Classic newspaper Volume 23 Issue no. 6 by The Classic

Vol. 23, No. 6 Summer 2007

•

aS SIC Townsend Harris High School at Queens College

149-11 Melbourne Avenue, Flushing, NY 11367

Gio·rdan·o forges path to medical school at UPenn/

"ri

I •

'·

by Madeleine Wright ence for me at such a young to have a good time. I'm very Valedictorian Morgane age," she said. "It was then that fun to be around, and I'm very Giordano danced her way to the I decided that this was what I dedicated and loyal to whatever top and doesn't intend on stop- wanted to do with my life." aspect of my life and activities ping there. Morgane has her When not in the laboratory, I choose to be involved in." heart set on saving the world · Morgane spenrthe past 15 years Her Regents test av_e rages·, one patien.t at a time by study- of her life on the dance tloor all being at least over 97, garing science at the University of doing jazz and ballet. ".I'm not nered her· a New York State RePennsylvania in order to fulfill the kind of person who comes gents Scholarship worth herlifelongdreamofbecoming home and starts $1,500. "Unt'ortunat~ly," she ,r.,..' a doctor. doing ... homework immedi- said, "the scholarship is only ~ . >( "I've always wanted to be a ately," she said. "I take dance for students who are going to a doctor because I've always classes four times a week, and college in New York State, and loved the field of science," she each class constitutes about an since I'm going to Pennsylvasaid. "It. fascinates me because hour of my time. I had to steal nia, it doesn't apply." I want to make a difference in an hour here and there while I Morgane is optimistic that the world by saving lives." was dancing to do some home- she can keep in close contact Morgane's dream ofbecom- work and study." with her friends, "even though ing a doctor began with visits Every year since ninth ·-we are all going to different to the doctor for checkups in grade, ·Morgane shared her places." She explained, ''I'm her early childhood. ·:when I kridwledge of dance as a dance sure we'll all be able to stay in ~as younger, I always liked the director and choreographer in · contact with each otl)er, fact that my doctor's office was SING!. Her other.extracurricu- whether just by talking on the painted with rainbow colors, so Jar activities include working phone or finding any spare a; ~ I said 1 always wanted tq' be a with Free tht< Children, of minute to catch up." doctor;" She said .' ·,:..,. ~ which she has been 'a member Although Morgane is grate- VJE "' The love of science that pro- for the past four years, and l:ie- ful that Harris "molded her into pelled her towards the medical ing a ment-or, senator, and grade a person that's ready to excel field, however, developed when leader. in life," she eagerly anticipates . she was 13 a'nd Stljdied cancer Morgane attributes her aca- her going away to college. "I Valedictorian MorganeGiordano hopes to study medicine at the in a study p.rpgram ar'~tony demic success to her "hafd can't wait to go to college," she University of Pennsylvania. Br0ok: .Unive~s<ity. ''Lear:nilig · W()r~" mentality. "Hard.work is said, "just because it's just a beginning somewhere else, and people. It's so exciting. Anyabciut: sc.ienc·es in a college ·set-' · just something :that I do," she time for a change after having to pursue my dream in a new where you go to college you'll ting when l was only. 13-.yea~s- said. "I work hard at everything been in Townsend Harris for atmosphere where I can take the get that experience, and I just old ~as .a:.ver~ mov;ing e~peri- that I do-, but I also know how four years. It's time for a new classes I want and meet new can't wait for that."

S·al:utatorian Sukach.·seeks career in law at Harvard • _?

by Jocelyn Wright pon't argue with .senior Marsha Sukach. This year's salutatorian, veteran debater, and potential lawyer is headed for Harvard, where she is contemplating a major in either government or economics. ''I'm very excited about going to Harvard," said Marsha. "There are going to be a lot of new experiences. I think I'm going to be well-prepared by my time at Townsend but it's still definitely going to be an adjustment.'' . As she leaves Harris, Marsha will miss her peers the most. "I definitely enjoyed the people at Towns·e nd," she said. "Despite complaints. about the · school, I think everyone's been § very friendly and helped me ::: VJ ,., open up. I've felt very satisfied ~ with my peers at Townsend." 0 . . :, -g_ She added that the teachers '''truly care about students and

Salutatorian Marsha Sukach appropriately stands near the "lu.cky charm" for Harvard, where sh.e will be attending college.

help us embrace new ways of thinking." One of the most eye-opening experiences.for Marsh~ was joining the Debate Team in her freshman year. "I learned a lot from debate. It helped me with public speaking and gave me · more confidence in class," she said. Working on the Debate Team aditionally inspired Marsha to try her hand at government and economics. "Debate madi! me look into the causes belii-nd many political and social issues, and I realized that politics and economics are some of the driving forces," she _ explained. Marsha added that experience in these fields would be especially helpful since s·he is considering law schooL "I like· arguing and. I like supporting my ideas with facts. I enjoy English and history, and perhaps law school would allow

me to use these skills in a career," she said. Marsha advises other Harrisites to join more clubs in their freshman and sophomore years. "I had a lot of good experiences with the clubs I did join, but I would have had more if I had done more than one club freshman year," she said. As a junior and senior, Marsha took on Science Olympiad, The Phoenix, SING!, and a position on the SU executive board. "I kind of piled on the clubs as I went atong, which might' not have been the best idea because by senior year I was a bit overloaded," she said . During the free time she does have, Marsha enjoys dancing and cooking. She plans to spend two weeks in B.a rcelona wi-th her parents this summer, and to work at her mother's marketing company when she returns.

The Classic

Summer 2007

Where to Now? Clas.s of 2oo- ----- - ~

LAST NAME ABRAMOWITZ

SCHOOL ATTENDING _

ASHA

GEORGE

BRANDEIS

SONIA

GERA

ROSALIA

ABREU

TRINITY COLLEGE'

MORGAN~

SIKIRU VIDISHA

ADESINA

SUNY STONY BROOK NYU- STERN ·

JESSICA

GRAF

MARISSA

GREEN

EMERSON

JOSHUA •JILLIAN

GREENFIELD

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

FIRST ELLEN

AJMERA ALADIN

MEAGAN

All

ROXANNE ARDEN

CUNY HUNTER CUNY MEDGAR EVERS UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH

DIONISIA

All ALIVIZATOS ·

MICHAEL MICHAEL ·

ANDRONICO ARBOLEDA

SUNY PURCHASE CUNY HUNTER

AUBEL AVGOUSTIDIS BADER

CUNY BARUCH FORDHAM UNIVERSITY NYU- STEINHARDT

JACLYN MICHAEL MITCHELL AMANDA IJAVI !HANNIBAL !CRISTINA TRACEY MATTHEW ROOKMINIE MOHINI JENNIFER ILYA DAVID CALVIN

BAKER BALROOP BANKS · BARAN BARRETTO BECCE BEHAR I BHATT BODNER BORUKHOV BOURNAS NEY

FORDHAM UNIVERSITY

NYU-A&S POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY CUNY BROOKLYN CUNY YORK UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT BOSTON UNIVERSITY CUNY BARUCH SUNY BINGHAMTON CUNY HUNTER UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

BOWEN BUNYAVADHANA

CUNY CITY

AN CHANA ANDRI;A MICHAEL

BURCIU BYC

HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY AMERICAN UNIVERSITY

MIRUNA

CARNARU

NYU-A&S

CHRISTOPHER HELEN JESSICA

CERBONE CHA CHAN

MAN~TTAN

KATHERINE

CHANCER

STEVEN

CHANG

NASHID EDWARD

ITHACA

COLL~GE

GRUBER

SUNY BINGHAMTON

YAHQNG GABRIELE TEN L1

GU GUELLY

BABSON

YASHAN (Mary Gui)

GUI

NAZIAT .SHERLIN

HABIB

EMORY UNIVERSITY

CUNY HUNTER

;

NYU-A&S

HARPER

SPELMAN COLLEGE .

~HARRISON

ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY

KRYSTAL

HARTLEY

FORDHAM UNIVERSITY

BRITTANY

HEIMANN

CORNELL (JLR)

MARIEL SHAKA

HERRERA HINDS

CUNY HUNTER CUNY QUEENS

MICHAEL

HIRSCH

NYU - A&S

JANICE DUSTIN

HSIEH HSU

NYU-STERN SUNY BUFFALO

SHAMSUL RICHARD DANABELLE

HUSSAIN

VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY'

HUYNH IGNES

NYU- T!SCH ., PRATT INSTITUTE

ALEXANDRA

ILl EVA

NYU- GENERAL STUDIES

TOOBA JONATHAN ERICKA

IMTIAZ JANOS

FORDHAM UNIVERSiTY SUNY ALBANY CUNY HUNTER MACAULAY HONORS

NYU-GENERALSTU~ES

CHAUDHURY

BARNARD

KIM KIM

BOSTON UNIVERSITY

CHEN

NICOLE HANNAH

CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA

JUSTIN

KIMMELBLATT

SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE

MARISSA

KINSEY KOSAKOWSKI

ERIC VALERIA KITTY

CHERNOW

SUNY BINGHAMTON

CHI CHU

CUNY BARUCH MACAULAY HONORS

JEREMY

CLASS CLAVIJO

__ __

DAVID

BARNARD ST. 'JOHN'S UNIVERSITY BOSTON UNIVERSITY

KRIKORIAN KUVEKE LAGOS

CORNELL (ILR) UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA/DAVIS

TINA

LAI

PENN STATE UNIVERSITY

MARLENE CHRISTINA

LAM LAM

NYU- GENERAL STUDIES

RACHEL

LARRAIN

UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE

LAW

CUNY BARUCH MACAULAY HONORS

LEE

CUNY BARUCH

LEE

NYU -A&S

KAS HIF

COPPIN

ANNA MAR IA MARNI

CYMERMAN

CUNY BARUCH MACAULAY HONORS

MEGAN JOANN

DANGELLIA

NYU- STEINHARDT

;

NANCY'

OLIVIA

DCUNHA

LIU BROOKLYN

NOELl A

DELACRUZ DELJANIN

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY CUNY HUNTER

! I

DELUNA

SUNY FARMINGDALE

DEWIDAR Dl BENEDETTO

EUGENE LANG NEW SCHOOL HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY

RUTGERS UNIVERSITY

JASON 'jLEAH ]AMY

LEE

SUNY BUFFALO

LEONARDO Ll

CUNY CITY BOSTON UNIVERSITY

-UNA KEVIN

Ll LIANG

NYU-STERN NYU - STERN

!NANCY

LIN

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

LIN

NYU- A&S. CU NY CITY MACAULAY HONORS

DIMAS

CUNY QUEENS

JOSEPH

DITRAPANI DOERFLER

CUNY QUEENS AMHERST COLLEGE CUNY QUEENS MACAULAY HONORS NYU- GENERAL STUDIES

jLISA iHEATHER

LIU LONKS

jALEXANDER iKRYSTAL --

LORD LUM

TUFTS UNIVERSITY

!KRI,STIN

LUNA LYNCH

BOSTON UNIVERSITY

EARL EAST EDELE

RICHARD NATALIE

ELISHA

UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG SUNY BINGHAMTON

ROWENA JIM BRIAN

ENG· ESTIL

SUNY STONY BROOK CUNY BROOKLYN MACAULAY HONORS

JULIAN

FELDER

AMY juSTIN

FENG FINKELMAN

KAHKASHAN

FIRDAUS

SABRINA KIMBERLY

FONG FONTAINE

CUNY HUNTER MACAULAY HONORS

LILLIAN

FOSTERIS

CAROLINE

FRENCH

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN cMADISON

DANIEL

GARCES

CUNY QUEENS MACAULAY HONORS

NAGMA

GARGI

ST. JOHNS UNIVERSITY PHARMACY

ISAREENA

GEORGE

CUNY GITY SOPHIE DAVIS

. CUNY CITY SOPHIE DAVIS

ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY. SUNY BINGHAMTON ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY

---~~~

UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE

CHRISTINE SEBASTIAN

HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY

- NYIT

MARKRETE

CONCEPCION

NYU- GENERAL STUDIES ST. JOHNS UNIVERSITY PHARMACY SUNY STONY BROOK NYU-A&S

CUNY BARUCH COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY ··

CLAUDIA JUSTIW\

HAGHNAZARI

ANGELICA IMAN

KILPATRICK

SUNY STONY BROOK (H) UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA/SAN DIEGO

SEAN JAMES MONIQUE

PENN STATE UNIVERSITY COOPER UNION (ARCHITECHTURE) .

GUH

CAIT

CHEN CHEN

ANTHONY MARIA DAVID

- - - - - --

CUNY BARUCH MACAULAY HONORS

CUNY QUEENS

KEVIN YVONNE

NEAL SAM IRA

CUNY BARUCH MACAULAY HONORS

COLLEGE WILLIAMS COLLEGE

CHEN CHEN

ADMIR

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · CUNY BROOKLYN MACAULAY HONORS

JARAMILLO JINKER JOHN KALAR KARIM KHAN

COREY

----

GIORQANO

MINA ATHIRA JENNIFER YASMIN AHSAN

COLUMBIA'UNIVERSITY ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY ST. JOHNS UNIVERSITY PHARMACY __

1?0NNA

SUNY STONY BROOK BARNARD

LIU/CW POST . CU NY QUEENS MACAULAY HONORS

FORDHAM UNIVERSITY MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE

!SARA iMICHAEL

MALHAME

:iYlARYAM MEAGHAN SARAH

MANSOUR

SUNY FARMINGDALE

MAPES MARTIN

ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY SUNY ALBANY

STACEY

MARTINEZ

CUNY BARUCH

ARTEM MAUREEN

MASLYUK MCCLUSKEY

SUNY STONY BROOK FRANKLIN AND MARSHALL .

ROBERT KATELYN

MCCULLAGH

ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY

MCFADDEN MCMILLAN

IONA COLLEGE CUNY CITY SOPHIE DAVIS

MATTHEW

MEDINA

CUNY HUNTER

MICHAEL JOANNA ---

MELGAR MENILLO

NYU- GENERAL STUDIES -

1NATASHA

...

NYU-A&S

The Classic

Summer2007

,Embarks .on-·College Journey LOUIS

MERGLER

DEVOTIA

MOORE

CUNY HUNTER MACAULAY HONORS DUKE UNIVERSITY

GEORGE

MORALES

HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY

NICHOLAS

MORGENSTERN

SUNY ALBANY

MICHAEL

MORRISSEY

MANHATTAN COLLEGE COOPI;:R UNION (ENGINEERING)

GEORGE

MOUZAKITIS

ALICE

MOY

CUNY BARUCH MACAULAY HONORS

VIS HAL

MUKHERJEE

CUNY JOHN JAY

VICTORIA

MUNOZ

SUNY STONY BROOK

LAUREN

NECHAMKIN

NYU- STEINHARDT

MARCUS

CUNY HUNTER MACAULAY HONORS

KIM YAU

SUNY STONY BROOK

LAUREN

NOBLE

KOMA

OGAYE

SUNY ALBANY

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

SAMUEL

ALINA

ONEFATER

STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY SUNY STONY BROOK

lOAN A

ONICEAG

CUNY QUEENS MACAULAY HONORS

'GONG

PAIK

$HARON

PAK

MARY GRACE

PAPA THEODOROU NYU-A&S

CORNELL (A&LS) ~

SUNY BINGHAMTON

ROSE ANN

PARBHUDIAL

CUNY BARUCH

REBECCA

PARISI

ADELPHI

SORAH

PARK

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

LAVINIA

PASCAL

FORDHAM UNIVERSITY

SUM IT

PATEL

SUNY BINGHAMTON

PETRA

PENDROFF (KBEIR) ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY

PHYLICIA

PEOPLES

CUNY BARL,JCH

KELVIN

PERALTA

ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY

CHANDRA

PERSAUD

ST. FRANCIS COLLEGE

STEPHANIE

PIMENTEL

CUNY BARUCH

ALEXANDRA

II.DELLE

PLATON

ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSII Y

II.LEXANDER JENNIFER

PODOLSKY

CARNEGIE MELON

NATHLIE lUANA

POLISH

"*~

• CUNY QUEENS MACAULAY HONORS

MARSHA

STARK STEPHENS.

SKIDMORE'

SUAREZ

WAGNER COLLEGE

SUKACH

HARVARD UNIVERSITY FRANKLIN W OLIN COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

PACE UNIVERSITY "

~ I SHANN

POWELL

CUNY BARUCH MACAULAY HONORS

KATHRYN .

SULLIVAN

eLIZABETH

PRYOR

VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY•

GLORIA

TAM

FORDHAM UNIVERSITY

3AIRA

PUNJWANI

SUNY STONY BROOK

JEREMY

TEPERMAN

VASSAR COLLEGE

tv\ RON

QUIAH

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

CUNY HUNTER ·

NYU- NURS!NG

LI.NDA GREGORY

THAI

RAHMAN

THOMA

~OY

RAMKHALLAWAN

PACE UNIVERSITY

ANISHA

THOMAS

CUNY QUEENS NYIT ·

~OUREEN

RAM ZAN

CUNY BARUCH MACAULAY HONORs•

\BADI N )ARCY

RANI

HO.FSTRA UNIVERSITY

LANCE PRISCILLA

TOMAS TRAN

HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY NYU- STEINHARDT

RENDON

SMITH COLLEGE

MELISSA

TSANG

BROWN UNIVERSITY

WLAN

REYNOLD'S

CUNY CITY

SAM IA

ULLAH

ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY

lOA NNE

RONG ROSENGARD

ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY

VASSIL

. URUMOV

BROWN UNIVERSITY

CHRISTINE

ARAH

>ARAH ;ARYN

ROTHBORT

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

~O NIK

SAHA

GEORGE

l EWAN DE

SAL AU

ST. JOHNS UNIVERSITY PHARMACY VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY•

JONATHAN

VAZCONES

lAY ANA

SANCHEZ

NYU- GENERAL STUDIES

LUIS

VEGA

UNIVERSITY OF SOFIA (BULGARIA)

VALENTIN

: JERRIN

o«

CUNY BARUCH

VARGHESE

CUNY CITY SOPHIE DAVIS

VATOUGIOS

NY IT

CUNY QUEENS CUNY QUEENS MACAULAY HONORS

ENNIFER

SANCHEZ ·

SUNY NEW PALTZ

EVANGELOS

VEKIOS

FORDHAM UNIVERSITY

IONAM [OSTAS

SAN I

CUNY QUEENS MACAULAY HONORS

ANA

VERAS

SUNY STONY BROOK

SANIDAS

CUNY CITY MACAULAY HONORS

SUNY STONY BROOK

SANTIAGO

TEMPLE . UNIVERSITY

ALBERT Ill SARAH.

VETERE

:AROLYN

VIOLA

CUNY QUEENS MACAULAY HONORS

OHN

SANTUCCI

HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY

KYROLLOS

WANEES

DARTMOUTH

IERIAM

SASSI

FORDHAM UNIVERSITY

IGARY

WANG

SUNY STONY BROOK

NTHONY

SCAR lA

CUNY BARUCH

TOWNES

WANG-

CUNY CITY MACAULAY HONORS

ACOB

SCHNEE

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

jSUSAN

WASSERMAN

AMHERST COLLEGE

;,..~

AURA

SCHUBERT

CUNY HUNTER

BUSHRA

WAZED

CUNY BROOKLYN MACAULAY HONORS

:LET US

SCHUYLER

SUNY BUFFALO

CHRISTINE

WHANG

BOSTON COLLEGE

lANlEL

SCHWARTZ

SUNY STONY BROOK

LILY

WONG

BOSTON UNIVERSITY

AADIA

SEEMANGAL

isT. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY

LAUREN

WONG

HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY

HRISTOPHER

SERNA

WILLIAMS COLLEGE

MADELEINE

WRIGHT

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY.,.

DWARD

SHALOM

ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY

JOCELYN

WRIGHT

RICE UNIVERSITY

JIUXING

XIE

USSELL

SHAPIRO

SUNY BINGHAMTON

RAN

SHARGAL

. SUNY STONY BROOK

YAMAGUCHI USA ·;vEE SHYEN (Michelle) YEOW

SWARTHMORE SUNY STONY BROOK SUNY BUFFALO

ARIYA

SHEGDA

BARNARD

O:NNIFER EONJEEN (Grace)

SHIM

CUNY JOHN JAY

GINlE

SHIM

TASFINA.

ERRIZA

SIDDIQUI

S 1 . JOHNS UNIVERSITY PHARMACY ST. JOHN;S UNIVERSITY

KAREN

SUNY ALBANY

ARLENE

SIM

WESLEY AN UNIVERSITY

DA.VID

YUEH

RENSSELAER POLyTECHNIC

ALDER

SINGER

OBERLIN COLLEGE

ZUNAYED

IZ/l.KER

ST: JOHNS UNIVERSITY PHARMACY

ARMINDER

SINGH

SUNY BINGHAMTON

LONNY

jZARETSKY

COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY

NITA

SONAWANE

CUNY QUEENS MACAULAY HONORS

NATASHA

ZARINSKY

DARTMOUTH

f\SWANNA

SPRUILL

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY

IFAN

jZHANG

DARTMOUTH

POSTOLOS (Paul)

STAG lAS

jCOLLEGE OF WILLIAM . AND MARY

MENG (Alan)

ZHAO

CORNELL (A&S)

YING ·

YOUSUF

NYU-A&S · ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY (HONORS)

--·-

':<

...

The Classic

Summer 2007

-~--~--

-~~~~--

Boul-anger bids·farewell, leavi.ng le·gacy behind· by Alexander Lord school was locked due to an as- quired to teach "anything and After 23 years in the bestos scare, and how he even everything within our subject Townsend Harris community, played stand-up comedian area." In Mr. Boulanger's case, English teacher Arthur when plans for an organized this included teaching all levBoulanger has decided to retire. .c ultural event fell through . els of English and fufilling his "I've had enough," he declared. "Being a teacher, especially at duties as the 'Enrichment CoNow that he will no longer be a new school," Mr. Boulanger ordinator.' In this position, tie teaching, Mr. Boulanger plans said, "you see Murphy's law in was responsible for the placeto travel, read his own selection · action . Everything you do, ment of students in their indiof books, and "sleep later than you're doing for the first time." vidual clubs arid teams, which five o'clock in the morning." After serving in the army at a time were held in the Mr. Boulanger is one of the for seven years, during which middle of the school day. 13 pioneer teachers who taught For the next 18 years, in adtime he was stationed in South at Harris when tile school reKorea, Vietnam, and Germany, dition to teaching specialized opened in 1984. After his de- . Mr. Boulanger began teaching . English courses, including the parture, the only original facAfter spending eight years freshmen Linguistics class, Mr. ulty member remaining will b~ teaching before arriving-at our Boulanger was the 'Program Dean of Students Wanda Nix. doorstep, he recalled, "Coming Coordinator.' This past year, "We had no reputation,'' Mr. here was like dying aqd going however, English teacher Boulanger reminsced of his to teacher heaven." He was Raquel Chung has assumed this first days. "We didn't know if amazed by the committed and responsibility and will continue the school would still be there ambitious student body, and in this position next year. next year." Mr. Boulanger exadded, "the ability to actually "I will miss the students plained it was "sort of like bebe a teacher rather than a cross incredibly ... because you are ing a frontier teacher, we didn't between a prison guard and a the guys that make us want to have any books." · corrections officer was every- come in every morning and In his two decades teaching thing [I'd] ever imagined keep us on our toes," Mr. here, Mr. Boulanger amassed Boulanger said, adding, "I will teaching to be." numerous stories which he Throughout his time here, miss the rush that I got every gladly recounts. He described Mr. Boulanger has worn many September from meeting a new how the chairs in the classdifferent hats . When the school freshman class." rooms would sometimes break first reopened, with only 13 When asked what he felt the upon being sat on, how the teachers, everyone was re- . legacy is that he will soon leave

.., ~

'§

.0 0

behind, Mr. Boulanger sim- ."reading for the sake of readply described the Ephebic Oath ing." Nextyear, he plans to vasaying: "'I hope that I have left cation in Ala,ska, of which he the school better than I found it joked, "a-s far as the continental U.S. goes, that's as far away 22 years ago." from Townsend Harris as Lean By the end of July, Mr. Boulanger plans to be settled _ get, so you won't see me subinto his new home around Long . bing." He does, however, plan Island Wine Country, wHere he · to "stay involved" in the intends to spend some fim(-, Tow:_nsend Harris community.

Rio races to retire as teacher, but remains as..coach -.,.· .

by Madeleine Wright After 35 years of teaching health and physical education, George Rio is ready to step down from the plate for his retirement on July I. "But I'm not. going to be completely retired," he says, because although his teaching career is drawing to a close, he still plans to remain at Townsend Harris to coach the Boys' Indoor/Outdoor Track and Cross Country teams.

''I want to retire while I'm still young and relatively healthy and can enjoy my golden years," he said. After he retires, he looks forward to "working on my golf game, spending more time with my wife, and spending more time as a coach." Mr. Rio spent almost half of his career at Brooklyn's Sarah J. Hale High.School, where he taught for 19 years. But when

the high school closed and turned into a school of performing arts, he realized that he wouldn't be able to remain as a teacher because "all of the gym requirements involved dancing, which I can't-do." At the time of the school's closing, track coach Joe Horn suggested that Mr. Rio try to coach at Townsend Harris . "Luckily, a year later, a teaching position opened up, and I

·-

•

' .:.· Li~ 1] ..

Snap! Mr. Rio ex_plains osteoporosis to his health class while he rounds the final lap of his teaching career.

Polk in Louisiana and Ft. Sam took it .. :'he said..· Mr. Rio's first teaching job Houston in Texas. Afterwards ; was at Roosevelt High School · he spent four years in the Rein the Bronx, where he lives. serves as a combat medic. He His second job was at Creston , received formal training in perJunior High .School, and after forming medical procedures, being laid off for a year, he but said, "I was glad I never had spent some time driving a cab, to do it for real." He said if he and working at a liquor store for hadn't become a te.a cher or a . a living. "Every day the secu- track star, he would have been rity guards [at Creston] stopped an emergency medical technime because they _thought I was cian, since he had already a kid," he feminisced . "The gained experience in that area. Mr. Rio, who professed to only difference was that I was having been ''the fastest kid in wearing a tie." After Mr. Rio graduated the neighborhood back in the from Cardinal Hayes High day," said t-hat he had had · School, he entered Hunter Col- dreams of becoming a profeslege as a pre-law student, fol- sional. track athlete,. but that he lowing the advice of his mother. "wasn't fast enough." He deIn his sophomore year of col- cided that coaching and teachlege, however, his track coach . ing health and physical educasuggested that he· become .a tion was "a way to keep being physical education teacher. Mr. involved with the sport." Rio toc:>k the advice, explaining He adds, "I'm glad I was , that "I knew I wasn ' t going to able to spend my last eight or be . a lawyer. They mostly do nine years at Townsend Harris. · research all day, which is really The goal of all the teachers, adboring. I also wouid have hated ministrators, and students is a to have to wear a suit -in an of- proper education, and it's ·a fice al.l day. It's too constrict- pleasure to see that everyone 's ing."He graduated from Hunter on the same page ." He says College with .a major in physi- optimistically about the future cal education and health and a of the school, " I think minor in biology. Townsend ·Harris was "a great Prior to hi.s teaching career, school before I was here . I'm Mr. Rio _served active duty ·in sure it will survive my retirethe military for one year at Ft. ·rnent. "

•L •.

r t: ll'

, ...~