RE Log Spring 2023

SPRING 2023 Ransom Everglades LOG 7 By J.P. Arrastía, Humanities Department Faculty  More than 160 eager sixth graders lined the middle school football field on a cool, fall morning. Colorful banners representing each of the middle school’s “houses” danced in the wind, carried proudly by students dressed in their house colors. Student-made signs were held high, expressing messages of welcome: “Welcome to Hickory!” “Excelon is Legendary!” “Banyan loves 6th graders!” The energy and excitement were palpable during the very first House REveal at the middle school, an event that introduced sixth graders to the newest centers of student life and spirit at Ransom Everglades.  Sam Geronemus ’29 can still remember the feeling of excitement as he waited on the sidelines to be summoned to his house. “I just wanted to know [what my house was]. It was fun.”  “Mr. [Rene] Gonzalez’s advisory!” Faculty member Cecilia Gonzalez’s voice boomed from the speakers. “We welcome you to Echo!”  A resounding cheer exploded from the members of Echo as their newest members sprinted toward them. A tunnel made up of seventh- and eighth- grade students received the newcomers with high fives, pats on the back and hugs. Twelve new members of Echo were welcomed to their new home for the next three years.  “As I was running to my house,” Geronemus said, “I felt part of a bigger community.”  The importance of the moment was not lost on the older students. “My heart filled with joy as I saw the sixth graders running towards us,” recalled Quinnard Mays ’28 .    “At first, I wasn’t sure how the sixth graders would feel,” admitted Bettina Boord ’27 . “However, I could see how excited they were about being part of something bigger – a part of a family.”  An idea five years in the making  The idea of a middle school house system has been floating around for nearly half a decade. However, the pandemic put its fruition on hold. During the summer of 2021, faculty members Cecilia Gonzalez, J.P. Arrastía and Maria Eugenia Abrante were tasked with re-imagining the advisory system at the middle school. It was at a conference about creating a dynamic advisory program that the idea began to resurrect.  The advisory program at the middle school is a pivotal part of the middle school’s mission. However, the leadership felt the program was at a crossroads. How can the advisory be both relevant and exciting? How can it serve RE students best? How can the program create mentorship opportunities for middle schoolers? The proposed house system – rooted in community, laced with RE tradition and borrowing an idea or two from Harry Potter – provided the answer to all of those questions.  “Through the house system, students have opportunities to bond and grow within a larger group,” said Cecilia Gonzalez, the seventh-grade advisory leader. “They are making new friends, building community and collaborating across grade levels while learning about the history of their school.”  on Campus Building centers of history, community and joy Faculty members Maria Eugenia Abrante, J.P. Arrastía and Ceclia Gonzalez