Bryant Clipper The student newspaper of William Cullen Bryant High School 48-10 31 st Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11103
December 2009
Vol. LXXV, No.1
Brya n t ’s Her o By Marissa Collado
Rachel embracing one of the children she saved on the bus
THE CLIPPER
On a hot day in August one of Bryant’s own saved the lives of many and witnessed the loss of another. Junior Rachel Guzy worked as a camp counselor over the summer and saved the lives of nine children on what started out as an ordinary day at Magic Carpet Day Camp. Returning from a trip to a bowling alley in Flushing, bus driver Salvador Fernandez asked Guzy to get him a water bottle at a convenience store, leaving the bus door open for ventilation. While driving shortly after, Fernandez had an apparent heart attack and slumped over his seat, leaving Guzy to believe he was simply picking something up. She soon realized how wrong she was when Fernandez fell out of his seat and rolled out of the bus. With the bus still moving towards a minivan Guzy had to act fast. “Any one could have done what I did,” said Guzy. “When you’re in a moment like that you don’t think, you just act.” Guzy stopped the bus, saving her life and the lives of nine children. In addition to Guzy’s heroic actions, we must also remember the life of Salvador Fernandez. Fernandez was a loving father and uncle who always put his family first. He took his work seriously and was always in good health, which made his sudden death so shocking. His hobbies included watching baseball and dancing. Fernandez’s niece, Bryant senior Melly Rosa, praised Rachel for her efforts when her uncle fell to the ground. “It was really brave what she did,” said Rosa. “Rachel handled the situation without breaking down and that’s really hard to do.” Guzy has received numerous awards for her heroism, which included meeting Mayor Bloomberg. Her courageous action will continue to inspire many people as her quick-thinking and unselfish attitude saved the lives of many New Yorkers.
A GLIMPSE AT THE PAST By Anna Mei
WHATS INSIDE
Bryant High School has evolved tremendously over the past 100 years. It’s more than just a school; it’s our second home. No matter where you come from, Bryant supports who you are and what you believe in. We have clubs that range from the Photography Club to the Chinese Club to Mock Trial and Moot Court. We have several sports including cricket and golf, and we even have our very own Bryant Theatre Company. Teams, clubs and other extracurricular activities keep us students more involved than ever and it encourages us to get good grades and enjoy what we love doing. It has been a long tradition at Bryant and it doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. In 1987 Bryant attempted to ease the difficult transition from junior high school to high school for incoming freshmen by dividing freshmen into four houses that served as homes. Students could seek advice from teachers and counselors as well as be in an environment where they could learn effectively. (CONTINUTED ON PAGE 3) SCHOOL
EVENTS
ENTERTAINMENT
SPECIAL
REVIEWS
FEATURES
SPORTS
Multicultural Festival
Multicultural Festival
Multicultural Festival
Multicultural Festival
Multicultural Festival
Multicultural Festival
Multicultural Festival
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