RMS eighth graders–and soon-to-be members of the RHS Class of 2028–were captivated by an inspiring showcase of Randolph’s art programs and tour of the facilities, held at RHS on Feb. 5.
“I got to see all the fun activities I get to do when I go to high school,” RMS student Lucy DiCataldo said. “I’m mostly excited to join the dance program.”
The Randolph Drum Line greeted the RMS students as they arrived in the high school auditorium, setting the stage for an unforgettable experience. For many of these eager 8th graders, it was their first time at RHS, all they appeared to be filled with optimism as they took in the new surroundings at the high school.
At the beginning of the event, RHS Principal Jessica Baxter warmly welcomed the Class of 2028 then spoke about the various performing and visual arts opportunities offered at RHS. Under the direction of Matthew Swiss, who teaches music at the high school, the RHS Acapella Group delivered their rendition of the national anthem, leaving the 8th graders visibly impressed with the performance.
I got to see all the fun activities I get to do when I go to high school. I’m mostly excited to join the dance program.”
— RMS student Lucy DiCataldo
Michele Adriano de Olivera, the RHS dance teacher, took the stage to describe the various levels of dance classes offered at RHS, and she guided the audience through the application process required for entry into advanced and intermediate dance classes
Members of the RHS dance program then performed an energetic routine showcasing the three levels of dance–advanced, intermediate, and introductory—before combining to perform to Pitbull’s song, “The Anthem.”
“I believe the dance program is a hidden gem at RHS and I hope our performance helped recruit new dancers for next year,” senior dance student Kaitlyn DiCataldo said. “Our performance was a perfect example of all the levels RHS dance has to offer.”
The RHS Wind Ensemble, directed by Band Director Nicholas Fantazzi, wowed the audience with their melody of songs from Jurassic Park.
“My hope is that we were able to provide a great representation of just one aspect of our band program by having our top auditioned ensemble perform for the 8th graders,” Fantazzi stated. “We wanted to showcase what is possible at the high school level.”
“I feel the 8th graders were interested and were listening with content and attention to our band performance,” RHS band student Anya Srivastava said. “This was a good display of our program in the way that it showed what band is mostly about, and what we do during the majority of it.”
These impressive performances allowed incoming freshmen to get a glimpse of all the amazing arts programs at RHS. When asked, current high school students said they eagerly await the arrival of the Class of 2028 and can’t wait to show them even more of what RHS has to offer.
Watch for the upcoming Band Concert on March 6 in the RHS auditorium and the Dance Showcase at RHS on May 30 and 31.
