Tag Archives: RFH

Local Life

Retro First RFH Soccer Girl

 

Chris Bowden, RFH Class of 1976 was the first girl to play soccer on the boys' team. Photo/RFH 1976 Yearbook
Chris Bowden, RFH Class of 1976 was the first girl to play soccer on the boys’ team.
Photo/RFH 1976 Yearbook

Yes, soccer season has kicked in.

When Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect shared a photo of the boys’ team from back in the late 1970s, RFH grads challenged all to remember who the first girl was to play on the boys team (since there was no girls team then).

We found her and a photo of the team that year, which was 1975-76.  Remember? It was Chris Bowden, RFH Class of 1976. They were playing, of course, in 1975.

So, the Retro Pic of the Day honors that first girl to kick in some girl power on the RFH Boys Soccer team a few decades ago.

Do you remember in which year RFH formed its first girls’ soccer team? We think it was the 1980s. How about 1983? Remember who the captains of that team were?

 

Schools Scene

An RFH Look at the College Admissions Process

Tim Lee, Director of Undergraduate Admission at University at Albany, SUNY, discusses the admission process with parents during the Interactive College Admissions Committee Workshop at RFH. Photo/RFH
Tim Lee, Director of Undergraduate Admission at University at Albany, SUNY, discusses the admission process with parents during the Interactive College Admissions Committee Workshop at RFH.
Photo/RFH

Roughy 100 Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) students recently participated in a forum dubbed Interactive College Admissions Committee Workshop.

The Oct. 8 presentation offered an insider’s view into the college admission process.

Continue reading An RFH Look at the College Admissions Process →

Schools Scene

Lessons Learned by RFH Girls Soccer Team from Olympian Christie Rampone

It was a motivational moment for Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School’s female athletes — specifically, soccer players.

Three-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup Champion Christie Rampone on Monday made an appearance at a team practice at Rumson’s Meadowridge Field East.

During an informal session, Rampone described participation in high school soccer as a “privilege.”

Continue reading Lessons Learned by RFH Girls Soccer Team from Olympian Christie Rampone →

News

Retro RFH Tech Crew at Work

RFH Tech Crew of 1977 working on the set of Plaza Suite Photo/George Day
RFH Tech Crew of 1977 working on the set of Plaza Suite
Photo/George Day

‘Tis the season for the tech crew for the RFH Tower Players’ fall show to get to work on building a set.

So, the Retro Pic of the (George) Day revisits the set of the fall show of 1977 — Neil Simon’s Plaza Suite.

The set was quite ornate, in keeping with the decor of the upscale Plaza Hotel in New York City, where the show was set.

In this photo, reflected in a mirror over the hand-crafted fireplace are crew members Jamie Blake and Tom Campbell. Looks like these guys are actually laying a carpet to mimic the lush interior of The Plaza’s rooms accurately. Check out the small detail of the light switch cover. They even wall-papered. These guys did very nice work.

The guys and girls on crew were considered pretty cool and from diverse extra-curricular backgrounds back in the day.

Is it still as widely accepted as “cool” to be on crew? We’ve noticed a dip in popularity of the activity by sheer virtue of the fact that far fewer have signed on.

Tech crew people are an integral part to a show’s success. These guys work very long hours and labor pretty intensely over little-known behind-the-scenes details. Have you thanked a techie lately?

Thanks again, George Day, for this photo contribution!

Local Life, Opinion

Retro ‘Register’ RFH Walkout Moment

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RFH students staged a walkout in 1979 protesting three teachers' terminations. Photo/screenshot of Red Bank Register negative archives, Monmouth County Library exhibit
RFH students staged a walkout in 1979 protesting three teachers’ terminations.
Photo/screenshot of Red Bank Register negative archives, Monmouth County Library exhibit

Fall is here and school is in full swing.

At Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School students are back in class, in the halls, in the cafeteria, in study hall … somewhere in that building on Ridge Road with the tower.

You get the drift.

However, on March 13, 1979, they were outside — in force.

They had staged a walkout “in protest of the Board of Education’s decision to terminate three teachers in order to stay within its state-mandated spending limit,” according to the archives of the Red Bank Register. 

So, the Retro Pic of the Day takes us back to that day with a photo of an unpublished Register photo of that day that appeared in the 2011 Monmouth County Library exhibit entitled Red Bank Register: 40 Photographs, 1976-1985.

The exhibit featured the work of several Register photographers. The photos came from years’ worth of preservation of negatives from the work of Carl Andrews, James J. Connolly, Carl Forino, Dave Kingdon, Don Lordi and Larry Perna.

While the records did not indicate which photographer took the RFH shot, it’s a classic, so we’re sharing it in our look back for the day. Carl Andrews was a Rumson resident. Though it’s not clear if he took the photo.

While I was in my first year of college when the photo was taken, I do recall hearing about this walkout. RFH students were always very proactive with school politics.

“The students, who said the Board‘s decision showed ‘callousness and disdain for teachers as individuals,’ argued that the school should have waited for older teachers to retire instead of firing younger ones with less seniority,” the photo description for the exhibit said. “Tora Doremus, Board president, stated that the quality of education at Rumson-Fair Haven would be maintained and that ‘I don‘t think this walkout served the students‘ purpose.’ More than 300 students participated in the demonstration on Friday morning, March 13, 1979.”

Hey, I think that’s Erin Bell, daughter of RFH English teacher Marilyn Bell, right in the front.

The Red Bank Register Negative Collection is in the Monmouth County Archives and the exhibit featuring the 40 photos was at Monmouth County Library Headquarters in Manalapan in October of 2011. 

 

Obituaries, Opinion

Remembrance: RFH Grad Debra Clarke Crowell Dies at 55

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Debra Clarke Crowell Photo/RFH Yearbook 1978
Debra Clarke Crowell
Photo/RFH Yearbook 1978

There’s nothing quite as wonderful as an old friend who’s known you since you were a kid. And there’s also nothing worse than losing that friend at a young age.

The worst of it happened a couple of days ago to friends in the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School alumni community.

A wave of shock and sadness engulfed the Class of ’78 with the announcement of the death of 55-year-old classmate Debra “Debbie” Clarke Crowell on Sept. 8.

There have been some losses of the all-too-young in the class already. This was the latest.

Continue reading Remembrance: RFH Grad Debra Clarke Crowell Dies at 55 →

Schools Scene

A Rumson Mom’s Takeaway on ‘The Naked Roommate’ Talk at RFH

Rumson mom LuAnn Hughes attended author Harlan Cohen’s talk presentation at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) Tuesday night.

Centered on his book The Naked Roommate (about getting comfortable with the uncomfortable in the college transition), it was designed to help college-bound students and their families.

She posted her takeaway on the speaker’s salient message on Facebook.

Here’s what the mom of teens, also a teacher, got out of the talk and shared with friends …

“It’s important to know what YOU want and stop living for what others expect from you.

“Transitions are hard. There are 5 aspects to pay attention to: social, emotional, physical, financial, academic.

“We need to focus more on people, places and having patience to get comfortable with the uncomfortable.

“Universal Rejection Truth: There will be times you lose, attempts you fail, people that don’t give you what you want. If you ignore the universal rejection truth you will spend your time hating, hiding, fighting, attacking and blaming others.

“If you face the truth you will have the strength and resilience to do what you’re meant to do because you’re not afraid to take risks.
You have to be able to take rejection to take risk after risk. Risk taking is what helps you grow.

“Don’t take critical feedback as an attack. Being able to take rejection is the key to people being able to help you.

“Rules:
1. Get comfortable with the uncomfortable. Embrace the fact that this is going to be difficult.
2. When you panic, think of your people, places and patience. Don’t panic and hang out with the wrong people. You have to have YOUR people and places.
3. Your kids struggles belong to them but the victories belong to you (lol). The challenge is that we are so connected through technology that it’s hard to set boundaries. Consider letting your child marinate in their misery.
4. Advise your child to apply “the 24 hour rule” whenever anything traumatic happens. Clarity will come. Be patient.
5. Get in the habit of asking your child “What do you think you should do?” If answer is “I don’t know” ask about who his 5 people and 3 places are. It takes a good 8 weeks to adjust (patience).

“With 30% of college students facing depression, how do you know when to stop letting your child marinate in their misery?

“Make sure they have their people, give your kids permission to be imperfect before they get there, let them fail.

“Make sure they understand that the first 8 weeks are hard.

“If you’re really worried and your child is showing signs of suicide (2nd leading cause of death among college kids) you go and check and intervene.

“Give your kids permission to struggle, to face adversity and to get over it.

“Places: Look for where you can sweat, play, pray, learn, lead.
People: People who volunteer to help, people you pay to help.

“College is about what YOU want not about who wants you.”

Text college to 44144 for roommate contract.

Good luck parents and college freshmen! 

Local Life, Opinion

Retro Chief Darryl Breckenridge as an RFH Senior

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Fair Haven Police Chief Darryl Breckenridge in his 1976 RFH Yearbook photo Photo/RFH Yearbook screenshot
Fair Haven Police Chief Darryl Breckenridge in his 1976 RFH Yearbook photo
Photo/RFH Yearbook screenshot

Yes, Fair Haven Police Chief Darryl Breckenridge is retiring.

Pretty much everyone in the Rumson-Fair Haven area now knows that he is calling a close to his 35-year career in law enforcement.

The chief was raised in Fair Haven. And, like most Fair Havenites, he went to Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School. He graduated in 1976, America’s bicentennial year. It was also an era of Huckapoo shirts, lambswool-lined jackets, Wallabees, topsiders and host of other fashion fatalities of their time.

So, the Retro Pic of the Day honors the chief stylin’ in his graduating year RFH Yearbook photo. He wore the trend well.

Pretty hip, huh? What was your favorite 70s style?

Hmmmmm. The chief looks a lot like his son D.J., director of Fair Haven Recreation, in this shot, right?

— Elaine Van Develde

Local Life, Opinion

Retro Gathering of RFH Class of ’80 Gals

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Fair Haven buddies from the RFH Class of 1980 in 1971 Photo/courtesy of Sandi Richards VonPier
Fair Haven buddies from the RFH Class of 1980 in 1971
Photo/courtesy of Sandi Richards VonPier

The RFH Class of 1980 is having its 35th reunion this weekend.

What better time than to take a look back at some grads of that class?

So, in honor of the Class of ’80 and friendships formed many years ago that are still going strong, the Retro Pic of the Day takes a look back at a 1971 gathering of Fair Haven girls of the class when such bonds were forged.

Nothing like an old buddy.

Who in this crew do you think was considered the best dressed? Remember what the “in” style was then?

Thanks to longtime Fair Havenite Sandi Richards VonPier for this photo contribution!

Local Life

Retro RFH Ride to Nowhere

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RFH Class of 1978 crew on a joy ride Photo/George Day
RFH Class of 1978 crew on a joy ride
Photo/George Day

Yes, it may be summer joy ride time somewhere.

Yet, these RFH old timers found their own bit of joy on a Halloween ride of a GI kind and made the most of it circa 1977.

So, in honor of our never easily forgotten classmates — just because they always strove to do memorable things like this — and a good little ride into the past, this is our Retro Pic of the (George) Day.

Security? Hitchin’ a ride, anyone?

Cheers to the guys in this pic! Know who they are?

Send us your past joy ride pics at evd@rfhretro.com.

Oh, and thanks, once again, to the fabulous George Day for this great shot of the past!

Schools Scene

A Special Year’s End RFH Bio Lesson for Deane-Porter Students

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When AP Biology students at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) thought outside the box recently, they created a winning situation for all involved.

Faced with the task of completing an end-of-year project, the students embraced a novel idea suggested by their teacher Valerie Kilar — to share what they had learned with students in kindergarten through third grade at nearby Deane-Porter School in Rumson.

“My six-year-old daughter Madelyn is a student at Deane-Porter, and she enjoys attending events at the high school with me and interacting with the ‘big’ kids,” said Kilar. “Since the end-of-year project should be something fun and meaningful, I thought it would be perfect if my students created science books and taught lessons to the students at Deane-Porter.”

Kilar contacted Madelyn’s Kindergarten teacher, Gina Varanelli, about organizing the visit. Varanelli worked out the logistics and connected Kilar with other teachers at the school.

The RFH students worked in groups to create lesson plans and produce books describing scientific terms and processes in a way that could be comprehended by elementary school students.

The participating RFH students and their assignments …

• Jack Luby and Jackson Reid – Venus Fly Trap, Shellie Miller’s kindergarten class
• Willie Freeman – Litter/Pollution, Brooke Huff’s kindergarten class
• Oliver Heins, Ted Schroeder, and Chris Tuttle – Butterfly Metamorphosis, Sara Stanziola’s kindergarten class
• Jen Andreacchi – Biomes, Karen Newman’s Kindergarten Class
• Robin Green and Emma Paulus – Symbiosis, Gina Varanelli’s kindergarten class
• Charlotte Miller and Fini Satzke – Genetic Traits, Carissa Azzaro’s first grade class
• Abigael Donohue and Olivia Rosenberg – Clouds, Bridget Albrizio’s second grade class
• Jessica Browne and Jackie Kho – Food Chains, Keri Lecorchick’s second grade class
• Shea Davis and Sean Dunphy – Astronomy, Colleen Henrikson’s second grade class
• Tristan Kilper, Noah Tucker, and Brianna Worobel – Water Cycle, Ken Grasso’s second grade class
• Clara Eskwitt – Levels of the Ocean, Jill Cox’s third grade class
• Katherine Hill, Megan Klem, and Campbell Lee – Challenges for Living Things, Megan Manney’s third grade class

Kilar hopes to make the event an annual collaboration.

“I am proud of all the thought and creativity the RFH students put into their children’s books and lessons,” said Kilar.

— Rumson School District press release