June 2011 by Buccaneer Bulletin

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Oswego High School’s Student Voice Volume 14 Number 7 June 2011

Where We’re Headed! Pages 12 & 13

Photo By Monék Cullen

Editorial

Drawing Board

Buccaneer Bulletin Oswego High School’s Student Voice Editor-in-Chief Jasmine Davis Managing Editor Faith Whitely Layout Editor Meghan Carl Chief Photographer Monék Cullen Art Director Erin McIntosh Business Manager Katherine Robinson Senior Writer Kathryn Whelsky Entertainment Editor Tina Buckingham Clublicity Editor Shaughnessy Darrow Ad Representative Jeff Wallace Sports Writer Christina Dehm Reporters Morgan Pratt Rebecca Pratt Heather Rounds Marcus Wolf Webmaster Madison Rhoades 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) 3412200. 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. Check us out on the web at: www.buccaneerbulletin.wordpress.com

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Cartoon by Erin McIntosh

. . . to the OCSD for listening to our May editorial and quickly re-instating the Post-Prom Party. The SADD Club and Principal Hartwell organized a successful post-prom party, giving away prizes from iTunes gift cards to ipads. Thanks to the junior class advisors and all of the chaperones who helped with prom as well as the post-prom party! . . . to Lauren Daniels wrote and produced a Public Service Announcement about distracted driving which was selected as the national winner in a contest sponsored by The National Road Safety Foundation. Her PSA was introduced on Capital Hill in Washington D.C. on May 13, and aired nationally during the month of May. Two freshmen students, Carly Wells and Emilee Anderson, had roles in the 30 second spot. . . . and congratulations to the top 10 graduates of the Class of 2011; the leadership skills you have shown in the classroom have positively influenced your fellow students. You have been role models to your classmates, and we acknowledge your hard work and dedication as Oswego High School’s top scholars. The top 10 graduates are: Nikole Bonacorsi, Justine Harrington, Meredith Moshier, Rebecca Smith, Joanna LeFevre, Dominique Canale, Jacqueline Hondro, Allison Knight, Kaitlyn Scanlon, and Cody Batista.

. . . to the communication breakdown after Post-Prom Party. Students were required to write down their names, a parent’s name, and a parent’s phone number as they left the event. Students were told that their parents would be called and notified that their son/daughter left the Post-Prom Party. There were several parents who were never called. School officials shouldn’t say for safety reasons that they’re calling parents upon student’s departure, and not follow up. Some parents might have been relying on that phone call and never received it.

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June 2011

Editorial In Our View . . .

Focus Shifts from ‘Where We’ve Been,’ to ‘Where We’re Going’

We, the seniors, on the staff of The Buccaneer seniors had been bragging about, but instead of Bulletin have a lot to say about Oswego High School. getting to relax a little, OHS was suddenly turned into In the past four years, we’ve acquired memories that a jail. New planners were required to be carried with will last until we graduate from college and beyond. us at all times and the minute the bell rang, doors Whether these memories are good or bad depends were locked and the “sweepers” came out to round on your experience as a Buccaneer, but for most of up all the stragglers. Red tape was spread down the us, it’s a mix of both. Some of us look forward to hall ways to keep us on the “right side” of traffic, like graduation like it’s the day of freedom from prison, we were two years old. We started off with a new but others will accept our diplomas with sentimental principal, Mr. Huckabee, but before many of us even tears in our eyes. No matter what your outlook on got to know him, he was gone and Mrs. Oughterson OHS, you surely won’t forget the times we’ve shared took his spot. It took a while for us to get adjusted to together as a class. all the new rules, but the idea of finally making it to We started off as little freshman, scurrying the top helped us make it through the year. through the halls with Senior year came our books held tightly too fast after a summer to our chests, just trying of anticipation with all to avoid the mobs of of our friends. Being older kids loitering next a senior isn’t what it’s to lockers. We asked always cracked up to our friends from middle be. Instead of getting to school if they would sit kick back and watch the with us at lunch at the year go by, everyone’s beginning of the day to lives get ten times more avoid the “walking into stressful as the college the lunchroom alone” application process phenomenon. We avoided starts. It’s almost a going upstairs as much rule for all adults to Buccaneer Bulletin photo as possible because it have to ask seniors was nearly impossible where they’re going Jasmine Davis (Buccaneer Bulletin Editor-In to find our way through to college five months Chief) and Faith Whitely (Managing Editor) have the confusing halls. been friends since childhood. They collaborated before anyone makes on this, their final editorial of their high school And to add to our fears, a decision. GUESS remember the “I have the careers WHAT? WE JUST right to bear arms” postings on lockers that caused DON’T KNOW! And yeah, there are plenty of fun pandemonium throughout the halls and rumors of a opportunities for seniors such as Senior Trip and 100 school shooting? Days, but senior year costs so much money that is During our sophomore year, Oswego High hard for everyone to participate. We’re not saying that School was making the news in alleged “Race senior year isn’t the best, because without a doubt it Wars.” The hallways were chaotic and fights broke is, but it’s not just a “walk in the park” like everyone out between nearly every period. Our winter pep makes it out to be. rally was cancelled due to rumors of a fight. Though Despite all of the stress that comes with being relieved, we were no longer freshmen and the school a senior, we learn to value the time we have left in was becoming more and more familiar. A ll the drama our high school careers. We are terrified, anxious, created a tense atmosphere that still had us rushing ecstatic, and nostalgic all at the same time. We’ve into our classes and worrying about being at the learned more about ourselves this year than we have bottom of the totem pole. To finish off the hectic year, in the past three years combined. These final weeks we left our cafeteria with our heads down, covered in are a time of transition; we focus on where we’re mashed potatoes… the food fight that had been talked going instead of where we’ve been. We let go of the about for months, finally happened. The students had past and begin to welcome the future with open arms. enough of eating in a halfway remodeled, floor-less, As we prepare ourselves to walk the stage, it’s hard to ceiling-less cafeteria, so they threw caution to the believe that we’ve made it this far. wind and went out with an embarrassing bang. We, the senior editorial staff members of The Finally, as our junior year began, we felt a spark Buccaneer Bulletin are proud to have served as your of confidence as we walked through the halls on the student voice and hope that you have enjoyed reading first day of school. We were no longer lost freshmen, us, as much as we’ve enjoyed producing the paper for but instead, experienced upperclassmen. We were you. ready for that taste of freedom that past juniors and - Your Editors & Staff

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What’s Your Opinion? How have you changed in the last four years? Joe Wallace

Grade 12 “I realize and understand who I am, and I’m happy with where I stand.”

Morgan Fayette

Grade 12 “I’ve discovered my true friends and realized the different ways of life. If you always focus on the positive, then life is good.”

Tyler Kingsley Grade 12

“I’ve become more open to others.”

Camille Dunham

Grade 12 “I’ve made new friends, and matured. I now have a job, which has made me more responsible.”

June 2011

Point/ Counter Point

Community College vs. Four Year College/University Community College is a Great Alternative Meghan Carl

“You’re going to . . . community college?” A lot of different views are going around about attending community college versus a four-year college/university this year. Community College is a great way to adjust to the college life on a smaller scale, and it’s actually the route that many in the Class of ‘11 are taking. There are a lot of advantages to attending a community college for your first two years of schooling: Same (gen ed./core) classes, cheaper price, transferable credits after two years, and if you transfer, your degree after graduating a four-year college/university won’t even show that you ever attended to a two-year school. So what is there to be embarrassed about? Absolutely nothing. For some reason, there is, or has been a stigma attached to attending a community college and a lot of kids are mortified to talk about where they are going to college if they’re studying at a community school in the upcoming fall semester. But, there is no reason to be. Personally, I am very proud of myself, and I will be as we walk through the ceremony, and move our tassels to the other side of our caps. Though it’s not a part of our ceremony, I would be proud to listen to not only my name being recited, but the name of the college that I will be attending in the fall as well. Going to community college saves you and/or your parents a lot of money in the long run. It’s a steal compared to a four-year college/university. For example, Onondaga Community College costs roughly $11,386 to live on campus for the whole academic year, tuition, books and other required fees. On the other hand, Syracuse University burns a small hole in your pocket at almost $54,000 for the same number of classes, housing, and books that you’d get at OCC. So remind me again why you wouldn’t want to go to community college? The quality of your teachers at a community college can be outstanding. You’re learning environment is much easier to work in, being within a small classroom, or possibly a lecture hall that can hold up to a hundred students, compared to the atmosphere of a four-year school where you often go to class in one huge lecture hall that holds up to five hundred students. Also, the teacher-to-student ratio, which has always been important to learning, is also comparable at a community college due the small class sizes. Plus, at a community college, it’s actually possible to have a relationship with your teacher who knows you by name, in contrast to a professor at a four-year school, where too many professors can’t even recognize you as one of their own students. Community college is a good transition from high school because it isn’t too big or too small either. At a CC, you still are far enough away from home in order to have freedom and your own responsibility, but you are also still close enough to go home and eat mom’s homecooked meals! Another positive fact about community college is that you receive an Associate’s Degree in two years. After that, you can be hired, part-time or full-time and start earning money! You can also transfer your credits to a four-year college/university and continue your education there to earn your Bachelor’s Degree. Finally, DORMS. The dorms at a four-year college/university can’t measure up to the suite-style dorms that most community colleges throughout Central New York now have. Four bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room, and a bathroom. I would much rather live in a suite, and have my own bedroom with my own space for when I need time to myself, than share a bathroom with a whole floor of people, and have to travel to the basement to find the fridge that everyone steals your food from! In all reality, community college is the intelligent and responsible way to start off your college experience. A lot of adults who I’ve talked to have had one regret when speaking with me about their child’s college education, and that regret was not starting at a community college. Just because you pay more for a four-year, or even a private college, doesn’t mean you’re getting more for your dollar. There are several successful Americans who started off at a community college or a technical college, and made a wonderful living for themselves. NASA astronaut, Eileen Collins, who was also the first woman to command a space shuttle, went to school at Corning Community College here in New York State. Actor and comedian, Billy Crystal started off at Nassau Community College. Actor and Oscar award winning director, Clint Eastwood attended Los Angeles City College, CA. Even our favorite, famous film producer from our childhood, Walt Disney went to Metropolitan Junior College, MO. Community college is most definitely the way to go after receiving your high school education! With graduation this month, we’re all going to go our separate ways, and I want to take this opportunity to congratulate every single graduating senior of 2011, whether you’re going to a community college or not, I wish you the best of luck with the journey ahead of you.

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Four Year College is the Only Way to Go Marcus Wolf

Many of our seniors are filled with excitement over going on to colleges with beautiful campuses, then to successful careers and exciting new experiences. Most of us at Oswego High School look forward to arriving at an extravagant college campus with many clubs and a variety of classes. So why, might I ask, would anyone stop at Community College, which offers the bare minimum of what most of us need for our futures, and little, if not any, of the true college experience? Most people who plan on going to community college believe they are going to transfer to a university after two years community college. But why waste your time when you could go straight to a university and enjoy the true college experience? One of the exciting things about going to college is meeting new people. Everyone wants to make at least a few new friends as part of their college experiences. There are numerous people for you to meet at a university, due to its great size and many dorms. A community college is small and rarely has on-campus housing, so fewer people attend. Also, students will most likely head back home after their classes are done for the day, minimizing your opportunities to meet a variety of new people. Many of us admire a college that has a beautiful campus. Many of our seniors are ecstatic about leaving OHS, and it’s no secret that people think Oswego High School is less than beautiful. To go to community college would be like going back to a somewhat larger high school, only with college-level courses, definitely not as appealing as universities. Many high school students participate in extracurricular activities, from sports to clubs. Many students thrive on these extracurricular activities, but community colleges have a limited number of these extracurriculars. On the other hand, four-year universities can provide all sorts of activities that people would like to do, and even offer students opportunities to create new clubs! Given all of the hard work in college, many students would like to have on-campus resources in order to help them to do it. These include a gigantic a student library and a student center, also filled with numerous resources. You are not likely to find great resource centers with a vast amount of resources like these at community colleges. You are likely to find decent ones with at least some resources, but at four-year universities, you are likely to find extravagant resource centers that will suit all of your research and work needs. When graduating high school, most students are excited about being more independent. They’re excited about leaving their parents’ arms and are ready to start their journey in the adult world. Most of us are also excited to leave our hometown (or the area near it) and travel to new places. Community colleges don’t provide that kind of experience, because as their title implies, it is often within your community. So much for that freedom and adventure you have been looking for. Many people who go to community college plan on just going for two years and then transfer to a university, but they miss a lot of the great college experience in those two years. Transferring your credits can also be a laborious task many would want to avoid. Not all classes you take at community college will transfer that easily. To go to community college, even for a few years, is missing out on the true and exciting experience of going to college. Take my advice, and go straight to the four-year university and get the true college experience that will help provide you with numerous experiences that you can pick and choose from in order to shape your future.

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June 2011

Column

A Dysfunctional Newspaper Staff Unmasked The journalism room of Oswego High School is kind of like the Temple of Doom, in that once you’re in, there’s no guarantee you’re getting out, and you never know what’s going to jump out at you. On any given day, there are at least fifteen junior and senior girls chillin’ in front of computer screens that usually have windows open on them that have nothing to do with journalism. And even though they all look harmless enough as they click from website to website looking for ‘OMG the absolute perfect pair of shoes for prom,’ believe me, they’re more dangerous than any booby-traps Indiana Jones ever had to face in that stupid temple. As Senior Writer for the Buc Bulletin, I think it’s appropriate for me to write the traditional ‘Day in the Life’ article that has become a staple in the paper in past years, not to mention a source of unexpected controversy. Really, I’ve been gathering information for this article the entire year, since pretty much all I do is sit around and look up funny pictures to e-mail to inappropriate people while listening to equally inappropriate music with my ear-buds, volume turned up way too loud, instead of working. Slacking off instead of writing or whatever it is the rest of the staff does has awarded me the rare opportunity to just sit back and watch all the ‘magic’ happen, and I’ve gotten to know most of the staff members on the paper pretty well. Our fearless leaders, Mr. McCrobie and Mr. Reeser, are more figure-heads and guides than anything else. They suggest to us that we follow the rules, and we either do – or don’t. Most of the time we don’t, because we’re all master procrastinators and McCrobie’s face turns a really awesome shade of fuchsia when he’s mad. If nothing else, McCrobie can always be counted on to take up the first five to ten minutes of class droning on about… well, I don’t really pay attention honestly, but it makes him feel important so we let him stand on his soapbox for a while before we have to get down to the real work. Mr. Reeser, in contrast, is pretty quiet. He just flits around the room happily giving people advice on page layout and making weird jokes. The real person you want to talk to if you want to get anything done is Jasmine Davis, the obnoxiously Amazonian editor in chief. When you first look

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at her, you don’t automatically think ‘Damn, this girl must know what’s up in the journalism world.’ More like, ‘I bet she has the mall’s business hours memorized.’ But don’t even try to throw down with Davis when she’s in the zone, ‘cause the girl has skills. As the writer of every issue’s ‘Athlete of the Month’ feature, she’s more than shown that she’s got the smarts as well as the talent needed to succeed in any leadership position. Continuing the trend of B.A. ladies in charge is Faith Whitley, the managing editor. I don’t really know what a managing editor is; I just kind of assume that McCrobie wanted to give her a title that sounded important so that he didn’t end up in a ditch somewhere. I don’t blame him. If I had to say anything bad about either Jasmine or Faith, I guess it would be that combined they probably say ‘like,’ like, at least like a thousand times a day. Everyone on our staff has an official title (because we like to feel important): Meg Carl is out Layout Editor, Monek Cullen is our Chief

Our journalism family--for better or worse.

Photographer, Erin McIntosh is our Art Director and Katherine Robinson is our Business Manager. I don’t know what Meg does besides lobbying for a cheerleader to be named Athlete of the Month), but I think she makes a pretty good contribution to the paper, or else she would’ve been kicked out by now. As for Monek, she takes pictures and probably spends most of her free time correcting people when they spell or say her name wrong. Mo-neek. Mo-neq. Mo-neece. Whatever. Kat Robinson the perpetual perfectionist writes amazing articles, just like everything else she does is amazing, and it kind of annoys me sometimes how darn amazing she is but I www.buccaneerbulletin.wordpress.com

guess that can’t really be helped. There are a lot of other people on our staff, but I have to mention Carl, Tina Buckingham and Shaughnessy Darrow especially. They all sit in the same row and all they do is gossip all period long, and write a little in between. Or at least that’s what it seems like, because even after I’ve been out of school for an hour, it still feels like I can hear their constant cackling ringing in my ears. They’re all the same variation of that type of girl who knows everything about everything and knows she knows everything about everything, but in a way that still makes them approachable enough to put out a good paper every month. Then there’s Christina Dehm, and the Pratt sisters Morgan and Rebecca (I didn’t make the connection that they were sisters until three weeks into the class. Oops?) . Next are Heather Rounds, and Madison Rhoades. They sit quietly at their computers and work like good little girls, never causing any trouble, so I don’t really have much to write about them, other than the fact they frequently miss deadlines. Oh well, who doesn’t! Good job, I guess? And of course, we have our mascots in the form is Jeff Wallace and Marcus Wolf. The only boys brave enough to sign up for journalism and then stick around once they realized what a fem-fest it was; they truly deserve a medal or a jolly rancher or something. More Marcus than Jeff, since I’m pretty sure Jeff could count the number of times he’s been in the journalism room using one hand. Marcus is… something. It’s hard to explain what Marcus is. It’s safer just to say that he marches to his own beat, and is one of the most aggressively polite and kind people you will ever meet. If you walked into the journalism room on any given day, you would see a bunch of teenagers lying around talking about spray-tans and graduation and not doing any work at all. But I think that’s just more evidence as to how amazing we are. The journalism staff isn’t perfect: We fight, we yell (McCrobie yells), we wait until the absolute last second to hand in articles for deadline, but we still manage to get most of what we set out to do, done. Minus me. I’m still just chillin’, watching all the chaos go down as usual as the Buccaneer Bulletin staff rushes around, trying to get out another paper. Editor’s Note: ‘The Day in the Life’ of the Buccaneer Bulletin is a tradition started by Erik Dussere when he was staff member in 19 86. Every year since, we have poked fun at ourselves in what has become one of longest-standing features. This is the 26 installment. Enjoy

June 2011

Column

There’s No Better Learning Experience Than 4 Years of HS

High school is the place where the stress of growing up and the stress of fitting in join forces to destroy even the strongest among us. --Urban Dictionary I don’t know about you, but, even though these last four years have been incredibly stressful at times, they’ve definitely made me stronger, and haven’t even come close to destroying me. Don’t get me wrong; there have been times when I’ve wanted to rip my hair out, or even pack up and move out of state. But that seems to be what high school does to people. I feel like there’s a stereotype out there about high school: if you’re not the Most Popular Kid in School, then you’re destined for failure. Because of all the teen movies out there, I came into high school thinking that, since I wasn’t really “popular,” I was going to have this crazy, stressful four-year experience. And I kept waiting for someone to be thrown into a dumpster or have a slushy thrown in their face. I learned quickly that that’s not really what high school is like. It’s not all about being elected Homecoming Queen. High school is what you make of it, and if you want the crown, go for it. But only two people get elected King and Queen, and if you spend your whole high school career campaigning for it, there’s a really good chance that you’re going to be sorely disappointed.

But as much as high school isn’t all about popularity, it also isn’t all about grades. I’m number 22 in my class, overall. Honestly, I don’t care. It’s just a number. Yes, I work hard. Yes, I put a lot of time and focus into school. And yes, I think I deserve to be number 22. But when all is said and done, no one is going to care if you were number 5 or number 205 in high school. So, to all of you who think that you have to have a perfect 4.0 GPA, chill. I speak from experience; I used to be crazy about my school work and freak out if I scored lower than a 95 on anything. But one low test score isn’t going to make or break anything for you. I’ve also learned a lot about people. The fact is, many people are mean, especially teenage girls. We lie to each other and stab each other in the back. I’d like to say that most of us senior girls have grown out of that by now, but I know, from personal experience, that not all of us have, and some people still take great joy in spreading nasty rumors about other people. That’s when you have to realize that people are mean, and then move on. You can’t dwell on something that someone else said about you. Call them on it, or get over it. Over the last four years, I’ve met lots of awesome people, and lots of not-so-awesome people. I’ve made a lot of great friends, and lost some just as quickly because of a stupid fight, or not having classes together anymore, or because I started dating their best friend’s ex-boyfriend. I’m pretty sure I did more gossiping than learning some days, and I’d like to apologize to the teachers whose classes I may have dozed off in. But I don’t think there’s any better learning experience than high school. These last four years have played a huge role in the person I am today. I

can honestly say that I learned a lot here at good old OHS: how to dissect a frog, and what to do when frog guts get flung at you; how to solve a geometric proof without stabbing myself with my pencil (that’s difficult; and if you think you’re done with proofs after you’ve finished geometry, you’re wrong); what to do when a food fight breaks out in the middle of your lunch period; how to stay warm when the fire alarm goes off in the middle of winter because of construction; and what to do when a pipe full of dirty water bursts during senior study hall. The biggest thing about high school is that, unless you plan on being a super senior (which, despite the name, is probably not all that super), you’re only here for four years. That didn’t really resonate with me until last year, but when it did, I started making the best of it. High school isn’t forever, and you need to be a high schooler while you can: play Powderpuff; go to the tailgates before games; go to the prom. Have fun with your friends and enjoy it while you can because, trust me, once you hit senior year, it goes by really, really fast. I’m not going to say that I loved high school, because I didn’t. But I didn’t hate it as much as I say I did, and I’ll definitely be one of the people bawling her eyes out at graduation. Looking back, these last four years were actually pretty tolerable, if not even a little bit fun. I keep telling myself that I can’t wait to graduate, and I won’t miss anyone or anything after I walk the stage in a few weeks. But I keep telling myself that in the hopes that I’ll believe it. The truth is, I’m going to miss high school, and the people I’ll be leaving behind. I can’t wait to graduate, but I wouldn’t have missed these last four years for anything.

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June 2011

Features

Thanks for the Memories, Retiring Faculty, Staff Mrs. Dorothy Farrell has lived most of her life in Oswego, starting her career with the school system in 1986 where she worked for the Director of Personnel at the Education Center. She then came to work at the high school in 1994. She partook in the secretarial school training through BOCES, and has taken several classes at SUNY Oswego throughout the years. She will be Farrell moving to Myrtle Beach, SC to enjoy her retirement in a home she and her husband have purchased. Farrell plans on spending her time golfing, going to shows, and just enjoying the retired life. Though she will be enjoying her retirement, she will remember the enjoyment of her profession due to the many things she got to do and the challenges she overcame. Farrell will also remember one of her favorite memories of receiving a Gold Award from the United Way. She wanted the staff to know,“I have met some fabulous staff members through the years of my service at OHS and would like to wish them all success and happiness in their future years and thank them for being there for support when I needed anything from them.” Thank you for your 25 years of service to the school district, Mrs. Farrell.

Spending fifteen years in the main office Mrs. Karen Solowski would like to leave her best wishes to the students at OHS and the thank all her co-workers for the good times she has had here. Solowski spends most of her time doing budget- related tasks in the main office such as purchasing payroll and petty cash. Her responsibilities include overseeing solowski the grade reporting (report cards/5 week report ) process, and a variety of other miscellaneous jobs, as well as assisting in handling phone calls that come in to the main office. She is a very busy woman! She began her career by graduating from SUNY Oswego with a degree in accounting and will be ending her career with a fun-filled retirement. She would like to spend a good portion of it traveling; some to see her kids across the states, but to other places like Europe. She also is going to enjoy camping, bird watching, and cooking. She is going to miss all the fun happenings that go on in the main office and around the school, but she has said that she will be leaving a bird book in the main office in case any of them need to identify mysterious birds. Thank you Mrs. Solowski for your years of service to the school.

Mrs. Paula Ranous, after her 11 years teaching at the high schoo, wants to leave everyone with the hopes that they all get a chance to do what they love everyday. She wants to express her gratitude for her ability to be here the past several years. She also bequeaths her well-known singing mole collection! After going into the preranous med program at Marywood College for two years and spending some time working at a Syracuse hospital, Ranous completed her degree program at SUNY Oswego. This gave her the chance to work at a Syracuse high school teaching science, as well as subbing at the middle school and eventually making her way here to OHS. Ranous originally did not plan to be a teacher, but planned to go into the medical field like some of her family. As she was applying to med school, she came to the realization that she loved teaching science more than she did medicine. So, she went on to become a teacher of Regents chemistry and consumer chemistry at OHS, as well as spread the word about her love for moles. After retiring from full-time teaching, she plans on teaching part time as well as writing a diabetic cookbook. Thank you for your years of service to the high school, Mrs. Ranous, maybe we’ll see you back part-time next year!

With teaching in her blood passed on by various family members such as her mother and great grandfather, Mrs. Sarah Hill has spent the past thirty years teaching almost every level of mathematics at the high school. She has enjoyed her many years working with kids and watching the “light bulb come on.” Some of her favorite memories are those of students returning to thank her for ways she has impacted their lives and their hill education. It’s such a good feeling to see that,” she stated. She has spent a lot of time with the people in Oswego earning her Bachelor’s at SUNY Oswego and then her Master’s Degree there as well. With all the time she has spent here, she wishes to take the opportunity in her first year of retirement to travel. She has already been approached about doing some adjunct professor work for the Mathematics Department at SUNY Oswego. One thing she would like to do once she has the time is to transfer all of her family photograph albums, and tapes to digital format and make copies for her kids to have someday. She would like to leave students with some advice. “Teenagers need to know that there are limits and expectations. They have the right to hear the word ‘No’ and it is the adult’s responsibility to enforce those limits and expectations. The higher the expectations, the harder you work, the greater the chance that you will meet those expectations.” Thank you for your dedicated years of service to the high school, Mrs. Hill.

Editor’s Note: Both Mr. Jim McCaul of the Physical Education staff and Mrs. Chris Crisafulli, hall monitor, who are both retiring at the end of this year were asked to participate in interviews for this feature on retirees, but they respectfully declined. We wish them the best of luck as well in retirement. Stories by Shaughnessy Darrow. Photos by Monék Cullen

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June 2011

Walking the Plank

Congrats to Valedictorian, Nikole Bonacorsi BB: What does the title valedictorian mean to you? NB: –noun. a student, usually the one ranking highest academically in a school graduating class, who delivers the valedictory at the commencement exercises. BB: Have you been working towards becoming valedictorian your entire high school career or did it just happen? NB: It just happened, but once I found out I was first I was competitive enough that I tried to make sure I stayed there.

BB:What are you going to study? Have you decided on a major? NB: I have not decided on a major, because, as I said, everyone goes in undeclared. However, I am leaning towards psychology.

BB:Are you excited about college? Are you nervous? NB: I’m mostly excited, but of course I’m a little nervous too.

would want if you could? NB:Definitely the power to fly. (Hopefully there are no stipulations.)

BB: When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? NB:A computer animator for Pixar. BB:If you could pick 3 people to have dinner with, dead or alive who would they be? NB: Katherine Chetney, Shawn Milke, and John Cusack. BB:Who was your favorite teacher at OHS? NB:That’s a really tough question, because I honestly loved almost every teacher I had. They were all amazing. However, it has to be Mrs. Martin, of course. Mr. Mirabito is a close second though.

BB:What teacher has been the most influential? NB:Mrs. Melissa Martin. She is my school mom, and I honestly would not have survived high school without her. BB: What is your favorite OHS memory? NB:All of the inside jokes that I have with my friends.

BB:What’s been your favorite book in high school? NB: That I had to read for class? The Catcher in the Rye.

BB: besides yourself who has played a big part in you becoming Valedictorian? NB:My parents, for giving me lucky DNA.

BB:What are you going to miss the most when you head off to college? NB: Mrs. Martin, and my friends, family, and dog.

BB: Are you involved in any sports or activities? Will you continue any them in college? NB:Yes, track. I won’t be on the school team or anything but I will probably join the running club. BB:One thing you would want to change about your school? NB: I don’t think there should be a valedictorian. BB: Where are you going to college? Why this school? NB: Hamilton College. I loved it from the moment I set foot on campus, it just felt right. Plus there are no gen eds, and everyone goes in undeclared for the first two years.

Buccaneer Bulletin

Class of 2011 Valedictorian, Nikole Bonacorsi

BB: Is there something people might not know about you? NB: I crowd surfed before? (Sorry mom) BB:Do you have any siblings? NB:Yes, I have a younger brother, Nick. (original names, I know.) BB:Is there a superpower you

by?

BB:What do you do in your spare time? NB:Listen to music, write, read, digital paint and watch ‘80s movies.

BB:Do you have a quote to live

NB:Two, actually. “The depth of a man’s soul can not be measured in a manner of meters and fathoms,” from Alesana and “Get busy living or get busy dying” from The Shawshank Redemption. BB:Do academics come easily to you or are they a challenge?

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NB:People are going to kill me for saying this, but if I’m being honest they come pretty easily. I’m just lucky I guess. BB:What feeling are you going to have when you cross the stage? NB:Nausea as I try not to trip. BB:If you could be any faculty member for a day who would you be? NB:Mr. Mirabito, because my sarcasm has a ways to go before it’s as killer as his. BB:What is your favorite place in Oswego? NB:The river’s end bookstore! BB:What is your favorite clothing store? NB:Lulus.com BB:Would you rather use a pen or pencil? NB:Pencil. BB:What is your favorite movie? NB:It’s a tie between The Shawshank Redemption, Say Anything, and The Sure Thing. BB:Is the balance between social life and school difficult for you? NB:No, I have a small group of people who mean a lot to me, and it’s never been hard to make that work with school. BB:What would you do with 10 million dollars? NB:Probably buy a ton of clothes, books, and every apple product every invented and give some to my parents. Then donate some, then save the rest for college and whatever comes after. BB:What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned at OHS? NB:You can’t let other people bring you down. There are always going to be people out there who will say mean things about you without ever having spoken to you, but you have to realize that it’s because they’re insecure about themselves and they need to bring other people down to inflate their fragile selfesteem.

June 2011

Walking the Plank

Salutatorian Justine Harrington Walks the Plank Buccaneer Bulletin:What does the title salutatorian mean to you? Justine Harrington: To me it is an honor for making it this far in life so successfully. BB: Have you been working towards becoming salutatorian your entire high school career or did it just happen? JH: I have just been trying to work hard all of my high school career, and it has fortunately brought me to this point of success.

be thrown into a new dynamic with people who are just meeting you for the first time. BB: Is there something people might not know about you? JH: I like Ancient Astronaut theory. BB: Do you have a role model? JH: My best friend Erin McIntosh, because she is the most beautiful person I know, inside and out.

BB: What teacher has been the most influential? JH: My art teachers Mrs. Martin and Ms. V, and my band directors Mr. Defren, Mr. Palange, and Mr. Ciesla have all been equally influential because they believed in my potential and were always teaching me how to make myself better.

BB: Do you have any feelings on your speech? JH: I haven’t written it yet, but when I read it I don’t want people to go, “That was awful.” BB:What was your favorite book in high school? JH: I enjoyed reading Nectar in a Sieve by Kamala Markandaya in Mr. Sullivan’s class because it invoked some strong feelings within me. BB: Do you have a favorite OHS memory? JH: All of the band trips I have been on. BB: Where do you see yourself in 10 years? JH: Hopefully married and living in a city doing something with fashion. BB: What do you do in your spare time? JH: I like to sew, read, watch TV or movies, or hang out with my friends.

BB: Besides yourself, who has played a big part in you becoming salutatorian? JH: My parents, because they have helped me stay on task and supported every decision I have made along the way.

BB: Do you have a quote to live by? JH: Coco Chanel has some of my all time favorite quotes. My favorites of hers are, “In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.” And, “Success is often achieved by those who don’t know that failure is inevitable.”

BB: Are you involved in any sports or activities? If so, will you continue any of them in college? JH: I have been a part of the Marching Band program for 3 years, the Art Club (which unfortunately was cut), and Key Club. There sadly is not a music program at the college I am attending; however, I will be a part of the All-College Honors Program and will continue participating in volunteer service and clubs offered there.

BB: Are there any classes you wish you had taken? JH: Psychology, because I apparently missed the “requirement” to have Mr. Mirabito before I graduate. BB: If you could be any faculty member for a day who would you be? JH: I would like to be Mr. DeLorenzo or Mr. Bandla because they always seem to have so much fun when they’re teaching.

BB: What’s one thing you would want to change about your school? JH: I wish that we had more electives. BB: Where are you going to college? Why? JH: I am going to Cazenovia College in the fall. I chose this school because it is a small, beautiful campus with an amazing fashion program. It is also one of the only colleges that I found that offered fashion programs relatively close to home, and not in a giant city.

Deschanel.

Class of 2011 Salutatorian Justine Harrington

BB: Any Siblings? JH: I have my older brother, David.

BB: What are you going to major in? JH: My degree will be in Business Management with a specialization in Fashion Merchandising and a minor in Fashion Design.

BB: Is there a superpower you would want? JH: I always wanted to be able to teleport, because then I could just be wherever I wanted instantly.

BB: Are you excited or nervous for college? JH: I am so excited to go to college to continue to learn what I love. It is also bittersweet because I won’t have the comfort of living at home and will miss a lot of the people here in Oswego that I have become close to. As for being nervous? Absolutely! I think it takes a lot of nerve to break out of a setting that has been a comfort zone for so long to

BB: Do you have a dream job in mind? JH: I would love to work for Alexander McQueen designing shoes or wedding dresses. I watch “Say Yes to the Dress” like it’s my job.

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BB: If you could pick three people to have dinner with, dead or alive who would they be? JH: Jane Austen, Ben Barnes, and Emily

BB: What is your favorite place in Oswego? JH: I love PJ’s ice cream. BB: What is your favorite movie? JH: Pride and Prejudice; which is also my favorite book of all time. BB: What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned at OHS? JH: I’ve learned that in the end, making connections with people is more important than any grade I could ever be given. Editor’s note: “Walking the Plank” is a regular question-and-answer feature of The Buccaneer Bulletin. If you know a student or staff member who you would like to see walk the plank, contact Mr. McCrobie at mmccrobi@oswego.org. Stories by Shaughnessy Darrow and photographs by Erin McIntosh.

June 2011

Sobering Mock DWI Event Aims to

Buccaneer Bulletin

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Discourage Destructive Decisions

The only fake thing about the mock DWI held last month was the blood; the emotions were real. Prior to the prom, the SADD Club, in cooperation with the Oswego City Police (OPD) and Fire Departments (OFD), and the Oswego County Stop DWI program, held its annual Mock DWI for juniors. OPD responded to the crash scene where they found

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a deceased student lying on the pavement. EMS from the OFD arrived to tend to the injured, while an officer administered a field sobriety test and arrested the driver. The scene then shifted to Leighton gym where the notification of next-of-kin was re-enacted and the trial for DWI and vehicular manslaughter was held. After a simulated funeral service, two families that suffered real-life DWI tragedies spoke about their experiences.

Photos and text by MonĂŠk Cullen, Chief Photographer

June 2011

Graduation Plans

Oswego High Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Class In State: Alfred University Stephen LiVoti

Arcadia University Dominique Canale Alison Knight

Berklee University Evelyn Horan

Boston University Hayley Lukaczyk

Bryant and Stratton Sarah Fox Tyler Vossller

Buffalo State College Katherine Chetney

Canisius College Sean Stegemoller

Cayuga CC Continued Rachelle Moree Tyra Myhill Anthony Nearbin Samantha Omundsen Matthew Parkhurst Joyce Pelkey Machele Pospesel Lindsay Reifke Erica Reno Garrett Rice Malorie Ruel Mohamed Salem Eric Susino-Acton Ty Sweeting Casey Tobin Margarita Vazquez Charles Wetzel Raymond Wilson III Ashley Wise

Cazenovia College

Clarkson University

Cayuga CC

Crouse Hospital School of Nursing

Justine Harrington Brittany Juravich

Kassidy Atkinson Kaitlan Barker Courtney Bartlett Aaron Berlin Aaron Callahan Sean Carpenter Brianna Coon Monek Cullen Katherine Cutro Shaughnessy Darrow Kayla Donohue Camille Dunham Ashleigh Ecke Daniel Ellingwood Paul Esden Emily Finn Adam Foley Kaylene Fragale Nicholas Fredette Emily Fultz Paul Gamble Haylee Gardner Chris Geroux Katelyn Gurney Christopher Hanley Cali Harrington Michael Hoefer Vincent Lapetino Blake Marden Caitlynn McCreary Dakota McHenry Felicia Melendez Taylor Menter Britney Moody

Buccaneer Bulletin

Cooper Harse

Emily Richmond

Culinary Institute Elisa Sereno

Elmira College James Metcalf David Simons

Finger Lakes CC Corey Galletta Keenan Habeeb Jason Hanselman Magan Johnson Rebeca Mendoza John Raby

Gannon University Danielle Mather Mara Parker Christopher Pike

ITT Technical Institute Nicholas Rossi

Jamestown CC Jessica Gilbert Sarah Purce

Jefferson CC Richard Carpentier Chelsea Geroux

Keuka College Thomas Drumm

Landmark College Ross Gadziala

Lasell College Shannon Pasco

Le Moyne College Cody Battista Matthew Randall Steven Scott

Liberty College

Pfeiffer University

Samantha McCarrick

Roberts Wesleyan

Limestone College Mohawk Valley CC Darren Bezio Christopher Bosco Timothy Edgar Alexander Lafond Anthony Scaccia

Monroe CC

Miranda Carson Julie Delles Frederick Donabella III Morgan Fayette Koncetta Kavanaugh Natasha Kazarian Brittany Noyes Faith Whitely

Morrisville State Jonathan Mahan

Nazareth College

Hartwick College

New Haven

Herkimer CC

Niagara County CC

Hilbert College

North Western Ohio

Morgan Domicolo

Amber Thompson Meghan Stewart

Ithaca College Morgan Allen Ashley Deveney Chad McClelland

David Carmella Michelle Champagne Cody Crouse Nicolette Dovigh Eric Dunsmoor Morganne Farrell Brandon Galloway Nicholas Guido Rachel Johnson Wesley Jones Kyle Kunzwiler Allison Martin Taylor Mass William McSweeney Kimberly Neilly Teal Palmer Rebecca Pratt Katherine Robinson Alexander Todd Joseph Wallace

Jessica Krauss

Hamilton College Nikole Bonacorsi

Onondaga CC

Haley Annal Colin Joyce

Timothy Haresign Jacob Orta Neil Cliff

North Carolina State Laura Naron

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Lacey Brown

Rebecca Smith

RIT

William Clary Luke Familo Tyler Kranz Tyler Lisec Erin McIntosh Anthony Miuccio

Siena College Laura Rottenberk

St. Bonaventure Sarah Bucher Sean Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor

St. John Fisher Kiley Bathcelor Jasmine Davis

SUNY Albany Kaitlyn Scanlon

SUNY Binghamton Alex Baer

SUNY Brockport Bridget Collins Karissa Favata Courtney Gazda Tiffany Green Erika Lazzaro

SUNY Canton Cathryn Darling Tara Fresch Devyn Hutcheson

June 2011

Graduation Plans

Of 2011 - CONGRATS!! SUNY ESF Jessica Ciesla Andrew DiVita Sean Peel

SUNY Cortland Michaela Auer Chelsee Brockwell Kaitlin Friel Amber Naramore Jordan Rourke Kathryn Whelsky Devynn Wilder

SUNY Fredonia Rebecca Chatterton Thomas James Jr. Chelsea Ottman

Oswego Continued Christopher Pritchard Ryan Proud Meghan Regano Elizabeth Richmond Emily Rumrill Joseph Schickling Austin Tracz Stephen Auyer Mary Finn

Syracuse University MacKenzie Dunsmoor

Tompkins C3 Meghan Carl

Union College

SUNY Oneonta

University of Buffalo

Rachel Edwards

SUNY Oswego Mark Barker Norman Berlin Christina Buckingham Tyler Carapetyan Zachary Connolly Daniel Connors Danielle Currier Alyssa Davis Katrina DeBaun James DeBiase Christina Dehm Timothy Dougherty Riley Flynn Devin Fragale Alexis Gillard Steven Glenn Paige Gray Joshua Hamilton Jennifer Hotchkiss Joseph Hutchins Jayme Kelsey Tyler Kingsley Matther Krocke Caitlyn McCann Christopher Morley Haley Nosky David Peel Michael Phillips

National Guard David Monroe

Navy

Michael Kelly Collin Lawton

SUNY Potsdam

SUNY New Paltz Camille Graham

Marines

Zen Johnson Andrew Michaud

Meredith Moshier

Courtney Hallock Jacqueline Hondro Rebecca Krass

Out of State: Florida Southern Caylee Heagerty

Grove City College Joanna LeFevre

University of Delaware Thomas Handley

Wake Forest Matthew Pirro

Western New England Cassandra Crisafulli

West Virginia Kristina Stemple

Military: Army

Maggie Hogan-Pittsley Kaitlyn Holloway Kyle Lamb Michael Pitcher Roxanne Scoville

Work Force:

Brandon Archer Lawrence Bivens Andrew Blackmar Nicole Canova Christina Demmerle Brian Dorn Kirsten Duval Alyssa Ellis Tarquin Johnson Bruce Krolikowski Daniel Mays Michael Mercier Gage Merrill Lisa Miner Janelle Monroe Stacey Parrott Nicole Pauldine Kyle Rookey Brittany Shufelt Aubrie Spanfelner Joey Storto Alejandro Tovar-Reynaga Amber Wilmott Warren Wise

Miscellaneous: Exchange Student Arzu Ablyatipova Leonardo Barddal da Silva Eugenio Benincasa Miriam Del Real Patrick Faulhaber Andrea Gonzalez Timothy Hanisch Lisa Roeger

Trading School: NALTC Trading School Matthew Ylitalo

BOCES

Eric Beshures

Undecided

Emilie Beginski Paige Blum Edward Bornheimer Joshua Davidson Bradley Kranz Joshua McRae Michael Murphy Brianna Pullen Islam Salem Ryan Spinner

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note: Senior Information and Page Design by Meghan Carl.

Maksim Sokolovskiy

Graduation will be held on June 25th at 10 am in the Campus Center at SUNY Oswego. Congratulations to the Class of 2011! Buccaneer Bulletin

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June 2011

“It’s astounding; time is fleeting; madness takes its toll. But listen closely. . . . it’s just a jump to the left and then a step to the right; put your hands on your hips. With a bit of a mind flip you’re into the time slip and nothing can ever be the same. Let’s do the time-warp again…” 2036, where are we all now? All those faces from high school, the funny quirks we’d always remember . . . it feels like it was just yesterday when Mr. Hartwell handed us our diplomas back in 2011. I held my Buc blue invite and entered the reunion with vast expectations of change. I scanned furiously for a familiar face and surveyed the room for a minute. It seemed that besides more conversation about politics and less about who’s dating, and a tad bit classier clothing, it was all the same as it was senior year twenty five years ago. Same cliques and predictable social behavior, as if time had stood still for 2 ½ decades and coming back into this setting reverted everybody back to age 18. The first person to catch my eye was none other than Miss Mackenzie Dunsmoor who, not surprisingly, was greeting the alumni. It must have been Mackenzie who had been able to pull off the ridiculously extravagant decorations plastered across the building. She had even managed to recruit world-enowned, platinum record artist, Evelyn Horan, for the musical entertainment for the night. I started towards her in an attempt to say hello, but my attention was intercepted by a glimpse of my old friend Megg Carl, who approached me and immediately began small talk with the expected, “How have you been!?” Chatting with her, I recognized a thick Canadian accent which she must have developed after returning to Canada. She asked me what I was doing nowadays, and after ranting about becoming a food critic when pharmacy hadn’t really been my forte, all I got from her in response was an “aww wahhhhh” and “well it was good to see you, talk to you later eh?” Finding my assigned table, I sat

Buccaneer Bulletin

Columns

down and admired my seat name tag that consisted of a series of paper stars collectively folded together like some crazy matrix labeled “courtesy of Riley Flynn.” People began pouring into the room and the reunion really started to kick off. Austin Tracz walked through the doors in head-to-toe camouflage with Sean O’Connor who exhibited a perma-tan from the consistent wearing of sandals and long ankle socks and Petey Lloyd with a mustache that was as thick as a full head of hair which, by the way, he no longer had. The two were followed by Kaitlin Scanlon who rolled her eyes at the sight and entered with a blue polka dotted lunch bag, apparently bringing her own food. At that moment, I wished Mr. Stacy had been alive and present so we could play “What’s Kait have that’s good today?” A familiar high-pitched “Teen!” suddenly rang in my ears and I spun around in my chair to find Jasmine Davis, now editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan Magazine, staring back at me in the nearest seat. Always leave it to Jazzy to brighten your day, and of course, look drop-dead gorgeous while doing it. Talking with her, she seemed to know everything about practically everyone since high school had ended, and as I sat there wondering if my eye brows were as symmetrical and flawless as hers, she started to dish out the gossip I’d missed for 25 years. With the obvious news being that former OHS hockey player Freddie Donabella now reigned as the starting center for the New York Rangers, more shocking was that Chelsee Brockwell, after a 10 year career with the NYC ballet, had taken a tragic fall off stage and the head injury, though leaving her in great physical health, also left her with the notion that she was living in the 1980s. Forever more she would believe that each decade meant big hair and leg warmers. (Fortunately for her, she was an ‘80s lover to begin with.) Apparently, Soup Debiase had used his high-pitched dolphin laugh to become the first dolphin whisperer of our time while Cooper Harse’s

opinionated personality had landed a spot as a regular on an international debate show. Tyler Lisec was now a 7 year champion of the Mr. USA competition, his wit, looks and overall personality making him the perfect candidate. Chad McClelland had gone to nursing school while training to follow his childhood dream of being an astronaut and became the world’s first space nurse. More shockingly, Jessica Ciesla decided to follow her love of animals and was currently on a Hawaiian shark reserve and had undergone extreme surgery to make herself half-shark, half-girl. Ty Sweeting ended up going back to Oswego High School to fill a physical education position and took over Mr.McCaul’s ohkie ball legacy. Norman Berlin still had been scheming to take over the world and I guess made some real progress in Austria. Cody Crouse apparently had pulled up in the back of a taxi to the reunion. His car was taken from him by the court for having too many violations concerning how loud his speaker system was while he blared Justin Beiber songs. Obviously back in high school there had been a wide array of couples and dating was always a hot topic, but now looking around the room, relationships that had sprung all those years ago had clearly stuck. Near the refreshments table, Luke Familo stood eating a plate of chocolate fudge made by none other than his wife, Haley Annal, who had provided all of the baked goods for the evening. I couldn’t help but remember how Mackenzie Dunsmoor had brought those two unknowing lovebirds together back in senior year statistics. I bet they were eventually grateful for all her interventions. Baseball star, Matt Pirro, and all-around sports star Kate Friel had attended the reunion alongside their four children, two of whom could already throw 90 miles per hour and two of whom had a 100 mile per hour slap shot. (Not bad for kids under age 10!) The alumni who had been seated at my table were those who I had been

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closest to at O H S , so I had kept in touch and already knew what they had been up to. Natasha Kazarian followed in her mother’s footsteps and opened her own dance studio in which the ceilings reached 35 feet high and the fans were built in to the walls so as to prevent unfortunate injury. Cassandra Crisafulli started a farm in the remote country where she bred and raised snipe birds and hephalumps to be purchased online for exotic pets. Shaughnessy Darrow had just recently returned to the state after a six month trip to the Amazon Rainforest to study the language of the Howler monkey species while also attempting to become a part of their pack. Nick Guido, being from a full Italian bloodline, opened a vast chain of gymnasium/tanning salon/ laundromat combinations calling them Guido’s GTL’s. Julie Delles and her ability to plot, dig for information, and interrogate, became a member of the CIA, but unfortunately had to resign due to a forced admittance to a rehabilitation clinic for her coffee addiction. Time warp back to 2011. Who really knows if this is where we’ll end up 25 years from now? Our decisions now won’t necessarily mean that our lives will end up on the paths they’re currently on. Writing this piece for the seniors is my farewell to four years of a high school career that I could never forget, even if I wanted to. So much has happened here. I’ve become friends with so many people with such different personalities, and I hope that every one of us keeps those quirks that make us who we are, because we will forever be remembered by our peers as we were in high school. These years have turned us from scared, unknowing freshman to the class of 2011, the seniors who are ready for a new path and a new beginning. Fellow graduates, high school was unpredictable and a long journey for a piece of paper, but I hope you had the time of your life because knowing you all sure made it a heck of lot more fun. Peace out Oswego High School. GO BUCS!

June 2011

Features

T hings I Learned in My First Year of College OHS Class of 2010 graduate,Taylor Phillips, has been creating this list with her roommate at St. Bonaventure all year as advice for students heading to college for the first time in the fall. We thought it was worth sharing with this year’s seniors. 1. Be able to sleep with noise because it is never quiet anymore. 2. Get comfortable with your roommate, chances are things will be really awkward if you don’t. 3. Function off of little sleep, getting 8 hours of sleep is a thing of the past. 4. Posters. They make your room look like less of a prison cell. 5. Lock your door at night or else drunk people will stumble in and try to sleep on your floor. 6. Quarters are like gold and cereal is a meal. 7. Sleeping through your first class will happen no matter how late it is or how many alarms you set. 8. Fire drills happen at any time and being in the shower for them is a possibility, whether you want to get out or not. 9. Never take your shoes off and walk back to you dorm barefoot, you will regret it the next day. 10. If your roommate gets sick, you will too within 24 hours. 11. Beware of the shower, cold water can be dumped on you at all times. 12. Red cups are everywhere. 13. The library is more fun than people make it seem. 14. Doing laundry is a competition. 15. Keeping in touch is not as easy as it sounds, but best friends are best friends no matter how many miles separate you. 16. Having spare time is a thing of the past. 17. Getting up at 8:15 a.m. for an 8:30 class gives you plenty of time to get ready. 18. Sweatpants are a daily part of any wardrobe. 19. Home-cooking has never tasted so good. 20. NEVER WAKE A SLEEPING ROOMMATE. Ever. 21. Rules of going out: No Puking, No Crying, and ALWAYS come back together. 22. Snow days are a thing of the past. 23. There will be fights, but chances are, they won’t last more than 48 hours. 24. During finals week, anything that helps procrastinate from doing work seems appealing. 25. You can know everything and fail a test; you can also know nothing and pass a test. 26. Going to Walmart is always an adventure. 27. People are a lot less judgmental and a lot more accepting. 28. The walls between rooms are paper thin; people literally hear everything; pins can be heard dropping. 29. Your key and ID are your lifeline, don’t ever lose them. 30. Caffeine is a necessity to get through the day. 31. Limits don’t exist anymore, they are simply challenged and sometimes surpassed every day. 32. Naps are not just for children; they are what makes getting through the day easier. 33. You will find hiding places in your room when you need them the most. 34. MTV shows: while they are pretty stupid, everyone watches them. 35. Conversations can be based on nothing but quotes from movies, songs, or tv shows. 36. Fish don’t make the best pets. They die…quickly. 37. Seeing an adult on your floor is like seeing a dog walk on its hind legs. 38. Also, seeing a professor outside the classroom is like seeing a dinosaur. 39. Your laptop becomes your best friend. 40. Most likely if a guy asks you to come watch a movie, and no one else is going to be there, he doesn’t mean you’re going to watch a movie. 41. The power will go out when you need it the most. 42. Facebook is the biggest distraction there is and Youtube comas are common. 43. Flip Flops are as important as shampoo and soap. 44. What a coincidence, the book that your professor edited/wrote/helped write is also required for his class and costs a fortune? 45. Internet banking is a God-given tool. Use it. 46. Go to class and pay attention, even if there isn’t an attendance policy. 47. 1:00 a.m. is the new 9:00 p.m. 48. Your dorm room is like a clown car. You will fit more things in there than you think possible without realizing it until it’s time to move out. 49. Duct tape is the solution to most problems. 50. Leaving campus and going home is the definition of bittersweet.

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June 2011

Column

Ch-ching, Ch-ching: The High Cost of Sr. Year

Everyone looks forward to senior year of high school. After three years of working your butt off, it’s nice to know that, at the end of it all, there’s a senior year full of rewards waiting for you, like Powderpuff, Senior Trip, Dinner Dance, and, what you’ve really been waiting for, Graduation. But what many people don’t realize until they get their first bill is that senior year is really expensive. First off you have your Senior Pictures. They’re a blast, don’t get me wrong. I’ve never had so much fun getting my picture taken. Depending on where you get your pictures taken, the prices could be either better or worse. I spent over $300 on mine, as my mom loaded up on 3x4s of everything, and some crazy package of my Senior Picture with a bunch of wallets, a few 4x6s, a handful of 5x7s, and an 8x10. On the plus side, they threw in a few more wallets for free because we spent so much. Another thing you have to do before school starts is choose whether you want to participate in some college courses, SUPA classes, or New Visions. New Visions is free, but SUPA classes (English and Econ) cost $110 per credit hour and SUNY Oswego courses cost somewhere around $1000 each. Once school starts, the events pick up slowly, but surely. Throw in $20 for a Powderpuff shirt, $65 to order a yearbook (plus extra money if you want your name on the cover, more pages in the back, an icon by your name in the corner, etc.), $47 for every time you take your SAT and $33 for every time you take your ACT, and then however much your college charges you for sending in your application (I only paid $20 to apply to Oswego via the Common App).

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By the time December rolls around, you’ve got Semi Formal, and you have to buy a ticket and maybe dinner before the dance, and possibly, if you’re a girl and you’re anything like me, you need to get a new dress and shoes to match. You get a price break for a while after Formal, some time to refill your bank account, but once you hit March, the break is over. The Class Trip cost over $1000 for seniors this year, plus the price of food and souvenirs. I only spent about $75 on souvenirs (somehow I managed to resist the urge to buy everything that had Mickey Mouse on it), but the cost of food was ridiculous at both Disney and Universal. Thank you, mom and dad, for covering my food bill. After Senior Trip, the events start coming and don’t seem to stop. The 100 Days ‘til Graduation Celebration was the Thursday after we got home from Florida, but that actually costs nothing, unless you want to buy a new dress. May is Prom, and Prom means one thing: spending about a million dollars on a dress or tux, then $30 for your ticket and maybe a second ticket for your date, plus the cost of dinner and transportation to and from the various places that you’ll be gracing with your presence that night. Now it’s June (luckily, June is a month where you can rake in some cash if you have generous relatives who send graduation gifts). Senior Night is the first event, which costs a whopping $1 to get into. Then the Senior Picnic, which costs $5 to attend, unless you’re late getting your ticket, and then the price doubles. The Picnic is followed by the Senior Dinner Dance, which only costs $5 for graduates; but if you’re dating someone who isn’t a senior this year, it’s $20 and a ton of paperwork to get them a ticket (not to mention that the ladies may need another dress). Then, the Saturday after the dance is Graduation. Ah, Graduation. The day you finally get to walk the stage, and say a not-so-sad farewell to all those teachers who stopped you in the hall and harassed

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you about your skirt being too short or not having a pass. But it’s another $20 (exact cash only, please) for your cap and gown. Then, after the big day, your parents will more than likely throw you a huge Graduation Party to celebrate the fact that you made it out of high school more or less alive. And don’t forget your class ring; not everyone gets one, but if you want one, it’s probably going to cost you somewhere around $200. Over the last year, I’d have to say that I spent about $1000 myself. Lucky for me, my parents covered dresses and dinners and my class ring and college apps and tests. But that’s still a lot of cash, especially for someone who (foolishly, apparently) quit her job. Once again, I’d like to say thank you, mom and dad, for paying for some of the stuff that I felt obligated to take part in this year. Don’t get me wrong, I loved every second on it. But now that I’ve added up all that money, it’s no wonder my bank account pulled a vanishing act. But the spending isn’t even over yet, my friends. My mom was talking to one of her friends whose daughter had graduated high school a few years ago, complaining about the expenses of my past year. Mom expected to get some sympathy from her friend, but all she did was laugh. To my mother’s dismay (even though I thought it was obvious), college bills will start to kick in before your parents have even had time to think about paying off your Graduation Party. Now, I’m not writing this to discourage any underclassmen from partaking in any of the Senior activities. You only get one shot at them. I’m just giving you a heads up. This year was great, but I (and I think my parents, too) would’ve appreciated a warning before I forked over all that cash. Thinking back, I’m glad that I participated in all the things that I did. But I also could’ve done without eight thousand copies of my Senior Picture.

June 2011

Columns

A Heartfelt Thank You for Four Great Years

I would like to start off by giving a special thanks to the people of my past. These last four years spent here, at “good ol’ OHS” have been…anything and everything I could possibly imagine. The classes, teachers, homework, dances, sporting events and musical concerts that occurred were great, but it’s the people that I spent those times with that have made it worthwhile. Personally, I’ve had a lot of friends come and go throughout the years, and honestly, I’ll never forget a single one of them. Countless ‘best friends,’ guys who I’ve ‘loved,’ friends who have stayed and

friends who have gone. Regardless of their status to me now, they are the people who have made me, Meghan Jo Carl, who I am today. I firmly believe in the statement “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger” because, I’ve had that ‘bad’ boyfriend, embarrassing moments, gone through fights, the ‘broken heart,’ uphill battles, fallouts with friends, and problems at home, and I still made it through high school. The four years we spend at high school are said to be the best years of our lives, and when I reminisce, I know that I’ll look back fondly because of everything I have learned. I feel that four years here at Oswego High School has prepared me well for college and the journey ahead of me. Today, I am a young, mature adult, who now sees the world from a different perspective compared to the outlook I had on life when I was a wee freshman. I’ve grown up a lot. I’m mature and confident, and I have my friends, family, and OHS to thank for that. I’ve learned many important lessons early in life that

can only help me in the future. As sad as it is to say, when I graduate, and leave this town, I’m going to miss OHS. A lot. As this year has progressed, all of the seniors have become really close, and it’s a wonderful feeling walking through the halls, seeing all of those smiling faces, though, knowing that we will see each other only occasionally in the future is downright depressing. This year is coming to a rapid close, and not being able to pay a visit to my friends in the halls, have our girl talks in lunch, or have get-togethers on the weekends is really disheartening. I know that college is about making new friends, and starting the next stage of life, but I like my friends here at OHS, and I’m going to miss them with my whole heart. I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you to OHS, thank you to all of my teachers, thank you to Mr. Baer, thank you to my friends, new and old, and everyone else I met along the way. I’ve learned a lot from you all and I’m very grateful to be where I am today.

Appreciate Our Hometown Before You Leave

As the end of the year gets closer, for seniors all you hear is “Graduation cannot get here fast enough,” and “I cannot wait to get out of Oswego!” As much as I agree with both those statements and have even said them several times, as graduation gets closer, mixed in with the many emotions I’m going through, include a feeling of loss. I am one of those born-and-raised in a small town girl; birthed in the local hospital and living in one house my whole life. As much as I take it for granted, we have a great city. There are the perks and downfalls of living in a small town. Downfalls being that everyone and anyone know your business and that you really can’t get away with much. This city, though, has so much going on than I think a lot of us even realize. The more I travel, the more I, one, want to travel more, but two, appreciate the many things in Oswego that other places don’t necessarily have. A very key thing, we have is water everywhere! There are so many perks to having not only a lake that is on our back door but a river flowing

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between it all. So many memories have been made and things done all that include the water in some way such as swimming, jumping off of flat rock, fishing, boating, the bonfires off the shore and others things that go on down by the water. Many places aren’t anywhere near water and the kids who live there are lucky enough if they have a public pool. Oswego is an older town and has a lot of history to it as well as culture. Just driving through town sometimes is like a blast from the past looking at the older

a refuge to Jews during WWII. That is a big deal. Our fort played a major part in history as well. The several cemeteries we have date well back, and our library has done a good job at keeping historical facts on Oswego available. There are many places that don’t have any interesting, historical things to look at. Luckily, our town is not one of them. There are many local eateries in Oswego that are only native to the

houses, the older buildings, and even the college. Our town is the only place in the entire United States that was

city such as Water Street Café, Rudy’s, Dahl’s, Azteca, Ritz, and Port City Café. Not only are these places family-

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oriented, but the food is delicious. There are a variety of cultural foods, and places to eat throughout Oswego. A big complaint the teens of Oswego make is the lack of stuff there is to do. No Oswego does not have a mall, a roller rink, a teen club, etc… But there are places in Oswego that can still keep you entertained. There is the movie theater; there is a drivein located in the city that is one of only 30 in New York State. There is a coffee shop; there is a bookstore; there are several parks located all around the city; there are places that if you look hard, you can find. The thing I’ve learned about Oswego is that a lot of good places and fun things to do need to be searched for, but when you do find something, it’s worth it, like that one spot in the woods or that one shop on that back street. Yes, Oswego is a small city, but it is unique and filled with lots of perks. Of course, there are times I can’t wait to get out of here, but I also remember the many great times I’ve had thanks to this city. Oswego is where most of us grew up, and for the rest, is at least a place they are calling home for the time being. Whether you are going to Oswego State or traveling all the way to Florida for college, we need to remember our roots and all the great things Oswego has offered us. We know we will miss it.

June 2011

Entertainment

A Year of Honors for OHS Artists, Musicians All County Chorus:

Justin Abbott, Alyssa Bornheimer, Matthew Bunce, Cameron Caruso, Rebecca Chatterton, Jane Coty, Duane Crapser, Cody Crouse, Samantha Davis, Josh Ewig, Steven Glenn, Cassandra Hondro, Emily Hurlbutt, Julia Knight, Jessica Reynolds, Tyler Rigby, Katie Schermerhorn, Kaela Shafer, Rebecca Smith, Tara Stacy, Alex Todd.

NYSSMA Solos:

Justin Abbott, Hannah Allen, Alyssa Bornheimer, Cameron Caruso, Erin Chetney, Jane Coty, Samantha Davis, Josh Ewig, Cassandra Hondro, Emily Hurlbutt, Adrienn MacDougall, Kennen McBrearty, Raquelle Moreau, Trista Norris, Jessica Reynolds, Tyler Rigby, Katie Schermerhorn, Kaela Shafer, Rebecca Smith, Tara Stacy.

Area All State Choir:

Erin McIntosh, Katie Schermerhorn, Rebecca Smith.

Conference All State Choir: Erin McIntosh

Heritage Music Festival: Gold Award to the OHS Chamber Choir

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Oswego All County Band:

Justin Abbott, Nina Alcasid, Gina Bartholomew, Emily Benigno, Kyrstin Blackburn, Alexander Carl, Heather Carapetyan, Lisette Dufore, Mike Gill, Jacqueline Hondro, Stephen Hook, Evelyn Horan, Thomas James, Jr., Emily King, Emily Kolenda, Emilea Reiner, Emily Rumrill, Jeff Murray, Tory Welsch.

Oswego All County Orchestra:

Evelyn Horan, Nina Alcasid, Kyrstin Blackburn, Gina Bartholomew, Stephen Hook, Katherine Schermerhorn, Jeffrey Murray, Thomas James, Brandon Walker.

NYSSMA Area All-State:

Justin Abott, Nina Alcasid, Jacqueline Hondro, Emilie Benigno, Emily Kolenda, Lisette DuFore, Mitchell Rabalais, Evelyn Horan, Mike Gill, Thomas James.

CNY All Star Percussion Ensemble:

Jeremy Galvin, Thomas James, Jeffrey Murray, Brandon Walker

US Army All-American Marching Band: Jacqueline Hondro, Thomas James, Jr.

OCMEA Scholarship Winners: Evelyn Horan (1st place), Michael Phillips (honorable mention), Rebecca Smith (honorable mention)

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June 2011

Column

Reminiscing About Elementary School Days

everything looked like, and was surprised to see recess?” a student asked. I was terribly sad to how many things had changed, but also how many inform them that at the high school level there is remained exactly the same. I forgot that my artwork no recess. I probably couldn’t have delivered worse was still hanging in the main hallway, a green news as I viewed their shocked and confused faces. ceramic piece I engraved in fourth grade with nowI quickly began to tell them all the things that I retired art teacher Mr. Chris Zolo. I walked up the really do enjoy about Oswego High School, such steps and smirked at the center railing which I would as the electives offered, the music program, and often get scolded for sliding down because “I would the art program. They quickly moved on to other I can’t remember the last time I stepped foot crack my head open and die.” As an adventurous non-related topics such as soccer, basketball, and inside the doors of my elementary school, Kingsford guitar playing. Another thing I began to realize Park. But when I look back upon the six years I spent young girl, this was a challenge I was willing to risk. I took a right down there, it’s surprising how many monumental moments the main hall, slightly in that building structured my life. worried that the main At Kingsford Park School, I discovered my love for writing, met several of my best friends, and began office wouldn’t be in the same spot, but it was, and my interest in the activities I’m still involved in to this day. Those were the years we spent changing our the inside was exactly the same as I remembered, favorite color daily, and The Backstreet Boys were with the exception of the playing in every youngster’s boom box. iPods and cell phones were non-existent, and there was no need two secretaries who have now retired and been to change your clothing for gym class. Our parents replaced. laugh when we refer to these times as “the good ‘ole I wrote my name days,” but when you think about it, the six years we on a visitor’s tag and spent in elementary school make up one third of our lives so far. It was this stepping stone in our lives that headed downstairs, to where kindergarten and paved the road for where we are now as people and first grade were located. students. It’s truly amazing to look back upon our experiences and to put them into context of how they I entered Mrs. Maxwell’s room, whom I once knew have structured who each of us are today. as Miss Stevenson, my After wracking my brain of what my first grade first grade teacher, for a classroom looked like, all I remember is a large, Buccaneer Bulletin Photo look into what a day in circular, sea-foam blue rug that we affectionately Mrs. Maxwell, formerly Miss Stevenson reunites with her first-grade the life of a kindergartener student, Buccaneer Bulletin columnist, Katherine Robinson. referred to as the fish pond. All the students got is like. As I sat in the terribly excited because we all knew every time ‘big black chair’ reading over some short stories, about five-year olds is that their attention spans are we were told to gather in the fish pond, something the kindergarteners return from music and all 23 very short. great was about to happen. It was on that rug we of them approached me with extremely confused Quickly I began to realize what it was like read all of the ‘Junie B. Jones’ books which, with facial expressions. Almost as if they were cued, high to be five years old again. I began to truly miss humor, began to teach us basic life lessons we still pitched voices begin reciting “Hey, who are you?” elementary school, and especially the learning apply today. We learned our days of the week to One little girl, Rylie came up to me, and asked techniques that go with it. Most things in Mrs. the tune of The Addams Family, the months of the me who I am. I told her “My name is Katherine, Maxwell’s class are taught in thematic songs. year, and how to count small sums of money. It’s and I’m visiting Mrs. Maxwell for the day.” I saw Learning the seasons, holidays, days of the week, amazing how little I remember from first grade; I and ‘word chunks’ such as ‘th’, ‘ch’, and ‘sh’. I remember monumental events, such as not being able the gears turning in her head as she processed this information. “Oh, cool,” Rylie responded casually. was quite jealous of the classroom learning that to attend my Thanksgiving party and insisted that I takes place, if there were songs to help was perfectly well to me cope with textuality or ideology, I attend school with a Realizing how little I remembered, I decided that before I left would be very happy. fever of one hundred “Everyone will say kindergarten and three. I remember and moved onto this new chapter in my life, I wanted to go is the hardest to teach because you’re how we celebrated back and spend time at the place which really sculpted me. always on, but it’s also the most fun ‘Christmas Around because you have the most freedom the World’ and learned Quickly after accepting the fact of who I was, within your teaching,” stated Maxwell, who how our favorite holiday was celebrated in different manages a twenty three student classroom of five countries. I look back upon making tie-dye T-shirts in the kindergarteners quickly began talking to me as year olds with patience and love. June to prepare to ‘graduate’ from first grade and still if they had known me for all of their short lives. ‘Miss. Stevenson,’ now Mrs. Maxwell, has have my first grade class picture sitting on my desk at Chants of “How old are you?” “Do you like my shoes” and “Hey, I like your shirt” began spinning always been one of my favorite teachers, and home. around the room. After the chatter quieted down, going back to her classroom brought back so Realizing how little I remembered, I decided I asked the students questions about their favorite many positive memories. Kingsford Park School that before I left and moved onto this new chapter things as a kindergartener. Unanimously, art, play Principal, Mrs. Mary Volkomer said something in my life, I wanted to go back and spend time at time, and gym were the favorites amongst the very simple, which brought a smile to my face the place which really sculpted me. On Thursday, group. I then asked them if they had any questions upon leaving KPS for probably another six years, May 19, I walked up the cement steps into the KPS to me, as a high school student. “Do you like “Once KPS family, always KPS family.” main entrance. I had a vision in my head of what

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June 2011

2010-11 Nominations

Jasmine Davis Volleyball

Krisi Stemple Volleyball

Kaitlyn Friel Hockey • Softball

Erika Lazzaro Hockey • Softball

Matt Lloyd Golf • Hockey • Lacrosse

Jake Metcalf Basketball • Volleyball

Fred Donnabella Hockey

Matt Pirro Baseball

Stephen Auyer Soccer

Congratulations to you all! Thanks for being part of Oswego Athletics. Chris Pike Football • Hockey • Baseball

Matt Randall Tennis

June 2011

Samantha McCarrick Basketball • Lacrosse

Oswego High School’s Student Voice

MacKenzie Dunsmoor Soccer

Volume 14 Number 7

Michaela Auer Swimming

Buccaneer Bulletin Sports

by Coaches for Senior Athletic Awards