Record-Review Graduation 2013

Graduation A SPECIAL SECTION OF THE RECORD-REVIEW • JUNE 28, 2013

Class of 2013 John Jay graduate Ben Jadow PHOTO BY SCOTT MULLIN

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Good luck to the Rippowam Cisqua School

Class of 2013 as they continue their journey

Congratulations to this year’s ninth graders. The following is a list of schools that our graduating ninth graders and departing eighth graders will be attending in the fall: Berkshire School (4) Choate Rosemary Hall (3) Convent of the Sacred Heart (2) Deerfield Academy Fox Lane High School (3) Greens Farms Academy Greenwich Academy

Hackley School (2) Harvey School (2) Hotchkiss School Iona Prep (2) John Jay High School (2) Mahopac High School Masters School (5)

Millbrook School Miss Porter’s School Pleasantville High School Pomfret School Proctor Academy Rye Country Day School St. George’s School (2)

St. Luke’s School St. Mark’s School Salisbury School Somers High School (2) Taft School Westminster School

Congratulations, as well, to the members of the Rippowam Cisqua School Class of 2010 who are preparing to head off to college in the fall. The following is a list of colleges and universities at which more than one student, in the past four years, has matriculated: Bates College Boston College Boston University Brown University Bucknell University College of Charleston College of William and Mary Columbia University Connecticut College Cornell University

Dartmouth College Duke University George Washington University Georgetown University Hamilton College Harvard University Hobart and William Smith Johns Hopkins University Lehigh University Middlebury College

New York University Oberlin College Princeton University Stanford University Trinity College Tufts University Tulane University Union College University of Chicago University of Colorado/Boulder

University of Michigan University of Pennsylvania University of St. Andrews in Scotland University of Vermont University of Virginia University of Wisconsin/Madison Wake Forest University Wesleyan University Yale University

Rippowam Cisqua School Lower Campus (Grades PreK-4): 325 West Patent Road, Mount Kisco, NY 10549 Upper Campus (Grades 5-9): 439 Cantitoe Street, Bedford, NY 10506 www.rcsny.org

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June 28, 2013 — Page 3a

Fox Lane High School

class oF 2013

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Caramoor was filled at Fox Lane graduation.

‘A class to remember’

By NATALIA BAAGE-LORD

T

he 2012-2013 graduating class of Fox Lane High School has a special place in principal Joel Adelberg’s heart. Arriving in September 2009, he began his career at the high school with the students, and now, after four years, the class is leaving the school district.

Wednesday, June 19 commemorated the graduation of 335 seniors. They sat in front of a cheering audience, celebrating their final day as members of the Bedford Central School District.

“You are my first full four-year class at our school,” said Dr. Adelberg. “We were freshman together, and when it was my job as a principal to make you feel comfortable and find your way in that big high school, I didn’t have a clue where things were… we found the answers together.”

The graduating class was, indeed, one to remember. They made history at Fox Lane by having the most students to at least take one advanced placement course. Seventy percent of the students took part in the wide array of club offerings, while 63 percent participated in the athletic programs. Nineteen students were recognized as AP scholars, seven as AP scholars with honors, and 97 were inducted into the National Honor Society. Twelve were National Merit Scholarship Commended stu-

“ MY advice is to not shY awaY FroM the hard daYs — eMBrace theM. r eap the rewards oF what You’ve learned and BecoMe wiser.”

PRINCIPAL JOEL ADELBERG dents, while two were a National Merit Scholarship finalist and winner.

During the ceremony, as the sun began to set and the sky turned bright orange, parents held presents in festive gift bags, smiling giddily as they waved to their child. Some families tried to pick out their graduate in a sea of red and white caps and gowns seated in the center of the crowd.

While most students spent the past four years together, senior Danny Heifetz, master of ceremonies, said that graduation snuck up on them. He noted that he and his peers were shocked that they were about to become Fox Lane alumni. He said that throughout high school, they learned many facts — some helpful, some useless.

“If there was one thing I learned in high school that trumped everything else, that lesson was the difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is knowing that tomato is a fruit, but wisdom is not putting tomatoes in a fruit salad. All the knowledge in the world is useless if you don’t understand how to properly apply it.”

As students continue on after Fox Lane, Dr. Adelberg asked them to not rely on what they know, but to dive into new adventures and continuously strive to learn more.

“We have many issues that continue to challenge us today, as a nation and around the world,” he said. “We will be relying on the promise of your leadership as a generation of new perspectives and original ideas… Our world needs you to engage and challenge those you meet in whatever you decide to do.”

Throughout the ceremony, the audience laughed at the speakers’ jokes, yelled applause for retiring teachers, and smiled as well-known memories were recalled. Parents hunched over their digital cameras after snapping several pictures, making sure that they were in focus.

The class of 2013 considered assistant principal Robin Schamberg to be “graduating” as well, as she is retiring after 10 years at Fox Lane. The crowd gave her a standing ovation as they honored her decade of service.

Dr. Adelberg said that Ms. Schamberg has been an important part of the high school experience, and was involved in a variety of

events that bettered student education. He noted that she is dedicated, intelligent, compassionate, courageous and supportive. She will be remembered for her love and spirit with students. She will be sorely missed by all, he said.

In Ms. Schamberg’s address to the seniors, she recalled her last semester at the University of Connecticut in January 1973 when she was about to begin teaching eight grade social studies. Her cooperating teacher owned a pet raccoon named Rocky, and, one day, as Ms. Schamberg was teaching, he let the raccoon loose in class. Rocky proceeded to climb up Ms. Schamberg and swat at her glasses.

But Ms. Schamberg did not budge; she did not stop teaching her class. After the unusual lesson, her cooperating teacher said to her: “If you can teach with a raccoon on your head, you can teach!”

Ms. Schamberg noted that the Fox Lane graduates should learn a few lessons from her story. She told them to be prepared for anything, learn from bizarre experiences, and to remain open to all mentors.

“No matter where you go, there will be difficult days where you’ll feel like you might as well have a raccoon on your head,” she said.

“The important thing to remember is that those days are often few in the big picture of life, and that you all have the core strength to get through them… My advice is to not shy away from the hard days — embrace them.

Reap the rewards of what you’ve learned and become wiser.” 

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Fox Lane VAledictorian Speech

Fixated on the future, caught in the past

By STEVEN ROBARE

G

ood evening and congratulations to the class of 2013.

I’d like to thank the administration and the Board of Education. I’d also like to thank the Fox Lane faculty and staff, especially all my teachers from years past. Special thanks to our passionate, tireless class advisor Mrs. Hoferichter for an incredible senior year. Most of all, thank you to my friends and family. Thank you Adam for always being by my side — for listening, dealing with my antics, and working with me through it all. And thank you Mom, Dad, Kevin, and all my family for your support, care, and guidance. Thank you for my industry, perspective, and humility.

As only a few of you would know, I’m a very inconsistent person. I get discouraged very easily, and I get exceedingly hopeful at the slightest good news. On a Monday heading into one of those long January weeks — when I sit through classes for nine periods, die for two hours on the wrestling mat, then go home in the dark to hours more of homework — I just don’t want to be there. I yearn for the Christmas break that’s already past — for its idyllic carelessness and for the warm company of family — and I count the days till I can be back on the mountain, under bluebird skies and among snow-coated evergreens.

Yet as Thursday and Friday roll around, I see the light. It’s like that last 150 meters on the track that come only after dreading and dying those 1,450 meters. Rounding that last curve, I can see the finish line, so I give it everything I have left. I kick it in. Just the thought that the week is ending and that I can soon escape the grind — maybe just go out for dinner with family or hang out at a friend’s house for a few hours — gets me happy, hopeful, and motivated.

As I said, I’m inconsistent.

Similarly, facing huge papers or college applications is daunting. It’s depressing. I feel like I’m throwing myself into a dark crevasse full of bottomless pits and Boney M, not knowing if or when I’ll get out. And I know that once that project is done, I have another waiting.

Even take senior year as a whole. My motivation to work — to complete those college apps and study for AP’s — came mainly from the fact that it was the end — that I could see the light.

I’m inconsistent.

I’m not a machine. I don’t just churn out Apluses, efficiently managing time and consistently allocating optimal effort to tasks. Rather, I ride waves of hope and fall frequently into the troughs of discouragement. Though I get by, the question for me has always been: Can I do this better?

Is there something I’m missing?

Why am I vulnerable to such an annoying, imperfect mentality?

That’s really what it comes down to — mentality. My mentality drives my will to work. But my mentality also degrades.

I always credit my good work ethic for my success, and I absolutely do not rescind that.

However, my mentality undoubtedly and directly influences my work ethic. So if I were just happier, more confident, more satisfied, more optimistic, and thus more driven, I could be so much better. I could save myself the wear and tear of constantly being tossed by waves of emotion.

Therefore, the question of “How can I better my mentality?” turns into “How can I find happiness in day-to-day life?

For me, I’ve found this means changing my focus. I too often dwell in the past — regretting decisions and considering what could have happened — and I live too much for the future — planning, worrying, and wishing.

Simply, my flaw (and a flaw of many of us) is

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Valedictorian Steven Robare

that I am fixated on the future and caught up in the past.

Yet why does it have to be this way? At least for myself, I have years ahead of me before I can say if it does indeed have to be this way — if it is not an immutable, essential part of my self and of the human experience. But really: Can we change this? How? Over the past year, I’ve been trying earnestly to live in the moment. It doesn’t make sense to dread the week — to get down and discouraged and yearn for the weekend — before the week has even started! Each day is a new one. It’s yours to make and yours to look forward to. And I find that if you just pause and make a conscious effort to revise your mentality, there is often something to look forward to. Especially the small things, like seeing a friend you haven’t seen since last Friday, experiencing elephant toothpaste or pro-

jectile launchers in lab, or having a nice chest and tri workout after a long weekend sitting on the couch.

It’s really a positive-feedback loop; if you have a poor mindset going into anything, the negativity will inevitably bring you down. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. If before you even go to a party or dinner you’re saying “it’s gonna be no fun,” you’re already making it no fun!

However, if you go in to anything with an open mind, a dose of optimism, and a smile on your face, you will have the power, the energy, the drive to indeed make it a good day.

You can help set yourself up for success.

Why not be better? Why not try? One of the things that has most annoyed, upset, and depressed me — one of the things that has most held me back — has been my mentality.

I’m not asking — of me or anyone else — perfection or a complete overhaul of your nature. Honestly, it’s been difficult for me, and I’m horrible at following my own advice. But when you feel yourself cresting that wave, getting way too hopeful off the slightest good news, and knowing you’re setting yourself up to crash, take a step back. And whenever you’re feeling discouraged, overwhelmed, or daunted, remember to take a breath and live in the moment.

This is all I ask. This is all I have to say. In concluding a passage entitled “Perfect Happiness is Doing Nothing,” the Chinese philosopher Chuang Tzu writes: “The Real Person of the Tao uses their mind like a mirror.

It grasps nothing and anticipates nothing.

It reflects what is before it, but doesn’t retain it.

Thus the Real Person deals successfully with all things, without effort.”

Thank you. 

Principal’s speech

What really defines the class of 2013 Dr. JOEL ADELBERG

C

ongratulations class of 2013. As a principal, as your principal, I want you to know how proud I am of each and every one of you and the pride I take every single day in leading Fox Lane High School. The class of 2013 has demonstrated excellence, leadership and community over these last four years.

A principal stands before every graduating class and shares their successes and expresses his pride in their accomplishments. The class of 2013 is a class that will always hold a special place in my heart, as you are my first, full four year class.

You and I were Fox Lane freshmen together.

I remember meeting and greeting you, hoping that I could make you feel safe and excited about entering the big high school, while I was still learning my way around the building myself. You stopped to ask what period it was, and I admit that there were times when I didn’t have a clue and we found the answers together. Some of you challenged me regarding policies that I

hadn’t yet read, and as you were memorizing the names of your teachers, as I was still learning about my new colleagues. So, everything you experienced at Fox Lane, as a class, I was privileged to be able to experience, in many ways through your eyes, with you together. And for that, I will always be grateful.

You’re an exceptional class. Here are some statistics. Just Monday night, 111 of you shared your ASPIRE internship experiences, one of our largest groups to participate in this special program. More of you are graduating Fox Lane High School having had an opportunity to take at least one Advanced Placement course, more than any class in our school’s history. Among you are 19 recognized AP Scholars, 7 AP Scholars with Honors, and 33 AP Scholars with Distinction. 25 of you were inducted into the National Art Honor Society. 97 of you were inducted into the National Honor Society. A dozen of you were named National Merit Scholarship Commended Students, with one of you named National Merit Scholarship Finalist, and one of you winning a National Merit Scholarship. 43 of you qualified for the American Mathematics Competition, a nationally com-

petitive mathematics exam. And 13 seniors sat for the National Latin Exam.

Close to 65 percent of you participated in our competitive athletic program over the course of your high school years. Here’s what really defines us. Our varsity baseball team made it to the section I finals at Boulder Stadium in Rockland County this spring. In a crushing defeat, after being ahead for most of the game, we ultimately lost. Even after experiencing what will be remembered as one of the lowest moments in their high school athletic careers, the team actually displayed you dominated this year’s Lip Sync.

And, you’re leaders. More of you applied to become Peer Power mentors for incoming freshmen than any other group. After we experienced the loss of a beloved staff member, it was your class that stepped up and established a scholarship to raise funds so that what she stood for, the memories we’ll cherish and that made us a better, warmer, more accepting community, will live on. You are the class that came forward after Super Storm Sandy to take care of each other here at home, and traveled together on weekends and holidays to help

rebuild homes and communities on Staten Island and the Rockaways. After the massacre in Newtown in December, you rallied as a school, you came together in advisories, and you helped us find a way to make sense of the horror and participated in our conversations about how to change school practices and procedures to keep us safe as a school community. Wellness Day, pep rallies, theater productions, you name it and you did it. This is who you are, this is who I’ve gotten to know, and this is why we’re all so proud of you for all you’ve given and all you’ve demonstrated over these last four years.

When a class prepares to leave high school, the principal hopes to offer a message that might resonate for each graduate on some level, and more importantly to deliver a message that he hopes the class will remember at least an hour after he’s delivered it. I do have a message I want to share with you today, though it is as much about who I believe we are and have been together as a class and therefore what I hope you’ll take with you in whatever direction you choose for yourselves as each of you enter the Continued on page 6A

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Fox Lane Senior Speaker

From a tragic life to a magic one

By KEVIN TEJADA

G

ood evening members of the board of education, Dr. Hochman, Dr. Adelberg, administrators, teachers, parents, family and fellow classmates.

I would like to thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight.

I amknown by many as the kid who is always smiling. That is usually true. I amsmiling right now. There was a day when I could not smile. Six months ago, on New Year’s Eve, my only family relative in this country told me to leave her house. On that day I became homeless and I did not smile…I cried.

The next day I wiped away those tears and began, not only a new day, but a new year.

My grandmother, who raised me, would say, “al mal tiempo Buena cara” … “when everything goes wrong…you should keep on smiling.” Being alone on the street I had no time to be sad because that would solve nothing.

The first person I went to for support was Mrs. Boccia, ever since I walked into her classroom for ESL level one five years ago, she has been one of my biggest supporters.

She has always had faith on me even when others didn’t and I will forever be grateful for that. Because of her I came into contact with Neighbor’s Link. Neighbors Link was there to help me find a place to stay until I left for college. I found something more than that…

I found a family…

Everything happens for a reason. I amnot

an immigrant. I am an American and a Fox Laner. Although I was raised in Guatemala and came here as a non-english speaking freshman at Fox Lane, I was born in Mount Kisco and sent to live with my grandmother in Guatemala when I was less than a -yearold. I lived there until she passed. That brought me back here to live.

Yes, my blood family turned away because Fox Lane had helped me understand that just “getting along” was not enough and having an education was my highest priority. Perhaps being rejected by my blood family was not so tragic. Because of it I met two remarkable role models, Kim and Michelle. These two women took me in, supported me and believed in my future. They also made me part of their family. There is no greater gift.

Others have helped me… Fox Lane, Latino U and the Bedford Presbyterian Church and others…There are too many to mention, but a few include Mrs. Boccia, Mrs. Abt, Mrs. Belanger, Mr. Mathews, Mrs. LaCour, Ms. Colen, Mrs. Dunne and Shirley Acevedo. These people and my many other friends make up the vertebrae of my backbone. Do yourselves a favor and choose to walk with those who believe in you and who you believe in.

We all know the story of Tinkerbell and how she needed others to believe in her so she could live and fly. Sometimes I feel like her, feeling like I would not be here except for those at Fox Lane and other places who pushed me and believed in me.

I think…and I hope that I amright… that being a success is not just achieving your

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Student Speaker Kevin Tejada

“You can, with the right help and the right attitude, achieve whatever your heart desires.”

WARMEST CONGRATULATIONS TO THE

CLASS

OF

Bedford/Pound Ridge Brokerage 914.234.9099 914.764.5762

2013

Katonah Brokerage 914.232.5007

dream. It is also being willing to reach down when you have achieved success and help those who are on the journey.

For me, having others who see something special in you is one of the greatest things in life. No matter how many “no’s” you hear, you can — with the right help and the right attitude, achieve whatever your heart desires.

All of us face challenges..I certainly have.

But no one will ever want what you dream of more than you. That makes it your job.

Be willing to take responsibility. Be willing to learn from the challenges you face, and maintain an attitude filled with the positive and perseverance.

I’ve done what we are all capable of doing. I take the tragic and turn into magic. Take the good with the bad and anything that’s just plain negativity, you just let it roll off you.

Don’t carry around negativity, life’s too short.

Fox Lane has taught me that I am the only one who can dictate what I want for my future. Fox Lane has been a journey of discovery. Fox Lane has been both ups and downs.

And the friends I have made I will hold in my heart for a lifetime. I feel like I can go anywhere and do anything. Anything.

My journey is my own. You will have your own, as well.

Should you ever feel like the journey is to steep or too long simply do what I have learned to do…

Place your hand over your heart ... Feel that?

That is called purpose.

We are all here for a reason … Find yours. 

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Fox Lane High School

class oF 2013

Jessica E. Abbondola Thomas A. Abt Rachel Agins Kyle Richard Alexander Helen Alley Michael McGrath Alleyne Edward Almonacid Sheila Alvarez Shelby L. Amato Emily J. Anderson Tyler A. Appel Sharon R. Appelbaum Jessica Ardon Sebastian Arias Katherine J. Arista Amanda Kate Asaro Stefon Austin Olivia Jeanne Azrak Scott Baber Chelsea S. Baccay Ryan Bailey Anabel Elizabet Bannon Kimberlee A. Bareika Steven A. Baronti Jr. Michael S. Barr Gabrielle L. Barrea-Fontan Maria Fernanda Bautista Arun Bedi Xavier Omar Benaissa Josef Karlos V. Bitanga Emmett Gabriel Blau Julie Boylan Alexandra J. Bradsell Marc J. Braun Nicole Adriana Bravo Christina A. Breighner Camila Gina Brigante Evan J. Brois Michael Bronstein Samantha E. Brown Pat A. Bueti Conor Bunyan Katherine E. Burbank Lesly Edith Cabrera Megan L. Campbell Carlito Q. Carvalho Christopher J. Cerutti Gabriella A. Cerutti Andrew Joshua Chacon Molly A. Chason Dong W. Chen Andrew Y. Chong Robert Cocomello Alexandra Elizabeth Sharpe Cohen Stefan Benjamin Cohen Oren N. Cohn Jackeline Colindres David Lee Cooper Jr. Gabriel Isaiah James Cooper Samantha R. Corsi Nathaniel J. Cutler Albert James D’Ambrosio Ashley Taylor Dassa Tiara E. Davis Megan C. Day John Daza Jimeno Nicolas M. De La Pava Brixhilda Dedi Riley A. deJong Fior Massiel Dela Cruz Ball Daniel J. DelBello Sydney N. Delfico Veronica Delgado Liana M. DeMasi Jarrett F. DeMattia Claudia Alessandra Di Capua Michael C. DiBiase Stephanie L. Discua Deion J. Doctor Tara Marie Donoghue Samuel Dounn Evan Christopher Downs Matthew J. Drpich Zhane A. D. Dunn

Michelle Duran Jakob D. Ebers Daniel W. Egener Martin Charles Eltrich IV Susan K. Erickson Margalie Belinda Exavier Katrina Falger-Deitchman Ari M. Faust Maria Carmela Fedele Robert J. Feldman Christopher G. Felix Aidan Fennessy Catherine Nan Fernandez Jacob Fetter Marlon F. Figueroa Lopez John Peterson Fink Oscar Roberto Flores Kylie Flynn Andrew J. Fopeano Brendan Ford Julia B. Fortuna James Steven Fox Donato J. Fraioli Alex Friedlander Julia Rae Fritz Gabrielle Froehlich Ryan J. Gallagher Aileen M. Galvin Jaime A. Gannon Amy Garcia Nicole Garcia Fischer Nicole Gelfand Zachary Gelfand Sage Austin Geller Zachary Storm Gessler Justin Giallorenzi Joseph T. Giampino Andrew Robert Gilkes Julie V. Giron Mario Alberto Giron Jr. Dillon John Glascott Ayana J. Golding Grant M. Goodwin Harrison Charles Gorran Carolyn R. Goscilo Gabriella Gosh Kathleen M. Gove Emily P. Greenstein Olivia Nicole Greenwald Laura Jeanne Griffee Diana E. Grimes Thomas M. Grippi Kylee-Marie V. Hansan Leslie Anne Hearns Daniel Freeman Heifetz Chandler R. Hodder Nicholas Howard Richard A. Hughes Emily A. Hunter Diana Ibarra Genevieve M. Ida Christina M. Ingraldi Michael Julian Inserra Glenn Patrick Janewicz Isaac W. Jang Francisco Jimenez Kathleen Johnson Jackie Brooke Kalter Michaela Kaplan Daniel S. Kapp Samuel R. Kapp Amanda Margaret Kenney Jay Bomee Kim Levi Kimmel Max P. Kimmel Wyatt G. King Ian P. Kleinsmith Clare N. Koneval Cary David Krongard Hayley E. Kushner Jackson W. Kushner Laura Lakin Maximilien Carlos Langlois Adele D. Lawrence

Kevin Lee Derek J. Lisinicchia Christine L. Lombardi Erik Nelson Long Elizabeth Ann Longo Kevin Philip Longo Catia S. Lopes Nunes Stephanie A. Loucas Jeffrey A. Lucas Molly P. Lyons Christian Magnan Jonathan P. Maher Adam Mahler Bryan Maidana Christopher David Manjuck Kimberly Ann Manjuck Daniella Mannino Kendall Marianacci Tatiana Mark Adam C. Marshall David Martinez Lora Mateeva Paul Taylor Matthews Jr. Scott M. May Jr. Jaime A. Mazuera Meave M. McCollum Colin Brackett McCree Denesha L. McDonald Thomas J. McEleney Tyler N. McKenna Andrew C. McLean Sarah I. Medd Amber Medina Harrison E. F. Meesschaert Jason S. Mejia Olivia Rae Mele Jarol Mendoza Matthew A. Millendorf Jamie A. Miner Lauren Moore Alexandria K. Morea Harrison O’Neil Morell Derran J. Morris Shaneice S. Morris Laura Yvette Victorine Mougeolle Schoenfelder Meredith Paige Mounty Jacob T. Mulligan Molly A. Murray Jessica L. Napp Ryan M. Nelson Gopi Krishna Neppala Joseph F. Nickerson Devon C. Odum Kailey E. O’Hagan Matthew J. Oniffrey Renny Oriach Atzayacatl Ortiz Bianca L. Palucci Reynaldo S. Parker Sarah B. Paschkes Neil V. Patel Stuart B. Payne Erica Lindsay Payson Max Pearlman Rodolfo E. Perez Jennifer S. Perez Perez Jenna Perlstein Stefan Petreski Kevin Petrick Frances Ella Petts Michael R. Plachter Jennifer Poveda William Phillip Quaranta Paul James Racano III Nicole K. Rafferty Courtney Raguso Gunner Tayman Rainford Ruth (Carolyn) Ramirez Hannah M. Reach Sydney J. Reichert Samantha Ida Reig Alexa A. Reyes Jessica E. Rich

Jackson Roland Richter Taylor Riordan Toni H. Rizzaro Steven L. Robare Yvonne S. Rodriguez Juan Carlos Rodriguez Umana Colleen Roemer Andrew T. Rosati Oscar Mauricio Ruano Emil Rubakh Henrik J. Rubin Charles Jacob Sachs Joshua Reed Safranek Maria Salera Jacqueline Liz Sandoval Joel Sands Claire B. Schacht Frank T. Schartner Sophie L. Schirmer Carly R. Schwartz Simone H. Seager Leo P. Servedio Alec J. Sessa Ursula R. Seymour Gage K. Sgaglio Jahad A. Shawe Abigail Panno Shepard Mingmar D. Sherpa Nicholas M. Shkreli Anthony Shkrelja Mark Shkrelja Ezra G. Siegel Kate W. Silzer Eric M. Simon Nicholas D. Simon Richard D. Slenker Matthew P. Small Jesse Solomon Selena Soto Elizabeth T. Stephenson Maxwell Stern Nicholas M. Stroud Marbury Carla A. Stryjewski Abigail O. Stuckey Hannah H. Swift Beverly J. Tai Milosz R. Talentowski McKinley J. Talty Alyssa Mary Tarnok Kevin M. Tejada Cody Terreson Leigh M. Tooker Nicholas S. Tortorella Ryan C. Tosto Matthew Tower Nicolette Troccoli Danielle S. Tuluca Joseph Ursino Peter J. Van Galen Erin N. Van Zandt Zoe Alexandra Vandervelden Bryan Varela Joseph L. Vartuli Joane Elizabet Vasquez Riascos Tristan A. Vernon Saul Vicente Miriam Vinanzaca Sarah E. Vita Blaze T. Vogliano Olivia Noel Warner Amy J. Washington Brian G. Weeks Elena Weinstein Kaila R. Whitehead Devon H. Wilson Ella Rachel Wiznia Thomas R. Wolkwitz Zachary A. Wolosoff Taylor Wordsman Victor D. Wortmann III Dylan Yates Taryn L. Young David Zamora Jr.

PrinciPal’s sPeech Continued from page 4A

next phase of your lives. I’ve been in many of your classes over these last four years, observing with pride as you and your teachers engaged in high levels of inquiry, exploring concepts and ideas, and often challenging each other’s preconceptions, wanting to know more, anxious to fill in the blanks, and willing to challenge all of us to seeing the world or at least our own world views a little differently. Sometimes, I even participated in these discussions, as questions came from you to me about school policy, about decision making, about how and why we do what we do at Fox Lane.

This weekend, The New York Times ran their annual feature on some of the messages delivered by an interesting variety of politicians, authors and celebrities in this spring’s college commencement addresses. What I found interesting was the opening of the feature, before the quotes from the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Stephen Colbert, and the chairman of the Fed, Ben Bernanke. In the opening, the Times recognized some general themes in these graduation addresses and compared these to the messages that my generation heard back in the 70’s as we graduated from high school and college. The article pointed out that 40 years ago, and I remember that in 1973, the mood of the country was pretty somber, and therefore the graduation addresses reflected the challenges of the times.

The Vietnam War had ended, the wounds of the nation still healing, and as I recall in high school, my generation had lost faith in politics and government as the details of Watergate unfolded. So, the messages at our graduations were about challenging us to rise above it all, to take risks, and to engage in the world and to see that we could create a better future than the conditions of the world we were inheriting.

On June 10, 1963, President Kennedy delivered a speech at the American University graduation addressing the dangerously escalating relations between the Soviet Union and the United States at the time. He was urging a new approach to the cold war, and said, “And if we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.” He followed, “In the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children’s future.

And we are all mortal.” President Kennedy challenged American University graduates in 1963, to view the Soviet Union differently, to find what we and they have in common in our shared responsibility for the safety of all of us, and to recognize as now college graduates the opportunity they held to assume positions of leadership and change the world. President Reagan once said, “There are no constraints on the human mind, no walls around the human spirit, no barriers to our progress except those we ourselves erect.” Too often, we live in a world where the delivery becomes more important that the message, where the emotions become so loud and so personal, that we don’t stop to listen and we don’t open ourselves up to hearing other points of view.

The changes that transform us when action finally occurs are rarely from the extremes.

Instead, solutions emerge from the coming together, debating, challenging and exposing each other to often opposing points of view in the spirit of finding true and meaningful answers to our most challenging problems. We do this as families, we do this as nations, and I hope we’ve modeled this at Fox Lane High Continued on page 7A

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Principal’s speech

I hope you’ll consider places to live that offer more opportunities to expand your horizons, your experiences, and your thinking.

When you go to college, as most of you are, choose courses that will challenge your beliefs, attend lectures from those you expect not to agree with, and keep an open mind as you search for your own understanding and meaning. If you’re going off to the military, as a few of you are, make us proud as you defend American interests while learning about the places you’ll travel to and the people you’ll meet. If you’re leaving Fox Lane to enter the world of work, or choosing to take a gap year to experience a culture, make a difference or give of yourself to community service, make us better.

Engage with a public that needs to be engaged.

In his graduation address before the graduates of Georgia State University, Chris Hughes, cofounder of Facebook, said, “If there’s one thing you do after graduating today, create some habit that makes it easier for you to get out of your bubble. Follow someone you disagree with on Twitter. Buy a subscription to a newspaper or magazine that will tell you the most important news of the day. Install an app on your phone that doesn’t just filter the news by your social network, but by what you need to read.”

This class will be remembered for all of your achievements and all of those statistics and experiences I described at the beginning of my speech. You’ll also be remembered for the conversations you’ve engaged in and the leadership you’ve shown. As my graduation speakers told my generation, I tell you the same. Our world needs you to engage and challenge those you meet in whatever you decide to do. Celebrate the memoires and experiences we’ve given you at Fox Lane, and help lead the world that is so open and available to you and that counts on you to help guide it into a better future for all of us. Congratulations, class of 2013. 

Continued from page 4A

School. I was given a coffee mug when I arrived at Fox Lane High School that has on it “excellence through diversity.” I thought I knew then what that meant. I thought it was how I grew up and what I always believed.

I used that as the single most important reason that I chose to leave where I was and come to Fox Lane to join the administrative team.

Over the last four years, you’ve sat in classes, you’ve performed on the stage, you’re learned in individual classrooms, and in small and large groups in assemblies and advisories, and you’ve competed against others together as a team of Foxes, with the fortunate opportunity to do all of this around the spirit of what it means to grow up and attend school in a diverse community.

Diversity to me is about the people with whom we share experiences, and also the diversity of thought that comes when we open our minds and share our ideas. We have so many issues that continue to challenge us today, as a nation, and around the world, and we will be relying on the promise of your leadership as a generation of new perspectives and original ideas.

My request to you is not to allow the volume of the debate to become so loud that we cannot get where we need to be to resolve our differences and address the critical issues before us.

Don’t only read articles when you already know you’ll agree with the author and attend rallies only for those who say what you know in advance they’ll say.

Today we live in a nation that is split down the middle and where it seems like every statement comes to us as if the only ink available is

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Genevieve Ida snaps a shot of the crowds at Caramoor.

red or blue. In your classes at Fox Lane we challenged you to take a stand and defend it.

But we also asked you to listen to others, learn to be collaborative, think critically, and see if you could reach common ground. You could have gone to school in a place where

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everyone looked like you and where everyone spoke the same language, both in their native speech and in the expression of ideas. I hope you’re as proud of what we gave you as I am of what I observed in each of you. As you choose whatever path that comes next for each of you,

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Page 8A — June 28, 2013

 Graduation

ThE RECORD-REVIEW

Fox Lane Salutatorian’s speech

Graduating high school, and facing the risks ahead

By ADAM MAHLER

C

ongratulations to the Fox Lane Class of 2013 and a thanks to Dr. Adelberg, our assistant principals Mr. Davidson and Mrs. Schamberg, our class advisor Ms. H., Dr. Hochman and the board of Ed and all Fox Lane faculty. And, most of all, a thanks to my parents for smothering me with freedom and the unconditional love that came along side it.

While this speech was the ultimate chance for retaliation against years of mispronunciation of my last name, I’ve decided to talk about accountability.

As children, we begin to develop our morality through reward and punishment; we are taught that accountability is a favored behavior — that we owe it to society to be accountable, stable and responsible— but, “Responsible for what?” I think there’s a type of accountability whose weight lies not in its calls for playing it safe or selling yourself to the everyday, but in its humble plea for honest self-awareness, acceptance, and reflection.

Right now, we live a life of sophisticated simplicity, we’re experts at making nothing out of meaning. We take marvels of modern technology and reduce them into the depth of emotion expressed in a duck face or selfiez. With a Z. Our ears ring of the incessant pings and pops of messages, or the celestial swells of the AT&T ringtones. I’m sure we’ve all come home to tell our parents how out of touch they are, how annoying they are, how little they seem to care, even when we know it’s not the truth.

We run steadfast and stealthily towards the future with limited hesitation to leave behind the perfectly imperfect existence I just described.

Then, in a few months, the blades of helicopter parents will spin off in the distance and Dr. Adelberg’s announcements will still be going on, but we won’t hear them. Wherever we are, we’ll be dropped naked into the brush. And that’s where a new,

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Salutatorian Adam Mahler

more formidable challenge begins: we’ll have to make meaning out of nothing. We’ll have to start from scratch.

We’ll enter a world of vastness, vastness of opportunity, obligation, and accountability, in other words, vastness of adulthood so profound, that we may feel we’re floating without purpose.

Our infinitely expanding universe taunts a mind constrained by biology that we don’t understand. \We yield to an unrelenting clock and try to call a portion of this earth our own. What are we to do, then, as a generation in the face of humbling enormity? We have to laugh reverently at a stature we can’t even begin to understand. We need to learn to love and explore tenderly the mystery that envelops us.

So, how do we do that? We accept that we’re not the center of anyone else’s universe, that it’s up to us to paint our canvas the way we want it, to fill our universe with love, connection, inclusion, ambition, without greed. In a realm consisting mostly of inert physical structures and blank space, we have to do what the inorganic cannot. We have to convey emotion and express ourselves. We have to feel. We have to change but not be changed. Armed with our daily burden and humanity alone, we have to make our existence a little brighter for ourselves and those around us. That’s our responsibility. For in the cold depths of space, light still shines faithfully.

I can’t advocate such a headfirst approach to life without first addressing the chance of failure. Simply put, you can’t start without beginning. And, to me, there is reassurance in knowing that the once passionate roar of the fire still dwells within mute ash, and, more importantly, so does the spark within us to do it better next time. When the reality we want isn’t the reality we have, we need to reorient, but we never need to stop reaching.

So, we do owe something, as a traditional view of accountability might hold. We owe it to the parents and mentors who helped us get here not to pay it back, but pay it forward.

As a lover of language, I can’t end this speech without saying something about it. So, much to my English teachers’ delight, as we live in an existence dominated overwhelmingly by the passive voice, or the forces greater than us, we have to smile, have good humor, and find our active voice. Live life, and don’t let life be lived. And, as Voltaire once said, “Let us cultivate our garden.” Let us make meaning. 

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 Graduation

June 28, 2013 — Page 9A

Beyond

Congratulations Class of 2013 The Class of 2013

Sheetal Sunil Akole • Craig Richard Ballard • Lindsay Diane Bralower • Kaitlin Courtney Breck • Christian Mosdal Bretschneider • Kamau Omari Burton • Taylor Kelsey Callaghan • Thomas Aquinas Champion Jr. • Sanjana Shree Chintalapudi • Allison Isobel Christopher • Catherine Irene Christopher • Lindsay Keyes Conley • Henry Dickson Conroy • Daniele Hayes Coxe • Lillie Angeline Diomede • Sarah Elizabeth Donovan • Mackenzie Griffin Dowling • Samson Berman Drews • Sarah Marie Dubissette • Lauren Anastasia Fenningdorf • Alexandra Nicole Ferguson • Ann Abbott Freeman • Julia Mansfield Fuller • Tyler Quentin Gabriele • Myles Owen Gaines • Steven Alex Gerasimoff • Ana Renee Graczyk • James Philip Hamill • Thomas Holland Hecker • Jacob Orland Henny • Eliot Randolph Pinkerton Henson • Ronald Philip Holland • Alex Jacobsen Jackson • Alexander Harris Kamisher • Kathleen Cecelia Kelly • Madeleine Duval Ker • Jackson Henry Kleinert • Michael Sang Han Kochanski • Christina Marie Kuehner • Taylor Emerson López-Balboa • Maxwell Nathan Macey • Alexander Dieter Massek • Alexander Martin Mauboussin • Robert Griffin Miller • Graham Pohle Mink • Peter Whitney Moran • Robert Garrett Morris • Charles Oliver Nelson • Janay Nichelle Parrott • Caroline Virginia King Parsons • Jennifer Natasha Price • Jackson Danich Prince • Patrick William Quinn • Alexander Francis Robertson • Powell Robinson IV • Christie Elizabeth Santoro • Anna Reilly Simpson • Aidan Lee Stone • Blake Alexander Stroman • Andrew Brian Sudano • Maggie Lynn Sullivan • Noel Patrick Thomas Jr. • Madeleine Sabol van Elslander • William Starr Vehslage • Eleanor Britton Viergever • Andrew Eric Wagle • Andrew Duncan Walker • Christian Michael Walsh • John Michael Wilson • William Trowbridge Young • Alexis Keane Zargar

Representing the following Towns

Armonk • Bridgeport • Darien • Fairfield • Greenwich • New Canaan • Norwalk • Redding • Ridgefield • Riverside • Rowayton • Shelton • South Salem • Stamford • Trumbull • West Redding • Weston • Wilton • Yorktown Heights

Attending the following Colleges and Universities

Amherst College • Boston College • Bucknell University • Chapman University • Claremont McKenna College • Colby College • Colgate University • College of Charleston • Columbia University • Connecticut College • Cornell University • Davidson College • Dickinson College • Elon University • Fairfield University • Franklin and Marshall College • Furman University • Georgetown University • Gettysburg College • Hamilton College - NY • Haverford College • Hobart and William Smith Colleges • Lehigh University • Loyola University Maryland • Marshall University • Massachusetts Institute of Technology • Miami University, Oxford • Middlebury College • Northeastern University • Oxford College of Emory University • Pennsylvania State University • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute • Roanoke College • Santa Clara University • Scripps College • Skidmore College • Southern Methodist University • St. Lawrence University • Stonehill College • Tufts University • Union College • University of Connecticut • University of Notre Dame • University of Pennsylvania • University of St. Andrews • University of Virginia • University of Wisconsin, Madison • Villanova University • Washington and Lee University • Wesleyan University

(203) 801- 4833 | info@stlukesct.org | www.stlukesct.org 377 North Wilton Road, New Canaan, CT 06840 St. Luke’s is a college-preparatory, secular day school for grades 5-12

 Graduation

Page 10a — June 28, 2013

The ReCORD-ReVIeW

assistant PrinciPal’s sPeech

Rocky the Raccoon and other memorable moments

By ROBIN SCHAMBERG Assistant Principal

Dr. Hochman, Mrs. Wollin, members of the board of education, colleagues, parents, relatives and members of the Class of 2013: When invited to address you today, I thought long and hard about what parting advice I could offer. My father always told me that life was just a collection of good stories, so I thought about the many stories of my life and found the one I’d like to share and make meaning out of today.

Just a little more than 40 years ago, in January of 1973, I entered my last semester at the University of Connecticut, about to begin student teaching eighth-grade social studies in a middle school in East Windsor, Conn. I was very excited to meet my cooperating teacher, Mr. Williams, who, I was told, was a young, popular teacher who was sort of a back woodsman and had much to teach me. To this day, there are several things I’ll never forget about Mr. Williams. One was what he said to me that first day of my student teaching. He looked me in the eye and stated, “Young lady, there are way too many social studies teachers around today, so if you aren’t exceptional at this, don’t expect me to give you an A in student teaching.”

I was immediately terrified and in awe of Mr. Williams. As the semester proceeded, it became clear that Mr. Williams was a well-prepared, respected teacher in the classroom but didn’t have much to say to me. As I watched him teach, it also became clear that I was going to have to learn from observing and not expect anything more. One day he invited me

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Robin Schamberg provided the address to the senior class.

to come to a get-together at his house. At that event, I discovered that Mr. Williams had a pet raccoon, named “Rocky,” of course. A few weeks later, Mr. Williams informed me that I would be taking over a few of the classes and that he would start observing what I could do as a teacher. Toward the end of the semester, Mr. Williams brought Rocky to school with him and had him in the back of the classroom.

Much to my surprise, Mr. Williams released Rocky during my lesson. Trying not to notice that a raccoon was scampering around the room, I continued teaching about the War of 1812. It wasn’t long before Rocky found his way to me and climbed up to the top of my head and began swiping at my glasses (picture those big 1970s-style glasses à la Argo). I kept going with the lesson and made it all the way to

the bell with Rocky still perched on top of my head. After class, Mr. Williams, as I’ve already said a man of few words, had these for me: “Young lady, if you can teach with a raccoon on your head, you can teach.”

So here is something you are all way too familiar with, a multiple-choice question. Here’s the pop quiz (under your chairs you have envelopes with a card for each possible answer.

Listen to all choices before answering).

The question: Why have I taken this opportunity to tell you this story? a. One never knows what is coming your way in life — so be prepared. b. You may have experiences in your life that appear bizarre and even disturbing at the time, but every experience comes with a lesson to be learned. c. Mentors come in all kinds of ways — stay open and find what each has to offer. d. All of the above. e. None of the above.

Hold up your answers.

You are all right. There is no wrong answer to this question, but I will share the meaning I’ve derived from that experience.

Now that I look back, I realize at the time I just went with what was a pretty traumatic occurrence. I guess it was really disturbing, because that day I shared the story, with disbelief, with only two people in my life: my identical twin sister, who was also student teaching social studies that semester in another middle school in East Windsor, and with my fiancé.

Now fast-forward 20 years: It’s 1994, I’m teaching social studies and being interviewed by some students for the high school’s video yearbook. The question is, “What was your

most embarrassing moment as a teacher?” I go blank; I’ve got nothing. I answer the other questions and the interview ends. About 24 hours later, the story of Mr. Williams and Rocky the raccoon comes back to me, unearthed from my memory after over 20 years of complete repression.

Looking back 40 years ago and still not knowing for sure why Mr. Williams put me through that ordeal that day, I can only try to make my own meaning out of that event, so here goes. No matter where you go from Fox Lane High School — whether to work, military service, college, raising a family — there will be difficult days where you’ll feel like you might as well have a raccoon on your head. I know that I have had many of those days over the years. The important things to remember are those days are few in the big picture of life and that you all have the core strength to get through them. My rewards for surviving the “raccoon test” were an “A” from Mr. Williams, a most satisfying career as an educator, and knowing the work I’ve done matters. My advice is do not shy away from the hard days; embrace them, reap the rewards of what you’ve learned and go on a bit wiser and a bit more prepared for the next challenge life will surely offer. It is all ahead of you — you are ready for what’s coming. Find the lessons in each experience and stay open to those mentors you’ll meet along the way. The answers are within each of you. I am certain of that. I am also confident you’ll keep making us proud. Class of 2013, my thanks, congratulations, and love to each and every one of you. 

Fox Lane High School

aWaRDS anD SChOLaRShIPS FOX LANE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ACES — Outstanding Student, Laura Lakin American Legion, Moses Taylor Jr. Post #136, Brendan Ford Emily Hunter, Anabel Bannon, Nicholas Tortorella, Laura Griffee, Kyle Alexander, Andrew McLean American Legion – Post #136, Ladies Auxiliary, Jaime Gannon, Amanda Asaro Amy Plump Memorial, Kevin Tejada BCSD Civil Service Employee Association-Barbara Rutherford, Laura Griffee, Jorge Boreman, Gunner Rainford Bedford F.A.M.E. — Art, Emily Hunter Bedford F.A.M.E. — Music, Jakob Ebers Bedford F.A.M.E. — Drama, Samantha Reig Bedford F.A.M.E. — Rising Star, Ezra Siegal Bedford Hills Chamber of Commerce, Dong Chen BHESA — John Billy Cullam Memorial, Steven Robare, Sarah Medd Bedford Hills Fire Department, Aileen Galvin Bedford Hills Historical Museum, Jaap and Connie Ketting Memorial, Sarah Medd Bedford Hills Lions Club George Delaney Memorial, William Quaranta Bedford Hills Lions Club Memorial, Aileen Galvin, Anabel Bannon Bedford Hills Neighborhood Association, Aileen Galvin Bedford Hills Woman’s Club Nursing, Megan Campbell Bedford Hills Woman’s Club, Kyle Alexander, Maria Fedele, Elizabeth Longo

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Oren Cohn shares a word at Caramoor Fox Lane graduation.

Bedford Police Benevolent Association, Susan Erickson Bedford Presbyterian Church Christa Kuusisto, Olivia Azrak Bedford Teachers Association, Leigh Tooker Bedford Village Chowder and Marching Club, Erica Payson, Colin McCree Bedford Village Chowder and Marching Club Vocational, Bryan Maidana

BVESA, Joanne Vale, Helen Alley, Kay Bowen Smith, Catherine Fernandez Bedford Village Lions Club — Donald S. Bayley Memorial, McKinley Talty Bedford Village Lions Club — Peter Vincent Memorial, Sydney Delfico, Kevin Longo Bedford Village Lions Club, Will Quaranta Bedford Village Volunteer Fire Department, Olivia Azrak, Oren Cohn, Catherine Fernandez, William Quaranta Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester-Marsha Brady Tucker, Ayana Golding, Denesha McDonald, Emil Rubakh, Elizabeth Stephenson Bruce L. Dennis, Daniel Heifetz Eva Leilani Gunnefelt Art Memorial, Gunner Rainford Fox Lane Association Grant, Donato Fraioli, Beverly Tai Fox Lane Music Association - Band, Josef Bitanga Fox Lane Music Association - Chorus, Leigh Tooker, Eric Simon Fox Lane Music Association — Orchestra, Shira Durica, Samantha Reig Fox Lane Teachers Association, Samantha Brown, Christina Ingraldi Hillside Outstanding Senior, Kevin Lee, Zhane Dunn Jeffrey S. Rubinstein DDS, Kaila Whitehead John McLaughlin III Memorial, Zachary Gelfand Jonathan David Pfeffer Memorial, Oscar Flores Joseph Fancher Memorial, Gunner Rainford Kai Brouard Memorial, Laura Griffee CONTINUED ON PAGE 11A

 Graduation

ThE RECORD-REVIEW

June 28, 2013 — Page 11A

Fox Lane AWARDS

Tingley Winner, Jacob Fetter Tingley Runner Up, Molly Chason

continued from page 10A

Town of North Castle PBA, Addam Cohn

Karen Amuso-Clifford Memorial Art, Kimberly Manjuck

Triumph I, Gage Sgaglio

Kim Knowles Memorial, Joshua Safranek

Triumph II, Kevin Lee

Lizabeth Freeman Memorial, Emil Rubakh

WPESA — June E. VonEiff Memorial, Molly Chason

Lucie Bigelow Rosen Music, Ursula Seymour

Women’s Civic Club of Katonah Alternative, Lauren Moore, Chelsea Baccay, Ursula Seymour

Martha Connor Memorial, Jaime Miner, Jacob Mulligan Mauro Family’s NY Stock Exchange Members Children’s Fund, Amanda Kenney

Women’s Civic Club of Katonah Nursing, Megan Campbell

Mount Kisco Chamber of Commerce Future Entrepreneur, Victor Wortmann III

Athletic scholarships Elaine Biza Memorial, Carly Schwartz

MKESA — George Pagliaro Memorial, Jackeline Colindres, Carolyn Ramirez

Andrew J. Brunco Memorial Football, Nick De La Pava, Deion Doctor

Mount Kisco Lions Club — Herbert B. Howe Memorial, Emily Hunter

Thomas V. Caione Athletic, Jaime Gannon

Mount Kisco Lions Club — Herman Fox grant, Maria Fedele

Fox Lane Sports Booster Club, Kendall Marianacci, David Martinez

Mount Kisco Police Benevolent, Michael Inserra, Elizabeth Stephenson Mount Kisco Rotary Club Russell Zierick Memorial, Kaila Whitehead Mount Kisco Rotary Club Memorial, Jay Bomee Kim, Carolyn Ramirez, Kyle Alexander Mount Kisco Seniors Senior Prom, Laura Griffee Nathan Gabriel — Italian, Maria Fedele Nathan Gabriel — Spanish, Adam Mahler Nathan Gabriel — Latin, Emil Rubakh Nathan Gabriel — French, Nicole Garcia Fischer NYS Scholarship for Academic Excellence, Steven Robare, Adam Mahler, Emil Rubakh, Zachary Gelfand, Alexandra Bradsell, Christina Ingraldi, Nicole Garcia Fisher, Laura Griffee, Claire Schacht, Kate Silzer, Beverly Tai Patricia Anderson ESL Memorial, Kevin Tejada, Jennifer Perez Perez, Miriam Vinanzaca PRESA — Morris Ottman Memorial, Christine Lombardi, Jackson Kushner

Michael E. Mergardt Memorial, Will Quaranta SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Andrew Chong applauding the speakers.

E. Richard “Dapper” McDonald Memorial, Samantha Corsi, Will Quaranta John McLaughlin Sr Memorial Ice Hockey, Harrison Morell

Pound Ridge Historical Society, Hayley Kushner, Christopher Felix Pound Ridge Lions Club Community Service, Gunner Rainford, Christopher Manjuck, Gabrielle Froehlich Pound Ridge Police Benevolent Association, Kylie Flynn, Colleen Roemer Samuel Smilkstein, Brixhilda Dedi Sons of the American Legion -Moses Taylor Jr., Post 136, Marc Braun, William Quaranta Spanish Native Arts Language, Miriam Vinanzaca Stuart Soffer Memorial, Joseph Ursino Tingley Undergraduate, Adam Mahler, Christine Lombardi, Emil Rubakh, Steven Robare, Beverly Tai, Kate Silzer, Claire Schacht, Laura Griffee, Christina Ingraldi

Coach Joseph Amuso Wrestling Scholarship, Tom Grippi

seCondary sChool

Destinations

Congratulations to the

class of 2013!

First row

seCond row

third row

Fourth row

Virginia Lockwood Mahoney Erin Margaret Murphy Grace Aislinn O’Halloran Sara Kate Connick Alice Margaret Hudson Meghan Mary Halloran Olivia Dionne McCaughey Emma Ying Hua Zachary Hannah Sheridan Casey

Paige Elizabeth Lewis Addison Skye MacKenzie Alyssa Elizabeth Thomas Emma Yeager Stevens Elena Marie Aliapoulios Rory Emily Yi Shinnick Cecilia Mariette Arntzen Lucia Christine Gallipoli Megan Lynn Schoenholtz Lucia Jane Lefferts Brooke Scherer Lowe Claire Cooper Marshall

Benjamin Lee Strait Ian Keegan Connelly Moises Andres Rivera Robert Bonart Marcus Dylan Kalusha Sardanis Luke Ransom Bazemore Ryan Joseph Musto Samuel Hildreth Evarts John Stephen Wood Jr. William Oliver Randon

Henry Fitzgerald Seth Jaylen Allen Craft Paul Sturgis Woodberry Sanford Jackson Brill Albert Huang Rory Crawford Tait George Hunter Willis Patrick Michael Neafsey Kyle James Salvatore Cameron Nicholas Gould Robert Manson Dewey IV

Brien McMahon High School Choate Rosemary Hall Deerfield Academy Emma Willard School Episcopal High School Greens Farms Academy Greenwich Academy Holderness School King School Loomis Chaffee School Masters School Millbrook School New Canaan High School North American Hockey Academy Rye Country Day School Ridgefield High School St. Luke’s School St. Paul’s School Suffield Academy Taft School Westminster School

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 Graduation

Page 12a — June 28, 2013

The ReCORD-ReVIeW

John Jay High School

class oF 2013

Reflecting back, moving forward at John Jay

By NATALIA BAAGE-LORD

On Wednesday, June 19, hundreds of friends and family members filed under the white tent at the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts to help 283 John Jay High School seniors celebrate their 2013 graduation.

Several students had been together since grade school, while others had only shared class together for a few years.

However, salutatorian Angelo Angelino said that all of the students are similar because they all share the same commonality of having a special gift that should be recognized. He noted that everyone has a gift that allows them to contribute to society, and that people should look to understand other people’s gifts as well.

“By embracing the skills of others while unpretentiously sharing your own gifts, we may grow as individuals and advance our communities,” Angelo said. “You all have a gift, and you should be proud of it. And if you don’t know what it is yet, go out and find it. You’ll be doing an injustice to this world if you don’t find and share that gift.”

Katonah-Lewisboro superintendent Paul Kreutzer agreed with Angelo, saying that the graduating class of 2013 embodied the word “special.” He also noted that they were talented and creative.

“They’re a pretty sharp group and they know a lot more than you and I did at their age,” said Dr. Kreutzer. “They’re connected to a world beyond their front doorstep… Thank you graduates for all we already know from you and what we’re about to learn.”

The audience smiled widely and wrapped arms around each other, whispering comments during speeches. Many women wore summery dresses while most of the men donned slacks and dress shirts.

The memories came flooding back for school board presi-

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Members of the Rolling Tones musical group

dent Mark Lipton. He explained that the class of 2013 is the most special to him as they are the sons and daughters of his friends. Over the years, he has witnessed their growth and maturation.

Mr. Lipton recalled an artistic student’s first art project was when she colored her sister with a sharpie. He remembered when another student, at a young age, sat at his dining room table and shoved a grape up their nose. He also reminisced about the first time a student made frozen pizza, but didn’t take it out of the box before putting it in the oven.

On a more serious note, Mr. Lipton said that the world will expect more from the graduates as they enter their post-secondary school lives. Hopefully, he added, John Jay, helped them reach a good level of expectation. Speaking to the parents, he noted that graduation marks the end of their students’ lives as children, and that, hopefully, parents can begin a new relationship with their children as adults.

Valedictorian Daniel Fulop said that his fellow graduates should reflect back on their years at John Jay. High school was a time of experiences and mistakes that they, ultimately, learned and matured from, he said.

Some parents moved to the tent’s outskirts, attempting to snap more close-up photos of their graduates. Other parents raised their arms from their seats, zooming in their digital cameras all the way to get the best shot possible.

The 2013 graduating class’ senior gift were seeds, which they attached to the Key of Knowledge, passed down to the next 12th-grade class. The seeds were to represent growth for the upcoming students to receive.

Graduation is a milestone that will be etched into the seniors’ memories forever, said John Jay teacher Alexander Smith, as this “great moment” will never happen again. He added that the students have excelled so much at John Jay — be it at science, math, art or music — and most are not even yet 20-yearsold. From here, he said, they must build on their talents, letting this day not be the ceiling of their successes, but the floor.

“Every step, there will be roadblocks,” said Mr. Smith.

“There will be people looking to bring you down. Face the naysayers and critics head on. Make your critics work in your favor. Take their negative energy and make it positive… Help make a difference in other people’s lives every day. Share your great moment. As a famous soldier once said, “What we’ve done for ourselves dies with us. But what we’ve done for others is immortal.” 

suPerintendent’s address

Finding common ground with the class of 2013

By DR. PAUL KREUTZER

W

elcome, family, friends, respected faculty, staff, trustees and, most of all, graduates.

Each year I prepare a brief but hopefully meaningful speech for the official “welcome.”

I’ve presided over about a dozen of these ceremonies, and this year I struggled to create something new to say, something different than “these are the best years of your life, the future looks bright, don’t forget blah blah blah … I had to get down to speech basics, public speaking one-on-one. Chapter one in the book: “know your audience, find common ground, and relate to them.”

So, I centered in on our graduates. This day is their day, so naturally they should be at the focal point of the speech.

Looking over the events of the past year, we know this group of graduates to be very talented, bright, outgoing, creative, artistic. They are the embodiment of potential. It doesn’t take long to know that the class of 2013 is special, but what do you and I have in common? How do I relate? “ALL right, Paul, think of something cool. Ferris Bueller is cool … (no, no, no) Ferris Bueller and Sloane Peterson could be their parents … MTV? MTV was cool, but they don’t even play music anymore. This generation has never heard Men at Work, or seen it on a sign for that matter, progress all around I think.

But, really, they have never seen Kurt Cobain in concert or glimpsed Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in the city … Hmmmm, I have to think of their generation … Justin Bieber and Dakota Fanning are going off to college. Technology. Hmmm, their discs have never been floppy, their phones have never dialed or

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Procession

used dimes; of course their phones have never had four bars either, at least not around here. Sports? The “Great One” has been a King and a Ranger but never an Oiler. They do not remember the 1994 World Series, but that’s OK, neither do any of us (I’m still bitter). My Green Bay Packers have always been leaping in Lambeau, and L.A. has never had a football team. They think Arnold Palmer is a mix of lemonade and iced tea.

I was grasping for anything … blue M&M’s and nary a tan

one? Their duct tape comes in color, TVs are everywhere — on their phones, their gas pumps — if they don’t like what’s on TV, they can turn the dial to 1,000 different channels … oh, that’s right … they don’t know … what … a … dial … is …

But, as I said, they’re a pretty sharp group, and they know a lot more than you and I did when we were their age. For instance, they know race is not a factor in who does or does not lead this country. They’re connected to a world beyond their front doorstep, networking, leveraging the collaborative power of our humanity. Sure, they know about terror, but they’re not afraid — New York City is their second home. They know that being down by three goals with seven minutes to play does not mean you’re out. They know Mother Nature is an awesome force, but they also know that nine days without power brings families closer together. They know the cure to cancer is not simply found in the lab but on a high school track in the middle of the night. They’re a pretty knowledgeable group — smart, talented —with a lot going for them.

In 10 years the class of 2023 will be graduating and brief but meaningful speeches will need to be written. I ask our graduates to live in such a way, to strive to such feasts, that any future writer will struggle to find commonality with those graduates.

I hope that my daughter, who is in that class, will know a thing or two because of you. I hope this group of graduates will help teach her, teach her that gender plays no role in who will or will not lead this country, that cancer has a cure, that the world can be fed —with real food — and that while Mother Nature is an awesome force, she can be healed with the work of our hands.

So welcome, and thank you, graduates, for all we know, and will learn, because of you. 

 Graduation

The ReCORD-ReVIeW

June 28, 2013 — Page 13a

John Jay High School

class oF 2013 Kyle abrams matthew Victor albert allison mary altman Scott ian ambinder alexander m. andreadisLambiotte angelo mario angelino gigi antonelle andré Santos antunes cassandra de pinho antunes diogo antunes alex armentano peter assue Stephen demetrio assumma Kelsey elizabeth Babcock Joshua thomas Bauer Kiva Baum thomas ronald Beck Jason Beckmann anthony Belardi charlotte foley Bennett gregory Beobide matthew Jorge Berland matthew Bernstein alexander Berton thomas francis Blaney iV naima marina Blasco andrew Jared Blum alexandra Blumberg charles J. Bocklet iV frazier Bostwick caitlin Bove elizabeth Brady Jonathan edward Brates alec connors Brown Sophia catherine Bryant Sam Burbank Hailey ariel Budoff Lucas Byrnes emily catherine cahan emma callen claudia callupe delilah camejo ryan mcneil canon christopher capocci Kevin philip carelli Kathleen a. carroll matthew cascioli

Laurel chase Jacob chintz Janice choi peter James christensen Savannah m. christie ava gabriela cilia Joseph cirillo Lauren isabella ciubotaru Brianna Lee cocuzzo Kaitlyn Helen cocuzzo edward St. John cody daniel a. cogut tal cohen Weinberg elizabeth anne cole claire elizabeth coleman Leah Kathryn colleluori elizabeth Sloan reich cooper Sofia rose corelli Hannah corrie amanda costello Justin colby couillard Sophia durivage cowley Brigette anne croke emily Jade curran emily michele Lining daniels christian davey Jacob david carly dieck andrew owen duffy Lindsay effron desiree emerson philip tak-fei eng alexandra erlach ilaria fabbri Jake Logan fein christina elizabeth fields Jennifer figueroa trevor filacchione charles david flayhan iii Joseph fong Jordan friedman gabriel nolan frolick daniel Jeremy fulop Bradley garcia Jemaleigh marie garcia giancarlo geniso Sydney glenn

ryan goldrick alec James goncalves Jake m. goodman Samuel Benjamin gordon William James gossett rachel nicole greenspan Lauren m. gretz Kristin elizabeth goett John doolan grimm Silvia ann gristede Jackson grzywacz cameron russell Halby margaret marjorie Hall emily charlotte Harbur emma Harckham cristina olivia Helmes matthew eric Herman amanda nancy ann Herzog Kenneth Bret Hoffman emma Hollamby meryl Beth Honig Leah petra Horowitz Zoe Kira Horton Joseph d. Hyland Lauren nicole Jackson Benjamin Jadow dana Simone Jaffe William Henry Jahn thomas Jansen mathew Joseph michael Kane nicholas James Katchadurian tyler morgan Keech Joseph Kells matthew James Kershner Hanaa Khan theodore eberhard Kiffer nicholas Blake Kiger William King nicole Lauren Klimberg amanda christine Ko daisy Korpics frenk Kote isabel rebecca Krause Jeffrey Lyon Lamanna Jack alexander Lambert miranda card Lampke Sarah elizabeth Lang

max James Laquidara Luke robert Laubscher alexander nathan Lee Brandon michael Lee elijah david Lee noah Leiboff Yvonne Sarina Lerner alice Victoria Levy Sarah chora Lewis thomas r. Lewis John anthony Loffredo alexander Lombardi mary christina Lopez dylan Sean mahedy Lindsay J. mannel andrew reid marderstein alexandra mari mardirossian gregory James markert Jacob marks Spencer marshall elena martino Jonathan alex marton-rollins Kayla ann mc carthy madeline grace mccarthy daniel mc Laughlin dylan c. mcmichael Sarah B. mc mullen Brendan t. mc namara Joseph Lester meltz nicole menkel Yanni takis metaxas talia metz michael christopher mierzejewski James John mihaley gabrielle Leigh miller Samuel H. mines Lauren anne miro alexis monroy-acosta Brandon thomas morales Shelby mosello Samantha naus matthew Steven neri thomas newman Sarah nolan John francis noschese Hayley nusbaum molly caroline o’reilly

michael Joseph o’rourke, Jr. Sophia ortiz Scott fitzgerald owen Jack Joseph paccione Luke pappalardo Katie elise parker anthony francis patti iV Kevin christopher pawlak rachel pelazza illeana pennetto chelsea popoli christopher ramsay natalie marie reddy emily rose reich Jesse phillip reitman cameron richards Jamieson ring Jager robinson rachel rodgers Kelly rojas Sandy rojas Lauren rose Hannah Lael rosen alec Jake rubin Hope elizabeth ruotolo alexandra ruvituso devin ruvituso Jackson forman ruzzo Valeska Saint-Jacques meredith ashley Salton anthony Scapperotti carly nicole Scarlato Jonathan matthew Schachne Spencer mead Schell eleanor cook Schneidman Sarah ann Secret elizabeth Julia Seidell connor david Selvaggimoore iii James Lee Shallo Zachary andrew Shearer elizabeth Sheeran Jessica Lauren Sheptin Jacob Shippee Kaitlin rae Silver taylor Simon isaac Hunter Sims Kelsey anne Sklar

noah Sklarin michael Joshua Skluth ryan Slater ethan Jesse Smith rusty Snyder alison Socolow Jake Socolow Samuel Socolow timothy Song erika Soriano Lucas Spain abigail Spanier delaney rose Spencer alexandru Stan morgan Staub Kyle Siczewicz Laura marie talbot Louis talia Jonathan Liang tang erika christine tegtmeier Jennifer Lavelle troiano mia danielle tucker dylan turriago alana Valente Jason W. Valvano Victoria grace Van demark ryan Van Slyck Victoria Vosler nicholas Vulpescu maximillian Vuolo Jordan Wagner nola annabelle Waill renee Wallace Brendan Wanek Shane Waxler Hannah rae Wear adam Weiss adrienne White patrick White oliver Williams tyler christopher Wilson Liam Wisehart Sophia H. K. Wolbrom Laura marie Woodward Brianna Wuensch Julia Zuckerberg Laura elizabeth Zuk

John Jay PrinciPal’s address

Finding your way on the path of life

By JOHN GOETZ

G

ood evening ladies and gentlemen, members of the board of education, Superintendent Kreutzer, administrators, faculty members, families, friends and most importantly members of the class of 2013 at John Jay High School.

It has been my pleasure and privilege to serve as the interim principal of your school this year. You have set a tone of seriousness of purpose, tempered with enthusiasm and a fun-loving spirit. Your actions have given the underclassmen a standard of leadership and responsibility to follow.

The other student speakers tonight have recalled some of the high lights of the past

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Sam Burbank receiving his diploma from Principal John Goetz.

four years. I will simply ask you to look fondly back on your personal remembrances of high school and at the same time, begin to look forward to the challenges and changes that you will experience. If we have learned anything, it is that the one constant in life is change.

You are about to experience a serious dose of that after tonight. Gone will be the rigors, challenges and stresses of high school life. But also gone will be the security, comfort and caring of so many at John Jay High School.

Tonight you officially become alumni of this fine school.

The next step is clearly in your hands. For many of you the coming four years will be another blur of academics and activities. Enjoy the ride but stay focused and receptive to new ideas. As the author Harold Stone once

advised, ‘Keep an open mind, but not so open that your brains fall out.”

The courses that you take and the areas of interest that you pursue will hopefully point to career paths, some of which may not be clear to you now. That’s ok. Don’t be afraid to take the path less traveled. As the poet, Robert Frost told us, taking that path “can make all the difference.”

Also, remember that you need to take responsibility for your actions and the decisions that you make. Those decisions will be yours and only yours, choose wisely.

The time has now come to move on. And so, on behalf of the entire faculty and staff at John Jay High School, I wish you all health, happiness and much success in the future.

Congratulations to the class of 2013. 

 Graduation

Page 14A — June 28, 2013

ThE RECORD-REVIEW

John Jay Valedictory Speech

‘Love’ is all you need for class of 2013

By DANIEL FULOP

C

ongratulations to the John Jay High School class of 2013. The honor of speaking to you all today is mine; the burden is yours, but I hope that it’s not too painful! It is ironic that on such a momentous day, the majority of us cannot wait to get out of here. But that seems appropriate since we have been eagerly awaiting liberation from high school for the past few months. Come fall we will have flashbacks to the 9th grade, when we seniors will become freshmen once again. We’ll be excited to explore a new place with a diverse body of students and a sense of freedom we have not yet fathomed. And we will remember that transition seemingly so long ago when we escaped the prison that middle school was where wearing hats was forbidden and chewing gum was frowned upon, for that exciting place which we are graduating from today.

We should all reflect on high school in the years to come, because though we will forget much of the academics we learned, high school has given us experience. We have all unrecognizably learned about ourselves, our ability to relate to others, avert issues and handle our studies; we have made mistakes and matured: all invaluable experiences we will not forget.

Throughout my years in high school, I believe I learned the most from a very intelligent and passionate teacher who will also be departing from John Jay and moving on to a new stage in his life. At a goodbye party, when asked what is the most important lesson you could give all of us for life, Mr. Gewanter responded: “Love,” a simple word with substance followed by a story about his love for tennis. I didn’t think

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Valedictorian Daniel Fulop

much of it at the time, but when contemplating about something meaningful to say while not boring you all too much, I thought back to that word: “love.” I thought what does “love” mean for us for the rest of our lives besides the heartfelt connection between two individuals; what can we make of this? After days of introspection and consideration this is what I gathered.

In tennis a score of love–love is a score of 0-0, the baseline for one to grow and build off of. In life love is a foundation for what we do. It is not just the word that we so freely use as we leave for school or hang-up with our parents on the phone.

I believe that “love” is much more profound. It is embodied by passion, devotion, determination, fear, struggle, and change. It is indefinitely more complex.

For the past four years, I have been extraordinarily lucky to be surrounded by a close group of friends who I would call brothers and sisters.

Whether it was on the nightly video chats, the tennis courts, at school or the unforgettable science symposiums, I was in the presence of people who encouraged, supported, and pushed me to be the friend, son, scientist, and athlete I am today. Without these people who put up with the substandard storytelling and failed jokes, I would not be standing before you today.

This passion, devotion, and determination that I previously called love do not just extend to people, but rather to anything: a hobby, activity or discipline of interest. Over the past year, my science research has sent me across the country to competitions where I have met individuals with unbelievable minds and astounding talents, those who have created promising compounds for cancer, built unmanned cars, and developed devices to completely charge cell phones in less than half a minute.

This undeniable talent provided me with the impetus to endeavor further, to pull all-nighters and to test my passions to see what I could feasibly achieve.

But love doesn’t simply encompass the good of life. No, instead it is what has given us, the Class of 2013, the extraordinary power to cope and carry on. We are a class whose fortifying spirit and unwavering support have enabled us to survive illness and the passing of fathers, mothers, and friends. No kid should have to hug his or her mother goodbye before open-heart surgery with no assurance she will be there in the morning. We should not have had to endure final conversations with fathers or goodbye embraces with mothers. But we did, and we have all been affected, which has created a communal under-

standing and support that has provided us the strength to rough our way to the stage we are on today. It has not been painless, but because of love, we have triumphed. Let us maintain what has carried us, that compassion and kindness, and share it with our friends, loved ones, neighbors, and strangers.

The Roman poet Virgil recited in the “Ecologues:” Omnia vincit Amor; et nos cedamus Amori. Love conquers all; let us give way to love.

As we look forward and experience the inevitable changes to come, let us create a balance between the various facets of love. Connect with individuals who respect, care, and inspire you to discover what you are passionate about. Pursue what excites you and share that with others; It will give you a sense of purpose. Love propels you forward as a person. This resolve and passion that epitomizes the love for what we do and who we are is how we have won science competitions, placed second in vocal jazz at Berklee, become section 1, division 2 champions in hockey, succeeded in baseball, lacrosse, and ultimate Frisbee, and spread our talents in the visual arts and humanities across the nation.

But most importantly, it is how we, the John Jay High School class of 2013 have made it up onto this stage today, where will walk, accept our diplomas and move on anew.

In 2003, a group of artists set out to answer a question. This group known popularly as “The Black Eyed Peas” desired to find out but one simple thing. They asked: “where is the love?” Ladies and gentlemen, if I may be so bold, I’d like to answer that question here today. The love is with us now. It is in the seats in front of me, but most definitely in the seats behind me! Congratulations and in the words of the great Ron Burgundy: “you stay classy,” John Jay class of 2013! 

John Jay Senior Class address

Looking back at cherished moments

By YANNI METAXAS

C

lassmates, teachers, friends, and family: Here it is. We made it. Can you believe that we started elementary school 13 years ago? 13 years ago, we had just gotten over the Y2K scare. Google was not yet a public site. The popular sitcom, Friends, was only in its 7th season. Bill Clinton was President of the United States of America.

The New York Mets were a good ball club. Sept.

11 was a date insignificant to most. We were all four or five years old. Do you remember how we used to listen to music via tapes, with the little microphones on the tape recorders? And here we are, 4,674 days after our first day of kindergarten, ready to graduate. The stars of Friends are all in their late 40s, we’ve gone through two Republican terms and then one more Democratic term, and we’ve completely bypassed CD’s and now “buy” all of our music online. Don’t even get me started on the Mets. Where has the time gone?

As I looked at the then and now pictures in our yearbook a month ago, I couldn’t even begin to express how emotional I became. We have made so many friends, so many memories, conquered many obstacles, acquired many skill sets, and most of all, matured from young toddlers to adults. I know, personally, this day is very hard for me. It’s one of the happiest days of my life, and I’m so excited for everything that lies ahead, but it’s a hard day for me nonetheless. Today is

the end of a chapter. The first huge chapter in our lives.

We have been blessed with an excellent institution. What do you think when you hear “John Jay?” I’ll tell you what I think. I think of a high school that is strong in academics. John Jay is one of the best high schools there is in the northeast.

After all, we have a valedictorian every single year … that was a joke. But it doesn’t stop there. Our high school is also fantastic in sports. It’s devoted to building new and better fields for its students, and fielding sporting teams that have the ability, emotion, and drive to make it to state finals.

Oh, and it doesn’t even stop there. John Jay is also home to an excellent arts program. With 12 musical ensembles to choose from, including a group that finished second place in the nation at a jazz festival, students have great opportunities to grow as performers. John Jay has the full package and has offered its students so much from which to learn and grow. There were art classes, numerous clubs, student council, and much more. John Jay gave each and every single individual a place, a group, a club, a class, or anything to call home. I can easily and honestly stand up here today and say how proud I amof all of my peers for all that they have accomplished.

We are all of great minds and I amexcited to see what John Jay’s class of 2013 will do to make this world a better place.

I would like to touch on something else, as well. A little less than a month ago, I got into a serious car accident. I walked away without a scratch, but the car was totaled. At that moment

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Yanni Mextaxas

I considered myself one of the luckiest men alive.

I so easily could have died or killed or injured someone else. I should point out that we go through a lot in life, but what’s important is what we learn from it all and how we react to our problems, crises, and stresses moving forward. It’s about having the right attitude towards life. This accident taught me two things. The first lesson I learned sounds so cliché, but the accident taught me to take nothing for granted, and to cherish every moment in life. But it is also important that we don’t forget to cherish all that has gotten us to where we are today. The other thing it taught me was that I do too much. I was tired that night,

and simply fell asleep behind the wheel. Many of us do too much. We live in a world where we frequently run from one activity to the next, stuffing our plates with more than we can handle. Everyone is so busy preparing for the future. That night I learned that everyone needs to slow down in life. Everyone needs to just take a few breaths — to appreciate the things we do, and the experiences we go through. After the accident, my mom and I were able to laugh about how I was playing chubby bunny with my friends that night and managed to stuff 10 marshmallows into my mouth. We’re allowed to take these liberties in life — to stop running all over the place and just play a round or two of chubby bunny. I know this quote is being taken out of context, but as the great Ferris Bueller once said, “life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

As I wrote and now speak these parting words, I cannot believe that I will have to say goodbye to you all after today. We all grew up together.

We are ready to branch out and become our own people, start our own lives in the real world, but I will never forget the special connection we all share having grown up in the same community.

Wherever our paths lead us, I hope they cross again at some point in the future. It’s the connections we have made that help shape who we are, and the memories that we’ve created that will last with us forever. You are all amazing. Today starts the next chapter in our lives. It’s time to go out and be whatever you want to be. Be whoever you have always dreamt of being. Let’s do it. 

 Graduation

The ReCORD-ReVIeW

June 28, 2013 — Page 15a

aWaRDS anD SChOLaRShIPS JOHN JAY HIGH SCHOOL RECOGNITIONS The American Association of University Women, Excellence in Writing award, Kelsey Babcock,

John Jay High School PTO Scholarship, Philip Eng, Zoe Horton, Benjamin Jadow, Nola Waill, Liam Wisehart

New York State Comptroller Achievement award, Jacob David and Jack Lambert

John Jay High School Retired Teachers award, Jonathan Tang

Suzanne Palazzo Memorial Scholarship, Sophia Cowley.

The American Red Cross High School Scholarship Program, Hannah Rosen

John Jay Middle School PTO Scholarship, Amanda Ko and Gregory Beobide

Pound Ridge Women’s Republican Club, Gigi Antonelle

ArtsAlive! Scholarship, Janice Choi For music,Yanni Metaxes For theater, Jackson Ruzzo For art, Ellie Martino For writing, Elijah Lee For outstanding leadership in the arts, Julia Zuckerberg

John Jay Youth Football Scholarship, Brandon Lee

The Lucie Bigelow Rosen Music Scholarship, Rachel Rodgers

Linda Kandel Memorial Scholarship, Joseph Meltz Katonah American Legion Scholarship, Christina Helmes, Thomas Newman Katonah Chamber of Commerce Scholarship, Sophia Cowley Katonah Elementary PTO, Alexandra Blumberg, Matthew Kerschner, Sophia Cowley

Bedford Police Benevolent Association, Christian Davey

Katonah-Lewisboro District Association of Administrators and Supervisors, Lauren Ciubotaru, Alexandra Erlach, Rachel Greenspan, Andrew Marderstein, Ryan VanSlyck

BOOSTER CLUB SCHOLARSHIPS: The Lindsay Bates award, Gigi Antonelle and Spencer Schell The Booster Club Scholarship, Tyler Keech, Delaney Spencer

Katonah-Lewisboro District Teachers’ Association, Daniel Fulop and Angelo Angelino

The Dr. Nick Daniello Academic/Athletic Scholarship, Sarah Lang and Jack Lambert.

Teachers Association Scholarships awarded to students who are planning to pursue a career in education, Kathleen Carroll and Trevor Filacchione

Kenneth Gramas Memorial Scholarship, Frazier Bostwick L. Ronald Lyons Scholarship, Alice Levy and Jack Grimm.

Katonah-Lewisboro Support Staff Scholarship, Andrew Blum

Robert Schmidt Memorial, Dan Fulop.

Katonah Lions Ralph Lent Service award, Oliver Williams

Lisa Talia Courage Scholarship, Trevor Fillachione.

Martin Todd Memorial Scholarship, Sarah Secret and Charles Bocklet Class of 1977 Scholarship, Kevin Pawlak

The Katonah Village Improvement Society, Jennifer Troiano Katonah Village Library Scholarship, Joseph Fong Sonia Lanman Fine Arts award, Carly Dieck

Class of 1980 Scholarship, Amanda Herzog

Lewisboro Baseball Association Scholarship, Elizabeth Seidell, William Jahn, Samuel Mines

The George Collins Scholarship, Sarah Lang and Patrick White The Brian Conway Student Scholarship, Christopher Ramsey

Rite of Spring award, Adrienne White Anthony Sakolsky Philanthropic Scholarship, Emma Callen, Valerie Saldutti Scholarship, Timothy Song Joe Scarsella Memorial Scholarship, Stephen Assuma Judge Susan C. Simon award, Sophia Ortiz State Farm Insurance Company “Good Neighbor award”, Daniel McLaughlin The Statesman award, Claire Coleman, Sarah McMullen, Nicole Menkel, Alison Socolow The Student Activities Council Scholarship, Kathleen Carroll and Christina Fields Provi R. Svensson Memorial award, Sarah Lang, Spencer Schell The Arthur and Dorothy B. Talmadge Memorial Scholarship, Gigi Antonelle United States Army Reserve National Scholar/Athlete award, Hanaa Khan, Diogo Antunes The Dr. George Soze Vilakati Memorial Scholarship, Luke Laubscher Vista Fire Department, Johnny Lengyel Memorial Scholarship, Ethan Smith The Vista Volunteer Fire Department award, Ethan Smith The Alison Weingarten Memorial Fund, Charlotte Bennett The David Wheeler Memorial Scholarship, Abigail Spanier, Isaac Sims

The Katherine A. Courreges Art award, Julia Zuckerberg

Lewisboro Elementary School PTA Scholarship, Elizabeth Cooper and Alexander Lee

The John Cunniffe John Jay Youth Lacrosse Scholar Athlete award, Sarah Lang and Stephen Assuma

Lewisboro Garden Club, Seminar in Environmental Studies Course Scholarship, Dylan Mahedy

Paul R. Daur Continued Education Grant, Samuel Mines

AP Environmental Science Scholarship: Silvia Gristede

The Family University and Dr. Joel Haber Scholarship, William Gossett

Lewisboro Horsemen’s Association Scholarship, Margaret Hall

The Women’s Civic Club of Katonah, Angelo Angelino, Gigi Antonelle, Janice Choi, Brianna Cocuzzo, Kaitlyn Cocuzzo, Sofia Corelli, Daniel Fulop, Emily Harbur, Madeline McCarthy, Kelsey Sklar, and Mia Tucker.

Antonio and Mary Felice Citizenship award, Jonathan Schachne

Lewisboro Land Trust Environmental Stewardship award, Peter Christensen

Women’s Civic Club of Katonah, from the Mulligan family in memory of Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Wielawski, Daniel McLaughlin

Walter Alan Finlayson Music award, Rachel Rodgers

Lewisboro Lions’ Robert J. Gallo Scholarship, William Gossett

The Northeast Westchester Rotary Club Scholarship, Kelsey Sklar

The Friends of John Jay Ice Hockey Scholarship, Dylan McMichael

Lewisboro Lions’ Stephen Plevka Scholarship, Tyler Keech

Future Problem Solvers, Thomas Jansen

Lewisboro Senior Adults Scholarship, Tyler Keech

National Merit Scholarship Finalists, Christian Davey, Alexander Lee and Elijah Lee

Goldens Bridge Community Association Social Justice award, Kelsey Sklar

Lewisboro Soccer Club Outstanding Youth award, Sofia Corelli, Kristen Goett, Spencer Schell, Brendan Wanek.

Charles T. Helmes Memorial Scholarship, Sophia Bryant

The Lions Club Nursing Scholarship of Armonk/Bedford Hills/ Bedford Village/Mt. Kisco and Pound Ridge, Delaney Spencer

Increase Miller Faculty and Staff award, Madeline McCarthy Increase Miller PTA Scholarships, Elizabeth Brady, Carly Dieck, AJ Goncalves and Jessica Sheptin Corporal James Jackowski Marine Memorial Scholarship, Zachary Shearer

Jack Luskay Academic and Community Service Scholarship, Matthew Herman

Dona Whyte Memorial Scholarship, Illaria Fabbri, Alice Levy

Principal’s award, Gigi Antonelle

Congratulations Class of 2013!

Henry T. Martin Memorial Scholarship, Mary Lopez Robert C. McDonald Scholarship, Sarah Nolan Meadow Pond Elementary School PTA Scholarship, Hannah Corrie, Andre Antunes

The Jazz Award, Shane Waxler JEM, Samuel Gordon

The Meadow Pond Spirit award, Chelsea Popoli

John Jay Art award, Joseph Meltz John Jay High School Faculty Association awards, Sarah Nolan, Emily Reich, Jessica Sheptin, Jonathan Tang

Nancy Mongillo Scholarship, Elena Martino, Yanni Metaxas William Glenn Monti Scholarship, Daniel Fulop

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 Graduation

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congratulations!

Ridgefield Academy is proud to announce the secondary schools our eighth grade students will attend this fall!

Canterbury School (2) Choate Rosemary Hall (3) Convent of the Sacred Heart (1) Greens Farms Academy (2) The Gunnery (2) Hackley School (NY) (2) Hopkins School (1) Immaculate High School (1)

Lauralton Hall (1) Loomis Chaffee School (1) Millbrook School (NY) (1) Miss Porter’s School (1) New Canaan High School (1) Phillips Exeter Academy (NH) (1) Ridgefield High School (5) St. Luke’s School (3)

Tabor Academy (MA) (1) Taft School (1) Westminster School (1) Westover School (1) Wilton High School (1) Wooster School (1)

ridgefield academy Empowering Every Student

223 West Mountain Rd., Ridgefield, CT 06877 | www.ridgefieldacademy.org | www.landmarkpreschool.org Located only 20 minutes from Bedford Center and Pound Ridge.