February 2007

BuccaneerBulletin Volume 10 Number 4 February 2007

Bulletins Distractions Cause Most Teen Crashes

Oswego High School’s Student Voice

Out of Business New Course to Address Need for Business Education

More teenagers are heeding warnings about drinking and driving, but they routinely face behind-the-wheel distractions from cell phones to passengers that contribute to thousands of fatal crashes every year, according to a study.

The Study by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm Insurance Co. asked high school students what happens when their peers drive that makes them unsafe.

Teens reported a host of in-car distractions that researchers say make traffic accidents the number one killer of U.S. teenagers, with a fatality rate four times higher than drivers aged 25 to 69, based on miles driven.

Students Can Nominate A Teacher of the Year

Nominations for the New York State 2006-07 “Teacher of the Year” Award are being accepted through March 1.

The announcement came from the award sponsor, Teachers’ Insurance Plan, a car insurance program exclusively for members of the educational community.

The award will include $1,000 to the winning teacher and $500 grant to that teacher’s school. The state winner will also be eligible for the national award that includes a special recognition and a $2,500 travel certificate.

Teachers, students and parents can nominate any of the state’s more that 225,000 accredited teachers. Nomination forms are available online at www. teachers.com/toty. To nominate your favorite OHS teacher, explain in 250 words or less why this teacher should be the Teacher of the Year. Nominees will be judged on their ability to motivate students, their special talents and their contribution to their school community.

Crossing Enemy Lines Page 6

Photo By kyle menter

The decline of downtown business in Oswego has paralleled the decline of the business instruction at OHS. Coincidence or cause-and-effect?

The Once-Popular Business Major Dwindles to Nothing Chrissy King

Managing Editor

Inside Oswego High School there are opportunities to learn around every corner. Classes such as TV communications and journalism allow students to have hands-on experiences in both of these fields; thereby preparing them for college, should they choose to major in either of these fields. Many schools have classes like these. However, unlike many schools around Central New York such as CNS, Nottingham, Corcoran, East Syracuse-Minoa, Liverpool, and Central Square, OHS does not have a business education program.

The lack of a business department is strange for a school the size of OHS. However, at one time, OHS did have a very strong business department. The business department at OHS as far back as the late ‘60s offered over twenty business classes to students. By 2004, the department was dissolved. Courses that were once taught here included general business, office practice, business law, and business management. Students also had the opportunity to gain a certificate of proficiency (if they went through a certain sequence of classes) in accounting, clerical, secretarial, and distribution. “I think the business classes were most enjoyed back in the late ‘80s early ‘90s when I was first hired,” said House 1 counselor Mr. Geoffrey Baer.

Now, one might say that people have just lost interest in business classes, see

David Artz Walks the Plank...

Page 7

“business” page 2

The Winks Page 12

In an effort to fill the gap left by the absence of an OHS business program Mr. Benjamin Richardson has come up with the idea for a new elective course based around the creation of a school store.

Pending Board of Education approval, the class will be called Oswego Inc. Oswego Inc. would be a full-year elective class that is open to all students.

The class will fulfill seniors’ requirements for Economics and Government and would count as an elective credit for underclassman. In this class, students will use not only classroom skills, but practical skills as well. Students will learn how to make money in the modern economy, how government and economics interact, how to manage your money how our government works and how to make it work for you.

Oswego Inc. will have leadership opportunities for students including CEO, board chairman, vice presidents and store manager. The running of the store will give students a first-hand view of the correlation between economics and government.

Richardson started working on tentative curriculum and a course outline for the class last spring. He stated, “I wondered why we couldn’t just teach economics, government, and business all in one class, since they are all intertwined.”

There are many benefits to a course like this, according to Richardson, for both students and the district. These benefits include helping OHS achieve its goal of improving graduation rates and fulfilling the district’s mission of empowering students to reach their full potential.

Also Inside ...

Clublicity Teen Dancing Debated Stereotypes

2

News

Business Department Lacking at OHS Continued from page 1

but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Business education is still alive and well in high schools. This was illustrated by the recent DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) contest where students from eight local high schools gathered at Cazenovia College to test their skills in over twenty business categories. More than 500 students participated in the contest and the winners will compete at the state competition in March. Rachel Garrett, a sophomore at Mexico High School stated, “I’ve taken business math and sports business and both classes were a lot of fun. I learned a lot of things that are practical in real life.”

Since business education is alive and well in many area high schools it’s hard to believe that students at Oswego High School wouldn’t like a business department and a variety of course offerings. Baer stated, “I think there would probably be at least 25 percent of the high school, at some point, that would want to take a business class, and that’s being conservative. It could be as much as half the school population that could want to take business classes, but I think at least one out of every four students would want to take a class at some point.”

Therefore, the question must be asked, why does OHS not have a business department? According to Baer, “There were a couple reasons that led to the demise of the business department. The first had to do with teachers and their styles of teaching that were pushing student enrollment down. That was about ten years ago.

Then we had a lot of teachers retiring at a time when we were having budget issues and it was just a quick fix to cut back on the program. The final nail in the coffin was when the last business teacher got in a bad situation with a student and drugs were involved.” Baer also stated, “The regents requirements also killed hands-on programs like the business classes, because teachers now have to teach towards the exam.”

Although there is no business department at OHS, there are some things being done to compensate. In the 2007-2008 curriculum there are going to be two new business-related courses. Mrs. Cathleen Chamberlain assistant Superintendent for Curricu-

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lum and Instruction commented, “We right from the beginning,” he said. courses like business law, business are currently looking into some courses But students should not let their math, and lower typing skills because that would be business-related. I have dreams of taking business in college knowing how to use a computer is difhad conversations with Mr. Myles and go down the drain. There are some ferent from learning to type properly.” we are looking into the possibility of options for them. “Students could Local business owner Mr. Lou beginning to add some business-re- contact local business owners to find Usherwood is a prime example of how lated courses. There are many busi- out what skills they are looking for business courses can precipitate a sucness-related courses that could benefit in their employees. Students could cessful career in business. Usherwood our students at the high school level.” also do volunteer work in local busi- is the owner of the Syracuse-based The first class that is pending nesses in fields related to their inter- Usherwood Office Technology, an board approval is the brainchild of est area. The Chamber of Commerce office technology integrator that emsocial studies teacher Mr. Benjamin could provide a list of local businesses ploys around 55 people. They provide Richardson called solutions for business ‘Oswego Inc’. This work flow. This means class incorporates that they provide solueconomics, governtions in sales and serment, and business vice, network servers, all into one, revolvcomputer application ing around the start software, and generup of a new school al office technology. store. “I realized that Usherwood took while I was teaching typing in high school my Economics class and he stated, “It was that I kept leading the most important into subjects and I thing I learned other would find myself than reading; it’s a nesaying ‘save that for cessity. I type and read your P.I.G class’ or every day and reading ‘you’ll learn this in business is completely your government different from reading class’ and I wona novel.” Usherwood dered why I couldn’t also said “I think it’s just teach economimportant for schools Photo by Lauren Dimarco ics, government, and Tom Dawitt representing the local business community and the to teach things like business all in one Electrical Workers Local # 43 speaks at the Building Trades Fair. accounting and leadclass since they are all ership, both of which intertwined,” commented Richardson. for students,” advised Chamberlain. are learned in business classes, beThe other class that will be startMrs. Stephanie Steiger of the cause it’s too late to learn them in ing next year is called ‘Start Your Own career center commented, “Students college. Kids go to college and don’t Business.’ “This class will have students could sit in on a business class at the know how to balance a checkbook decide on a product like a new kind of college or talk to friends or family or manage a credit card. They need lacrosse stick, then they will create it that work in business-related areas. to have a handle on finances because and sell it. After the materials they used There are also many books on the math never lies, but banks are makare paid for, the profit made will go back subject here at the Career Center ing a lot of money off of high interest to the students, I believe,” commented that students could come look at.” rates and students don’t realize it.” technology teacher Mr. Chuck Rowlee.

Though there are these alternaIf there is a genuine interest from These new classes do not ben- tives, it is obvious that students who students in starting the business deefit seniors who are graduating and have experience in the field that they partment back up, there would have haven’t had the opportunity to take are studying in college, are at an to be a public and parental push exbusiness courses during the high advantage. Therefore, students who pressed to the Board of Education. school careers. Senior class president want to pursue business at OHS are Restoring the business departEric McCrobie is considering a busi- behind students from other Central ment could be beneficial for not ness major in college, yet he has not New York high schools who have only students who want to pursue had the opportunity to take a single taken business courses in high school, business, but all students as well business course in his four years at even if students did take the initiative as the community. “I’m a hands-on OHS. “If I’m in classes at college next to research topics as Chamberlain and learner. That’s why I love classes like year with people who had business Steiger suggest. According to Baer business. I think that it’s criminal courses in high school, I know they “students that go into college without that we don’t offer business classes, will have more business background having taken business classes are defi- because we’re leaving out a whole than me. It’s like I’ll be disadvantaged nitely behind in their introductory level spectra of students,” affirmed Baer.

February 2007

Columns

3

African American Stereotypes Dispelled

In light of Black History Month, I’d like to dispel a few stereotypes that have been bestowed upon black people. The network BET, occasional programs on VH1 and MTV have furthered these stereotypes. The labels been around for years, yet no one has ever had the courage to come out and confirm or deny them. Here are the top five myths you may have been led to believe about black people due to the influence of the media.

• We all are amazing dancers. Unfortunately, this not true. It’s hard to believe, I will admit.

Ladies like Janet Jackson flounce across the stage effortlessly and make it seem so easy. But to be honest, it’s yet another rumor. Look at MC Hammer for example; those are dance moves I definitely wouldn’t want to be copying. When you see guys like Usher tearing up the dance floor, keep in mind that he has several choreographers and personal trainers. On a recent episode of ‘Inside the Actor’s Studio,’ Will Smith admitted to having two left feet.

He said that practice was the key to good dancing, not skin color.

• We all celebrate Kwanzaa. I can’t tell you how many times I have been told “Happy Kwanzaa.”

To be honest, I don’t know a single person who celebrates the holiday. A very small percentage of black people actually celebrate Kwanzaa. Kwanzaa

is a celebration of family, community and African culture. It was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966, during the Civil Rights Movement. The word Kwanzaa is derived from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanza” which means “first fruits.”

Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday that is celebrated in place of Christmas and Hanukkah. Instead, it is more like a period of remembrance and unity that should not be restricted to a single race.

• We only listen to rap and hip-hop. If you look at my playlist, it consists of more than the Ying Yang Twins and Mike Jones. I have a bit of Coldplay, some Jack Johnson, and my share of Regina Spektor. Don’t get me wrong, I do like rap and hip-hop, but it is not all that I listen to. Rap and Hip-Hop are incredibly limiting. Race should not dictate music choice. Creating boundaries based on music choice just leads to conflict. I do not assume that you listen to rock just because you are white, or country just because you live in Scriba, so please don’t assume the same about me.

• We are all related and look alike. I’ve had people start in-depth conversations with me assuming I was someone else. The only similarity I share with the person they think I am is skin color.

I always find it amusing when I break the news that I am not the person they were looking for. I’ve been mistaken for professors, other students, and siblings of people I’ve never heard of.

Similarly, I take issue with the fact that I am always being bombarded with questions about relatives. Once I tell someone

I am from Africa, their reflex is to name off every African person they’ve ever met and ask if I know them or am related to them. Just because someone else is black does not mean that I am his sister, cousin, or girlfriend. It doesn’t work that way. I don’t ask you if you are related to someone else in the school just because you are both redheads with freckles. If I did, the question would come off as stupid and ignorant. Get the hint?

• Our diet consists solely of fried chicken, collard greens, barbequed ribs and corn bread. Soul Food is the proper term for this array of delicacies.

I have had my share of Soul Food, and I won’t lie, it was quite satisfying, but I did not discover it until I was around ten years old. I just recently discovered what chitterlings [pronounced “chitlins”] and grits were. If you are wondering, chitterlings are fried pig intestines and grits are a type of corn-based porridge. Soul Food is generally fried, and if someone was to eat it every single day they would be in a hospital due to heart failure before they hit their twenties. The assumption that it’s the only thing black people eat is quite unrealistic. I would not assume that an Italian person only eats spaghetti and pizza everyday and Irish people only eat potatoes and cabbage.

So please, go apologize to the black people you have stereotyped, and try some Soul Food for yourself. A whole culture has been ignored and it’s time we took a closer look.

Celebrity Look-A-Likes

Bartholomew or Kreuk?

Bartholomew or Kreuk?

If you know of anyone at OHS that has a celebrity look-alike, contact Katie DiVita at cdivita@oswego.org. Above, freshman Kristen Bartholomew (left) is compared to actress Kristin Kreuk from the WB’s Smallville (right).

Buccaneer Bulletin

February 2007

Clublicity

4

After-School Activities Not Always Cancelled

Class of ‘08

The Junior Variety Show auditions will be held on Wednesday, February 28 at 3:00 p.m. in the theatre. Students in any grade interested in performing in the show are encouraged to participate.

Junior Class advisers Mrs. Jennifer Dempsey and Mrs. Heidi Sweeney hope that the student involvement in the Junior Variety Show will increase this year. Bands who would like to perform must give their audition tapes to either Junior Class adviser

by Friday, February 16. The show is scheduled for April 20 and 21 at 7:00 p.m. in the Faust Theatre.

The first Prom Committee meeting was held on February 7 after school in room 240. Members debated primarily about colors, themes, and music. Any juniors who would like to have a say in these prom decisions should join the Prom Committee and come to the second meeting, even if they didn’t come to the first. The date has not been scheduled yet, but Dempsey plans to talk to the DJ, chose favors, and design the tickets.

The Prom Project, founded in 2004, will be making a comeback thanks to Bethany Hinckley, Christie Batchelor, Kristin Rinoldo, and Gabrielle Rumrill. The Prom Project is an organization that seeks donations to help those in need attend the Prom. Dresses, jewelry, dress shirts, tuxedo rental gift certificates, and all other Prom-related items can be dropped off at Mary Jean’s at 122 West Second Street, P & C grocery store, Paul’s Big M, or the OHS nurse’s office from now until February 23. Any student wishing to take advantage of this organization should come to Mary Jean’s after February 23.

Drama Club

Although Drama Club was quiet this winter, mid-February marks the beginning of its next show.

Director Ms. Mali Dorsey will be holding auditions for the Michael Harms Theater Festival. This is a competitive showcase of acting and technical talent in Upstate New York. It is held in Syracuse and often yields an assortment of plays. Participants are eligible for numerous scholarships. Awards are given in several categories including acting, stage managing and technical achievement. Harms Fest is held March 31 and April 1. Dorsey is yet to announce audition dates.

National Honor Society

There will be a mandatory meeting for all students in grades 10-11 who would like to join National Honor Society on March 7 at 2:35 in room 235. Applications for new members will be due on Wednesday, April 4. If you have any questions please contact Mrs. Mary Beth Fierro or Mrs. Tami Palmitesso.

The members of NHS will be competing in a volleyball benefit tournament at Mexico High School with all other NHS members in the county. The money will be going towards a scholarship given out every year by Mexico High School in memory of a student who passed away. The date is still to be announced.

Buccaneer Bulletin

Photo by Abby Martin

Oswego High School musical students were exposed to a tremendous talent on Tuesday January 30 when Broadway and international stage star Craig Schulman visited to conduct a day-long workshop. Schulman is the only performer in the world to have performed three of the most extraordinary musical theatre characters ever written--the title roles of Jekyll & Hyde, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, and Jean Valjean in Les Miserables.

SADD

Over the next few months SADD Club will be working on the Post Prom Party. They will be hosting a dinner and silent auction to raise money for the event, and hope to purchase a car to give away at the party. On March 16, SADD will be holding a school dance to help fund the Post Prom Party.

If you wish to help contribute to the cause, a continuous can and bottle drive is going on at Camelot Can and Bottle return shop. Anyone wishing to donate should simply mention that they would like the return money to go towards the SADD Club.

Ski Club

Unlike other years, Ski Club started a little late this year due to the lack of snow on Labrador Mountain. So this year, Ski Club’s first trip was on January 17. Also this year, there are approximately ninety students going to Labrador. These students travel to Labrador Mountain on a total of three busses, accompanied volunteer and faculty chaperones. Although there are a lot of students, there have been no injuries among them so far.

Foreign Exchange

The Foreign Student Club has experienced a lot in the past month. A holiday party with secret Santa gift giving, discussions of customs in foreign students’ native countries, and farewell parties for two Brazilian students who were here on a one-semester programs were all crammed into the holiday months. The bevy of recent events has given members of the club plenty of knowledge about each other.

Ms. Janet Bernreuther, adviser of the club has several plans for the coming months. Plans of another bowling trip, discussions of differences between education systems in other countries and the US, and hearing foreign students’ opinions on their experiences so far, all await members of the club. The Foreign Student Club offers the opportunity for students from different nations to discuss and learn about different cultures. Anyone interested in Foreign Student Club can contact Ms. Bernreuther in the Media Center.

Clublicity was compiled by Katie DiVita, Amanda Bingham, Morgan McNamera, Waruguru Gichane, Pat Dougherty, and Sam Austin. Anyone wanting to post a clublicity announcement should contact Sophie Rosenbaum at: srosenba@oswego.org

February 2007

Alumni

5

OHS Grad Pursues Career in Directing

Waruguru Gichane Alumni Editor

If you’ve ever seen a play on stage you’ve most likely marveled at a special effect, been left in awe of an acting performance, or wondered how to get a hold of a certain costume. Yet, all that would not possible without the guidance of directors, the unsung heroes of theater. Miss Lyndsie Lee Mosher, OHS Class of ’99, is a director who inspires adolescents and produces remarkable plays.

Theater is second nature to Mosher. She acquired her love for theater at a very early stage.

She says, “My family was always involved [in theater].” Mosher’s parents, Wayne and Kelly Mosher, are the pioneers of the Oswego Children’s Theater of which Lyndsie is now part owner.

Mosher originally began acting in her family’s productions, but knew that acting was not her true calling, and instead it was directing that drew her in.

Mosher did not come to this realization immediately. In high school she worked both on and off the stage. She was part of the Drama Club and the Tech Crew. Mosher was part of the cast of several of OHS Drama Club’s productions, and even got her first taste of directing with the play Stardust.

Theater was not the only facet in Mosher’s life. She was involved in several clubs during her years at OHS. Her love for Spanish lured her to the Spanish Club. She was also an avid singer and member of Chorus. Mosher was also part of the Travel Club and played softball.

When Mosher graduated from high school, she chose to attend SUNY Potsdam to pursue a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theater. While there, she directed the musical Godspell for Potsdam’s Musical Theater Department, and The House of

Buccaneer Bulletin

the Blue Leaves for Clarkson University. In 2005, Mosher graduated from Potsdam and began her search for graduate schools. September of last year she enrolled at Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts where she is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Theater Education. After she earns her MA, she hopes to teach theater in a high school in New York or Massachusetts.

On her holidays away from Potsdam, Mosher directed several plays here in Oswego. Last summer she produced Once Upon a Mattress which featured several students from Oswego High School. On January 14, Mosher, along with her assistant director Brian Balduzzi, closed production of one of Oswego Children’s Theaters most spellbinding and profound plays, Juvie. Juvie is a play about juvenile delinquents which traces their journeys into jail, drug and alcohol addiction, and mental illness. Mosher has directed the show three times with different casts. She first fell in love with the show when she saw a performance of it in New York City. It is her favorite show because of the message behind it. Each time she directs the show, she researches each character and his afflictions in greater depth. In 2005, Mosher brought the show to a Native American Reservation in Massena, New York in hopes of deterring young people from a life of crime. The reservation has a history of gang violence, and Juvie is a great tool in shining a light on the issue of delinquency, addiction and their long-term effects. Mary Losurdo, a freshman at OHS said, “Being in Juvie gave me a completely different outlook on drugs and alcohol.”

Oswego Children’s Theater and Oswego Players have done several other productions under Mosher’s direction. They have done an array of children’s plays, most notably, Alice in Wonderland, Tiny Thumbelina, Peter Pan and The Chronicles of Narnia. The shows feature children from ages two and upwards.

Mosher hopes to one day own a production company.

Although handling an acting company may seem rather daunting, she is dedicated to the task. Jeremy Gosek, a freshman at OHS, has played roles in several of Mosher’s productions.

He said, “She is very talented and passionate about the things she does.”

She understands how difficult it is to get ahead in theater. Mosher says, “If you want to be involved in drama seriously, you have to be able to put your heart and soul into it.”

February 2007

6

Columns

Behind Enemy Lines as a Fulton Red Raider I’ve lived in Oswego my whole life. I’ve never experienced the feeling of walking into a new school not knowing anyone or any of my surroundings. About ten miles away from here is a small town we like to call “Ful-hon” or Fulton, as we all know it. I’m sure many have you have harassed or made fun of “The city with a future” at least one time in your life (myself included), but are they any different than us? I ventured to Fulton for a day to be a student at G. Ray Bodley High School to find out for myself.

It seemed like any other ordinary day, dreading for the sound of my alarm clock to go off and hoping that my mom would come in to tell me that we had a snow day. I didn’t feel bummed to find out we didn’t have a snow day because I was getting the chance to go to a different school, rather than going to the same classes I attend every day. It was a one-girl field trip! The anxiety didn’t hit me until we pulled into the parking lot and watched all the kids walk into school. For once in my life, I was the

Buccaneer Bulletin

new kid not knowing what to expect. day. the hot lunch, nachos, and peanut When I walked in, I could tell Other than those minor butter and jelly offered everyday. Most people were looking at me strangely. differences, it seemed the teaching kids just use the vending machines.

Many people asked me if I was a new styles and classes themselves were When I told them about all the student and someone even asked if I very much like here. Every student different choices we had at our school, was a foreign exchange student from at Fulton is given a student agenda, many students were envious that we Italy. One thing I noticed when I first which is a planner that also contains had so many options everyday. arrived was the size of their lockers. passes, instead of using the hated, I met a lot of cool people, and My locker was bigger in middle filthy laminated OHS hall passes. I after being there for an hour, I felt school! think this would be a good thing to very welcomed. After school, I The halls before school had the get because that way kids can stay attended a varsity boys’ basketball same kind of atmosphere game and was surprised at as we have at OHS, many people attended.

“After putting myself in someone how kids sitting around with Fulton has very good team else’s shoes, I realized at the spirit and supports many of its their friends waiting for the bell to ring and teams. At the end of end of the day, that a day in the athletic homeroom to start. the school year, many of the life of a Fulton Red Raider is no athletes partake in “The Battle Unlike us, they attend homeroom before going the Athletes.” Athletes different than a day in the life of of to the first class of their are split up onto teams with an Oswego Buccaneer.” thirteen-bell schedule. different colors and compete in Due to the size of their activities such as a relay race, school, some of the periods are cut in more organized and it would be easier tire toss, tug of war and soccer. half so the freshmen can have a 20on teachers to just sign the planner On my field trip, I learned that minute lunch shared with a 20-minute instead of having to deal with losing most high schools are the same. You study hall instead of a full 40-minute the laminated passes. have the cliques, the geeks you feel lunch period. I attended many of the In comparison, the school lunches bad for, the popular kids you wish classes that I do in Oswego, including at Oswego High School are better than you were like, and the jocks that are English, math, history, Spanish and at Fulton. Many of the Fulton students known by everyone. I don’t know if other core classes. They offer five complained about how horrible their I’ll make fun of Fulton like I used different language classes: Spanish, lunches are. They have barely any to. After putting myself in someone French, German, Latin and Italian, choices and they also complained else’s shoes, I realized at the end of the compared to our two. Unfortunately about the temperature of the food. day, a day in the life of a Fulton Red for the seniors at Fulton, they do not Fulton does not have a sub line or Raider is no different than a day in the have the opportunity to have short salad line like we do. They only have life of an Oswego Buccaneer.

February 2007

Walking the Plank

7

Aspiring Opera Star Headed to SU OHS senior David Artz will attend Syracuse University School of Music in the fall.

BB: Do you prefer vocals or instruments?

DA: Vocals, because there is something about it.

It’s you and not an appendage; it’s your own way of music.

BB: What’s your full name?

DA: David Blair Artz

BB: Do you have any other hobbies than music?

DA: I’m on the school varsity tennis team and I play video games all the time.

BB: How did you get into music?

DA: It started with my parents, but when I was younger I wasn’t really into music until I got into the plays here.

BB: Do you think that all that you have accomplished will inspire other students to succeed?

DA: I’m not sure, but I hope so…I would like to think I bring about some sort of inspiration.

BB: How were you selected All-Eastern Honors Chorus, the first person to ever be so recognized from Oswego?

DA: They base it on a judged recommendation, and your Solo Fest score and they look at your resume, which you send in with application. They choose based on those things and your credentials whether or not you should be selected.

BB: What was you initial reaction about the choice to perform Les Miserables this year?

DA: I was really happy because I’ve wanted to do Les Miserables since I got here, because I’ve always really liked the show.

BB: Describe your role in the play?

DA: Jean Valjean. He is the lead in the play. He’s an ex-convict whom the play surrounds.

BB: How do you feel about the rest of the Les Miserables cast?

DA: I’m pretty happy with the choices and different roles. Some people could do a little bit better than they are doing because there is always room for improvement, but I normally just keep my mouth shut.

BB: Out of all of the plays in which you have been involved, which one is your personal favorite?

DA: This one, definitely.

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BB: If you could describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

DA: Impatient, musical, and easily-annoyed.

BB: If you could have dinner with any three people who would they be?

DA: Steven Hawking, Luciano Pavarotti, John Belushi, yea he’s from Blue’s Brothers so definitely him. It’s not John English, by the way, because I’ve already done that.

BB: If you were on a deserted island and could have only three things with you what would they be?

DA: A piano, tuning equipment, and an air conditioner because I cannot stand heat.

BB: What are your favorite movies?

DA: Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Smokey and the Bandit, and Blues Brothers. Especially Smokey and the Bandit and Blue’s Brothers because I love watching cars get wrecked.

BB: Is there a particular quote or line that you live by?

DA: FAREWELL FROM THE WORLD OF TOMORROW

BB: What are your plans for after high school?

DA: I’m going to go to Syracuse University Setnor School of Music, in which I’ll be a vocal performance major. After that, I’d prefer to be able to go on the audition circuit for musicals and opera, but mostly opera.

BB: Next year if a teacher is talking about you, what would you want them to say?

DA: Nothing bad…Just hopefully something helpful to whoever they are saying it to.

BB: What’s your favorite food?

DA: Anything Japanese; it’s the best.

BB: What kinds of music do you like to listen to?

DA: I listen to all sorts of things; my favorite styles are Indy and classic rock.

BB: When you were younger what did you want to be?

DA: I wanted to be a combination between an author, (because I like writing) and a computer animator.

BB: What is your biggest fear?

DA: Losing my ability to sing or at least until I’m like 80 because then it’s ok.

BB: What would you say the most interesting thing about you is?

DA: I can sing higher than most of the women in this school.

BB: Do you have any siblings?

DA: I have one brother who is at Syracuse University right now.

BB: What are your first thoughts waking up in the morning?

DA: (Laughs) it’s not how out of tune my alarm clock is but that I really want to go back to sleep and I normally do.

BB: What do you think is the best reason for students to go to the play this year?

DA: Besides seeing me, it is an amazing show. I think it is the best musical ever, with amazing music, and an amazing story. Plus we have been working really hard on it so I think it is worth it for people to go.

BB: Who do you consider your role model?

DA: I don’t like to give myself a role model because I think it sets limitations.

Editor’s note: “Walking the Plank” is a regular feature of The Buccaneer Bulletin. This month’s installment was compiled

by Kevin Kearns. If you know an OHS personality who you would like to see “walk the plank,”, contact Kevin at kkearns@ oswego.org

February 2007

8

Editorial Drawing Board

Buccaneer Bulletin Editor-in-Chief Kevin Kearns Managing Editors Ashley Johnston, Chrissy King Entertainment Editor Katie DiVita Alumni Editor M.Waruguru Gichane Layout Editor Mallory Kelly Clublicity Editor Sophie Rosenbaum Desktop Publishers Sarah Dehm Web Team Pat Dougherty, Greg Lyons, Lindsay Marsh, Lindsay Usherwood Sports Editor Zach Grulich Sportswriters Kailyn Gray, Kathryn Lazarski Art Director Fred Maxon Art Staff Amanda Bingham Morgan Goodwin Chief Photographer Abby Martin Photographers Alyscia Clohecy Emily McLaughlin Alyssa Holland Business Manager TBD Ad Representatives Samuel Austin, Jim Gunn Ad Designers Mary Mulcahey Reporters Morgan McNamara, Sophie Rosenbaum, Lauren Dimarco, Genevieve Hall, Chelsea Waters Advisers Bill Reeser Mike McCrobie

The Buccaneer Bulletin, a member of the Empire State School Press Association, and The Quill and Scroll, is published periodically by the students of the Oswego High School, 2 Buccaneer Blvd.; Oswego, New York 13126; (315) 341-2200.

It is intended as a vehicle to inform, educate, and entertain the student body.

Printing services are provided by The Palladium-Times. Opinions expressed are those of the students and do not necessarily reflect those of the administration or the advisers.

Buccaneer Bulletin

cartoon by Morgan Goodwin

Oswego High School’s Student Voice

--To no more extended media center hours before school. It was a great idea for students to be able to come in a little early for school and be able to finish an essay or print out a project. It seems as like it would be a lot more beneficial to have extended hours in the morning rather than after school when we have to head out to work, sports practice, etc.

--To the students who have been kicked out of winter sports contests for unruly behavior. Please keep your mouths’ shut, so the other spectators can enjoy the great hockey, girls basketball, and other competitions which our school provides on a yearly basis.

---To many of our classes in which the heating system doesn’t provide the sufficient heat, so we students have to freeze through a lesson. For example in Mrs. Naron’s room, the heater is behind the counter, so it’s frigid. In other classes, you feel like you need to be in shorts and a t-shirt to survive.

February 2007

Editorial

9

In Our View . . .

OHS Business Class: ‘You’re Fired!’

High School is supposed to be a place behind in the corporate world before we even start where doors are opened for students’ futures. the race!

We have dozens of courses to teach future When OHS alumni get to college, what mathematicians, scientists, artists, writers, and happens if they realize business really doesn’t even cooks. But Oswego High School does not suit them and they are in the completely wrong field. Discovering that business didn’t really prepare future businessmen and businesswomen for their vocation. Obviously, there are going to be fit their interests is something that they should a number of students in any school who have hopes have discovered in high school, but were not of becoming entrepreneurs one day, and if they get able to. Secondly, if some of us are meant to lucky, make a decent amount of money. We believe be businessmen, we are going to be at a huge disadvantage to a fellow college that it is a complete Many people’s idea of an classmate who has already injustice in today’s the basic principles day and age for American dream involves learned of business, marketing, a school of our starting a business and accounting, etc. size, to not have a All we are doing is business department becoming an important factor handicapping our students which could start by not providing them with a students on the road in the American economy. business program, at Oswego to this dream.

High School. If it comes down to budgeting, and Many people’s idea of an American if the reason we don’t have a class is not enough dream involves starting a business and becoming funding in the budget, isn’t it ironic that a business an important factor in the American economy. In principle like budgeting would be the reason we our generation, people such as Donald Trump, teach no business classes!

Bill Gates, and Sam Walton, have all taken full Let’s be honest, everything in this world comes advantage of this dream. In the past generations down to money. Money is the bottom line behind it was the Fords, Carnegies, and Rockefellers, everything from our own school to American who built America. Undoubtedly all of these sports and popular music. Business means money, incredibly successful men had taken some type of business classes during their school years. Sure, it’s and since money surrounds everything, isn’t it possible for a student to venture to college to study completely illogical for our school to not have a business program in the global business world of business and then go on to become successful.

2007?

Unfortunately though, not teaching Oswego students the basic lessons of business will put us

Should a high school, the size of ours, have a business program with classes such as bookkeeping, accounting, and marketing?

Ashley Mervine “ Yes, because it prepares students for later in life.”

Class of 2007

Dustin Pecora

Class of 2007

“ I guess it would be a good idea for people who want to go into that field, but if it hasn’t posed a problem yet, why spend the money on it. We already have no money!”

Amy Stone --To the new equipment in the OHS weight room. Despite being denied the muchanticipated PEP grant, our physical education department still managed to purchase some new equipment which has improved the facility a great deal. The new cardio equipment, medicine balls, and dumbbells have increased our training options.

--To the re-opening of the “Snack Shack” after school. It is an excellent idea for athletes and students to be able to get quick snack here at the school, rather than having to leave to go to Fastrack or McDonald’s. Also, we commend the variety of snacks that the “Snack Shack” offers.

--To the hiring of Mr. David Gryzca as the varsity football coach. Now, it gives the players plenty of time to get to know and work with their new coach in the off-season.

Hopefully, he can move the program to the next level.

--To Alexandra Jackson, Sara Rogers, Alexandra Culeton, Morgan Goodwin, Ian MacDonald, Heather Kilmer, and Nick Delaney, all of whom won awards recently for their work which they entered into the Central New York Regional Scholastic Art show. Their work was chosen out of 5,000 entries, which just shows how talented our Oswego High School students are.

Buccaneer Bulletin

“Yes, because even if you don’t want to major in that you still need it for real life experience.”

Class of 2007

Maggie Donovan “It would definitely open up doors to people who want to pursue business in college.”

Class of 2007

February 2007

Features

10

Let Us ‘Live a Little’ and Keep on Dirty Dancing

School dances take place every so often here at OHS. They are a chance for friends to get together, a chance to get the “hoods” off the streets and into a school event, a chance to dance with someone and then never talk to them again, but most importantly, it’s a chance for you to get your freak on.

Many teachers/administrators say grinding is an inappropriate form of expression and should be outlawed at school dances. Dance chaperones sit there eyeing you like a hawk, just waiting for the girl to give in and the grinding to begin, so they can break it up, only to have the offender go right back to doing

it again. So I say, why all the fuss?

There’s nothing wrong with a girl grinding up on you, making you feel dangerous, and letting you feel like king of the castle for one night. No matter how hard administration tries to enforce “no dirty dancing,” their attempts will fail. Too many people do it and enjoy that type of dancing for effective change to be made.

We only have a few dances a year here at OHS. I say for a few hours every couple of months, we should be allowed to grind our gears out and not have to think twice about it.

Being a guy, of course I’m going to support grind dancing. So to help support my thoughts, I asked some of my fellow students and teachers how they felt about the issue. I took

a survey of eighty students and teachers, both male and female. Of them, 71 (88.8 percent) agreed that grinding should be allowed at school dances. The self-proclaimed “Lord of the Ladies” Pat Schrader said, “I believe that grinding should be accepted for the school dances because it allows a girl to express her own individuality and feel sexy.”

Junior Kristina Licatese stated, “To an extent. I’m not saying that it’s cool to be having sex in front of everyone, but I don’t think we are in middle school anymore where we have to be two feet away from each other for dancing to be acceptable. I don’t

think that it should be a big deal whether we dance that way or not.”

Exactly!

I respect where the administrators and teachers are coming from when they say “no” to dirty dancing. It’s the duty of school officials and adults to disapprove, but don’t sit there and tell me when you were younger that you didn’t like to get jiggy with it, and check up on it like Beyonce. I just won’t believe you. I’m sure some of the 88.8 percent previously mentioned will be with you someday, but until then, let us live a little and keep on dancing.

School Dances are Not the Place for Inappropriate, Dirty Dancing

Attending a school dance is a privilege, not a night on the town at an over-21 nightclub. If you want to give the impression of sex with clothes on, you can go to a club in Syracuse to dance; not to a school function that fundraises for a school organization.

How and when did grinding become away of dancing? It’s inappropriate. There is no reason to go to dances anymore unless you feel that “grinding” expresses yourself. This kind of interaction on the dance floor is expressing yourself, but it is not dancing. Nobody wants to see you and your “current soul-mate” getting jiggy with it on the dance floor.

So why does everybody just grind and call it dancing? If people express themselves th rough their dancing; why does everybody grind and not dance their own individual way?

The answer is to fit-in of course. Those who don’t grind become misfits and are thought of as

Buccaneer Bulletin

weird and end up on the sidelines not dancing at all. In reality, the students just don’t feel that grinding expresses who they are. If they knew different dances, they would try to dance them. But there are many different types of dancing, from disco to waltzes to salsas, that the students just don’t know how to do. (It’s probably because we would have to pay money for lessons to learn.) Most teenagers aren’t going to spend money to learn how to dance; which is why it is annoying when you go to a Photo By Abby Martin dance and there are students that don’t grind, and constantly find themselves on the outside Boyfriend & girlfriend Kevin Kearns and Kat Lazarski demonstrate some “dirty dancing” while looking in, unable to express themselves.

Surprisingly there are people, mostly adults columnists Sam Austin and Zach Grulich look on. s u c h as teachers and dance chaperones, to be a lot of fun for everybody. I’m not saying who detest what teenagers call dancing that we should only swing dance in 2007, that nowadays. Yes, shocking isn’t it! doesn’t make sense. But really it doesn’t matter, But I imagine teachers in the ‘60s because those people who express themselves hated the twist; chaperones of the through “dancing” outnumber those who don’t.

‘70s probably disliked disco; and adults However, there is still that other minority of of the ‘80s couldn’t relate to break dancing. students and teachers that disapprove of grinding.

One might think that the older Let’s not forget there are those who go a generation must be crazy. Still, compared little (well a lot), over-the-top when they “grind.” to what was called dancing about fifty years Yes their clothes stay on, but really there should ago (swing dance era for those that don’t know), be a difference between the public dance floor what takes place on the dance floor now, is totally and their own private parties. I enjoy dancing different than what happened back then; not as much as the next guy, but try and remember, better--just different. Times change I know, but everything in moderation. I’m not trying to stop during the musical last year (Grease) the whole grinding, because I know it’s never going to cast was taught how to swing dance. It turned out happen, but trying something new never hurts.

February 2007

Entertainment

11

Here’s the Skinny on Those Crazy Fad Diets As the ball dropped in Times Square marking the beginning of a new year, many Americans made a resolution to whittle down their waistlines. Some will buy gym memberships, others will find a friend or colleague to jog with, but a vast majority will turn to something else-the always alluring “easy fix,” the fad diet.

With promises of losing several pounds without exercise, fad diets are hard to resist. The commercials for these so called “revolutionary diets,” are what lure people in. They often depict beautiful men and women, scantily-clad of course, who have never been overweight a day in their lives. The perfect specimens play out unrealistic scenarios, such as volleyball games at beaches with only beautiful people sun bathing, and slim men and women dancing in clubs which apparently have weight limits for entrance.

As if this is not enough, the second stage of the commercial begins, the “success” stories.

The manufacturers pick out people who are often stereotypes: the single mom, the overweight teen and what they call the “has beens”--the people who were once athletic, but due to some unfortunate incident, gained an incredible amount of weight.

The newly-thin men and women come in all heights and ethnicities, to make sure no one is left out from the propaganda. They tell heart-wrenching stories that always end with, “If I could do it, then anyone can.” Little does the viewer know that the fine print at the bottom of the screen reads, “Results not typical, actual average weight loss per week, ½ lb.

To get maximum results, combine with exercise.”

With the burden of obesity weighing down the United States, the popularity of fad diets has skyrocketed. The past few years have brought about a slew of diets. The Atkins Diet was one of the first to emerge. It seemed like a groundbreaking new diet. The dieter was allowed to eat as much protein as he/she wanted. Burgers, steaks and bacon were not off limits, in fact they were even encouraged. One of the downsides of the diet is giving up carbohydrates. Anyone who has ever tasted Canale’s spaghetti and meatballs knows that this is a hard task. The diet’s popularity has gone down due to recent studies that have shown that the diet has no long-term results, and although it causes weight loss, it may lead to heart disease. Don’t give up your pasta just yet.

The South Beach Diet is another fad diet that is currently in style. The Clintons, Oprah and Jessica Simpson have used it to drop a couple dress sizes.

South Beach is relatively similar to Atkins. Its high

Buccaneer Bulletin

protein, but it does allow for “good carbohydrates,” in mind the weight will only stay off for a very like potatoes, and whole grain foods. It has three short period of time. Other diets include the Threephases and is not for those weak in willpower. If Day Diet, The Russian Airforce Diet, Caveman you can get past the first phase of the South Beach Diet and Sugarbusters. The list goes on and on.

Diet, which eliminates pasta, baked goods, fruit, Americans are willing to go to any length rice, alcohol, sugar and bread from your diet, then to impress their friends and family, fit into the you can get through it. The forbidden foods can be clothes that they haven’t seen in years and make reintroduced to your an impression on the diet in the third phase. opposite sex. What It has many of the same they fail to realize is “They might help you lose that these diets are just cardiovascular risks as the Atkins Diet. temporary solutions. weight initially, but once Insulin is the main They might help you you go off them, the weight lose weight initially, focus of the Zone Diet. Celebrities like but once you go off comes bombarding back-Jennifer Aniston live them, the weight and then some.” on it. The Zone Diet comes bombarding incorporates carbs, back and then some. proteins and fats. It is a Nutrition.gov, a lot more forgiving than federal website devoted the South Beach and Atkins diets. No foods are to nutrition, life-style change and physical activity, forbidden; moderation is the key to the diet. The states that, “A short-term “diet” that you “go on” diet manages insulin levels, and therefore reduces and then “go off” is not the answer to long-term hunger. While the diet seems to be like a good weight management.” So trust the government choice, it’s rather costly. All meals must be ordered and ditch the fad diets. Hit the gym and contact from the manufacturers. Unless you are willing to a doctor or nutritionist for a proper diet. dish out $36.99 daily, then this is probably not the diet for you.

Atkins, South Beach and the Zone Diet are not the only fad diets out there. Appealing titles that cater to the taste buds are all the rage.

There’s the Chocolate Diet, but don’t let the title fool you. It only allows one ounce of chocolate a day. There’s the Cabbage Soup Diet which seems unsatisfying, but it allows you to eat any time you’d like. The Bread and Butter Diet sounds good to any bread lover, but everyone knows it’s hard to eat just a single slice.

The Grapefruit Diet promises a weight loss of a whopping fiftytwo pounds in two and a half months. If you don’t mind giving up most vegetables, eating a bitter grapefruit without sugar and passing up on cheeses, then don’t overlook this diet. Keep

February 2007

Entertainment

12

The Winks Know Each Other to a ‘T’

By Chelsea Waters Reporter

You see it in the movies, read it in books, maybe even dream about it; true love. But honestly, is that kind of love possible in real life in 2007 or just in fiction? Well, to all those skeptics, it does exist, and it’s right here at OHS. Everyone knows Michele Wink, our athletic trainer here at OHS and Mr. Timothy Wink, who is a great substitute teacher.

In case you didn’t put two-and- two together, they’re married. They’re one of those compatible couples, true life love stories..

We played a game similar to The Newlywed Game with the Winks.

When it came to choosing a couple, they were a natural. However, we expected the outcome to be much different than it was. We were expecting funny guesses and incorrect answers to our probing questions about their favorite things.

It turns out, after eleven years of being together, Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Wink know each other extremely well and are still very much in love. With only a couple exceptions, Michele and “Wink” knew the answers to questions about each other on the spot. See the results Soul mates--the happily married Mr. & Mrs. Wink. for yourself below.

Questions

Michele’s Answers

Favorite color?

Green

Pine Green

Favorite food?

Chicken Tenders

Chicken Tenders

Dream vacation?

Favorite TV show?

Biggest petpeeve?

Dream career?

Favorite Christmas gift?

Favorite candy?

Favorite sports team?

Aisle seat or window seat?

Coffee or tea?

Dog or cat?

Rent movies or go to cinema?

New York City

New York City

Rescue Me

Rescue Me

Dried milk in bottom of glass Athletic Trainer

Dried milk in bottom of glass Athletic Trainer

Buccaneer Bulletin

Wink’s Answerss

Michele thinks he said

Photo By Abby martin

Graphic By Lindsay Marsh

World Series Poker Game Chocolate

World Series Poker Game Rolos

Buffalo Bills

Buffalo Bills

Aisle Seat

Aisle Seat

Coffee Dog

Coffee Dog

Go to cinema

Rent movies

Wink thinks she said

February 2007

Entertainment

13

Valentine’s Day and the Movies Go Hand-in-Hand

By Sophie Rosenbaum Clublicity Editor

Hollywood has been shaping the way people perceive “love” for centuries. Whether you are interested in witty, comical, love films like 10 Things I Hate About You or life-ordeath-devotion films like The Notebook, love films have set examples for people for years. People commonly base their relationships on that of movie couples and depend on Hollywood to create unforgettable lines and love stories that give people something to look forward to in their personal love lives.

Here are my top romantic films of modern time!

The Notebook (2004) Allie Hamilton, a rich, beautiful, young woman, meets Noah Calhoun, a low-class young man, at a carnival in Noah’s home town. They spend the summer together and are very much in love. There is hardly a second that they are not together. They didn’t agree on much. In fact they rarely agreed on anything. They fought all the time and they challenged each other everyday....

But in spite of their differences, they had one important thing in common; they were crazy about each other.

After waiting for Noah for over seven years, Allie decides it is time to move on. She finds herself engaged to Lon Hammond, the heir to the Hammond Cotton monopoly. While she is trying on her wedding dress, she notices a man who looks quite familiar standing next to the house of her dreams. She could not believe her eyes; Noah had built her the house she had described to him many years ago. She soon finds herself forced to pick between the man of her parents’ dreams to whom she is currently engaged, Lon Hammond, or the man of her dreams, her first love, Noah Calhoun.

Bring a box of tissues; you are going to need them!

Titanic (1997) Titanic: the “unsinkable ship” or should I say, the “ship that resides deep under the Atlantic.” The film details an historical fiction-based plot of the Titanic’s rise-and-fall, and is narrated by Rose Calvert, the sole survivor of the Titanic. In her story, Rose describes, in detail, her love af-

Buccaneer Bulletin

fair with Jack Dawson, a third-class passenger who boards the Titanic only by the luck of the card game he won the previous night. Rose and he form a bond that no one can separate, but their love comes crashing to a close when the Titanic hits an iceberg and begins to sink. Together, they fight for their lives and a boat to take them to safety.

Who will survive? Will their love conquer the cold waters of the Atlantic?

Brokeback Mountain (2005) Set in the Rocky Mountains in the summer of 1963, a Wyoming ranch hand, Jack Twist (Jake Gynllenhaal), and a rodeo cowboy, Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger), spend the summer together and one passionate night, they find themselves together in a way they never imagined.

Years later, both men make a point to see each other numerous times and continue the love affair that they began that one fateful summer.

Jack and Ennis each had wives and families of their own, yet they could not resist one another. In a time when homosexual marriages were unacceptable in American society, two men found a way to make their love last.

Keeping the Faith (2000) Keeping the Faith involves a priest, a rabbi, and the love they share for the same woman. This love triangle has been a part of all of their lives since they were young and in elementary school. However, both men are unable to pursue any kind of relationship with her due to their individual beliefs. Rabbi Jake Schram (Ben Stiller), cannot marry Anna Riley (Jenna Elfman) because she is not Jewish. Father Brian Finn (Edward Norton) cannot marry Anna because he cannot break his vow of celibacy.

Although this is not a common “favorite love film,” I think that the film is an important one and certainly one of my personal favorites. It shows the audience how, in some way, fate works out and you really do find your special someone.

Sarah has always had a dream of getting into Julliard Dance Academy.

With the loss of her mother, Sarah quit dancing in part because she blamed herself for her mother’s death. It takes some help from her new boyfriend, Derek, for her to realize that dancing is her dream and that she needs to make her dreams come true.

This was the first of the million other movies that MTV has made about dancing and biracial relationships. It also sticks out as the best one in my mind. With a movie filled with dancing, drama, and love, what could be wrong with it?

Pretty Woman (1990) “She wal ked of f t he st reet, into his life and stole his heart.”

Edward Lewis (Richard Gere) needs a woman to escort him to some upcoming events for his business. Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts), a hooker, is just the kind of girl Edward needs, so he pays her to live with him for a week. After the week is over, Edward informs Vivian that he is done with her and she can go home.

Obviously not the end of the stor y, Prett y Woman is a classic, that every romantic must see.

10 Things I Hate About You (1999) Bianca Stratford is the most popular, most pretty, most protected girl in the school. Her father has made a rule that Bianca can only date after her sister does, and that is very improbable. Bianca’s older sister, Kat, is an unpopular, rebellious, boy-hating girl. Bianca decides to take it into her own hands to set Kat up with Patrick Verona, another “rebel” that is very similar to Kat. Perhaps Bianca can pull it off and get her sister to fall in love.

If this sounds familiar to sophomores, yes, it is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew that you have probably read in English class.

You’ve Got Mail (1998) “Someone you pass on the street may already be the love of your life.”

A large bookstore chain owner, Frank (Tom Hanks), plans to put the local bookstore out of business. The owner of the local business, Kathleen (Meg Ryan), is not about to let her familyrun bookstore leave so quickly. It is war between Kathleen and Frank, but little do they know that their internet love interests are each other.

Ryan and Hanks have teamed in yet another movie that has been at the top of many “favorite films” lists.

Save the Last Dance (2001) At a predominately African American school, Sarah (a young white female) finds herself adjusting from rural life to New York City life while dealing with the loss of her mother.

February 2007

Sports

14

McDonald Buc Bulletin Athlete of the Month His consistency in the pool has helped propel the swim team to an overall record of 8-4 and a league record of 6-2

By Kathryn Lazarski Sports Writer

Ian MacDonald has been recognized as this issue’s Athlete of the Month for his outstanding athletic performances in the pool as a senior on the OHS varsity swim team, as well as for his excellent academic accomplishments in the classroom.

MacDonald’s consistency in the pool has helped to propel the swim team to an overall record of 8-4 and a league record of 6-2. MacDonald’s love for swimming came to him early,

Sportitorial

when his cousin ald helped introduced him to propel the to the sport at a Bucs to a 97young age. From 76 win against then on, he has the Nottingbeen swimming ham Bulldogs. c o m p e t it ively MacDonald (for eight years). and co-captain Although Chet Ma z u r MacDonald were both douhasn’t broken any ble w i n ner s records for the for the Bucs.

Bucs, his hard MacDonald work and dedicascored in the tion to the team 200 Individual have helped them Medley and the become bet ter 100 Freestyle, overall. The Bucs while Mazur Photo by Samuel-Graeme Austin swim coach, scored in the Swimmer Ian McDonald is February’s Rick Klein, has Buccaneer Bulletin Athlete of the Month 200 Freestyle also been very and the 100 impressed with the squad’s efforts in Backstroke. the pool this season.

With this season coming to a close, Earlier this season, MacDon- MacDonald hoped to maintain his

impressive swimming times and hopefully make sectionals in a few more events. As of deadline, MacDonald made sectionals in the 50 Freestyle, 100 Butterfly, 200 Individual Medley, 400 relay, and the 200 Individual Medley relay. Even with a time of 0:59.00 in the 100 Butterfly, MacDonald hopes to continue to drop his times.

Along with MacDonald’s accomplishments in the pool, he is also a current honor roll student and is very active in his class activities. He is an active member in the National Honor Society and also the President of the Art Club. MacDonald hopes to remain on the honor roll during his final semester and he then hopes to go to college at FIT and major in Marine Science. Even though MacDonald’s accomplishments haven’t always come easy to him, he hopes to continue to work hard and excel in anything that life has to offer him.

Opting Out of PE Class Beneficial to Busy Athletes continued from page

16

be qualified to assess and grade physical education.

He said, “There must be a vehicle of accountability for [the coaches’] level of knowledge, level of understanding of what’s needed to meet the physical education requirements, and knows how to assess them. The Board of Education would then have to approve that [the coaches] meet the standards. We don’t have that put together.” Basically, criteria to determine whether or not coaches can be approved to give a grade based on physical education have not been established.

According to Dates, there are also issues concerning exactly how opt-out participants are graded. In a regular physical education class, certified instructors have set guidelines they utilize when administering grades. Coaches don’t possess such guidelines and it is unclear how they distribute grades to their athletes. Dates explained that the student athletes in the program are supposedly only graded on attendance and demonstrated learning in their sports. Students in a regular physical education class, however, are graded based on a finite number of set criteria.

While there are some theoretical issues with the opt-out program, eliminating it from the curriculum is not the solution. For over-achieving student athletes, a single study hall among a multitude of difficult classes can be a godsend. Athletes often strive for excellence not only in sports, but also in the classroom. However, having a sports practice every day leaves athletes little room to prepare for a demanding schedule. Opt-out participant Monique Reeser said, “The study hall allows me time to

Buccaneer Bulletin

do my homework that I would otherwise do after school if I didn’t have practice.” In this day and age, colleges are valuing academics along with athletics more and more. They require that dedicated athletes also be dedicated students. What’s the point of getting on a renowned college sports team if you can’t maintain the grades to stay on it? The opt-out program gives student athletes an additional period for their studies that they might not otherwise possess.

Ending the opt-out program and sending everyone back to class is not the solution.

Every coach takes into account an athlete’s fitness level before accepting him or her on the team. To make a team, almost every athlete must take a type of “fitness test.” It’s called tryouts! This can be in the form of sprints, timed miles, or other skill assessments to the sport. A coach must have certain knowledge of physical skill and fitness to be qualified as a coach and be able to judge his/her athletes. It seems like coaches would easily be able to comply with the regulations the Board of Education would set for them.

Athletes are tested not only physically, but also mentally in their sports every day. Physical education classes are only every-other-day, and only for about a half hour by the time everyone gets changed, at-

tendance is taken, and an activity is organized. Most scholastic athletes train hard for at least an hour every day, unlike the ambiance of a physical fitness class.

The atmosphere of a physical fitness class is a lot less demanding than that of competition at a varsity level.

In a sense, athletes test their fitness level every day at their sports practice. Athletes must also learn about their bodies to become successful in their individual sport. They have to learn to stretch, to eat properly, to weight-train, and to avoid injury. Thus, they often have more knowledge of physical fitness and activity than a student who does not play a sport, whether they opt-out or not. If an official test is necessary, then it will be easily passed by any dedicated varsity athlete.

A possible solution is to have opt-out participants return to their physical education class for fitness testing or possibly take a written test to evaluate their knowledge of physical fitness and activities. Once criteria is organized to ensure that each coach is approved to give a grade based on physical education and a fixed grading system is organized, the opt-out program should be secure for many years to come.

According to Dates, it is unclear whether or not the opt-out program will continue and it will be addressed throughout the spring and summer.

Hopefully, the issues with the program will be resolved even if it means altering the program slightly.

The program should not be done away with completely, as it benefits student athletes in many ways.

Ending the opt-out program and sending everyone back to a needless physical education class is not the solution.

February 2007

Sports

15

In Your Face: Here’s My SportsCenter Highlight

Many high school athletes attempt to model their games after pro athletes whom they admire.

Since high school is such a hectic time, you can rarely sit and watch a whole pro game, so most high school athletes are stuck watching their athletic role models on ESPN’s well-known highlight reel called SportsCenter (SC).

SC is the perfect fix for any one who loves sports and is running short on time. It truly has become a part of the sports culture in this country.

It even goes as far as some players, such as Vince Carter, caring more about making a play which will be highlighted on SC than winning the game itself. Unfortunately ESPN does highlight these self-centered individuals over team players who truly should be shown. This causes up-and-coming athletes to model themselves after the completely wrong players for all the wrong reasons. This, is why I decided to highlight (or lowlight) the worst four players, who are shown on SC constantly. They don’t seem to care much about winning.

We’ll also highlight the top four players who are just as talented (if not more talented), but care a lot about winning and do not feel the need to explain to the media how talented they really are.

The SC Poster Boys or “The All-Me Team” 1. Terrell Owens. Owens is arguably the most infamous player of all time. He’s addicted to attention. Owens goes as far as working out in his driveway to overdosing on pills to gain air time.

Ask him and he’ll tell you how mistreated he’s been on every team he has been on. If you are looking at the top football playmakers, Owens has to be considered for that list, but because he is willing to put attention before all else, he makes this list.

2. Barry Bonds. Where do you start? Before all the talk of Bonds with performance enhancing drugs, he already had a knack for gaining attention.

Bonds put a La-Z-Boy recliner, in front of his locker, so he could be comfortable when answering questions from reporters. Then, when the steroid era exploded, all of his fellow juicing buddies had the sense to leave the game and the attention, Bonds felt the need to stand right in the spotlight and like Owens, tell how he was mistreated. In the past three years, has there been a week of SportsCenter without Bonds or Owens in the news?

3. Manny Ramirez. A great addition to any lineup offensively, yet Ramirez’s lack of hustle on D is as bad as it gets. Not only is he known

Buccaneer Bulletin

for not giving it everything he possibly has, but Ramirez also requests to be traded every year. A situation better than the one he has in Beantown is hard to imagine. Ramirez does bring about a smile to your face when you think about how he actually tries to leave the field during the game and put on sunglasses with an mp3 player in them.

Still, Ramirez is not the best thing ever for team chemistry.

4. Ron Artest. Artest probably started the biggest issue ever to cross Commissioner David Stern, and even after the whole issue his team, the Indiana Pacers, were willing to take him back. Yet, Artest decided he still wanted a move. Artest who is a very valuable presence on the court even tried to tell his team he wanted a month off because of he needed to promote his album which was about to come out. Artest is a must when talking about the worst role models for any athlete.

The “I wanna be like them” List…

1. Marvin Harrison. The records that Jerry

Rice set were supposed to be untouchable yet Harrison is showing that may not be true, yet he is rarely ever talked about. Harrison’s game is purely brilliant. Though he has plenty of opportunities to do many of those flashy touchdown dances, he declines. He also could trash talk about his QB Peyton Manning for not being able to win any game which really matters, but he doesn’t do that.

In fact he rarely even talks to reporters. Harrison exemplifies what every player involved in football should yearn to be.

2. Alando Tucker. Normally I wouldn’t put a college player on a list with people who are all very distinguished. Yet, Tucker is well on his way to becoming a very prominent player in the NBA, but doesn’t get that much recognition around the country for his skills on the basketball court in Wisconsin. Fans might not recognize him, but NBA scouts do, and that’s fine with Tucker, who already knows what he’s going to do with the big paycheck he will receive next year from the NBA…build a community center in his hometown, Lockport, IL. Tucker even went as far as planning every last detail of how he wants it to be for a college project, which

he received an A+ on. It’s too bad all college players bound for the big show didn’t have the same mindset.

3. Larry Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald is a player very similar to Harrison in which he has an abundance of skill, yet doesn’t feel the need to flaunt it. Fitzgerald could have finished with the most yards out of all NFL receivers this year if he had not missed three games due to injury. Fitzgerald also is like KG, being on a terrible team but has not complained once. Hopefully, since Fitzgerald is still young, he will move onto much better things and will become one of the prominent faces of the NFL. 4. David Wright. Wright is as hard a worker as you can find in any sport. In fact, in order to maintain himself for the grueling MLB season, Wright, at times has been told to not work as hard. Wright is also humble and clutch, yet doesn’t flaunt his talent in the least bit. Wright is one of the players who truly make a sports future look bright and is a player who puts the team before everything else. Wright is one of the few MLB players who normally play in all 162 games--and loves every minute of it.

I realize this article will change nothing of how the world of professional sports progresses, but when sports are being taken over by players who are as egotistical as possible, it really should.

As long as ESPN and other major sports companies give these players attention-on-demand, we will be subjected to watching their antics every morning on the highlights. The most difficult part of this is trying to teach a ten year old that winning is much more important than stats, highlight clips, and sound bytes in the media.

February 2007

Buccaneer Sports Volume 10 Number 4

Oswego High School’s Student Voice

Sportitorial

February 2007

Buccaneer Flashback 5 Years Ago (2002)

The Pathfinder Bank Community Sports Complex Center officially opened. While operational, the complex was the largest air dome structure in North America which allowed for sports such as soccer, lacrosse, flag football, softball, and basketball to take place.

Due to ice and wind-related damages, the dome is non-operational at this point and its remnants can be seen off of Dutch Ridge Road between Oswego and Minetto, just off Route 481.

15 Years Ago (1992) photo by Samuel-Graeme Austin

Despite hours of practice, none of the seniors on the OHS swim team opt-out of PE class.

Phys. Ed. Opt-Out Should Continue

Katie DiVita

Entertainment Editor

According to surveys conducted by The PostStandard last fall, Brookfield Central School District in Madison County is the only school district in Central New York found to be completely meeting state mandates for physical education.

This means that the Oswego City School District is among fifty-one others who are not in compliance.

Necessary restructuring at the elementary schools has brought about the review of the physical education curriculum at the high school, including opt-out for athletes. According to Mr. Brad Dates, Supervisor for Athletics, Physical Education, and Health, there are some logistical issues to be resolved with the program. He said, “We are at some level of discussion about whether or not we want to maintain the opt-out because it technically does not meet the state mandate.”

According to Dates, the opt-out program was introduced at the OHS in the fall of 2001. It aims to offer student athletes in grades ten through twelve a study hall as an alternative to their regular physical education class. They are given a physical education

grade by their coaches as opposed to their assigned physical education teachers.

The New York State guidelines for physical education state that all pupils must “demonstrate acceptable levels of physical fitness, physical skills, and knowledge of physical fitness.” According to Dates, the opt-out program has not allowed students to successfully fulfill all of these criteria. Opt-out participants don’t have to fitness test and are not required to learn and demonstrate their levels of physical fitness. Dates said, “As an opt-out student, [athletes] have never been tested for [their] physical fitness level, [their] physical skills level, nor [their] knowledge of physical fitness activities.” They only are exposed to their sport and not the variety of athletic activities associated with a regular physical education class. Dates stated, “We are not asking the students to have to adequately fulfill levels of responsibility to have that privilege of the opt-out.”

According to Dates, each coach is not technically approved by the Board of Education to see

“opt- out” page 14

The 1991-1992 boys hockey team won the league championship for the third straight year and won its first sectional championship in school history. The Bucs finished the regular season with a 17-3 record and were led by captain Jeff Pollard and goalie Ed Carney.

20 Years Ago (1987) Coached by Mr. Erwin Dewey, boys and girls indoor track made its debut season here at OHS. Twenty-five coed athletes made up the first-year team. Events took place at Manley Field House in Syracuse as they still do today. All-league winners of this first- year team included Greg Cole, Wendy Seaton, John Ponzi, and Julian Thompson.

Editor’s Note: Flashback, compiled by Kathryn Lazarski and Zach Grulich, is a monthly feature of The Buccaneer Bulletin.