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Four RE academic leaders engaged in five days of professional development on the topic of "instructional rounds" at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Cambridge, Mass., in December. Assistant Head of the Middle School Jess Merrick, World Languages Department Chair James Monk, Mathematics and Computer Science Department Chair Brittney Ellzey Mujica and Assistant Head of the Upper School Adriana Sanchez attended as a team, and each learned to identify and solve common problems related to teaching and learning through the instructional rounds process.

Upper school musicians sent RE into the holiday break with a winter concert that displayed the program's continued development and inspired a spirited standing ovation. The Winter Winds, Voices and Strings II event at the Lewis Family Auditorium on Dec. 12 featured classical greats, special selections and a James Bond medley, and it concluded with more than 70 student performers on stage for "Sleigh Ride." Under the direction of RE faculty member Jon Hamm, the RE Symphony Orchestra, Vocal Ensemble and Jazz Singers combined for the exhilarating holiday finale that brought the crowd to its feet.
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Hundreds of children from 10 elementary schools across Miami enjoyed winter festivals on RE's two campuses on St. Alban's Day December 5. Ransom Everglades students teamed up to escort the young visitors to various stations offering games, activities and holiday treats. From meeting Santa to decorating cookies to riding trains on both campuses, the local children enjoyed every element of the annual carnivals that date back to the Everglades School for Girls. 

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Middle school students shared their first-semester progress and a dose of holiday spirit during the Middle School Winter Concert on December 5 at the Lewis Family Auditorium. Playing a delightful array of holiday tunes, classical and rock favorites and lively instructional music, students musicians and vocalists entertained and offered an inside look at the RE middle school music program.
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Children in Coconut Grove loved "shopping" for the toys and books donated by students at Ransom Everglades School during the annual middle school toy drive, a tradition for some 30 years. More than 140 children visited Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church to select gifts from about 500 children's items on December 7, and they were assisted by RE student volunteers and faculty members Flavia Araripe, Maria Eugenia Abrante and Ramona Miller.

The Class of 2025 Dan Leslie Bowden Fellows in the Humanities presented their summer research projects with poise, passion and confidence at the annual Bowden Fellows Gallery Night on December 9. Fellows Adrian Jagodzinski '25, Jordan James '25, Kenzie Kaplan '25, Beatriz Lindemann '25, Lucas Lippey '25, Ethan Sullivan '25 and Sindhu Talluri '25 shared project summaries on the Lewis Family Auditorium stage and then answered questions in front of project displays at the Solomon Art Gallery. Photo Gallery

Twenty-six middle school students traveled to Orlando Dec. 7-8 for a dynamic and educational musical theatre immersion. They enjoyed a musical theatre workshop at Disney’s Imagination Campus, experienced "Drawn to Life" by Cirque du Soleil, learned about stunt choreography at Medieval Times, and participated in an SFX tour with Universal Studios. RE faculty members Cecilia Gonzalez, Gina Montet and J.P. Arrastia led the experiential learning trip.

RE's annual Thanksgiving drives provided food for many families in the Miami and Coconut Grove communities. Upper school students donated 13 frozen turkeys, 378 bags of groceries, $340 and 14 pies to the Miami Rescue Mission's annual Thanksgiving dinner, and middle school students filled baskets for 40 families with Thanksgiving fare and nearly $1,800 in gift cards. The upper school drive was organized by faculty member Astrid Dalins, and the middle school event took place under the direction of student activities director Lenny Castaneda. Watch the video

Ransom Everglades middle school drama students brought to life a classic children's story – Charlotte's Web – with a charming production that included a memorable cast, adorable costumes designed by former faculty member Alina Mendoza and an impressive set assembled by RE students producers. Miles Caplow '30 starred as Wilbur the pig, Jane Palazzi '30 shined as Charlotte, and nearly two dozen other student-actors excelled in significant roles. Photo Gallery

Teams from Ransom Everglades captured first and third places in the 2024 High School Geography Bowl for Independent Schools of South Florida. Jacob Aronow '26, Charlie Reizenstein '26, Oscar Vazquez '26, Jaz Puri '28 and Benny Fishman '26 came from behind to win a close final match for the championship, and Parker Jelke '27, Jack Gonzalez '28, Iker Fierro Garcia '28, Gabrielle Tchira '27 and Jack Akselrad '28 earned the third-place trophy. RE's academic teams competed against 15 other teams at the Nov. 19 event at the Coral Gables Woman's Club and were supported by coaches Abby Berler and Branly Fontaine.

Ransom Everglades debuted its newest ensemble – the RE Jazz Singers – with an exciting opening performance at RE’s Jazz and Guitar Concert. Thirteen junior and senior vocalists highlighted the Nov. 19 event at the Posner Lecture Hall, performing five pieces including “Route 66” and “I Gotta Get.” The RE Combo, the Blue Note Combo and RE’s guitar classes also performed, sharing their musical progress from the fall semester.

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RE swimmers broke three school records at one of the most successful state championship meets in school history. Kiera Rampersad '25 set the record in the 100-meter butterfly with her second-place finish in 54.76 seconds, breaking a 10-year-old RE mark. Nohan Gomez '25 broke a five-year-old record in the boys' 100 fly, finishing in 50.94 on his way to eighth place overall. And the team of Lincoln Broad '26, Jay Holly '26, Ethan Sullivan '25 and Gomez posted a time of 1 minute, 28.80 seconds in the 200 freestyle relay on their way to 15th place, breaking a school mark set in 2016. The athletes competed at the Nov. 15 Class 1A Florida High School Athletic Association state meet under RE coach Franz Huggins, also head coach of the RE Aquatic Club.

Ransom Everglades celebrated Diwali with informative assemblies, colorful festivities and delicious traditional fare. Upper school students learned Bollywood-style dance on the stage of the Lewis Family Auditorium on Nov. 5 and middle school students participated in a fashion show in the gymnasium on Nov. 8. Students on both campuses presented slideshows detailing the history and traditions of the holiday and enjoyed a special lunch. The Asian Students Association organized many events at the upper school, and RE parents assisted faculty members at the middle school. The events took place under RE's Office of Inclusion and Community Engagement. Photo Gallery

Thirty-five band students from Ransom Everglades participated in the Florida Bandmasters Association District 20 Solo/Ensemble Music Performance Assessment Nov. 1-2 at Westwood Christian School in Miami. Under the direction of band directors Cathi Leibinger (middle school) and Jon Hamm (upper school), RE student-musicians performed in 32 events, earning 30 "superior" ratings and two "excellent" ratings.

RE's sixth-grade cross country team won the 2024 Middle School Cross Country Nationals in the 3,000 meters in Louisville, Kentucky, on Nov. 9. Russ LeFrak '31, Tiago Da Silva '31, Sebastian Dangond '31, Samuel Alexander '31 and Juan Andres Dasburg '31 crossed the finish line with an average time of 11 minutes and 48 seconds. LeFrak led the team with his 14th-place individual finish in 11:37.6; all of the boys finished in the top 28 in a field that included 80 runners from around the nation.

Nineteen students in RE's Model United Nations club participated in the Iberian Model United Nations Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, from Nov. 5-10. With over 30 other schools from across Europe in attendance, RE was the only U.S.-based school, sending delegates to the General Assembly, Security Council and Economic and Social Council.

Nine Ransom Everglades students earned recognition in the 2024 La Plume Young Writers’ Contest as Patrick Keedy Brown ’26 won the Grand Prize among high school students for his short story “Deliver Us.” It was the third straight year an RE student received the Grand Prize in the writing contest, which is open to students in Miami-Dade County, and more students were honored from RE than any other school.

The Ransom Everglades team of Jacob Aronow '26, Adi Arul '26, Zach Corbin-Cheah '27, Parker Jelke '27 and Alex Tevelow '28 won the championship at the National Academic Quiz Tournaments South Florida Fall Invitational at Ransom Everglades. RE's "B" team of Jack Gonzalez '28, Jaz Puri '28, Noah Veras '29, Ethan Moskovitz, '27, Gabrielle Tchira, '27 and Harlan Hoenig '28 finished in third place in the tournament that attracted 12 teams from as far as Naples.

Led by senior swimmers Nohan Gomez ’25 and Kiera Rampersad ’25 – each of whom won four gold medals – Ransom Everglades won the boys’ team championship and 11 individual races at the Florida High School Athletic Association 1A District 15 Championships at Belen Jesuit High School on October 29.

RE's middle school academic team excelled at the 2024 Middle School Geography Bee on October 29, posting an 8-0 record against eight local schools to claim its third title in a row. Under coach Joe Mauro, Noah Veras '29, Ciaran Clingan '29, Evan Powe '29, Rohan Harihara '30 and Axel Fraser '31 helped RE win its 14th Independent Schools of South Florida (ISSF) championship in 21 years of competition.

Ransom Everglades' golfers won three district titles at the Florida High School Athletic Association 1A District 15 Championships on Oct. 28 as Kate Khvorostiana '25 topped the leaderboard in the girls' individual competition and the boys' and girls' teams won their respective team championships, displaying excellence all around. The victory was the fourth straight for the RE boys' team, and the combined boys' and girls' team titles were the first for RE since 2018.

Lily Kingdon '29 correctly spelled fastigium to win the Middle School Spelling Bee on October 25, edging second-place finisher Nitin Seshadri '31 during a competition that included six finalists. The pair successfully handled lamasery, paradiddle and unciferous before Seshadri got tripped up by asphodel. With the victory, Kingdon advanced to the 85th annual Miami Herald Spelling Bee in February.

Ransom Everglades drama students turned a one-act, one-set play into an evening of delightful comedy with a spirited performance of Lord of the Choir at the Lewis Family Auditorium October 23-25. Trapped in the woods because of a broken-down bus, members of a student choir stayed close to their campfire, trading quips and insults while desperately seeking snacks. Miss Kittredge, played by Jaerla Sajous '25, never got the team bonding she hoped for, but the 21-member cast provided plenty of laughs under the direction of RE performing arts teacher Laura Montes.

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Five Ransom Everglades robotics teams competed at the South Florida High Stakes Regional Qualifier in VEX V5 October 20, joining a field of 38 teams from across the region in a thrilling day of matches in a jammed Anderson gymnasium. The students worked in groups to build and program their robots to accomplish certain tasks – placing rings on stakes, scoring goals and climbing at the end of the match – faster than competitors' robots. All advanced to the day's elimination rounds. The tournament was directed by RE robotics coach and engineering teacher Bob DuBard.

Wearing identical teal T-shirts, Ransom Everglades juniors and seniors visited classrooms of ninth-grade students on Oct. 24 and assumed the role of teachers, delivering the first of nine units of health education on topics ranging from depression to substance abuse to sexuality. The juniors and seniors, known as Peer Health Educators, received weeks of training under the direction of the Health Information Project, a Miami-based non-profit founded by RE alumna Risa Berrin '99.

Ransom Everglades recognized Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October with its 14th annual "Dig Pink" fundraising volleyball game in pink uniforms, a Dig Pink swim meet in pink caps, bake sales and educational assemblies on both campuses. Middle school students heard from Kate Lampen-Sachar '99, a breast radiologist at the Sylvester Cancer Center at the University of Miami, and upper school students from Starr Mautner, a breast surgical oncologist at the Miami Cancer Institute.

Middle school band students shared the spotlight during an interactive Fall REcital, a lively evening performance that took place at various venues across the Everglades Campus. The non-traditional concert began in Swenson Hall, where parents sat alongside their sixth-grade band students as Interim Director of Arts Cathi Leibinger directed the novice students in simple "performances" while also sharing her approach in the classroom.

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Ransom Everglades was named one of the top schools in the world in 2024 by two respected school analysts. The only school in Florida or the Southeast to make either list, RE ranks among the top 10 private schools in the North America and among the top 100 in the world according to Spear's 2024 School Index. The School Index by Carfax Education ranked RE among the top 20 in North America and top 150 in the world. 

See the results here: 

The Class of 2025 Dan Leslie Bowden Fellows in the Humanities – Adrian Jagodzinski '25, Jordan James '25, Kenzie Kaplan '25, Beatriz Lindemann '25, Lucas Lippey '25, Ethan Sullivan '25 and Sindhu Talluri '25 – shared details of their summer projects with their upper school peers during assembly on October 8. Associate Head of School John A. King Jr., who directs the Bowden fellowship program, acknowledged the students' hard work and excellent projects. Named for the legendary educator Dan Leslie Bowden, the fellowships provide students with funding and support for humanities research around the globe.

Ten Ransom Everglades band students were selected for the Florida Bandmasters Association District Middle School and High School Honor Bands, earning the opportunity to perform in ensembles with outstanding band students from other local schools. Each ensemble performed after just nine hours of rehearsal at the Oct. 5-6 Honor Band Concert at Gulliver Middle School with the support of RE Upper School Band Director Jon Hamm and Middle School Band Director Cathi Leibinger.

Ransom Everglades celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival with a student presentation, Chinese arts and crafts, performers from Beijing Normal University, and traditional fare prepared by SAGE Dining. The festival, which took place during the mid-day break on Sept. 17, allowed students to immerse themselves in the rhythms, colors, cuisine and traditions that surround the Chinese harvest moon festival.

More than 200 upper school students were inducted into one or more national honor societies during a week of induction ceremonies at the upper school. Current members and society advisors welcomed the newest members during the ceremonies the week of September 9. In all, the Mu Alpha Theta (math), science, French, Portuguese, Spanish and Chinese societies recognized more than 360 inductees (many were inducted into multiple societies) from Ransom Everglades.

Seventeen Ransom Everglades students were named National Merit Semifinalists in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Competition: Andrew Gedde '25, Jack He '25, Carlos Horcasitas '25, Hudson Kaplan '25, Alexandra Leiser '25, Paloma Lopes '25, Tian Luan '25, Dieter Manstein '25, David Martinez '25, Victoria Pinilla '25, Max Salomon '25, Kayra Serpenguzel '25, Ethan Sullivan '25, Solon Sun '25, Sindhu Talluri '25, Ethan Thomas '25 and Catherine Zhou '25.

Ransom Everglades announced the Class of 2025 Cum Laude Society inductees, students in the top 10 percent of the senior class: Mia Bouyoucef '25, Mia Campbell '25, Jonah Fishman '25, Andrew Gedde '25, Jack He '25, Carlos Horcasitas '25, Sirja Joeveer '25, Hudson Kaplan '25, Paloma Lopes '25, David Martinez '25, Michael Mederos '25, Daniel Mendelson '25, Max Salomon '25, Ethan Sullivan '25, Solon Sun '25 and Ethan Thomas '25.

We are excited to share some dynamic curriculum changes and enhancements for the 2024-25 school year that demonstrate our commitment to a student experience that fosters academic excellence, provides choice and emphasizes wellbeing.

Ethan Sullivan ’25 finished sixth in the first annual International Research Olympiad, an event that featured three intense examinations and included more than 1,000 participants from 45 countries. Finishing in the top 1 percent of competitors, he displayed the ability to think critically and interpret research, and shared the awards podium with students from Phillips Exeter Academy, Bergen County Academies, Shri Ram Global School (India), Lakeside School and Raffles Institution (Singapore).

Ransom Everglades launched its first annual Summer Institute for Teachers in June, welcoming faculty, administrators and private tutors for two days of seminars led by RE faculty at the upper school. The small-group sessions were designed to help attendees elevate their educational impact by connecting, collaborating and creating with fellow educators.

Ten Ransom Everglades spring sport athletes – including five lacrosse players – earned first-team all-county honors in the annual report compiled by the Miami Herald; more than five dozen RE athletes won some level of recognition in the ratings released throughout the month of June. Link to Herald report

Claudia Colina ‘25 placed fifth in the nation in Dramatic Interpretation at the 2024 National Speech and Debate Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa, on June 16-21, as Francesca Lopez ‘24 won recognition for her fourth straight nationals appearance and Eduardo Michelsen '25, Daniela Garcia '26, Miranda Silva '26 and Hannah Risin '25 reached the final rounds.

School leaders welcomed four new trustees – Bill Bermont ’93, Jorge A. Gross Jr. ’97, Kristen McMahon and Camilo Miguel Jr. – and one returning trustee – Albert E. Dotson Jr. – to the 2024-25 Ransom Everglades Board of Trustees on July 1, 2024. Their arrival coincided with the departure of 2024 Head of School’s Alumni Award for Distinguished Service to the School recipient Rudy Prio Touzet ’76, who stepped down from the board after 15 years of service, and conclusion of the two-year term of Jonathan Fitzpatrick as board chair.

Ransom Everglades’ professional community celebrated the storied careers of retiring faculty members Greg Siegler, who is departing after 37 years, and Henry Stavisky ’85, who is retiring after 25, during an emotional end-of-year ceremony at the Lewis Family Auditorium on June 7 that included other awards and recognitions. Colleagues lauded the two legendary mathematics and computer science teachers for their extraordinary contributions in the classroom and throughout the school community.

Ransom Everglades sent off the Class of 2024 with a commencement ceremony on May 24 that featured wit, wisdom and a challenge. Noted Miami author and humorist Dave Barry, a former RE parent, provided a mix of hilarious anecdotes and practical advice during his commencement address, and Joshua Williams '18 offered a challenge to the Class of 2024 after receiving the 2024 Founders’ Alumni Award for Distinguished Service to the Community. The namesake of the Joshua’s Heart Foundation and recipient of countless humanitarian awards, Williams called on the graduating seniors to do nothing less than change the world.

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Senior Commemorative Video

Lauren Page '24 and Victoria Paraoulaki de Miranda '24 won honorable mention recognition at the 66th annual Silver Knight Awards ceremony at the James L. Knight Center on May 22. They were among 60 students in Miami-Dade County recognized for academic excellence and community service; Page in the English and Literature category and Paraoulaki de Miranda in Mathematics. Nearly 800 students in Dade and Broward counties were nominated for the prestigious awards in 15 disciplines: art, athletics, business, digital and interactive media, drama, English & literature, general scholarship, journalism, mathematics, music & dance, science, social science, speech, vocational technical and world languages.

The countdown to commencement for the Class of 2024 began with a Baccalaureate/ Senior Send-off on May 19 that featured speeches that inspired – and drew laughs – as well as the traditional bricklaying and class dinner in the Anderson gymnasium. Seniors and their parents gathered in the Lewis Family Auditorium for the salutatorian address by Elliot Gross '24, student performances, goodbyes from school leaders and a huge welcome to the RE alumni community from faculty members Paul Natland '02 and Jenny Carson '03 and Director of Advancement Vicki Carbonell Williamson '88.

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More than four dozen students earned recognition for academic excellence and living out Ransom Everglades' mission and core values at the Upper School Underclassmen Awards ceremony at the Lewis Family Auditorium on May 21. Photo Gallery

Putting a memorable stamp on an incredible season for the Ransom Everglades middle school math team, Daniel Li '28 and math team coach Jessica Merrick helped Florida's state math team to a fifth place in the 2024 RTX MATHCOUNTS National Competition in Washington, D.C., as various RE math team members collected other end-of-year recognitions.

Newly admitted Ransom Everglades students proudly tugged on RE T-shirts as they arrived for the New Middle School Student Orientation on May 1. The joy-filled event served as the first in-person welcome since the students accepted their offers of admission, and it offered a mix of excitement, encouragement and critical information for the fall. New students heard from school leaders and graduating seniors, and they toured campus with current teachers and students. They and their parents benefited from opportunities to learn more about co-curricular options while meeting other new families.

RE students interested in entrepreneurship organized an executive roundtable at the Lewis Family Auditorium that included five of the most respected financial and business leaders in Miami. Ken Griffin, CEO of Citadel; Edgardo Defortuna, CEO of Fortune International; Daniel Sundheim, CEO of D1 Capital; Leon Shaulov, CEO of Maplelane Capital; and Wade Davis, CEO of Univision joined Miami Venturing Entrepreneurs President Eduardo Michelsen '25 at the conclusion of the South Florida Economic Ransom Everglades conference.

Ransom Everglades celebrated the cultural and ethnic diversity of its middle school students and professional community with a vibrant Cultural Fusion Festival on May 3 featuring live performances and 24 booths adorned with nations' flags, artifacts and decorations. The colorful booths, which were manned by RE parents and community members, offered delicious bites and lined the entry to the middle school and path to the Dell, providing a vibrant promenade for students as they left the assembly in the gymnasium to enjoy the mid-day break.

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RE’s Class of 2024 will be matriculating at 73 colleges and universities in 21 states (and the District of Columbia) and six countries in 2024-25. Ransom Everglades seniors not only will attend traditionally sought-after schools – they received acceptances to all of the Ivy League schools, MIT and Stanford – they also will matriculate at highly selective liberal arts colleges, acclaimed public research institutions, extremely competitive drama/music schools, highly regarded international institutions and universities with renowned specialty programs.

Rudy Prio Touzet '76 elicited laughs when he told students in the Lewis Family Auditorium that he was never among the star students summoned to the stage for major awards during his school days at Ransom Everglades. And yet at the 2024 Senior Awards Ceremony on April 30, Prio Touzet was the guest of honor, the recipient of the 2024 Head of School's Award for Distinguished Service to the School. The recognition of the longtime board member, former board chair and parent, alumnus and philanthropist headlined the afternoon’s program, which honored dozens of seniors and revealed this year’s valedictorian and salutatorian. Photo Gallery

Students in Ransom Everglades' Applied Ethics: STEM class shared original research posters that explored a variety of current ethical challenges in STEM fields during the 2024 Ethics Gallery Walk on April 29. The students in the class taught by faculty member Jenny Carson '03 delved into topics ranging from artificial intelligence to gene editing to cyberbullying.

RE student-dancers sought inspiration from the raw power and beauty of nature for their spring All-School Dance Showcase, "RElements," a performance that drew a huge crowd to the Lewis Family Auditorium on April 26. The evening featured dozens of dances from the Ransom Everglades Dance Team, the upper school Art of Dance class, and all of the middle school dance classes, displaying the students' excellence and progress under teachers Desiree Masucci and Tess Guidry in ballet, modern, jazz and hip hop.

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The Florida Scholastic Press Association recognized the RE student newspaper – The Catalyst –  editorial staff with a number of honors in its spring 2024 Digital Contest, which drew a record 3,974 entries from across the state. Emma Dvorkin '24, Mia Bouyoucef '25 and Jordan James '25 each earned "All-Florida" recognition and Matias Blanco '25, Kayra Serpenguzel '25 and the entire editorial staff scored "excellent" ratings. The Catalyst newspaper appears in print and online and the students work under English faculty member Matt Margini.

Eight members of the Class of 2024 reflected on their years at Ransom Everglades, answering questions and sharing stories with RE parents during the annual Senior Panel on April 24 at the Posner Lecture Hall. The students, Eden Harris '24, Eliza Arnold '24, Noa Abboud '24, Lauren Scott '24, Matias Cardenas '24, Siona Dua '24, Alex Jones '24 and Michael Kaye '24, talked about the many opportunities for students at RE, the support offered by teachers, and the risks they took that paid off. COO and Interim Head of the Upper School David Clark '86 served as panel moderator.

Ransom Everglades girls' track and field team won the Class 2A District 15 title and the boys' team earned runner-up honors as RE student-athletes won gold medals in 15 events. In an extraordinary championship meet for RE, the girls swept the 200, 400 and 800 meters and the boys swept the pole vault under coach Mike Becker.

RE's individual district champions: Alexandra Leiser '25 (100 & 200), Gillian Carvalho '29 (400), Anna Block '28 (800), David Serra '24 (800, 1,600 & 3,200), Sophia Linfield '26 (1,600 & 3,200), Becky Arrastia '27 (100 hurdles), Jude Yeo '24 (pole vault), Latrice Nelson '25 (high jump), Julianne Gallagher '26 (javelin) and the girls' 4x400 and 4x800 teams. Photo Gallery

Ransom Everglades' varsity and junior varsity academic teams excelled at the International Academic Competitions U.S. History Bee and Bowl in Arlington, Va., April 25-28, with various Raiders contributing to 20 top-10 finishes across more than a dozen events. Daniel Figueroa '24 led RE in his final season with the team, finishing fifth in the U.S. History Bee and earning medals for top-three finishes on two history exams. The Raiders were coached by faculty member Abby Berler and librarian Branly Fontaine.

Ransom Everglades performing art students brought an official conclusion to Alumni Weekend 2024 with a foot-tapping, hum-along finale to their spring Major Works Concert performed by the entire 62-person orchestra and 29-member vocal ensemble. The students filled the Lewis Family Auditorium stage for the resounding medley of famous Andrew Lloyd Webber pieces, an arrangement known as "A Concert Celebration."

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Watch this REcap Video and enjoy our Photo Galleries.

The mystique surrounding college admissions committees is legendary. The behind-closed-doors deliberations are frequently described as secretive by the media. RE’s College Counseling Office had the opportunity on April 15 to draw back the curtain and shed some light on what admissions committees do during months of application review.

A young girls' lacrosse team showed the poise of a more experienced squad as it easily won the Class 1A District 16 championship with a 16-10 victory over Westminster Christian on April 16 at Robert E. Walker Field. In what was truly a team effort, five Raider players chipped in at least two goals and goalkeeper Sofia Martin '25 posted 12 saves. Dani Darcangelo '24 and Abby Pollak '26 led the scoring with four goals each, as coach Bridgette Laskey collected her fifth district title as RE's coach.

Students in RE's AP Psychology classes presented research posters during the 2024 Social Psychology Symposium that examined how social psychology theories could be applied to current events of their choosing. Working in small groups, the students selected topics ranging from the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny to the prosecution of Jennifer Crumbley, the mother of a school shooter. All shared their work during the April 16 event during the mid-day break in the atrium of the Lewis Family Auditorium.

Noelle Dubose ’28, Elizabeth Harper ’28 and Brayden Zawyer ’28 received "Star Awards" from the Independent Schools of South Florida (ISSF) during an April 17 luncheon and ceremony in Miami. Nominated by Ransom Everglades administrators and faculty, the students were recognized for setting an example for others to follow; their excellence in academics, community service, citizenship, fine arts or sports; and their effort, dedication and good character. Assistant Head of the Middle School Jess Merrick and Dean of the Eighth Grade Maria Elena Soto accompanied the students to the event.

RE drama students are so talented and accomplished they needed two separate casts for the upper school spring production of Chicago on April 10-13. From the magnificent leads – Gabrielle Lieberman '24, Jaerla Sajous '25, Emma Holtzman '24, Lucia Soto '24, Henry Berler '25 and Armando Segrera '25 – to the brilliant supporting roles and staging, the production made the Lewis Family Auditorium indistinguishable from a Broadway theater. The four performances drew large crowds and showcased the incredible depth and sophistication of drama at Ransom Everglades.

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Ransom Everglades' middle school math team wrapped up an incredible season with a second-place finish in the 2024 Florida Mathcounts State Competition in Orlando March 29 as Daniel Li '28 finished third individually. Li became the first-ever RE middle schooler to qualify for the national championship, and coach Jess Merrick was named coach of the national team. RE's Joshie Khohayting '28 finished eighth overall, and Alex Tevelow '28 and Maxie Wu '28 each finished in the top 25 percent of competitors. Alternate Sofiya Dewan '29 also excelled, supporting the performance.

Ethan Thomas '25 finished in the top three for the second straight year at State Science and Engineering Fair of Florida. Thomas's project entitled Syncardia: AI at the Heart of Early Cardiovascular Disease Detection, earned third place at the April 2-4 event after his second-place finish last year. In its 69th year, the science fair drew some 900 students from across the state.

Seven juniors were named Class of 2025 Dan Leslie Bowden Fellows in the Humanities, a prestigious recognition at Ransom Everglades that brings financial and academic support for summer studies in the humanities. Adrian Jagodzinski '25, Jordan James '25, Kenzie Kaplan '25, Beatriz Lindemann '25, Lucas Lippey '25, Ethan Sullivan '25 and Sindhu Talluri '25 were selected by a committee of RE faculty under the direction of Associate Head of School John A. King Jr. They will explore various topics through summer travel and research.

Max Grunwald '26 and Emma Sharp '25 qualified for the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad on April 20, joining more than 1,000 students across the nation who achieved exceptional scores on a recent chemistry assessment. The results of the national examination, which will be administered locally, will be used to determine qualifiers for the International Chemistry Olympiad. The students take Advanced Chemistry-2 with faculty member Yuria Sharp.

Ransom Everglades' boys water polo team celebrated its second consecutive district championship victory – a convincing 12-8 victory over rival MAST Academy – by joyfully lifting the winner's trophy in front of cheering fans at the Ansin Aquatic Center on April 3. Jack Merrick '26 led the Raiders with an eight-goal performance and Oliver Friedland '26 and Milo Gorey '24 each chipped in two goals.

More than 20 RE speech and debate students qualified for the 2024 National Speech and Debate Association National Championship with stellar performances at the March 15-18 district qualifying tournament at Ransom Everglades. The national tournament will be held June 16-21 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Under Coach Kate Hamm, 15 Raiders earned first-place finishes: Claudia Colina '25, Carlos Del Cañal Fernandez '25, the team of Francesca Lopez '24 and Hannah Risin '25, Bridget Mestepey '26, Eduardo Michelsen '25, Lilah Murphy '27, the team of Varun Raju '24 and Thomas Crowley '24, and the team of Mia Bouyoucef '25, Luciana Pardo '25, Anya Bhandari '25, Minnie Zhou '26, Jillian Demos-Brown '25.

Ransom Everglades honored nine senior members of RE's jazz combos during a spring Jazz and Guitar Concert at Posner Lecture Hall on March 19. The concert included a first-time twist: table seating offering audience members the feel of a cozy lounge and up-close views of the musicians.

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Amid cheers, thumping music, dimmed lights and animated play-by-play from physics teacher Paul Natland '02 at the Lewis Family Auditorium, Tomas Griffin '25 won RE's annual bridge competition with structure that held 1,425 times its weight before finally splintering. More than 180 upper school students in RE's physics, engineering, architecture and other classes entered the 2024 competition, and the 15 finalists competed in the raucous finale March 18.

Wearing adorable costumes and performing on a magical set at Swenson Hall, middle school drama students showed their musical range and acting prowess in The Wizard of Oz March 13-15. The spring musical under the direction of drama teacher Cecilia Gonzalez featured Sofie Delic '28 as Dorothy and her charming misfit friends: Ben Brandrick-Morris '29 as Scarecrow; Vivi Pasos '28 as Lion; and Aleko Katsoufis '28 as Tin Man. Izzy Greengrass '30 appeared as Toto, and Cecile Etzbach '29 served as Wicked Witch of the West. Photo Gallery

Four Everglades School for Girls alumnae visited RE to mark the school's celebration of International Women's Day, joining an upper school assembly with members of the student club Women Empowerment on March 5. Betty Wiseheart Joyce '70, Beth Kaiser '76 and Karen (Flannery) Jones '72 took seats in the front row of the Lewis Family Auditorium as club president Maggie Seabrook '24 interviewed Roxi Badia Morgenstern '75, and various club members presented history, trivia and traditions of the Everglades School for Girls.

Ransom Everglades visual arts students excelled in the 2024 Junior Orange Bowl Photography Contest, earning several top awards. Henry Greengrass '28 won first place in the middle school portrait competition and claimed the prestigious Judges' Choice Award. Nicholas Harper '25 earned a first place in the upper school night category, and four other RE students – Mateo Bernal '27, Taylor Smith '25, Jack Di Gasbarro '25 and Vlad Ponomarenko '25 – earned honors.

Sydney Gould '25 and Rebecca Paresky '25 won the 2024 RE Business Plan Challenge with their proposal for NeuroView, special glasses powered by electrochromic technology that alleviate photophobia symptoms caused by concussions. With their selection on March 5 over four finalist student groups, Gould and Paresky advanced to the 2024 Innovate South Florida Business Plan Challenge on April 10.

The robotics team of Mateo Heitner '25, Ivan Rosenfeld '25, Victoria Paraoulaki de Miranda '24, Erick Gross '24 and Gabriel Karsenti '26 put forth one of the most successful performances in RE robotics history at the South Florida Regional VEX Robotics Championship in Miami Springs on March 2. The Raiders won The Excellence Award, the Robot Skills Challenge award and Tournament Finalist recognition, triple-qualifying for the world championships in April in Dallas, Tex.

Two dozen of RE's Model United Nations team members participated in the National High School Model United Nations event March 9-11 in New York City, engaging in debates with other students and interacting with diplomatic representatives of various countries. They also had the honor of meeting Malala Yousafzai, the Nobel Peace Prize recipient and education activist in front of the Non-Violence sculpture on the United Nations plaza. The trip was guided by Model UN coach Stephen Allen.

Seven Ransom Everglades students are among the youngest attendees presenting original research at the annual American Physical Society Conference in Minneapolis March 4-5. Members of RE’s Young REsearchers Program (YREP), Sofia Rakhimi ’25, Paloma Lopes ’25, Michael Mederos ’25, Francisco Gomez Rivas-Vazquez ’24, Dieter Manstein ’25, Carlos Horcasitas ’25 and Mia Campbell ’25 submitted abstracts on their work with RE's portable laser and traveled to the conference physics teachers Dr. Emily Grace and Paul Natland '02.

The Middle School Winter Strings Concert at the Posner Lecture Hall on Feb. 28 felt as intimate as a living-room performance. Strings Music Director Scott O'Donnell addressed the crowd between pieces, sharing his goals for RE's strings students and providing insight into the selection of music for the evening's event. Throughout, he sounded much like a proud parent when talking about the students' progress in 2023-24.
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Ransom Everglades musicians, singers, dancers and production specialists combined their myriad talents for a fundraising concert at the Lewis Family Auditorium on Feb. 29. Hosted in part by the RE student group Rock 4 Relief, the Spring Concert 2024: A Tribute for Ukraine drew a large and enthusiastic crowd, and showed the school community at its best.

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Ransom Everglades kicked off The Year of the Dragon with a rollicking Lunar New Year festival on a brilliantly bedecked Touzet patio. Tradition, celebration and fun converged at the upper school on Feb. 13 as RE students, parents, faculty, staff and friends gathered to enjoy Chinese delicacies and music, dance and acrobatics performances. The Chinese Parent Committee, the school’s Chinese Culture Club and the many students in the Chinese classes of faculty member Xiaohong Teng organized the events and helped decorate La Brisa with red-and-gold lanterns and silk dragons. Photo Gallery

Middle school band students participated in a novel winter concert that was part-performance and part-high-stakes practice session. Middle school band director Cathi Leibinger used the Spring Pre-Evaluation Concert on Feb. 13 at Swenson Hall to showcase her students' progress while also putting their burgeoning skills to the test in preparation for an upcoming musical performance assessment. Photo Gallery

Ransom Everglades nominated 12 students who excel in service and various scholastic realms to compete for prestigious Silver Knight Awards in May. The nominees and their award category: Nathan Kaplan ’24, Athletics; Thomas Crowley ’24, Business; Jake Perdigon ’24, Digital Media; Rowan Tolon ’24, Drama; Lauren Page ’24, English; William Charouhis ’24, General; Emma Dvorkin ’24, Journalism; Victoria Paraoulaki de Miranda ’24, Math; Christine Keedy Brown ’24, Music and Dance; Kaitlyn Gonzalez ’24, Science; Gabrielle Lieberman ’24, Social Science; Ian Fox ’24, Speech.

Seven Ransom Everglades students – Mia Bouyoucef '25, Nora Brue '25, Sophia Linfield '26, Eduardo Michelsen '25, Luna Molla '25, Emma Perdigon '25 and Nina Rivera '25 – explored breaking barriers and unleashing possibilities through their talks on the theme of "unbound" at TEDxRansomEvergladesSchool on Feb. 9 at Swenson Hall. The entirely student-run event was dedicated to RE parent-of-alumni Tom Bales, who passed away last fall and was credited for inspiring the creation of TEDxCoconutGrove, the predecessor to TEDxRansomEvergladesSchool.

Core values taught in high school can influence ethical behavior down the line, according to the latest speaker in RE’s Holzman Center of Applied Ethics Speaker Series. Josephine Linden, the former chief compliance officer at Goldman Sachs who is now chair of the board of Lands’ End, told upper school students on Feb. 6 that what she learned during her school days at the Kambala school for girls in New South Wales, Australia, guides her even now.

Ransom Everglades' speech and debate team began 2024 with a host of top performances at local and national events. The highlights: more than 70 qualifications to the Florida Forensic League Varsity State Championship during an event at RE on Feb. 2, and a notable showing at the Barkley Forum at Emory University in Atlanta on Jan. 27-28. There, coach Kate Hamm was inducted into the prestigious national Golden Key Society for excellence in coaching.

RE's growing dance program has added a new faculty member (Tess Guidry), a new class (the Upper School Art of Dance) and a new concert format featuring experienced middle school dancers (eighth grade) through high school seniors sharing the same stage. Yet the core of the program remains the same: a group of close-knit dancers who perform with passion and emotion, striving to stir the hearts of the audience. That goal was accomplished at the Lewis Family Auditorium on Feb. 2 with the All-School Spring Dance Showcase: REmotions.

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Ransom Everglades’ sailing team won the South Atlantic Interscholastic Sailing Association South Points No. 4 in St. Petersburg, Fla., Jan. 20-21. The Raiders were led by Ian Fox '24, Griggs Diemar '25, Violet Martin '24 and Kayra Serpenguzel '25 with skippers Garrett Fox '26 and Ava McAliley '26 and crew members Amelia Lazarus '25 and Manolo Campos '25. The Raiders competed under coach Joe Logan and assistant Omari Scott.

RE swept the top awards – four first places – at the 2024 South Florida Winter History Bee and Bowl at Ransom Everglades on Jan. 20 and collected other top finishes. Daniel Figueroa '24 won the varsity bee title and Parker Jelke '27 won the junior varsity bee. RE's Jelke, Jacob Aronow '26 and Charles Reizenstein '26 won the varsity bowl title and Jack Gonzalez '28, Jack Akselrad '28, Jaz Puri '28 and Noah Veras '29 won the JV bowl title.

An exciting range of student visual art is on display at the Upper School Visual Arts Winter Showcase in the recently christened Linda S. Frankel Visual Arts Center, the Bowden library and Cameron Hall. Works from photography, experimental photography, portraiture, studio art, ceramics, digital art and architecture classes highlight the progress students have made under RE's visual arts faculty at the upper school: Astrid Dalins, Jorge Guzman, Moira Holohan, Fabienne Rousseau and Matt Stock. The showcase opened Feb. 2.

Joshie Khohayting '28 and Daniel Li '28 highlighted excellent results for Ransom Everglades in a pair of recent math competitions, as both earned perfect scores on a national middle school math exam and also finished in the top 2.5 percent on a 10th-grade math exam known as the American Mathematics Competition 10 (AMC 10). RE's middle and upper school math teams also claimed a host of top-five finishes in a pair of regional high school math competitions in late January and early February.

Ransom Everglades' girls' soccer team capped a thrilling ride through the district playoffs with a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart in the Class 3A District 15 championship on Feb. 1. Sofia Rua '24 scored the game-winning goal on an assist by Stella Colombo '26 in the second half as goalkeeper Juju Perez Rivera '24 fended off late pressure to secure the victory. Raiders' fans had been holding their breath since the district semifinal a few days earlier; RE won that game against Westminster Christian in overtime thanks to Perez Rivera, who saved the 2-1 victory by stopping three of four penalty kicks.

Ransom Everglades kicked off Black History Month with a lively festival during the mid-day break after an inspiring morning talk from the Rev. Dr. Walter T. Richardson, the senior chaplain for the Miami-Dade Police Department and an adjunct professor of religion at St. Thomas University. Upper school students and faculty in the Lewis Family Auditorium gave Richardson a standing ovation, then enjoyed food, music and art rooted in African and Caribbean traditions.

Five Ransom Everglades fall sports athletes – Jesse Hellring '25 (golf), Julia Lewkowitz '25 (volleyball), Sophia Linfield '26 (cross country), Kiera Rampersad '25 (swimming) and David Serra '24 (cross country) – earned first-team all-county honors from the Miami Herald as more than 30 RE student-athletes received recognition in the fall sports rankings released in December and January by the newspaper.

Admissions directors from Cornell University, Pomona College and the University of Toronto shared insights on the college admissions process with members of the Class of 2025 and parents during the College Admission Symposium on January 13 at the Lewis Family Auditorium. RE Executive Director of College Counseling Jason Locke welcomed juniors to the launch of the college admissions process and Ann Parks, Director of College Counseling Communications, addressed the importance of “expanding the universe of colleges and universities” when building an initial college list.

The Ransom Everglades students who attended the 2023 National Association of Independent Schools’ Student Diversity Leadership Conference in St. Louis, Mo., shared the experience with their peers during a roundtable discussion at the Lewis Family Auditorium on Jan. 16. The students – Jamora Arroyo-Jefferson '24, Kaige Brown '25, Isabel Chong '24, Ron "R.J." Donaldson '25, Tyira Jackson '24 and Anuradha "Anu" Tewari '25 – explained how the event worked and what they gained from it, and they took questions from Diversity Council advisor Carla Hill.

Dozens of alumni from the Classes of 2020 through 2023 returned to Ransom Everglades for lunch with students and faculty at La Brisa on January 11, a high-spirited reunion that took place after the Young Alumni College Panel for RE's junior class. That panel discussion on the college process and college life featured thoughtful advice and reminiscences from six alumni: Julia Buckner '20 (Wellesley), Lucia Rose Dahn '23 (Brown), Alex Dray '21 (Duke), Jack Fitzpatrick '20 (Wake Forest), Ana Gonzalez '23 (Princeton) and Yuhan Liu '21 (University of Pennsylvania) in the Lewis Family Auditorium. Photo Gallery

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava encouraged upper school students to get involved in the community, exercise their right to vote when eligible and take responsibility for bringing about positive change. A past parent at Ransom Everglades, the mayor answered questions from student-body president James Brown Urmeneta '24 and fellow students Tyira Jackson '24, Nina Gumbs '24, Lauren Page '24 and Mikey Zoi '24 during an assembly at the Lewis Family Auditorium on Jan. 9.

Middle school students donated toys, sports equipment, books and games for the annual holiday toy store that gives hundreds of local children the opportunity to "shop" with Ransom Everglades students and teachers and select special gifts. As always, teachers Maria Eugenia Abrante and Ramona Miller organized the event, and Abrante spoke to neighborhood children and parents before the store opened on December 9. A tradition that dates back more than three decades, this year's event took place in the social hall at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church because of repairs underway at Christ Episcopal Church, the usual venue.