THS junior Benjamin Rosen is a striking individual. He can lunge, parry, and riposte, all in the blink of an eye, but he wears much more than just the saber. Rosen is also an accomplished student, quirky individual, member of the school’s Teen Prevention Education Program, and a great friend to all who know him.

Rosen started Tenafly High School’s fencing club in his freshman year, wanting “to bring fencing to the school so that others could learn the sport I enjoy so much.” Another interesting thing to note about the fencing club is the unique way in which it handles its officer positions. “It’s more of an unofficial system than anything and technically not part of the constitution, but if a non-officer wishes to challenge an existing officer to their position, they have the right to do so in a 15-point bout refereed by the remaining officers, the winner of which maintains/takes the officer position,” Rosen said. With stakes being so high, Rosen’s still-standing head position serves only as a testament to his skill with the blade. When asked why he started the Fencing Club, he replied, “I’ve found it’s kept me in pretty good shape, and it’s a sport that anyone can take up, enjoy, and succeed in.” Rosen said there are plans for creating a varsity team next year as well.

Rosen’s favorite subject is history, specifically pertaining to the history of aviation. “I can name pretty much any plane that fought in WW II, and a good amount of more modern ones as well,” he said. This expert fencer, history buff, and aviation nerd says he can most often be found at Tenafly High School’s Lalor Library Media Center. “It’s a very social area of the school where I can also get some work done,” Rosen said. “A lot of my friends are also commonly there, so it presents a great opportunity to both be social and to do schoolwork.” Rosen’s talents extend to some quite arbitrary things as well: He possesses the unusual ability of being able to tie his shoe with a single hand. He also adds that his favorite food is chocolate, “regardless of circumstance.”

So just who raised such an exemplary individual and how did he end up here? Rosen says his parents and sisters have been big influences on him, but he’s also had a lot of great teachers who have impacted him. “It’s hard to pick just one,” he said. “And of course, my friends have all impacted me in their own ways.” Rosen has lived in Tenafly pretty much all of his life, moving from Oradell, New Jersey at the age of 3. Rosen is just one of many Tenafly High School students, all with their own eccentricities, skills, and especially in Rosen’s case, fortes.

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