BuccaneerBulletin June 2015 Volume 3 Number 7
Oswego High School’s Student Voice
We’ll Make H15tory Top Ten Pages 4 & 5
Where We’re Going Pages 6 & 7
All Rise; Reeser Retires Page 16
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Editorial
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Drawing Board
Buccaneer Bulletin Oswego High School’s Student Voice Editor-in-Chief Rachael Purtell Managing Editor Hannah Griffin Business Manager Courtney Osmun Webmaster Lisa Kanbur Chief Photographer Elizabeth Sincavage Art Director Olivia DeLorenzo Alumni Editor Amber Canbek Sports Editor Chase Pelton Layout Editor Mariya Hirna Reporters Hannah Cali Victoria Armet
Advisers Bill Reeser Heidi Conland Sheffield The Buccaneer Bulletin, a member of the Empire State School Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, and The Quill and Scroll, is published periodically by the students of the Oswego High School, 2 Buccaneer Blvd.; Oswego, New York 13126; (315) 341-2200. It is intended as a vehicle to inform, educate, and entertain the student body. Opinions expressed are those of the students and do not necessarily reflect those of the administration or the advisers.
CARTOON BY KAYLA VOLKOMER
. . . to seniors Sean Benjamin, Lainey Celeste, Bri Lane, Mark Taormina, and Ben McCrobie for winning the Oswego County Envirothon on Thursday, May 7. . . . to the girls’ lacrosse teams for raising over $1,400 for Cystic Fibrosis and participating in the Great Strides Walk on Saturday, May 16. . . . to the students of Ms. Billie Jo Peterson who participated in the Feats of Clay competition on Friday, May 1. . . . to the production of Pippin being nominated for several recognitions by Syracuse High School Theatre Awards including Matt Spaulding for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role, Ryan Smith for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, Rachel Leotta for Rising Star, and Best Ensemble. . . . to senior Zach Bush for winning a first place gold medal in the Motorcycle Service Technology Division of the SkillsUSA NY Leadership Conference and Skills Championships. He will compete nationally later this month.
. . . to having prom at Alex’s. The dance floor was small and cramped and the food was dreadful. . . . to graduation being so late in the month. We want out!
On the Cover: The senior class officers celebrate the Class of 2015 with sparklers! From left to right are Victoria Fix, Allison Smith, Angie Rookey, and Meghan Hourigan. This month’s cover photo was taken by Elizabeth Sincavage.
Buccaneer Bulletin
. . . to the fumes in the music wing as a result of the construction being done on the roof of the building. . . . to spring fever seriously decreasing student and teacher productivity. Finish the end of the year strong! . . . to the people who shake the vending machines to get free drinks. . . really? www.buccaneerbulletin.com
June 2015
Editorial In Our View . . .
Students sit down with the state In late April, the much anticipated visit by curriculum for certain courses is far too easy. It’s as if the New York State Education Department began. the grades are being handed to us rather than earned. I Teachers, administrators, and a few students had the would like to earn a 100 instead of receiving one due opportunity to meet with some individuals from the to the relation of the exam to the review handed out department during their visit. We, at The Buccaneer a day beforehand. You’re not learning if the answers Bulletin, were given the opportunity to provide are handed to you!” an inside look at the meeting with the students in To clear up any rumors, the students were not particular. asked any specific questions about their teachers; in Oswego High School is a focus school in New fact, students were asked not to provide the names York State for several reasons. First, over the past of teachers they had complaints about in front of the several years, our school’s test scores in the subjects group. of mathematics and English have been experiencing Many of the students at the meeting feel that a downward trend. Also, we have a graduation rate there is a serious lack of a pathway to help us prepare which lies in the bottom 15 percent of public high for life after high school. The general opinion was schools in NYS. As the students sat in a circular that there is not much of a system to encourage or arrangement of desks, these facts were received with help students to begin looking for colleges or other disbelief and silence. options. Sophomore Celia Fitzgerald stated, “I was Fitzgerald said, “Being a sophomore, I haven’t surprised to hear that we were in the bottom really had to think about my future much, but should percentages for New York State high schools. I knew I be? I don’t know. No one has ever really even talked we were bad, but I didn’t know it was that bad.” to me much about my future. I don’t know about any Like Fitzgerald, many of us at the meeting had programs or classes that would help me. I just feel assumed the graduation rate was low, but had no idea like I wouldn’t know where to begin.” as to the extent of the problem. It was very important to many of the students to Senior Terrance Perez stated, “When the State also commend the excellent teachers here at OHS as mentioned that we are a focus school and provided well as the many incredible electives and programs. the evidence to show it, it made me realize that Fix stated, “We offer a wide range of electives we need to do better as a district to improve our and our BOCES program which help kids find a knowledge and preparation for college material after passion. For instance, I’m in yearbook and have spent graduation.” more time on the yearbook The meeting between the students and the than any other class and it representatives from the state did not have much has somewhat directed me structure and was very much an open forum towards a discussion. The group of students was passion I asked several questions just to get the will have ball rolling, but for the most part, for the rest students were able to freely voice their of my life.” opinions. We, at The Buccaneer Senior Victoria Bulletin, realize that is Fix was delighted difficult to appreciate what at the chance to you have when you have participate in not been anywhere else. the interview. Most schools do not have a “Even though TV studio or Project Lead I’m a senior the Way and we have award GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY RACHAEL PURTELL and a lot of winning music, art, and people say it doesn’t matter what the school is like student publication since we’re leaving it, I definitely want to leave our departments school knowing that I’ve tried to make a difference. as well as several Over my four years here I have seen a lot of things successful sports teams. that have happened that I don’t particularly agree We also have many phenomenal with or like, so when I was asked I was very excited educators who show a level of dedication to get the point across that we have some things to to their jobs that we as students can only hope to work on in our school,” she stated. achieve as we begin our own careers. A variety of topics were discussed including “OHS has many really talented teachers. Many inconsistencies in teaching styles, college teachers care about and love their job and it’s preparation, and student and teacher motivation. obvious,” Fitzgerald said. Fix said, “The people that worked for the State It is important that as a district we are able to that were there seemed very passionate about what accept our flaws and the advice offered to correct they do and showed a lot of compassion when all of them. The New York State Education Department the students were speaking.” may not be a perfect system with flaws of their own, The students aired many grievances about but their goal is to help make schools like ours the teachers who they believe do not properly educate best they can be. their students. Although the students recognized Fix stated, “It was almost a blessing in disguise the great teachers they have had, they expressed that we are in the bottom 15 percent of high schools frustration at the teachers they beat at arrival to in New York State because now hopefully some of school daily and who do not push them to actually the changes are implemented in the school as the learn the material. years go on and the graduation rate increases and Perez stated, “The most important message more kids are attending college or a trade school I wanted to get across to the state was that the where they want to be.”
Buccaneer Bulletin
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What’s Your Opinion? “Do you think OHS is worthy of being observed by the state?” Matt Lewis Senior
“Yes, but visiting once wouldn’t get a clear view on how things are, we need to be visited more than once.”
Sage Dudley Senior
“No, because it’s not the teachers’ job to make school exciting, students should want to come to learn for their futures.”
Chris Chalifoux Senior
“No, because we just seem to be doing well for ourselves and we really don’t need them or the Common Core.”
Erin Delaney Senior
“I don’t know because there’s a lot of things that are really great and we do things well, but we kind of struggle with the core curriculum.”
Mr. Mark Mirabito AP Psychology Teacher
“I would say all schools have to be judged somehow by the state, that’s their job, but the criteria they use are of questionable validity for judging schools.”
Mr. Bill Reeser Journalism Adviser
“Yes because we are on their list of focus schools but I don’t agree with how they determine who’s on the list.” June 2015
Walking the Plank
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Buccaneer seniors graduate at the top of their class Kara Weiss
What are you most proud of? Probably my academic accomplishments and volunteer work; I’ve dedicated a lot of time to both, and they’re really rewarding in their own way. Who is the most important person in your life and why? Sorry for the cliché, but my parents are incredibly important to me. They’ve always tried to instill a strong work ethic in me and it’s been instrumental in helping me meet my goals. What advice would you give to people who want to have the same average as you? You have to decide that academics are your priority and determine what you’re willing to sacrifice and what you aren’t. It’s all about maintaining a good balance and managing your time. And studying. Lots of studying. If you could travel anywhere you wanted, where would you go and why? My aunts are some of the most well-traveled people I know, and they said that Africa is one of their favorite places to visit. Considering that one of my aunts has visited all seven continents, some multiple times, I think her opinion is pretty valid! I’d love to travel to a lot of places if given the chance, but based on their pictures and stories, Africa would be really amazing. If you could witness any event of past, present or future, what would it be and why? The Big Bang… although I’m not sure where I’d watch it from.
Allison Smith
How would your friends Probably a little very hardworking and school and any club I am What is your memory? My best memory is little and the go out
describe you? n e r d y b u t dedicated to involved with. best childhood childhood when I was power would so my family and I would sit around and play boardgames by tcandle light. If you won t h e l o t t e r y, what would y o u do? I would
definitely save it so I can pay for college and my future. If you could witness any event of the past, present, or future, what would it be? Probably the future so I can see which career path I end up choosing because I feel so lost right now. What is the one single food that you would never give up? Bread. What is the last thing you bought? Tickets to go to the Senior Dinner Dance and the Senior Class Picnic.
Buccaneer Bulletin
Lainey Celeste
What is your favorite type of music? 2000s alternative rock, the stuff that was on the radio like ten years ago because I remember listening to it when I was little, and then you hear it again and you are like, “Oh my gosh, I remember this song!” What is one single food you would never give up? Steak. I could never be a vegetarian.
Rachael Purtell
What do you feel most proud of? I am proud of the fact that at the end of every day I am able to live with the choices a n d decisions I make and the way I treat those around me. You are Editorin-Chief and did many
What are your favorite books?
The sixth Harry Potter book, The Gone series by Michael Grant was really good. I read these books when I was younger and Life of Pi is probably my favorite. you most afraid of? I am scared that my all of my ambitions won’t be fulfilled when I am older. I expect a lot from myself and I just don’t want to be disappointed. Who do you most admire in life? My older sister Molly, she is nine years older than me and lives in New York City. She doesn’t allow other people to influence her and she does what she thinks is right and what she wants to do. She always gives me advice when I need it. She is old enough to know how is it to be an adult, make your own money, and manage everything, but she is also young enough to remember how is it to be a teenager.
interviews. What is your favorite question to ask people? My favorite question to ask other people is who impacted them the most and who they credit their success to. What teacher in school made the most impact on you and why? Mr. Reeser has definitely impacted me the most. He taught me how to be a leader and just so much about how to survive high school in general. He probably doesn’t even know, but a five-minute conversation I had with him probably determined my career path. I wasn’t going to take journalism again after my first year and he took just five seconds to let me know how good at it he thought I was and it wasn’t until the following year that I decided that journalism is what I want to do with the rest of my life.
Reilly Patrick
Connor Sheffield
What are
What is your best childhood memory? Probably playing in the neighborhood at night time by flashlight. What is one single food you would never give up? Chocolate, totally chocolate. If you could only keep five possessions what would they be? My bed, my phone, pencils, paper, laptop. How do you s p e n d y o u r f re e time? I spend it hanging out with friends, drawing, or playing sports. If you could do anything you wanted right now what would you do? I would go on vacation, probably somewhere in Europe. What do you feel most proud of? I ’ m very proud that the commitment I put into schoolwork has all paid off. What teacher in high school had the most impact on you and why? Mrs. Rogers. She takes her students in as if they were her own children. She doesn’t just teach music, but she is truly genuine about making sure every student is the best person they can be. What is your favorite quote? “Trade your currency for experiences - because you probably traded your time to obtain it - and time runs out.” www.buccaneerbulletin.com
What is your favorite type of music? I like a lot of music, I like rap and rock. I guess I listen to different music depending on how I feel. What is the one, single food that you would never give up? SmartFood white cheddar popcorn. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why? Probably I would go back to LA, I spent only a little bit of time there and I feel like there is a lot more to see. If you could only keep five possessions, what would they be? My X-box, my laptop, my “stay cool” T-shirt, my aluminum RayBans, and my wolf t-shirt. What was your most embarrassing moment in high school? There was this one time when I used to play basketball and I almost tried to shoot on my own basket and I didn’t understand why people were getting angry at me for going the wrong way. That really stayed with me. What age do you feel right now and why? Sometimes I feel like a five year old because I don’t like to say anything serious, but sometimes I feel like a 40 year old man because I think a lot. I have very complex thoughts and philosophical statements.
June 2015
Walking the Plank
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Top students bid goodbye to their alma mater Zach Smolinski
What do you feel most proud o f ? Probably staying in the top ten of my class throughout my high school What age do you feel right now and why? Easily 65. I am just so tired all the time. How would your friends describe you? Cute, narcissistic, and hilarious. What do you want your tombstone to say? He went down in a blaze of glory. What teacher in school made the most impact on you and why? Mr. Mirabito because he works so hard to make sure that we all are going to do really well on the AP Psych Test, even though his last year. He just puts in a lot
it’s o f e f f o r t for his job. If you won the lottery, what would you do? I would probably put a lot of it in the bank because I am probably going to end up needing to pay off stuff like college and all the fabulous vacations I am going to take. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why? I would probably go to Paris, France; it is such a pretty city at night. What is the last thing you bought? Iced coffee. I buy it all the time.
Bri Lane
What is your favorite music? Country music, I like the lyrics and I can sing along with it. If you had a chance for a one doover thing in your life, what would you do differently? I would probably save my money better. What are you most afraid of? Spiders, god, those things are fast. How would your friends describe
you? Loud and funny. Like really loud and maybe sometimes annoying. Who do you most admire in your life? My dad, he is awesome. What teacher in school had the most impact on you and why? Probably, Mr. Shaw. I can always go to him with my problems and if anything goes wrong, I just go tell him, and he always helps me out and gives good advice.
Buccaneer Bulletin
Mayra Lopez
What is your best childhood memory? I w o u l d say spending Christmases with my family in Puerto Rico. If you had a chance for one do-over thing in your life what would you do differently? I m i g h t have taken more opportunities for being a leader and I would have signed up for more clubs and organizations. What do you feel most proud of? I am proud of just being able to work as hard as I have the past couple of years. Going into high school, I wasn’t expecting to do
as well as I did. If you could only keep five possessions, what would they be? My phone for music, a library card, a notebook, a computer and Allison Smith. What are your favorite books and why? One of them I read recently would have to be We Were Liars; it was just a really eye-opening book and I remember I read it in one night and loved it. I honestly really liked Tom Sawyer; I think it was a good story. What is the last thing you bought? Yesterday, I went to the vending machine and bought a bag of popcorn.
Allie Henderson
What are your favorite books and why? Well, the Harry Potter series is definitely one of them; I grew up w i t h them, they’re the best. The NeverE nding Story is probably second. What teacher in school had the most impact on you and why? Mrs. Martin is like a second mom to me, she helped me through some hard times. She is very helpful and kind. What was your favorite toy as a kid? My favorite toy was this rabbit on a string my dad made for me because I had a real rabbit, and I would just pull it around everywhere. He was my fake pet that looked like a real one. If you could do anything you wanted to right now, what would it be? I would travel, everywhere. I want to see the whole world. I would probably go to England, Scotland and Ireland first. Then, I want to see the Seven Wonders of the World and Australia. I have already gone to France, Spain, and Italy. France was my favorite; I really liked the mix of nice countryside, beaches, and cities. It was a very unique mix and it was very pretty. www.buccaneerbulletin.com
Congratulations Class of 2015 Top 25 Kara Weiss Lainey Celeste Rachael Purtell Allison Smith Reilly Patrick Connor Sheffield Zach Smolinski Mayra Lopez Bri Lane Allie Henderson Zach Gillard Nik Whiteside Sean Benjamin Shea Hewitt Molly Brown Nora Culeton Brenna Sherman Kayla Volkomer Erin Delaney Josh Bucher Taylor Hamer Paul Oleyourryk Brianna Fernandez Thomas Simmonds Vanessa Wiltsie
Editor’s Note: This list of the Top 25 students of the class of 2015 is based on students’ weighted overall academic average over the course of their high school career and may differ from the list of students awarded at the Top 100 Dinner on June 7. This edition of Walking the Plank was by Mariya Hirna, graphics and photo illustrations were by Rachael Purtell. June 2015
Graduation Plans
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Oswego High School’s Class In State: Albany College of Pharmacy Brianah Lane
Alfred University Kyle Kemper
AMDA College & Conservatory of Perf. Arts Taylor Hamer
Binghamton University Mayraliz Lopez Brianna McIntosh
Bryant and Stratton James Fetterly Julie Keytack Terilyn Pospesel Richard Smiedy Andrew Thompson
Cayuga CC
Sarah Abtey Katelin Ballard Michael Barry Kaira Benway Tiffany Billington Michael Carpenter Elizabeth Chase Tyler Coady Austin Coleman Alex Cooley Anthony Donabella Alaina Galutz Gunner Greco Abbe Hammond Shawna Hankey Christopher Jadus Melinda Johnson Emily Kennedy Kaylee Kuriger Joshua Lazzaro Nicole LiCourt Anthony Losurdo Nicole Lyboult Samantha Manning Austin McCormick Brittany McLaughlin Megan Meaney Shanell Meyers Jordyn Morris Drew Ormsby Kayla Pierce Logan Prucnal Cassidy Quonce Matthew Rodgers Jonathon Stevens Adam Thompson Makayla Thompson Natahley Torrese Matthew Utter-Rizzo Eliza Walden Anthony Wetzel Cheyanne Winslow
Buccaneer Bulletin
Cazenovia College Erica Bivens Keeghan McSweeney Elizabeth Sincavage Kayla Volkomer
Clarkson University Taylor Montgomery Mark Taormina Collin Wilder Carrie Yurkon
Corning CC
Patience Crawford
Onondaga CC
Elizabeth Bonner Tayler Bonney Benjamin Chatterton Whitney Daino Ashlea Faraci Zoe Ferris Andrew Hook Derrick Johnson Thomas Montgomery Emmett O’Brien Alexis Sheridan Carlie Stoebner Robert Swan III
Crouse School of Nursing
Paul Smith’s College
Fingerlakes CC
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Jessie Murray Lauren Wallace Robert Bogert Jonathan Wall
Genesee CC Robert Sherman
Hilbert College Kerstie Woolson
Hudson Valley CC Kylie Pelkey
Ithaca College Joshua Carney Reilly Patrick Connor Sheffield
Jefferson CC Terrance Perez
John Jay College Victoria Fix
Kaplan University Shelby Darling
Keuka College Patrick Dillon Merry Dowling
LeMoyne College Meredith Chesare Marguerite Dillon Carrie Kelly
William Volkomer II
Andrew Osetek
Roberts Wesleyan College Alec Kunzwiler
Rochester Institute of Technology Hayden Avery Alaina Celeste Colin Clark Alexander Johnson Craig Lawton Matthew Lewis Karl Mosbo Jacob Sweeney Nikolas Whiteside
St. John Fisher College Nora Culeton Heather Eastman Brenna Sherman Allison Smith
St. Joseph’s College of Nursing Kellie Gorman
Mercy College
SUNY Adirondack
Milford Academy
SUNY Albany
Thomas Simmonds Eric Doviak
Mohawk Valley CC Bentley Brosch
Monroe CC Mitchell Cook
Nazareth College Benjamin Annal Molly Brown Zachary Gillard Shea Hewitt Kiernan Proud Brenna Riley Rebecca Victory
Niagara University Krysta Broeker
Cody Sharkey
Mark Forger Katherine Knopp Jordan McCauley
SUNY Alfred
SUNY Cortland Mariel Shickling
SUNY ESF
Alexandra Henderson
SUNY Fredonia Courtney Osmun Matthew Spaulding
SUNY Geneseo McKenna Brooks Grace Gilbert Hannah Griffin Paul Oleyourryk Jr.
SUNY Morrisville Zachary Crisafulli Ben Davis Emily Domicolo Erin Meehan Haleigh Rahn William Russ Joshua Smith Jr.
SUNY New Paltz Rachael Purtell
SUNY Oswego Rana Al-Salameh Meghan Anderson Kaylee Baldwin Joshua Bucher Kelly Canova Gabriela Castiglia Michael Edwards Madolyn Engle Brianna Fernandez Alexis Hanna Dylan Harrington Julia Lavery Jaielle Litchison Bradley Lupien Kory McTague Chloe Patterson Jessica Pfeifer Shelby Ruel Jacob Sivers Ryan Smith Kayla Swenszkowski Morgan Thomas Johnna Tombolillo Vanessa Wiltsie
SUNY Potsdam Devin Higgins Megan Shafer
Syracuse University Angela Rookey
Wyatt Lipinski Brian Williams
University at Albany
Alecia Ascenzi Michael Favata Jacob Gardner Edward Sheridan
University at Buffalo
SUNY Brockport
Meghan Hourigan Shynna Rivera
Tyree Varner Mercedes Whiteside
SUNY Buffalo
University of Rochester
SUNY Cobleskill
Utica College
Liam Peterson Zachary Smolinski Erik Neacosia
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Sean Benjamin
Miguel Guzman Jacob Lofthouse Armand Vooris
June 2015
Graduation Plans
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of 2015 - CONGRATS!!!
Out of State:
Military:
Champlain College
Air Force
Monica Wilson
Duquesne University Sage Dudley
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Christopher Sullivan
Florida Southern College Benjamin McCrobie
Johnson & Wales University Steven Courtney
McGill University Erin Delaney
Mercyhurst University
Christopher Chalifoux
Mount Aloysius College
Kyle Bardin
Army
Zachary Bush
Work Force: Jason Adams McKenna Bahner Alexis Bivens Austin Bragg Robert Bruce Makayla Carson Daniel Dillon Justin Fowler Anthony Gioia Jacob Hansel Steven Larkin
Miscellaneous: Exchange Students
Oswego CITI Derek Bivens Justin Dingman Stephen Geers Aaron Mabb Morgan Phelps Matthew Samson Willis Sheltray III
CDL License Driving Truck Tyler Cary Anthony DeStevens
Church Mission (LDS) Collin Ballou
Club MX Training Facility Dylan Coleman Jordan Perchway
Junior A Hockey Donovan Roy
Trade School
University of Phoenix
Mariya Hirna Jana MacKenstedt Gabriele Malossi Aziret Nazaraliev Mats Refsdal
Yale University
OCM BOCES
Southeast Lineman Training Center
Alissa Gonzalez
Penn State University Hannah Broadwell Tiara Gibson Kara Weiss
Adam Delaney
Thomas Allen Christopher Barlow John Knutson David Woolworth
Undecided
Nathan Breezee Michael Cali Caitlin Clemons Zachary Dahar Rose DeStevens Breanna Diaz Hollie Doyle Alexis Ferlito Harley Grant Annabelle Groene Ian Hammond Adrian Haynes Edward Haynes William Hogan Laurel Jacobs Travis Johnson Leah Shay Jones Nicholas Kenney Alyssa Laskevicz Austin LeVine Luke LeVine Braeden Livesey Nicole McCarthy Donald McConnell Justin Prunner Kayla Sage Robert Schirm II Kristina Skogfeldt Lindsay Smith Joshua Talamo Benjamin Whelsky
Austin Batchelor
GRADUATION REHEARSAL ~Thursday, June 25 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at the SUNY-Oswego Campus Center. ~All graduates are expected to meet at the Campus Center; transportation will not be provided. ~Caps and gowns will be distributed at the Campus Center immediately following the rehearsal. The cost is $20 (cash only, exact change) and is due when the cap and gown are picked up.
THE CEREMONY ~Saturday, June 27 at the SUNY-Oswego Campus Center. ~Graduates should be in the Campus Center lobby in cap and gown no later than 9:20 a.m. ~The ceremony will begin promptly at 9:45 a.m. and will last approximately 90 minutes. Admission for guests is free and not limited in number. Buccaneer Bulletin
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June 2015
Year In
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2014-2015
PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS, GRAPHICS, AND SPREAD DESIGN BY MARIYA HIRNA
Buccaneer Bulletin
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Review
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June 2015
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Feature
Retiring staff members say goodbye to OHS As this school year comes to a close, Oswego High School will be saying goodbye to some of its most hard-working staff members. Mr. Mark Mirabito, Mrs. Linda Straight, Mrs. Linda Brown, and Mrs. Lynda Hilton-Howard will all be spending their final few weeks at OHS this June and graciously answered a few of The Buccaneer Bulletin’s questions for this year’s final issue. After a wholesome and productive 33 years at OHS, Mr. Mark Mirabito decided to retire. One could say Mirabito is a jack of all trades as he has taught AP Psychology, health, Anatomy and coached soccer, volleyball, and softball. Mirabito stated his proudest moment at OHS was whenever students excelled in the subject he was teaching, and all of the years he coached and his players did well. When asked about some of the changes he has seen over the years, Mirabito said that teachers nowadays have less of a style as new regulations
make it almost impossible for teachers to teach students in their own comfort zone without having to worry about breaking a rule. “Teaching is more of an art than a science,” Mirabito stated, as there is no proper formula to teach a student a subject. Mirabito will continue working at SUNY-Oswego after retirement and plans on attending more basketball and hockey games on campus. He is also looking forward to going to Yankees games and the NY Giants game he annually goes to with retired health teacher, Mr. William Fatiga. He will miss all of his fellow co-workers and his students. Mrs. Linda Straight, a school monitor at OHS, has devoted herself to working at OHS for 26 years. Straight worked at Riley, Fitzugh, and Leighton Elementary Schools in food service. After retirement, Straight plans on heading down to North Carolina to spend time with family. While at OHS, she said that watching students grow and having a good time with fellow staff members has been
Mrs. Linda Straight
Mr. Mark Mirabito
By Amber Canbek Alumni Editor
the most enjoyable part of her career. Despite initially wanting to be a home economics teacher, Straight stated, “I’m glad to be a hall monitor.” Mrs. Linda Brown is retiring from OHS after spending 15 years as a teaching assistant. Brown worked with seniors for the most part. Prior to her work at OHS, she worked at Minetto Elementary School. After retirement, Brown plans on downsizing her home, moving to Syracuse and traveling with her husband. “My best and proudest moments are when a student works with determination, conquers obstacles and walks across the stage for their graduation,” Brown stated. Before working, Brown grew up in Fulton and then attended SUNY-Brockport as a psychology and health science major. Her hobbies include gardening, restoring furniture, cooking, biking, traveling, and reading. “I guess I am mostly centered on family and home. I will miss
the interactions with OHS faculty and staff as well as students I work with throughout the day; I will miss being around young people and our conversations,” Brown said. Mrs. Lynda Hilton-Howard started working at OHS as a teaching assistant in December,2006. “I’ve shared a lot of laughs here, and as we all know, laughter is the best medicine!” stated Hilton-Howard. After retirement she hopes she will be able to spend time with her children who now live in Michigan and New York City. She has two young grandsons and will have a granddaughter this July, she will visit soon. Hilton-Howard loves to watch hockey during her free time as her son is a goaltender for the Detroit Red Wings and also enjoys shopping and traveling. With their final goodbyes to OHS, these four staff members who have worked diligently and happily say farewell. The Buccaneer Bulletin staff thanks them for their hard work and helping make OHS a school of excellence.
GRADUATING WITH THE SENIORS Mrs. Linda Brown
Mrs. Lynda Hilton-Howard
PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY AMBER CANBEK
Buccaneer Bulletin
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June 2015
Point/Counter-Point
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The degree dilemma: What happens now graduates? There are options available to high school graduates other than debt and despair.
College is essential to the success of high school graduates in the workforce.
By Elizabeth Sincavage
By Hannah Griffin
Chief Photographer
Managing Editor
Growing up, almost everyone has been given the idea that they have to go on to college after they graduate high school in order to be happy and successful. Although it may seem like a good plan for some, college may not always be the best idea. Some of the most successful people never earned a college degree, such as Henry Ford, Walt Disney, Steve Jobs, and Bill Gates. When many people go away to college, they find out many things. Many students will change their major, fail classes, and will even move back home to live with their parents. This results in thousands of dollars of debt and no diploma earned. There are many options available to those who do not wish to go to college after high school. It is possible to go into the workforce, the military, take on an apprenticeship, trade school, or take a “gap year” to figure out the best option for yourself. A person who goes into the workforce will get at least a two year head start on those who attend a community college and a four year head start on those who attend a four year college or university at earning a salary. While many will go on to college, some students already have jobs lined up after high school. . Junior Alyssa Wahrendorf took advantage of an opportunity that is given to every OHS student by going to CITI for cosmetology. Since Wahrendorf was in sixth grade, she wanted to be a cosmetologist. “I chose to go to CITI instead of college because I will graduate high school with a cosmetology license. I will be able to start my life and career earlier without having to worry about student loans.” stated Wahrendorf. For some, the military is the best option. Many have dreamed of serving our country from a young age. The military provides job stability, full time employment, opportunity to grow as a person, and even a following of family tradition sometimes. Each of these provide a strong reason as to why the military is a good option instead of going to college. Not everyone knows exactly what they would like to do their senior year of high school. In fact, not many people stick with what they chose to do their senior year, whether it be school or what to study. Taking a year off to save money up for something like school or to travel is very common. It is not always a good idea to jump out into the world blindly not knowing what one would like to do, especially if it involves a large price tag. Not going to school right out of high school could save a lot of unnecessary debt and even help one better understand what they would like to do. At OHS, students are lucky enough to have the opportunity to go to CITI free of charge and have the chance to get a certification right out of high school. After high school, this could cost thousands of dollars. Why not take advantage of this opportunity? Even if you figure out it is not what you would like to do, you still learned a lot while you were there and figured out it was not for you. Taking on an apprenticeship is perfect for anyone who would like to jump into a job and get hands-on experience. The pay not be the greatest at first, but there can be several opportunities to climb the ladder as you go. Some common apprenticeships include professions such as cooking, electrician, police officer, carpenter, construction, cosmetologist, and many more. Also, after school apprenticeship programs are a possibility for those who have graduated high school. There are many different possibilities after high school. Although the average person may think college is a necessity for a successful life, there are many people who did not attend college who are happier and just as successful, if not more successful, than people who did go to college.
Editor’s note: “Point/Counter-Point” is a regular feature of The Buccaneer Bulletin to debate issues here at OHS. If you have any issues or concerns that you would like to see discussed here, contact Rachael Purtell at rpurtell@oswego.org. Buccaneer Bulletin
The debate as to whether one should attend college straight out of high school or choose another route has been an ongoing controversial topic for years. Recently, however, the pressure to attend college has increased. This is with good reason, though. According to back to school statistics from www.nces.ed.gov, 21 million students were expected to attend college in America in the fall of 2014. This is an increase of about 5.7 million since the year 2000. Many things could account for this increase, one being the opportunities for new jobs that require a degree. As the world is evolving technologically, the demand for educated workers is skyrocketing. Dan Griffin, Director of Admissions at SUNY-Oswego, agrees. “In today’s high tech, global market the need for a college degree, whether a certificate, associate’s, or bachelor’s degree, is greater than ever. When I started working in admissions 22 years ago, there were many more career choices for students with only high school diplomas than today,” he stated. While the Great Recession in 2008 undoubtedly had a negative impact on our economy, it pushed people of all ages to attend college. They found themselves barely getting by at their lowincome jobs and felt they needed to improve their skill set by obtaining a college degree to make themselves more marketable in the workforce. It is easy to cite success stories such as that of Bill Gates, a college dropout turned billionaire. People think, if he could do it, why not me? But remember, Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard, not a community college. While he clearly brains (after all, not everyone can get into Harvard and not everyone can found Microsoft), there is a degree of pure luck that he was blessed with. Instead of taking a chance and hoping you’ll become the next Bill Gates, your safer bet would be to attend college and stay there. The real way to make money is through hard school work. Yes, a college education is the best way to go to ensure you get the best career possible. With a degree you are less likely to be limited in your career options. With a wider range of employment opportunities comes a wider range of wages. Many people argue a college education is too expensive. It is true the cost of tuition has increased over the years. In fact, tuition and fees have increased by 1,120% since 1978, according to the article, “Will tuition ever stop rising?” by Amanda Reaume from www. USAtoday.com. While this statistic may seem overwhelming at first, there are many options potential college students have to help lessen this financial burden. Financial aid and student loans are essential as well as scholarship opportunities and the option of attending a community college. The main argument against this statement, however, simply is that a college education is worth the price you pay. “Over a person’s working career they can expect to earn over 1 million dollars or more if they have a college degree than if they do not. Simply put, there is no better investment a person can make than investing in themselves with a college degree,” Griffin stated. For some, the armed forces is the path they choose after graduating high school. The motives behind this option are different for everyone; Perhaps they are following in the footsteps of a family member, or they have a passion to serve their country. Whatever the reason, choosing to enter the armed forces is just another way to receive an education and should be treated as such. Some people believe if they do not know what they want to major in they cannot attend college. This is untrue. In fact, about 80 percent of incoming college students are undecided in their major. 50 percent of these students will change their major at least once while attending college, according to the article “College freshmen face major dilemma” by Gayle B. Ronan from www.nbcnews.com. This proves that being unsure on what you want to do with life after high school is no excuse not to attend college. In fact, college is the place to go to explore different subjects and pursue interests you never had a chance to in high school. One mistake high schoolers make after graduating is deciding to take a year off. “It is often tempting for young people to take some time off after high school before beginning college. For some this may be an appropriate plan depending on what they do during that so called gap year,” Griffin said. For example, one may start off with an extravagant idea that they will travel the world, explore and find themselves but end up sitting in their parent’s basement wondering what happened. Traveling the world and discovering your inner self may sound like a good option at the time, but you will soon realize traveling requires money, and money requires a job, and most good paying jobs require a college degree...well, you get the point. If you are going to take a year off before college, it is important to have a plan and to weigh your options carefully. “Many times in my career I have seen people come into my office in their mid twenties or thirties who had intended to take only one gap year but, as life happens, ended up taking much more time than that,” Griffin stated. “Going back to college as an adult with obligations such as a home or family is much more difficult than if a person goes directly from high school.” Overall, college is an important step to reaching one’s full potential. Without a college education, many people will find their opportunities limited, which can be frustrating and discouraging. It is best to enter college right away and gain an experience you will remember forever.
www.buccaneerbulletin.com
June 2015
12
Column
The good, the bad, the ugly... and the best staff ever
Whether it’s after school, skipping class, or actually during my designated 42 minutes of sixth period Journalism, the best hours of my high school career were spent sitting right in front of Mr. Bill Reeser in room 129. Since Mr. Reeser gets his own page this month, I won’t spend too much time on him. There are a few other places where I think he will soon discover I have shared my thoughts about him. However, I will state that he is one of the most influential people in my life, and I can never thank him enough for the difference he has made in my high school experience. The other adviser of The Buccaneer Bulletin is Mrs. Heidi Conland Sheffield. I have had a class with this woman every year of my high school career beginning with English 9 Honors followed by three years of Journalism. I have had both strong disagreements with her and also some sincerely heartfelt discussions. Although we didn’t see eye to eye every time we conversed, I think I have developed a more personal relationship with her than many other teachers here. I am grateful for my time spent with her and hope that I have earned her respect and admiration as she has mine. This fall, we had one of the smallest staffs on record. By spring, it had shrunk to a mere nine girls: four seniors, one junior, one sophomore, one freshman, and one foreign exchange student. Taylor Montgomery sat next to me every day in the fall semester and I saw with my own eyes how much work she put into each and every article she wrote. She received every critique and piece of advice with the utmost respect and tried to execute exactly what was asked of her to the best of her ability. If I recall correctly, she rewrote her review of The Best of Me three times. I don’t think even I have ever gone to such lengths to make sure my article was the best that it could be. Now, I’ll shift forward to the two sophomores who sat directly in front of me for half of senior year: my favorite coach’s son, Nate Greene, and my very own cousin, Morgan Haynes. Writing wasn’t one of their strongest talents, however, Morgan picked up the layout skills much quicker than I expected her to and progressed at a rate that I definitely didn’t achieve during my first year of Journalism. I was really disappointed when Morgan dropped Journalism because she was so good at the other components of the paper and I think she had the motivation to improve her writing skills. Don’t worry, Morgan, I
Buccaneer Bulletin
quality has rubbed off on me and the rest of those she has met in our small town this year. Now for the lone freshman, Hannah Cali; Hannah has a lot to learn, but it is very obvious that she loves the paper and is very enthusiastic in everything she does. She is very willing to sit down with me or either of the advisers and fix the mistakes we point out to her. She also sold a full page ad for seven issues which brought in money for the publication. I sincerely commend Hannah for her work ethic and expect her to do well in the future. To our sophomore, Webmaster Lisa Kanbur, I can’t wait to see all the pictures from this school year that will be uploaded hopefully by the end of my freshman year of college! Yes, I know that they are still sitting in the G Drive and not up on the website as I PHOTO BY MRS.HEIDI CONLAND SHEFFIELD am writing this column. Although I have lost my patience, temper, and mind with you all, I am so Finally, the rest of my core four: fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with such an incredibly talented, junior Amber Canbek and seniors unique, and hilarious group of people every day. Sincerely, your Editor-in-Chief Hannah Griffin and Courtney Osmun. Even though I initially thought still love you and you can still come hang I messed something up and needed to Amber was a sophomore, she has out with me at New Paltz next year. shout. He laughed it off and handled it repeatedly blown me away with the Greener… Greener, Greener, well and since it helped preserve my quality of her writing. She has taken Greener… Nate was allowed to draw the sanity, I sincerely thank him for handling on some very mature topics despite her editorial cartoons for the first two issues my borderline verbal abuse with a young age and has been able to produce and when he showed me the first one, I constant smile. moving, well written pieces. thought it was just a rough sketch of his Although we lost some members, we I expected awesome writing from idea. Well, you know what they say about did gain sophomore Olivia DeLorenzo. Hannah from the beginning and knew I assuming and it turned out that it was the She was only with us for a short time, but was going to lean on her a lot this year. finished product. To his credit, Nate’s she did not hesitate when asked to take Between her desire to be an English November cartoon was a lot better, on a story even if she had no interest in teacher and her work during the fall but the cartoons done by senior Kayla the subject matter. Olivia also excels at semester of 2012, I had no doubt about Volkomer are unrivaled and we greatly Adobe Indesign and I expect her to grow her writing abilities. I would not be appreciate her contribution each month. as a journalist and contribute a lot to the surprised if she turned into the next J.K. This student, however, did drive future of this publication. Rowling. me to the brink of insanity when he Now for the eight individuals who I never really knew Courtney before took on the February male athlete of the have been a part of this publication all this year. All I really knew about her month story. We had wanted to feature year long. I’ll start with our second year was that she was quiet and an incredibly a wrestler, but we were unsure who returner, Elizabeth Sincavage. talented singer. Once I got to know her, exactly; Nate offered to take on the story Unfortunately, I’m fairly sure that I realized just how wrong I was in my and get back to me with the name of the she’s scared of me. My sarcasm and thinking that she was a shy person. I have student chosen by the teammates and blunt sense of humor have offended her laughed some of the hardest times in my coach. At the end of the day, Greener in the past, but I hope that she knows life around this girl, and I am grateful that chose his best friend who ended up my intentions were never to butt heads she joined our staff so I was able to get to leaving the wrestling team to pursue with her as I expected her to be a leader know her this year. I also realized there other passions in life. along with me in the production of this was more to her talents than music as her That was a bad day in room 129. publication month after month. writing, layout, and photography skills After that happened, I was not exactly Like Greener, Liz and I had some were essential to the excellence of this saddened by the absence of Greener’s awkward moments. The worst to date publication month after month. name on the list for the spring semester. was probably when I assigned her the Somewhere between the laughs, the However, we did have some laughs and front cover for the first issue and it was shouting, and the occasional spark of I think he is a great kid whom I wish the literally a tree. I mean, I know Oswego drama, we are able to work together to best of luck in wherever life takes him… is famous for its foliage, but I don’t think produce an award-winning publication as long as it’s not high school journalism! the leaves exactly got the student body all year long. I commend each and I also would like to take a moment to pumped about the first issue. However, every one of my staff members for their recognize our two contributing writers, Liz was also assigned the cover for this contributions and wish them the best juniors Chase Pelton and Victoria Armet. issue and it is perfect. of luck as they all leave this place for Both of these students are extremely Next, our Ukrainian friend, Mariya bigger and better things than high school dedicated to the paper despite their Hirna. Even though her presence is like journalism. Finally, I want to thank them inability to be in class due to scheduling a solar eclipse, rare and always special, for an experience like no other; I will conflicts. Although they both take she continuously produces fantastic miss you all. deadlines a little more lightly than my graphics, but this is nothing compared to It is with great joy that I look back on triple A type personality would prefer, what impresses me most about her. This my time with the paper and with sorrow I know I can count on them to produce girl has been through so much and she that I have finished writing my last piece interesting and well-written features, is probably the most genuinely happy for this publication. Pat Baer said it even though Chase sucks. person I know. Despite her personal perfectly, “Everybody has problems, but Just kidding, Chase doesn’t suck, struggles, she lives life day to day with a we have issues.” I just used to tell him that every time smile on her face and I can only hope this www.buccaneerbulletin.com
June 2015
Column
13
Senior reflects on the good and bad of her alma mater kid’s grades drop 30 points from not participating, I question if it’s worth the pain of getting in the water. I mean you reek of chlorine and look like death all week, but is it worth the hassle of failing arguably the easiest class in high school?
Ah, the glory days. I’ll be looking back at my high school years for the rest of my life. Whether or not I’ll be doing it regrettably so is yet to be determined. How could we forget our first dance, first kiss, first F, first drive, and first heartbreak? High school contains the years of firsts and lasts. Last prom, last concert, last sports game, and let’s not forget, our last time walking through these halls as an OHS student. Of the many years spent here, there’s bound to be many things we’ll miss as graduates. But along with those things there are many things that we won’t quite miss...at all.
What I Won’t Miss People sucking face like it is their job Why must we treat our significant other like they’re going off to war between each period? Off and Away or Taken Away I understand how cell phones can be a distraction during a lesson, but lunch!? Study hall!? Who is this affecting? People who think dipping is cool Yes, I see you over there spitting in your water bottle, not cute. Here’s a rule of thumb, no girl wants to kiss you with a giant lipper in your mouth. So let’s cut the act before you lose all your teeth. The obnoxious clapping in the lunchroom and hallway Why? As a freshman it was funny but continuing to senior year? Time to grow up maybe? Parking As a senior, I was excited to finally park in senior parking. But my excitement vanished as I pulled into the parking lot to see all the spots taken by juniors. As I try to blend in among the teachers in teacher parking, my camouflage fails and I get a ticket. Hello, Liberty and Hillside. Running the mile Going to your next class redfaced, sweaty, and hair a mess? Not to mention the pains and cramps of actually running the mile. No thank you. I won’t be missing this. Swimming Everyone happens to miraculously get sick during this unit. As the doctor’s notes pile up and
The wonderful aroma in the music wing this spring I’d like to speak on behalf of all the music students that the smell is nauseating. Is re-tarring the roof during school hours really necessary? Could you wait two months when students aren’t inhabiting the area? Not to mention every time I walk in the choir room I’m Marilyn Monroein’ it when I walk by the fans that are airing out the room. Slow walkers Let’s keep it going. My class is on the opposite side of the school, I need to pee, and I need to get books out of my locker. So, speed up, let go of your girlfriend who you’ve been caressing for the past five minutes, and the giant group that has congregated in the middle of the hall discussing who knows what. Disperse! Asking to go the bathroom Can I? Excuse me, may I go to the bathroom? I’m eighteen, please let me pee when I please. Also, can we do without the snarky “I don’t know, can you?” remarks. I’m perfectly capable, actually I may pee myself right now since your condescending comment is keeping me from using the facility, but thanks for your concern. Fighting Let’s all meet at smokers’ corner to watch the idiots of the day solve their problems. Not being allowed to have medicine I’m dying of cramps and my teacher talks louder than any human being should be allowed. I’d like to take a Tylenol without my mommy bringing it in and supervising me. The blocking of all social media How am I supposed to document my day when I can’t add snaps to my snapchat story?
What I Will Miss Prom There’s nothing like overpaying for a dress you’ll never wear again and slow dancing with your bae to “Hero” by Enrique Iglesias. Seeing my friends I never realized how fortunate I am to see all my friends five days a week. I’m regretting my decision going to school so far away and can’t bear to add up the countless hours that will be separating me from all the wonderful people I’ve grown so close to over the years. I also fear what this year of
independence will bring my friends. Please don’t burn your dorms down or get ridiculous piercings and tattoos that you’ll regret every day of your young life. Music Yes, Oswego kicks butt at music. It’s no wonder that students are picked for elite ensembles like the All American Marching Band, All Eastern, All State, Area-All State, and All County. JV Show Except for the few tone-deaf singers scattered between all the good acts in the show. Free Education Goodbye, public school education, hello, years of debt. Minimal amount of studying So I guess you have to actually study in college? Ultimate Frisbee Need I say more? Having my own room I’ll probably be murdered in my sleep by my roommate since I consistently sound like Chewbacca every night. (Yes, I snore, and it’s totally cute.) “Go Bucs” I’ll no longer be allowed to tag this phrase to the end of every victorious sentence. Oswego Food Farewell, Fajita Grill, Rudy’s, and Canale’s. Meet my new friend, ramen noodle. School Trips My exotic escape from college will be the good ole Port of Oswego. As I sit back and enjoy the bipolar weather of Oswego, I cry as I look through my Instagram feed seeing all the OHS students in Disney for senior trip. The Sunsets Oh, Oswego sunsets, I’ll miss you so. The people of OHS Yes, I’ll miss the students screaming, “Hump Day!” each Wednesday, Mr. Stacy’s Cartoon Tie Thursday, Mr. Altman’s Disco Friday, Prim’s leprechaun suit, and Mr. Noun’s famous Elvis impersonations. “Alma Mater, dear Oswego, tender, fair and true.” This August I’ll bid goodbye and undoubtedly cry as I drive away from the only home I’ve ever known. As I walk the halls of OHS one last time I’ll be overcome with the bittersweet memories and emotions. Maybe one day I’ll miss the slow walkers, and obnoxious clapping, but as of today I’m excited to start a new chapter in my life. Thank you for being the perfect alma mater, Oswego. I’ll forever be a proud Buccaneer.
PHOTOS BY COURTNEY OSMUN
Buccaneer Bulletin
www.buccaneerbulletin.com
June 2015
Column
14
Capturing the moment can cause distractions
Everywhere you go nowadays it’s impossible to see someone without a cell phone in their hand. Teenagers are especially notorious for this. As the generations progress, kids are getting technology at younger ages. While I didn’t get my iPod Touch until I was 14 and wasn’t introduced to social media outlets such as Instagram and Snapchat until I was in high school, my 11-year-old sister and all of her friends have iPods, iPads, iPhones and every social media account possible. This raises a concern among society: What will be the result of this seemingly technology-obsessed world? While in New York City taking classes at Columbia University, I became aware of an interesting concept called “nature deficit disorder.” The woman teaching the class said people our age are forgetting how to appreciate nature. This made me wonder, are we forgetting or are we just distracted? At least we can remember a time when we weren’t attached to our phones. We have a goal to obtain, a past to cling to. We can try to get back to that time if we choose to do so. The younger generation, however, like my sister, may not have that luxury. Will they have memories of playing outside, of not even knowing what a cell phone is? Of being able to enjoy life not worrying about how many “likes” they get on their
Instagram picture? I’m not so sure. I work at a restaurant and can’t help but notice the number of couples who go out to dinner just to stare at their phones, not talking the entire time. They spend more time taking pictures of their food, trying to find the right lighting/angle than they do actually eating, and this scares me because I’m guilty of that myself. Are we enjoying life for what it is, or are we watching it go by through the lens of a camera? Are we actually appreciating the sunset, or do we just want to snap a picture so we can cover it with a filter and get as many likes as possible? These questions are essential and we must ask ourselves them often, otherwise we may lose touch with reality. On one hand, technology is a great thing. Through the use of technology we are able to do amazing things scientifically, medically and socially that our ancestors, even our grandparents could have never dreamed of doing. But as the old saying goes, you should never have too much of a good thing. While there are times I am eternally grateful for my cell phone, I wonder what life would be without it. We can communicate with someone in seconds via text message while just a little over 40 years ago cell phones weren’t even invented. Long gone are the days when you had to actually pick up the phone to get a hold of someone, or, God forbid, talk to them in person. We are the digital age; we rely on our technology whether we want to admit it or not. What I am afraid of most is letting technology get in the way of the memories I am making. It’s ironic
that cameras are meant to capture the moment, but now can actually end up taking away from it. You used to be able to go to a concert and see nothing but hands in the air, but now, there’ s an array of phones and tablets blocking your view of the stage. By the end of the night you’ll remember less of what the performers looked like and more about the design on the iPad case in front of you. Even if you are one of the people holding the iPad, there’s something to be said for experiencing something firsthand rather than through a fluorescently lit screen. I understand the importance of wanting to record your favorite band, of wanting to document what could be one of the greatest moments of your life, but what about the importance of actually listening to what the singer is saying, of feeling the bass in your body, of throwing your hands in the air without the bulkiness of your iPad? Those are feelings you cannot capture on camera. As my senior year comes to a close, I reflect back on the memories I’ve made as an OHS student. Some I unexpectedly remember through forgotten pictures I see on my Timehop or videos I come across in my camera roll. The best memories, however, are the small ones that happened on a normal school day: laughing with friends at lunch, walking around Breitbeck with my boyfriend, and for the most part, I don’t need a picture to remind me of how special these memories are. As I continue through life and head to college, I will try my hardest not to let my phone consume me. As tempting as it will be to post a picture on my Snapchat story of the crazy parties
I will attend (ha ha, just kidding), I want to enjoy college and life beyond college without distractions. I recently read an article that said teenagers are losing the ability to remember things because we rely on technology to remember things for us. Phones are supposed to be a form of entertainment, not something you depend on for your everyday life. Instead of relying on Facebook to tell you when your friend’s birthday is, try committing it to memory. There are many human things we are losing as a society because of technology and the fast-paced way we live our lives. We constantly try to impress people and always want to move on to the next thing. When was the last time you just sat in silence and watched the beauty of nature around you? The next time you’re at Bev’s eating ice cream with your friends and watching the sunset, take a moment to appreciate the people you are with and the colors of the sky. Listen to the sound of the waves hitting the rocks and simply exist in that moment. To quote Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around for a while, you could miss it.”
Student exchanges home life for a year abroad
I had a dream and one day it came true. It happened accidentally without any planning; a few months later I was a finalist for a FLEX exchange student program, packing my suitcase, scared and excited at the same time, waiting for the biggest adventure of my life to start. I recall my first time on a plane and my first seven hour flight, I recall being dizzy and not knowing if it was from being so up high in the sky or because I would spend the next ten months on the other side of the planet, far away from my family and friends, living a completely different life. A lot of people I met were a big influence and the Buc Bulletin crew was one of them. I am
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thankful for their understanding and the support they always gave me. I want to say a special thank you to Mrs. Sheffield for dealing with my notso-good English, and Mr. Reeser for teaching me everything about layout and always giving me good ideas. Thank you, Rachael Purtell, for helping and believing in my crazy ideas all the time and just being the best editor-in-chief our newspaper could have possibly had. And I just want to say thank you to the rest of you for being a big part of my life and making it so much more interesting. In my interviews, I asked a lot of people what are they most afraid of and this made me think, how would I answer? I think my biggest fear was to be an exchange student but that came and left. I am an exchange student who hopes to be remembered as someone who lived here temporarily and nobody took seriously. I am afraid to be that girl from Ukraine who nobody knew anything about. Why do I have such a strong need to be remembered? Because I know that I will remember all of this, every small part of my big adventure that www.buccaneerbulletin.com
I am so happy I dared to do. I have a lot of different emotions. I laugh and cry. I have loved this city yet I was homesick. I made new friends and missed old ones. A lot of times people were asking me why would I go 4500 miles to the other side of the planet alone. I guess it wasn’t only to challenge myself, learn more English, make new friends or share the culture. It was meant to be and I was supposed to come to Oswego, to watch Ontario sunsets, to run for our track team, to sing in Pippin and to meet exactly these people I wouldn’t find anywhere else in the world, to be a layout editor for The Buccaneer Bulletin and work with an awesome staff where everybody is unique and irreplaceable. And I am happy this happened. I hate to say goodbye. It always touches me so deeply inside - talking about people I will have to leave, places that made me so happy, but that’s what I signed up for. I want this trip to be a good memory for me and I will remember the people who made me smile every time I saw them.
June 2015
Column
I’d like to thank the Academy...
When I walked through the doors of OHS on the first day of my freshman year I was completely overwhelmed. The halls were much more full than they were the day before when my best friend and I had come in to school to map everything out so we wouldn’t get lost. Little did I know beyond all of the chaos on my first day of high school that I would meet so many people who would have such a great impact on my high school experience and how many of the people who were already in my life would help me in many different ways throughout high school. I’ve learned throughout high school that there are teachers who are here simply because they (somehow) have a teaching degree and there are teachers here because they want to help you learn. I have had my share of both, but luckily at OHS, most of the teachers care about their students’ learning and success. Mr. Noun in the Assisted Learning Center has helped me through many different classes, especially Trig. His room is a comfortable environment where there are always people willing to help you with your school work. Noun has had a huge impact on my life. He lets me know when he is proud of me and he lets me know when some of my work could use some improvement. He has completely changed the way I look at school. I am so thankful for Mr. Noun and all the support he has given me throughout high school. Mr. Reeser and Mrs. Sheffield are the advisers to The Buccaneer Bulletin. They have helped me and the staff tremendously throughout our high school careers. For many of us, including me, they have introduced us to something that we love and
will continue to do for the rest of our lives. There are many teachers at OHS who I have learned a lot from in just the short amount of time I have spent in their classrooms. In Mr. Phaneuf’s class, I learned so much about the world that I didn’t know about before. His class is definitely one of my absolute favorites in high school. I was one of the few students who was lucky enough to have Mrs. Morse twice throughout my high school career. I looked forward to going to her class each day. Mrs. Morse helped me a lot when it came to two different Regents exams as well as throughout my college admissions process. My parents have always been there to help me be the best person I could possibly be. Since the time I started school, they have always had high expectations for me in school and at work. They stressed a good work ethic throughout school. Without my parents I really do not know where I would be. I am lucky to have such a great support system at home. I know I keep telling them I can’t wait to go to school, and while that is still true, I am going to miss them a great deal. My little sister and I do not always get along; we usually don’t. However, she is always there to make me laugh even though she makes me really mad sometimes. I know she is thinking she won’t miss me at all next year, but I know I will miss her. Maybe when she realizes my closet will be gone too, she might miss me at least a little bit. Both my best friend and my boyfriend have been my emotional support system throughout high school. They always know what kind of day I’m having without asking and are always there to make me smile and laugh. Without them to keep me sane I really don’t know where I’d be. High school is such an amazing time, but it can also be one of the most difficult times. The decisions you make during these short four years will affect you for the rest of your life. I am lucky enough to have many important people in my life who I have learned greatly from all throughout high school.
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Buc Sports Flashback Fall... *Nine girls on the varsity tennis team qualified for individual sectionals. *Seniors Rana Al-Salameh and Krysta Broeker were very successful at second doubles. *They went undefeated in the regular season, reached the semi-final round of individual sectionals, and were both awarded First Team All-League honors. *The girls’ and boys’ volleyball teams won the Section III Champion title after a win against Central Square. *The boys’ team went on to win regionals and participated in the Division II state tournament. *The girls’ and boys’ teams posted final records of 17-2 and 13-3 respectively.
Winter... *Freshman Joey Perras scored a buzzer beater for the boys’ freshman basketball team in their final home game against Westhill. *Perras’s moment arrived when Westhill player Corey Frassica got a defensive rebound off a missed shot and handed the ball to Joey. *Oswego coach David Gaffey said, “There are no words to describe how I felt when Joe made his basket. It would probably be a mixture of happiness, joy, and exhilaration.”
Spring... *This is the third year of Oswego and Fulton competing in the County Cup. *The boys’ tennis team beat Fulton 7-0. *The girl’s varsity softball team defeated Fulton with a final score of 7-2. *After Fulton defeated the girls’ and boys’ junior varsity lacrosse teams and the junior varsity softball team, the score was 5-5. *For the second year in a row after a boys’ varsity lacrosse victory, the Bucs captured the cup.
Editor’s Note: Buc Sports Flashback is a monthly feature of the Buccaneer Bulletin. If you have any events that you would like to see included in future Buc Sports Flashbacks please contact Rachael Purtell at rpurtell@oswego.org. This month’s Buc Sports Flashback was compiled by Lisa Kanbur. PHOTO AND ILLUSTRATION BY ELIZABETH SINCAVAGE
Buccaneer Bulletin
www.buccaneerbulletin.com
June 2015
Buccaneer Bulletin Volume 3 Number 7
Oswego High School’s Student Voice
June 2015
“THE NERDS ARE COOL!” By Rachael Purtell Editor-in-Chief
Unfortunately, the time has come for The Buccaneer Bulletin to say goodbye Oswego again,’” said Reeser. to one of its advisors. Mr. Bill Reeser has taught full-time at OHS since 1995, Before current adviser, Mrs. Heidi Sheffield, Reeser worked with Mr. advised the school newspaper for eighteen years, and now, at the age of 58, has Michael McCrobie for many years to produce The Buccaneer Bulletin. reached retirement. “Bill often played the ‘good cop’ to my ‘bad cop’ in dealing with the student “I look at the teachers around me and, collectively, we look younger than journalists. He made working on The Buccaneer Bulletin staff an enjoyable, people our age who do other jobs and I think it’s because we’re around young educational, and rewarding experience for the kids and for me,” McCrobie said. people all the time,” stated Reeser. Reeser learned several lessons from his years teaching students. Although it Although Reeser is very much looking forward to his newly found free time, is important to be knowledgeable about his subject matter, it is more important to he will miss the daily interactions with his students and colleagues. develop a relationship with students so that they will be He said, “Every day in the faculty room we talk about things and tell stories. genuinely invested in learning what he has to teach A lot of times they’re bad memories and at the time they’re really bad, but in them. retrospect you can joke about it.” “The most important thing is having a Reeser was interested in a career in education since eighth grade. He taught relationship with students so that you can really himself to pole vault and later was able to help older student-athletes with their teach them something. If you don’t really know skills. them and don’t really know who they are, it’s He said, “I was actually coaching them when I was in really hard to teach them,” he stated. “Don’t let all eighth grade. I was helping seniors pole vault better the curriculum stuff like Common Core and all the and giving them pointers and I liked doing that. I things administration always wants you to do have a wanted to be a physical education teacher, and I think big influence on you. Spend more of your time all boys who are into sports in high school think developing a relationship with your students they want to be a phys. ed. teacher.” and making sure that whatever it is you’re Despite his interest in athletics, Reeser trying to convey to them that they’re decided to major in industrial arts upon his getting the message,” said Reeser. matriculation at SUNY-Oswego. The most important lesson Reeser “My freshman year during my first semester, said he learned is that learning never I majored in the weight room, local bars, going ends. “It’s a give and take; I’ve learned out with girls, and not going to class, so I more from my students than I’ve taught. barely passed,” said Reeser. If you don’t know the answer, just admit After the first semester, Reeser it because that’s how you learn. If you switched his major to sociology, was think you want to be a teacher and you bored by it, and finished his degree don’t think you’ll want to keep learning, back in industrial arts. then don’t be a teacher because you’ll Reeser first became interested probably have to.” in graphic arts when he was When Reeser first began teaching at mentored by Mike Adams, one of OHS, each department of teachers had his technology professors. chairmen he looked up to. Reeser stated, “Once I went to He stated, “They really made sure college, I never went back home everybody was doing their job right, whereas except for a couple times of years we don’t have that luxury now. Now it’s kind for vacations. This professor knew of like every man for himself and there’s not that I was kind of a ‘starving student’ that camaraderie that we used to have. A lot of and he was building a house and said the teachers were really phenomenal teachers, way he needed more help than the people better than I could ever be, but I aspired to be that he already had so he hired me.” good. I’ve taken little bits of the best I’ve seen from other Reeser proceeded to take all of teachers. That’s what creativity is – steal somebody else’s good Adams’ graphic arts courses and developed stuff and make it your own.” an interest in the subject. Reeser claims that his biggest reward gotten is the Reeser said, “Unless you’ve been to another school, feeling that a student has learned something from it’s really hard to appreciate what you have. I’ve taught at him. other schools and they don’t have a third of what’s offered He stated, “Students don’t usually come here.” back, you just have to hope you did a good job. Although he had experience teaching in several If you’re looking for those accolades, you’re schools, Reeser claims that OHS has the best resources really not going to get them. If I’m helping a and he was able to experiment with his interests in both student that day or that moment and they learn graphic arts and industrial arts. something, that’s good enough for me. It’s really He stated, “Most schools don’t have journalism, they nice to see people getting smarter and growing and I don’t have a TV studio, some schools have Project Lead the see that there is hope for society.” Way, but most still don’t. We’ve got a tremendous music After many years in the classroom, Reeser feels PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY AMBER CANBEK program, a great art program; all our programs are really ready for retirement. “Persistence is probably the most fantastic compared to most schools.” important thing to get you anywhere. If I can’t teach the His favorite memories from his experience advising The Buccaneer Bulletin way I want to teach, then I shouldn’t be doing it anymore, so it’s time to get out. include all the successful moments at contests like the Empire State School Press If you try and not be yourself and you’re using somebody else’s style, it doesn’t Association (ESSPA). work, students can see it,” he said. “Most people probably look at us as a bunch of nerds, but when you go to Although he will be missed by his colleagues, his technology students and ESSPA and these contests, it’s a whole bunch of collective nerds and you’re not the staff of The Buccaneer Bulletin will feel a little lost without his guidance nerds anymore...I knew we really made it when we were winning all the awards every day. After all, Reeser is the one who taught us, “The nerds are cool, it’s and I could hear the kids from other schools saying, ‘Aw man, it’s gonna be cool to be a nerd.” www.buccaneerbulletin.com