The Ramaz Upper School was on a roll until social distancing forced students’ separation. While online learning has continued, students miss the enthusiastic energy and contagious social enjoyment that each day at Ramaz held. It is easy to forget about these past happenings, so here’s a reminder of the top ten highlights from Ramaz 2019-2020:

Freshman Orientation

Freshman Orientation is essential for the freshman class. It is the students’ first impression of the Upper School, and for about half the class, their first real exposure to Ramaz. On Tuesday, September 3, the eager yet anxious freshmen entered the Ramaz building. Their apprehension was quickly relieved by ice-breaker activities, welcoming speeches, a stellar performance by the Chamber Choir, and a scavenger hunt. Rebecca Silber ’23 said, “The scavenger hunt was the best part. It was a great way for me to get a sense of what the city is like, which definitely excited me.”

Club Fair

Club Fair really helps students design their extracurricular plans for the year. On Tuesday, September 17,  all students assembled in the auditorium to view the plethora of Ramaz clubs. It was fun for freshmen to see the offerings for the first time and enjoyable for upperclassmen to display their beloved clubs. Older students are able to take on the role of leader and have the opportunity to present their club to other students. Rebecca Kalimi ’23 said, “I really enjoyed the open atmosphere where I felt like I could just look around at all the new opportunities. I also really like getting candy that was left on some of the tables.”

The Central Park Trip

On September 26, the Upper School went to Central Park. Students enjoyed many fun games  including football, soccer, basketball, frisbee, boating, biking, and yoga. Students were also able to participate in photography, sketching, or a trip to the Central Park Zoo. This trip was a great bonding opportunity in a fun and stress-free setting. Benji Goldstein ’22 said, “The trip was great. I had a lot of fun walking with my friends.”

Chol Hamoed Sukkot

Chol Hamoed Sukkot 2019 featured delicious breakfasts which included waffles with whipped cream. At the Simchat Beit Hashoeva during Homeroom in the Sukkah, there were cookies, music, and a tie-dye station set up by the G.O.. Many students enjoyed the opportunity to tie-dye in the Ramaz sukkah.

RamJam

Ramjam is always a Ramaz highlight. This year, it took place right before Thanksgiving break. Students appreciated sitting with friends and enjoying the performances. Students were impressed by the Chamber Choir, High School Choir, Dance Team, Guitar Ensemble, and Chamber Ensemble. Nathaniel Ziegler ’21 said, “I liked the guitar people. The music was really catchy.” 

Steve Glouberman Basketball Tournament

Members of the Ramaz Boys and Girls Varsity Basketball teams traveled to Los Angeles to compete in the Glouberman Tournament. They had a great time, and so did the many spirited Ramaz fans who watched the games from NYC. The games, which took place from November 6-9, were live streamed in the Ramaz lounge, allowing the whole school to cheer on the Rams together. The fourth-floor lounge was on a spirit high when Spencer Rubinstein ’21 scored a buzzer beater game winning layup against Haftr. Mia Denti ’22, a Girls Varsity player, said, “I loved that it was a really big bonding experience for us as a team.” 

Spirit Day

This year’s Ramaz Spirit Day took place on December 16 and was certainly one to remember. Different sports teams played mini volleyball games in front of the whole school. There was music, cheering, and competition. The event had referees, and the gym was decorated with streamers and signs. That night, the Ramaz Varsity Boys and Girls Basketball teams played for the whole school to watch. Many students came and cheered on Ramaz. The Ramaz gym was certainly its fullest of the year that night. Ethan Morali ’20 said, “I really liked that we all gathered together in the gym and cheered for Ramaz’s sports teams. It was a harmonious, joyful feeling and definitely top ten moments of the year. The atmosphere was booming.” 

Chanukah

In honor of Chanukah, Ramaz took freshman, sophomore, and junior students on different, special outings. The freshman grade went to Bryant Park to ice skate. The sophomores traveled to the Nickelodeon theme park in American Dream Mall. The juniors went rock climbing at High Exposure in New Jersey. Everyone enjoyed these bonding experiences and the much-appreciated break from the routine school day. Sophia Ratzker ’21 said, “I enjoyed the Chanukah trip so much because I got to have fun in a stress-free environment. I also got to talk to people I don’t usually get a chance to because we are not in the same classes.” 

Hairspray The Musical

A definite focal point of the year was the Ramaz production of Hairspray. The acting was phenomenal, and all students were blown away by this most professional and incredibly fun performance. The songs of Hairspray were heard down the halls of Ramaz for weeks afterward as students continued to sing and hum the melodies. Ron Alweiss ’22 said, “Hairspray was really upbeat and fun to watch. The songs were really great too!”

Purim at Ramaz

The month of Adar at Ramaz is especially fantastic. This year certainly lived up to the hype. Adar started off with a Chagigah featuring a dance party with music by DJZJ. For Purim, Ramaz held its annual carnival with games, snacks, and fun costumes. The students all dressed up for the annual costume contest. “I really enjoyed being able to hang out with all my classmates in the gym on Purim, said Puterman ’23. It would have been really great to have had the contest in person, but the G.O. adapted to the sudden coronavirus precautionary assembly and held the contest online. Hopefully, next year, Purim celebrations will be held entirely in school and celebrated in good health by all.

Ramaz is lucky to have such a devoted faculty who work hard to make these highlights special for us each year. For better or for worse, the 2019-2020 school year was certainly a year to remember! We are looking forward to what next year will bring.