Ranney Celebrates its Senior Class

Ranney School students in this year’s graduating class were awarded scholarships totaling more than $2.5 million over four years. Nearly three-quarters of the class of 2013 — 50 seniors — applied and were admitted to colleges across the country through early action/early decision. In all, the class submitted a total of 408 applications to 139 different colleges and universities and gained entrance into a diverse group of schools, including small liberal arts colleges, mid-size and large private universities, and large public state schools. Several students were accepted into specialized programs and Ivy League schools, including Cornell University, the University of Pennsylvania, New York University’s Steinhardt School for music technology and Haverford College’s fencing program.

To celebrate their final year at Ranney School, the seniors spent one of their last official mornings on campus with the Class of 2027 on March 22. This Beginners’ class of 3 year olds was thrilled to spend time with the “big kids” of the school. The seniors helped the young children pile their plates with delicious breakfast treats and then spent about 30 minutes talking with them about their favorite things and what life is like in high school. Afterward, the seniors helped the children cross campus hand-in-hand to the gymnasium where they played tag, catch and basketball. Several of the seniors had fun lifting the 3-year-olds overhead so that they could reach the basketball hoop. Before ending their morning together, the seniors formed a “tunnel” with their hands and the Beginner students ran through the 50-person line with huge smiles on their faces. [See photo gallery.]

Just over 40 percent of this year’s graduating class are what Ranney calls “lifer” students, meaning they’ve attended the school for 10 or more years—some began their education at Ranney School at age 3 in the Beginners’ program. So sharing their morning with the next generation of Ranney lifers was emotional for them and for the faculty members watching the gathering. Lifer status is also granted to faculty members after 10 years, and many have supported the now graduating seniors as they first learned to read and even swim at the Ranney School campus.

In the afternoon, the class of 2013 took part in what has become a Ranney tradition—the “senior march”—in which they walk the campus sidewalks lined by lower classmen and family members for a final farewell. At the end of the line, teachers, college guidance counselors and administrators handed the seniors a small gift and their yearbook, amidst many goodbye hugs and words of thanks.

Read a related story about Ranney's graduating class in the Asbury Park Press: "IN OUR SCHOOLS: Ranney grads earn accolades"