October 2005

October 13, 2005 Volume 9 Number 1

Bulletins Parents Spy on Kids

Near Atlanta, Georgia, three school districts are initiating a new service that involves offering parents the option of monitoring what their children purchase for lunch at school.

Through a system called Mealpay.com, students type in an identification number before the cashiers in the cafeteria ring up the bill for the day. Why? Health officials intend for the service to increase parents’ involvement in what their kids eat in response to data that shows that up to 30 percent of U.S. children are overweight or obese.

--The Associated Press

Oswego High School’s Student Voice

Cowell Returns

Memorable TV Teachers

“Welcome Back Kotter” character Gabe Kotter, portrayed in the 1970s sitcom by Gabe Kaplan, was named the Most Memorable Teacher on television by Inside TV magazine.

Other notable names that appeared on the list were Edna Krabappel of “The Simpsons,” Mark Cooper (Mark Curry) of “Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper,” and Charlie Moore (Howard Hesseman) of “Head of the Class.”

--The Associated Press

Making a Difference

According to recent polls, the large majority of people in the U.S. said they had a teacher who made a notable difference in their life. 63% answered yes.

Also, those polled stated that 49% of the time, this memorable teacher was from high school. Twenty-five percent said the teacher who made the greatest difference in their life taught them in elementary school, 15% in middle school, and only 10%

Photo by JoBeth Dunsmoor

Interim executive principal Mr. David Cowell enjoys his return to Oswego High School.

Former Leader Back at the Helm JoBeth Dunsmoor Reporter After a short-lived retirement, Mr. David Cowell has made a return to Oswego High School this year as interim executive principal.

You may wonder where you’ve seen this name before. You’re probably thinking of the plaque outside the main office bearing his name, stating that he was principal here at OHS from 1988-2001.

But where he’s been since then just makes his resume more impressive. After Cowell left OHS, he held the assistant superintendent position for two years, then officially retired in 2003. Since his retirement, he’s held two other interim positions. Early in his

Meet Your Student Rep on The Board Page 3

career, Cowell’s teaching background was in special education, so he’s spent time teaching workshops on special education law. His return to OHS has been a good experience, he says.

“I’m very impressed with the students I’ve met so far,” said Cowell.

“After you leave a school, you hear things about the direction the school has taken. The only problem I see, though, is I’d like to see more smiles!”

He also says that things have changed in his four-year hiatus as principal at OHS. “You kids have a tougher schedule and harder requirements for graduation. Freshmen and sophomores can’t take electives like they used to be able to because so many classes are continued on page 2

Security’s Mr. Anderson On the Plank Page 6

Bad Grades For OHS From State Ed. Dept.

Mura Gichane Reporter No one likes to receive bad marks, especially if they’re used to getting straight A’s; and the Oswego High School is no different. Coupled with Oswego State University, the Oswego High School has been the pulse of this small community, and has been mentioned and acknowledged as a top-flight school statewide.

In academics, the school boasts phenomenal graduation rates, a fantastic staff and student body, and a respected sports program which sends several teams a year to sectional title games. In short, it’s hard to argue against the fact that Oswego is a great high school, yet New York State says otherwise.

It came as a surprise to many when OHS was blasted as one of nine Central New York schools that failed to satisfy State Department of Education requirements on standardized test scores. The schools on the list consisted of three Syracuse middle schools (Clary Math/Science Magnet, Huntington, and T. Aaron Levy), and one elementary (Delaware); four of the nine Oswego County high schools (G. Ray Bodley in Fulton, Hannibal, Oswego and Sandy Creek). The Otto Shortell Middle School in Oneida City School District also made the list.

“Once we started looking into it, we got a list of the students who were continued on page 2

25th Annual Powderpuff Celebrated Page 8

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News

Failing Grades for OHS from State Education Dept.

Continued from page 1 and there were 63 of them,” stated Oswego Interim Principal David Cowell.

“We found that in some cases, that it was a clerical type of procedural error.

For example, of the 63 kids mentioned, I think seven had already graduated.

So what we found was that there were students who transferred into the school that weren’t put into the computer database for already passing the courses (English and Math).” The lack of communication between the state and the school district was the main reason that Oswego High School found itself on the list. The district defined a “senior” as a student who came into the high school as a freshman in 2001, and graduated in 2005, which 85 percent of the student body does. The break in communication was how the district recognized fifth- or even sixth-year seniors who in the “bad report” were listed as seniors, even though they were unable to graduate. These students were counted along with the regular seniors, even though most were going through GED or other educational programs which didn’t really mean they were seniors. “A senior is a person who gets a diploma on June 30,” emphasized Cowell. “So it just was a matter of that there wasn’t a definition, so we went with the most

Buccaneer Bulletin archives

Once a School of Excellence, now we’re one in “need of improvement.”

restrictive definition, meaning they’ve been here four years. If we remove students that had GED’s, if we remove students that had a five-year plan, if we remove the special education students that take an alternate assessment that didn’t get into the computer, we’re not on the School In Need of Improvement list,” he said.

In his first month as interim executive principal, the negative report seemed like a bad omen, but Cowell realizes the success of past years shouldn’t make turning things around too difficult. “There’s no doubt in my mind that we’ll be off that list by next year,” stated Cowell. “I don’t think

anything changed except for some reason we put the wrong data in. It’s a very frustrating thing to be on this list, when we don’t have to be.” Although the official results from the state about the reasons why we were on the list haven’t been made public, it’s clear that there is little students, parents, or teachers should be worried about.

Looking to the future, Cowell plans to help with the progress of the high school. Although Regents scores have been good for those students taking them, he hopes to encourage more students to take them. His main objective as interim executive principal,

however, is to see the number of dropouts decline. “We’d like to decrease the number of students who don’t get the four-year degree and opt for their GED, but for some, it’s their best option.”

To assist students who may have other priorities or jobs that they do during the day, the Board of Education has implemented “PM School,” a new program that allows a group of students to start school at 2:30 p.m. and get out at 5:30 p.m.. “It’s an alternative to suspending kids or having them drop out,” explained Cowell. “If they need to work, they can work during the day and go to school in the late afternoon.

For some students, this place is just too big for them, and with nearly 1700 students trying to get through the halls, it’s hard for some students to gain a proper education in that type of environment,” Cowell stated.

There’s no question that returning to superiority is going to be a challenge, but the expectations should always be this high. “I feel really good about how school has been going so far this year,” Cowell stated. “Students seem to be taking this seriously and I have all the confidence that we won’t be on the list next year or anytime in the near future.”

Cowell’s Return Well Received by Students, Faculty of OHS Being interim principal entails a lot more whoever the new interim or “permanent” principal Continued from page 1 graduation rates. Although the school has changed than most realize. Cowell says his duties basically will be. “It’s happening everywhere,” he said. greatly, and there are many problems facing the include keeping things going the way they have Cowell says the reason is that usually, it’s the first district at this time, Cowell says he is approaching been. “The difference between myself and other principal position that the people hired have held, interims is that I’ve been here before. I’m familiar with the exception of Mr. Pat Dolan, our last interim his short-term position as a challenge.

Any students in the school now, though, don’t with the building, and a lot of the faculty and staff.” principal who served at the beginning of the 2002recall having Cowell as principal before, since he’d Despite the changes, Cowell says he’s happy about 03 school year. “They may have been assistants, left before the year our current seniors were fresh- his return. “The atmosphere is very familiar. The but never principals,” said Cowell. “I was here for about thirteen years before, and before I men. So what’s he about? He came here, I had six years experience in grew up in Tennessee, in a town Sodus, which helps immensely.” Cowell just outside of Nashville. He was “We used to be ‘kings of the castle . . .but says it’s tough to hold your first princian athlete in his day, playing footnow people question power a lot more.” pal position in a school of 1700. He’s ball, basketball, and baseball, and --David Cowell familiar with that feeling, as Sodus had wrestling later on as well. After he left high school, he attended On the demands of being a high school principal about half the number of students. Also, being principal nowadays is a harder Middle Tennessee State majoring job than it used to be. Two generations in biology and chemistry. Folhave grown up with their own ideas on lowing that, he attended Syracuse authority, and being principal seems University to receive his masters in special education. He’s also tried his hand in the kids, in general, seem to have the same attitudes that to have less and less luster to it. “We used to be entertainment business, singing with the group “Up I remember; just wanting to do what they have to ‘kings of the castle’,” said Cowell of the school With People” and traveling the world. He wasn’t in do to get out of high school and move on to bigger principal position, “but now people question power choir in high school, though. “I regret that. I loved things. I’m very happy to be back; I enjoy it very a lot more.” much.”

Cowell says that he hopes whoever replaces to sing. I also regret not playing an instrument.”

Cowell also commented on a question that’s him after he leaves (possibly sometime next month) Because of his background, Cowell recognizes the importance and excellence of our music program on many of our minds at the moment: Why is it will stay for a number of years. I’m sure the stuhere at OHS. He says he plans to attend concerts OHS can’t keep a principal? It’s become routine dents and faculty concur with this, although while on the first day of school for us to be introduced to he is here people certainly seem to be enjoying Mr. and other music events as long as he’s here.

Columns

October 13, 2005

Mind-numbing Television Entitled Laguna

So, there I was, innocently wasting time between homework assignments by channel surfing for something more entertaining than the looped news on CNN, when I stumbled upon an episode of the famous Laguna Beach. I opened my ohso-fancy digital cable guide on the screen and realized that after this riveting episode was a show called My Super Sweet Sixteen. To give my mind a well-deserved break, I decided to set the remote down, JoBeth have a Coke, and temporarily become a part of the hype. Little did I know just what kind of break my mind was in for.

For a show with such a dedicated fan base, I was startled to notice that the characters (or are they real people?) have their names appear below them as they appear onscreen. Maybe this is because even the devoted MTV watcher finds it difficult to tell these people apart. But how what you classify this show as, anyway? Reality?

Scripted? A little of both? According to the claim that runs before the show is aired, “The people, locations and drama (dot dot dot) are real.”

Rumors are still flying that the show is completely bogus and has a weekly script. For the sake of America, I hope this is the case. But then, how could it be scripted? Who would write such a script? Here’s a quick sample to make my point: The scenario is that Kristin (blond bimbo main character) is out to a Valentine’s Day dinner with former beau, Steven (cast male “hottie”). While in conversation about where the two “stand,” Kristin puts her heart on the line and states poetically to Steven, “Every time I see you, I feel like…like it’s, uh, for…you know…whatever. You know what I’m trying to say?” Steven grins, passionately. He understands.

I understand. In a word, this is love. The semi-optimistic side of me prays that no one, not even the citizens of Laguna Beach, California, actually speak with the dialogue these ‘kids’ do.

As the show comes to a dramatic close with the sun setting over the sandy beaches, I find myself

thinking. Go figure, after that inspirational viewing experience, I’m thinking that I’m not sure I speak American English anymore. I understand very few words that have escaped from the mouths of these TV people. Whatever the plot is, something is making this show attractive, something that is obviously far beyond my level of thinking. This must be a show for the bilingual intellectuals of our generation. Sure, that’s what it is.

After a quick commercial break and another Coke (my mind was numb and needed a caffeine pick-me-up), it was time for round two, the sweet sixteen show, titled My Super Sweet Sixteen.

Alliteration, how cute.

I knew a little bit more about the premise of this show going into it, but I was still flustered

by Laguna Beach, so it was difficult for me to pay complete attention.

Thank goodness. The episode I was fortunate enough to catch was about a girl named Ava. Let me tell you about Ava. This is the girl who travels to Paris to go dress shopping for her shindig, and throws a complete fit when her mother won’t let her buy the red dress with the V-cut starting at the shoulders and ending at her bellybutton. This is the girl who decided she wanted guys who must be at least six years older than she is to carry her into her party. Her criteria for selecting these boys?

“They must be cute, sexy, and have good bodies.”

The girl is fifteen years old! On top of that, she decides she’s getting a car for her birthday, and not just any car, a Range Rover. She tells her sweet old father that she “will never settle for anything

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less than a Range Rover.” My mind continues to be baffled. If my parents bought me a Range Rover on my sixteenth birthday, it would have resulted in my family not eating for ten weeks.

Upon hearing Ava’s voice, I realized that she, too, had a California…accent (I guess that’s what you would call it). Obviously, I do not speak this language. Or…I, like, seriously have like no clue what these girls are talking about. Was that close?

So ended my hour-long journey through pop culture. What an eye-opener. But my mind wasn’t in total disgust yet. I figured, okay, they’re bad shows. I just won’t ever put myself through that again. What struck a nerve for me was that MTV then had the nerve to show concerts supporting Hurricane Katrina victims, coverage of the Live 8 concerts, and other ‘charitable’ foundations that they seem to be passionate about only while they’re on the air. Later, they forget all about their altruistic morals and have the guts to plant ethics like those of the people of Laguna Beach and the Sweet Sixteen girls into the heads of teenagers everywhere. Has MTV ever come into contact with a typical teenager of America today? Who on earth is relating to these shows enough to watch them in their normal time slots, and then some more as they show reruns every day throughout the afternoon?

Oh well, I guess as long as the people who are part of the cult following of these shows are happy, no one ever said they had to be, like totally smart.

Student Council President Represents You on School Board

As President of Student Council, I will be writing a monthly column to share my experiences with you, the students that I represent.

My first month as Council President has gone by so fast. I have gone to many School Board meetings Gabrielle which have been a great learning Rumrill experience about how the School

Board operates and works for the school. The school board members have devoted many hours of their time to help make our schools in Oswego the very best they can be.

They have welcomed me with open arms and have answered any of my questions I have had.

They have made my transition onto the board seem relatively painless. I am in the learning stages of representing the students on the board, but as your council representative I want to be available and open to voice any problems

or concerns you, the students and faculty, may want addressed by the Board.

I am also sitting on the committee to interview and select our new high school principal.

This is one of the most important processes that I can participate in for the students and the school as a whole. This process will help shape and guide our school for today and the future.

On a positive note, the Student Council organized a fund raising dance this month for Hurricane

Katrina victims. This event raised over $3,000. This type of effort and participation shows just how much our students care and want to help those in need when a tragdy strikes.

I would like to thank all those that help make this fund raising event a success and personally thank those who donated to this worthy cause. Thank you for your support and your willingness to help our school and your community.

I am looking forward for

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Editorial

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Drawing Board

What’s Your OpinDo you think that OHS has improved or become worse since you’ve been here?

J.R. Byron Senior

“OHS has gotten worse since I’ve been here; we’ve lost so much freedom.”

Bryan Kern Senior

“OHS has gotten worse because there’s so many people!”

Mrs. Rogers Teacher

“Worse, because the budget cuts are hurting the music program.”

Thomas Mays Senior

“Better. With a school this size you can know a lot of people and teachers know your name.”

Cartoon by Karen Bickler

Thumbs Up ... to interim executive Principal David Cowell. Oswego is facing hard times and finding few leaders. In our eyes, Mr. Cowell is doing things right! Communication among staff and students has increased, the lockouts and fire drills are out of the way before it snows, and there is a warm voice we all can hear on the PA system and in the halls. Thank you Mr. Cowell ... to more student parking spaces! As the population and number of drivers rises, so does the stress and number of tardy students. These twenty new spaces, added to the ten additional ones we got last year, help out a lot. ... to hurricane relief. “Pass the Hat Day” and the school dance raised $3060 for humanitarian aid of hurricane victims.

Way to go student council.

Erin Flood Senior

“Worse, the failed attempts of improvement have just hurt the school.”

Thumbs Down ... to the “critters” in OHS. Between open doors and lunches in class rooms, the building has become favorable habitat for bats, mice, and flies. These animals are not only a distraction, but they can cause some health problems. ... to crowded halls, crowded lunch periods, crowded classes – crowded everything. Oswego High School is not designed to hold more than 1,800 people (students and staff). It sometimes takes ten minutes to get from the English wing to the math corridor.

Caitlin Reynolds

... to the early-in-the-year troublemakers. From fights to drug deals to smoking in the bathroom – c’mon, this is OHS. A few students are ruining the reputation of the whole school.

“It’s better because I feel more comfortable in a school this size.”

... to the dress code. The students were told mini skirts, pants hanging at the knee, and spaghetti straps all don’t belong here. If the dress code is going to be enforced – then ENFORCE it.

Senior

... to those who enjoy e-mailing the entire school district with ridiculous messages. Creative students have discovered that they can ask all 1,800 people in OHS how they are doing. At once! Hopefully, by now, these people have had their accounts suspended.

Editorial

October 13, 2005

POINT

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Our New Motto: ‘Oswego, Where the Humiliation Never Ends’ Chris Battles

Oswegonians chuckle at insults about neighboring communities. Remember “Phulton,

City with a Phuture,” and “Hannibal Cannibals?”

In 2005, a plethora of punch lines are found within the Port City’s limits. You hear the one about the Mayor? The Police Chief? How about the Principal? – No, not that principal, the one we had before him, or was it the other one? Welcome to the Oswego – where the humiliation never ends.

This city is ripe with lazy pieces of nothing.

If you can’t achieve ridiculously high scores on standardized tests, you must have ADHD, bi-polar disorder, and every other special need; to the boarding school you will be sent, and “saved” by the wonderful educators that can’t be hired. The diseased are quarantined and forbidden from participating in the extracurriculars actually contribute to the quality of life.

Some of the top students of this year’s fresh-

men class did not qualify for honors classes because of standardized tests. A fair number were on high honor and the top twenty-five of their eighth grade class. Some parents were involved in their child’s life and asked questions or pulled the strings that got their child into the right classes.

Unfortunately, other students wake up and go to sleep every day without ever having contact with a guardian, the one who is responsible for this child’s well being. Something is not right here. We are now shipping kids away to other districts to get a quality education, but who cares.

Kids don’t worry about school. The only math they’ll have ever had to do is add dollars and figure how much pot they need to sell in order to buy a new sound system. Then they’ll be counting how many hours of community service they have left to serve. There is smoking in the bathrooms, drugs in school, and more. Plus, the number of student dress code violations overlooked daily is only rivaled by the number of dollars in the national debt.

Speaking of debt, the Oswego School District is in a financial tailspin (just in case you haven’t stopped by on planet earth in a while). In 1992 we were a “School of Excellence” – so the banner in the gymnasium so proudly displays. Fast forward to 2005. The Oswego School District is broke, in it’s own mini civil war, and put on the list of “schools in need of improvement.” No Christmas presents for the kids on the naughty schools list.

I offer a solution to the problem. We work as a community to rebuild this God-forsaken district.

Rise above adversity and plant the seeds of a great money tree from which Oswego will become a booming metropolis, the epicenter of Central New York’s economy . . . Just kidding.

Oswego County has grown a new arm pit and it smells like the dead fish that lie on our world-famous lake shore. Oswego is an embarrassment on any birth certificate, resume, or college application.

Cuts do not work, higher standards do not work.

Consistent, good leadership works.

Yes, We’re in Need of Improvement, but What School Isn’t?

Allan

COUNTERPOINT

Brown

It’s easy to think about the negative things in the Oswego City School District, but

there are just as many positive things to focus on.

A district with an award-winning music program and a rich athletic history clearly cement us as one of the best learning environments in Central New York. We have reigning Sectional Champions in boys’ golf, girls’ soccer, and boys’ hockey and we are perennial Sectional contenders in girls’ volleyball and boys’ swimming. Our music programs send individuals to All-County Band, Chorus, and Orchestra, and the marching band is known as the “Pride of Oswego.” In addition, we put on many concerts a year, ranging from Elementary Chorus to Chamber singers to Jazz Band and more.

Our engineering and technology department is a step above neighboring high schools, and is ranked in the top ten in the country according to District Administration Magazine. We have an excellent art department with several teachers that teach everything from jewelry making to drawing cartoons, and they won an international award for web design just two years ago. We also offer clubs and programs that no other district offers, like the Sailing Club and the Model Aircraft Club.

In the high school, we have new administration that has smoothly taken the reigns and has dealt with the loss of security positions from last

year. Trouble in the halls has been reduced significantly over the past four years, and will probably continue to decline in years to come. The high school has undergone several renovations over the past few years ranging from a new gym floor to new hallway lockers. The middle school and its athletic facilities have been under renovations, and have become one of the nicest middle school fields in the area. Although we have lost several clubs this year due to the budget cuts, the administration and staff dealt with the budget cuts as best they could. Some teachers are so committed to our education, and extra curriculars that they continue to advise clubs that are not funded by the school. This means they get no extra stipend for after-school, evening, and weekend meetings and activities.

Recently, we were rated as one of the schools in need of improvement in Central New York. The administration is, of course, partly to blame for the rating, but how can we blame it all on them? Is it the administration’s fault that parents can’t keep control of their children? Can’t the parents make sure their children don’t think it’s OK to go into school with a weapon or drugs, or come into school and fight with another student? Parents are up in arms about our school’s rating, but they need to look closer to home.

Parents also need to take some of these things into perspective. We’ve never had a shooting;

we’ve never had a stabbing; nobody has ever died in our school, and for the most part, we have pretty good control over what happens inside our buildings. If they don’t like how we run our schools, move your family to a school in the inner-city and see how they are run. Our schools are much safer than any “city” school, one can be sure of that.

Last year, when we were in the middle of the budget crisis (not to mention getting a new superintendent), we did our best to save the programs that would help us in our education, and we did a great job with that. Yes, we lost several clubs, a few sports teams, and a few music and art programs, but all of our core education classes are still in tact.

Things are becoming more and more expensive these days, and without a large tax hike, we couldn’t have saved all of these clubs and programs, which probably wouldn’t have been an acceptable option to most people in Oswego. Our taxes are still lower than many cities in Central New York, which probably helps draw people to our city. If you want to bring back all of these programs, go to the next board meeting and tell them. The meetings are public for a reason, so students and parents alike can go and have their voices heard. If you have problems about anything in the school district, stop complaining on the local “hate websites”and do something productive about it.

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Walking The Plank

Buccaneer Bul-

Getting to Know Mr. John C. Anderson V, School Editor’s Note: Each issue, we ask a notable OHS personality to “Walk the Plank” in a question-andanswer format. This month, Chris Battles sat down with recognizable face Mr. John C. Anderson V, our School Security officer.

BB: What is your full name?

JA: John C. Anderson V BB: When were you born?

JA: It was some time ago, as I recall.

BB: Where is your home town?

JA: Oswego BB: Where did you grow up and go to school?

JA: I grew up in Oswego, attended Riley Elementary, the Oswego Middle School, and graduated from Bishop Cunningham High School.

BB: How about your post-secondary education? When and where?

JA: Cayuga Community College 1981 and Municipal Police Training Council 1989 BB: How did you end up here, at OHS? JA: I came to the Oswego High School after having worked nearly twelve years for the NYS Department of Corrections. I was looking to change careers and this was a perfect opportunity for me.

BB: What do you do here at the high school?

What is you designated position or job title?

JA: What I do here as Head of Security is assist the administration with discipline issues and emergency planning, oversee the staff of hall monitors, along with many other duties.

My role here has expanded greatly since my arrival, and I enjoy helping the students of OHS in any way that I can.

BB: How do you feel about the overall atmosphere of OHS? JA: I feel a much more positive atmosphere this year, but recognize we still have a

way to go. Our goal is to build on this positive start by taking steps to identify and correct the causes of some of that negativity. We welcome any suggestions the students and staff have in making OHS a more positive experience for all.

BB: What do you recommend students do besides fight?

JA: I encourage students to take advantage of our conflict mediation process here at OHS as an alternative to handling situations themselves.

We have an excellent track record of mediating disputes and these interventions have prevented many altercations in the past.

BB: Can you help students?

JA: I can help students, but I need their help to do so. By that I mean that we all need to realize that the Oswego High School is our home for seven hours everyday, and the more we do to treat it as such, the better. Let me know if something needs attention. Don’t be afraid to tell us about an unsafe situation, or if you know of another student who needs our help. Together we can turn the tide of negativity around, and make our school a safer place.

BB: How do you work with Officer Chamberlain and the Police Dept?

JA: I work with the Oswego Police Department and, in particular, Officer Chamberlain, our School Resource Officer, in a cooperative effort to make our schools a safer place. We share as much information as possible in identifying potential problems before they arise.

BB: What else do you to get involved with the student life in OHS? JA: I involve myself in student life by being out in the halls and available to students as much as possible. I attend after-school events and try to get to know as many of you as possible.

BB: What were you like in high school?

JA: What was I like in high school…. the truth or not the truth, that is the question. In all

seriousness though I was a fairly decent student, played as many sports as possible, and I look back on my high school years with fond memories… at least what I can remember.

BB: How do you think teenagers have changed since you were in our shoes?

JA: I don’t necessarily think teenagers have changed all that much, but their lives have.

There are more pressures today than when I was a teenager. Issues that didn’t even exist then, are a concern now. Peer issues are greater and the demands on your time seem to be at a fever pitch. I know it seems like we adults don’t understand, but we’re trying.

BB: In you leisure time, you’re Commodore of the Oswego Yacht Club – how did you get there/ what do you do?

JA: After serving for several years on the Oswego Yacht Club’s executive board I was elected Commodore about two years ago. I preside over club meetings and participate in planning club events, but mostly I just sail and race.

BB: What do you enjoy most about your life and what do you look forward to everyday?

JA: What I enjoy most and look forward to everyday is just getting up seeing my family and coming to work. I’ve been in situations where work isn’t something to look forward to, but I can honestly say that most days I really look forward to coming to work at OHS. BB: Who is your role model?

JA: I would definitely say my role models have been my parents. They taught me good values and how to treat other people with respect.

BB: What is your most liked sport?

JA: Football. Go SU!!!!

Photographs and interview by Chris Battles. “Walking the Plank” is a regular feature of The Buccaneer Bulletin. If you have an idea for someone you’d like to see walk the plank, either student or staff member, contact faculty advisers Mr. McCrobie (mmccrobi@oswego.org) or Mr. Reeser (rreeser@oswego. org).

Sports

October 13, 2005

Halftime Report

Buc Athletes Reach Midseason Form Mike Tyo Sportswriter less.

Football The varsity football team has started off win-

In the Bucs first game of the season, they lost a defensive struggle 2-0 to Watertown in the final two minutes of the game. They were pinned up against their own end zone and punter Zach Eason’s kick was blocked and went out of the back of the end zone, resulting in a safety for Watertown, the lone score in the game. Their other four games to begin the season were a 38-0 loss to ESM, 46-0 defeat to Henninger, a 67-0 shellacking given by FM and a 37-0 setback to Proctor.

Junior running backs Charles Kangah and Ricky Prichard are the two starters behind quarterbacks Steve Richmond and Jeremy Linn. Seniors Chris Jock and Justin Pryor are the two top wide outs.

Senior Mike Howard is the team’s starting fullback.

Senior Casey Collins anchors both the offensive and defensive units.

Even with the teams’ disappointing start Mike Howard is still very optimistic about the squad. “This season is a rebuilding year; we’re trying to get the team back on its feet. We’ve gotten a lot of people interested in the program, which is pretty good; the team’s just got to build off of their experiences this year.”

Howard also commented that returning coach Irwin Dewey has done a lot of things to get the program back on its feet. “He’s put in a new offense and brought new kids into the program,” Howard said.

Boys’ Soccer Coach Ron Ahart recorded his 150th win as the head coach for the varsity boys’ soccer team in a victory over Fowler earlier this year.

The Bucs started the season 0-2, losing to Watertown IHC 2-0 and FM 2-1. They followed up those losses with a 3-0 win versus Potsdam advancing to the championship of the Buc Booster / Mr. “B” Tournament where they lost 4-2 to Red Creek. After the team’s 1-3 start, they flipped that around and went 3-1 after that with a 4-1 win over rival Central Square, a 2-0 loss to Rome Free Academy, and two 4-0 shutout victories against Corcoran and Fowler.

The team graduated 13 seniors last year, one of whom was Rob Ahart, who was awarded All League and All Central New York honors. This season the Bucs have some top players as well. Team co-captain Owen Burns, a potential Division 1 college player, through the early part of the season has registered seven goals and four assists. Bob Mandanas is second on the team in scoring, with Jeremy Thompson and Spencer Raby right behind.

On the other side of the ball, captain Steve Fox and junior Chet Mazur have played key roles on defense. They’ve contributed, along with goalie Eric Stein, to three shutouts. Stein has well over 100 saves so far this season.

Mike Sellars, Joe Bucher and Pat Dougherty

are three key newcomers to the team.

Last year’s Bucs improved as the season went on. Hopefully this year’s team follows the same mold.

Girls’ Soccer “We have lost some tough games to quality opponents and are improving with every practice,” coach Brian Greene commented on the girls’ varsity soccer team. Last season, the team won sectionals, losing to Shenendehowa in states.

The returning seniors to the team are Brooke Sherman, Courtney Hocking, Bri Ranous and Caitlin Pike.

Along with the solid group of seniors, the team also returned juniors Erin Baker and Abby Dixon. According to Greene, sophomores Jess Mazur, Shelby Persons, Mandy Ranous and freshman Cari Reed have contributed.

Boys’ Golf The Oswego boys’ varsity golf team currently is off to a solid start, though not undefeated like last year.

Coach Tom Doran notes that the team lost several key players (Stoie Donovan who received a full ride to North Carolina State and Mike McCarthy) due to graduation, so the team is showcasing a lot of new faces this season. “We have been competitive in each match so far, but have lacked the depth to be as successful as in the past,” Doran commented.

“Sophomore Chris Sova and senior Tom Pappa have been our most consistent performers,” Doran said. “Andy Lloyd, Jon Mears, and Josh Gordon have all had good outings, and I hope to see them become more consistent.

“Mike Smith, Corey Schuffenecker, Zach Fayette, Mike Mooney, Sean Jaquin, Casey Donovan, and Greg Dorval are all working hard on their games and should help the team before season’s end.”

Boys’ Cross Country Senior Jake McAndrew (currently the second rated runner in New York) is the leader of the boys’ varsity cross country team.

There are five juniors on the squad who have run three seasons. They include Matt Slight, Joe Fear, Matthew Velzy, Steve Nelson, and Paul Ruggio. Travis Lamson is the last of the juniors; he’s a new comer to the team. Along with the six juniors, there are foursophomores consisting off Chris Wallace, Bruce Kesselring, Steve Abramski and Ryan Blauvelt. They are joined by four freshman runners--Brandon Auyer, Continued on Page 8

Page 7

Buc Sports Flashback Five Years Ago March 2000

The swim program was trying to raise money to update the timing system at the OHS pool.

Due to the current system being broken, parents were forced to stand at the different ends of the pool with stopwatches to time the swimmers, compromising the accuracy of the competitors’ times. The new timing system was proposed to cost the school district $16,000.

Ten Years Ago March 1995

The girls’ lacrosse team had a varsity squad for the first time. The team, which had been JV for two years, joined the OHSL North Division, competing with teams like Baldwinsville and Fayetteville-Manlius. First-year coach Mark Fierro was aware of the difficult jump the Bucs would have to make to compete in the league, but was very hopeful, as more girls play lacrosse than any other sport in the high school (in just two year’s time). The Lady Bucs were led by senior middie Jen Boyea.

Fifteen Years Ago March 1990

The girls’ volleyball team won sectionals for the first time in school history. Retiring Coach Helen Kessler capped off her coaching career with a Sectional title and her 200th victory. To reach sectionals, the Lady Bucs had an amazing comeback victory over Liverpool in the semifinal round, in which they came back from a 2-0 deficit to beat Liverpool 3-2 in the best-of-five series. The girls then handled the Whitesboro team easily to win the title. The team went 27-3 during the season, and was led by seniors Tricia Pritchard, Rachael Johnson, Mary Nettles, Teresa Fontana, and Aimee Cambell.

Twenty-Five Years Ago March 1980

The Oswego Hockey team became the Central New York champions for the first time in school history after going 10-3-1 during the season. The Bucs lost a heartbreaker in the state finals to Rome after they were hit with five unexpected injuries down the stretch. The outstanding season was due to many factors, from the coaching of Pete Sears to the top goaltending team in the state of Steve Bullard and Scott Earl, and the leadership of captain Mike Johnson. Defensive captain Carl Gdovka led the hard-hitting defense, and John Darling scored a hat trick in his first game.

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Sports

Page 8

Powderpuff Football Reaches 25th Anniversary JoBeth Dunsmoor Reporter There are many Oswego High School traditions such as homecoming, prom, and the senior class trip, but there are few customs that generate more excitement at OHS than Powderpuff Football. This year marks the 25th anniversary of Powderpuff Football at our school.

The ritual consists of a team of junior girls banding together to play a team of more experienced senior girls in a game of flag football, while the boys stand on the sidelines to coach and cheer.

Another part of the custom seems to be the senior girls dominating the competition. This is usually a truth, but in the past there have been discrepancies in this theory. The junior class has actually won the game twice, and one of the first twenty-four games ended in a tie. One game still remains a dispute.

Due to a malfunctioning scoreboard and game clock, the game was being timed by a watch on the sidelines. Meg Runeari of the class of ’03 caught the ball in the endzone for a touchdown just as time ended, but the call was made that the touchdown was no good. The senior team still clashes with officials over the real outcome of this game.

The idea of Powderpuff was brought to OHS by Beth Workmaster of the Class of ’82. She was given the idea from a friend who lived in Massachusetts. She brought the idea to a student council meeting and the suggestion was approved by senior class adviser Mr. Bill Runeari.

The first two Powderpuff games

Photo courtesy of 1988 Paradox

The class of ‘88 Powderpuff cheerleaders act crazy as the game goes on in the background.

that Oswego held were touch football, and the score ended the same for each of them: 6-0, seniors. Runeari, who’s been in charge since game number one of OHS Powderpuff in 1982, said that those games became boring to spectators, so they changed the game to flag football following the first two.

Initially, the teams were coached by adults, but then the idea was raised to have members of the varsity football team coach their female counterparts.

About eight years later, the teams also began wearing jerseys provided by the varsity team.

Today, Powderpuff members pay for long-sleeved shirts with nicknames

on the back to wear as jerseys on game day and to have as mementos of Powderpuff long after the final whistle sounds.

Throughout its two-and-a-half decade history, Powderpuff has had many highlights. Mary Kay Bateman of the Class of ‘95 holds the all-time leading scoring record, scoring ten touchdowns and sixty points over her two years playing. Meg Runeari of the Class of ’03 is in second place with fifty points over two years, and she was also the first player to kick a field goal.

The class of ’03 also holds the all-time scoring record with a winning score of 60 points. The first touchdown ever

scored was by Marianne Besch (Class of ??) in a 6-0 victory by the seniors.

Runeari recalled fondly the best “trick play” ever made in a Powderpuff game. Before the snap of the ball, quarterback Monica Gladziszewski began a tumble run, parallel to the line of scrimmage on the left. Meanwhile, the center snapped the ball to halfback Katie Mahon (Class of ’96), and while the other team was distracted by Gladziszewski, Mahon ran right and remained untouched for the touchdown.

Almost every junior class to come through Powderpuff is convinced that the game is “fixed” in favor of the seniors, that is until they line up to play. Runeari insists that this is completely untrue. Even when the game was officiated by out-of-town referees, the seniors still conquered the game the majority of the time.

The most memorable myth in Powderpuff history remains a mystery to this day--more than twenty years after the incident. In the 1983 game, speedster Teresa Cavallaro was on her way to a winning touchdown, when she pulled a hamstring and went down immediately. Spectators still suspect it was the work of a junior class sniper, “because no one was within 15 yards of her when she collapsed,” Runeari said.

The tradition of Powderpuff continues this year with the 25th game, which will be held this Sunday, October 16, at 6:00 p.m. at Joe Wilber Field. This not only marks the silver anniversary game, but the final Powderpuff contest for Runeari, who plans to retire in June.

Fall Sports Teams Hope to Make Strong Push for the Post-Season Continued from page 7 big, back-to-back meets--the Rochester McQuaid Invitational and the Manhattan Invitational in New York City.

Girls’ Cross Country The girls’ varsity cross country team opened the season 1-1, defeating Corcoran and losing to state-ranked West Genesee.

“We have a fine blend of returning and new runners who are working very well as a group to help each other improve their skills,” long-time coach Jim McCaul said.

The team returns five seniors from last year’s team. Amber Bishop, Nikki Perrine, Meg Perry, Cindy Sideris, and Rebecca Tetro should prove to make this season a successful one.

Sophomore Waruguru Gichane leads a strong group of returnees including juniors Audra Gehan and Danielle Broeker, and sophomores Rebecca

Delaney and Emily Christ.

Newcomers to the team this year include track standouts Emily Monette, a junior, and Monique Reeser, a sophomore, senior Erica Ehrhardt; sophomores Kelsey Porter, Morganne Atutis, Lauren Demarco, and Emily McLaughlin; and freshman Jessica Nearbin, and Shandelle Tetro.

Girls’ Swimming The Oswego girls’ varsity swim team has improved since last year’s disappointing season.

Headed by new coach Josh Lerch, the Bucs are off to a promising start. Senior Brooke Sterio believes the team is headed in right direction.

“We’ve been doing a lot better than past years,” she stated. The squad has some quality wins under its belt such as Fulton and Nottingham.

Some key players for the Bucs this season are Hillary Callen, Karmen Gonzalez, Laura Shaddack, Dana Shannon, Brooke Sterio, Kat Harran, and

Katey Metcalf. Metcalf has already qualified for sectionals in the 100 meter backstroke and is close to qualifying in the 50 meter free as well.

Girls’ Tennis The girls’ varsity tennis squad features only one senior, Tess Korbesmeyer, on the squad this year. The young team is improving and hopes to finish the year strong.

The squad consists of four doubles teams listed in order of rank: Gabrielle Rumrill and Lindsay Usherwood; Amy Stone and Elizabeth Alnutt; Corey Gill and Alyssa Holland; and Alexandra Waterbury and Tess Korbesmeyer.

Jessica LaLonde, Corrin Conroy, and Rachel Knight are the three top singles players for the Bucs and coach Bill Fatiga.