Ranney Students Bid Farewell to Seniors

Ranney Students, faculty, and administrators bid a fond farewell to the senior class Wednesday as they prepared to move into the next, exciting phase of their lives as college students. Seniors spent their final official day on campus engaged in a variety of transition activities, starting with the traditional Beginner-Senior breakfast and culminating in the school-wide Senior Farewell Celebration.

Symbolic of their role as mentors to the younger students, seniors joined the Beginners at the start of the day for a buffet breakfast in the Commons. Many of them were overheard commenting on how much the preschoolers had grown since their first meeting at Fall Convocation. Following breakfast, senior Jesse Feldmus read aloud from the children’s book “The Moosetache,” eliciting smiles and giggles from the little listeners. From there, it was on to a series of programs and lectures designed to promote a smooth transition from high school to college life. The seniors heard from representatives from CentraState Medical Center and the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office about campus health and safety issues. Upper School Head John Lewis presented his motivational talk RAFT (Reconcile, Affirm, Farewell and Think Ahead). Other sessions explored topics such as goal setting, picking a major and money management.

At the conclusion of the day, seniors gathered in Panther Hall for one final assembly with their Upper School classmates. After Student Council President Aaron Absatz invited seniors to stand for “one last pledge of allegiance,” Senior Class President Jill Giunco took the podium, asking her classmates to stand again to applaud their teachers. “We would not be the people we are today without you in our lives,” Jill said. Junior Class President Christopher Tomasetta offered similar sentiments for the departing seniors, “We’ve won and lost with you. Learnt with, and from you… tried new things, met new people… all with you. Thank You!”

Before dismissing the students, Head of School Dr. Lawrence Sykoff welcomed Ranney’s newest alumni into the fold, offering them the symbolic keys to the school, along with a few words of advice. “Be patient. Learn from your mistakes and take pride in sustaining good friendships. A few of the people in this room will be at your side 30 years from now and that will be one of the great accomplishments in your life.”

With that, Dr. Sykoff and Mr. Lewis led the seniors across the Crossing into the Upper School and through the back door through a throng of cheering underclassmen. Students representing every Division, from Beginners to 11th grade, lined the sidewalks and hallways, shaking hands and high-fiving the passing graduates-to-be, showing their appreciation and affection for the class. At the end of the line, the faculty awaited, offering warm embraces and loving words of encouragement. In a new tradition, each senior signed the official school yearbook to hang in the Upper School hallway, and then picked up their silver Ranney keys before heading home until graduation.

For additional information on all Ranney School news, please contact the Communications Department at communications@ranneyschool.org.