Ryan Totaro, a proud member of Pennington’s Class of 2018, has come full circle, returning to his alma mater to inspire a new generation of students. Equipped with the wisdom and experience gained during his time at Pennington and beyond, Totaro has quickly made his mark as a dynamic and creative teacher.
Totaro graduated summa cum laude from Haverford College in Pennsylvania, where he majored in English with minors in psychology and film studies. One of his proudest accomplishments during college was receiving the prestigious William Ellis Scull 1883 Prize from the Haverford’s Department of English, awarded to students who have shown the greatest achievement in voice and expression of the English language.
Following his academic success, Totaro embarked on his teaching journey in Roanoke, Virginia, where he worked at Community High School of Arts & Academics. Despite being just twenty-two years old and tasked with teaching seniors, he took on the challenge with enthusiasm. Designing and teaching four unique courses—horror production, sci-fi cinema, current events in film, and a general film production class—Totaro was able to immerse himself in his passion for film. He thrived in an environment where courses were entirely teacher-designed and grading was based on narrative reports rather than numerical scores. In addition to teaching, he also coordinated community service for the school and invited guest speakers, enriching the learning environment for his students.
Despite his love for Roanoke, the sense of community and proximity to family pulled Totaro back to New Jersey. His family includes two other Pennington alumni: his sister Chelsea ’10 and brother Rosario (“Ross”) ’14. After a year of teaching in Roanoke, a chance encounter Totaro had with Chad Bridges during an interview at another school led to the opportunity for Ryan to return to Pennington as a teaching fellow in humanities.
Since returning to Pennington, Totaro has taught a variety of subjects, initially focusing on U.S. history and American Identities for tenth-graders, before transitioning to teaching English and social studies in the School’s sixth grade. His dedication to the arts remains evident, as he serves as the assistant director for Pennington’s costume crew and as faculty advisor for the Middle School spring play.
Recently, Totaro returned to his filmmaking roots, inspired by a visit to an art exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Taking advantage of Pennington’s state-of-the-art resources, including Adobe Premiere Pro and film equipment, Totaro wrote and directed a short film titled Falsifiers. He called upon fellow Pennington alumni Jean-Paul (“JP”) Jeanes ’18, Liam Krivcov ’17, Michel Zachor ’18, and his brother Rosario to form a talented crew. In February 2024, they braved the winter cold to film at the nearby Watershed Institute, resulting in a work that was later showcased at the Falsifiers Film Festival at Princeton’s Garden Theater.
Reflecting on the experience, Totaro emphasized the importance of creativity and collaboration. The day spent filming in the woods, disconnected from technology, reminded him of the pure joy that comes from creating something with a team. His role as both filmmaker and actor—he played the beast but humbly forgot to credit himself in the film—highlighted his hands-on approach to the project.
Totaro’s experiences outside the classroom have only enhanced his teaching. He is passionate about visual literacy, helping students to develop essential skills in analyzing and interpreting paintings and films. His creative energy has also led him to propose a new summer program at Pennington—a film camp for Middle Schoolers called “Lights, Camera, Action!: Filmmaking from Scripts to Screen.”
When asked to recall a standout memory from his days as a Pennington student, Totaro fondly remembers giving his class’s Convocation speech, which allowed him to honor his Latin teacher, Wendy Morris. He also cherishes his time performing in school plays, particularly his role as Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet during his senior year. Another influential figure from his student days is Jason Harding, whose experiential approach to teaching history inspired Totaro’s own teaching philosophy.
As a teacher who was once a day student at Pennington, Totaro now has a deeper appreciation for the experience of boarders. He acknowledges the unique bond that develops between teachers and students in a boarding environment and understands the importance of being a strong mentor, especially as a young educator.
In both his on-campus responsibilities and off-campus creative endeavors, Ryan Totaro is already making a big impact on the Pennington community, combining his passion for the arts, dedication to education, and love for his alma mater.