2 Summer 2016
THE CLASSIC
NEWS Q+A with class of 2016 valedictorian and salutatorian by Rabia Hasan, News Editor love and immense knowledge of Biology influenced me to enjoy school and always try my best.
there is someone to lean on and you will make it through high school.
Q What is the most important thing you learned in THHS?
Q: What is one of your best memories in THHS?
T: It took me four years to realize that if there’s any one thing I should be striving for, it’s happiness. I put a lot of effort into being happy in my last year of high school and I have never felt so genuinely content.
PHOTOS BY RENAENIA CIPRIANO PANGAN
The valedictorian Teresa Deely and salutatorian Jasmine Brite. VALEDICTORIAN TERESA Deely and salutatorian Jasmine Brite of 2016 were honored in the Baccalaureate, which took place on June 6. Teresa and Jasmine shared a few things about Townsend Harris High School with The Classic. Question: Which teacher has influenced you the most? Teresa: It’s really hard to say because every year I share really special moments with my teachers, and it’s hard to rank any mo-
ment above another. I always distinctly recall a really low moment in my junior year after finishing a difficult AP Biology exam. Ms. Oberlander kept me after class to remind me how much I was appreciated and loved, and empowered me for being a hardworking student. Her kind encouragement was always something that helped me get through rough times at Townsend. Jasmine: Ms. Cooper. She was my freshman year Bio teacher. Her
J: As important as work is, I should always make sure that I enjoy life. There is no point in doing well in school if I hate every moment I’m there. I should balance my work with fun.
“ It took me four years to realize that if there’s any one thing I should be striving for, it’s happiness. ”
Q: What advice would you give underclassmen? T: I went to sleep every night at 9:30 in my freshman year—it is possible and you can do it too. Sleep is sacred and it must be cherished. Also, don’t concern yourself with how others might be doing—stay focused on yourself and do what is best for you. J: Never give up on yourself. Even when the going gets rough,
T: My freshman gym class once got really mad at Ms. Caiaccia because she had told us the previous day that we wouldn’t be running, but she had us out on the track that day regardless. In protest, we all sat on the track instead of running the straight away before Ms. Caiaccia arrived. It didn’t work, but it was
incredibly liberating. J: My best memories in high school are eating in Applebee’s and hanging out in hotel rooms with my Science Olympiad friends. My other favorite memories are practicing with the singers for SING, figuring out how our voices sound together and pulling ourselves together the day before the show. Q: Where are you going to be attending school this coming fall? T: I will be attending Columbia University in the fall and technically, according to my application, I will be studying English. However, the reality is that I do not actually know if that is what I will be doing. I’m excited to explore the liberal arts core curriculum and find my true niche, wherever that may be. J: Brown University and as of right now I’m studying Biology in the Pre-Med track through my major, but it is subject to change depending on what I find or like in college.
Senior Jason Lalljee wins $10,000 for Randomhouse writing competition
Nurse’s aide Maria Barone retires
by Sumaita Hasan, Editor-In-Chief
by Rabia Hasan, News Editor
RECENTLY, PENGUIN Random House awarded senior Jason Lalljee first place in their annual creative writing competition for his work in the Fiction/Drama category. First place winners were awarded $10,000, second place winners $5,000, and third place winners $2,500. There are four categories for which students can be awarded, including Poetry, Fiction/Drama, Memoir, and Graphic Novel. The company selects four entries for each category. Other awards include twenty $1,000 scholarships, fifteen $500 scholarships, and seventy-five honorable mention creative writing kits. The publishing company hopes to provide opportunities for students with such scholarship awards, “looking for writing with a clear, strong, voice, by authors who are daring, original, and unafraid to take risks.” In regards to receiving the honor, Jason commented, “The moment I found out, I told my two favorite teachers at Townsend and my sort-of mentors for the past couple of years, Mr. Sweeney and Mr. Olechowski, and they were even more excited than I was and went so
far as to come with me and show their support. I tend to be super embarrassed about anything I succeed in scholastically or academically, and it’s teachers like them that make me consistently feel like anything I want to achieve is possible if I try hard enough.” Describing his short story entitled “Ceramic House,” Jason said, “The story is a dark one, and when people ask me to talk about it I feel uncomfortable because I figure people must be thinking, ‘this kid needs to see a counselor or something.’ I wrote about a family dealing with the aftermath of a mother’s rape—that’s the story on a basic level. On what I hope is a more complicated level, it’s about narratives, particularly women’s narratives, and how even amid best intentions we tend to remove women of their autonomy. It does that by setting the stage with a family.” He continued, “I wrote the story in my sophomore year for a creative writing elective that I took in my first semester; when the time came around for the competition deadline, I basically edited out the middle section of the story and turned it into something that made sense.”
The awards ceremony was held in the Symphony Space on 95th street. “It was definitely the nicest venue I’ve seen for a scholastic creative writing competition, but then again, there are rarely venues for student creative writing competitions,” said Jason. Published authors presented and judged the awards at the ceremony; New York Times bestselling and Newbery Medal-winning author Rebecca Stead did so for the Fiction/Drama category. Another facet of the ceremony involved actors playing out scenes from the Fiction/Drama submissions. “It was really cool getting to see something I wrote on paper played out onstage. Although I have to admit something was lost out of context,” Jason added. Director of the Penguin Random House Awards Ceremony Richard Hoehler remarked, “It’s a credit to him [Jason] as a writer that it translates onstage so well.” Jason plans to use the money for college. Students can read his short story in this year’s edition of The Phoenix, which will also be published later by Penguin Random House.
NURSE’S AIDE Maria Barone is retiring this year. She has worked at THHS for 27 years, tending to ill and injured students. Ms. Barone has bittersweet feelings about leaving this school. She said, “I can honestly say that I have enjoyed each and every day [in this school]. The staff and the students were just wonderful. I never had any problems that I couldn’t take care of. Leaving this wonderful school is bittersweet, but there are certain times in life [when] we have PHOTO BY OLIVIA CHAN to make such choices. Ms. Barone will leave THHS after 27 years. I will always remember the kindness I found here.” hand. She does things that I can’t The school nurse Linda Carter do. She will surely be missed. also shared her feelings towards Even if the school hires a replaceMs. Barone’s retirement. ment for her next year; it will not Expressing sincere emotion, be the same. She was the greatest. she said, “We have worked to- Not having her here will create a gether for nine years. I don’t really hole in my life.” know what to say because I’m upWe wish Ms. Barone the best set to see her go. Maria is my right of luck in her future endeavors.