Bridgewater-Raritan High School

Bridgewater-Raritan High School (commonly abbreviated as BRHS) is a four-year comprehensive public high school. It is the lone secondary school of the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District serving students in ninth through twelfth grades from Bridgewater Township and Raritan in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The school has been recognized by the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program,^[4] the highest award an American school can receive.^[5][6]

Bridgewater-Raritan High School
Address
600 Garretson Road Bridgewater Township , Somerset County , New Jersey 08807 United States
Coordinates	40°35′42″N 74°38′09″W / 40.59501°N 74.635904°W / 40.59501; -74.635904
Information
Type	Public high school
Motto	Pursuing Excellence in Education
Established	September 1959; reopened 1995
NCES School ID	340228000173^[1]
Principal	Daniel Hemberger
Faculty	222.9 FTEs^[1]
Grades	9th-12th
Enrollment	2,749 (as of 2021–22)^[1]
Student to teacher ratio	12.3:1^[1]
Color(s)	Black   White and   Silver^[3] Red
Athletics conference	Skyland Conference (general) Big Central Football Conference (football)
Team name	Panthers^[3]
Newspaper	The Prowler^[2]
Yearbook	Epic^[2]
Website	School website

As of the 2021–22 school year, the school had an enrollment of 2,749 students and 222.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.3:1. There were 212 students (7.7% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 50 (1.8% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.^[1] Based on 2021-22 data from the New Jersey Department of Education, it was the sixth-largest high school in the state and one of 29 schools with more than 2,000 students.^[7]

History and symbols

Until the 1950s, high school students from the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District attended Somerville High School^[8] and Bound Brook High School.^{[citation needed]} With the opening of the high school, the Somerville district saw the loss of 370 Bridgewater students that had attended the district's high school.^[9]

Bridgewater-Raritan High School was opened in September 1959, with students in ninth and tenth grades; those students moving into eleventh and twelfth grades remained at Somerville High School, with the final set of Bridgewater and Raritan students graduating with the Class of 1961.^[8] Norman A. Gathany serving as the school's first principal. Increasing enrollments in the early 1960s led to the construction of a second high school in 1966, which was named Bridgewater-Raritan High School East (the Minutemen), while the original high school was renamed Bridgewater-Raritan High School West (the Golden Falcons).^[10] Declining enrollments led to their consolidation into a single high school during the 1990s. The former High School West was expanded and updated over a period of several years, during which all of the district's high school students attended what had been High School East. In 1992, the former High School West reopened as the new consolidated Bridgewater-Raritan High School, and High School East became the district's middle school.^[11]

The mascot of BRHS is the panther. BRHS's school colors were previously black and silver, with red serving as an accent color, but now are primarily only black and white.^[3] The red in uniforms of the past has been mostly replaced by silver, or no accent color has been added. The football, baseball, boys lacrosse, girls basketball, and various other teams have eliminated red from their uniforms. A minority of teams, including boys basketball and boys cross country, have continued use of red as an accent color. The uniforms for the marching band are black and red with silver buttons and helmets.

The high school's football field is "Basilone Field", named for John Basilone, a World War II recipient of the Medal of Honor who grew up in Raritan. On the wall of the field house next to the field is a mural honoring Basilone.^[12]

In December 2009, two minors, a 16-year-old Bridgewater-Raritan student and a 17-year-old student from nearby Immaculata High School, were arrested in connection with an alleged Columbine-like plan to attack the school.^[13]

Awards, recognition and rankings

During the 1999–2000 school year, Bridgewater-Raritan High School was recognized with the National Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education.^[4]

For the 1997–98 school year, Bridgewater-Raritan High School was named a "Star School" by the New Jersey Department of Education, the highest honor that a New Jersey school can achieve.^[14]

BRHS is one of only three high schools in the state to have received both awards.^[15]

In the 2011 "Ranking America's High Schools" issue by The Washington Post, the school was ranked 36th in New Jersey and 1,190th nationwide.^[16] In Newsweek's May 22, 2007 issue, ranking the country's top high schools, Bridgewater-Raritan High School was listed in 983rd place, the 29th-highest ranked school in New Jersey.^[17]

The school was the 76th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 339 schools statewide in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2014 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", using a new ranking methodology.^[18] The school had been ranked 113th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 67th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.^[19] The magazine ranked the school 91st in 2008 out of 316 schools.^[20] The school was also ranked 83rd in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.^[21] In previous years, the school had been ranked in the 20s in the same ranking. Following publication of the 2006 New Jersey Monthly article, the school's principal issued a public statement explaining changes in the magazine's ranking methods that altered the school's standing, and generally criticizing the ranking methodology.^[22] Schooldigger.com ranked the school tied for 83d out of 381 public high schools statewide in its 2011 rankings (a decrease of 20 positions from the 2010 ranking) which were based on the combined percentage of students classified as proficient or above proficient on the mathematics (89.0%) and language arts literacy (96.1%) components of the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA).^[23]

In its 2013 report on "America's Best High Schools", The Daily Beast ranked the school 442nd in the nation among participating public high schools and 37th among schools in New Jersey.^[24]

In its listing of "America's Best High Schools 2016", the school was ranked 108th out of 500 best high schools in the country; it was ranked 20th among all high schools in New Jersey and seventh among the state's non-magnet schools.^[25]

The school has had three Siemens Competition semifinalists.^{[citation needed]}

Music

Choir

There are three curricular choirs: the Mixed Choir and two choirs that require an audition Select Women's Ensemble and Symphonic Choir. There are four extra-curricular ensembles, Ensembros (all male a cappella), the Glee Club, the Lorelei women's ensemble, and Men's Choir. Choirs at BRHS often collaborate with other ensembles, most recently having performed the Mozart Requiem with the Central New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. In the spring of 2015, the Symphonic Choir performed Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Solemn Vespers with the National Festival Chorus at Carnegie Hall. In 2009, the Chamber Choir participated in a concert of Brazilian music at Westminster Choir College. In the spring of 2008, the BRHS Chamber Choir performed Joseph Haydn's Kleine Orgelmesse with Masterwork Chorus and Orchestra at Drew University's Dorothy Young Center for the Arts.^[26]

Orchestra

The orchestras travel the region attending various festivals and events.

The ensembles annually approach serious orchestral literature, including performing movements from Sibelius' Fifth Symphony. Past achievements include performing at Carnegie Hall in March 2008 along with the school's Wind Ensemble. There are two curricular orchestral ensembles, the Concert Orchestra and the auditioned Symphonic Orchestra.

Band

The school's wind ensemble has performed in the State Gala concert numerous times within the past decade. The symphonic band and wind ensemble have performed at Carnegie Hall for the Eastern Wind Symphony Symphonic Gala in March 2013. Since 2002 BRHS has won three NJAJE state jazz band titles, eight NJ state marching band championships, four BOA regional class championships. In fall 2012, the BRHS marching band finished 18th in the nation as BOA semi-finalist and was awarded the national The Albert J Castronovo Esprit de Corp Award, the highest placement of a NJ band in the history of Bands of America.^[27]

Extracurricular clubs

The high school currently has many ongoing clubs and activities, such as the Forensics Speech and Debate Team. In the past, the Forensics team has had National Championship qualifiers, as well as numerous state champions and one national champion. In 2019, the Forensics team qualified two teams to the Tournament of Champions, the school's first qualifications to the tournament in over half a decade. The school also has an Academic Team and Math League. The Forensics team has been ranked third in the state of New Jersey.^[28]

 

The BR Model United Nations team posing after the completion of their second annual home conference, BRMUNC II.

The school also has a Model United Nations team. Founded in 2015, the team competes in regional and international conferences. One such international conference is the Princeton Model United Nations Conference.^[29] In January 2018, the team hosted their first annual home conference, BRMUNC I, which was followed up by BRMUNC II in 2019.^[30]

BRHS also is the home of Team 303 in the FIRST Robotics Competition, TEST Team 303. At the 2007 FIRST Robotics Challenge World Championships in Atlanta, Team 303 ranked 23 in their division out of the 1500+ teams from across the globe that had attended the event. At the 2010 New Jersey Regional Competition, Team 303 were semifinalists. In the 2011 season the team won both the New Jersey and Philadelphia Regional Competitions, and were division quarter-finalists at the championships in St. Louis. In 2013, Team 303 ranked third in the Newton Division, and went on to win the Division against the number one alliance. The following year, Team 303 won the Chairman's Award at the Clifton District Event and at the Mid Atlantic Regional Championship, advancing them to the World Championship.

The school's honor societies include the National Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor Society, and various language Honors Societies.

In the past decade, the high school has expanded its Peer Mediation program, training approximately 20 new mediators a year and student conflicts have followed a consistent downward trend since the program's inception.

The school's mock trial team has made the county playoffs in the annual tournament and achieved the Somerset County Title in 2005.

Additionally, C.O.D.E club, the school's second-largest club, has hosted a variety of Computer Science and Stem events for students. The Club has placed nationally, in the American Computing Science League. The club has played a pivotal role in spurring the growth of Computer Science at BRHS.

The Weightlifting Club includes over 60 trainees and several trainers. In the past there have also been BRHS delegations that participated in weightlifting and powerlifting competitions.

BRHS has two Envirothon teams which operate through the school but are almost entirely student-run. They joined the competition in the 2006 season. In the 2008, BRHS expanded to include a second team. Later that year Team One finished first in the New Jersey division and earned 14th out of 55 in The Canon Envirothon (which includes teams from the U.S. and Canada).^[31] In the 2009 season, Team One earned 6th and Team Two earned 11th at the New Jersey regional.

BRHS has a Science Olympiad team which had placed 6th regionally at the Princeton University Regional Competition. At states, they placed at the top 20 teams in 2009. The club is run by students along with an advisor.

BRTV is the school's television program, produced in the school's own television studio, that goes live on weekdays to provide announcements and information about school events.^[32]

BRHS recently created a Science Bowl Team, which has competed in the 2011 and 2012 New Jersey Regional High School Science Bowls held at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. In the 2022 state competition they took home third place.

The school's Physics Forum hosts talks from physicists and other scientists who use physics extensively in their work. Past speakers include Michael Strauss, professor of astrophysics at Princeton University, and John Parsons, professor of particle physics at Columbia University and collaborator on the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. All talks are open to the public.

Athletics

The Bridgewater-Raritan High School Panthers^[3] compete in the Skyland Conference, which is comprised of public and private high schools in Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren counties in west Central Jersey, and operates under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).^[33] With 2,072 students in grades 10–12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Group IV for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 1,060 to 5,049 students in that grade range.^[34] The football team competes in Division 5B of the Big Central Football Conference, which includes 60 public and private high schools in Hunterdon, Middlesex, Somerset, Union and Warren counties, which are broken down into 10 divisions by size and location.^[35] The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group V North for football for 2022–2024, which included schools with 1,313 to 5,304 students.^[36]

The school was recognized as the Group IV winner of the NJSIAA ShopRite Cup in 2005–06. The award recognized the school for achieving first-place finishes in boys soccer, boys swimming, boys tennis and boys volleyball; second place in field hockey; and third place in boys lacrosse (tie), girls soccer (tie) and girls volleyball (tie); plus bonus points for no disqualifications in two of three seasons.^[37]

The boys basketball team won the Group IV state championship in 1965 (against Bloomfield High School in the finals), won the Group III title in 1987 (vs. Malcolm X Shabazz High School) and 1988 (vs. Shabazz), and won the Group II title in 1989 (vs. Abraham Clark High School).^[38] The 1965 team won the Group IV title with a 63–55 victory against Bloomfield in the championship game played in front of 10,000 spectators at Atlantic City Convention Hall.^[39][40] The 1987 team finished the season with a record of 29-1 after defeating Shabazz by a score of 76–57, led by 28 points from Eric Murdock, in the championship game played at the Louis Brown Athletic Center.^[41]

The 1976 girls basketball team won the Group IV state title in 1976, defeating Bayonne High School by a score of 60–51 in the tournament final.^[42][43] Kristen Helmstetter broke the girls basketball record for most points in her high school career, topping her coach's previous record with 1,476 career points.^[44]

The boys soccer team has won the Group IV state championship in 1998 (as co-champion with Columbia High School) and 2005 (vs. Shawnee High School).^[45] The team won the 2005 Group IV state championship, finishing the season with a program-best 23 wins and one loss, a ranking of second in the state and a national ranking of 24th.^[46] In 2006, the boys soccer team repeated as Group IV North II state sectional champions, defeating Elizabeth High School 3–0.^[47] In 2017, the boys soccer team finished with an undefeated season. They were co-champions in the 2017 Somerset County Tournament and were also North II Group IV sectional winners. They lost to eventual state champions Kearny on penalties in the semi-finals.

The Bridgewater-Raritan East football team won the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III state sectional championships in 1974 and the Central Jersey Group II title in 1989.^[48] The 1974 team, which featured Jeffrey Vanderbeek as a running back, won the first Central Jersey Group III sectional title of the playoff era with a 20–6 victory against Carteret High School in a game played indoors at the Atlantic City Convention Hall.^[49] The Bridgewater-Raritan football team made a run in the 2015 playoffs. Carrying a perfect 11–0 record to the Group V North state championship game, they played and lost to another undefeated team, the Westfield High School Blue Devils.

The boys volleyball team won the New Jersey State Volleyball Coaches Association Tournament (the predecessor to the NJSIAA tournament) in 1989 (defeating St. Joseph High School in the tournament final), 1990 (vs. St. Josephs), 1991 (vs. Fair Lawn High School), 1993 (vs. Memorial High School of West New York) and 1994 (vs. Memorial of West New York). The team has won the NJSIAA state championship in 2005 (vs. Clifton High School) and 2015 (vs. Southern Regional High School). The seven combined state titles are the most of any school in the state.^[50] The team won the 2005 state championship over Clifton High School, 25–20, 21–25, 25–20.^[51] In 2015 the team was recognized by NJ.com as its team of the year after winning the Group IV title against Southern Regional and finishing the season with a 37–1 record.^[52]

The boys tennis team won the 2005 North II, Group IV state sectional championship with a 4–1 win against Westfield High School.^[53] The tennis team won the 2006 Group IV state championship, defeating Cherry Hill High School East 3–2 in the semifinals and West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South 3–2 in the finals to take the title.^[54]

The girls tennis team won the Group IV state championship in 2007 (vs. Bergen County Academies in the group finals), 2011 (vs. Livingston High School), and 2018 (vs. Montgomery High School).^[55] The 2007 girls tennis team won the North II, Group IV state sectional championship with a 5–0 win over J. P. Stevens High School in the tournament final.^[56] The team moved on to win the Group IV state championship with a 3–2 win over Montgomery High School in the semifinals and Bergen County Technical High School in the finals by a 4–1 score.^[57] The 2011 girl tennis team, although "relatively inexperienced," won the Group IV title over Livingston High School (4-1).^[58] The 2011 team finished the season with a 23-2 record, with the two losses coming once in the regular season and in the semifinal round of the Tournament of Champions.^[59] The 2018 team won the Group IV title with a 3–2 win at Mercer County Park over previously undefeated Montgomery High School.^[60]

The girls swimming team won the Division A state championship in 1992 and the Public A championship in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. The boys swimming team won the Public A championship in 2007, 2011 and 2018.^[61] The boys swimming team won the 2006 Public A state championship over Cherry Hill High School West with a score of 88–82, winning their first state championship after going into the final event in a tie.^[62] In back to back seasons in 2010 and 2011 the boys swim team took home the New Jersey state championship trophy, defeating Cherry Hill High School East both years.^[63]

The field hockey team won the North I/II Group IV state sectional championship in 2005, the North I Group IV in 2006, 2007, 2011 and 2013, and the North II, Group IV in 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2014. The team was the runner up for the Group IV state championship in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.^[64] In 2007, the field hockey team won the North I, Group IV state sectional championship with a 2–0 win over Montclair High School in the tournament final.^[65]

In 2003, the girls soccer team won the North II, Group IV state sectional championship with a win over Roxbury High School and were Group IV state finalist.^[66][67] The girls soccer team won the North II, Group IV state sectional championship in 2007 with a 2–1 win over Ridge High School in the tournament final.^[68] In 2013, the girls soccer team captured their first ever Group IV state title by defeating defending champion Montgomery High School 1–0.^[69][70] The team ended the season ranked second in New Jersey by The Star-Ledger.^[71]

The boys lacrosse team won the Group IV state title in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2022, and won the overall state championship in 1998 (defeating Mountain Lakes High School in the finals), 2011 (vs. Summit High School), 2012 (vs. Delbarton School) and 2015 (vs. Bergen Catholic High School). The program's six group titles are tied for sixth-most in the state.^[72] The team won the 2011 Tournament of Champions with a 6–5 win over Summit High School, marking the program's second state title and breaking Summit's 68 game winning streak.^[73] The Panthers won their first state lacrosse title in 1998. To begin the 2012 season, the Panthers were ranked 5th in the nation and 1st in the state.^[74] They finished the 2012 season undefeated at 21–0, extending their overall winning streak to 36 games. Along the way, the Panthers won their second consecutive Somerset County, state Group IV and NJ Tournament of Champions titles.^[75] With a 23–0 record, the team was the state's only undefeated team in 2015, winning the Somerset County tournament, Group IV title and the Tournament of Champions with a 16–13 win against Bergen Catholic High School.^[76][77] In May 2018, the boys lacrosse coach earned his 500th win as head coach, making him the third coach in the state to reach this milestone in the sport, having compiled a career record of 500 wins and 211 losses since being hired in 1980.^[78]

The girls' lacrosse team won the Group IV state championship in 2009 (defeating Washington Township High School in the tournament final) and 2017 (vs. Eastern Regional High School).^[79] The team won the Group IV state title in 2017 with a 16–4 win against Eastern Regional in the championship game^[80] and went on to win the program's first Tournament of Champions with a victory in the finals against Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child.^[81][82]

Administration

The school's principal is Daniel Hemberger.^[83][84][85] His core administration team includes four assistant principals, one for each grade.^[86]

Notable alumni

See also: Category:Bridgewater-Raritan High School alumni

Alumni of Bridgewater-Raritan High School and its predecessor schools Bridgewater-Raritan High School East and West are included.

• Catherine Caro (born 1995, class of 2013), field hockey player on the United States women's national field hockey team.^[87]
• Fousheé (born 1996), singer-songwriter and guitarist.^[88]
• Paul Heck (born 1967), music producer and artist liaison for the Red Hot Organization and an independent sound manager.^[89]
• Matt Kassel (born 1989, class of 2008), midfielder who played for the Philadelphia Union in the MLS.^[90]
• Andy Kessler (born 1958), businessman, investor and author.^[91]
• Paul Laird (born 1958, class of 1976), musicologist at the University of Kansas.^[92]
• Derek Luke (born 1993), professional soccer who plays for FC Cincinnati in the United Soccer League.^[93]
• Juliet Macur, journalist.^[94]
• Eric Murdock (born 1968), former professional basketball player.^[95]
• Casey Murphy (born 1996), professional soccer player who plays goalkeeper for North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League.^[96]
• Jack Terricloth (1970–2021), lead singer of the cabaret-punk band The World/Inferno Friendship Society and guitarist and vocalist of Sticks and Stones.^[97]
• Jeffrey Vanderbeek (born 1957, class of 1975), former owner of the New Jersey Devils.^{[98][99][100]}
• David Wiesner (born 1956), author and illustrator of children's books and publications, whose work has won several honors, including three Caldecott Medals.^[101]
• Tom Wilson (born 1967), chairman of the New Jersey Republican State Committee from 2004 to 2009.^[102]

References

1. School data for Bridgewater-Raritan High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 1, 2022.
2. Clubs & Activities, Bridgewater-Raritan High School. Accessed February 16, 2022.
3. Bridgewater-Raritan High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
4. Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982–1983 through 1999–2002 (PDF), United States Department of Education. Accessed May 11, 2006.
5. "CIBA cited as one of the best by Education Department", Journal Inquirer, November 16, 2006. "The Blue Ribbon award is given only to schools that reach the top 10 percent of their state's testing scores over several years or show significant gains in student achievement. It is considered the highest honor a school can achieve."
6. Viers Mill School Wins Blue Ribbon; School Scored High on Statewide Test; The Washington Post. September 29, 2005 "For their accomplishments, all three schools this month earned the status of Blue Ribbon School, the highest honor the U.S. Education Department can bestow upon a school."
7. Kausch, Katie. "N.J.’s biggest high school has 3,350 students. See how your school compares.", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, August 31, 2023. Accessed August 31, 2023. "Another 28 New Jersey schools have at least 2,000 students, according to 2021-2022 enrollment data released by the state Department of Education.... 6. Bridgewater-Raritan High School Number of students: 2,674"
8. Russick, Joan. "Somerville To Graduate 332 Seniors", Courier News, June 11, 1959. Accessed February 16, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "This will be one of the last graduating classes to number students from Bridgewater and Raritan. After the Class of 1961 graduates, all Bridgewater and Raritan students will attend the new high school in Bridgewater which will be opened for fresh men and sophomores this Fall."
9. Rummo, Anthony. "Somerville School Board Budget Shows $140,292 Hike", 'The Home News', January 8, 1959. Accessed February 16, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "About 370 Bridgewater Township pupils next year will attend the new Bridgewater Raritan High School. Smaller Number Somerville High School will have 1,550 pupils next year because of the loss of Bridgewater pupils."
10. Strauss, Robert A. Referendum, p. 21 ff. Accessed September 4, 2019. "Finally, finally, that day came in the beginning of September 1959. The doors of our not-yet-completed high had opened for business.... By 1966, the Bridgewater-Raritan High School was now overflowing, and the school district had to add another high school to its roster.... The original high school now was called High School West, and the new school was High School East."
11. Knego, Lauren. "Bridgewater-Raritan High School announces inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame class", Courier News, February 7, 2020. "Opened in 1959, Bridgewater-Raritan High School experienced an enrollment increase in the early 1960s, which led to the 1966 construction of Bridgewater-Raritan High School East, and the resultant redesignation of the original high school as Bridgewater-Raritan High School West. In 1994, all the district's high school students began attending what had been High School West, when the former High School East became the middle school."
12. Marines join together to honor one of their own, The Reporter, September 6, 2004.
13. Stirling, Stephen. "Bridgewater-Raritan High School student accused of threatening 'Columbine'-like attack", The Star-Ledger, December 11, 2009. Accessed June 16, 2011.
14. BRHS' entry in the Star School winners' database December 18, 2006, at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed May 23, 2006.
15. 2015-2016 School Profile, Bridgewater-Raritan High School. Accessed November 8, 2016.
16. Mathews, Jay. "The High School Challenge 2011: Bridgewater-Raritan Regional" March 18, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, The Washington Post. Accessed July 15, 2011.
17. "The Top of the Class: The complete list of the 1,200 top U.S. schools" May 23, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Newsweek, May 22, 2007. Accessed May 24, 2007.
18. Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly, September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014.
19. Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed August 26, 2012.
20. Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed March 31, 2011.
21. "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly, September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
22. , Bridgewater-Raritan High School, Backed up by the Internet Archive as of March 9, 2008. Accessed January 1, 2012.
23. New Jersey High School Rankings: 11th Grade HSPA Language Arts Literacy & HSPA Math 2010–2011, Schooldigger.com. Accessed March 1, 2012.
24. Streib, Lauren. "America's Best High Schools", The Daily Beast, May 6, 2013. Accessed May 9, 2013.
25. Staff. "America's Best High Schools 2016", Newsweek. Accessed November 11, 2016.
26. Choir, Bridgewater-Raritan High School. Accessed July 25, 2017.
27. "Bridgewater-Raritan band places highest in history at Band of America Grand Nationals", The Messenger-Gazette / NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, January 4, 2013. Accessed April 26, 2022. "The Bridgewater-Raritan High School marching band was recognized by the board of education Tuesday for placing higher than any other New Jersey bands in history at the recent Band of America Grand Nationals in Indianapolis."
28. "Rankings". National Speech and Debate Association. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
29. "Bridgewater students win big at Princeton Model UN Conference" (PDF). Retrieved May 3, 2019.
30. . Facebook. Archived from the original on May 19, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
31. "NCF-Envirothon".
32. "BRTV". Retrieved August 20, 2017.
33. League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
34. NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
35. Kinney, Mike. "Big Central revises 2020 football schedule for its shortened inaugural season", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, August 12, 2020. Accessed April 18, 2021. "The newly formed Big Central Football Conference has released a revised 2020 schedule for its inaugural season.... the BCFC is comprised of schools from Middlesex, Union, Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren counties."
36. Football Public School Classifications 2022–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
37. Third Annual ShopRite Cup: 2005-2006 Final Standings, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
38. NJSIAA Boys Basketball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
39. "Group 4 Title to Raritan", Courier-Post, March 29, 1965. Accessed December 30, 2020, via Newspapers.com. "Both are celebrating the winning of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association tournament championships today. Bridgewater took the Group 4 title when it stopped Bloomfield, 63-55, in the second game of a Convention Hall twin bill Saturday night."
40. "Bridgewater-Raritan High Wins Top Basketball Prize; Falcons Conquer Bloomfield", Courier News, March 29, 1965. Accessed December 30, 2020, via Newspapers.com. "After only five years of varsity basketball competition, Bridgewater-Raritan High owns the top prize of the State Tournament. The Golden Falcons captured the Group 4 championship by defeating Bloomfield, 63-55, Saturday night before more than 10,000 wildly enthusiastic fans at Convention Hall."
41. Long, Tom. "B-R West is the best!", Courier News, March 14, 1987. Accessed March 4, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Bridgewater-Raritan West state champions, 1987. West shocked the skeptics, stunned the non-believers and yes, perhaps even surprised their own faithful fans. But the Golden Falcons last night proved their basketball superiority among Group 3 schools when they posted an impressive 76-57 victory over Shabazz High School of Newark in the state Group 3 finals before 4,000 fans at the Louis Brown Athletic Center here. As it has often been during this magical season, the man of the hour for West (29-1) was senior guard Eric Murdock, who pumped in 28 points and pulled down 14 rebounds."
42. NJSIAA Girls Basketball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
43. via Associated Press. "B-R East romps to girls title", The Record, March 21, 1976. Accessed February 1, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Seton Hall-bound Barbara Withers capped a brilliant career for Bridgewater-Raritan East as she scored 25 points in East's 60-51 victory over Bayonne in the New Jersey State Group 4 basketball championship game yesterday."
44. Kristen Helmstetter, Princeton Tigers. Accessed July 15, 2011. "holds the Bridgewater-Raritan school record with 1,476 points"
45. NJSIAA History of Boys Soccer, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed January 1, 2022.
46. Staff. "Ref's decision dooms Shawnee", The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 19, 2005. Accessed June 16, 2011. "If not for that infraction, the Shawnee boys' soccer team might have won its sixth NJSIAA Group 4 state championship last night. Instead, Bridgewater-Raritan capitalized on the call against Shawnee, which occurred inside the box and led to a successful penalty kick. It was the first goal of the game and the pivotal moment in Bridgewater-Raritan's 2-0 championship victory at the College of New Jersey."
47. Chodan, Melissa. "Boys Soccer: Bridgewater-Raritan closes in on another crown", Courier News, November 11, 2006. Accessed March 31, 2011. "The Bridgewater-Raritan High School boys soccer team moved one step closer toward repeating as Group IV state champions Friday. The fourth-seeded Panthers topped third-seeded Elizabeth 3-0 in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group IV championship game and are two wins away from their second straight state crown. "
48. NJSIAA Football History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed January 1, 2022.
49. "Middlesex, Ramapo Capture Jersey Football Titles", The New York Times, December 9, 1974. Accessed December 28, 2020. "This was the final day of the state's first high school football playoffs.... In a game last night, Bridgewater East turned back Carteret, 20‐6, to capture the Central Jersey, Group 3 championship. Jeff Vanderbeek and Ken Siegrist, Bridgewater East's two powerful running backs, combined for 210 yards."
50. NJSIAA Boys Volleyball State History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
51. 2005 Boys Volleyball Tournament, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed June 1, 2007.
52. Deakyne, Brian. "Bridgewater-Raritan is the NJ.com boys volleyball Team of the Year for 2015", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, June 10, 2015, updated August 24, 2019. Accessed November 10, 2020. "At 37-1, Bridgewater-Raritan won its first NJSIAA state title since 2005 and is the NJ.com boys volleyball Team of the Year.... Bridgewater-Raritan, No. 1 in the final NJ.com Top 20, defeated the two-time defending champion, No. 2 Southern, on three separate occasions through the season, including in the state final."
53. 2005 Boys Team Tennis - North II, Group IV, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed June 4, 2007.
54. 2006 Boys Team Tennis - Public Group Finals, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 30, 2007.
55. History of NJSIAA Girls Team Tennis Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 1, 2021.
56. 2007 Girls Team Tennis - North II, Group III, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 25, 2007.
57. 2007 Girls Team Tennis - Public Group Semis/Finals, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 25, 2007.
58. "NJ Girls Tennis: Bridgewater-Raritan earns Group 4 championship", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, October 20, 2011. "If Bridgewater-Raritan felt like it was playing with house money after what it had already accomplished this season, then this relatively inexperienced group must have thought that it hit the jackpot after Thursday's NJSIAA/Star-Ledger Group 4 championship matches.
59. Bridgewater-Raritan Girls Tennis 2011-2012, NJ.com High School Sports. Accessed February 21, 2023. "Record: 23-2 / 15-1 in Skyland Conference - Delaware Division"
60. "Girls Tennis: Bridgewater-Raritan Beats Montgomery for Group 4 State Title", TAPinto.net, October 18, 2018. Accessed December 30, 2020. "The Bridgewater-Raritan girls tennis team handed Montgomery its first loss of the season, 3-2, to win the NJSIAA Group 4 state championship at Mercer County Park on Thursday. Although Montgomery (16-1) won the first and second singles matches, Bridgewater-Raritan (14-3) won at third singles and then took both doubles matches."
61. NJSIAA Boys and Girls Team Swimming History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
62. Chodan, Melissa. "Boys Swimming: Bridgewater-Raritan boys win 1st state title", Courier News, February 27, 2006. Accessed June 16, 2011. "A first-place finish was the only thing that would bring the Panthers their first state title and the relay team came through again, winning in 3:14.74, one of its fastest times of the season, and the Panthers win the state title 88-82."
63. Cabnet, Bob. "Cherry Hill East boys fall in state swimming final", The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 27, 2011. Accessed June 16, 2011. "For the second straight year, Joe Cucinotti, coach of the Cherry Hill East boys' swimming team, could only shake his head in admiration of his opponent, Bridgewater-Raritan, on Sunday at the NJSIAA Public A championship meet."
64. History of NJSIAA Field Hockey Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
65. 2007 Field Hockey - North I, Group IV, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 12, 2007.
66. Frezza Jr., Harry. "Girls Soccer", Courier News, November 19, 2003. Accessed June 16, 2011. "The Bridgewater-Raritan High School girls soccer team, which won its first sectional title since Bridgewater-Raritan East and West merged in 1991, is headed to its first state final."
67. Staff. "Roxbury displays intensity in loss", Daily Record, November 18, 2003. Accessed June 16, 2011. "Lauren Cubas and Mandy Breen scored goals and goalkeeper Heather Linton posted a shutout on four saves in Bridgewater-Raritan's 2-0 win over Roxbury in a Group IV state tournament semifinal game at Wayne Valley High School on Tuesday."
68. 2007 Girls Soccer - North II, Group IV, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 15, 2007.
69. Pincus, Simeon. "Bridgewater-Raritan girls top Montgomery to win Group IV state championship", Courier News, November 23, 2013. Accessed December 2, 2015. "Senior center back Daniella Greco headed in a rebound after a well-place corner kick from Lauren Hall 12:06 into the second half, and senior keeper Casey Murphy and the Bridgewater-Raritan defense did the rest, as the Panthers pitched their 16th shutout and fifth in their past six state-tournament games to capture their first ever state championship, 1-0 over Montgomery at The College of New Jersey."
70. NJSIAA History of Girls Soccer, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed January 1, 2022.
71. Schneider, Jeremy. "Girls soccer: Final statewide rankings, 2013", The Star-Ledger, December 22, 2013.
72. NJSIAA Boys Lacrosse Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
73. Tufaro, Greg. "Panthers upset Hilltoppers: Win TOC title, end Summit's streak", Courier News, June 11, 2011. Accessed July 15, 2011. "The near-capacity crowd of more than 4,000 rose to its collective feet for the frenetic final 60 seconds, which saw Bridgewater-Raritan's air-tight man defense stymie two late scoring chances to preserve a thrilling 6-5 victory that snapped Summit's state-record winning streak at 68 games and gave the Panthers their first TOC title."
74. Bridgewater-Raritan High School Lacrosse, MaxPreps.com. Accessed May 5, 2012.
75. Hachey, Chris. "Boys lacrosse state Team of the Year, 2012: Bridgewater-Raritan", The Star Ledger, June 24, 2012. Accessed November 9, 2012.
76. LoGiudice, Daniel. "Bridgewater-Raritan boys lacrosse clinches TOC title, finishes season undefeated",Courier News, June 6, 2015. Accessed September 3, 2015. "The Panthers (23-0) defeated Bergen Catholic 16-13 in the Tournament of Champions final on Saturday evening, their first TOC title and undefeated season since 2012."
77. Staff. "VIDEO: Bridgewater-Raritan rolls by Lenape for Group IV title", Jersey Sports Now, May 28, 2015. Accessed September 3, 2015. "Bridgewater-Raritan has handled every challenge this boys' lacrosse season, and the Panthers dealt with a one-day delay for the Group IV state final without much sweat. A pair of big runs keyed Bridgewater-Raritan's 16-8 triumph over Lenape.... Bridgewater-Raritan is now 21-0, the only unbeaten team in New Jersey."
78. Kinney, Mike. "Path to 500 for B-R's Apel: The players, games and worthy adversaries along the way", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, May 3, 2018, updated May 14, 2019. Accessed January 25, 2021. "Bridgewater-Raritan's Chuck Apel became just the third New Jersey boys lacrosse coach to reach 500 career victories when his 17th-ranked Panthers rallied from an early three-goal deficit to beat 15th-ranked Ridge Wednesday in Basking Ridge. The three-time state Coach of the Year joins Tim Flynn of Mountain Lakes and Chuck Ruebling of Delbarton in this exclusive club. Apel began the Bridgewater-Raritan program in 1979 along with longtime former assistant Rick Szeles and became head coach in 1980.... 3-Chuck Apel, Bridgewater-Raritan, 500-211"
79. NJSIAA Girls Lacrosse Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
80. Friedman, Josh. "Girls Lacrosse: Eastern, Middle Township fall in state finals", Courier-Post, June 3, 2017. Accessed November 10, 2020. "Eastern's season came to a close as Bridgewater-Raritan captured the Group 4 state title with a 16-4 triumph at Kean University."
81. Slavit, Evan. "Girls Lacrosse: No. 4 Bridgewater-Raritan holds on for first T of C title (PHOTOS)", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, June 10, 2017, updated August 23, 2019. Accessed November 10, 2020. "With the game tied following a four-goal run by third-seeded Oak Knoll, No. 2 in the NJ.com Top 20, top-seeded and No. 4 Bridgewater-Raritan was content to wait for the final shot in the NJSIAA/Investors Bank Tournament of Champions final. Instead, Hannah Hollingsworth found Kirsten Murphy from behind the cage almost instantly after a Panthers timeout, and the two connected on their third goal of the game in a 7-6 win and Bridgewater-Raritan's first T of C championship, on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Stadium and Kean University."
82. Bridgewater-Raritan Girls Lacrosse 2016-2017 Season, NJ.com. Accessed November 10, 2020.
83. Principal's Message, Bridgewater-Raritan High School. Accessed February 4, 2023.
84. Uschak, Roman."District Hires New Principal for Bridgewater-Raritan High School", TAP into the Breeze, March 10, 2022.Accessed July 17, 2022. "Bridgewater-Raritan Regional High School has found its new principal. Daniel Hemberger was introduced to the public at the March 8 meeting of the Bridgewater-Raritan board of education.... Hemberger will start his new duties July 1, at an annual salary of $185,000."
85. Meet the Principal, Bridgewater-Raritan High School. Accessed April 26, 2022.
86. Student Handbook 2021-2022, Bridgewater-Raritan High School. Accessed April 26, 2022.
87. , United States Olympic Committee. Accessed June 12, 2018. "Hometown: Martinsville, N.J. High School: Bridgewater-Raritan High School ('13)"
88. Olivier, Bobby. "N.J. singer went viral but didn’t know it. Then she had to prove the voice was hers.", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, March 18, 2021, July 18, 2022. Accessed October 17, 2022. "The artist born Britanny Fousheé, who grew up in Somerset and Middlesex counties and graduated from Bridgewater-Raritan High School, explains that her few viral 'Deep End' lines weren’t even part of a full song when she wrote them."
89. Seiler, Andy. "Red Hot: Bridgewater man produces major new rock album as a fund-raiser for AIDS", Courier News, October 24, 1993. Accessed July 23, 2020, via Newspapers.com. "Heck compared his persistence to his days as an All-American and All-State lacrosse player at Bridgewater High School East."
90. Goff, Steven. "Recruit Kassel Joins the Terps, At Least for Now", The Washington Post, August 29, 2008. Accessed January 15, 2014. "Although Matt Kassel committed to the Terrapins in 2007 during his junior year at Bridgewater-Raritan (N.J.) High School, he was also the subject of an MLS initiative encouraging clubs to develop homegrown talent."
91. CEN NY: "Surviving The Crisis: What Went Wrong and What's Next For Wall Street?" featuring Andy Kessler '80, Cornell Entrepreneur Network, November 7, 2008. Accessed January 15, 2018. "Andy received a BS in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University in 1980 and an MSEE from the University of Illinois in 1981. K-12 was at Bridgewater-Raritan High School East in New Jersey. Every morning for 13 years, while heading out for the school bus, Andy looked to his left, up the hill, and checked out the flag flying at Middlebook Encampment, where George Washington and his troops spent winters watching the British troops in New Brunswick."
92. "School News Briefs", Courier News, January 30, 1976. Accessed June 27, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Paul R. Laird, Bridgewater, recently won a one-half cost of tuition scholarship of $1,200 to Lebanon Valley College, Annville, Pa., as a presidential scholar. A senior in Bridgewater-Raritan High School East, Laird is a member of the National Honor Society, the Spanish National Honor Society, a recipient of a Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test letter of commendation and a member of the New Jersey All-State Orchestra."
93. Derek Luke, Monmouth University Hawks. Accessed April 8, 2016. "Hometown: Bridgewater, NJ; High School: Bridgewater-Raritan"
94. "Academic Achievers; College Graduates", Courier News, July 3, 1997. Accessed July 23, 2020. "Juliet Macur, a Bridgewater resident and former Bridgewater-Raritan High School West student, received a master's degree from the Columbia University Graduate of Journalism on May 21."
95. Eric Murdock, Basketball-Reference.com. Accessed January 1, 2008.
96. Casey Murphy, Rutgers Scarlet Knights women's soccer. Accessed September 4, 2019. "High School: Bridgewater-Raritan; Hometown: Bridgewater, N.J."
97. Biese, Alex. "Sticks and Stones reunite for Asbury Park, Brooklyn shows", Asbury Park Press, November 2, 2017. Accessed September 4, 2019. "Ventantonio and Kawahara first met in 1988, when Kawahara movedto Bridgewater at the age of 19 and both attended Bridgewater-Raritan High School."
98. Frezza, Harry; and Deak, Mike. "Jeff Vanderbeek, former Devils owner, to coach Somerville H.S. football", Courier News, January 21, 2015. Accessed September 4, 2019. "Jeff Vanderbeek is a 1975 graduate of Bridgewater-Raritan East High School."
99. Staff. "The Daily Goes One-On-One With Jeffrey Vanderbeek", Sports Business Daily, October 7, 2005. Accessed November 20, 2011.
100. Frezza, Harry. "Vanderbeek named Sportsman of Year", Home News Tribune, January 28, 2008. Accessed June 16, 2011. "Bridgewater Raritan East High School graduate Jeffrey Vanderbeek knew a bit about hockey before becoming a season ticket holder for the New Jersey Devils ..."
101. Article for the Horn Book, David Wiesner. Accessed September 4, 2019. "A guy walked into my tenth-grade art class at Bridgewater-Raritan high school New Jersey, and changed my life. Sounds like the setup for a classic punch line, but this was no joke. The guy had graduated from my school two years earlier and was now a student at some place called the Rhode Island School of Design. He said it was an art school."
102. Goodnough, Abby. "In Person; So What Will He Do After November?", The New York Times, September 28, 1997. Accessed March 1, 2012. "That early foray into politics did not hook Mr. Wilson, who said he never even considered participating in student government at Bridgewater-Raritan High School East, playing on the golf team instead."

External links

• High school website
• School Performance Report for Bridgewater-Raritan High School, New Jersey Department of Education
• School Data for the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District, National Center for Education Statistics
• NJ.com NJ Somerset Schools Report Card 2004–2005