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Students Celebrate a Week of International Festivities

It was a week of international celebration across all three divisions at Ranney, as each attended several events aimed at fostering global awareness and promoting diversity on campus.

Following a third grade Lenape day on Tuesday, May 22, the Upper School Diversity Club also hosted a Diversity and Leadership Workshop with guest speaker Rodney Glasgow in RSPA Panther Hall on Thursday. The student-leaders within Ranney’s Diversity Club first met Mr. Glasgow at a National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Student Diversity Leadership Conference held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania this January. While Mr. Glasgow served as co-director at this Conference, he is also full-time Dean of Students and Director of Diversity at Worcester Academy in Massachusetts.

Throughout the morning’s workshop, students learned of Mr. Glasgow’s struggle to overcome adversity and racism, as he evoked the small but meaningful message: never give up. Despite living the first three months of his life in an incubator, surviving pneumonia when less than two years old, and being raised by his single mother in Baltimore, Mr. Glasgow portrayed himself as a strong individual who used the negative remarks regarding his race and sexual orientation to propel himself forward in life. “You’re blessed to go to a school like Ranney,” said Mr. Glasgow, who encouraged each student to give back to those less fortunate individuals in their community.

After viewing an episode of the 2006 reality television show “Black & White — Another Look at Race,” students then participated in a highly interactive, hands-on learning experience complete with exercises designed to mold all into effective contributors and collaborators in an increasingly diverse and interconnected world. Activities that followed included a discussion of the Six Steps of Oppression (fear of difference, stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination, institutional oppression and internalized oppression) and, later, the creation of ways in which to undo these six steps through the Cycle of Empowerment.

While select Upper School students headed to the Commons Board Room for lunch with Mr. Glasgow, Lower School students, Beginners through grade five, also celebrated diversity — this time during a “Colors of the World Day” — on Thursday. Dressed in colorful t-shirts representing continents that ranged from Europe and Asia to North America and Australia, students spent their afternoon playing games, completing fun-filled activities, and learning geographical facts about other cultures and their people. Whether participating in games like hopscotch, blowing bubbles, making crafts such as birdhouses or getting fake tattoos, the day included something for all ages.

In addition, Ranney’s fourth and fifth grade classes, which represented the continents of South America and Africa, took part in a spirited competition on the school’s Guidone Track and Karagianakis Field. Hosted by the Physical Education Department, this international challenge consisted of relay races, a capture the flag tournament and games of “Nukem” and “Pin the People.” Win or lose, however, the object of each contest was to promote characteristics of friendship, unity and sportsmanship.

Ranney’s International Week then concluded with a Middle School Field Day for students grades six through eight on Friday afternoon. With each grade representing the continents of Europe, Asia or Africa, each class also represented a country within its specific continent. For instance, while Mrs. Goto’s sixth grade advisees dressed in colors symbolizing Romania, Mrs. Reddington’s homeroom depicted the country of Macedonia.

Students competed amongst one another in capture the flag and track and field events that ranged from a bouncy ball bonanza and quick change relay to obstacle courses and a potato sack race. The day also consisted of an eighth grade student versus faculty kickball tournament, which resulted in a 15-3 student victory. Several faculty participants included Mr. Ling, Mr. Doyle, Mr. Dolan, Dr. Palermo, Sra. Hernandez and Ms. Britto.

Overall, fun was had by faculty members and students as they learned of different cultures, of each other, and of the true meaning of accepting others during a week of international festivities at Ranney.
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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. 

We envision Ranney School as a nurturing learning community, in which families, faculty, alumni, and all of Ranney’s constituents collaborate to know and value every child, foster individual talents, sustain powerful connections between children and adults, and graduate resilient, globally-minded citizens.