Rumson-Fair Haven Students Unveil Alumni Military Wall of Honor

RUMSON, NJ - Several high school students from Rumson and Fair Haven have come together to honor local residents serving the nation in the U.S. military.

During a May 27 ceremony, student members of the Rumson Fair Haven Regional
High School Veterans Appreciation Club unveiled their year-long project: a RFH Wall of
Honor, to honor alumni who are currently serving. The event was attended by Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School staff, Board of Education members, administrators from both Rumson-Fair Haven, Fair Haven and family members of those honored on the wall.

Sophomore Jackson Champeau sang the National Anthem before the moving ceremony, which began outside the front of the high school. Club president Tyler Izzo detailed his vision for the project before passing the podium to Rumson Police Officer Brian Doherty, RFH Class of 1991 U.S. Army veteran, who delivered a keynote address emphasizing the sacrifice that many young Bulldogs make upon enlisting after they graduate.

Doherty’s speech was dedicated to Private First Class Jamie Riley, a Fair Haven resident and Red Bank Catholic High School graduate, who was killed in service in 2019.

Mr. Eric Zullo, advisor to the Veterans Appreciation Club, also presented each club member with a piece of a tattered American flag that can no longer fly, which was donated by RFH Industrial Arts teacher, Dino Pagano (RFH Industrial Arts teacher and father to First Lieutenant Logan Pagano, Class of 2014, United States Army) and veteran non-profit organization Operation Jersey Cares.

Attendees gathered inside the halls of RFH to witness the unveiling of the wall, which currently
honors 15 active duty personnel (names are listed below).

Club founders Mike Ponenti, James Greeley and Mike Cushing (all a part of the RFH class of 2020) proposed the idea for a Wall of Honor to the school's administration last year before the pandemic began, but their planning came to a halt once school shut down. When school reopened in September, the new club officers picked up where the former left off.

The club is currently led by Sophomores Tyler Izzo (president), George Kressler (vice president) and Jack Campbell (secretary).

Currently in its third year, the RFH Veterans Appreciation Club strives to give back to the community, and specifically, local military and veterans. Throughout the year, they hold fundraisers, organize events to commemorate military holidays, participate in local community
service events and partner with local organizations to support the military and veterans. An annual care package drive through a partnership with Operation Jersey Cares has become their largest event.

Now that their latest project has come to fruition, updating the Wall of Honor annually by removing and donating pictures to those who are discharged from the service - while adding those graduates who continue to enter the military - will become another focus of the student organization.

The Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School Wall of Honor includes:

● James Alexander Hile, Class of 1994, United States Navy
● Margaret Brainard Bland, Class of 2003, United States Army
● Kenneth R. Ebner Jr., Class of 2009, United States Army
● Christopher Hofer, Class of 2010, United States Air Force
● Brendan Reiss, Class of 2011, United States Army
● Kevin M. Alter, Class of 2011, United States Marine Corps
● Brian Hapeman, Class of 2011, United States Army
● Edward (Woody) Rago, Class of 2012, United States Army
● Liam Reddy, Class of 2013, United States Army
● Matthew M. Valko, Class of 2014, United States Marine Corps
● Logan Pagano, Class of 2014, United States Army
● Anthony Sciametta, Class of 2015, United States Army
● Luc Cogger, Class of 2016, United States Marine Corps
● Jamie Laughinghouse, Class of 2017, United States Marine Corps
● Theo Addison, Class of 2017, United States Army

Click here to watch a livestream of the ceremony.