Members of the RBR History Club are pictured (bottom row, left to right): Emma Gorry, Bradley Beach; Claire Toomey, Red Bank; Angelina Garavente, Fair Haven; Katie Robinson, Little Silver; Morgan Brunson, Tinton Falls; Ceara Gagliano, Little Silver; Club Co-Advisor Kyle Waltz; (top row, left to right): club co-advisor Roxanne Judice; Ken Woolley, Union Beach; Sarah Vates, Holmdel; Deysi Arevalo, Red Bank; Renae Ames, Belmar; Luke Laffey, Tinton Falls. Not pictured are Ella Brockway, Andrew Koenig, and Raquel Diaz.
Press release from Red Bank Regional High School
The History Club at Red Bank Regional High School was recently honored as one of the ten top clubs in the nation, as determined by the Massachusetts-based National History Club. The nationwide organization has 475 chapters at high schools and middle schools in 44 states, with over 14,000 members.
RBR History Club Advisor Roxanne Judice states, “We were surprised and excited to be recognized. We are a little niche club, but we try to do fun and meaningful activities.”
Those meaningful activities gained them national recognition. In the recent past, the club ventured to Rutgers University to sit in on a history class; members of the Rutgers History Club then gave the RBR students a tour of the college campus. RBR club members learned about local colonial history while visiting historic Allaire Village in Wall Township.
The RBR History Club members also traveled to Trenton, visiting the state government for a special program on, “How a Bill becomes a Law.” They also influence their home campus by providing a meaningful, “History Fact of the Week” for Friday daily announcements. Members have also designed a bulletin board related to World War II history with mementos from their own familial histories. All their activities have been self-funded through various fundraisers.
In addition to a plaque for their school from the national organization, the students received a special resolution from State Senator Joseph Kyrillos as well as a subscription to The Concord Review, which publishes the only scholarly review of history essays written by secondary students.