Alumni

My name is Lisa Katz. I grew up in Ramsey on Deer Trail North and now live in Allendale. I am a mom of two grown children and own my own business. I own two family shoe stores in Bergen County.

Looking back on my time at Ramsey High School I am filled with so many memories. I was a member of The Big Blue Marching Band as well as the concert band and spent many hours in the music room rehearsing for concerts and competitions. Long nights were spent on the field marching endlessly honing the band’s performance. We were all dedicated to what we were trying to achieve. I am still amazed at the attention to detail that went into those performances. We were creating patterns as we moved around the field and it took a great deal of collaboration to make those images appear clearly to those in the audience. There were definitely challenges we faced but we all persisted. The practices were long and would go long beyond sunset. Marching while playing the Baritone was no easy task in what was, at times, a muddy field. I recall losing a shoe in the muck at one competition only to have to continue on in just my sock!

I was also on the swim team and was the captain my senior year. Waking up at 4am to jump into a pool in the middle of the winter is not for everyone. But great friends were made and lots of laughs were had during those early morning practices. We would carpool so the parents could take turns having to get up to drive us. My Dad was a trooper and almost never complained...unless I was late getting up. My events were the 100-meter butterfly, 500-meter distance and the medley relay which is a group event. Being a team player and working well with others is important to achieving a goal. We didn’t always win; however, we certainly all did out best, worked together and had fun trying. The meets were long and the anticipation of your particular event was what kept us all excited. There were many hours waiting around and watching the rest of the team glide through their events. Of course, we would get our homework done as well as finding time for a card game or two in the warm up room.

The activities in which I participated, along with the education I received at Ramsey High School, prepared me for my future endeavors. While the terminology is different, the objectives were the same… graduate as a self-motivated individual who possessed the ability to think critically, work well with others, be empathetic, etc… As it turns out, critical thinking and self- motivation are key factors in the work I do. My job entails more than just the responsibility of stocking the store with the right products and the day-to-day running of a retail store. One of my most important responsibilities is to my staff. They depend on me to make good decisions so they can be successful at their jobs. My work is continuously evolving. Each and every season, new styles and brands of shoes need to be evaluated. Methods of ordering, promotion and advertising techniques, customer and inventory management systems and payment methods are ever changing and evolving. Consequently, I have many opportunities to learn and grow as a small business owner.

By: Lisa Katz, Class of 1983