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Twenty-Eight New Members Inducted into Junior Tri-M® Music Honor Society

On May 14, Ranney Middle School students, parents, administration and faculty joined together in RSPA Panther Hall to celebrate the induction of 28 new members into the Junior Tri-M® Music Honor Society Chapter 4410. As the only honor society offered to Middle School students, Jr. Tri-M® recognizes those scholars—in grades six through eight—who possess qualities of leadership, service and, most importantly, musicianship. To qualify for membership, students must be actively enrolled in Middle School Band, Chorus or Orchestra and must meet national academic and musicianship guidelines. To achieve continuing membership, a service requirement is added, so that members may serve as examples of leadership and demonstrate what it means to be honorable.

Junior Tri-M® President Evan Schultz ’17 led the Pledge of Allegiance before Head of School Dr. Lawrence S. Sykoff opened the ceremony with his welcoming remarks. As he reflected on his 20 years as Headmaster and the growth of the Performing Arts Department, he advised students to pursue their passion for music. “Whether you pursue performing arts personally or professionally, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “You are going to have this gift for a lifetime, and I hope you pursue your love of the arts and your talent with great passion.” Dr. Sykoff also spoke about the incredible experience performing arts students had this past January at the renowned Carnegie Hall in New York and encouraged students to make their dreams a reality.

Following Dr. Sykoff, Evan Schultz introduced her fellow Tri-M® officers: Liam Fitzmaurice ’17(Vice President), Aidan Denver-Moore ’17 (Treasurer), Brittany Hofferber ’17 (Historian) and Pooja Nayyar ’17 (Secretary). The officers explained the meaning of “Tri-M”—Modern Music Masters—to the audience and described an ideal member of the society. “A member of the Junior Tri-M® Music Honor Society is one who sets a good example, is always willing to assist those students who are striving to better themselves in the music department, and always remembers that real honor brings responsibility,” explained Brittany Hofferber.

Next, Middle School Dean of Students David Ketcham invited Dr. Sykoff, Head of Middle School David Fischer, and Jr. Tri-M® Advisor and Middle School Chorus Director, Mrs. Lillianne Torrente, to present the new members with their certificates. Elaborating on the qualities of a Tri-M® member, Mr. Ketcham said, “Scholarship represents scholastic achievement and open-mindedness toward knowledge and truth. Musicianship represents the artistry in performing music. Character emphasizes a devotion to high ideals and recognizes no barriers between people of diverse backgrounds.”

Mrs. Torrente then gave her congratulatory message to the inductees and asked Mr. Kevin Cotter, All School Band Director, to recognize the two-year members of the honor society. Carmine Mastrokostas ’18 spoke on behalf of all two-year members, explaining the tasks of membership and his excitement to be involved for another year. “After one year of being a member of Jr. Tri-M®, I have developed many new skills. Two of the most important skills are teamwork and independence.”

Following Carmine’s address, Dr. Dorothy Sobieski, All School Orchestra Director, asked Julianna Poupard ’17 and James Wolfe ’17 to represent the three-year members. Julianna spoke about the many community service initiatives Junior Tri-M® participates in. This year, the honor society raised close to $1,800 through its annual Penny War and used the money to purchase musical toys for Toys for Tots. The members also organized activities for “Music in our Schools Week.” “Junior Tri-M® has meant so much to me throughout my years in the Middle School,” expressed Julianna. “It has given me the opportunity to touch so many lives through my love of music.” The three-year member also went on to thank Mrs. Torrente for believing in her students and Dr. Sykoff for his ongoing support of performing arts at Ranney. James offered his experiences to the audience and expanded on the dedication of Tri-M® to the community, stating “Our purpose is not to benefit only ourselves; it is to benefit the community as a whole.”

After the three-year members received their recognition, Vice President Liam Fitzmaurice led the reciting of the Jr. Tri-M Honor Society® pledge of membership. Several students then received awards presented by Mrs. Torrente. The Tri-M® Outstanding Service Award, which distinguishes those who have logged more than 25 hours of service this year and demonstrate exceptional commitment to working with or on behalf of others, willingly and selflessly, was presented to the following eight members: Jared Cohen ’18, Aidan Denver Moore ’17, Liam Fitzmaurice ’17, Sarah Killian ’18, Pooja Nayyar ’17, Carmine Mastrokostas ’18, Julianna Poupard ’17 and Evan Schultz ’17.

Mrs. Torrente then presented the Master Musicianship Award to Sarah Killian. This award has only been given three times in the past eight years to a student who excels in music and demonstrates superior knowledge of music theory, achieves a measurable level of success in musical performance and willingly shares their musical skills with the Ranney community. Sarah is member of the chorus, but is most often found behind the piano. She was honored with the award for Overall Best Student Accompanist at the Music in the Parks Festival last year and will participate again this year alongside her fellow Tri-M® members on this Friday May 17.

“Inducted today as a continuing member, she has demonstrated her commitment to artistry by approaching each choral selection with openness, determination, and a willingness to work towards success,” said Mrs. Torrente. “She has earned the respect of her teachers and peers through her talent and hard work.”

Ranney’s Middle School Chorus and Orchestra, accompanied by Sarah Killian on the piano, then performed Come to Me and Rest by Chris De Silva.

In his closing remarks, Mr. Fischer congratulated all new and existing members and spoke about the value of music in everyday life. “The Tri-M® induction ceremony is so important each year. It reminds us that “cherishing” music is ok, that we should remember the significance of music in our lives, and that we should openly share that significance with others. As music has enriched the lives of so many in our community, it stands to reason that the more people we share it with, the richer all our lives will become.”

New Tri-M® Inductees:
Haley Bovino
Paul Cantave
Gianna Cappillo
Jack Crilly
Mikayla DeSaye
Sathya Edamadaka
Jacob Egol
Shayna Field
Shana Fitzmaurice
Ethan Gavin
Mia Glass
Lexie Greenberg
Matthew Hamelsky
Ava Jacoby
Lindsey Maher
Ariana Mangano
Bobby Maris
Samantha Maris
Alyssa Mendez
Leah Nawy
Himani Nayyar
Aaryan Raval
Cole Redman
Samantha Riebesell
Sophia Salvador
Mackenzie Schultz
Joseph Strizhak
Catherine Vucetic
Two-Year Continuing Members:
Jared Cohen
Ankur Govil
Anisha Gupta
Paul Jensen
Sarah Killian
Laura Lehrfeld
Carmine Mastrokostas
Three-Year Continuing Members:
Ashley Biswal
Dylan Biswal
Anna Csiky
Michael DePalma
Aidan Denver-Moore
Liam Fitzmaurice
Brittany Hofferber
Keenan Maher
Pooja Nayyar
Julianna Poupard
Evan Schultz
James Wolfe
Kevin Xia
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Ranney School

235 Hope Road
Tinton Falls, NJ 07724
Tel. 732.542.4777
Our mission is to know and value every child, nurturing intellectual curiosity and confidence, and inspiring students to lead honorably, think creatively, and contribute meaningfully to society.