in time like an online yearbook of that led us to this place? And that is what I ended up doing; black sheep, so thanks for putting these four years. I have had my our senior year, the Seniors 2011-2012 Facebook group Looking back, what originally I changed who I was externally up with me during my more “out share of dress code violations, brought laughter, tears, and pure, unadulterated nostalgia drew me to Pingry? I had got- to try to get closer to the ideal of there” moments. one “skipped class,” and a missed to my otherwise ordinary Sunday night as I attempted to ten into both Pingry and another who I wanted to be. And I made I have a challenge to you as assembly, and I have dodged past assemble a coherent reflection. school, and while I don’t remem- those steps forward. It is not often you leave to go out to college or teachers trying to get to the lost From the deep, philosophical discussions about dress ber this conversation, my mom we get opportunities like that, to whatever. You have built up per- and found to grab a blazer before code and its meaning to us as Pingry scholars (“Pingry says that I picked Pingry because fully throw away not only other sonalities and personas, likes and someone sees me. My challenge to prides itself on the maturity of its student body; now is a of three key things. The first was people’s (pre)conceptions but also dislikes, and things that define you you is to foster breaking the status time where we can show everyone exactly what that means” that the food was better. Perhaps our own notions of normalcy and as a person. College is going to be quo. Remember that every student – Nick Canavan); to the coordination of a giant, albeit short- I had not arrived on a day where really start with a clean slate. an opportunity for all of us to be you teach and interact with is an lived game of Assassin (thanks Cole); to the endless debate they were serving blackened The longer I was at Pingry, the our real selves, with nobody else individual who has his own iden- about the senior prank, I think much of our grade’s deepest tilapia, but even with those types more comfortable I was throwing knowing (or thinking they know) tity, his own passions, and his own bonding occurred not within the hallowed halls of Pingry’s of lows, it has met my expecta- away that old, middle school, who we were before we arrived unique way of viewing the world. spaceship, but online via the beloved Senior group.