Excellence Magazine Fall 2025

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Members of Rye Country Day School’s Class of 2025 are attending the following (One

Rye Country Day School recognized students in the twelfth, eighth, and fourth grades during three festive graduations. Read about these milestone events on page 2.

UPPER SCHOOL GRADUATION

The Rye Country Day Class of 2025 was recognized during the School’s 156 th Graduation Exercises on Thursday, June 5, 2025.

The ceremony featured remarks from Student Body President Emily Cheigh ’25, Senior Class President Luke Stronski ’25, Head of School Randall Dunn, and then-Upper School Assistant Principal Jenny Heath.

The Upper School Concert Choir gave a beautiful performance of AdAstra(TotheStars…) and the WildScats a capella group sang RiseUp by Andra Day.

“I wish you an absence of fear and an abundance of curiosity,” said Head of School Randall Dunn. “Delight in learning and exploring. One of the gifts of life is that we don’t have all the answers all the time. Continue to feel joy in the pursuit of knowledge,” he counseled the seniors.

The graduation address was delivered by Dr. Meredith deChabert, former Assistant Head of School for Academics, Institutional Research, and Data. The 2024-25 academic year capped off 20 years at RCDS for Dr. deChabert, who is now Head of the Gordon School in Rhode Island.

Thrilled to be a part of “the event that symbolizes the tradition of excellence that is RCDS,” Dr. deChabert congratulated the students on their exemplary work in the classroom and their meaningful service to their communities.

“Class of 2025, you have had quite a ride at RCDS, and I am so glad that I had the good fortune to ride along with you. Thank you for being wonderful students, and thoughtful and loving humans. We are all impressed with how beautifully you have adapted to everything that has come your way. You’ve done well, you’ve done good, and we’re all incredibly proud of you.” Read Dr. deChabert’s full speech on page 4.

The Class of 2025 gift to Rye Country Day School was a bell, which was rung for the first time as the graduates tossed their graduation caps into the air, marking the end of their student chapter and the start of their Wildcat alumni days. The ringing of this bell will become a new celebratory tradition at RCDS graduation ceremonies to come.

Head of School Randall Dunn’s closing statement captured the spirit of pride and excitement around the seniors’ big day: “When I think about the outstanding institutions of higher education you will be attending, I think about how lucky they are to have you. And I feel lucky too—because we at RCDS get to call you our Wildcats forever!”

2025 UPPER SCHOOL COMMENCEMENT SPEECH

Dr. Meredith deChabert

Mr. Dunn, Mrs. Geller, Ms. Heath, Members of the Board of Trustees, My Fellow RCDS Employees, Parents and Guardians, Grandparents and Grandfriends, Families, Extended Families, and Friends and Loved Ones of the Class of 2025 … I am absolutely honored to share a few words with you today as we celebrate the remarkable young adults seated before us – members of the RCDS Class of 2025.

I will admit that while preparing these remarks, I was under a bit of pressure, given that Judge Judy stood at this podium just two years ago. And, well… she’s Judge Judy! How does one follow that? I considered bringing a gavel (I do actually have one), but then I thought it might send the wrong message.

Now, I’ve been to a lot of graduations and heard a lot of speeches – some of which I even remember. But I know enough to realize that what’s going through your minds right now has very little to do with me and this speech. And that’s exactly as it should be. Today is about you, Class of 2025. You are the reason we dressed up and did our hair and charged our phones.

So I will do us all a favor and keep this speech short enough to be coherent and, if the stars align, maybe even memorable. And if not memorable, then at least mildly entertaining.

Let me share a little secret that I’ve been relishing for a while now: no one has asked to preview this speech! Not a single person. A little risky, don’t you think?! [Big wink] Just in case you missed it, that was a BIG wink. Everyone knows that I take

graduation very seriously. It is the event that symbolizes the tradition of excellence that is RCDS. But I also take joy seriously, and today is full of joy.

Some of you may be wondering about my connection to the Class of 2025. I am an English teacher who also happens to love numbers. I once tried to teach subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement by likening them to the distributive property in algebra, and the looks of horror on my students’ faces told me never—ever—to do that again. Lesson learned.

I’ve been in lots of meetings where we introduce ourselves, say our connection to RCDS, and say how many children we have and in what grades. I have no biological children of my own (and my cats don’t count on my taxes, even though they certainly feel as expensive as children sometimes), so in those meetings I would often cite the number of students in the division I was working with at the time. I did a little addition, and since the fall of 2005 when I arrived at RCDS, I have had approximately 2,650 children—all thanks to RCDS. And I will proudly graduate with the Class of 2025 today.

Let’s take a moment, shall we? Members of the Class of 2025, please indulge me and raise your hand if…

• I was your principal in 5th, 6th, or 7th grade

• Or your 9th grade principal

• Or your 7th grade LA teacher

• Or your 9th grade English teacher

• Or your 10th grade English co-teacher with Dr. Flaxman

That’s a lot of surveys, town halls, essays, vocab/grammar quizzes, and – yes –purple pens!

I have some unforgettable memories of your class…

• Like the late-night video I got from your 6th grade overnight trip in NYC—on a boat, somewhere on the Hudson, all of you dancing and shouting like you had no bedtime. Which you clearly didn’t.

• Or that 10th grade trip to the Poconos, where the other chaperones and I got quite the lesson in what we’ll diplomatically call… “shenanigans.”

• And who could forget our English class debates over the pronunciation of counterfeit(counter-feet?! really?) or the endless hilarity of teaching wanton and assonance? Language is fun… and occasionally scandalous.

But now to the heart of it. The RCDS theme this year is connection, and that theme is especially fitting for the Class of 2025.

Your journey through Middle and Upper School wasn’t typical. You ended 7th grade in lockdown, re-entered 8th grade on a hybrid schedule, and had your Middle School graduation under open, sunny skies at Manhattanville—our first big gathering post-pandemic. I still remember Leah’s speech that day, “teasing” that your class had a list of things to “discuss” with me once you reached the Upper School. I was only a littlebitscared.

By 9th grade, the masks officially came off, and we saw your whole faces for the first time—smiles, braces, freckles and all—at a time when you were feeling

everything deeply and discovering who you were. You handled all of it with grace, humor, and heart. I commend you, members of the Class of 2025.

Human beings need each other. We evolved that way for safety out there on the savannah. We thrive in the company of each other. We can find lots of good research about how social life is important to longevity, and how in-person interactions are better for human communication. We’re wired for connection. It’s in our DNA.

What your class has shown us is that what we have in common lives happily side-by-side with what makes us unique — that our shared humanity and individual identity are not at odds. In a world that often feels divided or polarized, you have demonstrated that we have much more in common than people realize, that being in community is beautiful, that inclusion and belonging are powerful. Your class embodies the theme of connection. Again, I commend you, members of the Class of 2025.

You’re about to embark on an incredible phase of life when you are free to explore, learn, and soak up everything around you. These years are unlike any other that you will ever experience in life because your brain is primed to learn now, you have the energy to do things, and your body doesn’t feel pain like it will in about 30 years or so. Use this time. Take it all in. Explore. Laugh. Stumble. Learn.

Your RCDS years have taught you a great deal, but your learning was not just a one-way street. While you were absorbing all that knowledge, we, the adults around you, were also learning. My amazing colleagues and students at RCDS have taught me a great deal, too, and I want to share a few of the most important lessons that I carry with me. Some of these may sound simplistic, but often, the answer to whatever we are struggling with is simple after you strip away all the noise.

Here they are:

• First, relationships are everything. Make time to genuinely get to know people. When you ask people how they are doing, mean it, and stop to hear the answer.

• Gratitude works both ways. Giving thanks actually makes us feel better. Be grateful and practicegratitude. And be generous with your gratitude. Thank your parents and grandparents/grandfriends, aunties and uncles, babysitters. Thank your teachers and coaches. Thank the servers at restaurants.

• Listen more than you speak, even when you disagree. But speak up when you need to, especially for others who might not have a voice or a seat at the table.

• Own your mistakes, and make a plan to fix them. People will appreciate that and are willing to forgive our mistakes when we own them. In her book StillLife, Louise Penny notes that wisdom is the ability to say “I don’t know, I need help, I’m sorry, and I was wrong.” That’s powerful stuff.

• Being “happy” is a balancing act. To be happy, we have to know what it is to be unhappy. So the state of happiness is naturally sprinkled with moments of unhappiness. That’s ok. Lean into it.

• Change takes time. Nothing good ever happens immediately. Be patient, but keep pushing.

• Be honest and trustworthy. The truth alwayscomes out sooner or later.

• Be curious, not fearful, about other ways of living, even within your own community – have a sense of wonder about different “experiments in living” (Franz Boas). People have come up with some remarkable ways to do life.

• In order to become excellent, you have to try and fail. That’s why it’s called the pursuitof excellence, because we are trying to achieve it. We don’t get there automatically.

I cannot finish this address without offering you, the Class of 2025, some advice about what it means to be an RCDS graduate. You see, having that RCDS diploma carries with it some serious responsibility.

As an RCDS graduate, you are expected to use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation when you write. These are the signs of an educated person, and RCDS graduates are educated people. And remember your comma rules: as the sign in Mrs. Black’s classroom warns, “Let’s eat, Grandma” means something very different from “Let’s eat Grandma.” The first invites dinner. The second is…a crime. You have AI tools at your disposal now, and grammarly. com is your friend. Make us proud.

Classof2025,you have had quite a ride at RCDS, and I am so glad that I had the good fortune to ride along with you. Thank you for being wonderful students, and thoughtful and loving humans. We are all impressed with how beautifully you have adapted to everything that has come your way. You’ve done well, you’ve done good, and we’re all incredibly proud of you.

RCDS,thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for embracing me, trusting me, being honest with me, laughing with me, crying with me, and helping me to grow as a human being, as an educator, and as a leader — you have taught me much, and that, to me, is the greatest gift of all. I will cherish you always!

Congratulations, Class of 2025! Now go out there and do some good. And don’t forget your commas.

MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADUATION

The eighth-grade Class of 2029 was recognized in the Middle School Graduation on Wednesday, June 4. Middle School Principal Pen Vineyard, Head of School Randall Dunn, and Class Speakers Emma Wolff ’29 and David Lusman ’29 offered remarks. The Grades 7 & 8 chorus sang A Million Dreams from The Greatest Showman, and Student Body President Nola Coady ’26 welcomed the new ninth graders to the Upper School. Congratulations to our newest Upper Schoolers!

GRADE 4 MOVING-UP CEREMONY

Fourth graders were celebrated at their Moving-Up Ceremony on Tuesday, June 3. Lower School Principal Dr. Stacey Sotirhos, Middle School Principal Pen Vineyard, and Head of School Randall Dunn offered remarks. Much to the delight of the students and the audience, Mr. Dunn continued his annual tradition of writing and reciting a poem mentioning each student by name.

In small groups, every member of the three fourth-grade classes spoke about different aspects of the Lower School and the way it positively impacted their lives. Their reflections were titled:

Amazing Teachers

Caring Matters

School Spirit

Motivation

Building Self-Confidence

Mentorship And Connection

Friendship

Working Together

A Strong Community

CongratulationstothenewestmembersoftheMiddleSchool!

2025 PRIZE DAY

At the annual Prize Day Ceremony on Monday, June 7, Upper School students were recognized for their exceptional work and achievements during the school year. Congratulations, Wildcats, on your hard work and dedication in 2024-25.

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.

Isa Pierry ’25

Emily Cheigh ’25

GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP PRIZE

The Global Citizenship Prize is awarded to a junior who makes meaningful contributions to the broader community with a deep sense of respect and appreciation for diverse perspectives, cultures, people, and environments.

Tia Agarwal ’26

HEAD OF SCHOOL'S PRIZE

Given to that student who models leadership, courage, or academic excellence.

James Murphy ’25

Leah Steyn ’25

PARENTS ASSOCIATION PRIZE

In recognition of exemplary personal growth and service to others.

Julia Heintz ’25

Luke Stronski ’25

Lauren Slovin ’25

JAMES P. GODFREY ’95 AWARD

Presented to that student who has performed significant service on behalf of others.

Dana DaCosta ’26

Julia Gallardo ’26

CHRISTINE NELSON ’80 AWARD

Presented to tenth graders in recognition of outstanding citizenship.

Camila Reyna ’27

Chaim Sciamma ’27

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.

Lizzy Yepes ’25

GRETCHEN PULVERMANN ’30 SCHOLARSHIP AWARD

Given to an accomplished senior who will study performing arts in college.

Justin Suquilanda ’25

WILL MCCURDY ’05 AWARD

Presented in recognition of courage, character, and commitment.

Olivia Dittman ’25

Jude Sadler ’25

SENIOR DEANS’ AWARD

Awarded to seniors who have made an outstanding contribution to their class and to the School during their senior year.

Blake James ’25

Blake Jachman ’25

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.

Ailey Denson ’28

Cayden Reed ’28

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.

Eleanor Brown ’25

Olivia Dittman ’25

STEAM AWARD

Presentedtotheseniorwhoactivelypromotes andinspirescollaborationanddisplayspassionfor designandcreativitywithintheSTEAMprogram.

Davis Clarke ’25

Dana Balin ’25

SUSTAINABILITY AWARD

Awarded to the student who best exemplifies the School’s sustainability program by seeking an understanding of the world around us, creating an atmosphere of environmental awareness, and promoting responsible stewardship of our planet.

Leo Roth ’25

Anika Bhat ’25

1869 PRIZE

The 1869 Prize is awarded to two seniors who have achieved academic excellence throughout their program of study at RCDS and beyond, demonstrating their extraordinary academic curiosity and capacity.

Alyssa Chu ’25

Jaymin Ding ’25

THE GLEN ROBERTSON AWARD (for Faculty)

Jose Benítez Meléndez, US Spanish Teacher; Spanish Exchange Program Coordinator

Upper School Math Teacher Awards continued on page 11

ALUMNI PRIZE RECIPIENTS

By Jared Scott Tesler

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.

Known throughout the RCDS community for her emotional maturity, intellectual curiosity, spirit of service and leadership, unwavering commitment to her community, and infectious positivity, former Student Body President Emily Cheigh ’25 is what Director of College Counseling and Grade 12

Dean Jeff Bates calls “the type of person every college community needs to have on campus.”

Arriving at RCDS in first grade, after attending Resurrection Grammar School in Rye, Emily became increasingly passionate about history, politics, and civic engagement, taking on more and more leadership roles—with empathy and purpose—as time went on.

“I’ve always been fascinated by the way decisions are made—how people come together, debate ideas, navigate tough conversations, and shape the direction of communities or even entire countries,” she says. “Working collaboratively with both students and administrators as part of student government, Generation Impact, the Disciplinary Committee, and the Upper School Public Purpose Student Leadership Board helped me realize I could take initiative and help make things better for others. I liked the challenge and responsibility of representing people and making sure their voices were heard.”

A student of remarkable academic range, Emily excelled in both the humanities and the sciences at RCDS. In her biology and computer science classes in particular, she was inspired to think analytically and ask deeper questions, fueling her interest in health care and policy.

Receiving the Alumni Prize was incredibly meaningful, Emily shares. “To me, it felt like a full-circle moment and symbolized the trust and recognition of my school community, being acknowledged not only for academics or activities but also for trying to make RCDS a stronger, more inclusive place. The prize—and the book gifted to me with the prize, Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek—reminded me that leadership is about showing up consistently, listening deeply, and working hard behind the scenes, even if it’s not always visible.”

Emily is attending Georgetown University, where she plans to major in health care management and policy and minor in economics. “I’m excited to explore the intersection of health care, leadership, and public service—especially how policy can improve access and equity in health care systems,” she says. “Georgetown’s mission of cura personalis [a Latin phrase meaning ‘care of the whole person’] and commitment to public good really resonated with me, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Intellectually fearless and deeply empathetic, with a maturity well beyond her years, Isabela (Isa) Pierry ’25 is, as Associate Director of College Counseling Tara Kalinisan notes, “the kind of student who reminds educators why they teach.”

Spending the early part of her childhood in Brazil, Isa grew up speaking fluent Portuguese. A family trip to France inspired her to want to study the language upon arriving at RCDS in fourth grade, later adding Spanish as part of her formal language journey.

“I became captivated by the idea that speaking a different language allows for meaningful and personal connections across cultures,” says Isa, who hopes to one day also master Italian and Romanian. “I’ve always loved to learn about other people—their stories, cultures, and dreams. This curiosity has been the driving force behind my love for languages and literature.”

A voracious reader, with a particular interest in historical fiction, Isa conducted an independent study during her senior year, comparing a 19th-century Brazilian novel with a Portuguese one. She served in many leadership roles, including Co-Editor-in-Chief of both the School newspaper and literary. Isa also helped shape engaging literacybased lessons for students in Grades 1 through 4. She also served as Coordinator of the Saturday Enrichment and Tutorial program, taught French to a sixth-grade class as an Oral Proficiency Intern, and cocaptained the Parliamentary Debate Team.

Whether in the classroom, on campus, or in the community, Isa’s time at RCDS taught her many valuable life lessons. “RCDS has taught me the power in advocating for yourself and going after opportunities you’re truly passionate about. Being part of its tight-knit community, full of mentors and peers who want to see you succeed, gave me the confidence to set specific goals and pursue them,” she says. “But I’d be remiss not to also mention RCDS’ motto, Not for Self, but for Service Just as RCDS taught me the importance of going after your goals, it also instilled in me the responsibility to give back.”

Isa says she feels incredibly honored and grateful to be recognized with the Alumni Prize. “More than anything, it reminded me of all the encouragement and support I’ve received from my teachers, friends, family, and the broader RCDS community over the past nine years. To me, this award is a reflection of the collaboration and guidance that have shaped my journey here.”

Isa is attending Dartmouth College, where she will double-major in comparative literature and another one of her interests, perhaps government or history.

HEAD OF SCHOOL’S PRIZE RECIPIENTS

By Jared Scott Tesler

The Head of School’s Prize is given to students who model leadership, courage, or academic excellence.

A standout classicist, one of the most promising humanities scholars in his class, and a natural, trusted, and immensely effective leader, James Murphy ’25 was initially intrigued by the stories of Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great at a very early age and began studying Latin in sixth grade, just one year after arriving at RCDS, and in tenth grade he dove into Ancient Greek.

“My exploration of the classics has been a foundational part of my RCDS education, which has allowed me to constantly draw comparisons of cultures, people, and ideas,” he says. “It’s through these comparisons that I’ve often found myself learning the most and developing my opinions of the world around me.”

Reading excerpts from Caesar’s Commentarii de Bello Gallico, Virgil’s the Aeneid, and Homer’s the Iliad taught James a great deal about leadership, too. “Although the circumstances of wartime in Ancient Rome and creating a high school basketball tournament through student government are quite different,” says the former Vice President of the Class of 2025, two-time Boys’ Varsity Squash team captain, and former Community Engagement Fellow, “I often found myself reflecting on the traits and characteristics of these great leaders.”

At RCDS, James valued the tight-knit, trusting, and supportive nature of the entire campus community. In his Ancient Greek class with Dan Murray, Upper School classics and humanities teacher and Director of Global Studies, he recalls being given the time and resources necessary to dive into the classics from a variety of different angles, helping nurture his other interests in both the humanities and leadership.

It was truly an honor to receive the Head of School’s Prize, James says. “Having attended RCDS for the past eight years, it was such a pleasure and relief to know that I used my time to leave a lasting impact on a community that I so deeply cherish. Receiving this award not only validated the importance I had placed on becoming involved and investing in the communities around me but also helped me realize that there’s always more to do and other ways to get involved—a reminder to continue my work by supporting RCDS as an alumnus and getting involved in a variety of communities in the future.”

James is attending Cornell University. As a student in the College of Arts and Sciences, he plans to double-major in economics and philosophy.

With her willingness to take intellectual risks, combined with her deep curiosity, creativity and collaborative spirit, Leah Steyn ’25 “embodies the phrase love of learning” says one of her advisors, Ms. Heath, though she is perhaps best known at RCDS for her passion for science research. An RCDS lifer, Leah’s love for science solidified in Middle School and she entered the Upper School excited to join the multi-year science research program.

“As I became part of the science research cohort at RCDS and through my work at Columbia University’s Earth Engineering Center and my mentorship at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, I found a community of scientists and peers who challenged me, stretched my thinking in new directions, and motivated me to attack problems creatively,” she shares. “Valuing the contributions of many ideas, and seeing how ideas are validated using the scientific method, resonates with me beyond science. As I turn to college and beyond, I’m thinking more broadly about what it means to be an engaged citizen.”

During her time at RCDS, Leah co-founded and led the Upper School Bioethics Club, in which members discussed current ethical issues in medicine, American healthcare policy, and the broader societal implications of scientific innovation. As president of the club, she invited professors from Harvard Law School and NYU Langone Health to speak and organized a field trip to Regeneron’s DNA Learning Center, an experience so well received by students it was incorporated into the AP Biology and Computational Biology classes. Leah also was a head Peer Leader, head captain of the Robotics team, and she mentored younger students in STEM and led Women in Science initiatives on campus. Earning straight As within a rigorous sequence of classes and a near-perfect score on her SAT, Leah was awarded a National Merit Scholarship and was named a semifinalist in the 2025 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.

As she looks forward, Leah reflects how her RCDS education has paved the way for college, career, and life. “Having been at RCDS since Pre-K and having grown up here, I think about my teachers in Lower, Middle and Upper School who encouraged my curiosity, challenged my preconceptions and taught me to value excellence, hard work, and a lifetime of learning. Through my time at RCDS, I’ve loved my daily conversations with friends and teachers. Even if it’s a simple check-in in the hallway—these exchanges help build a kind and positive community,” she explains. “As I go into college and beyond, I’m definitely going to carry that same spirit of intellectual vitality and enthusiasm for creating a tight-knit community with me.”

Leah is attending Harvard College where she plans to concentrate in applied mathematics and study biotechnology while also embracing the chance to explore and fully partake in all that a liberal arts education offers.

PRIZE DAY

Continued from page 8

DEPARTMENT AWARDS ART

LELIA CARTER BIRRELL ’68 AWARD

Presented to the student with outstanding achievements in the visual arts.

Sophia Lynch ’25

Sebastian Nogueira ’25

ATHLETICS

MARY BORTON TROPHY

Presented to that senior girl who has contributed most to the School’s athletic program.

Julia Heintz ’25

RICHARD LE MAIRE ’63 AWARD

Presented to that senior boy who has contributed most to the School’s athletic program.

Chris Yepes ’25

FAA SCHOLAR-ATHLETE

The Fairchester Athletic Association ScholarAthlete Award is presented to senior studentathletes who have reached the highest academic standards while playing a minimum of two varsity sports and earning FAA All League honors.

Ari Israel ’25

Henry Fogel ’25

Amelie Goacher ’25

Rahul Arora ’25

Alexa Daddi-Melino ’25

SCOTT A. NELSON SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARD

Recognizestheseniorstudent-athletewhose passionforathletics,combinedwiththeir commitmenttoacademics,strengthenstheir team,theirclass,andtheentireRCDScommunity.

Anika Bhat ’25

Colin Lauri ’25

CLASSICS

CLASSICS AWARD

Evie Shurslep ’25

LATIN AWARD

Nicky Smith ’25

COMPUTER SCIENCE

COMPUTER SCIENCE AWARD

Rhys de Haan ’25

DRAMA & DANCE

V. JANET LOTT SPIRIT OF THE THEATRE AWARD

Rosie Isiyel ’25

GLEN ROBERTSON MEMORIAL AWARD

Julia Kroin ’25

DANCE AWARD

Isabella Jolicoeur ’25

ENGLISH

ENGLISH AWARD

Mara Visentin ’25

CREATIVE WRITING AWARD

Ambika Nott ’25

SOPHOMORE ENGLISH AWARD

Alexandra Steyn ’27

HUMANITIES

CORNELIUS TACITUS PRIZE

Harry Moss ’26

Miles Dinger ’26

JOSHUA BENNETT ’06 HUMANITIES AWARD

Alexander Rivas ’25

Keira Zheng ’25

MATHEMATICS

JUNIOR MATHEMATICS AWARD

Chaaranath Badrinath ’26

SENIOR MATHEMATICS AWARD

Alyssa Chu ’25

ROBERT REESER MEMORIAL AWARD

Phoebe Lane ’25

MODERN LANGUAGES

MODERN LANGUAGES AWARD

Isabela Pierry ’25

CHINESE AWARD

Lauren Slovin ’25

FRENCH AWARD

Taeko Fueno ’25

SPANISH AWARD

Anika Kini ’25

Ana Petricone ’25

MUSIC

CHORAL AWARD

Rosie Isiyel ’25

Colin Lauri ’25

JOHN PHILIP SOUSA AWARD

Alexander Rivas ’25

MUSIC AWARD

Nicholas Arakas ’25

ORCHESTRA AWARD

Samantha Lee ’25

NATURAL SCIENCES

SENIOR SCIENCE AWARD

Leah Steyn ’25

BOOK AWARDS

BROWN UNIVERSITY BOOK AWARD

Matthew Lee ’26

DARTMOUTH COLLEGE BOOK AWARD

Selena Zhang ’26

HARVARD UNIVERSITY BOOK AWARD

Arav Ramaswamy ’26

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY BOOK AWARD

Chaaranath Badrinath ’26

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY BOOK AWARD

Alex Gurion ’26

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA BOOK AWARD

Mia Herz ’26

YALE UNIVERSITY BOOK AWARD

Lincoln Feng ’26

ADVANCED PLACEMENT SCHOLARS

206 Rye Country Day students were recognized by the College Board’s 2025 Advanced Placement Program for their outstanding achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement Exams.

132 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.

Tia Agarwal ’26

Arjun Arora ’26

Rahul Arora ’25

Melanie Asness ’25

Chaaranath Badrinath ’26

Dana Balin ’25

Anika Bhat ’25

Ellie Block ’25

Felix Caminiti ’25

Ray Cao ’26

Alyssa Chu ’25

Alexa Chua ’26

Davis Clarke ’25

Nola Coady ’26

Sydney Cohn ’25

Zachary D’Amico ’25

Alexa Daddi-Melino ’25

Rhys de Haan ’25

James Ding ’26

Jaymin Ding ’25

Michael Dinger ’26

Jack Dorin ’26

Andrew Eason ’26

Willow Edwards ’25

Christopher J. Emmet ’25

Kayla Erickson ’26

Maguire Estill ’26

Ziyi Feng ’26

Maria Flores ’25

Hiroshi Fueno ’26

Taeko Fueno ’25

Susanna Geller ’25

Elana Gershwin ’26

Amelie Goacher ’25

Michael Goneos ’027

Joaquin Gonzalez ’25

Keaton Greenberg ’26

Joshua Greene ’25

Shaurya Grover ’25

Alexander Gurion ’26

Helen Halvorson ’26

Tyler Hatstadt ’26

Julia Heintz ’25

Mia Herz ’26

Allegra Hine ’25

Shea Hollwedel ’25

Henry Holtman ’26

Ariel Israel ’25

Charles Iwanski ’26

Blake Jachman ’25

Matthew Jachman ’25

Blake James ’25

Claire Jiang ’26

Isabella Jolicoeur ’25

Katherine Keating ’26

David Kern ’25

Anika Kini ’25

James Kolodner ’25

Jackson Koslow ’26

Julia Kroin ’25

Ishana Kumar ’26

Colin Lauri ’25

Keira Lauri ’26

Matthew Lee ’26

Samantha Lee ’25

Illaria Liedtke ’27

Lucius Liu ’26

Xindi Liu ’26

Francisco Luz ’25

Sophia Lynch ’25

Mei Macintyre ’26

Broderick Mackey ’25

Tara McIntosh ’25

Harrison Millan ’26

Richard Morrow ’26

Harrison Moss ’26

Andrew Mulderry ’26

James Murphy ’25

Sebastian Nogueira ’25

Ambika Nott ’25

Devan Patel ’26

Charles Pearle ’26

Skyla Perez ’26

Ana Petricone ’25

Isabela Pierry ’25

Caden Powers ’26

Arav Ramaswamy ’26

Jason Ren ’26

Steven Ren ’26

Alice Rikkers ’26

Alexander Rivas ’25

Leo Roth ’25

Zoe Roth ’25

Connor Rusch ’25

Jude Sadler ’25

Sam Sah-Nixon ’25

Colette Sawyer ’25

Ethan Schales ’25

Veeraj Shah ’25

Sophia Shen ’26

Emma Silberstein ’25

Kyle Sisitsky ’25

Lauren Slovin ’25

Lily Smith ’25

James Song ’25

Nico Stefanoni ’25

Alexander Stempel ’25

Zoe Sterling-Dixon ’26

Alexandra Steyn ’27

Leah Steyn ’25

Luke Stronski ’25

Justin Suquilanda ’25

Milin Torgalkar ’26

Arianna Toussi ’26

Vreeland Tuncer ’26

Mara Visentin ’25

Jane Wang ’26

Robert Wang ’25

Qian Wei ’26

Emily Williams ’26

Danielle Winter ’26

Sydney Winter ’25

Jonathan Wolf ’25

Darren Wong ’26

Cooper Wu ’26

Christopher Yepes ’25

Elizabeth Yepes ’25

Annabella Yu ’26

Claire Yu ’25

Selena Zhang ’26

Leon Zhou ’26

Noah Tabossi Zugman ’26

AP INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMA

Amelie Goacher ’25

34 AP SCHOLARS WITH HONOR

Students who received an averagescoreofatleast3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and scoresof3orhigheronfour or more of these exams.

Emilia Allison ’26

Margaret Ben-Meir ’26

Emily Cheigh ’25

Eli Chopra ’26

Eliana Chorost ’26

Theodore Cooper ’25

Cason Dean ’26

Rebecca Dubrow ’25

Nathaniel Dunlop ’26

Dylan Fenyes ’26

Riley Freeman ’26

Iris Gu ’25

Hayden Hart ’25

Clare Keating ’26

Phoebe Lane ’25

Zongrun Li ’26

Wesley Lichtenstein ’27

Emely Luzon ’25

Christopher Mathias ’25

Broderick Moye ’25

Ema Okubo ’26

Ryan Pauta ’26

Michael Pedone ’25

Xavier Perkins ’26

Stephen Pinder ’26

Ken Sherry ’26

Eve Shurslep ’25

Henry Smith ’26

Eliana Thomas ’26

Cooper Tumm ’25

Tancrede Weinstein ’27

Ainslie Whitman ’25

Lily Wise ’25

Keira Zheng ’25

39 AP SCHOLARS

Students who received scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams.

Dominique Alvarez ’26

Adriel Appiah-Gyasi ’26

Nicholas Arakas ’25

Raihan Bhuiya ’25

Sarah Bodenstein ’26

Olivia Bongiorni ’26

Nina Bortner-Hirszman ’26

Salvatore Bove ’26

Josephine Choi ’26

Catherine Colao ’26

Dorel-Anthony Dunkley ’25

Lara Erim ’25

Julia Gallardo ’26

John Gasparro ’25

Dimitris Goneos ’26

Esaias Gonzalez ’25

Aryana Hakimizadeh ’27

Sahar Harris ’26

Michelle He ’27

Noah Hirschberg ’25

Stella Huber ’26

Gulgun “Rosie” Isiyel ’25

Lavender Kerridge ’26

Felix Mao ’27

Marlena Masucci ’26

Peter Metrailler ’26

Juliette Moore ’27

Oluwantojumi Otakoya ’26

Daphne Panie ’27

Kayla Parameswaran ’26

Tyler Perry ’25

Joseph Rafferty ’26

Carter Richert ’25

Gabriela Schlumberger ’25

Ryan Shurgin ’26

Dania Suliman ’26

Lydia Sussman ’26

Alex Terranova ’26

George Zhan ’27

NATIONAL HONORS

2025 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program

Jaymin Ding and Leah Steyn were named semifinalists in the 2025 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. Jaymin and Leah were candidates in the program along with Alyssa Chu. Jaymin, Leah, and Alyssa were three of 4,000 students who were identified as candidates in the program. Jaymin and Leah were among the 621 semifinalists from which the 2025 U.S. Presidential Scholars were later chosen.

We are all extremely proud of Alyssa Chu, Jaymin Ding, and Leah Steyn. These young leaders are terrific exemplars of Rye Country Day’s commitment to outstanding scholarship and active citizenship. Congratulations, Alyssa, Jaymin, and Leah, on this well-deserved recognition.”

—Head of School, Randall Dunn

The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program recognizes the nation’s most distinguished graduating seniors for their accomplishments in academic success, leadership, and service to school and community. Each year, up to 161 students are named Presidential Scholars, one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students. Students are chosen based on their outstanding performance on the ACT or SAT and/or a nomination by their state’s Chief State School Officer or partner recognition organizations of the Department of Education.

Jaymin Ding is an accomplished learner who has devoted himself to his studies, especially in the math and sciences curriculum with a special interest in physics. After taking all of the classes offered in physics at RCDS, Jaymin took the opportunity to utilize the School’s independent study program, pitching two independent tracks to take with his physics teacher. Jay’s focus in these studies included researching black holes and galaxies, and interstellar distance methods in modern astrophysics. Jaymin’s research has been featured in numerous publications and he has presented at various conferences, including the MIT Undergraduate Research Technology Conference. Outside of the classroom, Jaymin was a YPT team leader, founder and president of the Physics and Astronomy Club, a member of the Varsity Tennis Team, and president of the Students Working to Advance Technology (SWAT) club.

Leah Steyn is a passionate student, focused on all areas of STEAM and research. Her scholarly nature led her to go above and beyond in and outside the classroom at RCDS. Leah took a total of eleven AP courses, as well as many of Rye Country Day’s advanced STEAM courses. A natural leader, she served as the president of the Bioethics Club, President of the Women in Science Club and Captain of the Robotics Club. Her other activities included being an RCDS Peer Leader and volunteering at Barbara’s House where she teaches ESL to adult immigrant students. Outside of RCDS, Leah secured an internship working at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals where she developed a patent-pending process to produce high concentration proteins. Read more about Leah on page 9.

National Merit Scholarship Program

Jaymin Ding ’25 and Leah Steyn ’25 were named recipients of the National Merit Scholarship, after advancing to finalist standing in the spring. Jaymin and Leah were two of 2,500 Merit Scholar designees who were chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding finalists in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program.

National Merit $2500 Scholarship winners are the finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. The number of winners named in each state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the nation’s graduating high school seniors.

Alyssa Chu is a dedicated student with a passion for all areas of academics, especially mathematics. She earned top honors in both international and national math competitions, including 11th and 12th place finishes in the 2023 and 2024 Math Prize for Girls (North America), a Bronze Medal in the 2023 Math Prize for Girls Olympiad, an Honorable Mention in the 2024 USA Mathematical Olympiad, and recognition as a 2025 MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge Finalist. Alyssa also served as a lead teacher for the MS math team. Having received an Honorable Mention in the 2024 USA Physics Olympiad and Gold Medals in the 2023/2024 Le Grand Concours, Alyssa also excels in physics and French. Beyond the classroom, she contributed to the RCDS community as a dance captain and active member of the Science Research Club, Origami Club, APIDA Club, and Wind Ensemble.

Jaymin and Leah were two of 15 RCDS National Merit Semifinalists: Rahul Arora ’25, Alyssa Chu ’25, Zachary D’Amico ’25, Jaymin Ding ’25, Christopher Emmet ’25, Shaurya Grover ’25, Ariel Israel ’25, Isabella Jolicoeur ’25, Julia Kroin ’25, Alexander Rivas ’25, Leo Roth ’25, Ethan Schales ’25, Kyle Sisitsky ’25, Leah Steyn ’25, and Turner Wolf ’25.

MATHEMATICS

NEW YORK MATH LEAGUE CONTEST

The Math League Contest is a nationally recognized mathematics competition designed to challenge and inspire students from elementary through high school. Over one million students from the United States and Canada participate each year in grade-level Math League contests that promote problem-solving, critical thinking, and a love of math through fun, timed challenges. The goal is to encourage student interest and confidence in mathematics through solving worthwhile problems.

TOP SCORERS AT RCDS

GRADE 5

1st: Will Q. ’32

2nd: Kian P. ’32

3rd: Kimberly P. ’32

GRADE 6

1st: Lucas M. ’31

2nd: Mason Y. ’31

3rd: Hunter L. ’31

GRADE 7

1st: Ellen Y. ’31

2nd: William Z. ’31

3rd: Alex J. ’31

GRADE 8

1st: Ethan Z. ’30

2nd: Meimei Z. ’30

3rd: Koji Nakano ’29

MATH OLYMPIAD

Mathematical Olympiads for Elementary and Middle Schools (MEOMS) is one of the most influential and fun-filled math competitions programs in the United States and throughout the world. More than 120,000 students from every state and 39 additional countries participate each year. The objectives of MOEMS are to teach multiple strategies for out-of-thebox problem solving, develop mathematical flexibility in solving those problems, and foster mathematical creativity and ingenuity.

TOP SCORERS AT RCDS GRADES 5/6:

1st: Otto S. ’31

2nd: Lucas M. ’31

3rd: Mason Y. ’31

GRADES 7/8:

1st: Ethan Z. ’30

2nd: Winnie W. ’30

3rd: Alex L. ’30

AMERICAN MATH COMPETITIONS

The Mathematical Association of America hosts the annual American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) to identify talent and foster a love of mathematics through friendly competition. The AMC is a series of exams that build problem-solving skills and mathematical knowledge in middle and high school students. The AMC 10/12 is a high-school level competition that was administered on November 14, with over 300,000 students from more than 4,000 schools.

The American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME) is an intermediate examination intended to provide challenge and recognition to high school students in North America who have exceptional mathematical abilities. Students who excel in the American Math Competitions (AMC 10 and 12) are invited to participate in the AIME.

The United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO) and the United States of America Junior Mathematical Olympiad (USAJMO) are the third tier of AMC. Participants are invited based on their exceptional performances on the first two exams, the AMC 10/12 and AIME, from an initial group of approximately 300,000 students who sat for the AMC exams in November. Those who score in the top 2.5% for their exams and qualify, and those who score in the top 3.5% of the AIME qualify for the USAMO/USAJMO competition.

AMC12

1st - Alyssa Chu ’25

2nd - Ethan Schales ’25

3rd - Veeraj Shah ’25

AMC10

1st - Melody Wu ’28

2nd - Illaria Liedtke ’27

3nd - Oliver Jin ’30

AIME

1st - Ethan Schales ’25

2nd - Veeraj Shah ’25

3rd - Illaria Liedtke ’27

USAMO

Melody Wu ’28

OTHER MATH HONORS

JANE STREET MATH PRIZE FOR GIRLS

Melody Wu ’28 and Alyssa Chu ’25 excelled in the Jane Street Math Prize for Girls. Melody Wu ’28 received an honorable mention and qualified for the Math Prize for Girls’ Olympiad. Alyssa Chu ’25 placed in the top 10 also qualifying for the Olympiad. The Advantage Testing Foundation/Jane Street Math Prize for Girls is the largest math prize for girls in the world. Each fall at MIT, about 250 young female mathematicians compete. The prize’s goal is to promote gender equity in the STEM professions and to encourage young women with exceptional potential to become mathematical and scientific leaders. Melody and Alyssa are among the 45 top performers in this challenging math competition.

2025 MATHWORKS MATH MODELING CHALLENGE (M3)

Chaaranath Badrinath ’26, Dana Balin ’25, Alyssa Chu ’25, Jaymin Ding ’25, and Leah Steyn ’25 teamed up to participate in the 2025 MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge (M3), an international competition that challenges high school students to use mathematical modeling to solve a real-world problem by analyzing data and creating models. The M3 asked participating teams to use math and data to determine how cities can combat the escalating crisis of extreme heat and power grid failures.

On April 28, the team traveled to the final confirmation judging and prize ceremony at Jane Street, a quantitative trading firm in New York City. They presented their recommendations to a panel of professional mathematicians, finishing in the top 5 out of a field of 3,600+ high school students from 794 high schools from across the United States, England, and Wales.

The Upper School team was awarded $5,000 in scholarships from MathWorks and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM).

CONSORTIUM FOR MATHEMATICS AND ITS APPLICATIONS (COMAP) MODELING CONTESTS

Three Upper School teams and one Middle School team competed in their respective divisions of the Consortium for Mathematics and its Applications (COMAP)’s modeling contests in November 2024. The High School Mathematical Contest in Modeling (HiMCM) and Middle Mathematical Contest in Modeling (MidMCM) are international contests designed to provide high school and middle school students with the opportunity to work as team members to engage and improve their modeling, problem solving, and writing skills.

High School Mathematical Contest in Modeling (HiMCM)

A total of 1,055 teams representing 474 schools from 20 countries/regions competed in the 2024 HiMCM.

RCDS TEAMS

Meritorious Designation (Top 18% of participants)

HiMCM Problem A – To Play or not to Play: Modeling Future Olympic Games

Catherine Liu ’28, Alexandra Lund ’28, and Natalie Zhu ’28 (Team US-15649) with advisor Upper School Math Teacher Charles Worrall

Meritorious Designation (Top 19% of participants) HiMCM Problem B – Examining the Environmental Impact of High-Powered Computing

Aarush Dey ’27, Felix Mao ’27, Felipe Quintero Ochoa ’27, and George Zhan ’27 (Team US-15239) with advisor Upper School Math Teacher Seb Mineo

Successful Participant Designation

Chaaranath Badrinath ’26, Arjun Arora ’26, Arav Ramaswamy ’26, and Milin Torgalkar ’26 (Team US15240) with advisor Upper School Math Teacher Seb Mineo

Middle Mathematical Contest in Modeling (MidMCM)

A total of 76 teams from 44 schools across three countries participated in the 2024 MidMCM.

MidMCM Problem C – The Modeling Musical Tour

Mira Browning ’29, Jeremy Choi ’29, Noah Gurion ’29, and Michelle Zhan ’29 (Team US-15366) with advisor Middle School Math Department Chair Susan Peck

2025 International Mathematical Modeling Challenge (IM²C)

Due to their exceptional performance in the 2024 MidMCM, the Middle School team of eighth graders was automatically invited to compete in the USA regional contest of the 2025 International Mathematical Modeling Challenge (IM²C). Two of the Upper School teams who received Meritorious designations in the 2024 HiMCM also qualified to participate in the USA regional contest.

Regional Outstanding Designation

Aarush Dey ’27, Felix Mao ’27, Felipe Quintero Ochoa ’27, and George Zhan ’27 (Team US-15239) with advisor Upper School Math Teacher Seb Mineo

Successful Participant Designation

Catherine Liu ’28, Alexandra Lund ’28, and Natalie Zhu ’28 (Team US-15649) with advisor Upper School Math Teacher Charles Worrall

Successful Participant Designation

Mira Browning ’29, Jeremy Choi ’29, Noah Gurion ’29, and Michelle Zhan ’29 (Team US-15366) with advisor Middle School Math Department Chair Susan Peck

With their Regional Outstanding Designation in the USA regional contest of the 2025 IM²C, the Upper School team of Aarush Dey ’27, Felix Mao ’27, Felipe Quintero Ochoa ’27, and George Zhan ’27 were selected as one of two teams moving on to represent the United States in the international round of competition against Australia, Canada, and China.

As a reward for their exceptional math skills, the team was invited to a five-day trip to the IM²C Awards Ceremony and Summit in Hong Kong, China. George and Felipe traveled to Hong Kong to accept the award and present their IM²C solution to university professors, judges, and other participants from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau. Additionally, George and Felipe fully immersed themselves in the Summit by visiting a research institute, companies and start-ups in the area, as well as some of Hong Kong’s renowned universities.

2025 CHINESE AWARDS

2025 CLASS Poster Contest

To inspire students’ enthusiasm for environmental protection and creative expression, the Chinese Language Association of SecondaryElementary Schools (CLASS) launched the 2025 CLASS National Chinese Poster Design Contest this April. This year’s theme, “I Love the Earth,” encouraged students to design an event poster featuring a concept for an environmental protection event. Five RCDS students received national recognition in this contest.

GOLD

Isabella H. ’31

Middle School Regular Group

SILVER

Irena M. ’30

Middle School Heritage Group

Lauren S. ’ 30

Middle School Regular Group

BRONZE

Stephanie B. ’31

Middle School Regular Group

Margot M. ’31

Middle School Regular Group

RCDS students participated

in

PHSK, the RCDS Chinese Contest in March. Gold, Silver, Bronze and Honor medals were awarded.

GOLD MEDAL

PHSK2

Cason Dean ’26

Charlie MacGuffie ’28

Emma Maini ’27

Magnus Rasmussen ’27

Irena M. ’30 **

Joy Chen ’29

Gloria C. ’30**

Gavin R. ’30

PHSK3

Alexa Chua ’26

SILVER MEDAL

PHSK1

Chiara Perkins ’28

PHSK2

Jack Dorin ’26

Mei Macintyre ’26

Skyla Perez ’26

PHSK3

Vivian Yao ’27

PHSK4

Amy He ’27

Aiden Wu ’27

BRONZE MEDAL

PHSK2

Sam Kietlinski ’27

PHSK3

Eliana Chorost ’26

Harry Holtman ’26

Zoe Sterling-Dixon ’26

HONOR MEDAL

PHSK3

Juliette Moore ’27

Devan Patel ’26

Xavier Perkins ’26

CLASS National Essay Contest

Middle School students participated in the 2024-25 CLASS (Chinese Language Association of Secondary & Elementary Schools) National Chinese Essay Contest.

GOLD

Irena M. ’30

Intermediate Level

SILVER

Joy Chen ’29

Intermediate Level

BRONZE

Gloria C. ’30

Intermediate Level

Gavin R. ’30

Intermediate Level

William Assad ’29

Beginner Level

Alana F. ’30

Beginner Level

Brie W. ’30

Beginner Level

FRENCH AWARDS

Middle and Upper School students participated in Le Grand Concours, the National French Contest in March. Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals and Honorable Mention were awarded.

PLATINUM MEDAL

Level 01A

Matthew G. ’30

Melanie S. ’30

Level 1A

Ian Z. ’30

Level 1B

Liana Visentin ’29

GOLD MEDAL

Level 01A

Zayd K. ’30

Federico C. ’30

Charles S. ’30

Level 1A

Chloe Berg ’29

Katerina B. ’30

Grace Feng ’29

David Komaroff ’29

Helena Pierry ’29

Olivia Prather ’29

Sally Plemich ’29

Valentina Platt-Higgins ’29

Level 2A

Zain Ansari ’28

Julie Chen ’28

Christopher Estill ’28

C.C. Liu ’28

Georgina Murphy ’28

Madeleine Stokes ’28

Level 3A

Salvatore Bove ’26

Level 3C

Adrien Lallemand ’27

Level 4A

Alyssa Chu ’25

Selena Zhang ’26

Level 5AP

Felix Caminiti ’25

Level 5C

Kyle Sisitsky ’25

SILVER MEDAL

Level 01A

Shawn P. ’30

Adeline P. ’30

Chase R. ’30

Level 1A

Audrey Demong ’29

Junjun Li ’26

Jolie Robinson ’29

Olivia Pierry ’29

Chloe Schwalbe ’29

Level 2A

Marshall Brown ’28

Nola Coady ’26

Lilly Kercher ’28

Emmy Liang ’28

Alexandra Lund ’28

Ariana Quispialaya ’28

Arianna Yu ’28

Level 3A

Zara Khemlani ’27

Luke Werwaiss ’27

Jenny Xu ’27

Level 4A

Helen Halvorson ’26

Nina Bortner-Hirszman ’26

Stella Huber ’26

Noah Tabossi-Zugman ’26

Cooper Wu ’26

Level 5AP

Colette Sawyer ’25

Leah Steyn ’25

BRONZE MEDAL

Level 01A

Miles Y. ’30

Doruk Y. ’30

Level 1A

Mia Perrin ’28

Level 2A

Ailey Denson ’28

Charley Kercher ’28

Kayla Rosen ’28

Level 2B

JP Harasimowicz ’29

Level 4A

James Ding ’26

Level 5AP

Davis Clarke ’25

Isabela Pierry ’25

Leo Roth ’25

Level 5C

Marina Leifert ’28

HONORABLE MENTION

Level 01A

Jordana P. ’30

Miles R. ’30

Level 1A

George Brown ’29

Graham Condron ’29

Claire Tucker ’29

Level 1B

Lauren Visentin ’29

Level 2A

Lila Al-Omoush ’28

Marin Gokgol-Kline ’28

Aria Rogers ’28

Level 3A

Maleah Dunkley ’27

Julia Gallardo ’26

Keaton Greenberg ’26

Juliet Tuncer ’27

Level 4A

Sahar Harris ’26

Ambika Nott ’25

Lydia Sussman ’26

Level 5AP

Taeko Fueno ’25

2025 GREEK AWARDS

The 2024 National Greek Exam was taken by over 1,450 students from 144 universities, colleges, and secondary schools in the US and around the world. Three Upper School Rye Country Day students received certificates.

HOMERIC GREEK

ILIAD EXAM

Green — Merit Certificate

Emma Silberstein ’25

BEGINNING ATTIC

GREEK EXAM

Red - High Honors

Certificate

Lucius Liu ’26

Green - Merit Certificate

Milin Torgalkar ’26

NATIONAL LATIN EXAM

The National Latin Exam (NLE) is administered annually to Latin students across the United States and around the world. The NLE is not meant to be a competition but rather an opportunity for students to receive reinforcement and recognition for their accomplishments in the classroom. This year, 39 Rye Country Day students in Grades 7-12 were named NLE award winners across multiple levels of achievement.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

SUMMA CUM LAUDE Gold Medal Awards

INTRODUCTION TO LATIN

Charlie W. ’30

Ethan Z. ’30

MAGNA CUM LAUDE Awards

INTRODUCTION TO LATIN

Ethan W. ’30

Nina M. ’30

CUM LAUDE Awards

INTRODUCTION TO LATIN

Jacob V. ’30

Meimei Z. ’30

Gus V. ’30

Rhys D. ’30

Jack M. ’30

SUMMA CUM LAUDE Gold Medal Awards

BEGINNING LATIN EXAM

Michelle Zhan ’29

Thomas Whatley ’29

Jack Segal ’29

MAXIMA CUM LAUDE

Silver Medal Awards

BEGINNING LATIN EXAM

David Lusman ’29

Daphne Crevier ’29

CUM LAUDE Awards

BEGINNING LATIN EXAM

Leela Torgalkar ’29

Finnegan Estill ’29

UPPER SCHOOL

SUMMA CUM LAUDE

Gold Medal Awards

INTERMEDIATE LATIN I

Felix Mao ’27

Melody Wu ’28

Alison Gipstein ’28

Nicholas Neubardt ’28

Catherine Colao ’26

Michael Goneos ’27

MAXIMA CUM LAUDE

Silver Medal Awards

INTERMEDIATE LATIN I

Hudson Mastoloni ’28

Maya Torgalkar ’27

Maya Maymin ’27

Felipe Quintero Ochoa ’27

Stephen Pinder ’26

MAGNA CUM LAUDE Awards

INTERMEDIATE LATIN I

Aarush Dey ’27

Max Maven Agulay ’27

CUM LAUDE Awards

INTERMEDIATE LATIN I

Kevin Neilinger ’27

Hunter Snell ’28

Jane Wang ’26

Graham King ’27

Peter Valenton ’27

MAXIMA CUM LAUDE Silver Medal Awards

ADVANCED PROSE

Harry Moss ’26

Lucius Liu ’26

MAGNA CUM LAUDE Awards

ADVANCED PROSE

Andrew Mulderry ’26

CUM LAUDE Awards

ADVANCED PROSE

Charlie Pearle ’26

Ari Israel ’25

2025 SPANISH AWARDS

The National Spanish Exam was administered to RCDS students in the Middle and Upper School in the spring.

GOLD MEDAL

LEVEL 2

Classroom Experience Category

Sahana Bhat ’29

Riley Man ’28

Zachary Mathias ’28

Daphné Panié ’27

Alexander Tartaglia ’28

Natalie Zhu ’28

LEVEL 3

Classroom Experience Category

Julia Burgess ’27

Sara Komaroff ’27

George Zhan ’27

LEVEL 4

Classroom Experience Category

Chaaranath Badrinath ’26

SILVER MEDAL

LEVEL 2

Classroom Experience Category

Henry Axelsson ’28

Bianca Arencibia ’28

Izzy Bernie ’28

Henry Burgess ’28

Bruce Guo ’28

Bruce Jin ’28

Aarshia Pandey ’28

Sophia Tang ’28

Thomas Yan ’28

LEVEL 3

Classroom Experience Category

Sadie Kolodner ’28

Marguerite McDonald ’27

Amaya Yokuty ’27

Tia Agarwal ’26

Dana DaCosta ’26

Eda Buyuk ’27

LEVEL 3

Outside Experience Category

Sophia Maldonado ’27

LEVEL 4

Classroom Experience Category

Steven Ren ’26

Nathaniel Dunlop ’26

Illaria Liedtke ’27

Arav Ramaswamy ’26

Alexandra Steyn ’27

Xindi Liu ’26

LEVEL 5

Outside Experience Category

Isabela Pierry ’25

LEVEL 5

Bilingual Category

Justin Suquilanda ’25

Noah Tabossi Zugman ’26

BRONZE MEDAL

LEVEL 01

Classroom Experience Category

Payton Richardson ’28

LEVEL 2

Classroom Experience Category

Andrew Eglit ’28

Spencer Eglit ’28

Brayan Escalante ’28

Grant Dinger ’28

Giorgia Martorina ’28

Hudson Parameswaran ’28

LEVEL 3

Classroom Experience Category

Emma Camillo ’27

Zara Khemlani ’27

Kaitlyn Wong ’27

Sarah Anderson ’27

Ella Schwalbe ’27

Sejal Mackey ’27

Molly Hart ’27

May Hakimizadeh ’27

Angelina Gui ’27

LEVEL 3

Bilingual Category

Ximena Garcia ’27

Camila Reyna ’27

LEVEL 4

Classroom Experience Category

Emily Williams ’26

Claire Jiang ’26

Maguire Estill ’26

Ken Sherry ’26

LEVEL 5

Classroom Experience Category

Matthew Lee ’26

Anika Kini ’25

HONORABLE MENTION

LEVEL 01

Classroom Experience Category

Jonathan Ohakam ’28

Riley Dixon ’28

Sanaa Swain ’28

LEVEL 2

Classroom Experience Category

Isabella Liu ’28

Alex Thompson ’28

Ethan Feng ’28

Simran Arora ’28

Hannah Lewis ’28

Grant Millan ’28

Jack Moss ’28

Cayden Reed ’28

Kaiya Kline ’28

Abigail Smith ’28

Aanya Upadhyay ’28

LEVEL 2

Outside Experience Category

Eva Juarez-Lace ’28

LEVEL 3

Classroom Experience Category

Hank Brown ’27

Amanda Gui ’27

Val He ’27

Alexandra Lynch ’27

Parker Maritzen ’27

Summer Sisitsky ’27

Lila Woodruff ’27

LEVEL 3

Outside Experience Category

Felix Mao ’27

Karter de la Fuente ’27

LEVEL 3

Bilingual Category

Sebastian Rafferty ’27

LEVEL 4

Classroom Experience Category

Elana Gershwin ’26

Andrew Eason ’26

Kayla Erickson ’26

Mia Herz ’26

Vreeland Tuncer ’26

Ray Cao ’26

Harrison Millan ’26

Darren Wong ’26

LEVEL 4

Outside Experience Category

Skyla Perez ’26

Alice Rikkers ’26

LEVEL 5

Classroom Experience Category

Blake James ’25

Ana Petricone ’25

SCIENCE, SUSTAINABILITY & ENGINEERING

MAKE:ABLE 3D PRINTING CHALLENGE

Andrew Eason ’26 and Joaquin Gonzalez ’25 were named the winners of the Best Showcase of Iterative Design (Ages 14-18) for their invention called “GripTrom” in the Make:able 3D Printing and Assistive Technology Challenge. An international competition, the Make:able 3D Printing Challenge asks participants to use creativity, problem-solving, and empathy to design 3D printed assistive devices that make a difference in the world. Joaquin and Andrew’s “GripTrom” is a lightweight, adjustable mount that screws on to a cymbal stand to deliver stable, hands-free assistance for trombonists navigating physical challenges. The students designed this device as part of the Upper School’s Engineering and Design class. As winners, Joaquin and Andrew won an A1-Mini Bambu Labs 3D Printer, which will live in Rye Country Day’s Makerspace. In addition to their victory, Joaquin and Andrew’s “GripTrom” was also named a finalist in the Best Showcase of Empathy category.

CHILDREN’S ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY FOUNDATION STUDENT SYMPOSIUM

15 Upper School students enrolled in environmental and sustainability classes represented Rye Country Day at the Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation (CELF) Student Symposium. The presentations were the culminating event of CELF’s Civic Science: Inquiry to Action Program, which engages students in hands-on learning to identify, analyze, and solve environmental and climate justice issues that impact their schools, neighborhoods, and beyond. Sparking meaningful conversations about changemaking for the greater good, the RCDS ambassadors presented their year-long and spring semester projects to an audience of their peers, policymakers, scientists, and community leaders.

RCDS CELF Symposium Projects BLOOMAIR

Daphné Panié ’27 & Tancrède Weinstein ’27

Student-engineered pollinator shelter that monitors environmental conditions in realtime and fosters climate literacy through interactive digital tools.

TRASH TALKERS

Charley Kercher ’28, Madeleine Stokes ’28 & Natalie Zhu ’28

A grassroots initiative promoting thrifting and reuse to reduce textile waste and overconsumption, launched with an RCDS community event on Earth Day.

POLLINATOR PARTNERSHIPS

Ray Cao ’26

In light of a local butterfly garden’s decline, this project focused on restoring vital pollinator habitats through collaboration with regional sustainability committees. By securing funding, labor, and permits from the Rye Brook Sustainability Committee, Ray successfully revitalized the garden.

TURNING THE TIDE

Miles Dinger ’26, Keaton Greenberg ’26 & Caden Powers ’26

A legislative proposal to strengthen the New York State Nutrient Runoff Law aimed at reducing nitrogen pollution in the Long Island Sound and mitigating climate impacts.

TRASHVIEW

Michael Goneos ’27 & Kaitlyn Wong ’27

An AI-powered waste sorting system designed to improve recycling accuracy and reduce landfill contamination through intelligent automation.

PLASTILESS

Shawn Wei ’26

Independent study research exploring the use of nanocomposites for the photocatalytic degradation of microplastics—a promising approach for large-scale environmental cleanup.

THE CLEAN WATER PROJECT

Juliette Moore ’27

An investigation into natural disinfection methods using thyme and clove essential oils to kill E. coli and coliforms in lake water, offering a low-cost, accessible water treatment option.

CARBON CANOPIES

Parker Maritzen ’27 & Marguerite McDonald ’27

A campus-based initiative to raise awareness about deforestation through educational signage on tree carbon sequestration, crafted from invasive wood and paired with a custom-built website.

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PHYSICS TEACHERS COMPETITIONS

RCDS students demonstrated excellence in two of the 2025 American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) competitions.

F=ma Exam

Ten Upper School students participated in the first round of the U.S. Physics Team Program by sitting for the F=ma exam. The 75-minute exam focused on mechanics, including kinematics, statics, Newton’s laws, momentum and energy, oscillations, orbital mechanics, rotational dynamics, fluids, dimensional analysis, and elementary data analysis.

Chaaranath Badrinath ’26, Alyssa Chu ’25, Helen Halvorson ’26, Charles Iwanski ’26, Jason Ren ’26, Steven Ren ’26, Shawn Wei ’26, James Wolff ’27, Cooper Wu ’26, and Melody Wu ’28

Based on the results from the F=ma exam, 400 high school students were invited to participate in the second round of competition by taking the USA Physics Team (USAPhO) exam, including Alyssa Chu ’25 and Melody Wu ’28.

Physics Bowl

For the 2025 PhysicsBowl Contest, nine RCDS students competed in the international high school team competition. Students were divided into Division 1 (first-year physics students) and Division 2 (second-year and beyond physics students) and competed with other schools within one of 15 designated regions. The top five individual student scores are added together to give the team score, and the RCDS Division 2 students placed third in their region (New York and Rhode Island schools).

Chaaranath Badrinath ’26 (Division 2)

Alyssa Chu ’25 (Division 2)

Tyler Hatstadt ’26 (Division 2)

Helen Halvorson ’26 (Division 1)

Xindi Liu ’26 (Division 2)

Jason Ren ’26 (Division 2)

Shawn Wei ’26 (Division 2)

James Wolff ’27 (Division 1)

Melody Wu ’28 (Division 1)

SCIENCE, SUSTAINABILITY & ENGINEERING

RESEARCH & INNOVATION IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

In the fall of 2024, Ishana Kumar ’26 and Director of STEAM Dr. Cathie Bischoff established RISE (Research and Innovation in Science and Engineering), an after-school club that empowers Middle School students to dive deep into the scientific process and the engineering design cycle. From exploring bacterial growth under unusual conditions to examining how everyday substances like caffeine influence life at the microscopic level, RISE middle schoolers—mentored by Ishana and Dr. Bischoff—followed their curiosity and conducted research to better understand the world around them. RISE club members participated in the inaugural Westchester Regional Middle School Science and Engineering Fair (WRMSSEF) in April, and three students earned top honors for their scientific research.

Olivia Pierry ’29 and Helena Pierry ’29 2ND PLACE IN MICROBIOLOGY

Caffeine and Growth: The Effects of Caffeine on Microbial Life

Olivia and Helena studied how caffeine affects the growth of two very different organisms: Escherichia coli and Physarum polycephalum, a slime mold known for its problem-solving behavior. By exposing the organisms to different concentrations of caffeine, they uncovered how this common stimulant might influence microbial behavior and, by extension, the human microbiome. Their work links environmental factors to microbial health in a way that’s both timely and thought-provoking.

Noah Gurion ’29

3RD PLACE IN MICROBIOLOGY

The Effect of Low-Frequency Magnetic Fields on Escherichia Coli Growth

Noah designed and built a custom experimental setup using a spinning neodymium magnet to generate lowfrequency magnetic fields. His experiment compared the growth of E. coli in three conditions: a standard control, a dish exposed to ampicillin (to demonstrate inhibition), and one exposed to the magnetic

field. His results suggest that magnetic fields may accelerate bacterial growth—an intriguing finding that opens the door to further exploration in biophysics and microbial engineering.

RCDS HOLDS INAUGURAL STEM SYMPOSIUM

On May 2, more than 40 Middle and Upper School students presented their work from STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) courses and projects from the 2024-25 school year. Following opening remarks from Head of School Randall Dunn, Director of STEAM Dr. Cathie Bischoff, and Director of the Science Research Program Jennifer Doran, attendees explored the symposium of student STEM projects from the 2024-25 academic year in the Pinkham Garden Lounge.

The STEM Symposium is a celebration of curiosity, perseverance, and innovation. Our students aren’t just learning science; they’re contributing to it—pushing boundaries, asking big questions, and finding creative solutions to real-world challenges.

— Jennifer Doran, Director of Science Research

Projects on display included:

• The rigorous work of Upper School Science Research, spanning disciplines ranging from biochemistry and neuroscience to environmental science and machine learning. These innovative and advanced projects were conducted in collaboration with mentors from both RCDS and prestigious institutions worldwide.

• The environmental science projects that were presented at the Greenlight Awards— creative, research-driven proposals aimed at solving pressing sustainability challenges in our local and global communities.

• The well-researched arguments of Upper School students who competed in the

Young Physicists Tournament (YPT) who debated solutions to several physics problems, including building with Jello, the mechanics of flying discs used in disc golf, the interaction of the sizzler noise magnets, and the phenomenon of atmospheric scintillation.

• The functional prototypes of student-led projects created in the Makerspace by participants in the STEAM Engineering and Design Program. Through handson challenges, design thinking, and interdisciplinary problem-solving, students designed solutions to address both personal and community needs.

• The projects and findings of Middle School students in the RISE: Research & Innovation in Science and Engineering Club. With guidance, these young scientists shared their curiosity, creativity, and growing scientific expertise in their respective research.

WESTCHESTER ENGINEERING & SCIENCE FAIR

At the Westchester Engineering and Science Fair (WESEF) on March 15, seven Upper School students received recognition for their outstanding scientific research, the most ever for Rye Country Day School.

The students competed against more than 500 high school students from 30 schools across Westchester, Putnam, and Sullivan counties. Illaria Liedtke ’27 earned the top honor of being one of 20 students selected to advance to the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the highest level of recognition in high school STEM research.

Chaaranath Badrinath ’26

2ND PLACE IN BIOINFORMATICS/ COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY AND CREATIVE APPROACH TO RESEARCH AWARD Using Agent-Based and ODE Modeling to Capture Immune Response to T-cell Engager Therapy and the Rise of Treatment Resistance in Multiple Myeloma

Henry Fogel ’25

INNOVATIONS IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

RESEARCH AWARD IN HEALTH & MEDICINE Loadsol, Load Monitoring Device for the Partial Weight Bearing Post- Operative Management of Ankle Fracture

Alex Gurion ’26

EXCELLENCE IN MEDICAL RESEARCH AWARD Phage Amplification and Specialized Transduction of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis to Develop Auxotrophic Strains

Ishana Kumar ’26

2ND PLACE IN BEHAVIORAL & SOCIAL SCIENCES

Reducing Breast Cancer Mortality through Assessing and Mitigating Biases in Access to Cancer Care

Illaria Liedtke ’27

1ST PLACE IN NEUROSCIENCE & ISEF FINALIST

Toward Remote Control of Neural Function: Extracellular Matrix Paramagnetic Hydrotalcite Renders Brain Astrocytes Responsive to Static Magnetic Field via TRPV4 Ion Channel-Mediated Calcium Influx

Charlie Pearle ’26

2ND PLACE IN HEALTH & MEDICINE

The Effect of Two Training Strategies on Quantitative Neuromuscular Control Testing Outcomes

Leah Steyn ’25

3RD PLACE IN BIOCHEMISTRY

Developing a Bulk Drug Substance Lyophilization for Monoclonal Antibodies to Achieve Ultra High Concentration Drug Products

NY STATE SCIENCE & ENGINEERING FAIR

At the New York State Science and Engineering Fair (NYSSEF) on March 24 at the New York Hall of Science, two Upper School students earned awards for their outstanding research projects in life and physical sciences.

Illaria Liedtke ’27

1ST PLACE IN LIFE SCIENCE

Leon Zhou ’26

3RD PLACE IN PHYSICAL SCIENCE

YOUNG PHYSICISTS TOURNAMENT

Rye Country Day School was the co-host and third-place finalist of the 2025 Young Physicists Tournament (YPT), an annual physics research and debate tournament for high school students. RCDS shared cohosting duties with Trinity School, and YPT was held on Rye Country Day’s campus on February 1-2, with 16 participating schools from around the world. The top spot went to Cary Academy with Phillips Academy Andover and RCDS in second and third place respectively.

The tournament’s hallmarks are “physics fights,” hour-long student-led debates over the quality of each team’s solution to the posed problems. The debates begin with the reporting team giving a ten-minute summary of their research on one of the four official tournament problems, and then they engage in discussion with the opponents—just as members of competing research groups at a conference might discuss a presentation.

“Students

are eager to meet their peers from around the world and learn from each other’s research. Seeing the process of others helps

students understand the problems more deeply, and it is how real life research is done.”

—Mary Krasovec, Upper School Physics Teacher & YPT Coach

A special highlight of the event was the keynote speech from Michael Massimino, former NASA astronaut, current professor of mechanical engineering at Columbia University, and senior advisor of space programs at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.

Dr. Mary Krasovec, RCDS physics teacher and YPT coach, was delighted with the event. “I have been working with USAYPT since 2012, and this was our biggest event ever. Not only do we have more teams, but each team is bringing larger groups,” she shared. Her colleague, RCDS Chemistry Teacher and YPT coach Craig Barasona-Burt added, “The thrill

of YPT is seeing that another team solved a problem in a completely different way than we did.”

PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS

Cary Academy (NC)

George School (PA)

Maggie Walker Governor’s School (VA)

The Harker School (CA)

Nueva School (CA)

Phillips Andover Academy (MA)

Phillips Exeter Academy (NH)

Rye Country Day School (NY)

Trinity School (NY)

Woodberry Forest School (VA)

Affiliated International School of Shenzhen University (China)

North America International SchoolShanghai (China)

Pioneer School of Kairouan (Tunisia)

Seytek STEM High School (Kyrgyzstan)

Shenzhen Middle School (China)

UG School (Georgia)

FINAL RESULTS

Cary Academy - 79.14

Phillips Academy Andover - 78.68

Rye Country Day School - 77.60

Nueva School - 76.42

Shenzhen Middle School - 72.42

Woodberry Forest School - 68.07

RCDS YPT TEAM

Scintillation Group

Jaymin Ding ’25 (Presenter), Sam Sah-Nixon ’25, Steven Ren ’26, James Ding ’26, Tyler Hatstadt ’26, Charles Iwanski ’26

Jello Towers Group

Dana Balin ’25, James Song ’25, Xindi Liu ’26, Jason Ren ’26, Rhys de Haan ’25, Cooper Wu ’26, Alex Gurion ’26, JJames Wolff ’27

Disc Golf Group

Maria Flores ’25, Leah Steyn ’25, Davis Clarke ’25 (Presenter), Felix Caminiti ’25, Arav Ramaswamy ’26, Andrew Eason ’26, Ari Israel ’25

SCIENCE, SUSTAINABILITY & ENGINEERING

Sizzling Magnets Group

Alyssa Chu ’25 (Presenter), Dana Balin ’25, Brody Mackey ’25, Chaaranath Badrinath ’26, David Kern ’25, Qian Wei ’26

RCDS YPT COACHES

Dr. Mary Krasovec

Mr. Craig Barasona-Burt

Dr. Angelo Bove

STUDENT-DESIGNED GREEN WALL

A living green wall is now on display in the Cohen Center for the Creative Arts! Green walls are vertical-built vegetation systems with irrigation, designed to bring nature into any space. The display contains eight types of herbs and was created by RCDS seniors Davis Clarke ’25 and Leo Roth ’25 as part of RCDS’s independent study program. In collaboration with Makerspace Director Kevin Farrant, Davis and Leo designed and fabricated the fully functional vertical green wall. To create this aesthetically pleasing self-sustaining system to house plants

Leo and Davis drew inspiration from the hexagonal structures in beehives. Using Fusion 360 for precise CAD modeling, they employed a range of advanced fabrications techniques (3D printing, laser cutting, metal work, and woodworking joinery) to create custom-made components that replicate and assemble seamlessly. The wall also features a fully integrated water filtration and irrigation system for autonomous operation. The twosemester installation advances the School’s sustainability initiatives and serves as an engaging teaching tool for Lower School students studying plant biology, vegetation growth, garden ecology, and photosynthesis.

BEDFORD 2030 GREENLIGHT AWARDS

Five teams from Rye Country Day School took their talents to Bedford 2030’s 10th Annual Greenlight Awards, a competition for high school students that challenges teens to create practical solutions for environmental issues in their communities.

Shawn Wei ’26 took home the secondplace trophy for his project PlastiLess, a powder that helps tackle microplastic pollution in wastewater by degrading 18% of microplastics into harmless byproducts such as carbon dioxide and water. The powder can be integrated into existing wastewater treatment systems. Shawn started working on the project as an intern at the Institute of Oceanology in China last summer and continued working on throughout the 202425 school year through an independent study with Ms. Linderoth.

Four RCDS Teams also received honorable mention honors for their projects:

“BLOOMAIR”

Daphne Panie ’27 and Tancrede Weinstein ’27 Outstanding Creativity and Use of Technology to Extend Educational Reach

“CARBON CANOPIES, THE TREE SIGN INITIATIVE”

Parker Maritzen ’27 and Marguerite McDonald ’27 Outstanding Targeted Engagement Tools

“FLEACONOMY”

Charley Kercher ’28, Madeleine Stokes ’28, and Natalie Zhu ’28 Outstanding School Community Engagement

“TRASHVIEW”

Michael Goneos ’27 and Kaitlyn Wong ’27 Excellent Adoption of Technology for an Accessible Solution for Individuals

WESTCHESTER COUNTY REGIONAL ENVIROTHON COMPETITION

In April, Rye Country Day’s Upper School Envirothon Team won first place in the oral presentation portion of the 2025 Westchester County Regional Envirothon Competition at Croton Point Park. Their presentation, Roots and Resiliency: Fostering Forest Stewardship in a Canopy of Change, focused on forest stewardship and stakeholders in the Adirondacks. They specifically outlined concerns and possible solutions related to pests and disease, water quality, and terrestrial and aquatic habitats.

Hosted by the Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Conservation and the Westchester Soil and Water Conservation District, the Westchester County Regional Envirothon is a high school competition focused on environmental studies and natural resources problem-solving for secondary school students in Westchester, Rockland, and Putnam counties. The 2025 competition featured 180 students and 25 teams from all three counties and tested their knowledge in forestry, soils and land use, wildlife, aquatic ecology, and current issues. This is RCDS’s fourth consecutive year placing first in one of the categories.

ENVIROTHON TEAM & COACHES

Anika Bhat ’25

Johnny Gasparro ’25

Zara Khemlani ’27

Sophia Lynch ’25

Marguerite McDonald ’27

Juliette Moore ’27

Daphne Panie ’27

Leo Roth ’25

Connor Rusch ’25

Colette Sawyer ’25

Chase Talpins ’27

Shawn Wei ’26

Tancrede Weinstein ’27

Ainslie Whitman ’25

Kerry Linderoth, RCDS Director of Sustainability

Nicole Zazzarino, RCDS Science Lab Technician

Jax Mack, Director of Conservation at Rye Nature Center

GLOBAL STUDIES

Through its Global Studies

program, Rye Country Day School prepares students to participate actively and ethically as global citizens. Through the study of world languages and cultures, global travel programs, and opportunities to learn about diverse backgrounds, students develop an understanding of the world around them and their place within it.

In 2024-25, students took learning well beyond classroom walls through travel to:

• Peru to explore the rainforests and cultural heritage sites

• Iceland to analyze how the country confronts global warming and explore sources of sustainable energy.

• Georgia and Alabama to tour historic sites of the American Civil Rights movement

In addition, RCDS was thrilled to introduce Language Exchange Programs during the 2024-25 school year to offer Upper School students the opportunity to deepen their language skills and gain a more robust understanding of foreign practices and cultures. The program’s destination countries—China, France, and Spain— match with the RCDS Upper School modern language offerings.

Scan the code to read more about Global Studies at RCDS.

2025 SCHOLASTIC ART & WRITING AWARDS

41 students from Rye Country Day School were honored for their outstanding original work with Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mention Designations in this year’s Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Known as the nation’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in Grades 7 through 12, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are judged by luminaries in the visual and literary arts.

ART AWARDS

ALEXA CHUA ’26

Gold Key

Breezy Escape (Digital Art)

Silver Key

Nice to Meet You (Comic Art)

GRACE FENG ’29

Honorable Mention

Real Killer (Mixed Media)

MAY HAKIMIZADEH ’27

Silver Key

Portrait of Lady Macbeth (Digital Art)

Honorable Mention

Pocketed (Digital Art)

SOPHIA LYNCH ’25

Gold Key

Soda Can Dress (Fashion)

EMMY LIANG ’28

Gold Key

Hippie Chick (Drawing & Illustration)

C.C. LIU ’28

Honorable Mention

The Museum (Painting)

EMMA MAINI ’27

Gold Key

Hold the Hands That Once Held You

(Drawing & Illustration)

Puppets (Mixed Media)

JULIETTE MOORE ’27

Gold Key

Reflections (Photography)

Camels (Photography)

Silver Key

Looking from Above (Photography)

Crystal Petals (Ceramics & Glass )

Endangered (Design)

Thinking (Drawing & Illustration)

Honorable Mention

Food is Ready (Photography)

Crossing the Street (Photography)

Watching You (Photography)

Rosy Reflections (Ceramics & Glass)

Timeless Beauty (Painting)

SEBASTIAN NOGUEIRA ’25

Gold Key

Day Off (Photography)

Spotted (Photography)

Colorful Bouquet (Photography)

Delivery (Photography)

Lady with a Red Hat (Photography)

DAPHNE PANIE ’27

Silver Key

Impressions of Serenity (Photography)

Honorable Mention

A New Beginning (Photography)

Timeless Might (Photography)

LEO ROTH ’25

Silver Key

PolyNation (Architecture & Industrial Design)

Honorable Mention

Re:Fuel (Architecture & Industrial Design)

JAMES SONG ’25

3 Honorable Mentions (Architecture & Industrial Design)

MELODY WU ’28

Silver Key Embrace Change (Editorial Cartoon)

JADE ZHOU ’29

Gold Key Behind the Glass (Painting)

LEON ZHOU ’26

Gold Key (Photography)

Honorable Mention (Photography)

WRITING AWARDS

AARUSH DEY ’27

Silver Key

Silence (Poetry)

Honorable Mention

The Paradox of Love (Poetry)

JAMES DING ’26

Honorable Mention

Social, Political, and Economic Changes in the Jacksonian Era (Critical Essay)

JAYMIN DING ’25

Gold Key

Industrialization as the Agent of Change in American Society (Critical Essay) Coming to America (Personal Essay & Memoir)

Silver Key

The Things I’ve Lost (Personal Essay & Memoir)

Honorable Mention

Timeless City (Personal Essay & Memoir)

LINCOLN FENG ’26

Gold Key

As If Belonging Could Be Held (Poetry) For my mother (Poetry)

Silver Key

American Dream (Poetry)

AMANDA GUI ’27

Honorable Mention

What Goes Unnoticed (Poetry)

MAY HAKIMIZADEH ’27

Gold Key

Crossing the Line: The Line Becomes a River and the True Cost of Border Enforcement (Critical Essay)

The Complexity of Abigail Williams in The Crucible (Critical Essay)

Silver Key

Hands Across The Beige Desk (Personal Essay & Memoir) How Many Times (Personal Essay & Memoir)

Honorable Mention

A Sound Is Still A Sound Around No One (Poetry)

One Hundred Loud Poems (Poetry) These Marathons (Poetry) Will There Be Refreshments? (Poetry)

VAL HE ’27

Silver Key burnt eggs to toothbrushes (Poetry)

Honorable Mention Ascendance of the Crane You Flew On (Poetry)

SADIE KOLODNER ’28

Honorable Mention Peace and Justice (Critical Essay)

BIANCA ARENCIBIA ’28

Honorable Mention So Usually Unusual (Personal Essay & Memoir)

RAHUL ARORA ’25

Silver Key

Seva: My Guiding Ethos in the Era of Artificial Intelligence (Personal Essay & Memoir)

CHLOE BERG ’29

Honorable Mention

Set in Stone (Novel Writing) The First Half (Personal Essay & Memoir)

ILLARIA LIEDTKE ’27

Gold Key

Eulogy for Wax Wings (Poetry)

Honorable Mention

The Great Age of Costco Enlightenment (Personal Essay & Memoir)

FELIX MAO ’27

Silver Key Pantoum of Baseball (Poetry)

MARGUERITE MCDONALD ’27

Silver Key the things i inherited (Poetry)

JULIETTE MOORE ’27

Silver Key

The Inhumanity of Border Control (Critical Essay)

Honorable Mention

The Conflicts of Leadership (Critical Essay)

AMBIKA NOTT ’25

Gold Key

Girl of Glass (Flash Fiction)

Honorable Mention

Stardust Melodies and Sorrowed Souls (Science Fiction & Fantasy)

DAPHNÉ PANIÉ ’27

Gold Key

Honors American Identity (Poetry)

Silver Key

The Clock is Ticking (Poetry)

Honorable Mention

A powerful French heritage (Poetry)

HELENA PIERRY ’29

Honorable Mention Where I’m From (Poetry)

ISABELA PIERRY ’25

Honorable Mention remember? (Poetry)

OLIVIA PIERRY ’29

Gold Key

My Last Words to You (Poetry)

Honorable Mention

Goodbye, World (Poetry) Where I’m From (Poetry)

LEO ROTH ’25

Honorable Mention

Testimony, Performance, and Protest in a Media Ecology: The Power of the Pen in A Burning by Megha Majumdar (Critical Essay)

SOPHIA SHEN ’26

Honorable Mention

@Emerson_Davis (Short Story)

NICO STEFANONI ’25

Gold Key

For the Benefit of Mankind (Short Story)

ALEXANDRA STEYN ’27

Gold Key

Spiraling, Destitute, Dark (Science Fiction & Fantasy)

In A Sisterly Spider’s Web (Personal Essay & Memoir)

Silver Key

Am Yisrael Chai (Poetry)

ImperfectPerfection(YetOpposite)(ShortStory)

Improving Peasants’Lives One Revolution at a Time: Mexico (Critical Essay)

Searching For Starlight (Flash Fiction)

Honorable Mention

Justice Never Charts a Straight Path: A Dive Into The Crucible’s Representation of Reverend Hale (Critical Essay)

An Ode to Salmon (Personal Essay & Memoir) Drops of Sweetness Never Linger (Short Story) Forbidden Oasis (Short Story)

QIAN WEI ’26

Silver Key

When Justice Fails: Lesson from Serial (Critical Essay)

TANCREDE WEINSTEIN ’27

Gold Key

Garden in the Ruins (Poetry)

EMMA WOLFF ’29

Gold Key

Social Media Storm (Dramatic Script) I’ve Always Hated my Room (Poetry) Tick Tock, Cuckoo Clock (Science Fiction & Fantasy)

Silver Key

To Write is to Feel Seen (Personal Essay & Memoir)

Honorable Mention

Acid Rain (Science Fiction & Fantasy)

AIDEN WU ’27

Silver Key

Booger Noodles (Personal Essay & Memoir)

LEON ZHOU ’26

Honorable Mention

Breaking the Stream of Anonymity: Humanity in the Border Crisis (Critical Essay)

MUSIC

NEW YORK STATE SCHOOL MUSIC ASSOCIATION HONORS

NYSSMA All-State ensembles connect the most accomplished high school musicians from across New York State to play together and work with renowned guest conductors. Students are selected based on their outstanding scores at the NYSSMA Solo Festival in the spring, which consists of playing scales, performing a solo piece, and sight reading. Only students who receive 99% or 100% on the audition are considered for All-State.

New York All-State Symphonic Band and Orchestra

Vreeland Tuncer ’26, Alexander Rivas ’25, and Leon Zhou ’26 were selected to participate in the New York All-State Symphonic Band and Orchestra, hosted by the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA.) Samantha Lee ’25, and James Ding ’26 were also selected as alternate ensemble members.

The rehearsals and performances took place in Rochester, NY, with the culminating performances at Eastman School of Music’s largest performance venue, Kodak Hall.

All-State Ensemble

Vreeland Tuncer ’26, mixed chorus

Alexander Rivas ’25, trumpet, wind ensemble

Leon Zhou ’26, viola, symphony orchestra (and selected as principal)

Samantha Lee ’25, alternate, viola

James Ding ’26, alternate, violin

Six students earned places in the Westchester County Area All-State Ensembles. They were selected based on their performances of distinction at last spring’s Solo Festival.

Westchester Area All-State Ensemble

Aarush Dey ’27, tenor, mixed chorus

James Ding ’26, violin, string orchestra

Taeko Fueno ’25, violin, symphony orchestra

Samantha Lee ’25, viola, string orchestra

Alexander Rivas ’25, trumpet, band

Vreeland Tuncer ’26, alto, treble chorus

Leon Zhou ’26, viola, symphony orchestra

WESTCHESTER COUNTY SCHOOL MUSIC ASSOCIATION HONORS

Westchester County School Music Association (WCSMA) is a county unit of the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) and the National Association for Music Educators.

Nicholas Neubardt ’28, Natalie Zhu ’28, and William Z. ’31 were selected for the Westchester County School Music Association (WCSMA)

All-County Ensembles for students in Grades 7-9. On March 8, they performed at New Rochelle High School under the batons of several renowned conductors.

Intermediate Band: Natalie Zhu ’28 (Flute)

Elementary Band: William Z. ’31 (Bb Clarinet)

Intermediate Band: Nicholas Neubardt ’28 (Bass Clarinet)

Bass player Jack Herzog ’26 was selected for one of Westchester County School Music Association’s 2025 All-County HS Jazz Bands. Jack’s group was led by renowned bassist Dr. Anthony Macelli during their performance at Hommocks Middle School in Mamaroneck on March 21.

PERFORMING ARTS ACCOLADES FOR US MUSICAL HEAD OVER HEELS

The Upper School musical production of Head Over Heels took home a number of awards last spring.

2025 METRO AWARDS

This annual awards program honors excellence in high school music theater across Rockland, Westchester, Putnam, and Bergen counties. Nominated for a total of six categories, Head Over Heels was a favorite of the Metros, and Dominique Alvarez ’26 performed live in a medley with the other nominated actresses.

• Outstanding Comedic Performance by a Male-Identifying Performer: Colin Lauri ’25 as King Basilius

• Outstanding Performance of a Small Group Number: Rosie Isiyel ’25, Haley Millowitz ’27, and Dominique Alvarez ’26 for Good Girl

MONTCLAIR STATE

UNIVERSITY’S

2025 THEATRE NIGHT AWARDS

Recognizing excellence in high school theatre across the tri-state area, the Theatre Night Awards honor the accomplishments of individual achievement of both students and educators in the areas of performance, direction, design and technical theatre, as well as outstanding productions. RCDS received a total of 16 nominations for its two Upper School productions from the 2024-25 school year—six nominations for the play The Ver**zon Play and ten nominations for Head Over Heels

• Outstanding Production of a Broadway Musical from 2017-2024: Head Over Heels, Rye Country Day School

• Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Broadway Musical from 2017-2024: Colin Lauri ’25 as King Basilius

In addition to these achievements, the Theatre Night Awards announced at the ceremony that RCDS received honors in the Overall Categories, which consider all of the competing genres and individual schools. From the Overall Categories, Head Over Heels earned two more awards.

• Overall Outstanding Achievement by an Acting Ensemble in a Competitive Production of a Musical: The Cast of Head Over Heels, Rye Country Day School

• Risk Taking in Direction of a Musical Award: Jeff Hogan, Upper School Drama Teacher

In the Overall Categories, the School received two additional surprise nominations, in addition to its previous 16 nominations. Three individuals were recognized as some of the highest-scoring performers across all genres and schools, while RCDS was honored as one of the highestscoring productions across all genres and schools.

• Outstanding Overall Performance by a Pre-Professional Actor/Actress: Colin Lauri ’25 as King Basilius Haley Millowitz ’27 as Pamela Dominique Alvarez ’26 as Mopsa

• Outstanding Overall Production: Head Over Heels, Rye Country Day School

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES & RECOGNITIONS

The string quartet Solenne—featuring Emma Camillo ’27, James Ding ’26, Emma Maini ’27, and Leon Zhou ’26—was selected to perform at the 5th Annual Westchester/Hudson Valley/ Connecticut Semi-Final Regional Young Musicians Concert in Bronxville. The students gave a spirited performance of “American Quartet” and were one of eight ensembles in the region selected to perform by The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Solenne is part of the Honors String Orchestra program, taught by RCDS Orchestra Director Keith Burton.

Rosie Isiyel ’25 sang with the National Honors Choir Scholars, the NCC’s most advanced college-preparatory ensemble. She was also selected as a Vocal Fellow, NCC’s leadership program for top singers. This past spring, Rosie was honored to perform a solo at Carnegie Hall (Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage) in Ahlan Wa Sahlan by Kyle Pederson. She also performed with NCC at the Cherry Blossom Festival (alongside RCDS student Chiara Perkins ’28) and on the Today Show. Rosie proudly graduated from NCC with cum laude honors.

Lucius Liu ’26 participated in prestigious summer programs at Tanglewood and Julliard.

Juliette Moore ’27 and her “Stolen Roots” flute quartet were selected for the National Association for the 2025 Music EducationEastern Division Young Composers Showcase. Juliette was also selected for Chamber Music

Masterclass with New York Philharmonic violinist Audrey Wright. Lastly, she was accepted into a Composition Masterclass with composers Nils Vigeland & Matt Browne.

Vreeland Tuncer ’26 attended the prestigious Boston University Tanglewood Institute in the summer of 2025. She performed in Tosca with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and world-renowned opera singers, including Bryn Terfel. Vreeland also performed with her choir in Seiji Ozawa Hall and the Koussevitsky Shed with BUTI. Finally, she got selected to be part of a smaller choral chamber group at BUTI to perform Brahms works at Seiji Ozawa Hall.

Leon Zhou ’26 was accepted and participated in the Juilliard Pre-College Conservatory in the spring of 2025. In the summer of 2025, Leon attended Meadowmount School of Music Summer Program with a merit scholarship. He was one of just 180 musicians that Meadowmount accepts annually. In addition, Leon placed first in the Elite International Music Competition (February 2025), The Vivo International Music Competition (April 2025), and the International Grande Music Competition (April 2025).

VISUAL ARTS

KATONAH ART MUSEUM YOUNG ARTISTS

10 RCDS Seniors were featured in the Young Artists Exhibition at Katonah Art Museum This annual showcase gives aspiring artists who are seniors in high school an opportunity to work behind-the-scenes to produce a KMA exhibition.

Melanie Asness ’25, Willow Edwards ’25, Maria Flores ’25, Julia Heintz ’25, Anika Kini ’25, Sophia Lynch ’25, Leo Roth ’25, Jude Sadler ’25, Ainslie Whitman ’25, and Lauren Slovin ’25

NY-16 CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION

Juliette Moore ’27 was selected as a runner-up in the NY-16 Congressional Art Competition. Her piece Washed Away will be displayed in Congressman George Latimer’s DC and White Plains offices for the next year. The annual Congressional Arts Competition, which is sponsored by the Congressional Institute, recognizes and encourages artistic talent in high school students across the nation in each congressional district. Rep. Latimer held a reception at the Neuberger Museum of Art for

the 29 young artists who submitted pieces for the annual Congressional Art Competition. The artwork was judged by three local members of the art community: Kathleen Reckling, CEO of ArtsWestchester; Evan Bishop, Executive Director of Yonkers Arts; and Stephanie Germosen Salazar, a local artist. Earlier in the year, Juliette was recognized by Playbill for her cover design for the Drama Department’s fall play production of The Ver**zon Play. Featured in Playbill’s November 14 article “10 Creative PLAYBILLDER Covers from Around the Country,” Juliette’s cover was among wellregarded designs from American elementary, high school, community, and regional theatres.

NEW YORK ALLIANCE FILM FESTIVAL

Twelve Upper School film students took home the first-place prize in several categories in the New York Alliance Film Festival (NYAFF). The students were recognized at the awards ceremony, which was held in the Black Box Theater on RCDS’s campus in June. The goal of NYAFF is to connect aspiring student filmmakers with their peers from other

independent schools in New York State. After writing, shooting, producing, and editing their 10-minute or longer film, students submit the final product and a trailer.

Amanda Gui ’27

Best Female Filmmaker, Gold Medal in Animation Grace by Joy Harjo (Poetry Film)

Tenth grader Amanda Gui ’27 wrote, directed, and produced this short film as her personal interpretation of the Joy Harjo poem of the same name, Grace. In April, the film was featured in the Yale Student Film Festival and the Poetry Film Festival. In June, it was showcased at Lighthouse International Film Festival, which celebrates film’s power to bridge cultures and illuminate the universality of the human experience. Grace was later named an official selection for the All-American High School Film Festival. As an official selection out of thousands of submissions, Amanda’s film will be screened at the AMC Empire 25 Theater in Times Square from October 17-19 and will be in the running to receive national recognition as a category finalist or winner.

Tara McIntosh ’25

Gold Medal in Documentary Slurry (Film)

Nick Arakas ’25, Esaias Gonzalez ’25, Josh Greene ’25, Jack Herzog ’26, James Kolodner ’25, Junjun Li ’26, Sejal Mackey ’27, Chaim Sciamma ’27, Vreeland Tuncer ’26, Aleida Vargas ’26

Gold Medal in Drama

What Happened to Us (Film)

OTHER HONORS

Lincoln Feng ’26 received a First Class Distinction from New York for the 2025 Achievement Awards in Writing hosted by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). THE NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing recognize and encourage outstanding student writing from high school sophomores and juniors. Lincoln was among 680 nominated students from the United States, China, Guatemala, Jordan, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Thailand. The writing prompt asked the young writers to describe how literature has the potential to heal readers.

Emma Wolff ’29 was awarded a Village Bookstore Prize for her dramatic script, Social Media Storm. Presented by the Village Bookstore of Pleasantville, NY, and local author Joe Wallace, this recognition aims to empower middle school writers who demonstrate exemplary skill and promise in their writing abilities, and to encourage their interest in and love for the craft.

In June, Natisse Marrero-Cruz ’26 received a Suzanne C. Murphy Scholarship Award from the Rye Youth Council. This local program, celebrated during an annual awards breakfast, honors seniors who have exemplified service, giving to their community, and connection. The Suzanne C. Murphy Memorial Scholarship Award recognizes a student who has courageously accepted personal challenges and used their inner strength to graciously move forward with a commitment to being of service to others. Emilie Murphy, Ms. Murphy’s daughter who funds the award and attends the breakfast, hopes that each year two students are selected as awardees–one from Rye High School and the other from Rye Country Day School.

Alex Gurion ’26 was named a Coolidge Senator by the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation. The Coolidge Senators Program recognizes the top 100 Coolidge Scholarship applicants, out of a national pool of almost 5,000, who demonstrate exceptional academic accomplishments, an interest in public policy, and a commitment to public service. As a Coolidge Senator, Alex received a one-time college scholarship award and participated in the annual Coolidge Senators Summit in Plymouth Notch, Vermont, Calvin Coolidge’s hometown.

In March, 14 seventh- and eighth-grade students traveled to the Ethical Fieldston School to participate in Ethical MUN (Model United

Nations). Four RCDS students were recognized:

• Bianca Gupta ’29 received Honorable Mention for her role as Todd Spodek in the Anna Delvey Scandal

• Nina Kietlinski ’29 earned an Outstanding Delegate award for her role as Paul O’Leary in the Anna Delvey Scandal

• Helena Pierry ’29 received Honorable Mention for her role as Veronica Williams in Sorority Rush Tiktok

• Ian Z. ’30 earned the Best Delegate award for his role as Prime Minister Lee Beom-seok in the Korean War representing South Korea

11 Upper School students from Rye Country Day School were named recipients of the College Board National Recognition Program. The recognitions highlight the academic achievements of students who are African American or Black, Hispanic or Latinx, Indigenous or Native American, first-generation, and/or rural or small town residents.

• Maria Flores ’25 - National Hispanic Recognition Award

• Joaquin Gonzalez ’25 - National Hispanic Recognition Award, National African American Recognition Award

• Mia Herz ’26 - National Hispanic Recognition Award

• Isabella Jolicoeur ’25 - National African American Recognition Award

• Francisco Luz ’25 - National Hispanic Recognition Award

• Harrison Millan ’26 - National Hispanic Recognition Award

• Skyla Perez ’26 - National Hispanic Recognition Award, National First-Generation Recognition Award

• Nico Stefanoni ’25 - National Hispanic Recognition Award

• Noah Tabossi Zugman ’26 - National Hispanic Recognition Award

• Eliana Thomas ’26 - National African American Recognition Award

• Christopher Yepes ’25 - National Hispanic Recognition Award

Cason Dean ’26 was named a recipient of the U.S. Department of State’s National Security Language Institute for Youth (NSLI-Y) scholarship, a fully funded program to study Mandarin in Taiwan for seven weeks. NSLI-Y, a program of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), promotes the study of Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Persian (Tajiki), Russian, or Turkish. Cason was one of 440 students selected for the NSLI-Y scholarship from a national pool of thousands of U.S. high school applicants. While in Taiwan, Cason will live with a host family, immerse in the local culture and host community, and engage with local peers to enhance language learning, and represent American culture as a citizen ambassador. Launched in 2006 as part of a multi-agency U.S. Government initiative, NSLI-Y increases the number of young Americans with the critical language skills necessary to contribute to U.S national security and economic competitiveness. NSLI-Y is administered by American Councils for International Education in cooperation with AFS-USA, American Cultural Exchange Service, Amideast, iEARN-USA, Stony Brook University, and the University of Delaware.

Wes Lichtenstein ’27 was among the 20 Westchester high school students recognized by St. Vincent’s Hospital Westchester as outstanding student volunteers at the 33rd Annual Youth Awards on March 13. In addition to receiving the St. Vincent’s Youth Award, each student had the honor of being presented the U.S. Congressional Certificate of Achievement by Congressman George Latimer. Wes was honored for his volunteer work with the Port Chester-Rye-Rye Brook EMS’ Explorers Program and The New York Academy of Sciences Junior Science Academy.

In December, Blake James ’25 was named one of 1,336 high school seniors selected as semifinalists in the highly-competitive national Coca-Cola Scholars Program. Coca-Cola Scholars Program Semifinalists represent the top 1.27% of applicants who demonstrate exceptional academic performance, leadership, and service. The program recognizes students in their final year of high school who have a capacity to lead, as well as a commitment to making a significant impact on their schools and communities.

TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS

GIRLS’ VARSITY GOLF: 2025 NYSAIS Champions

GIRLS’ VARSITY LACROSSE: 2025 NYSAIS Champions (2nd consecutive)

GIRLS’ VARSITY TRACK & FIELD: 2025 FAA Champions (3rd consecutive), 2025 Westchester County Class C Champions

CLAIRE YU ’25 AND JADE ZHAO ’29 EARN LOHUD GIRLS’ GOLF ALL-STAR HONORS

In June, Claire Yu ’25 and Jade Zhao ’29 were named to the lohud Girls’ Golf All-Star team. Claire received First Team honors, with Jade earning Second Team honors.

This concludes a terrific season for both Claire and Jade, who helped RCDS win the 2025 NYSAIS title and both earned FAA All-League honors. Additionally, Claire was named the 2025 NYSAIS Individual Champion and Jade placed third in the NYS Federation Tournament.

The lohud All-Star First and Second Teams each featured six golfers. There were an additional nine honorable mentions to highlight the top 21 golfers in Rockland, Westchester, and Putnam counties.

FIRST TEAM ALLSTATE HONORS

Esaias Gonzalez ’25, Jocelyn Rice ’27, Amir Hogans ’26, Keira Zheng ’25, Bruce Jin ’28, Tyler Perry ’25, Boys’ 4x100m Relay Team, Girls’ 4x100m Relay Team, and Girls’ 4x400m Relay Team all earned First Team All-State honors for their outstanding performance at the NYSAIS Championship.

ANIKA

BHAT ’25 AND CLAIRE

TRACK & FIELD TEAM GARNERS SIX LOHUD ALL-STARS

In July, Maleah Dunkley ’27, Mary Grace Eubanks ’25, Amir Hogans ’26, Payton Richardson ’28, Jocelyn Rice ’27, and Keira Zheng ’25 all received lohud Track & Field All-Star honors. This distinction features the top track and field athletes in Westchester and Putnam counties. Below are each athlete’s honors in their respective events.

Amir Hogans ’26: Shot Put Honorable Mention

Payton Richardson ’28: 200m Second Team

Jocelyn Rice ’27: Long Jump Second Team

Keira Zheng ’25: 400m Hurdles Honorable Mention

Maleah Dunkley ’27, Mary Grace Eubanks ’25, Payton Richardson ’28, Keira Zheng ’25: 4x100m Relay Honorable Mention

JIANG ’26 RECEIVE BASKETBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK HONORS

Anika Bhat ’25 and Claire Jiang ’26 received honors from the Basketball Coaches Association of New York (BCANY).

Anika was named to the BCANY Private School All-Section First Team and also received Academic All-State honors. All-Section honors are awarded to players who are named to an AllStar team by their league, section, or local media and receive the highest number of votes from BCANY member coaches within their section.

Claire earned BCANY Academic All-State recognition. To qualify for Academic All-State, a student-athlete must be a sophomore, junior, or senior on the varsity basketball team, maintain a scholastic average of 90 or higher, and be selected to an All-Star team by their league, section, or local media.

ATHLETICS

INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS

BOYS’ TRACK & FIELD

Dorel Dunkley ’25 was the 2025 FAA Boys’ Track & Field Discus Champion

Joaquin Gonzalez ’25 was the 2025 FAA Boys’ Track & Field Triple Jump Champion

GIRLS’ GOLF:

Claire Yu ’25 was the 2025 NYSAIS Girls’ Golf Individual Champion

GIRLS’ TRACK & FIELD

Jocelyn Rice ’27 was the 2025 FAA Girls’ Track & Field Long Jump Champion

Payton Richardson ’28 was the 2025 NYSAIS Girls’ Track & Field Champion in the 400m. She was also the 2025 NYS Federation Track & Field Class

C 200m Champion. Lastly, she was the 2025 FAA Girls’ Track & Field Champion in the 200m and 400m.

Keira Zheng ’25 was the 2025 FAA Girls’ Track & Field 100m Hurdles Champion

The 4x100m Relay of Alexa Daddi-Melino ’25, Maleah Dunkley ’25, Payton Richardson ’28, and Keira Zheng ’25 were the 2025 FAA Girls’ Track & Field 4x100m Relay Champions.

The 4x400m Relay of Payton Richardson ’28, Kayla Rosen ’28, Keira Zheng ’25, and Natalie Zhu ’28 were the 2025 FAA Girls’ Track & Field 4x400m Relay Champions.

Pictured from top left:

TRACK & FIELD MEDALISTS NYSAIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Esaias Gonzalez ’25: 3rd in 400m hurdles

Amir Hogans ’26: 4th in shot put

Bruce Jin ’28: 3rd in 3000m steeplechase

Tyler Perry ’25: 4th in 100m

Jocelyn Rice ’27: 2nd in long jump

Keira Zheng ’25: 4th in 400m hurdles

Boys’ 4x100m Relay Team (Michael Allen ’27, Raihan Bhuiya ’25, Joaquin Gonzalez ’25, Tyler Perry ’25): 2nd place

Girls’ 4x100m Relay Team (Maleah Dunkley ’27, Mary Grace Eubanks ’25, Payton Richardson ’28, Keira Zheng ’25): 2nd place

Girls’ 4x400m Relay Team (Jocelyn Rice ’27, Payton Richardson ’28, Kayla Rosen ’28, Keira Zheng ’25): 4th place

Later in June, select athletes from the Varsity Track & Field team competed at the NYS Federation Track & Field Meet, held at Middletown High School. Payton Richardson ’28 and the Boys’ 4x100m Relay team of Michael Allen ’27, Raihan Bhuiya ’25, Joaquin Gonzalez ’25, and Tyler Perry ’25, each earned medals in their respective events. Payton captured the Class C title in the 200m with a time of 24.73, and went on to place third overall in New York State, clocking in at 24.72 in the final.

The Boys’ 4x100m Relay team delivered a season-best time of 43.14, finishing third in Class C and earning the bronze medal, 0.05 seconds shy of the school record.

FAIRCHESTER ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

SCHOLAR-ATHLETE

Rahul Arora ’25, Alexa Daddi-Melino ’25, Henry Fogel ’25, Amelie Goacher ’25, and Ari Israel ’25 were named Fairchester Athletic Association Scholar-Athletes. The FAA Scholar-Athlete Award is presented to seniors who have reached the highest academic standards, while playing a minimum of two varsity sports and earning FAA All-League honors. FAA Scholar-Athletes take the most challenging courses and place in the top 20% of their senior class.

During the 2024-25 school year, Rahul participated in Football, Indoor Track and Field, and Outdoor Track and Field. He was a part of the Outdoor Track and Field 4x400m Relay Team that earned FAA All-League honors.

Last school year, Alexa was a member of the Girls’ Soccer Team, Indoor Track and Field Team, and Outdoor Track and Field Team. She was a member of the Outdoor Track and Field 4x100m Relay Team, which was crowned the FAA Champion, earning FAA All-League honors.

Henry was on the Boys’ Squash Team and Boys’ Golf Team and earned FAA All-League honors and earned FAA AllLeague honors for Squash

Amelie was a member of the Cross Country Team, Indoor Track and Field Team, and Outdoor Track and Field Team. She earned FAA All-League First Team for Cross Country.

Ari was a member of the Boys’ Ice Hockey team and the Boys’ Lacrosse team. He earned FAA All-League First Team Honors and the Maria Effinger Coaches Award during hockey season. He also earned FAA All-League Second Team honors for Lacrosse.

NICKY SMITH ’25 EARNS LOHUD BOYS’ GOLF ALL-STAR SECOND TEAM HONORS

In June, RCDS Boys’ Golf Standout Nicky Smith ’25 received lohud Boys’ Golf All-Star Second Team honors. This concludes a fantastic senior season for Nicky, who also received FAA All-League Second Team honors.

The lohud All-Star Second Team featured five other golfers. There were 16 honorable mentions with six athletes featured on the First Team to highlight the top 28 golfers in Rockland, Westchester, and Putnam counties.

ELLE MASON ’27 & MAYA TORGALKAR ’27 EARN ALLAMERICAN LACROSSE HONORS

On Tuesday, June 10, two RCDS Lacrosse standouts, Elle Mason ’27 and Maya Torgalkar ’27, received All-American honors from the New York Long Island Independent All-American teams. Eligibility for the AllAmerican title is reserved for the best players in a region who are All-State or All-League honorees, exemplars of superior skills and sportsmanship. The duo had outstanding seasons, each surpassing 100 career goals and helping the team secure its second straight NYSAIS championship. This marks the second consecutive season that Maya has earned All-American honors.

ATHLETICS

POINT MILESTONES!

On Wednesday, May 21, Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse standout Sarah Anderson ’27 recorded her 200th career point in the team’s 17-5 NYSAIS Championship victory over Fieldston. This is yet another accolade for Sarah as she also recorded her 100th career goal on May 16, helping the team secure a 15-3 NYSAIS Quarterfinals win over Stony Brook.

During the course of the 2025 season, Sarah Anderson ’27, Sydney Cohn ’25, Elle Mason ’27, and Maya Torgalkar ’27 all accomplished a tremendous feat, surpassing 100 career goals.

On April 16, Elle Mason ’27 reached a significant milestone by scoring her 100th career goal in the team’s 15–5 victory over St. Luke’s.

Just two weeks later, on April 30, Maya Torgalkar ’27 achieved the same impressive feat, netting her 100th career goal during a commanding 14–4 win against Trinity.

Continuing the streak of accomplishments, Sydney Cohn ’25 recorded her 100th career goal on May 2, contributing to the team’s 7–6 win over Harrison.

During the course of the 2025 season, Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse standout Joseph Rafferty ’26 reached two impressive milestones: He scored his 100th career goal and surpassed 200 career points.

Throughout the 2025 spring season, Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse standout Milin Torgalkar ’26 achieved two remarkable milestones: scoring his 100th career goal and exceeding 200 career points.

CLASS OF 2025 COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENT-ATHLETES

Eight members of the Class of 2025 will continue their academic and athletic careers at the collegiate level. The RCDS community is excited to support our Wildcats as they take the next step in their athletic careers.

Pictured from top left:

Willow Edwards ’25, Colgate University, Softball

Henry Fogel ’25, University of Pennsylvania, Squash

James Kolodner ’25, Wesleyan University, Rowing

Lily Smith ’25, Colorado College, Soccer

Nicky Smith ’25, Williams College, Golf

Autumn Tombline ’25, University of Rhode Island, Volleyball

Turner Wolf ’25, United States Naval Academy, Squash

Keira Zheng ’25, Washington University, Track & Field

TEN VARSITY FIELD HOCKEY PLAYERS NAMED TO THE NFHCA HIGH SCHOOL ACADEMIC SQUAD, THREE EARN SCHOLARS OF DISTINCTION RECOGNITION

Ten RCDS Varsity Field Hockey players were named to the NFHCA 2024-25 High School Academic Squad. The program recognizes seniors and juniors who have achieved a cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 or higher through the first semester of the current academic year.

Pictured from top left:

Ellie Block ’25

Dylan Fenyes ’26

Sahar Harris ’26

Julia Heintz ’25

Mia Herz ’26 - Scholar of Distinction

Allie Hine ’25

Clare Keating ’26

Kate Keating ’26 - Scholar of Distinction

Evie Shurslep ’25

Emma Silberstein ’25 - Scholar of Distinction

Additionally, Emma Silberstein ’25, Mia Herz ’26, and Kate Keating ’26 were recognized as Scholars of Distinction, an honor awarded to students who have achieved a minimum cumulative, unweighted gradepoint average of 3.9 out of 4.0 through the semester of the 2024-25 school year.

SPRING 2025 VARSITY SPORTS AWARDS

On Thursday, May 29, the RCDS Athletic Department hosted the Spring Sports Awards, honoring and celebrating varsity athletes. It was an exciting season for the Wildcats, with three teams winning championships. Each team’s athletes were celebrated with a variety of awards including All-League Honors, Coaches Award, Wildcat Award, and more.

ATHLETICS SPIRIT AWARD

The 2025 Spring Managers (Allie Hine ’25, Lydia Sussman ’26, and Lila Woodruff ’27)

BASEBALL

FAA ALL-LEAGUE FIRST TEAM:

Teddy Cooper ’25

FAA ALL-LEAGUE SECOND TEAM: Harry Holtman ’26, Brodie Moye ’25

FAA HONORABLE MENTION:

Christopher Emmet ’25

ALL-NEPSAC ALL-LEAGUE: Teddy Cooper ’25

ALL-NEPSAC HONORABLE MENTION: Brodie Moye ’25

COACHES AWARD: Blake James ’25, Christopher Emmet ’25 & Brodie Moye ’25

WILDCAT AWARD: Teddy Cooper ’25

2026 CAPTAINS: Harry Holtman ’26, Jackson Koslow ’26, Ryan Shurgin ’26

BOYS’ GOLF

FAA ALL-LEAGUE SECOND TEAM: Nicky Smith ’25

FAA HONORABLE MENTION: Johnny Gasparro ’25

COACHES AWARD: Johnny Gasparro ’25

WILDCAT AWARD: Nicky Smith ’25 2026 CAPTAINS: Miles Dinger ’26, Drew Mulderry ’26

GIRLS’ GOLF

2025 NYSAIS CHAMPIONS

2025 NYSAIS INDIVIDUAL CHAMPION: Claire Yu ’25

FAA ALL-LEAGUE: Claire Yu ’25, Jade Zhao ’29

FAA HONORABLE MENTION: Kayla Parameswaran ’26

FEDERATION TOURNAMENT: Jade Zhao ’29

COACHES AWARD: Kayla Parameswaran ’26

WILDCAT AWARD: Claire Yu ’25

2026 CAPTAINS: Mia Herz ’26, Kayla Parameswaran ’26

BOYS’ LACROSSE

FAA ALL-LEAGUE FIRST TEAM: Joseph Rafferty ’26, Milin Torgalkar ’26

FAA ALL-LEAGUE SECOND TEAM: Ari Israel ’25, Alexander Vlasto ’28

FAA HONORABLE MENTION: Sebastian Rafferty ’27

FRANK EFFINGER COACHES AWARD: James Murphy ’25

RAY KONOPKA WILDCAT AWARD: Joseph Rafferty ’26

2026 CAPTAINS: William Hawkey ’27, Charlie Pearle ’26, Milin Torgalkar ’26

100 CAREER GOALS: Joseph Rafferty ’26, Milin Torgalkar ’27

200 CAREER POINTS: Joseph Rafferty ’26, Milin Torgalkar ’27

GIRLS’ LACROSSE:

2025 NYSAIS CHAMPIONS (Second consecutive)

ALL-NEPSAC ALL-LEAGUE: Bailey Donovan ’27, Maya Torgalkar ’27, Elle Mason ’27

ALL-NEPSAC HONORABLE MENTION: Sarah Anderson ’27, Ailey Denson ’28, Clare Keating ’26

DENISE FRANCELLA COACHES AWARD: Clare Keating ’26

WILDCAT AWARD: Sydney Cohn ’25

2026 CAPTAINS: Nola Coady ’26, Clare Keating ’26, Kate Keating ’26

100 CAREER GOALS: Sarah Anderson ’27, Sydney Cohn ’25, Elle Mason ’27, Maya Torgalkar ’27

200 CAREER POINTS: Sarah Anderson ’27

SAILING

GIL CASTAGNA COACHES AWARD: Zack Wirth ’27

RYAN B. MAHONEY WILDCAT AWARD: Connor Rusch ’25

2026 CAPTAINS: Sara Komaroff ’27, Frank Zingg ’26

SOFTBALL

FAA ALL-LEAGUE SECOND TEAM: Elana Gershwin ’26

FAA HONORABLE MENTION: Molly Hart ’27

ALL-NEPSAC HONORABLE MENTION: Dani Winter ’26

WNEPSGSBA ALL-LEAGUE: Elana Gershwin ’26

COACHES AWARD: Dani Winter ’26

WILDCAT AWARD: Elana Gershwin ’26

2026 CAPTAINS: Elana Gershwin ’26, Molly Hart ’27, Dani Winter ’26

BOYS’ TENNIS

FAA ALL-LEAGUE: Christopher Estill ’28, Fracisco Luz ’25, Darren Wong ’26

FAA HONORABLE MENTION: Lucas Goldman ’28

COACHES AWARD: Christopher Estill ’28

WILDCAT AWARD: Francisco Luz ’25

2026 CAPTAINS: Lincoln Feng ’26, Darren Wong ’26

GIRLS’ TENNIS

FAA ALL-LEAGUE: Eda Buyuk ’27, Ana Petricone ’25, Aayna Upadhyay ’28, Kaitlyn Wong ’27

FAA HONORABLE MENTION: Tara McIntosh ’25

ALL-NEPSAC ALL-LEAGUE: Ana Petricone ’25

COACHES AWARD: Emily Cheigh ’25

WILDCAT AWARD: Ana Petricone ’25

2026 CAPTAINS: Maggie Ben-Meir ’26, Arianna Toussi ’26

BOYS’ TRACK & FIELD

FAA ALL-LEAGUE: Raihan Bhuiya ’25 (100m), Dorel Dunkley ’25 (FAA - Discus Champion), Esaias Gonzalez ’25 (300m hurdles), Joaquin Gonzalez ’25 (FAA - Triple Jump Champion, Long Jump), Amir Hogans ’26 (Shot Put and Discus), Tyler Perry ’25 (200m), Shamar Williams ’25 (Triple Jump), 4x100m

Relay: (Michael Allen ’27, Raihan Bhuiya ’25, Joaquin Gonzalez ’25, Tyler Perry ’25), 4x400m Relay: (Rahul Arora ’25, Esaias Gonzalez ’25, Tyler Perry ’25, Christopher Yepes ’25)

FAA HONORABLE MENTION:

Cole Haft - Abromovitch ’28 (Discus)

FIRST TEAM ALL-STATE: 4x100m Relay Team (Michael Allen ’27, Raihan Bhuiya ’25, Joaquin Gonzalez ’25, Tyler Perry ’25), Esaias Gonzalez ’25 (400m Hurdles), Amir Hogans ’26 (Shot Put), Bruce Jin ’28 (3000m Steeplechase), Tyler Perry ’25 (100m)

NYS FEDERATION QUALIFIER: 4x100 Relay Team (Michael Allen ’27, Raihan Bhuiya ’25, Joaquin Gonzalez ’25, Tyler Perry ’25)

COACHES AWARD: Christopher Yepes ’25

WILDCAT AWARD: Tyler Perry ’25

2026 CAPTAINS: Michael Allen ’27, Marshall Brown ’28, Adriel Appiah-Gyasi ’26, Alexander Terranova ’26

GIRLS’ TRACK & FIELD

2025 FAA CHAMPIONS (Third consecutive)

2025 WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLASS C CHAMPIONS

FAA CHAMPION

4X100M RELAY: Alexa Daddi-Melino ’25, Maleah Dunkley ’27, Payton Richardson ’28, Keira Zheng ’25

4X400M RELAY: Payton Richardson ’28, Kayla Rosen ’28, Keira Zheng ’25, Natalie Zhu ’28

FAA ALL-LEAGUE: Alexa Daddi-Melino ’25 (100m Hurdles), Maleah Dunkley ’27 (100m), Mary Grace Eubanks ’25 (Triple Jump, 300m), Jocelyn Rice ’27 (FAA Long Jump Champion, 100m, 200m), Payton Richardson ’28 (FAA 200m Champion, FAA 400m Champion), Gabriela Schlumberger ’25 (High Jump), Keira Zheng ’25 (FAA 100m Hurdles Champion, 300m Hurdles)

FAA HONORABLE MENTION: Susie Geller ’25 (High Jump)

NYSAIS CHAMPION: Payton Richardson ’28 (400m)

FIRST TEAM ALL-STATE: Jocelyn Rice ’27 (Long Jump), Payton Richardson ’28 (200m), Keira Zheng ’25 (400m Hurdles), (4x100m Relay: Maleah Dunkley ’27, Mary Grace Eubanks ’25, Payton Richardson ’28, Keira Zheng ’25), (4x400m Relay: Jocelyn Rice ’27, Payton Richardson ’28, Kayla Rosen ’28, Keira Zheng ’25)

NYS FEDERATION QUALIFIER

4X100M RELAY: Maleah Dunkley ’27, Mary Grace Eubanks ’25, Payton Richardson ’28, Keira Zheng ’25

COACHES AWARD: Keira Zheng ’25

WILDCAT AWARD: Payton Richardson ’28 2026 CAPTAINS: Alexandra Lynch ’27, Vivian Yao ’27

GO, WILDCATS!

ANNUAL EMPLOYEE

TEA CELEBRATES OUTSTANDING FACULTY & STAFF CONTRIBUTIONS FACULTY AWARDS

ANNIVERSARIES

30 Years of Service

Angela Monti

Main Entrance Receptionist

20 Years of Service

Jennifer DeVito

Upper School Librarian

Meredith deChabert

Assistant Head of School for Academics, Institutional Research, and Data

Joan Kubisch

Upper School Spanish Teacher

Caryn Olson

Lower School Grade 4 Teacher

Ethan White

Upper School Humanities Teacher

RETIREES

Stephen Tofano

MS Manual Arts Teacher (27 years of service)

Lizanne Rosenzweig P’03, P’06, P’11

MS Spanish Teacher (21 years of service)

Joan Kubisch

US Spanish Teacher (20 years of service)

AWARDS

Seniority Fellowship

Awardedtofacultyandstaffwhohaveserved RyeCountryDayforover10yearsareeligiblefor oneoffiveSeniorityFellowships.

Monique Caterina

Lower School Kindergarten Teacher

Sarah Danziger

Classics Department Chair and Upper School

Latin Teacher

Clemmie Everett

Humanities Department Chair, Upper School Humanities Teacher

Ryan Horton

Middle School Language Arts Teacher

Tim Silverman

Grades 5 & 6 Dean, Middle School Spanish Teacher, Middle School Seek Teacher

Will McCurdy Memorial Award

Establishedin2015inmemoryofWillMcCurdy’05. Giveninrecognitionofoutstandingadvisingin theUpperSchool.

Meaghan O’Brien, Upper School Science Teacher

Angelo Bove, Upper School Science Teacher

Carol Lichtenfeld Memorial Award

Establishedin2019inmemoryofRCDSTeacher CarolLichtenfeld.Giveninrecognitionof outstandingMiddleSchooladvising.

Beatrice DeSabatino, Middle School Latin Teacher

Lower School Advising Award

Establishedin2022torecognizeaLowerSchool teacherwhowentaboveandbeyondinsupport of students.

Kristin Kassay, Lower School Fourth Grade Teacher

Frank Effinger Outstanding Coaching Award

Establishedin2013byAdamFriedlander’79in honoroflongtimeRCDSCoachandFieldHouse DirectorFrankEffinger.Giveninrecognitionof amemberoftheRCDScoachingstafffortheir outstandingservicetoRCDS.

Elani Landman, Director of Squash, Coach

Linda Grossman Award

Establishedin2010inhonorofLindaGrossman, Administrative Assistant to the Head of School. Giveninrecognitionofastaffmemberfortheir outstandingservicetoRCDS.

Mike Kenny, Director of Security

ENDOWED CHAIRS

TheRyeCountryDayEndowedFacultyChair programwasestablishedtohonorandreward outstandingteachersinallthreedivisionsofthe School.Thefollowingendowedchairsrotate everythreeyears.

Brockman Lower School Chair

Karen Cosgrove, Lower School Grade 2 Teacher (2025-2026 - First Year)

RCDS PA Chair

Craig Barasona-Burt, Grade 10 Dean, Upper School Science Teacher (2025-2026 - Second Year)

English Department Chair

Andres Cerpa, Grade 11 Dean, Upper School English Teacher (2025-2026 - Second Year)

Class of 2006 Chair

Charlotte Green, Upper School Humanities Teacher (2025-2026 - First Year)

Wachenheim Family Chair

Clemmie Everett - Upper School Humanities Department Chair & Teacher (Third Year)

Kyle Mitschele, Middle School Social Studies Department Chair (Third Year)

Lower School Chair

Amy Haff, Lower School Grade 1 Teacher (2025-2026 - First Year)

Middle School Chair

Tammy McKenna, Middle School Learning Specialist (2025-2026 - First Year)

Heather Russell, Middle School Math Teacher (2025-2026 - Second Year)

COHEN FELLOWSHIP FOR EXCELLENCE & INNOVATION

Through yearly Cohen Fellowship for Excellence & Innovation grants, Rye Country Day School actively advances the School’s commitment to pedagogical excellence and continual professional growth for employees. These grants afford Cohen Fellows the opportunity to develop their passion for education and stay current in their individual fields through innovative knowledge acquisition. Through the personal and professional endeavors associated with the receipt of this award, Cohen Fellows help the School to build upon its tradition of excellence through creativity and innovation. RCDS gratefully acknowledges the generosity of The Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation in the establishment of these transformative grants.

Lauren Behar, Lower School Art Teacher

Tatum Bell, Grade 9 Dean, Upper School

English Teacher

Kaitlin Moore, Senior Associate Director of Marketing & Communications

John Calandros, Physical Education Teacher, Coach

Charlotte Fleischman ’16, Lower School

Associate Teacher, Coach

Michelle Graziosa, Pre-Kindergarten Teacher

Leif Halverson, Upper School Learning Specialist

D.D. Huang, Middle School Chinese Teacher

Sarah Istwany, Middle School French Teacher

Donald Kyle ’81, Upper School Dean of Students, Upper School English Teacher

Dan Murray, Director of Global Studies, Upper School Classics Teacher, Upper School

Humanities Teacher

Jamie Radwan, Lower School Learning Specialist

Heather Russell, Middle School Math Teacher

Ariana Wimpy, Senior Accountant

Melissa Wirth ’97, Director of Alumni Relations, Coach

FACULTY AWARDS

RESEARCH & INNOVATION GRANTS SHARING KNOWLEDGE

We are proud of our faculty members for sharing their insights with fellow educators!

Every year, the RCDS Center for Innovative Teaching & Learning accepts and funds up to five proposals for student-centered projects that advance the School’s mission.Faculty and staff who receive Research & Innovation grants have one summer and the following school year to grow their projects from idea to implementation. An essential part of the Research & Innovation Grant program is information sharing with fellow teachers at the School to ensure that the knowledge gained from the projects benefits the entire RCDS community and creates new, exciting opportunities for innovation and collaboration.

2025-26 Research & Innovation Grant Recipients:

• US Math Department Chair Tia Gueye and US Math Teacher Seb Mineo - Beyond the Numbers: Alumni Perspectives on Math Learning

• US English Teacher Tatum Bell, LS Assistant Principal Nicole Leath, and MS Language Arts Teacher Kate Marlow - Empowering Pedagogy: Instructional Coaching @ RCDS

• P.E. Teachers Nicola Clarkson, Ryan King, Russell Tombline, and Jessica Zimmerman - Connecting Personal Challenge with Nature: Outdoor Education

• Director of College Counseling Jeff Bates and Director of Counseling Kamauru JohnsonEmotional Thriving in College: Preparing Students for Their College Years

Director of Learning Support Services Libby Jelliffe teamed up with former RCDS colleague and current Director of the Boys Lab at Fairfield Country Day School Ellen Cartwright to lead a presentation at the IBSC-NYSAIS Educating Boys Conference titled “Thriving Boys.” Their presentation was titled “Test Design with EF in Mind” and highlighted opportunities for educators to support students’ Executive Function skills and metacognition. The conference was held at the Browning School on April 1 and explored how schools can create learning environments where boys flourish academically, socially, and emotionally.

In March, Lower School Science Teacher Debra Simpson participated in the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) Conference in Philadelphia. The four-day conference featured content crafted by educators for educators to provide engaging, practical strategies. Ms. Simpson led a presentation about STEAM in elementary grades. She highlighted RCDS’s Lower School (Pre-K - Grade 2) STEAM curriculum, providing examples of curricular projects at different grade levels, including making windmills, and sundials, among others. Ms. Simpson also covered the standards addressed in each STEAM project and provided resources about them. Ms. Simpson emphasized how RCDS promotes collaboration between different subjects and divisions in order to enhance the education of students.

Reflecting Rye Country Day’s ongoing commitment to innovation, curricular excellence, and digital responsibility, Kevin Farrant (Director of the Makerspace) and Dr. Daren Khairule (Director of Academic Technology) recently represented the School at the Association of Technology Leaders in Independent Schools (ATLIS) Conference. Their visit focused on exploring emerging technologies and artificial intelligence, and they each presented sessions on how AI can be thoughtfully integrated into CompetencyBased Learning. Mr. Farrant led a session titled Redesigning Assessments and Rubrics With AI Integration, where he shared insights from his RCDS professional learning cohort that has been exploring ways that AI can enhance educators’ work. He also introduced CBL Copilot, a custom GPT tool designed to help PreK–12 educators implement the core principles of Competency-Based Learning while redesigning assessments and rubrics. Dr. Khairule’s session, Fine-Tuning Your AI Skills for Course Design and Assessments through Competency-Based Learning, highlighted how he utilized AI in designing his Upper School course AI in Business and Global Challenges and Innovation and Entrepreneurship. He also explained how AI can help teachers ensure that their instruction aligns with the three foundational goals of CBL: student agency, skill transfer, and equity.

CONGRATULATIONS

Upper School English Teacher Heather Wayne was awarded the 2025 Victoria Brehm Prize from the Constance Fenimore Woolson Society for her book, Consuming Empire in U.S. Fiction, 1865–1930. Dr. Wayne’s book is a work of literary criticism analyzing the significance of globallytraded commodities in American fiction around the turn of the twentieth century. Her work was specifically recognized for the second chapter’s historical reading of the references to the North American fur trade in Constance Fenimore Wollson’s 1882 novel Anne

Four paintings by RCDS Art Department Chair Monica Tiulescu were accepted into two juried art exhibitions in Connecticut and New York City. Spectrum is one of the Carriage Barn Arts Center’s major annual juried exhibitions. Established in 1990, the exhibition highlights newer work by both member and non-member artists that relates to a specific theme (Spring Fever). Animalia at The Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition is a national juried art exhibition that celebrates artists’ millenia-long fascination with animals. The show included a partnership with local animal rescue groups; dogs and cats will be available for adoption during its duration.