The following is an edited press release from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH):

Students from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) recently learned the stories behind the artwork and architecture of the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York City.

Accompanied by their advanced placement (AP) art history teacher Kate Okeson for the “vertical tour” on Jan. 15,  the behind-the-scenes, hour-long tour was described as “adventurous.”

Led by the cathedral’s docent, the group climbed more than 124 feet through spiral staircases in order to reach the top, the largest in the U.S. and fourth-largest in the world.

Among the highlights were: discovering facts about the stained glass windows and sculpture; examination of the grand architecture of while standing on a buttress; and enjoying the rooftop view of Manhattan.

Prior to beginning the official tour, the RFH group viewed an exhibit by Chinese contemporary artist Xu Bing, who culled debris from construction sites in Beijing to create his work.

The exhibit included Phoenix, the artist’s most monumental project to date, which consists of two mythical birds — male and female, weighing 12 tons and measuring 90 and 100 feet long — suspended from the ceiling in the Nave of the Cathedral.

Students participating in the tour included Katie Eskwitt, John Esposito, Katherine Hill, Campbell Lee, and Julia Mosby.