Class of 2009 Graduation (Part 2)

by Tori Flannery (Senior Class President)

Good evening members of the Board of Education, administration, faculty, family, friends, and Class of 2009. Over the past few weeks, we have reflected on the many memorable experiences that we shared as a class, and the accomplishments that each of us has achieved. Now, as young men and women, it is time to look at the years to come.

Speaking of the future is often frightening because there really is no way to plan or map out our lifetime. One thing is for certain: we as individuals will inevitably change in so many ways. Change is hard. Change may bring pain or pleasure. But, the most important thing to remember throughout the changes in our lives is one simple idea. No matter what we experience, we should love life. To ensure that we will truly embrace life in our future years, despite not knowing how our lives will unfold, I’d like to offer words that Bob Dylan wrote in 1974. “May God bless and keep you always. May your wishes all come true. May you always do for others and let others do for you. May you build a ladder to the stars and climb on every rung. May you stay forever young.” Dylan was, of course, speaking of folk music when he wrote these lyrics, but we can all use them as inspiration.

Staying forever young means keeping that originality, wonder, and excitement. Staying forever young will allow you to love each triumph and challenge. As young adults, we have a unique enthusiasm and hunger to live each minute to its fullest potential. Whether an experience brings joy or heartache, this class has had the ability to make every moment rewarding. As we build our ladder to the stars, I hope all of us maintain the spirit that we have today. Remember to have the same ambition, light hearts, and humor that we have had during our high school years.

We are all familiar with the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain. Huck, a young man who was discovering his own identity, encountered challenges that he had not planned for. With his light heart and desire, Huck chose to seize each moment even while fighting robbers on a steamboat and out-smarting con artists. Twain’s classic American story illustrates an adventure that everyone dreams about. Huck survived adverse situations because he maintained an open mind and humor, allowing him to enjoy every minute of his adventure.

Even if we do not attain the goals that we set for ourselves in the future, we will love the climb to the top. Like Huck, we will have opportunities to test ourselves and turn even the most undesirable moment into an adventure. As we imagine what are lives will be like in the approaching years, I wish for all of us to maintain the excitement that we have today and love the life that will unfold before us.

Staying forever young may be the secret to the future and the secret to bliss. As Dylan wrote, “May your hands always be busy. May your feet always be swift. May you have a strong foundation, when the winds of changes shift. May your heart always be joyful and may your song always be sung. May all of us stay forever young.”

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Summer Reading Guide

by Nina Goldman

This summer, between volunteer work in a third world country, SAT prep courses, internships at your dad’s office, and other resume-building activities, you may need to take a break. When you get bored with summer reruns on TV and your mom tells you to turn off the computer, why not try reading? Be it by the beach or in a quiet room in your house, reading can be done anywhere and by anyone. Here is a list of some ideas for your summer reading list.

How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents: by Julia Alvarez. This book tells the story of four girls’ move from the Dominican Republic to America, and their subsequent assimilation there. It begins in the 1980's, when one of the sisters makes a return trip to the island of her birth, and travels back in time to the sisters’ childhood in the 1950's. It is beautifully written, and gives a full picture of the experiences of these girls.

Sleeping Arrangements: by Laura Shaine Cunningham. This memoir of a girl’s growing up in the Bronx in the 1950's reads like a novel. A young girl named Lily tells of her life living with her eccentric uncles and, later, her insane grandmother in a fresh and lively voice. It gets strange at points, as many coming-of-age stories do, but it is entertaining and a great read for most high school age girls.

The Great Gatsby: By F. Scott Fitzgerald. This book is a classic, but don’t let that turn you off. It is a short, sweet account of society in and around New York City in the Jazz Age. Despite the tragic events that mar the happy façade of the story’s parties and general frolicking, and give it a more unhappy undertone, the book still seems to have a sugary coating that makes it perfect for summer reading.

Stranger in a Strange Land: By Robert A. Heinlein. This science fiction story of a boy coming to earth and experiencing the planet for the first time is recommended especially for High School age boys. Martians raised Michael, the only survivor of the first manned mission to Mars. This thought provoking novel from the early sixties is definitely worth checking out.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: by Douglas Adams. For more approachable science fiction, try this book. Clever and random, this book is highly entertaining, a painless read. Everyone can relate to it and enjoy it, from the biggest sci-fi geeks to those who normally can’t stand the genre. Though the next four books in the trilogy (a five-book trilogy? Yeah, that’s Douglas Adams) are far more complicated, this one is relatively easy to understand and everyone should read it.

Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time: by Mark Haddon. This story is told from the point of view of a boy with an extreme case of Aspergers syndrome, a form of autism. Christopher Boone, the narrator, despite being extremely intelligent, is obsessed with and repulsed by certain colors, can’t stand physical contact, and when faced with a social situation he dislikes will curl up in a ball and shriek. A fascinating yet quick read, this book is great for everyone.

Calvin and Hobbes: By Bill Watterson. Yes, these are comic books. That still shouldn’t make you disregard them as acceptable summer reading. The title characters are not only funny, but also clever and philosophical. All of the collections are good, but my favorite is Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons.

Poetry: If going through a whole book seems like too much for you, try starting with a few poems. In a few lines, poets can encapsulate a perfect moment. Try the poems of Pablo Neruda; his “Oda a la Sandía” (“Ode to a Watermelon”) is especially refreshing.

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Class of 2009 Graduation (Part 1)

by Justice Kibbe (Student Body President)

Most of us sitting up here have had a very memorable four years at the Bronxville High School. I, on the other hand, have only had three and a half. During the second semester of my sophomore year, I attended a different school. I was never too fond of that decision. To say the least, I found my new learning environment to be a little bizarre. However, although my experiences at that other school were not pleasant, I am happy that I experienced them, because after spending that time away from Bronxville, I really came to appreciate how amazing our school truly is.

We are very fortunate to have attended a school with such rich resources and such a wonderful faculty. Through the time and energy they have devoted to us, our teachers have pushed us to our full potential and have helped us reach our goals. Yet, while they may have been hard on us, our teachers have always been both mentors and friends. Their influence on us has been profound and will continue to shape the ways we view the world.

We should always remember all the amazing things Bronxville has given us, but it is more important that we remember what we have given each other, as classmates and as friends. It may sound silly to say that we “live in a community of friends here at Bronxville,” yet there is no better way to describe the Bronxville K-12 experience. Where else will a class spend the thirteen most formative years of their lives sharing everything from naptime in kindergarten, to the jungle that is middle school, to the agony of standardized tests. We may not realize it now, but as we look back, many of us will discover that it will be hard to replicate the bonds that we have formed here.

So as we move forward with our lives, most of us on our separate paths, I encourage everyone to reflect on their experiences at Bronxville. But reflect not on all on the sports you played, but who you played them with. Reflect not on all of the dances you went to, but rather who you danced with. Reflect not on where you ate your lunch, but who you ate that lunch with. The years we have had here at Bronxville have been very memorable, but the fact that we shared them together is what we will remember most.

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Summer Movie Preview

by Jack Hutton

The summer film season usually showcases the biggest, brightest, and loudest movies of the year. This summer looks to be no different. Already in the midst of the season, here is a look at the upcoming films that you should consider.

In Theaters Now

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - Although not a very good film, Transformers is entertaining, and that’s all it needs to be in order to be liked. Ultimately people will go see this film for the large explosions and Megan Fox (the giant robots fighting each other is just a bonus). The common moviegoer will be thrilled by this two hundred million dollar Michael Bay action fest. Still, its frustrating that that the story could not have been better. The dialogue is terrible and the story is shallow, stupid, and riddled with clichés. There is a very good chance that the screenwriters gave one of their eight-year-old sons a box full of action figures, told him to play for two and a half hours, and then simply wrote down the madness that ensued from the imaginations of a child. However, there is constant comic relief that refreshingly distracts the audience from the marred plot. But on further examination, much of the humor is not really that funny and the film goes for cheap laughs involving crude humor and borderline racism. By far the most controversial aspect of the film is the incorporation of a pair of comic relief robots named Mudflap and Skids who, quite arguably, represent many negative black stereotypes. The inclusion of these characters has caused a great uproar across the country against the makers of the films. Although director Michael Bay argues that people are reading too much into this, it certainly would have been more prudent of him to be more sensitive to the public’s interpretations. Overall the movie is flawed. It’s too long, unoriginal, and at times offensive. But Transformers does succeed in what it set out to be: a mindless summer action flick that can be enjoyed my almost everyone and will make a lot of money because of that.

Up – If you haven’t seen this movie yet, it is strongly encouraged that you do before it leaves theaters. Unlike previous Pixar movies that are marketed as family films but are for the most part children’s films, Up truly is a film meant for people of all ages. Although there is plenty of classic childish humor, in reality adults will relate to the film best. The bittersweet tale of an old man carrying out the life long dream of his recently departed wife is beautifully crafted and moving.

July 10th

Bruno- Looking forward, this is possibly the most anticipated movie of the summer. already Bruno is shaping up to be the funniest movie of the year. This mockumentary stars Sacha Baron Cohen as Bruno, an Austrian homosexual fashion reporter. As with Cohen’s last film, Borat, and his “The Ali G Show,” the basic premise of the film is that Cohen interacts with various individuals and groups of people who do not realize that the over the top flamboyant Bruno is a fictitious character. After the widely popular and highly controversial Borat, it will be interesting to see if Cohen can make a movie that is even more outrageous.

July 15th

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – There is no need to describe this Film. You will probably see it.

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The Class 2009's Destinations

by Richard Bastuck

Click here to see the compelte list.

Roxanne Adamiyatt	Barnard College
Rodrigo Amboss	Dartmouth College
Christie Anderson	Dickinson College
Bobby Anderson	Duke University
Melissa Barton	Oberlin College
Richard Bastuck	Skidmore College
Sam Benner	Emerson College
Ian Blom	University of San Diego
Melissa Bloomer	Oberlin College
Tess Bloomer	Skidmore College
Julia Boehlke	Rhode Island School of Design
Michael Bond	University of Richmond
Martin Bonventre	New York University
Trey Brazill	Vanderbilt University
Olivia Bruton	Dartmouth College
Ellen Burge	Georgia Institute of Technology
Alex Byers	Colorado College
Joe Byrne	Syracuse University
Omar Chowdhury	Swarthmore College
Schuyler Claiden	Georgetown University
Michelle DeCicco	Rider University
Bob DeJoy	Hamilton College
Tim Delaney	University of Pennsylvania
John DeLeo	SUNY Canton
Luke Devlin	Georgetown University
Ludovica DiGaetano	Boston University
James Donner	Vanderbilt University
Matt Easley	Ohio Wesleyan University
Trent Emanuel	Purdue University
Morgan Firestein	Columbia University
Tori Flannery	Yale University
Emma Florek	University of Richmond
Austin Galloway	Gettysburg College
Emilie George	Wesleyan University
Max Goldberg	Bates College
Paige Grand Pre	Swarthmore College
Erin Hackett	Gettysburg College
Katherine Hackett	Georgetown University
Lauren Harrington	College of William & Mary
Caroline Harris	Trinity College
John Henderson	Thames Academy at Mitchell College
Greg Hopwood	Rhode Island School of Design
Grace Howard	Bucknell University
Caitlin Hudson	Yale University
Jack Hutton	Princeton University
Megan Incledon	Vanderbilt University
Alexa Jackson	Wellesley College
Danielle Jelensperger	University of Delaware
Ted Kapsis	Pace University
Justice Kibbe	Pratt Institute
Kayalyn Kibbe	George Washington University
Eunice Kim	Boston College
Rachel Kim	Boston College
Jen Knight	Davidson College
Kate Kranenburg	Dartmouth College
Katherine Kreek	Gettysburg College
Sue Kulason	Johns Hopkins University
Dan Lentz	Dartmouth College
Alexa Lombardi	Loyola College in Maryland
Alex Mackintosh	Dean College
Oliver MacMillan-Bell	Gap Year
Wade Madden	Loyola College in Marymount
Jack Manley	University of Chicago
Annie Massa	Vassar College
Remy Mayaud	Gap Year
Cara McGonigle	Fordham University
Will McGough	University of Notre Dame
Mikey McManus	Bucknell University
Charlotte Minetti	Northwestern University
Liz Minter	Denison University
Jessica Murrer	Rhodes College
Hiroko Obayashi	Will be taking Japanese College Entrance Exams this Fall
Charlotte O’Halloran	Bowdoin College
Coray O’Halloran	University of Richmond
Chris Palermo	Princeton University
Jessica Palfrey	Davidson College
Harry Papadakis	Westchester Community College
Kelly Peña	Marist College
Michael Petrello	Concordia College
Luke Phillips	Harvard University
Anne Piper	Amherst College
Laura Popovic	Pace University
Drew Primps	Colgate University
John Ranieri	Colgate University
Hilary Rappaport	Wesleyan University
Jane Raymond	Boston College
Miranda Recine	Westchester Community College
Izzy Rogers	Skidmore College
Keith Rogers	Eckerd College
Brian Rogers	Harvard University
Justin Romeo	Drexel University
Meghan Rossini	Connecticut College
Chanler Rutherford	University of Virginia
Michael Sargent	Davidson College
Alexa Sellecchia	Boston College
Mat Sokol	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Wyatt Sparks	Williams College
Chase Tarantino	Cornell University
Brad Taylor	University of Virginia
Chris Teague	Undecided
Emma von Maur	Washington & Lee University
Mack von Mehren	Williams College
Coco Vonnegut	Colgate University
Kara Walsh	Catholic University
Lauren Weiss	Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service
Leighton Welch	Harvard University
Steven Whang	SUNY Maritime
Christian Yoo	Harvard University
Larry Zhang	Hamilton College

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Senior Week

by Nina Goldman

While schools across the country have already let their graduated seniors out into the world, Bronxville High School just doesn't seem to want to let go. BHS students' big entrance into the real world is not taken lightly. In order to prepare students for their lives in the years to come, one of the weeks leading up to graduation is dubbed "Senior Week", and is packed full of important transitional activities.

"The purpose of [Senior Week] was to provide some degree of transition," says Mr. Klurfeld, the primary organizer of Senior Week. "[To] provide some guidance for kids who will be out on their own for the first time."

Activities ranged from discussions with speakers on human rights and public policy to training in self-defense and conflict mediation to useful information booths to volunteer work at the Andrus Center for children.


"My favorite part of senior week was definitely our time spent at the Andrus Center," says Senior Kelly Peña. "I feel that the community service aspect plays a large part in our senior week, and is beneficial to all of us. I had a great time interacting with all the kids and really brightening up their days."

Many Seniors expressed contentment with the events of senior week. John Ranieri called it “really fun and well planned.” And although it was very extensively planned by Mr. Klurfeld and everyone else, next year’s Senior Week may be set up a little differently.

"In the future we're going to steer increasingly towards the more community
service aspect of it,” says Klurfeld. The events had originally been all based on public works at a local camp.

This may be a good step, considering students such as Richard Bastuck who commented that “the community service was pretty fun.” Others say that they do enjoy the service aspects, but would prefer a choice of manual service (i.e. building projects) in addition to the sort of activities that this year’s group did at the Andrus Center.

But it may be that what soon-to-be seniors really want is to just have fun with members of their grade. For example, a grade wide pool party was scheduled this year, but rained out. However, Juniors hope that next year’s Senior Week will provide the final event with their friends that they are looking for. In the words of current Junior Jessica Mack, “[They] hope to enjoy a stress free week with [their] friends, to celebrate the end of a great senior year.”

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Interview with Mr. Shea

by Nina Goldman

Denis Shea, the beloved High School physics teacher, is retiring after many years at the Bronxville School. The following is his farewell interview:

N: How long have you been a teacher here?
S: Six years.

N: What was your first day here like?
S: It was like a typical day. It was a little bit different from where I taught in Clarkstown.

N: How long did you teach there?
S: Thirty-four years.

N: Why did you decide to teach physics?
S: In High School, I enjoyed math and science.

N: What’s your favorite thing to teach in physics?
S: I guess teaching electrical circuits, and talking about Joe Coulomb. I compare it to a truck, picking up sand and dropping off sand.

N: Where did you get all of those examples that you use to explain concepts?
S: Some are from some movies I saw. You try something one year, and maybe its not good so you don’t try it again. And finally you try something that clicks, and you keep on using that.

N: What are you going to do after you’ve retired?
S: I’m not really sure yet. I’m going to sit on my deck for a while, read a book in the morning, have an extra cup of coffee. Also, I have all kinds of stuff in different boxes, so I’ll straighten up my house right. I have to do something, I just can’t do nothing.

N: And what about your family?
S: I have five boys… they go from age 35 down to 25.

N: Did any of them ever show an interest in physics?
S: One became a marine engineer. But the other boys, they liked history more.

N: Have any of your physics students gone on to do great things?
S: This one David Schreiber, he went to MIT or Harvard after. I read in the paper one time, he was the national director of some big government agency. He was a very smart kid though. He went through the whole year, and never lost a single point on tests.

N: Do you have anything that you would like to say to your students before you go?
S: Okay, like, in this school there are so many good students, that some of the students in the middle might feel overshadowed by other students. But in another mix of students, they might be outstanding. And they should realize that. An awful lot of people have a lot of potential, that don’t realize it. The main thing going through life is that you have to work… this is getting to be a long answer.

N: No, it’s ok, keep going.
S: You can have a certain amount of ability, but to be successful you have to work at it. When you look at our presidents, they didn’t come out graduating top of their class, usually. But they were smart. At the same time they worked at it, and that was important.

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Dress to Kill: Episode 4

Click the image above to watch.
Credits:

• Models:Roxanne Adamiyatt, Trent Emanuel, Wade Madden, William McGough, Hilary Rappaport, Brian Rogers, and Emma von Maur.
• Lighting: Jack Manley, Wade Madden, and Trent Emanuel.
• Camera: Jack Manley.
• Executive Producer: Jack Hutton
• Music and Video Editing: William McGough

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Baccalaureate 2009 Or: Not Just Another Senior Event You Need to Buy New Clothes For

by Annie Massa

When I first heard about the Baccalaureate last year, all I knew for certain about it was that it happened. It took me a long time, perhaps longer than it should have, to understand what the ceremony was exactly and why we have it. If you by any strange coincidence have wondered these things yourself, advance to the next paragraph.

The Baccalaureate, like 97% of June of senior year, is a celebration. It is a performance, art show, and reception, designed to showcase the talent of all 12th graders involved in the arts. This year, 27 members of the senior class will take part in the Baccalaureate show, on everything from vocals to violin. In under 2 hours, the audience will be swept from classical to rock to jazz music, then right on to a gorgeous display of the senior studio art students’ work, reminiscent of the show we recently had in our atrium.

I won’t give away the entire program, but here’s a random sampling of what you’ll be treated to on June 14th: there is a group playing a jazz arrangement of the Beatles song Dear Prudence, and another playing Girl From Ipanema. There are solo performances of the medley Some Other Time/That’s What Friends Are For, Astonishing from Little Women, and the first movement of Beethoven’s piano sonata Pathetique. Duets abound, for instrument pairings like viola and violin, flute and clarinet, bass and viola, and cello and guitar. One group will sing the popular tune I Hope You Dance, and there will even be a rendition of the Rolling Stones’ You Can’t Always Get What You Want. Richard Bastuck does lead vocals for that particular number and organized the people in it. As it is the biggest act on the program, I talked with him about his experience planning and rehearsing so far.

The inspiration to organize an ensemble to perform the piece hit him totally by chance when he was on his way home from the doctor’s office one day. He had the radio on, and it so happened that they were playing a certain Mick Jagger song that he liked quite a bit. Said Richard, “I was singing along, like always, when I realized: ‘Hey, this could work really well as a Baccalaureate possibility.’” Wasting no time he gathered together a group of instrumentalists and backup singers, and after a few rehearsals, he had the show’s closing number on his hands. The overall experience has been both surprising and exhilarating for him, and he added, “I’m happy because I’m working with a great group of people and some of my best friends from high school.” But he’s not the only one who’s psyched for Sunday. Like Richard, who took a song he liked singing along to and created a full-blown, feel-good musical number out of it, the whole group of student performers is exceptionally enthusiastic and vibrant.

The first Baccalaureate rehearsal took place last month, and going into it I honestly didn’t expect much more than a first rehearsal. I expected that I would get a vague idea of what most of the acts looked like, and I expected it would be our first opportunity to get excited about the show together. What I ended up really getting was a thrill when each new student or group of students went up to rehearse as the night went along. Every act was so earnest and electric that, if you ignored the fact that it was the chorus room at 7 pm on a school night and we were all in our sweatpants, it could have been mistaken for the real performance.

Reflecting on the experience later on, I realized how critical it is that we have the opportunity to perform for one another like this before we graduate. Growing up in a K-12 school, I think we all sometimes assume that we know everything worth knowing about our classmates. But I will risk sounding like a sappy sentimentalist and say the following: when I watch my fellow seniors perform, or admire their art in the hallways, I feel as though I’m seeing people that I’ve encountered every day for my entire life in a completely different way.

The Baccalaureate is important, people. That’s why you should attend. Well, as far as seniors are concerned no one is off the hook—all 12th are required to come and process into the auditorium in a stately manner. The much-loved biology and environmental science teacher Ms. Meyer will also be there to address us as a class. Anyone who is not a senior or a family member of a senior with interest in seeing the show is welcome as well, but seating is limited. The Baccalaureate will take place at 4:30 pm on Sunday, June 14th in the Sommer Center at Concordia College. Contact Mary Vonnegut or Mary Massa with questions.

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