RE Log - Spring 2024

SPRING 2024 Ransom Everglades LOG 37 Mr. Mauro is where it all starts, and he is the best.” Mauro, in turn, credits the students who sign up for his club and dive headlong into the competitions, which require that participants hit a buzzer to indicate their readiness to answer a question related to history, geography or other subjects. Competitors are seated at a table, five on each side. Each match includes 90 questions. “They are really exceptional kids,” Mauro said. “They’re interested and curious and want to learn. A lot of them would carry history books, and read history books. They’re just super- interested in it, and they develop a bond with each other … Now, it’s taken off and has a life of its own.” From the outset, RE middle schoolers excelled. In Mauro’s second year, Jesse Weinberg ’09 won the state geography bee and finished third in the nation. Mauro’s patient leadership and the results that followed created a winning culture that has helped the club expand – the current middle school history team has 25 members and last year sent a record number (17) of students to the national championship. That talent graduates to the upper school, and the success continues. “I remember being in high school, in 10th or 11th grade, and seeing the younger guys, the new talent coming,” Miner said. “I thought I was good, and then these new guys come up, and they push you to do better.” RE’s academic team tradition has been, in many cases, a family affair. Hoffer- Hawlik’s younger brother Kevin Hoffer- Hawlik ’15 contributed to the school’s academic teams. Daniel Lopez ’13, Adriana Lopez ’15 and Justin Lopez ’19 each made an impact on the program. And Jelke, the middle school star, is following in the footsteps of his cousin David Jelke ’15 , who stands as the most prolific RE student ever in the National Academic Quiz Tournaments. And rising through the middle school ranks is Parker Jelke’s younger brother, Julian Jelke ’29 , along with a host of other young standouts. RE academic teammembers have so much fun, they help extend the tradition by coming back, reconnecting with former classmates and passing on knowledge. Former teammembers Daniel Lopez and Fein have served as “readers” at competitions while also mentoring young competitors. Fein is trying to start a quiz bowl team at the University of Miami. “There’s really a passion for history and a lot of pride in the school,” Fein said. “This is my extracurricular activity; this is all that I do. Last year was my final hurrah, my final gambit, and we ended up getting third at nationals – and we won on the last question. I got it right!” Lucas Gonzalez ’27, Zach Corbin-Cheah ’27, Joe Mauro, Parker Jelke ’27 and Jaz Puri ’28 Daniel Figueroa ’24 in 2019 Parker Jelke ’27 Steve Frappier, Alex Petros ’15, Carter Schoer ’15, Spencer Hamersmith ’15, David Jelke ’15, Samantha Nunberg ’15