About Joshua Ringel

Joshua Ringel was born in Baltimore on Dec. 20, 1968. His early zest for language, literature, history, chess, and wrestling, was nurtured during his 12 years at Gilman School. Josh attended the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth as a middle school student, studying math and writing.  

Except for a semester studying Spanish in Seville, and summers in Baltimore, he lived in Manhattan for most of 1987-1994. He majored in Spanish Language and Literature at Columbia University and was fluent in Spanish when he earned his BA in 1992. Josh was proud that Kenneth Koch accepted him as a student of poetry writing. He also studied tap dancing, sang in a gospel singing group, and was a DJ of "Blues and Bach" at Columbia's WKCR radio station. While in New York he worked as a desk attendant at Barnard College. The United Auto Workers of Local 2110 elected him Shop Steward. 

In 1994, Josh moved to Alcobendas, Spain, to teach English to children at the Lambda School. He enjoyed dancing at the best clubs in Madrid, running the 1995 Madrid Marathon, and motorcycling. Josh's exuberance captivated his students, who paid him their ultimate compliment—a trophy labeled, "Al Profe Mas Guay" (Cool). 

On Oct. 27, 1996, Josh died in a motorcycle accident in the beautiful countryside near Madrid. Two years later, his parents Barbara and Mel, and his sister Susannah, established the annual Joshua Ringel Memorial Reading in his honor. On December 3, 2002, Barbara died of thyroid cancer. The poetry readings were her dream, and now they are a memorial to her, Josh, and Mel, who died on February 28, 2017.

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Contributions are welcome to support the Joshua Ringel Memorial Fund.

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To be added to the Ringel mailing list, email us or send a note with your address directly to:

Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY)
The Joshua Ringel Memorial Fund
McAuley Hall
5801 Smith Avenue, Ste. 400
Baltimore, MD 21209