October 21, 2021 | Vol. 21-22, No. 7 A MESSAGE FROM OUR CO-DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COUNSELING
Sarah Honan, Co-Director of College Counseling, discusses the increasing importance of character in college admissions in her October blog post. Below is an excerpt:
Last week I was fortunate enough to attend the Character Collaborative's Annual Conference, which brings together thought leaders and change-makers in secondary and higher education to discuss the role of character in college admissions. Among the vaulted speakers were Rick Weissbourd, Director of the Making Caring Common Project and Senior Lecturer at Harvard, and Sadie Harlan, Project Director at Reach Higher and The Common Application. The subject of their talk, and their current collaboration, was how the Common Application might be revised over the next few years to better reveal (you guessed it!) - a student's character.
SCHOOL CALENDAR FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2021
Last Day for Middle School Fall Sports
2 p.m. - Lower School Halloween Parade - Front Courtyard / Lower School Area
6 p.m. - Middle School Movie Night - Front Field
SCHOOL NEWS ANGELINA VARGAS '23 SELECTED TO JOIN D.R. NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM Angelina Vargas '23 is ready to make the most of an opportunity that most 16-year-olds can only dream about. The Wardlaw+Hartridge junior was selected to join the Dominican Republic women's national soccer team and while her emotions run from excitement to nervousness, she's approaching the challenge with a motivated mindset. "I have to go there and prove myself," said Angelina, who departed for the DR on October 18 for a week of training in preparation for two international friendlies vs. Bolivia. "I'm going to be playing with a lot of older girls and it's a little bit intimidating, but it's a really great opportunity for me."
APHRODITE DENG '28 COMPETES IN NATIONAL PGA TOURNAMENT There aren't many sixth graders who can say they've appeared on ESPN. Wardlaw+Hartridge's very own Aphrodite Deng '28, a standout golfer, was perhaps most excited about her team's exposure on the mega sports network during the recent PGA Junior League National Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. Aphrodite and her team also played extremely well, winning the Skills Competition and finishing eighth overall in the Junior League Championship. Aphrodite contributed some important shots, especially long putts that resulted in birdies for her team. "I was really excited for the competition our team was going on ESPN!" Aphrodite said. "I played nicely and our team also did well. Since it was a two-person partner competition, I made a lot of clutch putts and hit really nice iron shots."
STUDENTS CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE Lower School students celebrated Hispanic Heritage and Indigenous Peoples Day at an assembly in the Berry Performing Arts Center. Senora Maria Hinestroza, Lower School Spanish teacher, led the presentation. The program included a video of "Ramón Preocupón (Silly Billy)" by Anthony Browne, a story about a special Guatemalan tradition: "Muñecas quitapenas" or "Worry Dolls." The students learned that before going to bed, some Guatemalan children tell their worries to these dolls and put them under their pillow so they can take the worries away while they sleep. The Lower School community also shared ways they manage worry and how they help friends and family feel better. The children learned about another culture and one of their traditions.
DR. RAECHEL LUTZ FEATURED IN PUBLICATION Dr. Raechel Lutz, Upper School history teacher, was interviewed recently by Contingent magazine as part of its series about how historians do the work of history. In her profile, Dr. Lutz shares details and rewarding aspects of her daily work teaching W+H students, reflects on her earliest moment of a historical event, talks about her graduate and undergraduate experiences, discusses her current book projects, and passionately describes her work as an environmental historian. "My goal is to teach students the different kinds of history that historians are doing, and to model how to turn their intellectual interests into a career," Dr. Lutz said. To read Dr. Lutz's full profile in Contingent magazine, click the link below: https://contingentmagazine.org/2021/10/08/how-raechel-lutz-does-history/
SENIOR SPEECHES BEGIN WITH STRONG MESSAGES The Class of 2022 kicked off the senior speech season with four impressive performances in the Berry Performing Arts Center. Nicole Sandrik-Arzadi '22 began with a "love letter to her family" in which she shared meaningful and sometimes chaotic Sunday traditions she enjoys with cousins, aunts and uncles at her grandmother's house. She also expressed gratitude to her parents and friends for supporting her. Oliver Zhao '22 shared his love for Latin dance and how he has overcome stereotypes while pursuing this form of art. He encouraged his peers to expand their horizons and break through boundaries while exploring their own passions. Jenelle Valera '22 provided useful tips for her fellow students, including advice to embrace new challenges, pay attention in class and join extracurricular activities you care about. She also urged her classmates not to take high school for granted and to cherish their time with friends. Krishna Patel '22 shared how performing on stage in Mamma Mia! helped her overcome difficult times in her early high school years. She's in a much better place these days and has learned that "it's important to focus on yourself and what brings you happiness."
8TH GRADERS PRESENT PERIODIC TABLES Eighth grade earth science students in Mrs. Noreen Jafri's class created unique Periodic Tables mimicking the organization and periodicity of the Periodic Table of Elements. Students selected items to reflect their interests and hobbies. Then they arranged items with periodicity, and grouped them with related characteristics by row and column. The students presented their projects to their classmates with help from the large Ben-Q board. Some topics including the Periodic Table of Peppers, Periodic Table of Objects in Space, Periodic Table of Contortion, Periodic Table of Hypixel Minecraft Mini-games, Periodic Table of Cooking, Periodic Table of Squish Mellows and many more.
MILKWEED NEEDED FOR HUNGRY CATERPILLARS There are little monarch caterpillars in the Lower School! They are residing in Senora Hinestroza's classroom for all to see. They are slowly growing but will soon be hungry, hungry caterpillars. Monarchs eat only one thing – milkweed. We are on the lookout for any milkweed you have in your yard or that you see in a local park. Most has gone to seed at this point but there is still milkweed around to be found. We do not need plants dug out – only clippings. Please contact Katherine Heiss at kheiss@WHschool.org if you can help. UPPER SCHOOL ATHLETES OF THE WEEK Karl Miran, Athletic Director, announced this week's Upper School Athletes of the Week. Congratulations to tennis player Shankari Theivanayagam '22 and honorable mention Cian Nicholls '25, the starting goalkeeper for the boys' soccer team. In her four years on the girls' varsity tennis team, Shankari has not lost a division match. Her win at first singles vs. South Amboy sealed the deal, clinching a division championship for the Rams. Shankari played second singles as a freshman and sophomore. She played at the first singles position the last two years and also served as co-captain on the team during her senior year. Cian faced the pressure-packed reality of a penalty kick shootout, when the Rams remained tied with Piscataway Vo-Tech after 100 minutes of play in a GMC playoff contest on Saturday. Cian didn't flinch, making one more save than the opponent's goalie, sending the Rams to the second-round game. He defined the term "big save."
MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETES OF THE WEEK Karl Miran, Athletic Director, announced this week's Middle School Athletes of the Week. Congratulations to cross country runner Alexa Hsu '28 and soccer players Deanna Nicholls '27 and Lexi Strauss '29. Alexa is another of the new young runners who improve every time they step up to the starting line. Alexa has raced on our home course five times: one time trial and four meets. Alexa's times have gone from 25:16 to 18:12 to 18:03 to 17:00 to 16:33! She is definitely ready for the GMCs! Deanna has been focused and determined throughout the season. She is a team player who can be seen working hard, distributing the ball to her teammates or playing different positions. It is easy to see her leadership skills, as she is one of the first to practice, ready to participate, and keeps a positive attitude. Deanna is a great presence on the team. Lexi has shown outstanding defensive and offensive skills throughout her time with our team. In practices, she listens well and applies those skills in games. She is determined to improve her skills and pushes her teammates to do the same.
COLLEGE REPS VISITING VIRTUALLY W+H is pleased to welcome many of the finest colleges and universities making virtual visits with our students this fall. Next week's list includes Northeastern University, The College of William & Mary, Vanderbilt University, Lehigh University and Tulane University. For more information about colleges and universities visiting W+H this fall, go to https://www.whschool.org/academics/college-counseling/colleges-on-campus From the W+H Parents' Association WHPA Hosting Second Annual Basket Raffle Each year we ask all parents in every grade to make a donation towards a certain basket theme. The items or money collected from each grade are then used to create beautiful and VALUABLE baskets that people can buy raffle tickets for in hopes of winning! All proceeds are used throughout the year to sponsor events, activities or educational extra's to support our kids.
Please go to https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409094CA8AB29A57-winter for more information and to sign up.
As we head into the holiday season, it is a great time to get into the spirit of giving and to have some fun celebrating with your W+H friends and family.
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR ALL OF YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS and please watch your email for more information. Drawing will be held on December 15, 2021. THANKSGIVING PIE SALES - ORDER NOW!
Order delicious Thanksgiving pies for this year's holiday! These annual treats, prepared and baked by the Sage Dining Services staff, can be ordered now through November 19. Pickup is on November 23.
Apple or pumpkin pies are available at $8 each or two for $15.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS Support Senior Class Fundraiser at Chipotle - Tuesday, Oct. 26
The Class of 2022 is holding its first Chipotle fundraiser on Tuesday, Oct. 26 from 5-9 p.m. at the 55 Parsonage Road location in Edison. Order online using the code 2EHJ9WC or show this flyer at the restaurant, which is donating 33 percent of sales to the cause. Follow W+H on Social Media and Share News with Community
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