RidgeBridgeVol6_Issu.. - Ridge PTO

the ridge bridge
the parent’s bridge between home and school
ridge high school pto volume six, issue two
november 2009
From the Desk of the Principal
– Frank Howlett
Are we pushing our
children too hard?
I would like to suggest that,
in many cases, we are.
Recently there has been an increase in the
number of students and/or parents “freaking
out” due to feelings of inadequacy
and hopelessness. Senior students who
are overwhelmed
with the college
application process
and the difficulty
of keeping up
with academics
resulting from a
more than rigorous
course load are on the verge of shutting
down. The problem is compounded by a
slew of other activities which result in lack
of sleep and poor diets. Parents contacting
school counselors in a frenzy as they
watch their child deteriorate emotionally
and, sometimes, physically are expressing
frustration and seeking help. The anxiety
of both student and parent that the student
will not get into a good school lead to
discussions based more on emotions than
facts. The end result is a student who is
emotionally drained, tired, nutritionally
deprived and fighting with their most
important support system – their family.
Does this sound familiar?
Who is to Blame?
There are some that would blame at least
a part of this dilemma on the institution
known as Ridge High School and
maybe there is some merit
to this perception. There
exists a competitiveness
amongst the student
body and an atmosphere
of challenging oneself
pontificated by faculty
members. There is little doubt
that these factors contribute to the student
who takes on more than they can handle.
I have always believed that Ridge High
School has the responsibility to afford
opportunities in our curriculum for every
student. We offer course work for the
student who is interested in building a transcript
that tier one colleges would entertain
and a course of studies for the student
who is planning on entering the workforce
right out of high school. We are always
interested in educating each student to
the level of their abilities. The “rub” is to
place students at the level where they are
challenged yet not overwhelmed. Clearly
the ultimate decision is the responsibility
of the parents.
The Measure of Success
Parents often seek advice concerning the
level of their child’s course work and other
activities. I always give the same advice
by telling them to “Parent the child you
have and not the one you want.” This is
more easily said than done. As parents, we
often assess our success as parents through
our children’s success – that’s just human
Parent the child
you have
and not
the one you want.
nature. It is very similar in thinking to a
coach and his/her team – if the team is
winning – the coach must be good. Not so
fast my friend!
Before we can measure our children’s
success we must first define what success
means and what we are willing to sacrifice
to achieve that success. This can only be
done by a parent who is well aware of
their child’s capabilities and willing to
set their egos aside in the best interest of
their child’s future. For the most part the
children do not wish to disappoint their
parents and will push themselves
accordingly. If, even with
their best effort, they
fall short of perceived
parental expectations
they can find themselves
in a downward spiral.
Take some time to communicate
with your child about
how they are feeling about their progress
in meeting goals – yours or theirs. Monitor
their sleeping and eating habits – a chore
not easily done. Answer these questions:
When was the last time you
had a family dinner during
the week?
When the last time you proudly
communicated your child’s
SAT score or GPA?
Which is more important?

RIDGE PTO
RIDGE PTO
MEETINGS
Wednesday, November 18
7 pm, RHS Cafeteria
Topic: Drugs of Choice
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
9:15 am, WAMS Auditorium
(tentative date – budget meeting)
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
7 pm, RHS Auditorium
PTO Executive Board Members
Co-Presidents
Donna Swinson Levine
donna.swinson@novartis.com
Deb Duvall
deb.duvall@gmail.com
1st, Vice President, Volunteers
Jenifer Behrins
jbehrins@optonline.net
2nd Vice President, Programs
Carol Jean Floegel
johnfloe@aol.com
3rd Vice President, Newletter
Gayle Shimoun
gshimoun@optonline.net
Linda Wooldridge
jwooldri@compuserve.com
Treasurer
Chris Piros
cjpiros@optonline.net
Recording Secretary
Vivian Fentress
fentress@optonline.net
Communications Officer
Susan Fata
susanfata1@gmail.com
the ridge bridge
Editors: Linda Wooldridge
and Gayle Shimoun
Submissions may be made via email to
ridgepto@yahoo.com
Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision.
The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward
organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people
to attain uncommon results. – Andrew Carnegie
Blue Ribbon Award
Congratulations to Mr. Howlett and his
supporting team for the fabulous Blue
Ribbon Award from the Department of
Education. Many people helped
to provide the supporting
documents that were filed
to complete the application.
It is truly a testament to the
school, the administration,
the teachers, the students
and the parents. Good job to all!
You Can Still Join the PTO
School started about a month and a half
ago and it’s amazing how many achievements
the PTO has accomplished, mainly
because of the ability to work together
towards a common objective. Many
families and teachers have joined the PTO,
raising over $16,000, which will be spent
throughout the year supporting the school
and activities. You can still join by contacting
Jenifer Behrins. The directory alone is
worth the price of admission, which is $15.
Back to School Night Thanks
Back to School night was a flurry of action.
Thanks to Jaishri Patel and Patty Maffey
for providing much needed refreshments
to parents who got lost trying to find their
way to their child’s next class. It’s not so
easy, is it?
Save the Date
We were very happy to meet all the parents
who attended our first PTO meeting.
Thanks to our guest speaker, Mr. Howlett,
for a very interesting and animated presentation.
Please mark your calendar for
November 18 at 7 pm when we will host
a special guest speaker to discuss the topic:
Drugs of Choice. Check our website for
details. Thanks to Carol Jean Floegel, Vice
President of Programs, for making the
arrangements for this compelling speaker.
Ridge PTO Website
Please be sure to check out the website
at www.ridgepto.com. A link to this can
be found from the Ridge School Main
Page or bookmark it as a favorite. Susan
Fata and her team are encouraging all
committees to post information about
your upcoming PTO event or fundraiser.
Postings can include flyers or forms
related to your event that will be put on
the Forms & Links page. Entries should
be written as you would like them to
appear. Website posting requests received
by Tuesday at 10 am will also be highlighted
in the PTO Update that will go
out in the Ridge Friday Folder for the
current week. Items received after the
deadline will be included in the PTO
Update for the following week, if the
information is still relevant. For submissions
to the website, contact Susan via
email at susanfata1@gmail.com.
Ridge Bridge
The Ridge Bridge (the PTO Newsletter)
has been given a makeover. The first
issue included a wealth of information,
especially for parents who are new to
Ridge. As part of the going green effort,
the monthly newsletter is sent out via
the Friday Folder and issues are also
posted on www.ridgepto.com. If you
haven’t seen the October issue, you are
missing out.
Volunteers Still Needed
So, as you can see, our achievements are
based on everyone’s contribution. There
are still opportunities to volunteer. Please
contact Jenifer Behrins, Vice President of
Volunteers, to JOIN THE TEAM !
Until next month….
Donna Swinson Levine & Deb Duvall,
Co-Presidents and the PTO Team!

SCHOOL CONNECTION
DATES TO
REMEMBER
November
5, 6 Schools Closed
7 SAT Testing, RHS
10 Marking Period Ends
12 Navigating the College Search
Process, 7 pm, Auditorium
18 PTO Meeting,
7 pm, Cafeteria
19–21 RHS Fall Drama,
The Arabian Nights
25 Noon Dismissal
26, 27 Schools Closed, Thanksgiving
December
5 SAT Testing, RHS
15 Orchestra Concert,
7 pm, Auditorium
16 Financial Aid Night, 7 pm
17 Choral Concert,
7 pm, Auditorium
23 Noon Dismissal
24–31 Winter Recess
Remember . . .
Turn your clocks back for Daylight
Savings Time on November 1st, 2009
Board of
Education
Highlights
October 2009
Submitted by Linda Wooldridge
At the October 12 BOE meeting, Audrey
Cohen Sherwyn was appointed to fill the
open position
on the Board of
Education.
Audrey is the
parent of two
Ridge students,
a senior and
a freshman,
and previously
worked as a corporate attorney. She has
been an active volunteer in the schools
for many years, and was a member of the
Ridge Parent Advisory Committee. Audrey
was one of five candidates who applied
for the school board opening.
In addition, Jean O’Connell was
appointed Acting Director of Special
Services, replacing Monica Butler,
who is leaving the school district. Jean
O’Connell’s previous position was Supervisor
of Special Education at Ridge High.
The Performing Arts Center at Ridge
is now being used for fundraising. Jason
Bishop, a magician, performed at the
PAC on October 24 and 25. Profits will be
used for enhancements to the Performing
Arts Center.
Ridge Art
Department Website
Come find our hidden treasures!
Go to the RHS website and click on
Departments under Directory in the
left menu bar. Click on Fine Art which
leads you to the Art Department website.
The Galleries section showcases
student art from the variety of art classes
offered at Ridge. You can also link to
all of the art teacher’s websites. Finally,
check out the Just for Fun link to
explore your creative side.
Take Charge
of Education
Target’s “Take Charge of Education” program
is a way to raise supplemental funds
for Ridge High School’s student activities
accounts. Sign up for the program, choose
Ridge High School, and
Target will donate up to
1% of your credit card
purchases at Target stores
and Target.com. For
more information, go to
www.Target.com/tcoe.
A College Update
From the Guidance
Department
By the time you read this, Ridge
counselors will have processed
thousands of college applications
in preparation for the November 1
deadline. It has been a crazy month!
We will continue to process application
materials into 2010, while at
the same time preparing the current
juniors for the college process.
NAVIGATING
THE COLLEGE
SEARCH
PROCESS
Thursday, November 12
7 pm
RHS Auditorium
This presentation is for junior parents
who want to learn more about what
students need to do to prepare for
the college application process.
Counselors from the Guidance
Department will discuss how to
use the Naviance system and will
distribute parent Naviance codes.

home access
center update
The Home Access Center system was
recently updated. If you are having
difficulty logging on to the HAC system,
please use the following link:
http://btshomeaccess.spihost.com
First marking period grades will be
posted on Home Access during the
week of November 17, 2009.
The new band director, Mr. Daniel Zugale,
conducts the marching band during warm ups for
the October 20th competition at Giants Stadium.
MARKET DAY
Next Order Date
November 12
Next Pick-Up Date
November 18
Order online at
www.marketday.com
or phone your order to:
Brenda Miller at 908-903-9355 or
Christine Marston at 908-647-0599
Introducing Mr. Daniel Zugale . . .
Ridge’s New Band Director
Mr. Daniel Zugale
joined the Ridge
faculty this year as
the director of the
Marching Band,
Wind Ensemble
and Concert Band.
He came to Ridge
from the Westfield
school system where
he taught for 10 years. He is a graduate
of Rutgers University with a bachelor’s
degree in music education and a master’s
degree in wind band conducting.
In a recent interview, Mr. Zugale
provided some insight into his plans for
the music programs:
Q: What are your initial
impressions of Ridge HS?
Ridge is a great place to work.
So far everyone has been
extremely friendly and supportive
of what I am doing. Most
importantly, I feel like I’ve been
accepted by the students and I
enjoy working with them very
much. Michael Fackelman, the
supervisor for Fine and Practical
Arts, and Frank Howlett,
the high school principal, have been very
supportive of me and the band program.
Q: What is your vision for the Ridge
music programs and the Marching Band?
My goal is to continue to build the bands
both in terms of size and quality. A town
such as Basking Ridge can and should have
bands that are consistently large and thriving.
We already have outstanding bands,
but I think there is room to grow. One of
the most important aspects of having a
quality band program is having the correct
instrumentation. We are seriously lacking
in low brass (trombones, baritones, and
tubas) and these are among the most vital
instruments for achieving a quality sound.
Q: What can be done to increase
participation in the music programs?
The first priority is to stress the importance
of quality. People will naturally gravitate
to programs that are perceived as being
successful. Second, the public needs to
know the benefits of joining the marching
band. Here is a short list:
1. We support the team and entertain
the crowd at football games, working
with the cheerleading squad to enhance
the game day experience.
2. We honor America by participating
in the local Memorial Day parade and
performing the Star Spangled Banner
at home football games.
3. We work hard to achieve a creative,
exciting and precise half time show
for competition against other schools
in the tri-state area.
4. Marching band is a great way to
make friends. The relationships formed
during the marching season can last
for a lifetime.
5. Despite the rehearsal schedule
(which is actually less than most sports),
marching band members tend to be
among the best students.
6. Although marching band is an extracurricular
activity, the skills learned and
reinforced during marching band certainly
help the curricular band programs.
Q: What are the latest trends for
marching bands that you may
introduce for the Ridge band?
We are among a few bands to amplify the
mallet percussion and it has made a big
difference in our sound. It is very likely
that this trend will continue. I have seen
many bands use electronic keyboards,
something I would like to utilize in the
future.
Q: The selection of this year’s program
(music from Tommy by The Who) has
been well received. Why did you select
this program?
My first priority when picking a show is
to pick something that the students can
perform from a technical standpoint while
still leaving time to teach basic playing
skills. I also feel that any music that we
perform must have artistic merit. In this
case it is a happy coincidence that we are
celebrating the 40th anniversary of the
release of the Tommy album.

Books for Kids
The Ridge High School
Media Center, in
conjunction with the
Bernards Township
Library, is participating
in the annual Books for
Kids book donation drive.
Started in 1991, Books
for Kids is a statewide
program sponsored by the New Jersey
Library Association. This program is
undertaken with the hope that all children
will be able to experience the joy of
reading books of their very own. Last year
more than 6,000 children, from infants to
young adults, were given books through
this program. In the nine years we have
participated, Ridge High School students
have contributed over 9, 000 books!
Give a disadvantaged child the gift of
reading by bringing a new or like-new
book to the collection box in the High
School Media Center. Book donations will
be accepted through Friday, December 4,
2009, and will be distributed to libraries
in needy areas of New Jersey. For more
information, please call Mary Jane
McNally at 204-2585 ext. 123.
Bernards Township Education
Foundation Seeks New Volunteers
Over the past two years, the Bernards
Township Education Foundation (BTEF)
has raised funds to build the Greenhouse
at Ridge High School and has obtained a
$10, 000 grant from Verizon New Jersey
to purchase 30 Amazon Kindles for the
School District. An all-volunteer, taxexempt
nonprofit organization, the
BTEF’s fundraising focus is on corporate
and foundation grants. The BTEF is
currently seeking new volunteers to help
write grants. No previous experience or
skills are necessary. Training is provided,
and a work program is in place.
Holiday Poinsetta Sale
Name
Phone
Email
To Benefit Ridge High Senior BASH / Project Graduation
Please indicate
quantity desired
Small – $10
6 1/2" pot – 5 blooms
+ 1 plant per pot
Medium – $20
8" pot – 12 blooms
+ 3 plants per pot
Large – $25
10" pot – 18 blooms
+ 4 plants per pot
Total $ Due
Red White Total
For more information about the
BTEF, contact Linda Wooldridge at
jwooldri@compuserve.com or Cathy
Costa at dcsilk@msn.com.
Please return this form
no later than Monday,
November 16, 2009.
Enclose payment
by cash or check to
Project Graduation
By Mail:
Project Graduation
130 Whitenack Road
Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
By Email:
JAMS719@aol.com
Pick Up – Friday, December 4 from 3 to 7 pm, RHS Cafeteria

idge recognition
Students
In August, Norman Yao, a 2005 Ridge
High graduate, was awarded the Computational
Science Graduate Fellowship by
the United States Department of Energy.
Yao, currently pursuing his doctorate at
Harvard University, will receive more
than $70,000 per year for the duration of
his graduate work.
Photo © Charlie Zavalick
Kudos to junior Alex Boughton for
bravely donning a lion mascot costume at
the Fellowship Village Retirement Community’s
“Family Fun Day Celebration”
held on September 12. For the last two
years Alex has volunteered to entertain
children and adults alike and was featured
on the front page of The Bernardsville
News (9.17.09 issue) alongside 90-yearold,
former New Jersey State Senator
Jack Ewing.
VH-1 Save The Music Song of the Year
is an international contest encouraging
the art of song writing. Sophomore, Julius
Trombino, won the Rock division for
the month of August for a song he wrote
and performed called In the Summer.
He competed against thousands of songwriters
from all over the world. The song
can be found at www.songoftheyear.com,
click on past winners, 2009 Monthly
winners, August results, Rock. This is the
second time Julius has won this contest
in the past six months!
Faculty & Staff
Guidance counselor, Marguerite Cahill
and her husband, Matt, welcomed a baby
girl on September 24,
2009 at 6:09 am.
Baby Stella Weston
Cahill, weighing in at
5 lbs. 13 oz., joins her
big sister, Eva.
Jennifer Troast, science teacher, and
Larry Kaltenbach were married on
September 26, 2009.
World language teacher, Sara Kirsch, was
recently awarded her M.A.T. in Spanish
from Rutgers University. She maintained
a 4.0 GPA!
Michaela Stoudemayer completed
her first triathlon! She competed in the
Bassman Triathlon with veterans Maria
Mensinger and Jean O’Connell.
Marsha Moroni completed
her first century
bike ride. She participated
in the Pumpkin
Patch Pedal and biked
100 miles in one day!
Physical Education teacher, Tim Howard,
received his Master of Arts in Education
from Marygrove College.
Vocational Studies aide, Derek Boudreau,
aka Alyre, has produced several songs
that are available on Amazon, iTunes
and MySpace. Additionally, his song,
You’re Not Alone, received airplay on 91.9
WNTI in August. Derek’s music has been
described as acoustic alternative rock.
Not only does
he write his own
music, he plays
guitar, bass,
drums and does
the vocals.
The purpose of Ridge Recognition is to highlight the accomplishments of RHS students,
faculty, and staff. If you or someone you know is deserving of praise and recognition,
please send us an email at ridgepto@yahoo.com.
THE RIDGE
FORUM
Welcome to The Ridge Forum. This is an
opportunity for you as parents, students,
teachers, and staff to ask relevant questions
regarding Ridge High School. We will
research your question to find the answer
and also open up The Forum for you to
respond as well.
Dear Ridge Forum:
Why are all SAT and PSAT tests
scheduled to start so early in the
morning? Wouldn’t it be better to
start a little later when students are
more alert? – A Concerned Parent
Dear Concerned:
According to RHS assistant principals
Mrs. Tenga and Mr. Thompson, the SAT
and PSAT testing coordinators, Ridge is
required to follow the procedures set by the
College Board. SAT and PSAT tests both
start approximately the same time as
a regular school day to meet the requirement
that students complete them before
lunch. The PSAT test takes 2 hours and
45 minutes, and the SAT test takes 3 hours
and 45 minutes. Students with disabilities
are given extra time to complete the
tests (either 50% or 100% extended time),
which considerably lengthens the total
testing times.
Dear Ridge Forum:
I am trying to find an item that was
listed in a September Friday Folder.
How can I find this? – Searching
Dear Searching:
Previous Friday Folders are archived on
the BOE website. Go to www2.bernardsboe.com,
click on Parents and Students,
and then Friday Folder archives. The
information is listed by date.
If you have anything more to add to these
responses or have a question of your own,
contact us at ridgepto@yahoo.com and
indicate Ridge Forum in the subject line.

RIDGE CLUBS & ACTIVITIES
Theater at Ridge
The Ridge Theater Program has many
exciting offerings this season in the
Performing Arts Center at Ridge High
School. Mr. Baldwin returns with a
vibrant group of talented officers and
members of the Drama Club.
Fall Production
The Arabian Nights, November 19–22
Ridge High School’s Fall Production,
The Arabian Nights, will be performed
the weekend before Thanksgiving, November
19-22, 2009. Mary Zimmerman’s
acclaimed adaptation of The Arabian
Nights weaves ancient tales of wonder
into a rich and dazzling testament to the
transformative power of storytelling. To
save her life from King Shahryar, Scheherezade
spends one thousand and one nights
telling funny, moral, thrilling, musical,
romantic and thoroughly enchanting
stories. This terrific cast works together
to bring vibrant and resonant themes in a
uniquely theatrical setting.
Spring Production
Curtains, March 4–6, 2010
Auditions for Curtains will start after
Thanksgiving.
Opportunities to Participate
There are many opportunities for stage
crew, performance and design teams. Look
for announcements for meetings in the near
future and at http://ridgedrama.com.
items needed
for sets
Dear RHS Theater Supporter:
The Arabian Nights is looking for a
few good set dressings:
• Rugs – we need many, many rugs
of the Persian persuasion, in reds and
golds. We need to cover a floor area
of 20' by 30'. Any shape or size will
help, even runners. Your loaners
would be appreciated (moldy, garage
rugs need not apply).
• Lanterns – we need 6 beautiful,
Mediterranean, colored glass
lanterns to hang overhead. Ideally,
they need to be larger than 12 inches.
It would help if they were wired for
electricity but we can adapt (Has
any one been to Pier One lately?).
• Pillows – we need royal-looking
pillows in purples, reds and golds.
Tassels and trim would be fabulous!
Thanks for your help!!
Please contact Mr. Baldwin at
SBaldwin@bernardsboe.com
Homecoming
Highlights
On Wednesday, October 14, Ridge students
cast their votes for the Homecoming King
and Queen and the Homecoming
Court. The results are: Jake
Herrington (King) and Katie
Robinson (Queen). Members
of the Homecoming Court are:
Andrew Madlinger, Nick Cefalo,
Terrence Scott, Arber Mavraj, Christian
Frisoli, Gabriella DeMarco, Kate Carlucci,
Amy Chen, Nikki Sullivan, and Kayla
D’Ambrosio. Congratulations to all!
On Friday, October 16, Ridge students,
alumni, parents, and the community came
together despite the inclement weather to
cheer on the varsity football team. The
Ridge Red Devils blazed to a 19-0 big
win against the Warren Hills Regional
Blue Streaks. GO RIDGE!
FOOTBALL
SCHEDULE
2009 Varsity Home Games
Date Opponent Time
10/30 Watchung Hills 7 pm
11/06 Montgomery 7 pm
Ridge Yearbooks
Orders are now being taken for the Ridge
2010 yearbook. Order forms were sent
home last week. You can order on line, by
mail or by phone – simply follow directions
provided on the order form. If you
did not receive the ordering information,
you can go on line to www.smart-pay.com
to reserve a yearbook. To guarantee a copy
of the 2010 yearbook, payment must be
received by November 20, 2009. Any questions
can be directed to yearbook adviser,
Ms. Benitz, at fbenitz@bernardsboe.com.

Ridge Marching Band Places 2nd
at Giants Stadium Yamaha Cup
compete against are: Watchung Hills,
South Plainfield, Sparta, Delaware Valley,
Columbia (South Orange) and Morristown.
The Ridge Marching Band placed second
in the prestigious Yamaha Cup competition
held on October 20 at Giants Stadium.
Competing against eight other Group III
schools, Ridge was also awarded first
place for the Best Percussion Unit. The
band placed second in the Overall Effect
and Music categories, while the Color
Guard Unit placed third.
The Yamaha Cup success capped off
several weeks of competitions, winning
two additional second place trophies:
Mount Olive Band Festival
At the Mount Olive Band Festival on
October 17 held indoors due to adverse
weather, the band won a second place
trophy, trailing one of the top bands in
New York state.
Somerville Band Festival
At the Somerville Band Festival on
October 3, the band also won a second
place trophy, and captured the Best
Musical Ensemble and Best Overall
Effect awards for their performance.
Upcoming Competitions
Three more competitions remain for
the 2009 season, including the State and
Regional championships. Tickets are
available for all three events.
October 25
USSBA State Championships
Sayreville High School
October 31
USSBA Q Event
Union High School
November 14
USSBA Northern States Championships
Allentown, PA
The marching band also supports the
football team at all home and away
football games. As a special feature at the
October 30th game, eighth graders from
William Annin Middle School are invited
to practice with the band and perform
with them in the stands.
The band has dedicated its 2009 show
to the 40th anniversary of the rock opera
Tommy by The Who. The show includes
musical highlights of several songs from
the popular late 60s album, concluding
with the hit song Pinball Wizard.
Information about the marching band
can be found at the www.ridgemarchingband.org
website.
Come Support
Ridge Red Devil’s
Ice Hockey
The Ridge Ice Hockey teams will kick off
their 2009-10 season with a special night
of hockey. On December 5th, the JV and
Varsity teams will host defending Public B
State Champions Ramsey in back-to-back
games. The JV squad will open the night
at 6:50 pm. Following their game, the
Ridge Youth Hockey Club will have
Bernards Townships’ littlest hockey players
skate in a “Mites on Ice” game. Then
the Ridge Varsity will take on Ramsey’s
best at 9 pm. All games will be hosted at
the Bridgewater Sports Arena. Come out
and enjoy a fun night of ice hockey!
Pequannock Band Festival
At their initial competition on
September 26 at the Pequannock Band
Festival, the band placed fourth.
The Ridge band competes in US Scholastic
Band Association (USSBA) events at the
Group III level. Unlike other competitive
sports, marching band levels are based on
the size of the ensemble, not the school’s
enrollment. Among the local schools they

Varsity Athletes
of the Month
September, 2009
Cheerleading
Nikki Engstrom
Nikki is a pleasure to work with,
as her spunk and positive attitude
enhances her unbelievable work
ethic and skill level. She is continuously
working to improve her tumbling, stunting
and jumping ability and her efforts thus far
in the season are not only commendable,
but acknowledged as she is September’s
Athlete of the Month.
Boys’ Cross Country
Tim Lechleider
Tim has steadily improved to become
the third runner on our Varsity team. His
strong work ethic and dedication have
put the boys’ team in position to be one
of the best in the area and state.
Girls’ Cross Country
Sabina Bains
Coming off a strong freshman year, Sabina
has become one of the best individual
runners in the area. As one of the top two
runners on the team, she has excelled with
many early season PR’s to get the team off
to a strong and competitive start.
Field Hockey
Colleen Connor and Liz Baron
This duo has combined for 12 of the team’s
18 goals and 13 of the team’s 15 assists.
The tandem has connected on almost every
goal this year. If one of them is scoring, the
other is assisting. The two senior captains
have led the team to the best start a Ridge
Field Hockey team has had in the past
three years.
Football
Nick Cefalo
Nick has tremendous leadership
and work ethic. In the month of
September, Nick had 9 touchdowns and
1 interception, helping lead the team to
a big win over Immaculata.
Gymnastics
Kasey Marquardt
This senior captain has been a great
inspiration to the gymnastics team. She is
a strong competitor and always steps up
to lead the team during warmups or at a
competition. Kasey is always there for her
teammates and makes sure that everyone
is doing their part as a team member. She
always puts gymnastics first and there is
nothing Kasey can’t do when she puts her
mind to it.
Boys’ Soccer
Brendan Farley
Brendan has led the boys’
soccer defensive unit to a stingy 0.6 goals
against average, including two shut outs.
His controlled and vocal play in the backfield,
combined with pro-active defending,
has been a major contributing factor to the
team’s strong start to the season.
Girls’ Soccer
Katie Robinson
Katie has shown versatility in several
positions on the field; she is always
hustling to the ball and has so much energy
in both practice and games. Katie’s positive
attitude helps lead the team both on
and off the field. She is dangerous in the
attack with a powerful and accurate shot.
Tennis
Tracy Lucas
The second singles
player for the Varsity
team, Tracy reached the
semifinals of the 2009 Somerset County
Tennis Tournament. In her quarterfinal
match against #3 seed Rutgers Prep, Tracy
lost the first set, but then rebounded to win
the second and the final set. This upset win
earned Tracy a spot in the semifinals.
Girls’ Volleyball
Amanda Lazicky
Amanda’s stats for the month of September
are 45 kills, 13 aces, 4 digs and 14 blocks!