Photo by Morganne atutis graPhic illustration by Fred Maxon

BuccaneerBulletinVolume 11 number 7 June 2008

Oswego High School’s Student Voice

seniors heading to college, armed forces, and work places. Pages 8 and 9

Race cars have always been a part of Joe Hawks-by’s life, and even though his racing career has taken a back seat; his premier race car designs are still tearing up the track.

Hawksby graduated from Oswego High School in 1998 and pursued his dream of racing. He raced cars for six and a half years at the Oswego Speedway and on the International Super Modified Association (ISMA) circuit in the Northeast and Canada.

Hawksby has spent the past 8-10 years designing race cars at his shop in Minetto, Hawk Jr. Racing Pro-ductions. At the shop, he and his staff do everything from manufacturing super modifieds to distributing parts. Drivers who use his 2004 chassis model have won more than 30 super modified feature races, and Hawksby has high hopes for his 2008 model coming out this summer.

His love for racing developed early because his dad, was a racer. In school, Hawksby went to BOCES for engineering and design. His love and knowledge of cars grew and he was inspired a great deal by his BOCES teacher, Mr. Ralph Gravelle.

“Joe was a very talented welder and metal fab-ricator; he could definitely put Paul Jr., from the American Chopper program to shame in a build off,” said Gravelle.

After high school, he went to Onondaga Com-

munity College for two years and then to Oswego State, where he graduated with his technology teaching degree.

“My driving dream evolved into a business when I wanted to do something different at the speedway,” Hawksby said. “So I designed my own car to help keep me on top of my game. It turned out to be a hit.”

Hawksby is truly living out his dream and embracing his love for cars. Not only did he get to race, he is able to design cars. Hawksby likes his job and the freedom of being his own boss. “Just being around cars is great,” he said. The only thing that gets to him is the stress that comes with owning a business, because, in the end, everything falls on his shoulders.

When he is not at work, Hawksby enjoys four-wheeling, snowmobiling and traveling- when he gets time to do these things. Hawksby values his time with family and treasures his girlfriend, Cary, and baby boy, Talen. Hawksby admires his friend Pat Morrison, an engineer who started his own shop and convinced Hawksby to do the same. He is grateful his parents were always supportive. His mother Lynne is employed here at Oswego High School as a disabled

student aid. “Living in Oswego doesn’t limit me,” he said.

“It’s a person’s determination that matters, not his environment. Success comes from hard work and determination; anything you focus on will have a positive outcome,” he said.

Oswego City School District may be following LaFayette High School’s lead towards credit recovery for the students who do not successfully com-plete a course by allowing students to take online classes instead of repeating classes the next year or in summer school.

Our school dis-trict is currently look-ing at two opportuni-ties for online classes according to Mrs. Cathleen Chamber-lain, Assistant Su-perintendent for Cur-riculum & Instruc-tion. One is through a program that would allow students to take the online courses for credit recovery. “We have seen that many students will get behind on the number of credits they have, especially as freshmen and sophomores; they may eventually drop out of school. With our

goal being to increase our graduation rate, we know that we would like to find more alternatives for students to meet with success. To start, we would have students scheduled into these online courses and do the coursework in school and then branch out pos-

sibly to allow for 24/7 access to work on passing the courses and getting credit recovered,” said Chamberlain.

The other alternative modifies the curriculum for certain subjects for those students entered in this program. “In the

other option, we are also looking at build-ing an online course in social studies for next year, which will also be for credit recovery, but will then morph into an alternative for taking a traditional social studies class. We hope to then expand to the other core content areas based

on the success we achieve with the program.”

The school district is now looking at a few companies that could potentially host these web- based courses and also offer ACT and SAT prep courses. One of our own staff members,

Mr. Thom Caswell, may also aid the school district in developing the other online social studies course. “His exten-sive background in technology and web design makes him an outstanding can-didate for this. He has also had training

to be an online instructor,” Chamberlain commented. She further stated, “These programs are also very nice because they design a path for the student to work on the gaps in their learning. The idea is to get them to master the con-tent that they initially struggled with.”

The program will start off by offering only core classes such as math, science, English, social stud-ies and foreign language. Students taking these classes will earn full credit upon completion of the course.

Joseph Buske, who hoped to gradu-ate in the Class of 2008 stated, “I wish that this credit recovery program was set up when I was a freshman, then I would have been able to successfully clean up my act and graduate on time with the rest of my friends. I think that this program will help a lot of students who didn’t do so well in their early high school years.”

Chamberlain hopes that this meth-od of credit recovery will help save many students from dropping out of high school as well as give stu-dents a chance to graduate on time.

News

June 2008Buccaneer Bulletin

2

Credit Recovery Could Lower Dropout RateBy Danielle D’AmicoReporter

“I wish that this credit recovery program was set up when I was a freshman, then I would have been able to successfully clean up my act and graduate on time with the rest of my friends. I think that this program will help a lot of students who didn’t do so well in their early high school years.”

Joseph BuskeOHS student

OHS Alumnus a Noted Race Car DesignerBy Kaitlyn ScanlonReporter

courtesy of Jim feeney

Joe Hawksby, Jr. has earned high marks for his innovative designs in the world of supermodified racing.

Editor’s Note: This marks the 22nd consecutive year that a senior staff member has written a column entitled “A Day in the Life of The Buccaneer Bulletin.” When Erik Dussere first wrote the column in 1986, who knew that his tongue-in-cheek look at a typical day in journalism class would become a cherished tradition.

As I sit here in room B-2, doing for the first time in about a month anything that could even be considered work, I notice how truly unique my journalism class is. Nowhere else in the world could you find such easy targets for ridicule. Honestly, it brings a tear to my eye. So, when I was asked (more like told) to write a yearly feature for the paper we call “A Day in the Life of The Buccaneer Bulletin,” I was both honored and offended. Honored because this is a pretty prestigious piece, but offended because it’s usually the “jerk” of the class who writes this thing. Well if that’s what they all think, then they’re in for it.

Where do I begin? Well, first let’s break down the room into the various groups the fine journalists of The Buc Bulletin have divided themselves into. Sitting in the front of the room are “the editors,” comprised of Chrissy King, co-editor-in-chief and the closest thing to a journalism nazi I have ever encountered. Either that or she’s related to Batman, and her “bat cave” is room B-2. I have literally never seen her outside of this room or not stressed about the paper. Next to Chrissy sits entertainment editor Sophie Rosenbaum, who through some fluke of nature is capable of writing the longest, most boring stories anyone has ever read. Four pages on the bridge being out? FOUR?! I never thought I’d say this, but please, Sophie, write only as much as you talk. My brain will thank you. Next to Sophie sits who I like to call the “kraptastik kouple” of Kevin Kearns and Kathryn Lazarski. I believe these two have a symbiotic relationship which forces them to maintain physical contact or die. Kathryn is the sports editor of the paper and does a fantastic job of telling people to write sports stories and talking about our new athletic director, “Scotty Shoogs.” Kevin Kearns, whose name can only be said as “Kevin Kearns” or “Keh Kuh,” is the “senior writer” for The Buc Bulletin. What this means is that last year he was editor-in-chief, but lost that position due to his inability to properly use the words “then” and “than,” yet still has too much pride to be demoted to the job of reporter.

In the row behind the editors sit “Hollywood” Fred Maxon, our reviewer of obscure Canadian bands, who does some work on the side as our art

director. Fred is famous. That’s why he’s called “Hollywood.” Next in row two is Michelle Stepien. I’ve never actually seen her, but I think she creates some pretty good ads. She probably does that in yearbook or something. Next to her is Katie DiVita, the other co-editor-in-chief. She does a lot of work. Of course, she has to, she owes it to Mr. McCrobie, who has written at least one hundred letters of recommendation for her to get into every high-priced college in the country. Rounding out this row of people I like to call “the row of people who aren’t really in a group, per se” is Dillon Coates. He’s a reporter and a damn good writer, but I think he may suffer from the same apathy I do, as he’s only had one or two stories published this year. I guess if I had to say something bad about him, it’s that he used to pop his collar a lot.

Next up is the “sports staff.” Now not everyone in the sports staff is on the sports staff, but that’s the name of this group. I’m writing this, not you, Joe Bucher. Joe Bucher is undoubtedly the tallest member of this group, which is comprised of him, Ryan Galloway, business manager and tanning expert Liz Waterbury, and this year’s “journalism romance” Brett McClelland and Morgan McNamara, who I’m fairly certain are trying to create the first-ever intellectual black hole, where knowledge and logic cannot exist. The sports staff usually keeps itself busy by not doing any work and generally distracting each other from their respective jobs, which they must refer to the masthead to remember.

Adjacent to the sports staff are the two ad girls, DiFabio and Furletti. That’s all I’ve got, really. They sell ads. I’m not sure if they speak. I’m not sure if they have first names. Or if they really exist. I guess I should mention the other group of girls whose existence I doubt here. They are named Kristen Diment, Kaitlyn Scanlon, Kristin Hadley, and Blair Harvey. They sit in a row and I think they actually do work every day, because I really don’t know who they are. Sometimes something good with their name on it is published in the paper, so I wish I could congratulate them.

The final group is the “photographers.” I don’t know who of them are actually photographers, because

I’ve never seen a photo in the paper by anyone other than our chief photographer, Morganne Atutis. She’s prodigious in her output, but one has to assume she may be a little crazy. I understand we want a good shot of that cool car outside, but six hundred pictures is just a tad excessive. What the rest of the photographers do is clog up the back of the room near Morganne’s computer, where Mr. Reeser is always standing, trying to get the front and back pages “to bed” as he says. The photographers consist of Danielle D’Amico, Caitlin Sawyer, and Kailyn Gray. They yell. All the time. I cringe. Just as often.

All these people work under the oppressive gaze of Mr. Michael McCrobie, whose cute, alliterative name masks the oppressive nature of his leadership. He gets his leadership techniques from a book about Atilla the Hun. I wish I were kidding. Despite this, however, after the first few weeks of class, we realized he’s really a big teddy bear. A sheep in wolves’ clothing, if you will. Needless to say, we no longer fear him. I hope he doesn’t edit this out of the story.

This is what a day in the life of The Buc Bulletin is like. Every day. Every day, I observe these people--their interactions, their strengths, and their quirks. And every day I walk out of journalism wondering how the school hasn’t imploded around this room. I wonder how so much work can be done with so many people doing what looks like nothing at all. I am proud to be a member of The Buc Bulletin staff, despite all the critiques I may have.

You must remember, I am the class jerk.

Day in the Life

Buccaneer Bulletin

3

June 2008

A Day in the Life of The Buccaneer BulletinThat’s How

the Way I Live

Pat Dougherty

Walking The Plank

June 2008Buccaneer Bulletin

4

‘08 Valedictorian Katie DiVita Headed to SUBuccaneer Bulletin: What does

being valedictorian mean to you?Katie DiVita: I don’t necessarily

think it means that I am the smartest person. I think it means I’m the person who worked the hardest, but also had some natural intelligence to help.

BB: Is this something you came into high school wanting to be or did your desire for the honor grow as high school went along?

KD: I didn’t really care if I was at the beginning; I really just tried to get good grades. Towards the end I started to really want it though because I thought if I’ve come this far, I don’t want to lose it.

BB: Which trait of your personality was most beneficial in your ability to earn such an honor?

KD: Probably my work ethic. I put forth my best effort in everything I do, which includes my schoolwork.

BB: Any idea what your speech at graduation will be centered around?

KD: No idea. I should probably get on that.

BB: What would you tell a freshman who is striving to be valedictorian?

KD: Take the most advanced classes because they really do help. Just do what you can and don’t get too caught up in the “competition.”

BB: Aside from yourself, who do you think has played the largest role in your success?

KD: It really was just myself. My parents, friends, and teachers didn’t care. The pressure was self-inflicted, as it usually is with everything I do.

BB: Has the result caused any hard feelings between you and the salutatorian?

KD: No way! We have been good friends since Minetto Elementary School. We both just let happen whatever was going to happen. It’s cool how it ended up like this.

BB: So, who has been your favorite teacher?

KD: A lot of teachers have helped me have success in high school. They know who they are. But if I had to have a class with one, it would probably be Mrs. Jan Caroccio.

BB: Where are you going for college, and why did you decide to go there?

KD: Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. I remember looking up at the wall with the majors written and realizing I want to study all of them.

BB: So what do you want to do in life after college?

KD: I’m not really sure, but definitely something that has to do with writing or journalism.

BB: As you went from being a freshman to a senior, is there any change that stood out to you?

KD: I used to be a lot quieter and a lot less secure. I’m still naturally shy, but I have learned not to care so much what people think. I’ve became a lot more comfortable with who I am.

BB: If you could, is there anything you would change about your time at OHS?

KD: I probably would have gotten involved in the art program. I would have taken AP Psychology, too. Also, I wish I would have had a class with Mr. Frawley and been able to be in journalism a year earlier.

BB: What will your first thought be as you cross the stage at graduation?

KD: Oh my God, where is my speech?!

BB: What are your interests and hobbies?

KD: I like to read, play soccer, play the violin, and run because it relieves my stress.

BB: What sports do you play?

KD: I did freshman soccer in ninth grade. I didn’t make the JV team, but I worked really hard and the next year I made varsity. For all four years I have been on the indoor and outdoor track teams also.

BB: What has been your favorite Mr. McCaul moment?

KD: There have been many, but probably when we ran at Romney Fieldhouse because it was snowing. We couldn’t find the lights so we could barely see. It was fun, especially when he made us do our form drills backwards.

BB: If you could have dinner with any three people, alive or deceased, who would they be?

KD: My deceased grandmother who I’m named after, Dane Cook, and maybe Lance Armstrong.

BB: What entrée and dessert would you eat?

KD: Cheesecake for dessert and the entrée would be anything from my dad’s crock pot.

BB: Is there any one place in the world you really want to visit?

KD: Italy. I’ve always felt like I should go there because of my ancestry. But I want to travel all over someday.

BB:Would you rather end up with a high-paying job that you dreaded or a low-salary job that you looked forward to?

KD: The low-salary job, hands down. If you don’t enjoy and feel proud about what you do every day, the big house and fancy car aren’t worth it.

BB: What’s your favorite season?

KD: Summer because there is no school or homework and I hate being cold.

BB: What has been your favorite and least favorite high school memory?

KD: My favorite high school memory was going on the Mexico trip. My least favorite was breaking my collarbone during the Sectional game in soccer my junior year.

BB: What will you miss the most and the least about OHS?

KD: I’ll really miss my friends, teachers, and coaches. All the people who have helped make me who I am. The part I’ll miss the least is having to get here at 6:45 in the morning so I can park three miles away and have to be thankful for getting a spot so close.

BB: Are you at all hesitant about leaving high school?

Not at all. The only thing I will miss is the people, but I will keep in touch with them and meet new people in college. I’m so ready to move on.

Photo By Morganne atutis

Katie DiVita is one of Oswego High School’s best and brightest. She made the most of her high school education in academics, athletics, and club activities.

Editor’s Note: “Walking the Plank” is a regular feature of The Buccaneer Bulletin. This month’s installment was compiled by Kevin Kearns.

Buccaneer Bulletin: What does being salutatorian mean to you?

Alyssa Collins: It means being a role model to everyone. I like it because people can always come to me for help or to just talk.

BB: Is this something you came into high school wanting to be or did your desire for it grow as high school went along?

AC: My desire to be either valedictorian or salutatorian grew as I went through high school. I was eleventh in our class freshman year and it was definitely a motivator and goal of mine to move up.

BB: Which trait of your personality was most beneficial in your ability to be so successful?

AC: I’m motivated, determined, and a perfectionist.

BB: Any idea what your speech at graduation will be centered around?

AC: I have no clue.

BB: How would you compare yourself with some of the past OHS valedictorians and salutatorians?

AC: I’m probably not as smart as they were. I just work really hard to get where I am now.

BB: Have you ever talked to any

of them? AC: Yes, I have

talked to last year’s salutatorian James Bates.

BB: What would you tell a freshman who is striving to be successful?

AC: All the time and hard work you put in will eventually pay off; don’t ever give up.

BB: Aside from yourself who do you think has played the largest role in your success?

AC: All my teachers, but mainly Mrs. Jan Caroccio.

BB: So, who has been your favorite teacher?

AC: I have a lot of favorite teachers, but my all-time favorite is probably Mrs. Caroccio.

BB: Do you have a favorite class?

AC: Math is my favorite subject but my chemistry class this year has definitely been the most fun.

BB: Where are you going for college, and why did you decide to go there?

AC: Villanova University, the basketball team was a huge motivator and I just really like the campus. I could go into all the academic details, but I don’t think people would want to hear about them.

BB: So what do you want to do in life after college?

AC: I want to be an actuary. I’d be dealing with stuff like insurance and risk management.

BB: As you went from being a freshman to a senior, is there any change that stood out to you?

AC: I’m not as quiet anymore. I’m not afraid to talk in class, where as freshman year I was.

BB: If you could, is there anything you would change from your time in OHS?

AC: The time that school starts.

BB: What will your first thought be as you cross the stage at graduation?

AC: Is my face turning red in front of all these people?

BB: What are your interests and hobbies?

AC: Sleep, is definitely a big one for me. I also coach my brother’s soccer team and volunteer a lot for Oswego Youth Soccer Association (OYSA.) Also, I like to hang out with friends and can’t wait until summer.

BB: How has your time been as an NHS officer?

AC: It’s been a lot of work, but it’s been fun.

BB: If you could have dinner with any three people, alive or deceased, who would they be?

AC: My deceased aunt, my aunt who is 104, and Ryan Gosling.

BB: What entree and dessert would you eat?

AC: Olive Garden breadsticks and strawberry shortcake.

BB: Is there any one place in the world you really want to visit?

AC: Australia.

BB: Would you rather have soft or hard ice cream?

AC: Soft.

BB: Chocolate or vanilla?AC: Twist.

BB: Would you rather end up with a high-paying job that you dreaded or a low-salary job that you looked forward to?

AC: I’d want the high-paying job but I wouldn’t dread it because I know how to make the best out of any situation.

BB: What’s your favorite season?

AC: Summer.

BB: What has been your favorite and least favorite high school memory?

AC: My favorite would have to be sitting in Mrs. Caroccio’s room in tenth grade watching Syracuse beat Connecticut in the Big East Tournament. My least favorite would probably be having to go to school during winter break, twice.

BB: What about your favorite memory from your senior year?

AC: The senior trip.

BB: What will you miss the most and the least about OHS?

AC: I’ll miss seeing a lot of my friends every day, because I know it’s going to be a while before I see everyone again after college starts. I will not miss waking up early.

BB: Are you at all hesitant about leaving high school?

AC: Yes, it is a big change, I’m not ready to leave everyone I’ve gone to school with for 13 years.

Walking the Plank

Buccaneer Bulletin

5

Salutatorian Alyssa Collins Explains Her Success

June 2008

Katie DiVita1. Alyssa Collins2. Jordan Holliday3. Sara Finn4. Jenna Skubis 5. Hannah Kisselburgh6. Alison Finn7. Waruguru Gichane8. Katlyn Smegelsky9. Justin Pagano10. Gabrielle Rumrill11. Steven Kolenda12. Monique Reeser13. Steven Czarnecki14. Kristina Licatese15. Amanda Donovan16. Zackary Falls17. Michael Sellars18. Christopher Sova19. Rachel Walczak 20. Shannon Donovan21. Ryan King22. Elizabeth Donovan23. Michael Ryan24. Christopher Wallace25.

Photo By Morganne atutisAlyssa Collins--salutatorian, class officer, NHS officer, and a role model to younger students.

Oswego High School’s Top Twenty-Five

Graduating Students

After an eight-year hiatus, the Batman franchise rebooted with the highly popular film Batman Begins in 2005. Due to the popularity of Batman Begins, Christopher Nolan started his magic again directing the new Batman movie to hit the screen in July of 2008.

The Dark Knight is the upcoming summer 2008 superhero film based on the fictional DC comic Batman, and the sequel to Batman Begins. Christian Bale leads in the role of Batman with other big stars such as Heath Ledger playing the role of the Joker. Batman’s primary conflicts in the film come from his fight against the Joker and his strained friend-ship with district attorney Harvey Dent. The Dark Knight was primarily filmed in Chicago, as well as several other loca-tions in and outside of the United States.

Some new improvements have been made to the movie. The newly designed Batsuit now has a hood, allow-

ing Bale to move his head. The new creation of the Batmobile will also be introduced, renamed the Batpod.

Christian Bale reprises the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman, a bil-lionaire who has dedicated himself to protecting Gotham City from the criminal underworld as the “Dark Knight.” Bale was confident in his choice to return in the role because of the positive feedback to his performance in Batman Begins.

Ledger plays the mass-murdering, schizophrenic clown, comic book vil-lain The Joker in the The Dark Knight. The film was in post-production at the time of Ledger’s death. Luckily, they finished all of Ledger’s scenes prior to his death. Entertainment Weekly said that Ledger’s death is likely to have an affect on audiences. “No one will be able to watch The Dark Knight without seeing unintended ironies and these eerie portents of doom.” Warner Bros. has also temporarily pulled back on some of the promo-tional material centered on Ledger’s creepy whiteface makeup as the Joker, keyed to the tagline “Why So Serious?” It remains to be confirmed whether the film’s technical wrap-up will require a new game plan as well.

The Dark Knight is a must-see for the summer ’08 movie fan, and could be the biggest hit movie of the season.

Entertainment

June 2008Buccaneer Bulletin

6

Batman Film Will Be the Summer Blockbuster

By Morgan McNamaraEntertainment Editor

New Batman film was in post-production at the time of Heath Ledger’s death. Ledger portrayed the role of the Joker.

Summer Movie Comedies Will Leave You Laughing

courtesy flickr.com

The eerie movie poster for The Dark Knight has sparked controversy.

By Morgan McNamaraEntertainment Editor

Over the summer there are plenty of fun activities to take part in, like going to the beach, hanging out with friends and of course, sleeping late. However, when you tire of these activities, there are plenty of summer movies that are sure to spark your interest. Here are just a few:

The Love Guru: Mike Myers stars as Pitka, an American who was left at the gates of an ashram in India as a child and was raised by gurus. As an adult, he travels back to his homeland and tries to set himself up as a self-help expert. His first task is to save the marriage of Toronto Maple Leafs’ star hockey player Darren Roanoke and his wife. When she starts dating LA King’s player Jacques

Grande, Roanoke becomes very depressed and the Maple Leafs turn for the worst. The team’s coach and team owner put extra pressure on

Pitka to mend the relationship so the Maple Leafs can win the Stanley Cup. The movie stars big names such as Jessica Alba and Justin Timberlake. The

movie is scheduled to be out on June 20.

Step Brothers: Will Ferrell is at it again with his new movie to debut on July 25.

Ferrell plays Brennan Huff, a lazy and sporadically employed thirty-nine year-old who

lives with his mother Nancy. John C. Reilly plays Dale Doback, a terminally unemployed forty-year-old who lives with his father Robert. When Robert and Nancy marry and move in together,

Brennan and Dale are forced to live and deal with each other being step brothers. As their laziness

and hate for each other tear the family apart, they work together to get their parents back

together. To pull this off, they must form an unlikely bond to

mend their parents’ relationship.

The Accidental Husband: Uma Thurman and Jeffery Dean

Morgan star in a romantic comedy to debut on August 22. Firefighter Patrick

Sullivan is happily engaged until he finds out that his fiancé Sofia has gone

to Dr.Lloyd for marriage couseling. She advises Sofia to dump her soon-to-be husband on the eve of their wedding, which she does. To get re-venge, Patrick has records altered so it looks like he has married Emma Lloyd, which throws a wrench in her plans to marry the man she is already engaged to.

Columns

Buccaneer Bulletin

7

These are the Best ‘Free’ Years of Your Life

June 2008

Whether we’d like to admit it or not, there is such a thing as politics in everything we do: in our jobs, our academics, and so on. Many high school athletes see this happening in many sports they take part in. Some athletes who try out for a team don’t make it due to other players having priority on the team, though they have the skills and abilities over those others. This is not always the reason for making a team, but in many cases “politics” does have an impact.

Politics in sports range from the professional level, to college, and has begun to affect high school sports. This has altered the way the

coaches have run their teams and it has a negative impact on many young athletes. The political end of sports in many high schools comes from the “connections” you and your family may have, allowing some kids to make the team or receive more playing time, just from knowing the right people. Kids who benefit from this may not always see what goes on from their point of view, but the kids who suffer from this preferred treatment of others understand, and can see what is happening.

Now this is not always the answer as to why someone may or may not have made a sports team, but these politics go on further than just affecting individual cuts. A lot of times, the outcome of the team’s season is altered due to the individuals selected, and it changes how the team performs for years.

This system of politics also

creates an uncontrollable situation for many coaches. Coaches have had their jobs on thin ice due to parents complaining to the authorities. These parents come from both ends; some who are involved with this game of creating a name for their kids, personally threaten the coaches. Other parents of high school students who

do not wish to get caught up in this game, go to higher authorities such as the school board or athletic director complaining that their kid did not have a fair shot on a specific team due to the politics.

As much as we’d like to deny this idea of politics in sports and in most of what we do in our lives, it is reality, and it does happen. A lot of times in today’s society people use their connections to get ahead in the things we do, instead of relying on true talent. It’s the old saying, “It’s not about what you know, it’s about

who you know.” This is a game that certain individuals choose to take part in, which ranges from our jobs to our schooling. Knowing the right person could make or break

someone. But some of those who truly have the talent to succeed have the opportunity taken from them because they choose not to play the game of politics on an uneven playing field.

Politics and School Sports a Bad Combination Step It

UpMichelle Stepien

As much as we’d like to deny this idea of politics in sports and in most of what we do in our lives, it is reality, and it does happen.

The final months of high school are bound to make any senior nostalgic about his/her years at Oswego High School. Looking back now, there are a few things I wish I’d known before I entered the halls of OHS. Here are the top five.

1. I wish someone had told me that the heat only works in the summer, and the air conditioning is on full blast during the winter time. Every year there are rumors of refurbishing the heating system, and installing new ducts, but of course, nothing ever changes. During the winter when girls still insist on dressing as if they lived in the Caribbean and guys are still wearing shorts to their ankles, classrooms are unbearably cold, and concentration may be rather difficult. If you wish to remain fashionable when the temperatures are below zero, keeping a sweatshirt handy may be a good idea.

2. Even if Fulton, Hannibal and Mexico have a snow day, OHS is still open. No matter how

many times you whine at the television, or change stations, the outcome does not change. If OHS is not closed on channel five, it won’t be closed on channel nine either. I have spent numerous blustery winter mornings waiting to see the magic phrase, “Oswego City Schools Closed” only to be disappointed with a two hour delay, or nothing at all. Watching the list of school closings go from Oneida to Otselic Valley is a rather painful winter ritual.

3. If you want to get to class on time, you have to be aggressive in the halls. The rules of driving pertain to the hallways as well. In between classes, the halls of OHS are every-man-for-himself. There are groups of students in clusters obstructing half

of the hallway, there are couples making out, outstretched legs, and people walking against traffic. Turning

left getting out of the library is about as difficult as crossing the Utica Street Bridge with all the new detours due to bridge construction.

4. Freshmen are at the bottom of the food chain. Many freshmen walk into the high school with a rather cocky attitude. They enter OHS believing they are God’s gift to the world. Freshmen revel in their new-found freedom, and at times forget why they are in school. Of course freshmen are not the only ones acting out or blocking the

hallways, but they are the first to be blamed. If anything goes wrong, freshmen are the first to be named. If something has to be done, the freshman has to do it. It’s annoying and unfair, but eventually, you will no longer be a freshman, and you can pass on the task to the newbies. After sophomore year begins, you are off the hook.

5. The years go by a lot faster than you think. Freshman year is usually somewhat exciting, but after the initial feeling of elation wears off, it seems like time is simply crawling. By the end of junior year, you have become so exhausted by the routine that you just can’t wait to get out. You stare longingly at the seniors walking through the halls after the Hundred Days Celebration, making college/career choices, and crossing the stage after graduation. You long to be in their place, but a year-long wait just seems too long. Hearing seniors say that “time goes by too fast” frustrates you because you have to return to OHS in the fall. Time does indeed go by quickly; you just have to wait your turn.

When they say that “these are the best years of your life,” they are definitely lying, but that does not mean that high school isn’t enjoyable. The phrase should be, “these are the best ‘free’ years of your life.” College is expensive fun, and after that, nothing will be free. So, enjoy your final cost-free days, wearing a sweater and walking with conviction, your time at OHS will soon come to an end.

Giche’s Niche

Waruguru Gichane

Watching the list of school closings go from Oneida to Otselic Valley is a rather painful winter ritual.

Oswego High Seniors Heading Near and Far After June Graduation8

Buccaneer Bulletin

Senior Feature

Steven Abramski – Clarkson UniversityTony Alelunas – Onondaga Community collegeJesus Alvarado – Herkimer Community CollegeTyler Anderson – Maritime CollegeRobert Andrews – SUNY OswegoGlorimil Aponte – Cayuga Community CollegeKaryn Atkinson – Mohawk Valley Community CollegeMorganne Atutis – Rochester Institute of TechnologyJustin Bailey – SUNY OswegoJeffery Bame – Onondaga Community College Jessica Batchelor – Niagara UniversityMorgan Batchelor – Finger Lakes Community CollegeErin Belden – Herkimer Community CollegeHelen Bennett – Cayuga Community CollegeMark Berlin – Cayuga Community CollegeEllen Bosco – SUNY FredoniaStephen Bosco – SUNY FredoniaErin Bourgeois – SUNY Cortland Jareth Boyer – Cayuga Community CollegeMaria Brancato – Cayuga Community CollegeMichael Brown – SUNY OswegoMillicent Brown – SUNY FredoniaBrittany Bruce – Cayuga Community CollegeKathryn Brunschweiger – Nazareth CollegeCaitlin Bryant – SUNY OswegoNatasha Burdick – Onondaga Community CollegeKali Burke – Cayuga Community CollegeTyler Burke – Cayuga Community CollegeBrian Buske – Finger Lakes Community CollegeHeather Buske – SUNY BrockportJessica Buske – Bryant and Stratton CollegeAshley Cahill – SUNY BinghamtonJeremy Cahill – SUNY PlattsburghDrew Canale – SUNY OswegoAnthony Carmella – Hofstra UniversityJohn Carmody – SUNY OswegoAndrea Carrow – Syracuse UniversityAmanda Carswell – SUNY FredoniaDavid Chatterton – SUNY FredoniaTiffany Ciarla – Cayuga Community CollegeJennifer Cigler – Onondaga Community CollegeRhevia Cliff – Herkimer Community CollegeMaryKay Cloonan – Cayuga Community CollegeDillon Coates – St. Bonaventure UniversityJohn Collins – University at BuffaloElizabeth Combes – Swedish Institute of Heath SciencesKevin Conway – Cayuga Community CollegeEric Cooper – Monroe Community CollegeGabrielle Corwin – Cayuga Community CollegeMichael Crandall – SUNY OswegoKelly Cregg – Cayuga Community CollegeJoshua Crego – Paul Smiths CollegeEmily Christ – LeMoyne CollegeMelinda Cruz – Cayuga Community CollegeDanielle D’Amico – Herkimer Community CollegeJoshua Darling – Fashion Institute of TechnologyGrant Davis – Cayuga Community CollegeLisa Davis – Finger Lakes Community College

Jennifer Delles – Nazareth CollegeAlexis Deming – SUNY CortlandElizabeth Desacia – NY Institute of Message TherapyJessica Dickquist – SUNY OswegoLauren DiMarco – SUNY OswegoKristen Diment – SUNY OswegoKatie DiVita – Syracuse UniversityPatrick Donoghue – Cayuga Community CollegeAmanda Donovan – Nazareth CollegeCasey Donovan – SUNY BrockportElizabeth Donovan – SUNY AlbanyShannon Donovan – Syracuse UniversityEric Dorval – Cayuga Community CollegePatrick Dougherty – SUNY OswegoAdam Dristle – Hofstra UniversityThomas Dufore – SUNY OswegoBrian Dunsmore – Herkimer Community CollegeCurt Dunsmore – Cayuga Community CollegePaula Eannetta – SUNY OswegoNikolas Eason – Cayuga Community CollegeCody Espinoza – Jefferson Community CollegeZackary Falls – Canisius CollegeJoseph Farella – SUNY BrockportEric Ferguson – Herkimer Community CollegeRenee Ferlito – Cayuga Community CollegeRose Filer – SUNY OswegoBrittany Fink – St. John Fisher CollegeAlison Finn – Lafayette CollegeSamantha Fiorini – University at BuffaloTroy Flack – Onondaga Community CollegeStephanie Fochtman – SUNY PotsdamAndrew Fultz – University at BuffaloWaruguru Gichane – Cornell UniversityJonathan Gilbert – SUNY ESFGavin Gilpin – Onondaga Community CollegeNicholas Goewey – Finger Lakes Community CollegeDavid Hamler – University at BuffaloSamantha Hammond – Cayuga Community CollegeDavid Harrington – SUNY Institute of TechnologyStephanie Harrington – Cayuga Community CollegeDevon Harris – SUNY PlattsburghAlex Hawthorn – SUNY DelhiFrank Heagerty – Herkimer Community CollegeDaniel Henry – Onondaga Community CollegeTimothy Hilton – SUNY OswegoLindi Himes – SUNY PotsdamJordan Holliday – LeMoyne CollegeAbby Howard – Onondaga Community CollegeTiffany Hudson – Cayuga Community CollegeKathy Irwin – SUNY PotsdamAustin Izyk – Rochester Institute of TechnologyDrew Jacobs – Onondaga Community CollegeErika Johnson – Onondaga Community CollegeNicole Johnson – Cayuga Community CollegeAshley Johnston – SUNY OswegoJessica Joyce – SUNY OswegoKevin Kearns – Syracuse UniversityHolly Keating – Cayuga Community College

Bruce Kesselring – SUNY OswegoChristina King – SUNY BrockportGregory King – SUNY OswegoRyan King – Albany College of PharmacyEric Kingsley – University of BuffaloSteven Kolenda – SUNY FredoniaMatthew Lafond – Onondaga Community CollegeDonald Lamb – Canton Community CollegeSean Languein – LeMoyne CollegeMatthew Laskewicz – Cayuga Community CollegeKathryn Lazarski – SUNY CortlandAndrew Lazzaro – SUNY OswegoCammeo Lazzaro – SUNY OswegoRobert Lefevre – Onondaga Community CollegeKristina Licatese – SUNY GeneseoBenjamin Liccardi – Cayuga Community CollegeJeremy Linn – Buffalo StateLauren Longley – SUNY OswegoMichael Losurdo – Cayuga Community CollegeStephen Losurdo – Onondaga Community CollegeMelissa Lynch – University of BuffaloCali Maas – Onondaga Community CollegeChristy Maher – Cayuga Community CollegeSean Mandurano – St. John’s UniversityKevin May – SUNY AlfredSteve McCrobie – SUNY OswegoKali McDougall – Cayuga Community CollegeEmily McLaughlin – Onondaga Community CollegeMaureen McManus – Onondaga Community CollegeStephen McManus – SUNY PlattsburghMorgan McNamara – SUNY Fredonia Sydney Miller – Cayuga Community CollegeJohn Miuccio – SUNY FredoniaMary Kate Mooney – Nazareth CollegeCassandra Morley – Cayuga Community CollegeStephanie Moshier – Cayuga Community CollegeCalli Murdock – Cayuga Community CollegeMeghan Murphy – Bryant and Stratton CollegeNicole Nalle – Morrisville Community College Marianne Natoli – SUNY OswegoKatie Nelson – SUNY OswegoAshley Olcott – Utica CollegeEmily Oleyourryk – Niagara UniversityJustin Pagano – Lafayette CollegeCollin Patrick – Onondaga Community CollegeRyan Pekarek – SUNY OswegoSharon Perrine – BOCES Cosmetology SchoolAmber Perry – Herkimer Community CollegeCharles Perry – Onondaga Community CollegeShelby Persons – SUNY CortlandAlyssa Peterson – SUNY OswegoSarah Petrie – Monroe Community CollegeChelsea Pittenger – SUNY OswegoTyler Pratt – SUNY Institute of TechnologyNicole Pritchard – SUNY OswegoJeffery Proud – SUNY FredoniaEmily Pryor – SUNY New PaltzMandy Ranous – Nazareth College

Oswego High Seniors Heading Near and Far After June Graduation9

June 2008

Senior Feature

Bruce Kesselring – SUNY OswegoChristina King – SUNY BrockportGregory King – SUNY OswegoRyan King – Albany College of PharmacyEric Kingsley – University of BuffaloSteven Kolenda – SUNY FredoniaMatthew Lafond – Onondaga Community CollegeDonald Lamb – Canton Community CollegeSean Languein – LeMoyne CollegeMatthew Laskewicz – Cayuga Community CollegeKathryn Lazarski – SUNY CortlandAndrew Lazzaro – SUNY OswegoCammeo Lazzaro – SUNY OswegoRobert Lefevre – Onondaga Community CollegeKristina Licatese – SUNY GeneseoBenjamin Liccardi – Cayuga Community CollegeJeremy Linn – Buffalo StateLauren Longley – SUNY OswegoMichael Losurdo – Cayuga Community CollegeStephen Losurdo – Onondaga Community CollegeMelissa Lynch – University of BuffaloCali Maas – Onondaga Community CollegeChristy Maher – Cayuga Community CollegeSean Mandurano – St. John’s UniversityKevin May – SUNY AlfredSteve McCrobie – SUNY OswegoKali McDougall – Cayuga Community CollegeEmily McLaughlin – Onondaga Community CollegeMaureen McManus – Onondaga Community CollegeStephen McManus – SUNY PlattsburghMorgan McNamara – SUNY Fredonia Sydney Miller – Cayuga Community CollegeJohn Miuccio – SUNY FredoniaMary Kate Mooney – Nazareth CollegeCassandra Morley – Cayuga Community CollegeStephanie Moshier – Cayuga Community CollegeCalli Murdock – Cayuga Community CollegeMeghan Murphy – Bryant and Stratton CollegeNicole Nalle – Morrisville Community College Marianne Natoli – SUNY OswegoKatie Nelson – SUNY OswegoAshley Olcott – Utica CollegeEmily Oleyourryk – Niagara UniversityJustin Pagano – Lafayette CollegeCollin Patrick – Onondaga Community CollegeRyan Pekarek – SUNY OswegoSharon Perrine – BOCES Cosmetology SchoolAmber Perry – Herkimer Community CollegeCharles Perry – Onondaga Community CollegeShelby Persons – SUNY CortlandAlyssa Peterson – SUNY OswegoSarah Petrie – Monroe Community CollegeChelsea Pittenger – SUNY OswegoTyler Pratt – SUNY Institute of TechnologyNicole Pritchard – SUNY OswegoJeffery Proud – SUNY FredoniaEmily Pryor – SUNY New PaltzMandy Ranous – Nazareth College

Monique Reeser – SUNY BinghamtonKristen Regan – Cayuga Community CollegeTheodore Reifke – SUNY OswegoScott Richards – ITT TechKevin Robinson – SUNY AlfredSara Rogers – SUNY FredoniaCasey Rose – SUNY OswegoSophia Rosenbaum – SUNY BinghamtonCasondra Rowe – Cayuga Community CollegeJamie Ruggio – SUNY OswegoGabrielle Rumrill – Syracuse UniversityElizabeth Schermerhorn – SUNY OswegoElizabeth Schultz – College of Saint RoseAndrew Schute – Cayuga Community CollegeEmily Scranton – SUNY FredoniaMichael Sellars – Sienna CollegeBrittany Shoults – Cayuga Community CollegeJustin Shufelt – Universal Technical InstituteSteven Surr – Cayuga Community CollegeJenna Skubis – Nazareth CollegeAlicia Smith – Onondaga Community CollegeSara Snow – Bryant and Stratton CollegeMorgan Snyder – Cayuga Community CollegeStephan Snyder – SUNY BrockportLauren Souva – Onondaga Community CollegeChristopher Sova – LeMoyne CollegeAnnetta Steen – Onondaga Community CollegeMichelle Stepien – SUNY BrockportKimberly Stevens – Morrisville Community CollegeMary Stoutenger – SUNY OswegoMark Suchnicki – Onondaga Community CollegeCassandra Suiter – Canton Community CollegeJeremy Symborski – Onondaga Community CollegeJacob Tyler – Cayuga Community CollegeTiffany Tesoriero – SUNY OswegoPeter Thingvoll – SUNY OswegoSarah Thomas – Cayuga Community CollegeBryan Thompson – Niagara UniversityMorgan Thompson – Cayuga Community CollegeAngela Tombolillo – SUNY OswegoMadeleine Tombollilo – Onondaga Community CollegeCiera Toolan – SUNY OswegoMelissa Towsend – Herkimer Community CollegeElizabeth Tresidder – Cayuga Community CollegeMatthew Tynan – SUNY OswegoLindsay Usherwood – SUNY PotsdamAdam Vansanford – Onondaga Community CollegeMichael Vivlemore – Clarkson UniversityChris Wallace – Clarkson UniversityJacob Wallace – Cayuga Community CollegeKatelyn Winchek – Onondaga Community CollegeBrian Witmer – SUNY BrockportEric Wood – Rochester Institute of TechnologyGina Wyatt – SUNY Albany

Devon Amedio – Arcadia UniversityWilliam Barlow – Arizona State UniversityKatelyn Bateman – Costal Carolina UniversityMegan Boardway – University of TampaCody Brett – Chandler Gilbert Community CollegeJayson Brown – Limestone CollegeHillary Callen – Denison UniversityNikki Carroll – University of New HavenAlyssa Collins – VillanovaSteven Czarnecki – Stevens Institute of TechnologyRebecca Delaney – Emmanuel CollegeJustin Empson – North Western of OhioColin Fink – Loyola CollegeSara Finn – Messiah CollegeJoshua Hibbert – University of South FloridaDavid Kazyaka – Embry-Riddle University Hannah Kisselburgh – Bronde UniversityJessica Mazur – Colorado State UniversityColin Meagher – Embry-Riddle UniversityJessica Renski – Gulf Coast Community CollegeMichael Ryan – Ohio StateLindsay Scharf – University of New HavenKatlyn Smelgelsky – Northeastern University

Out of State Colleges

David Baptista – Pipe Fitters UnionRyan Blauvelt – Pipe Fitters UnionMatthew Coffey – Pipe Fitters UnionMatthew Duplessis – Pipe Fitters UnionRichard Ottman – Pipe Fitters Union

Work Force

Luis Alvarado – Army William Barry – ArmyMichael Booker – NavyIan Kuhl – NavyAmber Liberty – NavyDerek Sheldon – NavyChristopher Colon – Air ForceSteven Oleyourryk – Air forceAmanda Olcott – ArmyNicholas Purt – ArmyKip Ward – Marines

Armed Forces

Editorial

cartoon by Monique reeser

Buccaneer Bulletin

Drawing BoardDrawing Board

June 2008

Editor-in-ChiefChrissy KingKatie DiVita

Layout EditorPat Dougherty

Entertainment EditorSophie RosenbaumClublicity Editor

Jack CarmodyAlumni Editor

Morgan McNamaraSports Editor

Kathryn LazarskiBusiness Manager

Liz WaterburySportswriters

Joe Bucher, Ryan Galloway,

Kailyn Gray, Brett McClelland

Art DirectorFred Maxon

Art StaffJenna Skubis

Monique ReeserChief Photographer

Morganne Atutis Photographers

Blair Harvey Caitlin Sawyer

Ad RepresentativesEmily DiFabio, Catie Furletti, Ad Designers

Michelle StepienSenior WriterKevin Kearns

ReportersDillon Coates, Danielle D’Amico, Kristen Diment, Kaitlyn Scanlon, Kristin Hadley, Christian Scaccia

Oswego High School’s Student Voice

The Buccaneer Bulletin, a member of the Empire State School 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.

Printing services are provided by The Palladium-Times. Opinions expressed are those of the students and do not necessarily reflect those of the administration or the advisers.

Buccaneer Bulletin

AdvisersBill Reeser

Mike McCrobie

…to the Senior Class picnic taking place at Sea Breeze this year instead of Thunder Island. The senior class always has a great time on its picnic and will have even more fun than usual at Sea Breeze.…to the Oswego Middle School teachers and students who helped raise money for a member of their student body diagnosed with cancer. The middle school student council helped organize events such as hat days and donation jars and even nominated teachers to get their heads shaved. The top five teachers were Rocco Favuzzi, Steve Cass, Rory Malone, Jamie Sykut, and Mike Patane. These fundraisers earned nearly $700. ...to Oswego High School’s student council for recognizing the faculty and distributing pens on Teacher Appreciation Day.…to all the dedicated teachers who are volunteering their time to stay after school for the After-School Homework Center. The program is a big help to students and is a convenient way for them to get the help they need at this crucial time of the year. …to the Lady Bucs’ softball team that hosted a StrikeOut Cancer tournament with all teams wearing pink. Over $1,700 was raised to fight cancer.

…to all the teachers, staff, and students who are taking illegal left-hand turns into the Utica Street parking lot. Not only is this illegal, but it is also dangerous. There are no left-hand turns into the Utica Street parking lot for a reason, and everyone should abide by these rules to keep our commuters and pedestrians safe.…to the automated flushing system in the boys’ bathroom urinals at OHS. The urinals seem to have minds of their own--flushing as we approach, while we do our thing, and as we walk away! The problem is, most of us don’t like the front of our pants all wet. Plus, it wastes water.

10

The Class of 2008 will be graduating on Sat-urday, June 28 at the Campus Center at SUNY Oswego. The ceremony will begin promptly at 10 a.m., but it is recommended that the seniors arrive around 9:30. Seniors should pick up their caps and gowns after the graduation rehearsal on Thursday, June 26. The cap and gown costs $20 (checks made payable to the Class of 2008, or cash). All books must be returned before students can pick up their caps and gowns.

Other upcoming senior activities include Senior Night, Senior Din-ner Dance, and Senior Pic-nic. Senior Night is a chance for seniors to show their talent, creativity, and share some unfor-gettable moments with one another. Of

course, senior superlative awards are given out and the infamous senior slideshow is shown. This year’s Senior Night will be June 6, starting at 7 p.m.

For the first time, the seniors will enjoy Sea Breeze for the Senior Pic-

nic. The Senior Picnic is set for Friday, June 13. Senior Din-

ner Dance is held at the DA Lodge from 7 pm -10 pm on Thursday, June 26.

If seniors have any questions about senior activities or gradua-tion, contact any of the class officers (Gabby Rumrill, Kristina Li-

catese, Casey Donovan, Alyssa Collins) or Mr.

Burt or Mr. Mirabito. Listen closely to any an-

nouncements and/or posters put up directed towards se-

niors. We’ve only got a few days left, so let’s make the most of them!

Editorial

Buccaneer Bulletin

11

June 2008

Busy Slate of Senior Activities

Seniors: New Responsibilities Await You After High School. Accept and Embrace All of Them.

Class of 2008

Sean Languein“Battle of the Bands

because it gave everyone a chance to see all the talented people in our school.”

Erika Johnson“The Hundred Days

Celebration because it was so fun, and it meant we really only had one hundred days left”

John Collins“Defeating Mr.

Mulverhill in the 2008 Springfest frisbee game.”

Shelby Persons“Winning the

Powderpuff football game two years in a row.”

Class of 2008

Class of 2008

Class of 2008

What is your fondest memory of Oswego High School?

For the past few months (or even the past year), most seniors have been enjoying the downhill ride towards the day they walk across the stage. Their “senioritis” symptoms have gradually worsened: that is, the diminishing incentive to come to class and non-existent motivation to do homework have become chronic ailments.

However, after four long years, it is reasonable for seniors to take some time to relax and revel in their secondary school finale. But beware: let us be the first to give you a dose of the antidote to “senioritis” – -real it y! In the next ye a r , a l l m e m b e r s of the se-nior class, whether they go to college, join the Army, or become a part of the labor force will be expected to take re-sponsibility for what they do and don’t do, as well as the consequences that result from those decisions.

Up to this point in our lives, our time has been wholly structured for us by others. We are here ev-ery weekday monotonously obeying the period 1-9 bells, shuttling to our activities, only to wake up the next day to do it all again. We are punished (or given multiple warnings) for our infractions, and have little choice in these matters. But, once June 28 rolls around, there will no longer be anyone around to slap us on the wrist if we don’t come to class or spend all of our time on MySpace. Our time will be our own, and it will be up to us to make the most of it.

We will face pressures and temptations that we have never known before, some of which may distract us from our goals and aspirations. There will be more parties, more readily available alcohol and drugs, and more peer pressure. It is your responsibility, as a graduating senior, to take control of your life, because if you don’t, no one else will. Don’t sacrifice your talents, abilities, and hard-earned money by spending the next few years wasting the time that is usually considered the most critical stage in a young person’s life.

Our par-e n t s , e d u -ca tor s , a nd friends have done all that they can to lay

the foundation for our post-high school success. So, if you refuse to choose responsibility for yourself, choose responsibility for them. It would be selfish and inconsiderate to deliberately disappoint the people who have been supporting you for years. Make them proud. Set goals, have ambitions. We have been equipped by Oswego High School with the tools to succeed – don’t undermine such an opportunity!

If this preemptive reality check doesn’t motivate you, think about your own potential and look into your own futures. Strive to be that person you’ve always dreamt about. Don’t sell yourself short. Re-member: the choices you make now and in the next few years will be rewarded by the life you will lead in the future.

It is your responsibility as a graduating senior to take control of your life, because if you don’t, no one else will.

Osweg

o Hi

gh School Class of 2008

Feature

June 2008Buccaneer Bulletin

12

Like MacArthur, Mr. Burt Wants to Fade AwayBy Katie DiVitaEditor -In-Chief

It is a sad year for OHS when one of its most respected U.S. His-tory teachers and enthusi-astic baseball fans leaves its community. Unfortunately, this is exactly what is hap-pening with the retirement of Mr. Robert Burt, who has been an integral member of the social studies department and Red Sox Nation for decades.

Burt began his teaching ca-reer at Mexico High School before becoming one of the most admired faculty members here at OHS. He is known for connecting with his students in a way that makes them feel like more than just U.S. History vaccuums during their 45 minutes in his classroom. His aptitude for making constitutional amend-ments, stagflation, and Alexander Hamilton interesting to 16 and 17 year-olds has cemented

his position as one of the most talented educators at Oswego High School. He has always been more concerned with fostering his students’ intel-lectual skills than their ability to “puke-up” random facts about our country. His beneficial projects have ranged from having his students construct the diary of FDR to having them impersonate funda-mental U.S. figures as they are interrogated by other members of the class.

Aside from un-leash ing h is s t u-dents’ creativity as they learn, Bur t gets to know his students on per-sonal levels out-

side the classroom. Because of this, he has

become one of the most popular teachers with students and faculty alike.

There is a reason why he is asked to write literally dozens of college and scholarship recommendations each year. OHS alumnus Tim Sollenberger, a student in Burt’s 2005 AP U.S. History class, said, “From helping students study for the AP test on Saturday mornings to somehow making history a fun subject, Mr. Burt goes out of his way to ensure his students’ success.”

Few people may know that Burt is also world-class prankster. Dozens of his former students and colleagues have learned this the hard way. Sophie Rosenbaum, a student in Burt’s 2007 AP U.S. History class, recalled that he once wrote her a hilarious fake letter of recommendation. OHS English teacher Mr. Thomas Frawley said, “He could be very dangerous with all that extra time he will have in retirement.”

While he may be hesitant to admit it, Burt will be remembered by his students and co-workers for more than just his devotion to his-tory. His modesty and humble nature only work to make him more of an unforgettable OHS icon.

So, unfortunately, Mr. Burt, there is no way that you will be able to merely “fade away” like General MacArthur that you’ve taught about. With everything you’ve done for OHS, you’ve made that impossible.

A beloved teacher, friend and co-worker will be leaving Oswego High School this year. Mrs. Margaret Dixon has been teaching English at OHS for 25 years and in her words, “will finally graduate from high school” in June. Although she plans to retire, for the Mrs. Dixon we know and love, this will most likely only be a career change, for some-thing in the private sector. Until then, she is hoping to travel to Italy and Jupiter (for people who know her, this isn’t very surprising). For the students who were fortunate enough to have her as a teacher, the mere mention of her name embod-ies the feelings of love, warmth, humor and genuine kindness towards others.

“Throughout all my years of educa-tion, only a few teachers come to mind that have had a big impact on me, one being Mrs. Dixon. With her enthusi-astic personality and her great sense of humor, it’s hard not to love her. She shows that school can be fun and that

there are teachers out there who truly care about their students as if they are their own. Mrs. Dixon has always been a teacher I can relate with, laugh with, and talk with. “Mrs. Dixon was an amazing teacher, she always made class enjoy-able, and she was always someone you could go and talk to,” said Josh Darling.

For the past two decades, one of Mrs. Dixon’s colleagues in the English Department, was one of her former students--Mr. Mike McCrobie. “She was my eleventh grade English teacher,” McCrobie said. “Though now, our teaching styles are different from one another’s, she is one of the main reasons I chose a career in education.”

No matter what mood you’re in, Dix-on always knows how to put a smile on your face. “She always puts me in a good mood, and I’m going to miss her great sense of humor,” said Heather Sharkey.

Not only will our school be missing out on a great teacher, but they will also be missing a wonderful person who is always there for her students. In a seri-

ous moment, Dixon said, “I hope to be remem-b e r e d a s t h e teacher w h o cared

a b o u t h e r s t u d e n t s .”

Mrs. Dixon has had an astounding impact on all of her students throughout the years. Thank

you Mrs. Dixon, for

making my OHS career

memorable. I will always

remember you for your crazy,

fun personality, your love for your

job and your stu-dents, and of course,

your great advice on nail polish. People like

you are hard to find and teachers like you are even

harder to find. I’m thank-ful that I had the opportu-

nity to meet someone like you. I will miss you tremen-

dously next year and I hope nothing but the best for you.

Dixon’s Recipe for Success: A spoonful of caring about her students, a dash of humor, and a pinch of enthusiasm.By Morgan McNamaraEntertainment Editor

Editor’s Note: All designs and photos are accredited to Fred Maxon for

both retirement pages.

Feature

Buccaneer Bulletin

13

Say Hello to Frawley as He Says Goodbye

June 2008

By Jack CarmodyReporter

With Mrs. Paula Guido retiring this year, we asked of her to share some information and reflections on this special occasion. Mrs. Guido has been working in education for eleven years, eight of them here at OHS. Before be-coming a teacher, she had planned to be a statistician, but found the job too void of human interaction. She feels that the most rewarding aspect of being a teacher is when students come back and thank her for helping them learn important matters of everyday life, or meeting them outside of school and being able to see how well they have done in the real world.

If she had to pick something about OHS that she’d miss the most, it is shar-ing her knowledge and prowess in busi-ness and personal math applications. She is always glad to pass on business experience to others. What she’ll miss the least, of course, is the number of

papers teachers have to correct over-night. She often corrects every night from 8:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m., instead of relaxing with her family.

Luckily with retirement, she in-tends to spend much more time with her family. She says she looks forward to spending more quality time with her twin one-year old grandkids, Mis-cha and Tanner. She will also enjoy spending more time with her mother at Seneca Nursing Home. She will also continue to help run her family busi-ness, Guido Vending Co.

With the luxury of spare time, she spoke of how she’s always up for traveling and would love to go to Italy, take in the atmosphere, and find her family’s heritage.

Her favorite memories of OHS are of her first year chaperoning the junior prom, and seeing her students dressed up and not in the same student learn-ing environment. She mentioned how nice it is to see her students outside of

school at a sporting event or a concert, or even at their part-time job. Mrs. Guido loves seeing her students in the real world and loves to see that what she teaches them has an impact.

How could Os-wego High School b e i mp rove d? She said, “More life skills, busi-ness classes, and practical courses that help p re -pare young p e o p l e for real i s s u e s outside the school en-vironment.”

This is the time of year

when everyone is giv-ing advice,

so we asked

M r s . G u i d o

to g ive s o m e

words of wisdom to

the students and faculty

of OHS upon her leaving. She

said, “Never let a day go by where

you don’t try some-thing new or chal-

lenging, and never let a day go by that you

don’t do something you don’t want to do--just

for the discipline.” We will all miss her

practical lessons.

By Sophia RosenbaumManaging Editor

Throughout his 33 years of teaching at OHS, Mr. Thomas Frawley has affected thou-sands of students’ lives with his brilliant insight and words of wisdom. His knowledge of the world has caused students and faculty alike to look at him with respect and take his advice and opinions as their own. Although his modesty would not allow him to be-lieve this – Mr. Frawley is “the man.”

Many are saddened to hear of Frawley’s retirement, but rest assured: he will not be leaving Oswego anytime soon. Frawley has taken a full-time job at the Oswego Teachers’ Federal Credit Union.

There are over three decades of memories that Frawley has made with his students and co-workers. To name one specific memory that truly stands out is an impossible task, and one that gets harder with age, as Frawley pointed out. With his usual wit, Frawley stated, “I could say I’ll miss my office and my classroom, but they’ve been missing for 33 years,” he remarked in reference to the fact that he’s never had an office or a classroom to call his own. “Honestly, I will miss the energy and joy that come from working with young people and the camaraderie that exists among the staff members here. Those holes in my life will be difficult to fill.”

Teachers and students alike agree that there will be a void in their lives without Frawley there to ask for advice, insight, or a laugh to make their day better.

Being a teacher comes with numerous challenges, but it also brings about intrinsic rewards. Frawley stated, “Selfishly, it has become the times when I hear or read about the successes of former students and players, when they take the time to introduce their spouses and children to me, thei r coming over to shake my hand and say “hello” when they happen to

see me some-where or dropping me

a note or an email to fill me in on what’s going on in their lives

at the moment. I have become increas-ingly aware of the bond that can exist between teacher and student and especially between player and coach. I’m thankful for those moments.”

Frawley is one of those teachers who will never be forgotten at OHS. Yet, his memories of his past years are well, as he boldly stated, “…at my age, there is no memory. That’s part of why you have to retire. You keep embarrassing yourself in front of classes because of all the things you’ve forgotten. Seriously, there are a lot of memories, and they are populated by a tremen-dous cast of former students, players and colleagues, but I hope to keep them for a long time right where they are – fondly, in my memory, what’s left of it.”

Frawley originally studied for the clergy, then en-tered the teaching world. When asked whether or not he made the right career choice, he answered, “I’m not necessarily a big Robert Frost fan, but his stanza from the “Road Not Taken” probably says it better than I can: ‘A n d b o t h t h a t m o r n i n g e q u a l l y l a y In l e a ve s n o s t e p h a d t r o d d e n b l a c k . O h , I k e p t t h e f i r s t fo r a n o t h e r d a y! Ye t k nowing how way leads on to way, I doubted i f I should ever come back .’” He continued with, “I made a choice a long time ago—way led on to way. No regrets, I’m not looking back. I’m better than ok with where this path has brought me.”

And an entire generation of OHS students are hap-py about the choice he made. Thank you Mr. Frawley, for giving us the opportunity to take in everything you have to offer – whether it is camaraderie, knowl-edge, humor, or all of the above. Remember, if you see him around town after he retires, make sure to say “hello!” and tell him how you’re doing–-he likes that.

Guido Set to Retire into ‘Grandmotherhood’

The city “where the water never ends,” Oswego, is home to us. Some of us are guilty of calling our beautiful city “boring,” however, that probably is just because we have always lived here. Oswego really does have a lot of attractions and fun things to do; you simply have to open your eyes to them. With the seniors leaving for college very soon, there are some “token” Oswego things that you have to experience at least one more time before you leave.

10.) Go to the races. Oswego is very fortunate to have the Oswego Speedway. The speedway brings in many tourists and fun things to do over the summer. Throughout the summer the speedway hosts different events like car shows, fireworks, and obviously, races. Even if you don’t have much interest in racing, attending a race is still an interesting thing to do and offers a good way to spend time with friends and family. If you really have no interest in watching a race, the least that you should do is attend the famous International Clas-sic. Classic Weekend marks the end of summer and is one of the biggest races held at The Oswego Speedway. Classic Weekend is a six-day long event that includes races, music, “the party in the pits,” lots of food, and an all-around good time. People come from all over to attend these races, so as residents of Oswego, we should all enjoy it too.

9.) Go fishing in the Oswego River. The Oswego River is formed by the Oneida and Seneca rivers and is second only to the Niagara River in size in New York State. Fishing in the river is great all year round, but during the sum-mer it holds great opportunities to fish for bass and walleye. Fisherman can be seen along the river from early morning until nightfall. However, if you aren’t interested in fishing, the river still is a resource to be grateful for. Instead, you can take advantage of the river by walk-ing along it through Linear Park, which is beautiful at sunset, or you could also sit and watch boats go through the locks, which is a very cool thing to witness.

8.) Fourth of July Festivities. July 4 is obviously celebrated all over

the US, not only in Oswego, but the festivities that come with the 4th of July here can rival anywhere. Independence Day always brings people out to the pa-rade. The parade is full of bands, color guards, different floats, and of course, the vendors selling snow cones, fried dough, and balloons. After the parade, everyone should either throw or attend a Fourth of July picnic. Lots of fun “summer” foods that are perfect for the holiday are hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill, macaroni or potato salad (or both!) and tossed salad. Then, to bring the celebration to an end, we have the fireworks. The fireworks put a perfect finishing touch to the day; they can be seen from Fort Ontario, Breitbeck Park, and anywhere else along the lake.

7.) Go to Fort Ontario. You get to Fort Ontario by East Seventh Street (tunnel), or East Ninth Street. It is an historic landmark where people dress up and give tours of the old buildings while telling stories about the people who lived there. The Fort is a great way to learn about the history of Oswego as well as just have fun being outside in the nice Oswego summer weather.

6.) Go for a Swim at Flat Rock. Flat Rock is located near SUNY Os-wego behind the Lakeside dorms. If you have never been to Flat Rock, it is like a little beach right in Oswego. There is a large rock and a sand bar that extend into the water that you can jump from and swim out farther. Flat Rock is also a good place to visit because you can lay out on the rock and tan while listening to the waves of the lake and enjoying the view. However, if you do decide to go to Flat Rock, be sure to be very careful, be-cause sometimes the rocks become slip-pery from the water and the seaweed.

5.) Go to the “signature” Oswego restaurants. Most cities have restau-rants that all the locals know to go to; Oswego is no different. There are some staples in Oswego that everyone should enjoy, especially if you’re leaving for college and won’t be home to enjoy them all year. First, the Oswego Sub Shop. The Sub Shop makes the best subs in Oswego. They have even been visited by famous people like Al Roker and Erik Cole. Second, Rudy’s. Everyone gets more and more excited the closer the spring opening of Rudy’s gets. Everyone should at least make one trip to Rudy’s this summer; Rudy’s is truly a tradition in Oswego. Finally, The Ritz, this restau-

rant is a classic diner where the people know the regulars’ names and the locals who go, don’t need menus. The Ritz has a variety of all-day breakfast foods, as well as lunch and dinner. No matter what time you go, The Ritz is a great choice for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

4.) Walk the breakwall. The breakwall is getting old and is uneven, but as long as you wear appropriate shoes, go on a clear day, and are very aware and careful, walking the break-wall is really fun. You can walk the break wall from one end to another all the way to the light house; you can see a lot of different spots in the lake and enjoy the sound and smell of the lake crashing against the sides of the break wall. It is a really peaceful place to take a walk. Just remember, while walking the breakwall, do not goof around and be really aware of what you’re doing.

3.) Enjoy Breitbeck Park. Bre-itbeck Park has a lot of fun things to do. There are trails throughout it that you can ride bikes, go rollerblading, running, or walking on. There is also the playground with swings, slides, and monkey bars, as well as the bas-ketball courts and the pavilion where you can have a picnic. Breitbeck is also another place where you can enjoy the lake because there are hills that go down to the water. To go to Breitbeck is to simply enjoy the summer weather

and the natural beauty of Oswego. 2.) The Bev’s vs. PJ’s Challenge.

These are two local ice cream shops in Oswego, both are delicious and both have different things to offer. Bev’s is out by Rudy’s, so you could “kill two birds with one stone” (no, this is not in refer-ence to the seagulls) and go to Rudy’s for dinner and then Bev’s for dessert. PJ’s however, is in the city (on the West Second Street side of the Big M build-ing), therefore for some people it would be easier to walk to. So, over the sum-mer, everyone should go to Bev’s and PJ’s at least once and decide which one is better. It’s the Bev’s vs. PJ’s challenge.

1.) Watch a sunset. The sunsets in Oswego are some of the most beautiful in the world. I’m ashamed to say that I’ve never actually sat and watched a sunset, even though I have lived here my whole life. If I’ve never seen one, I bet that there are others who haven’t taken the time to enjoy one either. Everyone should try one day to go out to the lake and watch the sunset over the lake. I’m not speaking from experience, but I have seen pictures and from that, I can say that some of the sunsets here are breathtaking.

So, this summer when you find yourself saying “I’m bored” or “Oswego sucks!” just remember these ideas of fun things that Oswego has to offer.

Entertainment

June 2008Buccaneer Bulletin

14

10 Things to Do Before Leaving for College King of Da’ HillChrissy King

Photo By Morganne atutisSeniors should enjoy a sub from the Sub Shop before going off to school.

Sports

Buccaneer Bulletin

15

Looking Back at the OHS Year in Sports

June 2008

Kat’s Got Your Tounge

Kat Lazarzki

This year, there have been many astonishing mo-ments in the sports world. In the NFL, there was the “spygate” operation of the Patriots. The MLB world was rocked by the release of the Mitchell Report. Kobe Bryant was finally named the MVP of the NBA. Moments like these were not solely unique to professional sports; memories and milestones were also occurring right here, within the sports program of Oswego High School. Here are just a few “thumbs” for the teams and athletes of Oswego athletics.

Thumbs up to Mr. Sugar. This year there were some changes in the athletic department. As most know, Mr. Brad Dates left and Mr. Scott Sugar was named as the new athletic director. Sugar was faced with many challenges that a new job in a new school can bring. However, from the moment his tenure started, it was clear that Sugar took the challenge head on. The things that he has done for this school and for the sports teams have helped to improve the overall morale of Oswego athletics. He started a Varsity Club for athletes to join in order to get their thoughts and ideas heard. The “Bucs Supporting Bucs” program that he initiated gave athletes t-shirts to wear to games to try to improve the number of spectators at games. Overall, I believe the things that Sugar has done have made OHS a better place. If he was able to make these improvements in only his first few months here, then there must be more to come. After only one year of getting to know him, I know that I will miss Mr. Sugar and the things that he has done for this school. He is constantly trying to better all athletic teams here, and I truly admire that.

Thumbs down to the apathy among Oswego students. After everything that Mr. Sugar has done for this school, people should embrace the changes. The “Bucs Supporting Bucs” program was created so people would go and cheer on their fellow athletes. Now I’m not saying that I go to every single game here, but I do go to most of them. It’s a great to be out on a field or a court playing, and seeing all of your friends there, cheering you on. Going to games is a lot of fun and people should take advantage of it more. The sense of unity and community throughout the school and the athletic teams is almost nonexistent. This needs to be changed. If more people went to more games to support our classmates, then maybe

this school as a whole could change for the better too.Thumbs down to the jokes about OHS sports.

It seems as though I’m hearing more and more of them each day. It used to be little snide comments about the football team, but now, it seems as though all teams are the punch lines of jokes. If you want to make jokes about how bad the sports are here, fine, it’s freedom of speech. If anyone wants to improve the athletic teams here, people have to support them or better yet, lace up your sneakers and try out!

Don’t make fun of the sports here. The people out there playing are trying as hard as they can to win and do well, for themselves, the team, and the school. If you are making jokes about how terrible a team is, maybe you should be the one out there, doing what they do everyday. It’s not as easy as it soundsor looks on TV, and you don’t have the right to judge them for not doing well.

This is just a glimpse of Oswego athletics, the year gone by. Every year the athletic program here grows, and hopefully that will continue. OHS has some outstanding athletes, coaches, and fans. It seems as long as we continue to compete, there will be success here at Oswego High School.

Congratulations to the graduating members of The Buc Bulletin Staff!

Photo IllustratIon By Kat lazarsKI

A year of sports memories at OHS blend together, from season to season, like the photos above.

Morganne Atutis, Jack Carmody, Dillon Coates, Danielle D’Amico, Kristen Diment, Katie DiVita, Pat Dougherty, Kristen Hadley, Kevin Kearns, Chrissy King, Kat Lazarski, Morgan McNamara, Sophie Rosenbaum, Michelle Stepien

1st Team All-League Honors for Fall and Winter Sports

Seasons

Fall Mike Sellars, Boys’ SoccerNikki Carroll, Girls’ SoccerLiz Donovan, Girls’ Soccer

Chris Sova, Boys’ GolfJessica Mazur, Girls’ Volleyball

Vanessa Sheffield, Girls’ VolleyballKatie Falagan, Girls’ Volleyball

Audrey Jackson, Girls’ GymnasticsEmma Donovam, Girls’ Gymnastics

Hillary Callen, Girls’ Swimming

WinterNikki Carroll, Girls’ Basketball

Cari Reed, Girls’ BasketballDrake Becksted, Boys’ Swimming

Chris Sova, Boys’ HockeyMonique Reeser, Girls’ Indoor Track

Sydney Miller, Girls’ HockeyRyan Blauvelt, Boys’ Wrestling

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Graphic illustratioN by Mike browN