Record-Review Graduation 2012

a sPeCiaL seCtion oF the reCord-reVieW Sabrina Paulino of Fox Lane High School. PHOTO BY SCOTT MULLIN

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Graduation

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Good luck to the Rippowam Cisqua School

Class of 2012

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 this fall: Asheville School (NC) Avenues (NYC) (2) Berkshire School (4) Brooks School (2) Choate Rosemary Hall (3) Danbury High School

Deerfield Academy (4) Fox Lane High School (4) Greens Farms Academy (5) Hackley School (3) Horace Mann (2) John Jay High School (3)

King School (3) Le Rosey, Switzerland Loomis Chaffee School Millbrook School (2) Miss Porter’s School Northfield Mt. Hermon (3)

Rye Country Day School St. George’s School St. Luke’s School Taft School (2) Westminster School (3)

Congratulations, as well, to the members of the Rippowam Cisqua School Class of 2009 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 John Hopkins University Lehigh University Middlebury College

New York University Oberlin College Princeton University St. Andrews College in Scotland Trinity College Tufts University Tulane University Union College University of Chicago University of Colorado/Boulder

University of Michigan University of Pennsylvania University of Vermont University of Virginia University of Wisconsin/Madison Wake Forest 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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Fox Lane High School

CLass oF 2012 A class of high achievers enters the world

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By NATALIA BAAGE-LORD

his was not the first graduation for members of the Fox Lane High School Class of 2012. At their fifthgrade moving up ceremonies, they sang for joy, and at their middle school graduation, all the girls wore their fanciest dresses.

But the time spent under the white tents at Caramoor on Thursday, June 21, marked the final day that the Class of 2012 would all be together.

“What makes this ceremony so different?” asked senior speaker Sabrina Paulino as she addressed the crowd. “I’ll tell you right now. This ceremony is different because it’s the end of our teenage years but the start into an adult world.

It’s the one ceremony we know that everything has come to an end — not for the worse, but for the better.”

Parents chatted near the tent’s outskirts, some choosing to stand in the sun instead of catching the odd breeze of cool air underneath the tent. Others watched the ceremony with bouquets of flowers resting against their chairs. Some stood, jockeying to snap the perfect photo of their child while others guzzled water from portable coolers.

“You are a class of high achievers,” said Fox Lane High School principal Dr. Joel Adelberg. “You are a class of scholars, artists, musicians, thespians, athletes and first-class citizens. I know the skills you’ve mastered and I can attest to your great potential.”

AP physics teacher Gerald Ludwig described the graduating class of 2012 as being “smart and sophisticated people” who are courageous and supportive. As he looked out into the sea of red and white gowns, he advised the students to value collaboration and work with people who challenge them. Cultivate that relationship, he said, as it will lead to you becoming a better person.

In past years, Mr. Ludwig had been asked to speak at graduation, but never accepted. In his first Fox Lane graduation speech, he stated why he chose to address the graduating class of 2012. His explanation was that the students never ceased to surprise him and surpass his expectations.

Mr. Ludwig’s prime example took place in mid-June, as he saw senior Robert Shilstone in the art room when no one else was there. When he asked Robert why he was still at school, Robert said that he was finishing a painting for Jane Wilkinson, a teacher who is struggling with cancer, and was going to drive up to her house for a visit.

“Our graduates can handle how life is not easy,” said Mr. Ludwig. “Above all, this class shows compassion and they honestly care about people. They care about each other and they care about us. And in the end, that’s what it’s all about.”

Valedictorian Kurt Wasserman likened the graduating class to superheroes — minus the facemasks and gadget belts.

He named the Incredibles, AquaGirl and Hancock as some of the superheroes that the graduates grew up watching.

While the students do not have super powers, Kurt said, they can aspire to possess the same spirited traits as a superhero, which will help them overcome obstacles.

“For us in Bedford, it was the pressure to make it through high school and graduate successfully,” Kurt said. “We were able to do so much in four years without a cape or tights.

We utilized an average set of tools and put them to use at extraordinary length. I know that each of us has a power that distinguishes him or her from the rest of the class.”

Batman could not have conquered obstacles without his butler and confidante Alfred. In the same vein, Kurt said, his teachers and classmates played the role of Alfred to his Batman — challenging him, guiding him and helping him take advantage of opportunities to grow.

“I would like to thank the entire class of 2012 — the Justice League that I will never forget,” Kurt said. “We don’t know our story endings, our conquest over archenemies or the magnitude of our powers. It’s clear, however, that each

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Victoria Dey receives her diploma from Principal Dr. Joel Adelberg.

one of us will continue to be amazing in our respective fields of study and choices of career. We will hold in our minds and hearts as humanitarians with a vision for the greater good. As Buzz Lightyear always says, we will go to infinity and beyond.”

Sabrina agreed, saying that her life changed when she moved from the Bronx into the Bedford Central School District — and that she will never forget the experience. She noted that she found herself in the company of caring and understanding people who filled her with confidence.

“My hope for each of you is that wherever you land and whatever you do, you always see life as endless opportunities for teachable moments,” Dr. Adelberg said. “Read a lot, study hard, explore the world, challenge convention, question everything and — as Gandhi so often quoted — be the change you want to see in the world.”

Smiling at the graduates, Dr. Adelberg said that over the past few weeks, he watched a video of their middle school graduation. The then-eighth-grade students were ready to move up onto high school. Similarly, as those same students were moments away from graduating from high school, Dr. Adelberg said that he knows that they are ready to move onto college or into the professional world with class and acceptance.

“We have spent the last four years working hard to get to this point,” said salutatorian Jordan Federbush. “It’s hard to grasp how the past four years have gone by so quickly. For the past four years, we have worked hard to get to this point

… And today — right here, right now — we can gladly say that we are the graduating Fox Lane High School Class of 2012.”

Along with receiving their diplomas, district superintendent Jere Hochman awarded the graduates with an “insurance” policy, a copy of the United States Constitution.

“It promotes domestic tranquility,” he said. “It establishes justice. It protects you, your freedom in this country, and it protects your rights. Like your education, it offers no absolutes, no apps to do work for you, and no single right answers. It requires thinking, learning and showing up.”

The Fox Lane senior class gifted the high school with two new water fountains, tailored to fill up reusable bottles and not spread germs. The class found that the fountains were a fitting choice as they will help the environment by cutting the consumption of single serving, one-time-use plastic bottles.

As the students walked up to receive their diplomas, the audience cheered, louder and louder with each name being called. The graduates’ tassels swung with every step as the former students shook hands with Dr. Adelberg, Dr. Hochman, and school board president Susan Elion Wollin.

Mr. Ludwig implored the graduates to not let life go by in a blur when they left Fox Lane. Instead of always traveling on the highway, where life speeds by and the scenery is not appreciated, he advised them to relax and experience life’s beauty.

“Graduates, when you pursue your life’s work, go slow,” he said. “Keep it all in focus, and take an exit or two.” 

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Fox L a n e Pr i nci pa l’ s a ddr e s s

Adversity can become a ‘teachable moment’

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By JOEL ADELBERG

t is with great pleasure and pride that I address the Fox Lane High School Class of 2012. I’ve had the honor of getting to know you as individuals and as a class for three of the four years that you’ve been at Fox Lane. You are a class of high achievers. You are a class of scholars, artists, musicians, thespians, athletes and first-class citizens. I know the skills you’ve mastered and I can attest to your great potential. As Dr. Seuss said, “Oh, the places you’ll go.”

As I’ve shared with others before, this single speech, the principal’s address to the graduating class, is without question the single toughest speech I write each year. I search long and hard for just the right inspiration. I comb the newspapers, I watch old movies, and I read and study anything I can get my hands on hoping to find the one hook that will move you, motivate you, and that you might even remember after we leave this tent.

Michelle Knoll, a freelance writer, wrote an article earlier this month, titled, “The Most Memorable Commencement Speeches.” Recognizing that often graduation speeches are way too long and boring, Knoll identified a number of factors that could make the difference and turn that same speech into a truly memorable moment.

The good news is that I think I nailed it.

Her first advice: find a celebrity or dignitary to deliver the speech. I hope you caught my appearance in one of this year’s awardwinning Lip Sync videos, so, here I am, a rock star. And then: find a message that will hopefully resonate with the audience. Easy.

So, I checked to see what other celebrities used as their graduation themes in recent years, as each sought to create that one most meaningful message.

Knoll cited the speeches given by such celebrities as Ellen DeGeneres, Conan O’Brien, Amy Poehler, Denzel Washington, J.K. Rowling, and Steve Jobs.

Ellen spoke at Tulane in 2009, to students post-Hurricane Katrina. Her message was that even the most devastating circumstances in life have the potential to teach us the most. Conan O’Brien, at Dartmouth in 2011, talked about how he turned his life around only after he faced his own fear of failure upon learning that he would no longer be hosting the “Tonight Show,” actually calling it one of the best things that ever happened to him, as it provided him the opportunity to reinvent himself. At the University of Pennsylvania in 2011, Denzel Washington told the graduates that they needed to have the guts to fail.

And Steve Jobs, speaking at Stanford in 2005, told graduates to follow their dreams, while describing circumstances in his own life that actually allowed him to embrace and grow from what first presented as defeat. To quote Jobs, “The dots you encounter in life will eventually connect … believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leaves you off the wellworn path.”

As I read through these speeches, here’s what I heard and here’s the message that I hope might resonate for each of you. Pardon the education jargon, but those of us who

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Carlos Belteton receives his diploma from Principal Dr. Joel Adelberg.

spend our lives teaching and leading schools often talk about finding the “teachable moment.” The teachable moment is that unplanned opportunity when something presents itself that causes the teacher to stop the clock, maybe even skip a day of algebra, digress just a bit, allow oneself to go off on a tangent, and hopefully help students find some new meaning in what might emerge from what first presents as the least likely of places.

So, when Ellen DeGeneres talked about Hurricane Katrina to students attending school in what at that moment presented as one of our most devastated cities in America, she asked Tulane graduates to see that moment for what it might teach all of us about finding true purpose, creating community and identifying new opportunities.

When Conan O’Brien talked about facing defeat as he lost one of the most coveted jobs in television, he wanted students to see that he allowed himself to turn that moment into a new opportunity, one that never would have happened had he not been open to the possibilities.

And Amy Poehler, speaking at Harvard in 2011, talked about the many messages and lessons learned that presented after our nation came back after the most unthinkable attacks of 9/11.

I hope that there were teachable moments that you’ll all remember from your last four years at Fox Lane High School. In fact, I found evidence that these moments were recognized by you even before you arrived at our door in September 2008.

I took a moment last week to watch your “moving up” ceremony as you left Fox Lane Middle School this same week four years ago. First, you all looked so ready to accept the challenges awaiting you at our high school. And, as your parents and teachers will I’m sure agree, you were pretty cute back then. I listened carefully to the addresses of your three student speakers. Jared

Pesetsky, representing East House, recalled the journey of middle school and the many obstacles you all overcame, like learning how to manage your middle school lockers, but how ready you all were for high school because of the lessons learned and all you achieved at middle school.

Anthony Grasso, speaking for South House, talked about looking at life as one big novel, as you were each about to write the next chapter at Fox Lane High School.

He talked about the challenges you all overcame, including his own, and noted that while you all may look different, you were leaving the middle school as a “family of Foxes,” as “people who can make the changes to effect the world in a positive way.”

And Victoria Day, representing West House, and after recalling what I guess was a pretty devastating and embarrassing loss to your middle school teachers on Sports Day, said it all, when she said “before you know it, in just four years, we’ll be celebrating our high school graduation.” And here you are.

I hope that as you recall your days at Fox Lane High School, you’ll not only see the value in the written curriculum that I know we taught you, but that you’ll also remember both the successes as well as the defeats as truly teachable moments. To see the teachable moment, you have to be able to suspend your assumptions, be open to possibilities, listen to others, ask important questions and dig down deep to find the message waiting to be uncovered and discovered. I hope we’ve taught you these skills. Actually, I know we have, by the conversations we’ve had and the activities we’ve participated in together during your Fox Lane days.

When, after some horrible cases of lives lost in other communities due to bullying, and sparked by changes in laws and policies, we took the time to share our thoughts on the level of bullying at our school, as we saw this as a teachable moment and an opportunity to make Fox Lane a safer place

for all. When the town of Joplin, Missouri was literally destroyed by a tornado, some of you stepped forward to raise funds to help rebuild Joplin High School, seeing that moment as teachable in recognizing the power of community service and appreciating how fortunate we are while we witnessed the unbelievable resilience of the citizens of Joplin.

Just this year, when our school community faced the terrible loss of Coach Mac to pancreatic cancer, you seized the teachable moment as we transformed one of our fall spirit days to a day in pink, as the Foxes fought against cancer, and as we raised funds and consciousness at a wonderful community fair led by members of your class this spring.

In September, our school remembered 9/11 as a teachable moment, as we came together to ponder lessons learned, plant trees, and each of us shared “I will” statements, committing to use the memory of those lost to making our world a better place.

Even though we sparked some pretty heavy debate, some of your passion created a teachable moment as some of you advocated for a Christmas tree in our Commons, and we together talked about the constitution, public schools and how to learn about and recognize religion in our diverse community. In anticipation of the introduction of a SAIL IV class at Fox Lane this year, we created a teachable moment as we all learned about autism and how to genuinely welcome this new and very special program to our school. Two exchange students from China joined us this year, a teachable moment for all of us as we discovered what we all have in common as one global community through this new personal connection. We found teachable moments as we stopped the clock to talk about race relations and closing the achievement gap.

I hope the memories you take from our school are as much from what you learned when we stayed on schedule as you take from the times we stopped the clock, took a leap of faith and engaged in so many moments of planned and unplanned learning together.

Here’s my takeaway this afternoon. I know you’ve learned so much from the books we’ve given you, the great teachers who taught you and the engaging courses and experiences you’ve had.

There is also so much to be learned from those moments when you least expect it.

Everything we do, everyone we encounter, every challenge we accept presents another teachable moment. Your first semester at our high school saw the election of President Obama, a truly teachable moment as we became witnesses to history.

This November presents another teachable moment when you recognize that you are no longer an observer, but a voter who can change the outcome of the election if you choose to do so. I don’t know where each of you will be this November, but I hope you’ll add your voice and exercise your right to vote in our next national election.

For all of us a teachable moment came just last week as President Obama, thanks to the persistent protests of so many young people your age, in particular, announced a major shift in our nation’s immigration policy, as young illegal immigrants for the first time will be eligible to stay in the U.S. without facing deportation. Politics aside, this is a Continued on page 6A

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su per i n t en den t ’ s spee ch

Finding yourself, your voice, and your dreams

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By DR. JERE HOCHMAN

would like to begin by introducing our board of education members. Students, these board members and those who preceded them over the decades are responsible for the policies, the high academic standards and the experiences and opportunities afforded to you in the Bedford schools over the past 13 years. Some of you have had the opportunity to speak with the board or be honored by them for your accomplishments at their meetings. They volunteer countless hours to support your learning and activities and the high expectations of our community and I know they are proud of you.

I am pleased to introduce to you: Mrs. Susan Elion Wollin, president of the board of education; Dr. Eric Karle, vice president; Mr. Graham Anderson, who is unable to attend today; Mr. Andrew Bracco; Ms. Jennifer Gerken; Ms. Suzanne Grant; and Ms Erika Long.

OK, so as I am the only thing standing between you and receiving your diplomas, it seems appropriate to begin citing that they say — you know, the infamous “they” — they say that most people won’t remember a graduation speech a few days or weeks after hearing it. “Sorry” (to the speakers behind me on the stage). And that is perfectly OK with me.

However ... in about 10 or 20 years, graduates, when you are filming a compelling

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Senior Choir at Fox Lane graduation.

documentary, arguing a case in front of the Supreme Court, saving a life from a burning building, filing a patent for your latest engineering invention, teaching middle school social studies — and all of you are pursuing your dreams, in 30 years — I hope you will remember this speech.

Why? To begin, as some of those here know, I struggle with this speech every year. How can I stand in front of you and talk about the United States Constitution knowing that some of you may not be citizens?

As you know, however, that all changed last week, temporarily, when the president executed an executive order stating people younger than 30 who came to the United

States before the age of 16, and were successful students — you can check that one off — can get a two-year deferral from deportation.

Noting children not born in this country “study in our schools, play in our neighborhoods, befriend our kids, pledge allegiance to our flag,” President Obama said, “It makes no sense to expel talented young people who are, for all intents and purposes, Americans.”

So, as I have worded this speech delicately in previous years, today I can say to every single one of you that before you go off in 300 directions to pursue and create “the world the way it oughta be,” instead of advice — I offer you a gift.

Included in your envelope with your diploma is an insurance policy, the most valu-

able insurance policy you will ever acquire or for which you will aspire. What does it insure? It promotes domestic tranquility. It establishes justice. It protects you — your freedom in this country — and your rights.

Like your education, it offers no absolutes, no apps that do the work for you and no single right answers. It requires thinking — learning — figuring things out, and showing up.

For over two centuries, the Constitution of the United States, a document you have studied in depth — has fulfilled, protected and reflected the struggle and the dream for freedom and justice of once-immigrants and citizens dating back to the 18th century, through years of prosperity and rebellion — into the 21st century where all of you, citizens and aspiring citizens alike, can pursue the American dream with your insurance policy in hand.

Just as your talents were nurtured and your curiosities piqued for the past 13 years — just as you leave the nest of your families, the daily embrace of Fox Lane and your towns — as you enter a world of opportunities and a future of unknowns — no matter what road you travel — hold on to this insurance policy that establishes your rights — and presumes your responsibility — while you continue to find yourself, your voice and your dreams.

Congratulations, Class of 2012.

Dr. Jere Hochman is superintendent of the Bedford Central School District. 

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Graduation

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Fox L a n e VAl edic tor i a n ’ s a ddr e s s

‘To infinity and beyond”

By KURT WASSERMAN

G

ood afternoon, and congratulations, Class of 2012.

To be sitting on these chairs at Caramoor today demonstrates that we have survived four years of classes, sports and extracurricular activities. Our diverse successes are now celebrated collectively. Enjoy today, because it belongs to you.

We all grew up in an age when superheroes were part of our culture. Not only did we have the heroes of our parents’ time, such as Batman, Spiderman and Superman, but we were also introduced to some of our own.

When we were 10, it was the Incredibles, a family of “Supers,” who defeat a robot on a distant island; when we were 11, it was Sharkboy and Lavagirl, who help bring peace to a dream world; when we were 14, it was Hancock, whose behavior transforms from rash to refined. As children, we wanted to be these people.

Now, we understand that we don’t have super strength like the Incredible Hulk or super speed like the Flash, nor do we have the ability to stick to walls like Spiderman or tremendous wealth to buy expensive gadgets like Batman. There are, however, many super qualities that apply to each one of us.

The superhero fantasy was originally one that thrilled, and now, it serves as a continuous force of inspiration. Superhero parallels encourage us to aspire to greatness and leadership and to protect what we care about.

A superhero can be defined as someone with super abilities that are used to triumph over obstacles. On the surface, we may be Bruce Wayne or Peter Parker, but inside, there is something more powerful. We have overcome a task that many individuals in this world will not. For Batman in Gotham City, this challenge was the Joker; for Superman in Metropolis, it was Lex Luther; and for us in Bedford, it was the pressure to make it through high school and to graduate successfully.

We grew from the awkward freshmen we were when we first entered the building in September 2008. At that time, the first panel in our comic book, many of us were unsure of ourselves and of our powers. BOOM. At a later panel in our book, we are more comfortable and willing to take advantage of clubs, sports and work opportunities. CLASH. And at the current panel in our book, we are brought here today.

POW. The transition may have seemed to take place at lightning speed, but each student here has worked for more than 4,740 hours to become that new hero represented only a few inches away from the first in the comic book.

We were able to do so much in four years without a cape or tights; we utilized an average set of tools and put them to use in an extraordinary way. I know that each of us has a power that distinguishes him or her from the rest of the class. Together, we have seeds of greatness, and we haven’t even realized all of our potential; we are still maturing and finding our strengths.

In many stories, a superhero has a base from which they carry out their operations.

Many of them also have a stable past where morality is formed and values are instilled.

Superman was raised in small town in Kan-

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but you must be open to receiving new knowledge to grow and to become a stronger person. As you grow stronger, avoid being overconfident in your abilities for you risk overlooking new sources of wisdom.

Every good superhero would not have been successful without their fellow heroes, teachers, accomplices and sidekicks. My network here in Bedford has grown so strong, and my accomplishments would not have been possible without it. I know that I have had many partners in crime over the past years. Haven’t we all had these people who have helped us pass over the bumps in the road?

For me, the bonds that I created with so many of the students and teachers in the audience will never be forgotten. Looking out on the class brings unique memories that I have shared with many. Everyone has honestly made me feel so welcome across the school.

I would like to specifically thank my dad, mom, sister, Raquel, Grandpa and aunts, all of whom came to be with me on this special day. Your invaluable support and encouragement has helped me become who I am.

Finally, I would like to thank the entire class of 2012, the Justice League that I will never forget. We don’t know our story endings, our conquest over archenemies or the magnitude of our powers. It is clear, however, that each of us will continue to be amazing in our respective fields of study and choices of career. We will open our hearts and minds as humanitarians with a vision for the greater good. As Buzz Lightyear always says, we will go “to infinity and beyond.”

truly teachable moment, right here under this tent, as some members of this Fox Lane Class of 2012 now have options available to them that they might not have had just last week.

Many of you will leave here for some of the most prestigious colleges in America, some of you will enter the military to serve our country, and others will contribute to our nation by entering the world of work.

My hope for each of you is that, whether in formal education or on the clock, wherever you land and whatever you do, that you will always see life as endless opportunities for teachable moments. Read a lot, study hard, explore the world, challenge convention, question everything, and as Gandhi is so often quoted, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

Are there teachable moments right here at Caramoor this afternoon? Of course there are. When faced with extreme heat, quick, what do you do? More importantly, look around you and take the moment to think about what graduation from high school really means to you. Are there people in this tent to whom you owe a debt of gratitude for helping you make it to this day? Have you said thank you? Are there memories that you now recall when you witnessed acts of real kindness, when someone said or did something that made our school just a little safer and much kinder than it was before?

You sit together as the Class of 2012. What does that mean to you?

What opportunities presented because you’re not just individuals working hard, but because there is true power in numbers? Did you get to make a difference during your years at Fox Lane, not just in your classrooms but in the life of our school and community? How are you different today than you were when you moved up from the middle school four years ago, not just academically but in the other important life skills of perseverance, diligence and determination? Has your worldview changed, and do you believe you can make a difference in the world?

Earlier in my remarks I shared that I often search for inspiration in old movies.

Several members of this class did some of the searching for me, as I discovered in our yearbook, by quoting Ferris Bueller, who said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

To you, the Class of 2012, I quote a line that was voted as the 95th-greatest movie quote of all time by the American Film Institute, a quote from 1989’s “Dead Poet’s Society”: “Carpe diem. Seize the day. Make your lives extraordinary.”

At your moving up ceremony on June 26, 2008, the moving up chorus sang the song, “Do I Make You Proud,” and Mrs. Berardi declared at that moment that everyone in our gym certainly knew the answer to that question.

Today, on June 21, I congratulate each of you and I can confidently declare for everyone in this tent that I know you’ll continue to make us proud.

Congratulations, Class of 2012.

Kurt Wasserman was valedictorian of Fox Lane High School’s Class of 2012. 

Dr. Joel Adelberg is principal of Fox Lane High School. 

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Fox Lane Valedictorian Kurt Wasserman.

sas, and Spiderman had a seemingly average childhood as he grew up with his aunt and uncle. Over the past years, the Pound Ridge, Bedford, Mount Kisco and Bedford Hills consortium has become our headquarters; it was our Kansas cornfield. Most of us appreciate and protect where we live. The Bedford Deli is where we go during double frees, Frannie’s is where we enjoy frozen yogurt after school, and the Mount Kisco movie theater is where we watch recent films. From this solid foundation, we will now expand further, and perhaps, we will leave our marks in all corners of the world.

Always know that you have a Batcave here where the area code is.

Every superhero story has a few more parts. There is always something that seems to make the hero’s task worthwhile. Commonly, this is a pretty girl that the superheroes meet by the end of their stories. Our stories are still being made; however, our intermediate reward from this four-year challenge is a sense of preparation for the future.

For some, this may mean gained confidence in abilities. For others, it may be lasting friendships and bonds between classmates.

This is only the beginning of our journey, and we will continue to take back more as we progress forward.

Most superheroes also receive advice from their associates. For instance, Batman’s wisdom stems from an elderly caretaker named Alfred. Compared to Batman, Alfred appears to be powerless, but the underlying reality is that he is the one responsible for Batman’s achievements. With this, I want to stress the importance of being attentive to the entire world around you. You never know when or from whom you will learn,

A ‘teachable moment’

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Fox L a n e Com m encem en t A ddr e s s

An amazing group of young men and women

By JERRY LUDWIG

would it be?.” The seven-year-old Ms. Dudeck thought carefully, and then she said, “I wish I could have some popcorn. And a bowl of melted butter so I can dip each piece of popcorn into the butter.”

So she and her uncle watched the rest of their show dipping each kernel into the melted butter. Ms. Dudeck shared with me, and now graduates, I share with you: When you have a dream, you need to pursue it at the moment you dream it. A child’s dream doesn’t have as much meaning when you are a teen. A teen’s dreams may not be the dreams of an adult.

When Ms. Dudeck was seven she ate popcorn kernels dipped in butter. At high school graduation she dreamed to teach chemistry. In her 20s she walked the Appalachian Trail. In her 30s she became a merchant marine. What’s next? Siberia in the winter? Oh, she did that over February break. But on the back of her car there is no bumper sticker proclaiming “Popcorn,” “Appalachian Trail” or “Siberia.”

When you do it for yourself, you don’t need a sticker. Just follow those dreams when you dream them. Local roads I love driving. I am a physics teacher. There’s always something for me to think about. How the work done by the four-cylinder 95-horsepower engine is being used to work against mechanical and fluid friction, noting that my drag coefficient is 2 percent lower with the windows closed versus open in order to maintain a constant velocity of 65 mph.

This is me driving down 684 to work. I have one hand out the window flying my hand up

G

raduates, let me begin by thanking you for this honor. I am humbled to think that you asked me, a physics teacher, to be your speaker at graduation. When thinking about what to say this afternoon I thought of my own graduation. I graduated in 1983 from Mount Desert Island High School in the heart of Acadia National Park in the state of Maine.

Like Jordan, I was also the salutatorian but in a graduating class of two. Things have changed since 1983. Growing up in Maine I only had three TV channels to watch. And like your parents our phone was tied to the kitchen wall, we typed our college applications on a typewriter, and mom was our spellchecker.

But in many ways, there are no differences.

Graduations are still under tents. Your parents, grandparents, friends and families are here to celebrate with you. It’s always hot in June. And you really have to know someone to get extra tickets to the graduation. Graduates, you are all smart and sophisticated people. You know the world in ways my generation never did. I have learned from you in so many ways.

In physics we have a formula for everything.

Plug in the right variables and you’ll get your expected result. There are no formulas that I can share with you today. All I can tell you today is what I have learned. And what I have learned is you can’t do it alone. As you navigate through life be open for collaboration. Other

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Address to the senior class by physics teacher Gerald Ludwig.

people’s ideas are just as good as your own.

Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.

Dreams don’t need a bumper sticker. On my commute to the high school I notice how many cars are covered with those oval bumper stickers like OBX or 26.2. Those ovals stickers stare at you in traffic, letting you know what you haven’t done or where you haven’t been. I know what 26.2 means, but I know my wife, Lauren, doesn’t. And I know for sure Mr. Tatto

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has no idea that 26.2 means the driver with the sticker has run a marathon. But it’s not about the stickers. Ms. Dudeck teaches chemistry and forensics at the high school. You might expect to find a sticker of some test tubes on the back of her little car.

But I have double-checked my data and have found no stickers. Ms. Dudeck told me that when she was seven years old she was watching TV with her uncle. Her uncle leaned over to her and said, “Sherry, if you could have any dream come true right now, any dream, what

Continued on page 10A

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Graduation

T h E RE C ORD - RE V IE W

Fox L a n e Sa lu tator i a n ’ s spee ch

Students traveling together to the next adventure

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By JORDAN FEDERBUSH

elcome Dr. Hochman, Dr. Adelberg, members of the administration, Mrs. Elion Wollin and members of the board of education, teachers, parents, guests and my fellow members of the Class of 2012.

For those of you that know me, you know that I like to talk, a lot. I’ve always been the kid with the really loud voice who never stops talking. But when it came to writing this speech, I found it difficult to come up with something to say. This was a new experience for me because as many of you know, I always have something to say.

As I thought back over my time at Fox Lane in search of an idea to talk about today, my mind was flooded with great memories and defining moments. And somewhere in that reflection, I realized that it seems like we have been constantly looking ahead, always facing pressure to think about and prepare for the future.

Middle school was just a bridge to high school. High school was meant to prepare us for college. And college is meant to get us ready for life in the real world. But when do we get to just take a deep breath, step back and think about today instead of tomorrow? I’d say now is as good a time as any.

We’ve spent the last four years working hard to get to this point. We’ve all been through those nights where it seemed like our pile of homework just kept getting bigger. We’ve all suffered through those days when it seemed like all the teachers got together and decided to torture us by giving their tests all on the same day. We’ve spent the last couple of years taking standardized tests, writing countless essays and filling out applications, constantly worrying about the impact it would have on our future.

As I stand up here today, it’s hard to grasp how the past

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Salutatorian Jordan Federbush.

four years have gone by so quickly. It seems like not too long ago that we were dressing up in our team colors for Field Day, or cheering for our respective houses at Almost Anything Goes. But now that we’re all done, take the time to reflect on our experiences. Take this opportunity to, for once, look back instead of ahead.

Think about all the teachers who have challenged us to

expand our thinking and explore alternatives. Look around at all the friends and family surrounding us, all the people that have been there for us and supported us since the day we tied those red balloons to our mailboxes and waited for the bus on our first day of kindergarten. Think back on our time at Fox Lane, to all the things we’ve done together.

Many of us have traveled together — by bus to Boston for APUSH, by plane to Europe with Mr. Broggy, by boat around the Hudson River for prom, and by train to New York City to go to, or at least try to go to, Terminal 5 concerts. We’ve suffered together through days of unbearable heat, much like today, wondering why our school doesn’t have air conditioning. We’ve had fun together — from fun ball in gym to roller coasters on our trip to Six Flags just a few weeks ago. And we’ve learned together — from physics with Mr. Ludwig to any topic you can think of with Mr. Ullrich, or as many of us know him, Perry.

After all we’ve been through together — after all the valuable lessons we’ve learned, the friendships we’ve formed, the memories we’ve created, and the experiences we’ve shared — it’s hard to believe that we are graduating today.

This fall, everything we know is going to change. Most of us will be away from home and away from our friends and families, some of us much farther away than others. We will make new friends, explore new interests, try new things and form new memories. But as you look ahead to where you’re going, take the time to appreciate where you’ve been, and to enjoy where you are, right here, right now.

For the past four years, we’ve worked hard to get to this point. And today, right here, right now, we can proudly say that we are the graduating Fox Lane High School Class of 2012.

Thank you, and congratulations.

Jordan Federbush was salutatorian of the Fox Lane High School Class of 2012. 

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2012!

The Masters School 49 Clinton Avenue, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 914-479-6400 • www.mastersny.org

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 graduation

June 29, 2012 — Page 9a

Fox Lane High School

aWards and sChoLarshiPs The following students have earned honors, Regents, and local diplomas from Fox Lane High School: Aug. 20, 2011: Eric Andrew Barton, Jorge E. Giron Reyes Jan. 27, 2012: Marisol Grace Caceres, Daniel Ennabi, Michael Lawrence Gallagher, Ryan William McChain Graduating senior members of the National Honor Society: Simon A. Abranowicz, Claudia S. Barczy, Cate H. Belhumeur, Charlotte A. Bell, Elizabeth R. Benway, Kyra G. Berger, Matthew Bruck, Maria G. Bueti, Alexandra W. Cannon, Spencer T. Chernus, Rebecca A. Cohn, Jacqueline M. Colao, Sophia J. Conte, Wesley F. Cotter, Kevin A. Crowell, Adam J. D’Agostino, Victoria G. Dey, Jennifer R. DiChiara, Daniel Dittrich, Bryan Dun, Rachel E. Eisman, Connor R. Farrell, Courtney F. Farrell, Jordan Federbush, Eamon Fernandez, Rebecca Frawley, Sophie R. Gamer, Chantal Garcia Fischer, Marcine Gershfeld, Kevin B. Glascott, Michael H. Gourd, Anthony Grasso, Catherine Griffin, Brianna Gutierrez, Timothy J. Hallock Jr, Abraham J. Hammer, James D. Hertz, Stephanie J. Hon, Jacqueline E. Ingraldi, Zoe E. Jobe, Ashley A. Jordan, Sophia M. Koos, Katherine M. Kucharczyk, Mitchell Kutin, Chloe M. le Comte, Benjamin I. Lebovic, Louise M. Levesque, Jessica S. Liang, Sandy Lin, Allison A. Lombardi, Rachel

C. Swersky, Jacqueline A. Tenreiro, Katherine D. Tipa, Benjamin C. Torres, Christopher van Loveren, Sara L. Van Tilburg, Kurt M. Wasserman, Jessica A. Wayda, Lara G. Weintraub, Stephanie R. Weiss, Alexander J. Whitelaw, Kevin M. Yell

Association: Alexander Whitelaw, Christopher Tomassi

National Merit Scholarship SemiFinalists: Rachel Eisman, Jordan Federbush, Marc Robbins

Bedford Hills Fire Department: Christopher Sordellini

National Merit Scholarship Commended Students: Rebecca Cohn, Jacqueline Colao, Zoe Jobe, Katherine Kucharczyk, Sarena Malsin, Alexander Miller, Andrew Perratore, Isabella Rago, Miranda Stein, Camille Swersky, Christopher van Loveren, Kurt Wasserman, Jeremy Wheeler Rehder

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Co-emcee Rebecca Stern enjoys the ceremony.

Malinari, Sarena J. Malsin, Brian G. Maroti, Leslie Mendez-Guzman, Sikander R. Miah, Sophie R. Milkes, Alexander P. Miller, Katherine Mooney, Danielle J. Morgan, Kevin P. Muller, Chloe G. Murray, Cassandra P. Obzud, Christine L. Owen, Fiona F. Parcharidis , Jared L. Pasetsky, Clara B. Perez, Melanie K. Perl, Cyndi M.

Perlow, Andrew Perratore, Juan L. Portem, Jessica G. Pucila, Isabella P. Rago, Julia Raue, Samantha A. Ricker, Marc A. Robbins, Savannah Samberg, Maxwell S. Sandler, Kathleen F. Sears, Robert G. Seraita, Robert A. Shilstone, Julia Shtipler, Sara L. Snadowsky, Anne Startup, Miranda J. Stein, Rebecca Z. Stern, Jessica H. Strongwater, Camille

Bedford Hills Chamber of Commerce: Maria Bueti Bedford Hills Elementary PTA-John Billy Cullam Memorial: Melanie Perl, Aidan Cunningham

Bedford Hills Lions Club Memorial: Kevin Crowell, John McDermott Bedford Hills Woman’s Club Nursing: Elizabeth Benway Bedford Hills Woman’s Club: Katherine Kucharcyk, Anthony Grasso, Isabella Rago, Katherine Tipa Bedford PBA: Michael Serrano

SENIOR SCHOLARSHIPS:

Bedford Presbyterian Church Christa Kuusisto: Victoria Dey

ACES Outstanding Student: Gregory Bourne

Bedford Teachers Association: Kyra Berger

American Legion, Moses Taylor Jr. Post #136: Jennifer DiChiara, Katherine Tipa, Rebecca Cohn, Mitchell Kutin, Catherine Griffin

Bedford Village Chowder & Marching Club: Eamon Fernandez, Marc Robbins

American Legion, Post #136 Ladies Auxiliary: Catherine Griffin, Katherine Tipa Amy Plump Memorial: Jacqueline Tenreiro BCSD Civil Service Employee Association: DyJoun Collins

Bedford Village Chowder & Marching Club Vocational: Bryan Alay Bedford Village Elementary PTAJoanne Vale: Matthew Bruck Bedford Village Elementary PTA-Kay Bowen Smith: Sydney Rozins Bedford Village Lions Club -Donald S. Bayley: Jessica Pucila

BCSD Civil Service Employee

Continued on page 11A

TO THE CLASS OF2012 !

Front Row (l to r)

Second Row

Third Row

Fourth Row

Back Row

Attending the following secondary schools:

Mackenzie Lewis Elizabeth Growney Susanna Baker Adele Whitmyer Olivia Silverman Amalia Maric Charlotte Zonis Julia Mandel Katherine Norton

Corey Wieczorek Margaret Small Juliana Serrano Catherine Luchars Elizabeth Foster Katelyn Schoenholtz Olivia Consoli Brianna Cummings

Conlon Kiesling James Maguire Christine Campisi Ferris Armstrong Jamie Schlim Parker Lewis Amy Orser Grant Galasso Isabel Tibbetts Justin Swirbul Parker Beladino

Henry Carr Sean McEwen Dylan Rathbone William Reid Samuel Merrill Andrew Laub Clifton York, Jr. William Landis Brandon Salvatore Barclay Gammill James Dolphin

Diego Blandon Henry Marshall George DeLana Alec Bickerstaff Christian Arntzen John Leasure Nicholas Balderston John Lane Kevin Pendo Nicholas Rohn Will Ford Scott Williams

Berkshire School Blair Academy Brooks School Brunswick School Choate Rosemary Hall Deerfield Academy Greens Farms Academy

Greenwich Academy King School Lawrenceville School Madeira School Millbrook School Milton Academy New Canaan High School Phillips Academy, Andover

Rye Country Day School St. George's School St. Luke's School Taft School The Bay School The Harvey School The Masters School

NEW CANAAN COUNTRY SCHOOL An Independent Day School for Beginners - Grade 9

Westhill High School Westminster School Williston Northampton School Wilton High School

Page 10a — June 29, 2012

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Fox Lane High School

CLass oF 2012

Simon Arthur Abranowicz Saul A. Abzun-Cruz Alexis N. Acevedo Jessica Marie Adorno Nelida L. Aguirre Bryan E. Alay Alexandra Maria Andersen Katie Andrino Chloe Rzbekah Jasper Arnow Jon-Anthony L. Avila Claudia S. Barczy Kenneth Barton Domenic F. Bastone Tina M. Batista Stephen W. Belcher Katherine H. Belhumeur Charlotte A. Bell Carlos G. Belteton Elizabeth Rose Benway Kyra Grace Berger Breanna Besteiro Natalie Marie Beyer Charlotte Henrietta Bickley Jessica Megan Blanchard Timothy Bland Gianna M. Boccanfuso Ryan John Boddie Selena A. Bordeaux Alexa Botero Gregory M. Bourne Ilsa R. Bouyoucos Carly C. Boyajian Michael Gregory Brewster Andre Brittis-Tannenbaum Miguel Brown Andrew William Browne Cole R. Browne Matthew Bruck Maria G. Bueti Fiona Marie Buhr Andrew A. Caico Sydney N. Calian Morgan A. Camerik Alexandra W. Cannon Marcos E. Castellanos Sergio Rodolfo Castillo Spencer Todd Chernus Christopher James Ciccone Brittany N. Ciullo Daniel J. Clune Rebecca A. Cohn Jacqueline Michelle Colao DyJoun Kyrell Jaru Collins Sophia J. Conte Samantha E. Corsino John D. Costello Wesley F. Cotter Daniel Covert Adrian Christian Crasto Kevin A. Crowell Nicholas M. Cucolo Aidan C. Cunningham Cezary Czekierdowski Jr. Jenna Marie D’Adamo Adam J. D’Agostino Jamie L. Danton Rex Nathaniel Danzker Nathan Daniel Davidow Joseph Benjamin Davis Juliette R. DeLaney Andrew Louis Delligatti Frank Joseph Delvito Dean M. DeMattia Victoria Grace Dey Jennifer R. DiChiara Jason T. Distant Daniel Dittrich Tessa Lynn Donolli Beaslim Duarte Francis Alexander Duffy

Bryan Dun Patrick James Eble Jeffece Karlton Jeffrey Edelen Rachel E. Eisman Matthew Z. Engert Nicolas M. Engert Henri Josue Espana Jeremy Lexus Evans Dana E. Fang Connor Raymond Farrell Courtney F. Farrell Jordan Federbush Carolina Chantel Feliz Eamon J. Fernandez Frank J. Ferrovecchio Janey Fine Rebecca Allison Frawley Graham Corren Fuchs Warren R. Lunjas Gabrillo Shaire D. Gadson Sophie Rose Gamer Chantal Garcia Fischer Marcine Gershfeld Jacqueline Gigante Stefania Gioffre Kevin Bernard Glascott Ryan James Glascott Michael H. Gourd Anthony Grasso Nicholas M. Grasso Catherine Griffin Adix Roxana Guerra Brianna Nicole Gutierrez Carmen S. Gutierrez Deliot Julian E. Haddad Danielle Lori Hall Timothy J. Hallock Jr. Abraham Jacob Hammer Angjelo Harapi Elisabeth N. Hart Adriana Hausler Davin Peter Heidgerd James D. Hertz Willard I. Hill III Karlie Jean Hoferichter Stephanie J. Hon Victoria Joan Hunter Kaitlynn Hurtado Michelle N. Imbaquingo Sabrina N. Ingersoll Samantha E. Ingersoll Jacqueline E. Ingraldi Olivia M. Jackson Alexander R. Jacobson Angela Celina Jimenez Helen O. Jimenez Zoe E. Jobe Michael J. Johnston Rematha C. Jones Ashley A. Jordan Casey A. Kaplan Alexander A. Karaqi Adam Karpowich Cody K. Kiel Stephanie M. Kilcullen Emma Kirshenbaum Matthew B. Klimaszewski Maya E. Knell Sophia M. Koos Benjamin Alexander Korren Michael Kowalski Katherine Marina Kucharczyk Mitchell Elliot Kutin John Benjamin Lawless Chloe Marie le Comte Benjamin I. Lebovic Leonard A. Lederman Jack C. Lerner Louise M. Levesque Jessica S. Liang

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Fox Lane grad Kathleen A. Sears celebrates.

Sandy Lin Allison A. Lombardi Cindy M. Lopez Stephanie N. Lopez Edvin A. Lopez Barrientos David J. Lyness Andriy Lypchuk Rachel Malinari Sarena Justine Ruby Malsin Edgard Brijhan Mantilla Salas Emily A. Marcus Karen D. Mariot Brian G. Maroti Erika V. Martinez Jarod R. Mathis Emely Matias John J. McDermott Michael Leando McFarlane Erin Patricia McGarrah Sean D. McMullen Jillian McNamee Anthony Mendez Leslie Jamileth Mendez-Guzman George Meres Sikander Rahman Miah Wilson E. Miguel Garcia Sophie R. Milkes Alexander Perry Miller Eric Mintzer Lauren Mishkin Ellen E. Mockler Kimberly Joanna Molina Katherine S. Mooney Danielle J. Morgan Giancarlo Morreale Matthew Joseph Muccioli Kevin Patrick Muller Fatime Muriqi Chloe G. Murray Milena N. Newmark Cassandra P. Obzud Matthew J. O’Dell Alexander Matthew Oliveri Ryan J. O’Mahoney Henny Omar Nicole Ann O’Neil Lorena A. Ortiz

Christine Lauren Owen Fiona M. Parcharidis Jared L. Pasetsky Matthew Pasqualini Sabrina Paulino Dylan Peretz Maximo M. Pereyra Clara B. Perez Daniela Perez Torres Melanie K. Perl Cyndi M. Perlow Andrew T. Perratore Katherine Petrick Daniela C. Petriello Alexander M. Pittelli Juan Luis S. Portem Jessica G. Pucila Matthew Paul Pucila Isabella P. Rago Kelly L. Ramos William L. Rappaport Julia H. Raue Erica J. Rawiszer Bryan Restrepo Kenya Rene Richardson Samantha A. Ricker Marc A. Robbins Tucker Louis Robin Daniel J. Rodriguez Imari C. Rodriguez Jennifer Rodriguez Eric Rodriguez-Ramos Ashley Taylor Rooney Charles MacAlister Roos Alexander M. Rossell Sydney Lyn Rozins Benjamin Ruff Nicola Ruff Teuta Rugova Darwin Alexander Ruiz Bautista Taylor M. Rynski Daniel R. Sachs Jessica Salazar Savannah Samberg Anahi E. Sanabria Maxwell S. Sandler Alexander N. Sanguily

Christopher Santora James Robert Scallon Halle A. Schirmer Matthew Alexander Schwartz Kathleen F. Sears Robert G. Seraita Maria C. Serpas Jonathan B. Serrano Michael R. Serrano Liam E. Sheen Kandu Sherpa Robert A. Shilstone Alexa M. Shkrelja Julia Shtipler Alexander P. Silverman Douglas M. Silverman Jasmit Singh Ashley C. Small Connor Norman Smith Sara L. Snadowsky Arielle D. Solomon Matthew Solowey Christopher Sordellini Alexander Soto Sam Speno Daniela Stankovic Samuel K. Starobin Anne Startup Miranda J. Stein Rebecca Z. Stern Sydney Margaret Stern Jessica Heather Strongwater Camille C. Swersky Dylan Russell Uy Tan Jacqueline Ann Tenreiro Katherine D. Tipa Carlo Luciano Toledo Christopher L. Tomassi Benjamin C. Torres Dexter Healy Toy Samantha J. Tracy James Willingham Trawick Michael Valvano Christopher van Loveren Sara L. VanTilburg Emily S. Vanderpool Adrian Vasquez Pablo Vega Danny Jesus Ventura Christopher C. Versaci Nicholas A. Voss Taji M. Walker Tony Junyi Wang Geoffrey Ward Kurt M. Wasserman Jessica A. Wayda Catherine B. Weiner Lara G. Weintraub Stephanie Rose Weiss Caitlyn M. Weldon Jeremy P. Wheeler Rehder Alexander John Whitelaw Leah C. Wise William H. Woodhull Kevin Matthew Yell Vincent Louis Zafonte Timothy J. Zarras Muhammad Abdul Zohaib Olivia Kidd Zurawin Graduating Consortium Students: James M. Hanabergh, Briarcliff Central School District, Briarcliff Liam M. McManus John Jay High School, Cross River

An amazing group Continued from page 7A

and down in the wind; my mind is calculating how far the car behind me is using the passenger-side mirror that says “objects in the mirror are closer than they appear.” But don’t worry, I’m not texting. Graduates, you may want to avoid highways. Not only because there are a lot of physics teachers out there but also when you look out the window the road goes by in a blur. Some of you have set goals already. For Matt Schwartz, it’s into the work force. Riahan Miah, violin performance.

Kyra Berger and Chloe LeComte, engineering. Vincent Zafonte, military. Dan Dietrich and Tim Zarras, art. Sophie Gamer and Lizzy Benway, medicine. And Zoe Jobe, law. But most of you aren’t really sure. Whether you do or not, don’t be in such a hurry to find your life’s work.

Take your time and enjoy navigating and sharing the journey. Don’t let it go by in a blur. Some 15 years ago I took an exit off of my career highway and a lot of things came into focus. I clearly saw that I am a teacher. Graduates, when you pursue your life’s work, go slow, keep it all in focus, and take an exit or two.

This graduating class is an amazing group of young men and women. Over the past 18 years your parents, grandparents, families, friends, teachers and coaches have helped you along the way. Today marks the day when you begin to take your first steps on your own. I know that many of you may be feeling nervous thinking about your future. But I know you can do it.

Let me share some of my data that tells me you are ready. Our graduates can handle how life is not easy. They honored coach Mac at the beginning of senior year and they recognized Mrs. Jane Wilkinson, who is currently fighting the tough battle against cancer, by naming her this year’s most inspirational teacher. Our graduates are courageous and are willing to support each other. I will never forget when Jackie Colao stood in front of our class and spoke from her heart. Or when Will Trawick was carried back from the Section 1AA Final Four basketball game on the shoulders of his teammates after the tough loss. Graduates, you are always there for each other.

I thought I had seen it all from this class — hard work, kindness, spirit, courage, respect, letting me know that you are ready to take the next step. But you surprised me yet again. Last Tuesday afternoon after most exams were finished, I bumped into Robbie Shilstone in Mrs. Kranz’s art room. Robbie is a big, gregarious, senior athlete, who sings “We are taking the Hobbits to Isenguard” with his friend Will, eats at least eight square meals a day, paints, and takes on tough academic challenges. I wondered why he was still here. He showed me. He showed me a beautiful portrait of Mrs. Wilkinson that he had painted, the teacher I mentioned a moment ago battling cancer. Robbie was getting ready to drive over to Mrs. Wilkinson’s home to give her the portrait he made for her.

Above all — above all — this class shows compassion, and they honestly care about people. They care about each other, and they care about us. And in the end, isn’t that what it’s all about? So it is without hesitation that I say this class is ready to take the next step. So as your last bell rings today at 2:21, congratulations to Fox Lane’s graduating class of 2012. 

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Fox Lane High School

aWards and sChoLarshiPs Continued from page 9A Bedford Village Lions Club -Peter Vincent: Clara Perez Bedford Village Lions Club: Christopher van Loveren

Bruce L. Dennis Scholarship: Benjamin Lebovic Eva Leilani Gunnefelt Art Memorial: Carly Boyajian

Friends of Music and the Arts-Music: Emma Kirshenbaum Hillside Outstanding Senior: Pablo Vega Independent Fire Company of Mt.

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Jenna D’Adamo cools off Cezary Czekierdowski Jr. Kisco: Francis Duffy John McLaughlin III Memorial: Domenic Bastone Jonathan David Pfeffer Memorial: Stephen Belcher Joseph Fancher Memorial: Allison Lombardi Kai Brouard Memorial: Karlie Hoferichter

Karen Amuso-Clifford Memorial Art: Courtney Farrell Katonah American Legion: Kevin Muller Kim Knowles Memorial: Timothy Bland Lizabeth Freeman Memorial: Katherine Kucharczyk Lucie Bigelow Rosen Music: Maxwell Sandler

Pound Ridge PBA: Marcine Gershfeld, William Rappaport Samuel Smilkstein: Helen Jimenez

Mount Kisco Chamber of Commerce Future Entrepreneur: Jordan Federbush

Seniors “ Senior Prom”: Elizabeth Benway, Matthew Muccioli

Mount Kisco Elementary PTA-George Pagliaro Memorial: Maria Serpas, Michael Brewster

Sons of the American Legion, Moses Taylor Jr. Post 136: Christopher Sordellini, Matthew Muccioli

Mount Kisco Lions Club -Herbert B. Howe Memorial: Ryan Boddie

Spanish Native Arts Language: Michelle Imbaquingo

Mount Kisco PBA: Sophia Koos, Mitchell Kutin

Fox Lane Music Association-Band: Bryan Dun

Friends of Music and the Arts-Art: Jessica Blanchard

Pound Ridge Lions Club Community Service: Adam D’Agostino, Vincent Zafonte, Kurt Wasserman, Allison Lombardi

Mount Kisco Lions Club-Herman Fox: Alexander Soto, Andrew Perratore

Fox Lane Association Grant: Matthew Solowey, Rebecca Stern

Friends of Music and the Arts-Drama: Jessica Strongwater

Martha Connor Memorial: Gianna Boccanfuso, Catherine Weiner

Modern Languages & Literatures: Michelle Imbaquingo

Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester-Marsha Brady Tucker: Michelle Imbaquingo, Bryan Restrepo, Miguel Brown, Jason Distant

Fox Lane Teachers Assn.: Jared Pasetsky, Jessica Liang

Pound Ridge Historical Society: Jacqueline Tenreiro, Adam D’Agostino

Mauro Family NY Stock Exchange Members Children’s Fund: Jessica Salazar

Bedford Village Volunteer Fire Department: Matthew Bruck, Michael Johnston, Anthony Grasso, Alexander Jacobson

Fox Lane Music Association-Chorus: Matthew Solowey, Jessica Strongwater

Martha Connor Memorial: Jacqueline Colao

Mount Kisco Rotary Club Memorial: Brianna Gutierrez, Miguel Brown, Bryan Dyn, Katherine Kucharczyk Nathan Gabriel-French: Rachael Eisman Nathan Gabriel-Italian: Katherine Kucharczyk Nathan Gabriel-Latin: Chloe le Comte Nathan Gabriel-Spanish: Jessica Wayda

Stuart Soffer Memorial: Sikander Miah Tingley-1st Place: Jessica Strongwater Tingley-2nd Place: Stephanie Hon Tingley-3rd Place: Andrew Perratore, Chloe leComte Tingley Underclass: Jordan Federbush, Chloe le Comte, Marc Robbins, Kurt Wasserman, Isabella Rago, Rachel Eisman, Rebecca Cohn, Allison Lombardi, Matthew Bruck Triumph I: Daniel Ventura Triumph II: Matthew Pucila

Patricia Anderson ESOL Memorial: Adix Guerra

West Patent Elementary PTA-June E. VonEiff Memorial: Shaire Gadson

Pound Ridge Elementary PTA-Morris Ottman Memorial: Kurt Wasserman, Chloe le Comte

Women’s Civic Club of Katonah Nursing: Alexis Acevedo, Elizabeth Benway 

Page 12a — June 29, 2012

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John Jay High School

CLass oF 2012

John Jay High School graduates 301

h

By JACKIE LUPO

ot, steamy weather failed to dampen the spirits of the families and friends who turned out at Caramoor on June 21 to cheer on this year’s graduates of John Jay High School. The class of 301 students looked cool and collected in their violet and white academic robes as they processed down the aisle under the beautiful Venetian tent. Music interludes were provided by John Jay a capella groups The Rolling Tones, The Noteables, and the Treblemakers, It was a night for remembering and one for looking forward. Superintendent Paul Kreutzer marked his first full year at the helm of the Katonah-Lewisboro School District by sending the grads off into the real world with the words, “We need you.” Dr. Kreutzer exhorted the newly-minted adults to “design the dress, publish the Pulitzer piece, green the globe… provide us with a path that leads our daughters to the presidency.”

Board of rducation president Mark Lipton entertained the crowd with some unexpected statistics pertaining to this year’s senior class. He estimated that they had ridden 48,000 miles in Katonah-Lewisboro school buses, done 147,000 hours of homework, used up 122 million pieces of white paper, and brought in 70,000 excuse notes from home.

A custom at John Jay graduation is the passing of the “Key of Knowledge” from the co-presidents of the graduating class to the co-presidents of the next year’s class. This year, graduating co-presidents Kendall Coniaris and Lauren Murray presented the oversized key, which is decorated with tokens symbolizing John Jay traditions, to Ava Cilia and Nicole Menkel, co-presidents of the Class of 2013.

Stephanie Riocci delivered the salutatorian’s address. Miss Riocci is interested in scientific research and has held a men-

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Joshua Bernheimer is all smiles as he receives his diploma at the John Jay High School commencement.

torship at a medical science laboratory for the past two years.

In her address, she talked about all the experiences and decisions that go into forming a person’s future. She urged her classmates not to “see everything in life as a stepping stone,” but to “be in the moment.”

“I believe in my hopelessly romantic heart that life is meant to be an adventure where you enjoy the ride,” she said.

Valedictorian Melissa Grossbarth, a multifaceted writer and school team co-founder of the MSG Varsity Channel’s “Challenge Team,” spoke about a subject close to the hearts

of graduating seniors everywhere: the college application process. Miss Grossbarth talked frankly about how she had become fixated upon getting into one college, and the lessons she learned when she was waitlisted by that school and had to look beyond that “perfect” school and see that she had other excellent choices (she is headed for the University of Chicago).

Science teacher Caroline Weldon gave the keynote address.

“I’ve shared a lot of advice with you over the years,” said Ms. Weldon, recalling the “Wall of Weldon” upon which her students recorded some of her words of wisdom.

“Put things in perspective,” she said. “Most difficult things are temporary.” This, she said, was a piece of advice handed down from her mother. And from her father, she received this blunt recommendation: “Life is tough. You better get yourself a helmet.” She advised students to “learn to identify your supporters, and surround yourself with people who bring out the best in you.”

Graduate Alexandra Mitchell shared a bit of “text-speak” in her senior class address. Examining the text-messaging abbreviation, “yolo,” meaning “you only live once,” Mitchell said “yolo” could be used as an excuse to indulge in risky behavior.

But, she said, “What if we channeled that energy into something that could change us? We often don’t seize chances to shape the life we want to have. We can be the ‘yolo’ students.”

Principal Ellen Doherty, who is leaving John Jay to become principal of White Plains High School, said, “I believe each of us ought to leave behind more than we take.” She praised the graduating seniors for their accomplishments in everything from community service to academics to “Ultimate Frisbee.”

Most of this year’s students are headed for 148 colleges and universities, while some will be joining the armed forces or going to work.

“You have made your teachers, parents, coaches and me proud,” said Ms. Doherty. “We are better for knowing you and the world is lucky to have you.” 

Joh n Jay Va L ediC tor i a n ’ s sPee Ch

Be honest with yourself as you move forward

By MELISSA GROSSBARTH

W

elcome, Class of 2012, family members, friends, teachers, administrators, and the end of a very long school year.

First, congratulations to the graduating class. I wish all of us the best of luck in the coming years, whatever path we may choose.

I would like to begin by sharing a little tale I call “College: A Love Story.”

College applications for me were, in a word, stressful. In two words, incredibly stressful. As the college decision date drew closer, I became incredibly fixated on this one school — top tier, elite, great academic atmosphere, rigorous, the works. I told numerous people how I just knew it was the perfect school for me.

I mean, it’s not like it was the only school I applied to – a number of other schools had already accepted me prior to hearing back from this heavily favored university. Take my second choice — when I saw that school, the nerdiness and thirst for knowledge that permeated its campus was infectious, and I wanted in.

But still, I clung to the desperate hope that my top choice would take me, and I feared being turned down by this school most of all. I had slaved over my application, told the school

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

John Jay High School Valedictorian Melissa Grossbarth.

how much I wanted to be there, showed it all of my credentials; I pretty much spilled my heart all over CommonApp. And in the end …

I was wait-listed. My heart sank. It’s as though I asked somebody out to prom and they responded with, “Well, there are other girls I’d rather go with; I’ll get back to you on May 1st.”

In the month after being wait-listed, I re-

flected upon what made me love my top choice so much; I couldn’t really pin it down.

That’s when I realized how, during the last few months of the college application process, I had been suffering from a severe case of tunnel vision. I saw my top choice school as perfect, the only university for me; all other colleges felt “all right” in comparison. Yet, the more I thought about it, the clearer it was that I had sincerely ignored all of the bad traits of my top choice and all of the good traits of every other school I had applied to. I made out my top choice to be perfect and everything else to be sub-par, at best.

So, as I tried to understand why that once top choice school was the only option for me, the perfection of that now former top choice melted away, and those schools that once seemed just “all right” to me became more and more desirable.

I idealized. We all do it, though. Look at the media, saturated with images of perfect bodies … except they’re PhotoShopped. We worship celebrities, often giving them a pass on their horrible behavior due to their fame and fortune. How about the concept of a “dream job,” a “dream home,” a “dream school?” Everything our society views as top-notch has had its flaws extracted to make it perfect and thereby desirable. But by removing the flaws, an inte-

gral part of these people or jobs or schools is taken away, and they exist in a realm beyond comparison.

The issue with idealization and perfection is that we get ourselves locked into this “perfect or nothing” mode of thought. Anything short of our dreams seems to us a dramatic downgrade. Those things are flawed, problematic, imperfect, not ideal. But the real problem isn’t that our other options are lacking in some way — it’s that our first picks and our favorites are made out to not be lacking at all.

Think for a moment — when was the last time you actually had a perfect day? How about your favorite class — was there not a single time that you were at least a little bit disappointed in what you learned? Can you see not one drawback to that dream job you have your heart set on? These things really aren’t as perfect as we’ve make them out to be.

I’ll admit, I still can’t fathom why I favored my former top choice over the school I’ll be attending this fall. I glossed over the problems with that top choice school because I wanted to achieve perfection, yet by doing so I ignored reality and lost my ability to reason clearly and choose properly.

What I learned from this experience, though, is the importance of being realistic.

Continued on page 15A

T h E RE C ORD - RE V IE W

 Graduation

June 29, 2012 — Page 13A

Joh n Jay Sa lu tator i a n spee ch

Making plans, or maybe not

I

By STEPHANIE RIOCCI

will not be rapping this speech. I know this may disappoint those of you who witnessed me rap Eminem’s “Love the Way You Lie” at this year’s Coffee House, but my agent tells me I can’t do any more unpaid gigs. OK, now that that is cleared up I can begin.

This may come as a bit of a shock to some of you, but I consider myself to be a pretty sentimental person, a “softy” if you will. To emphasize my point, my two favorite movies are “A Walk to Remember” and “The Notebook.” So, fair warning, I may sound corny at times. Sorry I’m not sorry.

Anyway, lately I have found that whenever I go to write in someone’s yearbook or talk about plans for college or what-not, I can’t help but think about how exactly it was that I got here, to this moment. What amalgamation of conscious decisions and luck had brought me to this spot and made me who I am? For instance, was it my English classes that transformed me into the type of person who would even use the word “amalgamation” casually in a sentence, or did I just use that word to get a rise out of my best friend who I know is making fun of me for it as I speak? I have found that the way we all speak and act is greatly affected by our group of friends. We tend to pick up each other’s habits and all constantly quote the same You-

Tube and movie references. I’m currently in a Bridesmaids/Zoolander quoting phase, so let me tell you it was very tempting to try and weave some references into my speech.

But neither movie is particularly well-suited to reflective speeches about the defining years of high school. But I digress.

Moving on, what about our career aspirations or extracurricular pursuits? Did my interest in becoming a doctor stem from my love of scientific research and desire to help people, or did it really come from a promise I made years ago to two certain individuals that if I ever discovered something and was given the chance to name it, I would call it Jenaynazoa, which conveniently was a combination of their two names, Dayna and Jenny, and becoming a doctor is the only way I know how to keep this promise.

I know many of us might still not know yet what we want to do with our lives, but I’m sure all of us have been inspired by something or someone to pursue a talent or interest. I believe that who we are is in large part determined by what we are passionate about, so when reflecting on how it is you got to be who you are, it’s important to remember what or who it was that inspired the passions that drive you.

And what about our personalities? What gave me the confidence to even stand up here and give this speech in front of my entire grade, their families and my own family.

Was it from the taking science research with its countless oral presentations in class and in

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Salutatorian Stephanie Riocci .

competitions, or was it really that aforementioned rapping guest appearance with The Notables that made me realize that I was a born performer who thrives in the limelight.

I think we all know the answer to that one.

But seriously, think about the experiences you have gone through that have left a lasting impact on your behavior and personality. Whether you are outgoing, introverted, goofy, sarcastic, shy or witty, something has contributed to whatever your particular mix of character traits happens to be.

In the interest of not getting too long-

winded, the point I’m actually trying to make is that the people we are today is at least in part the end sum of a million different choices we made, consciously or unconsciously, where the small decisions end up shaping our lives just as much as the big ones do. Because in the moment we don’t realize how different things affect us and make us grow as a person until suddenly we look back and can’t believe how much we have transformed, and can’t really point to what it was that did the transforming. It’s a little bit mind-boggling to think about everything that has had an impact on your life, every person you have met and experience you have shared that has determined the type of person you have become. We are all constantly changing and being influenced.

Almost 14 years ago I was lined up with my brother and sister donning an awesome L.L. Bean backpack, awaiting the bus for my first day of kindergarten. So much has happened since then, I can hardly believe it.

For instance, I now rock an Under Armour backpack.

But really, all those years ago I would have never dreamed my path to this moment would have gone the way it did. How could I have predicted that the decision that helped me get into my dream college was not at all academic. Nope, it was my last-minute decision to quit softball sophomore year and take up javelin throwing of all things. Who Continued on page 16A

The Katonah Tutoring Club congratulates the 2012 graduates and offers our best wishes for a happy and successful future.

Preschool programs for 2, 3 & 4 year old children

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173 Katonah Avenue, Katonah • 914-232-2317 katonahtutoringclub@hotmail.com • www.tutoringclub.com

Page 14a — June 29, 2012

graduation



the reCord-reVieW

John Jay High School

CLass oF 2012 Alexander Accinelli Caroline Acevedo Shiva Addanki Olin Algire Justin Andrews Ryan R. Andrews Kase Spear Aufsesser Julia Baker Hunter Leigh Balkind Brittany Joan Banks Dana Victoria Barbieri Peter Baron Ben Barone Jessica Leigh Barrueco Sophia Juliette Barson Daniel James Bastardi Christopher P. Beckett Branimir Begonja Gabriela Belardi Paige Danielle Bennett Arabella Berke Joshua Bernheimer Nicole Chance Bernier Robert Christopher Blake Jr. Anton Igorevich Boutkov Thomas Michael Branca Kyle P. Brenza Douglas Delaney Brown David Douglas John Bull Max William Burstein Abigail Butcher Daniel Caiola Logan Robert Carbaugh Laura Ann Cardi Pasqualina Carrozza Hannah Ruth Casill

Emma Chambers Evan Christopher Clare Cirillo Athena Joan Cipully Tyler Clark Murray Ilan Cohen-Weinberg Steven Cola Sabastian Colbert Kendall Skye Coniaris Julia D’Anna Conrad Ellen Conti Luca Coppola Robert Cozza Jillian Faith Crocker Elliya Cutler Claudia Ann d’Ottillie Sarah Dash Kelsey Christine Davey Dream Teal Dawn Alexander Day Kelsey Ann DeRaffele Joseph D. Decaminada Calla Deitrick Chelsea DeKoff Max Harrison Delin Daniel Detomaso Avery Luna Deutsch Thomas DeVittorio William Dewar Paul Joseph Dispenza Marisa Drpich Jared John Egeler Charles Ehlers Jane Adelaide Eifert Joshua Dale Emerson Matthew Jacob Emmer

SCOTT MULLIN PHOTO

Victoria Ann Gullen shares the excitement at John Jay High School graduation.

Ruby Engel Danielle S. Epstein Haley Esselborn Richard Hayden Euchner Anne Manon Falcon Steven B. Farella Marissa Jorene Faretta Maya Felder Zachary Evan Feldman Matthew Hayes Ferentini Mitchell Ferrara Kyle E. Ferris

Nicolette Fiacco Carolee Ann Finney Amanda Victoria Flink Anna Flournoy Emily A. Foster Logan Friedman Cassady Rain Gaier Grant Clyburne Gallagher Robert Garafolo Lane Ginsbern Joanna Marie Giordano Thomas John Glading

Brian Thomas Gleason Hanna Camille Gold Bradley Goldman Amanda Veronica Golis Max Daniel Goodstein Kiley Everett Gorman Melissa Grossbarth Jillian Grossman Victoria Ann Gullen Christina Hafkemeyer Jennifer Hamren Hunter Handler Josette Orah Hartnett Jered Basil Harvey Albina Hasanaj Isabelle Michelle Hastings Alexander Robert Henderson Zachary Herzog Clare Sumpter Hogan Kathleen Claire Holmes Sarah Horowitz Hamayak Christopher Hovnanian Margot Hughes Samuel Hayden Johnson Stephen Johnson Michael G. Jones Michael Joseph Juchem Sara Jurman Sara Heide Kaplan Matthew Kaufman Brian J. Kehoe Eileen K. Kelly Peter Holden Kerans Lucas A. Kesten Daniel Glenn Killea

Isabella Kirsch Raegan Knox Elyssa Kohlhagen Timothy John Konetchy Dayle LaPolla Alexa LaRaus Jack Landau Eric Lavelanet Charles F. Lawrence Zachary Lawrence August Mead Lehmuller Brian Lehrer Paige Lester Brandon Lew Jonathan Li Samantha Morgan Lish Daniel T. LoBosco Christina Rose Lordi Nicole Ann Loscri Trevor Lovitz Jacob Andrew Lutt Kevin Lynch Lucian A. Madoff Jared E. Maher Robert Malara Stephen Maniace Sydney Michelle Mann Sava Marinkovic Andrea Martin John Mason Sara Ann Masterson Ali Matschke Sara Mattson Christopher Reid Maxmin Lauren Eileen McCormick Continued on page 15A

Congratulations, Class of 2012 ...and to The Record-Review’s own special grads

Sam Marx

American University’s School of International Service, Washington, D.C. Master of Arts in International Economic Relations

Rachel Richardson Smith College Northampton, MA Bachelor of Arts

Lucas A. Kesten

John Jay High School Cross River, NY Heading to Norwich University

T h E RE C ORD - RE V IE W

JJHS Grads Continued from page 14A Connor John McCune Thaddeus J. McKoan Liam McManus Dayna Mercer Christiana Maria Metaxas Katharine Casey Metz Rachel Meyer Abigail Meyers-Orr Benjamin Cole Miller David Miller Alexandra A. Mitchell Brian Matthew Moran Alejandro Moreno-Palomino Morgan Nicole Moschetta Ronald Mraz Lindsey Anne Mulcahy Olivia Muniz John K. Murphy Lauren Smith Murray Declan Myer Micah Ruben Nesson Renee Nouri Kelsey Nusbaum Evan Daniel O’Connor Maeve O’Neill Tara Ann O’Neill James Thomas O’Reilly Jennifer Oddo Kyle Alexander Ogren Scott Oneto Jessica Ann Ott Nolan Mayhew Panno Michael Pardo Kyle Michael Pascullo Travis K. Paul Filip Pejanovic Michael J. Pepitone Charles Perrone Samara Leigh Petigrow John Petrillo Diona Piazza Diana Pisera

Joyce Pogge Emily Pomeroy Noel Popoli Brian Phillip Porco Erica Posadas Gianni Donnellan Possenti Lucia Racine Arianna Rappy Jake Taylor Reitman Alexander Ricci Jessica Oriana Riocci Stephanie Donata Riocci Vincent Riocci Krista Ritterhoff Tyler Robertson Jared Robinson Michael Richard Rosenthal Ashleigh Rutherford Gabrielle Ruvituso Jake Ryan Daniel Ryjov Jeremy Samuel Sabath Katherine A. Sackman Darcy Rose Samuelsohn Darren Sanders Ryan C. Sanders Ashley Sant Mary Carolyn Sarlitto Christoph Sawyer-Colon Noah Benjamin Schefer Danielle Schoen Leah Schwartz Jennifer Schwartzman Benjamin Seligson Shannon Selvaggi-Moore Jesse Sementilli Jacqueline Serra Mina Grace Shah Emily Cara Shallo Chloe Shannon Alexander Kurt Shaw Alec William Shearer Daniel Lea Shorser Irina Silver Frankel Madeleine Dara Silverstein Alexandra Leigh Simels

 Graduation Peter Simonides Andrew Paul Slater Daniel Smith Lisette Smith Ashley Elizabeth Sobel Philip Socci Tyler Holt Soulias Brianna Spaziante Brennan Spellacy Arden Elizabeth Sperry Nicholas Stafford Michelle Steckler Robert William Suda Rachel Sweeney Lily Tanico Agon Agi Taraku Katherine Carol Hayman Taylor Jordan Teich Charles F. Tetelman Emily F. Thomann Benjamin C. Tisherman Nicholas C. Tisherman Margaret Paige Treyz Christopher J. Upshall Gabriel Eduardo Vargas Alex Michael Vaughn Jennifer Veith Matthew Waldman Dakota Brant Walker Jacob Fader Wasik Alexandra Reynolds Weiller Catherine Weiner Daniel Brian Weinfeld Lisa Weingarten Thomas John Weingarten Sarah Jessica White Adam Justin Wilmot-Stroud Samuel Avery Winfield Kyle Winthers Dylan Christian Wolter Morgan Randolph Wright Michael Anthony Yablon Jenna Allison Yasgur Stephany Maribel Zevallos Kendall Russell Zipkin Sarah Morley Zobe 

June 29, 2012 — Page 15A

Be honest with yourself Continued from page 12A

I could have bemoaned my existence, complained about the unfairness of the application process, and begrudgingly sent in my deposit to a school I was less-than-thrilled to attend.

But I didn’t. I took a long look at my options and truthfully evaluated them, doing my best to dispel any form of tunnel vision or bias.

In the following days, it was still a bit of an ordeal to handle the wait-listing, and admittedly I was torn about what I would do if I was taken off the wait-list. But I understand now that all the schools I applied to could easily make me happy, something I hadn’t realized when I was so fixated on that former top choice. As I thought about all the options I had, I realized how many different opportunities I could take advantage of, depending upon my decision. None of these choices were perfect, but none of them were sub-par, that’s for sure.

Idealization only hurts the decisionmaking process. By placing one option on a pedestal of perceived faultlessness, only one choice appears viable. If we instead ground ourselves in reality and access our choices completely and honestly, we gain greater insight into alternatives that could be just as good, if not better, for us than our preferred routes.

I’m not saying to settle — never settle. But not being able to get the job you really wanted or having to attend your third choice school doesn’t mean you’re settling — it means you’re being flexible with the options available to you and determining what the best choice is, wholly and honestly. Besides, other options

can have hidden benefits, and choices once unfavored could end up leading you to a great deal of success.

Do not sell yourself short, but don’t be disappointed if your preferred path doesn’t pan out. Dream big, but realize how large those dreams are, and be honest about what would be necessary to attain them. Set your eyes on achievement, but remember that success comes in all sorts of forms, and you may have to take off the blinders to see the possibilities around you. Be realistic, be flexible, and above all, keep going forward.

Once again, congratulations to the Class of 2012, and thank you.

Melissa Grossbarth was valedictorian of the John Jay High School Class of 2012. 

GRADUATION A special section of

The Record-Review P.O. Box 455, Bedford Hills, NY 10507 914-244-0533 www.record-review.com PUBLISHER SECTION EDITOR

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P a g e 1 6 A — J u n e 2 9 , 2 0 1 2



Graduation

su per i n t en den t ’ s spee ch

Class of 2012, we need you!

By DR. PAUL KREUTZER

determination, and optimism. The simple fact of the matter is the “real world” has seesawed between its advancements and regresood evening and welcome to sions, with perhaps regression weighing more our families and special guests, heavily these days. We need you to tip the including our exemplary teach- balance squarely in favor of advancement. ers, support personnel, and adWe need your songs and your art. We ministrators. need a download to uplift, a theatre seat Welcome to our honorable trustees of the to stand in line for… we need a voice that school board, past and present. inspires and stirs our soul, not an idol or And welcome, most notably, our students, fallen superstar.We need your contribution the very reason we are all here. to medicine and healing. We need you to I say only a short time longer because not simply check the spread, but to find the when our ceremony this evening concludes, cure. We need the removal of the cause, not these fine young men and women behind just relief of the pain. Which of your hands me will no longer be students of John Jay will comfort one of us in our time of need?

High School of the Katonah Lewisboro We truly need you.

Union Free School District. They will in We need your competitive spirit. We need the eyes of all, be adults and from this day to see something special in sport that allows and forever forward be members of the “real us to share in the victory and admire the acworld.” complishment. Records are made to be broSome here this evening will lament the ken — but we need them shattered. passing of youth, and an abundance of tears We need to move from a starving world to will certainly bear witness to end of child- a meal to hunger for. hood. There are those who wish to hold them We need you to design the dress, publish a bit longer, to extend and cherish this time. the Pulitzer piece, green the globe.

I, for one, do not share these sentiments.

We need you to lead. Present us with poliThere is one reason and one reason only I’m tics unusual, not the usual politics. Provide quick to send them on their way. Ladies and us a path that leads our daughters to the gentlemen of the John Jay Graduation class presidency. of 2012, we need you.

Above all, we need you to do these things, That’s right. We need you in the real and more while being true to yourself and world. Actually, let’s not sugarcoat this, we others. really need you. Truth be told, the real world We welcome you to adulthood, the “real is in need of new ideas, enthusiasm, inspira- world” and all that entails. We have waited tion, confidence. need your ingenuity, SLS 2012 Grad AdWe 9.833X6.667_Layout 1 6/14/12 3:14 PM Page 1 you, to be here, now.  your entire life for

G

T h E RE C ORD - RE V IE W

Making plans, or maybe not Continued from page 13A

knew that a talent for throwing spears like King Leonidus of Sparta actually had useful applications in the post-ancient Greek world! And I think that is what is awesome about life; you never really know what decision will end up altering it.

That’s why I don’t pretend to know what will happen to any of us in the next few years, most of all myself. Sure I have a plan, an idea for the path I want my trajectory to follow, but at the same time I also don’t what to see everything in life as a stepping stone, a means to an end, always looking ahead to the next obstacle in the way of my forward progress. There is a problem with that way of living your life; it doesn’t allow you to be in the moment to take advantage of the opportunities you may be missing simply because you are only looking in one direction. I believe in my hopelessly romantic heart that life is meant to be an adventure where you enjoy the ride. You can’t just hit it and quit it.

Life is about making both the small and huge decisions and turning them into memories worth keeping. And that is what I think matters most about high school.

Because in 20 years I won’t care about the calculus test I failed or even the salutatorian speech I butchered. I’ll remember all of the awesome people I met who made the journey worthwhile. Whether it was in Latin class, AP chem, science research, on the soccer field or even an infamous class trip to Cern, it was the people that I surrounded

myself with that mattered most, not the destination. Because they are the ones who were there for me whenever I was stressed and overtired, they were the ones who fought alongside me in that senior night game and became my second family (shoutout to my sisters on JJSOCC), they were the ones who were always there to listen, bounce ideas off of, get hopelessly lost next to and go on ill-advised adventures with, and they are the ones that inspire me to think, do and be better. Look around at our classmates; these are the people who we shared four of some of the most formative years in our lives with. We have each other to thank for the way we came out of the high school journey and for the types of people we will be as we move on to the next one. We all have those people that define the memories that stick and the decisions that make us grow up.

Cherish them.

As we all diverge to new places and leave the unifying bond we all share that is high school behind, there are two things that we should take away with us. The memories we made and the people who made those moments worth remembering. So class of 2012, what we have are memories, and now we have earned the opportunity to go out and make a whole lot of new ones. Seize it. 

Congratulations Class of 2012 The Class of 2012

Mackenzie Alderman • Ernst Angrand Jr. • Zachary Batson • Nicole Bennett-Fite • Charlotte Bergmann • Emily Bergmann • Elinor Biddle • Giuseppe Bonaddio • Tyler Brennan • Emily Burnaman • Ross Burnaman • Hannah Butman • Caroline Chadwick • James Chadwick • Emily Coleman • Adam Connolly • Brett Connors • Luke Costello • Jonathan Demosthene • Kyle DeViney • Annabelle Duncan • Gareth Fancher • Olivia Foley • Thomas Forese • Samuel Fuller Jr. • Craig Gibson • Abigail Goettler • Ryan Grant • Paige Hart • Sabrina Herbert • Collin Hill • Caroline Hopkins • Gabriela Horowitz • Spencer Jaffe • Greta Joung • Daniel Kagan • Andrew Kager • Evan Kenagy • Benjamin Klein • Lauren LaBanca • Christopher LaBella • Christian Langalis • Samantha Levy • Brian Lundquist • Kelly Maguire • Shannon McDonagh • Colin McIntire • Mercedes McKelvie • Luke Osherow • Blake Overlander • Eli Parker-Burgard • Lauren Pendo • Samuel Posner • Abraham Ramirez • Arthur Roski II • Emma Rushton • Camden Sargent • Charles Schlinkert • Kelly Seaver • Charlotte Seiler • Gregory Sellhausen • Daniel Serrano • Nikita Singh • Zoë Smock • Anne Troy • Bria Yarborough

Representing the following Towns

Bedford (3) • Bridgeport • Darien (7) • Monroe • New Canaan (14) • Norwalk (11) • Old Greenwich (2) • Pound Ridge (3) • Ridgefield (4) • Riverside • Rowayton (6) • South Salem • Stamford (6) • Waccabuc • Westport • Wilton (4) Photo by Peter Mahakian

Attending the following Colleges and Universities

American University • Amherst College • Bates College • Boston College • BrighamYoung University • Bucknell University • Central Connecticut State University • Colby College • Colgate University • Dartmouth College • Davidson College • Dickinson College • Drexel University • Elon University • Franklin and Marshall College • Gettysburg College (3) • Hamilton College - NY (2) • Harvard University • Indiana University at Bloomington • Johns Hopkins University • Lafayette College (2) • Lehigh University • Morehouse College • Muhlenberg College • NewYork University (2) • Pennsylvania State University, University Park • Phillips Academy Andover - Post Graduate (2) • Pomona College • Quinnipiac University (2) • Siena College • Southern Methodist University • St. Lawrence University (2) • Stanford University • The George Washington University • The University of Tampa • Trinity College - CT • Tufts University • Tulane University • University of Denver (2) • University of Miami • University of New Haven • University of Notre Dame • University of Oregon • University of Pennsylvania (2) • University of Richmond • University of South Carolina • University of Southern California • University of Virginia (2) • Vassar College • Villanova University • Wake Forest University • Washington and Lee University • Wellesley College • Western Connecticut State University • Wheaton College - MA (203) 801- 4833 | info@stlukesct.org | www.stlukesct.org St. Luke’s is a college-preparatory, secular day school for grades 5-12

377 North Wilton Road New Canaan, CT 06840