Julia Mosby and Ben Ley after “Miracle on 34th Street” performance at RFH. Photo/Barbara Mosby
By all accounts, the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) Tower Players’ Miracle on 34th Street was a smashing success.
The show, which ran Friday and Saturday nights, closed with a Sunday matinee.
Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect couldn’t make it to this show, but cast member Julia Mosby’s mom Barbara captured a couple of post-show moments and sent them. So, the photos are being featured as our Retro Pic(s) of the Day.
The photos, of course, included Julia and RFH grad and friend Ben Ley, a former RFH Jazz Ensemble drummer, who now attends NYU.
Take a look. If you have any photos you’d like to add, please feel free to send them to us, with proper credit, at [email protected].
The following is an edited press release from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School:
Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) French teacher Christine Berg is one of only about 4,000 teachers nationwide who has received this year’s national board certification in Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood/World Languages – French.
According to information released by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, National Board Certification is the “gold standard” for accomplished teaching.
To date, more than 110,000 teachers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia have become board-certified teachers, or NBCTs.
The following is an edited press release from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School:
Everyone knows that the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) football team has claimed its second consecutive NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II championship.
The Bulldogs shut out Delaware Valley High School in a 21-0 rout on Dec. 6 at Kean University’s Alumni Stadium.
Here are some quotes and details about the win that were just released:
Back in the day, in the 1970s, Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School’s big football rivalry game, always against Red Bank Catholic, started just about everyone’s Thanksgiving Day.
People went to the traditional game, then home for Thanksgiving dinner. The homecoming dance was the night before, when all the recent graduates would reunite. And the announcement of the new homecoming king and queen came on the football field at the game’s half-time.
Take a look back with us in the Retro Pic of the Day photos above. Do you recognize anyone on the team? Some are still in the area. Who were the football stars of the day?
The following is an edited press release from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School:
Just in time for the winter months, animals at the Associated Humane Society shelter in Tinton Falls were provided with warm bedding thanks to a recent fundraiser.
The Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) organization Paws and Claws — dedicated to assisting and spreading awareness of organizations that support domestic pets and wildlife — held a towel/linen drive from Oct. 20 to 31.
The role reversed cheerleaders of RFH Powder Puff Football 1977. Photo/RFH yearbook screenshot
It’s that time of the year — the time when all good Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) football enthusiasts take to playing the game a different way.
This particular tradition may not die hard, but how it was back in the day decades ago, in 1977, the girls played a junior vs. senior game as they were cheered on by a strange gaggle of senior guys.
The above picture includes four who are still pretty well-known in the area.
Here are your hints: one is now a retired Fair Haven police officer and still a resident, another is a former Fair Havenite and Rumsonite who runs his business out of Fair Haven, another is a Rumson dad with his own brood of RFHers, and yet another is the owner of a popular restaurant in Sea Bright that used to be Ichabod’s, this class’ favorite hang-out, post-graduation, of course.
It was last weekend, on Nov. 15, when the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School Field Hockey team won the school’s first NJSIAA Group II title.
The girls won the title over Bordentown High School in a 3-2 victory that came on the heels of a historic Shore Conference Title win against Shore Regional High School on earlier in the month.
A small Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect breaking story ran on the day of the NJSIAA Group Title win.
Here are more details about the game, provided by RFH:
Madison Maguire, Peyton McCauley, and Lilly Croddick scored goals for top-seeded RFH, and goalie Anna Babiak had four saves.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the efforts of these girls over the entire season, and certainly in their Group II Final game,” Head Coach Julie Vaccarelli said. “This is another first for the program — we have never before made it to the group final, and to win in our very first appearance is just spectacular.”
The RFH field hockey roster consists of: seniors Abigael Donohue, Catie Ebner (Captain), Molly Lake, Maggi McCann, and Peyton McCauley (Captain); juniors Anna Babiak, Kara Dixon, Bridget Fitzgerald, Maggie Jennings, Madison Maguire, Kiera McKay, Gabrielle Ramirez, Masie Sapnar, and Kate Sustick; sophomore Ali DeVito; and freshmen Lilly Croddick, Emma D’Amelio, Kaitlyn MacGillis, Megan MacGillis, Makenna Maguire, and Molly Nowell.
The following is an edited press release provided by Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School:
Everyone knows by now that they’re the champs.
Here’s how … The Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) field hockey team earned the school’s first Shore Conference Title by defeating Shore Regional High School on Nov. 2 at Raritan High School, Hazlet.
The top-seeded Bulldogs bested the second-seeded Blue Devils with a score of 2-0. The RFH girls were the first team of the 2014 season to hold Shore Regional — winner of the past 15 Shore Conference Title bouts — scoreless.
“I could not be prouder of the effort put forth by the girls — they played with heart and supported one another all over the field,” RFH Head Field Hockey Coach Julia Vaccarelli said. “It was a total team effort.
“It was an amazing feat to clinch the program’s first-ever Shore Conference title, and also end a 15-year-long streak by Shore Regional.”
Up next for the girls is the NJSIAA State Tournament run, in which the Bulldogs are the top seed.
“We will look defend our sectional title and hopefully make in to the group championship – another first for the program,” said Vaccarelli.
The RFH field hockey roster includes: seniors Abigael Donohue, Catie Ebner (Captain), Molly Lake, Maggi McCann and Peyton McCauley (Captain); juniors Anna Babiak (Goalie), Kara Dixon, Bridget Fitzgerald, Maggie Jennings, Madison Maguire, Kiera McKay, Gabrielle Ramirez, Masie Sapnar and Kate Sustick; sophomore Ali DeVito; and freshmen Lilly Croddick, Emma D’Amelio, Kaitlyn MacGillis, Megan MacGillis, Makenna Maguire and Molly Nowell.
The following is an edited press release from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School:
What started as a 3-year-old hitting tennis balls in emulation of her parents has led to the first NJSIAA State Singles Championship in the history of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH).
RFH senior and tournament top seed Kate Fahey defeated Millburn’s Stephanie Schrage with scores of 6-3, 3-6, and 6-1 on Oct.18 in West Windsor.
And while she stood alone in victory on the tennis court that day, Kate has plenty of praise for all those who have supported her along the way.
“I have my parents to thank for introducing me to the sport and instilling a love for it” said Kate, who noted that they still play competitively.
Kate credits her first private coach, Ray Kuzava of New Shrewsbury Racket Club, for teaching her the fundamentals of the sport beginning at the age of 8 and providing her with a firm foundation. Her current coach, Catarina Ryan, who began working with Fahey when she was 13, is described as “a mentor and friend as well as a coach.”
During her sophomore year at RFH in 2012, Fahey reached the NJSIAA State Singles Championship Final but lost to Lexi Borr of Westfield. She then left RFH and dedicated her junior year to competition in United States Tennis Association tournaments.
After careful consideration, Kate returned for her senior year at RFH. She ended her senior season with a record of 23-0.
“It was just so nice to be back at RFH, and I love all of the girls on the team as well as Coach Manley,” said Kate. “They are just an extremely talented and wonderful group.
“I am definitely happy with my decision to come back!”
Next year Fahey will play for the University of Michigan, to which she made a verbal commitment in January of 2014.
“I made a commitment that was considered early for tennis, but after visiting the campus and meeting the coach and the players I was sure that this was where I wanted to be,” she said. “It is a great fit for me academically and athletically, and it already feels like home.”
If you guessed that Fahey has her eye on a bigger prize, you are correct.
“I plan to work very hard and try to improve at the University of Michigan, so that I will be successful after graduation.” said Kate. “I definitely want to play professionally.”
Kate is the daughter of Elena and Tom Fahey of Fair Haven.
The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) has chosen Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) Supervisor of Guidance Fran Swift to serve as a member of its Professional Development Committee.
Swift, who has been the RFH supervisor since July of 2008, received official notice of her appointment as one of three New Jersey delegates to the NACAC Board of Directors on Sept. 15 . Her three-year term began in late September, after an annual national search conducted in the spring of 2014, and will continue through September, 2017, according to a release from RFH.
Among Swift’s duties is acting as liaison for the Regional Affiliates with which she is paired. Within that partnership, she will promote/present workshops for the national organization, the release said. The organization’s membership consists of 13,000 professionals from around the world.
“The scope of my work will be to communicate best practices to School Counselors and College Admission Professionals in the regional affiliates, and to report the affiliates’ professional development needs to the national organization,” said Swift. “My goal is to help achieve a shared strategic vision for the college admissions process that takes everyone’s perspectives into account, Swift said in the release.
“I saw this as a great opportunity to serve NACAC, as well as to gain valuable information and networking connections that will benefit the student body at RFH.”
Swift is the only appointee from the state selected to serve on the eight-member NACAC Professional Development Committee.
As a member of that group, Swift represents the New Jersey regional affiliate chapter as well as the Dakota, Great Plains, and Rocky Mountains regional affiliates.
Swift is very active in the New Jersey regional affiliate of NACAC (NJACAC) and is one of six national delegates from her state serving as the voice of NJ School Counselors and College Admission Professionals on key initiatives, the release said. Previously she completed two terms (four years) as one of two New Jersey secondary school representatives.
Swift is also a member of the Professional Development Committee for NJACAC. In this capacity, she coordinates the Naviance Users Group, presenting workshops to help school counselors implement an on-line system designed to improve college and career planning.
A former Kindergarten teacher, Swift has worked in high school guidance for 27 years. She serves on the Monmouth County School Counselors Executive Board, where she served as president for nine years.
Swift recently completed a term on the Advisory Board of Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY, and recently joined the Fairfield University Advisory Board in Connecticut.
Founded in 1937, the National Association for College Admission Counseling is an organization dedicated to serving students transitioning from secondary to postsecondary education.
Members include professional school counselors, college access counselors, admission and financial aid officers and more.
Miracle on 34th St. poster, courtesy of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School
Yes, Rumson-Fair Haven area theatergoers, there is a fall high school show.
The Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) Tower Players is aiming to make audiences believe in Santa Claus with its Dec. 12, 13 and 14 stage production of Miracle on 34th Street, The Play, a release from RFH said.
Based on the classic 1947 movie and novel by Valentine Davies, the Tower Players’ version of the story of a white-haired bearded man named Kris Kringle and his embattled, tradition-inspired journey as a 34th Street Macy’s Santa, has been dubbed “part nostalgic throwback and part cutting-edge entertainment,” by staff.
The show, according to the release, will feature 38 cast members bringing to life the original storyline of Kringle’s holiday trials and tribulations as he insists he is the real Santa.
The contemporary component of the RFH production manifests itself in large-scale dance numbers choreographed to a rock-based soundtrack, the release said.
The popular plot, the release said, unfolds like this: A kind white-haired man is asked by Macy’s bigwig Doris Walker to portray Santa in the famous flagship store on 34th Street in New York City.
Trouble starts to brew when the man, who says his name is Kris Kringle, claims that he is the actual Santa Claus. His claims are seriously doubted by Doris Walker and her daughter Susan, both of whom don’t believe in the existence of Santa Claus.
As Kris’ sanity comes into question, his danger of being committed to a psychiatric institution grows. Doris, concerned for Kris, enlists her friend and neighbor Fred Gailey to defend Kris in court. The highly practical Susan befriends Kris as well and, in doing so, end up with the most precious gift of all – something to believe in.
In the RFH production, Kris Kringle is played by senior Laurence Morales. Doris Walker is played by senior Emily Mangiavillano, with senior EIise Roncace as Susan Walker. Senior Andrew Maris plays Fred Gailey.
Also featured, in a ballet performance of toys coming to life, are sophomores Sara Safarian and Rachel Makstein.
The Tower Players’ Miracle on 34th Street, The Play is directed by Suzanne Sweeney, with choreography by Patty McCarron and costumes and props under the direction of Carole Malik.
Tower Players alumna Kasi Ann Sweeney is assistant director and Stefania Flecca is production coordinator. Sets, sounds and lighting are provided by Matthew Leddin and his 30-student crew, with set design contributions from the RFH Stagecraft class as well.
Tickets — $10 general admission and $6 for senior citizens, children and students — may be purchased by visiting the RFH website (rumsonfairhaven.org) or by contacting Play Production Coordinator Stefania Flecca at 732-842-1597, extension 826.
Tickets will also be sold at the theater box office in the auditorium lobby from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 24 and Dec. 1 and 4. Tickets will be sold an hour before each performance as well, based on availability.
Curtain time for the production’s Friday opening night on Dec. 12 is 7:30 p.m., followed by a show on Saturday at the same time and a closing matinee on Sunday at 1 p.m.
You must be logged in to post a comment.