Senior Issue June 2012

By and for the seniors of Guilderland Central High School

Journalthe

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As many of us crawl closer and closer to the end of the diving board, preparing to cannonball into the deep end again, there are a few things I would like to reflect on before we relinquish our title as seniors, and break the surface of the water to become, alas, measly freshman.

Winston Churchill said, “The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you can see.” On my journey towards the water I’ve been doing a little self-reflection. Looking back is much easier than looking forward, but unlocking Churchill’s secrets may be a little harder than it appears. Four years ago, I was a much different person than I am now. Yes, my hair was a little longer

and my jeans were a little baggier, but that 13 year old kid was lost

in his own mind. He was stuck between dreams of being the next Warhol or Hen-drix, and desperately saving his pennies for an iPod Touch.

Guilderland gave me the opportunity to become who I am; but also showed me who I’m not. During the many times that I emerged from my shell in the past four years, I met amazing people that I would have never met otherwise and have had incredible experiences. That being said, I learned that I do like having my shell. Sometimes it’s nice to just sit and watch, to spend time to observe the world around me.

I don’t know many of you, not even half of you personally, but I’m okay with that. Maybe in a different life or different universe I’d be friends with more of you, or less of you, or just a different group all together. But, this is how it all sorted

out, and I’m content. I know that some of you that I have met will be my friends for the rest of my life. For the rest of you, I wish you the best.

I know who I am, and have slightly more reasonable goals, if not just as extravagant. Looking forward now be-comes slightly clearer. In four years, with a diploma under my belt, my goals may have done another 180°, if not a 360°. As an older and hopefully smarter version of myself, I most likely will have two choices; graduate school or to break the barrier and join the real word. To be honest, I’m looking forward to either option. Gradu-ate school means more experience, and more time to work with true profession-als in a controlled environment. But the prospect of joining the workforce is an exhilarating idea, like being thrown into the deep end all over again.

Most of us have four more long years of education ahead of us, but with a little bit of foresight, these could be four amazing years in our lives. Don’t be afraid to say yes, and gain new experi-ences. Try new things, meet new people. It’s a time for exploration and discovery. In four years we may be getting ready for Graduate programs, internships, or even scarier; joining the real world, finally knowing who we want to be when we ‘grow up.’ These years are ours for the taking; but it’s up to us. Let us all make the most of what’s in front of us and succeed exponentially.

Good luck,

Senior Journal Staff, 2010-2011Back (l-r): Nick Connolly, Prabjot Singh, Devin Fisher, Matt Simon, Bram Peterson, Justine Polonski, Austin Cornell, Mike Dvorscak.

Front (l-r): Tony Pitkin, Xing-Yu Wei, Mike Crupi, Tara Jackson, Samina Hydery, Julianne Legnard, Devin Keenholts, Madi Taylor.

Letters From the editoriaL Board

Mike DvorscakEditor-in-Chief

Dear Senior Class of 2012,

We are a generation of change. I don’t think there isn’t a kid out there who doesn’t remember “Now That’s What I Call Music” or “Hit Clips”. Think of how many times you heard Aaron Carter or the Backstreet Boys or ‘NSYNC played on the radio. You went out and bought not just their t-shirts, hats, coffee mugs, towels and other assorted memorabilia, but most importantly you bought their music. Now, not only is music available instantly for most, and on the go via a quick download from the iTunes store, but in fact, most of us don’t even buy our music anymore. We download our music illegally from P2P sites like “The Pirate Bay”.

We are a generation of change. We were born in a world where an average computer had around a 250MB Hard Drive and 4MB of RAM. A world where a cell phone was simply for calling one other person. A world where when you wanted to see a movie, you went to Hol-lywood Video or Blockbuster and rented the VHS. Now Apple’s smallest iPod, the Shuffle, holds 2GB of music (8 times what an entire computer could hold). Not only do our music devices hold more than our computers did, but they also function as our cellular devices, which by the way, can now call, text, browse the web, play games, video chat, look up the weather and do nearly anything else short of breathing for you. Now, if you want to rent a movie, you need a Netflix membership or a local Redbox machine, which instantly dispenses a DVD of the newest releases with the same ease as purchasing a soda.

We are a generation of change. When you wanted to know what was going on

in the world around you, or see what your friends were doing, you had to read the papers, watch the news, and call your friends over the home phone. When you wanted to promote and event or gain sup-port for a cause you had to hit the street with fliers. In our generation, what better way to find out about the world around you than in 140 characters of less. Twit-ter and Facebook have revolutionized the way we look at the world around us. When we want to share something on our mind we “Tweet it” and “hashtag” the subject of our tweet. If what we have to say is something new or innovative it will go “viral” in hours.

We are a generation of change. When we were younger you could walk to the boarding gate at the airport and wait with the person flying, even if you didn’t have a ticket. Your carryon baggage was rarely checked unless there was any reasonable suspicion. Best of all, if you couldn’t make your flight you could sell your ticket to anyone and it won’t matter that their name doesn’t match that of the ticket. Now every carryon bag and pocket must be emptied so x-rays and metal detectors can scan it all. If you try to walk through the security to wait with your friend at the gate, airport security might take you in for questioning. Most of all, if you see or hear a plane flying low overhead you immediately think of that horrific day in September of 2001, a day that forever changed our nation and the way we view it.

We are a generation of change and the world around us will keep changing. It’s up to us to keep up with those changes and spark the ones that haven’t begun yet.

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This is a time of remembrance. As new doors that we have so eagerly an-ticipated open, we find ourselves turned around, clawing for memories before they slip out of reach. As some of us struggle with moving forward, and others are eager to forget the past, there are a few thoughts that I’d like to share with you. I would call them pieces of advice, but that would almost imply that I’m a reputable source. And we all know that’s not true.

#1 Connect the dots looking back-wards, not forward. Whatever it is you believe in, believe that the dots will always connect. If you try and connect the dots before they are all on the page, you may miss what the picture (of your life) looks like. Guilderland High School was once the big picture. If we all zoomed in on it, some dots were connected and some weren’t. And that’s it. All of those dots have been placed. All of those lines have been drawn. What you didn’t do in high school, you won’t do. What you hated about high school is gone. Though as we look back together, we are all able to con-nect some of the same outlined pictures. In all of us there is the Dutchmen ship, the Red Sea, the Cultural Fair, the musi-cal, the Living Museum, and, humor me here, even the Journal. We all have these pictures in common. ow we’re all drawing different lines from the new, singular dot that is Guilderland High School.

#2 Guilderland is better than you think. Really. It’s amazing that we’re able to go to a public high school and be as successful as we are. If you think nothing goes on in Guilderland, remember Berne Knox Westerlo. If you wish Guilderland were bigger, remember that in large cities it is often difficult to get a good education

without attending a private school (which are, by the way, generally quite small). Guilderland is good at sports and we have many available to us. We have many opportunities in terms of class selection. Our teaching staff is caring, knowledge-able and influential. We were ranked #591 in the top 1000 public schools in the na-tion in terms of college-ready graduates. We have the best of many worlds here, and we shouldn’t let ourselves forget it. Also, don’t forget that Albany is better than you think as well. Though the city may not have as much to offer as you’d like, it’s still a great location. Pick a direc-tion. Go in that direction for three hours. We have a world of opportunities avail-able to us from here.

#3 Some failure in life is inevitable. If you believe that your life has so far been without failure, you have lived so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all. And by this, you have failed the most. I recently dropped a pillow of mine between my bed and the wall. Before falling asleep, I had noticed its absence and terrifyingly grabbed it from the under-the-bed-abyss. To my surprise, I found that it was quite warm having lied next to the radiator on the floor. This was a reminder that even in the darkest of places, you can still find warmth. To fail is to learn. Treat all dead-ends the way you do with hair. Cut them off and grow. Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to find.

My lovely classmates of 2012, here’s to hoping you never find yourselves asking to use the bathroom again, and here’s to hoping that you do find much, much more.

Tony PitkinEditor-in-Chief

Dear Senior Class of 2012,

Tara Jackson Editor-in-Chief

My Dearest Class of 2012,

Growth & advice

Over the past four years, a lot of things have changed for me. I’m a little taller, a lot wiser, and instinctively know which sinks actually work in the bath-rooms. The constant throughout this personal growth, however, has been my location; Guilderland High School has seen and spawned the transformation of

each of its 448 seniors. Just think, without these walls and the influential people within them, we would still be the gawky freshman we once were, sportin’ sketch-ers and mouth full of braces (well…at least I would be). Thus, it’s only fair that we share some parting advice with those at GHS we’ll be leaving behind. Here’s what to expect for your upcoming years:

Graduation marks the ending of a twelve year journey that began in a dif-ferent millennium, and a different world altogether. When we seniors first arrived in kindergarten Face-book didn’t exist, portable CD players were cool and most importantly Pikachu would follow you around in the new Pokemon game. Fast forward to gradua-tion and the idea of leaving the house without the internet in your pocket is unheard of.

Seniors are now set to enter a world that is moving at a faster pace than it ever has, and we are ready to conquer it. The future belongs to those bold enough to make it their own. With that being said, it is important to remember all the good of high school. All of the fun moments, such as field trips, hanging out with friends and sporting events will obviously be missed, but personally I will long for many other things as well. During soccer tryouts I would al-ways complain about the mile repeats and endless sprints that I was forced to do, but now I find myself wishing I could do it all over again. The same thing can be said about APUSH. Sure, it was a lot of work and of course it wasn’t fun at the time, but I now find myself looking back on that class with a smile. The sense of pride that is received after meeting these tough

challenges is so strong I can’t imagine how awful it would be to live without such ac-complishments. In fact, I am much more thankful for the tough times I had in high

school than I am for the easy or fun ones. Without all of the challenges I faced, I would have learned nothing these past four years and would probably have be-come a professional bum.

We also must re-member the lessons we learned from the Guilderland faculty. Mr. Lampman taught us to always be friendly and positive. Mr. Mapstone taught us to explore the world. Ms. Whitman taught us to pursue happiness and Mr. Heidinger taught us to laugh at ourselves. All these lessons, given outside of academic subjects, are the most important things learned in high school. They are priceless, and the sooner we learn them the better off we are.

Many of us seniors have just made our first true decision in life. We have chosen

a direction to head in after high school, be it college or employ-ment. These deci-sions are undoubt-edly important, but by no means final. Ultimately, our paths are our own. We are

by no means like train cars, doomed to ride the tracks we are set on. We have the ability to go where we want, when we want, so long as we are willing to work hard, make sacrifices and strive for the best.

Julianne Legnard

Michael Crupi

Before you even think about sitting in the student section at a football game, stop! Unless you have a beard or a case full of money, you’ll have to wait a few

years before you dive into the Red Sea. It’s best to wait it out in the swarm of underclassmen stalking around the snack bar.

If you’re not drinking coffee yet, you should be. Late nights of papers, planning and prom will basically require it. There’s no doubt that it’s the most difficult of the four years you’ll spend at GHS, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be just as fun. My best and most sincere advice: be proac-tive. Even if it’s out of paranoia,

break out those SAT flash cards in October. You’ll have less mindless cramming to do as the spring ap-proaches, and big words can make a kid feel quite sanguine. Look at colleges early, and start to dabble in your career interests. No wor-ries though, by this time next year, you’ll believe me when I say that everything turns out just fine.

At some times, it may seem like your life is the most chaotic and complicated that’s it’s ever been, but don’t worry…it’s not. While school may seem stressful, sopho-more year is a time to have fun,

join clubs, and enjoy your friends. So study hard but play harder; this is a year to try out for teams and hit the floor at sweet 16’s. Just do your “cupid shuffle” and try not to get your feet stepped on.

Start your college apps early, and stay away from senioritis!

Use this year to make a final and lasting difference at GHS.

My final suggestion: keep up the good work. While I’ve expe-rienced both the good and the

bad, I know I’ll fondly remember the many educators at GHS that engaged and inspired me to learn.

Lastly, I’d like to thank and congratu-late my peers in the senior class. Wheth-

er I knew you or not, I wish you well,

and hope you pursue whatever you truly love in life. Senior year was fun…now let’s become freshmen once again!

Seniors are now set to enter a world that is moving at a faster pace than it ever has, and we are ready to conquer it.

Without all of the challenges I faced, I would have learned nothing these past four years

Soccer & Pokémon

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Bram Peterson

Chinstraps & old friends

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“Some kids had the chinstrap, a few had the chin whiskers or the soul patch going for them, and I think a few had it all. I am talking about Grizzly Adams facial hair, having a mop on your chin. It was almost scary, but also the craziest thing ever.” I was awestruck by the con-cept of hair on the faces of my peers as a freshman. The first month of my fresh-men year, I wrote an op-ed titled “Trench coats, rabies, and Grizzly Adams,” for The Journal, in which I marveled at all the novel encounters of my first week of high school. Sunglasses indoors, trench coats on beautiful days, and most shockingly, hair on the faces of my classmates.

The comforts of my middle school team were gone, and the small middle school halls were replaced by halls full of chest-bump happy seniors. In the proverbial sea, I had been replaced as the big fish by these intimidating figures that seemed like foreign creatures. At this time, I wasn’t even thinking about being in their shoes; I was more worried about which cafeteria was the “coolest”, or how to nonchalantly make a 180º in the hallway when I realize that once again, I’m walking in the wrong direction. This was just the beginning of lessons I would learn at Guilderland.

Thanks to the GHS computer labs, I know that I am now finished with my two million minutes as a high school student. I have perfected the art of procrastina-tion, and I will unfortunately take this

skill on to college with me. I’ve endured quarterlies, midterms, finals, Regents ex-ams and a plethora of the CollegeBoard’s finest torture devices. I have taken tests, run a mile, held conversations in a foreign language and eaten both breakfast and lunch at times I would normally reserve for sleep.

High school taught me many things I would’ve preferred not to know, such as how many times I can hit the snooze but-ton before the alarm shuts off for good, how unreliable the snow day calculator can be, and the minimum threshold of

sleep one needs to function the follow-ing day. However, the past two million minutes have also offered plenty of lessons that helped define who I am and transform me from an awkward fresh-

man into a taller, slightly less awkward senior.

I had always known I wanted to write, and by a lucky coincidence I had my first piece of high school writing published. I started occasionally writing for the school paper, becoming a section editor. Whether it was sharing a movie theater with only four families in order to write a review of Alvin and the Chipmunks on a Saturday morning, or interviewing Occupy Albany protestors in their tents at Academy Park, I was always willing to take every challenge in stride. Some were more enjoyable than others, but every article has a back story that is of-ten just as interesting as the article itself. Learning how to find and write a good

story helped me become a more patient person, and has made me look deeper into everything I see.

Any senior can tell you that it’s im-portant to manage your time in high school, but I think it’s also important to not let any one club or group of friends define you. There is no group of people at GHS that likes putting out a publication, mentors freshmen, plays ice hockey and pickup soccer and basketball, and embraces the guitar, harmonica and accordion. And yet surprisingly, I made it through high school with some friends. In retro-spect, one of the smartest things I did in high school was to not label myself with one group of friends. Having a diverse group of friends has prepared me to deal with all types of people in my future.

If you asked me during the years, I would not have thought of high school as having too large of an impact on me.

But in reality, my two million minutes at GHS helped me determine what I wanted to do in my future, what my strengths and weaknesses are, how I spend my time away from school, and has helped me make friends that I will keep with me as I leave Guilderland. Some of the best advice I received at Guilderland was from my eleventh grade English teacher Mr. McBride, who explained that “New friends are different than old friends, and

you can’t make new old friends.” Guil-derland shaped me and the people with whom I’ve grown, and I plan to stay with these friends no matter where our futures take us. The past two million minutes have made me who I am today, and will help me find

who I will be until the next time I don the cap and gown. The next two million minutes will continue to prepare me to make my own way in the world, but I will always keep the friends and lessons from Guilderland close to heart.

It’s important to not let any one club or group of friends define you.

New friends are different than old friends, and you can’t make new old friends.

Honesty & tHe luncH tableAustin Cornell

To think that life ends at high school, that is, important life stops after graduation day, is a one way ticket to an abyssal life of wandering. Many naïve students lead their lives to maximize social success rather than professional success in real life. I observed the mind games and brutal social warfare that existed within these walls throughout my career at Guilderland, and I chose not to partake. What a loser, right? Wrong.

Since the beginning of ninth grade, my attention has been undividedly given to life beyond high school, and even be-yond college. I knew that success would not derive from developing skills to reach the finish of the intangible social game, so I removed my singular piece from that barbaric board almost completely. I loathed those who put real energy into deciding the coolest lunch table to take a seat instead of thinking of the seat in a classroom that will maximize productiv-ity. I shamefully admit that I have oc-casionally slid off the motivational path and have succumbed to making decisions based on conditions that lack any mean-ing, and I still see the consequences of my childish actions.

And today, after four years of treach-erous effort, I think I’m ready to move on. I am confident that the choices I have made throughout high school are ones that will provide prosperity and success in college, and thus in the real world. I have remained an open book of honesty and integrity, which have al-lowed my faults to become the medicine of personal improvement. By no means am I suggesting that replicating my style of living will ensure a flawless personality, but I believe that I did the best I could to develop a healthy lifestyle that will keep me personable and comfortable for the rest of my life.

I advise that incoming students, sib-lings of graduates, and any others inter-ested – though it may be few in number – follow simple guidelines. Be honest, think wisely, find a role model (a good one, please), and think beyond high school. You only have one opportunity to live life, so I humbly suggest that you make the best decisions available. Use the wis-dom around you, use the wisdom within you, and apply your mind to improve the world, or at least part of it, in the most influential way possible. Guilderland High School is the best place to start.

As senior year draws to a close, it’s easy to get lost in a sea of “lasts” – last concert, last test, last day – and everything becomes this soppy, nostalgic moment. For me, all these lasts make me fondly remember the firsts; some only a few months ago, but some way back in ninth grade.

My memories of those days are a mixture of extremely clear, precise mo-ments, and a whole lot of haziness. One thing I do remember is being uncertain, never really knowing what to expect as so many changes were happening in my life. Making friends and keeping friends during freshman year can be something of a shot in the dark, and I was lucky to fall into the amazing family that is the music department. I honestly couldn’t tell you how exactly I met half of my friends. Like most things in life, it just kind of happened. It’s not like in a movie, where the music swells to tell you that something important is about to occur. The one thing I do know is that my life would be empty without these people, and leaving them in a few months is going to be harder than I can begin to contemplate.

Choir didn’t just give me new friends. Music was my way of learning to truly dedicate myself to something, and to understand the specific kind of joy you feel when you accomplish what you’ve worked so hard for. The smart, hilari-ous, and totally one-of-a-kind people I

befriended were just an added bonus. When I got into Concert Choir and then Chamber Choir a year later, I felt true pride in my abilities and hard work. Then Chamber and Wind Ensemble captured victory at the Heritage Festival last year, and I experienced the amazing swell of victory and love, that wash of euphoria athletes must feel when they win a game. We showed how awesome Guilderland Music is in the face of looming budget cuts and strengthened our bonds with each other at the same time.

Being a music kid has given me an identity over my high school years. It’s not like everyone has to fall in a stereo-typical clique, but I was just glad I had some other definition besides just “that nerdy tall girl”. And going through senior year, I’ve seen friend groups begin to intermingle more than our middle school selves would ever have imagined. People who I always thought were “cool” and would never want to talk to me are now holding friendly conversations with me on a regular basis. But I know deep down that nothing beats the unconditional love and acceptance found in the choir room, and I can only hope that every student here finds that place where they can be themselves, no matter how quirky or crazy.

As I face the “lasts” and ready myself for another round of “firsts”, I know that the friends and memories I made here will always be in my heart.

Clare Ladd

outros & nostalgia

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As I first walked into the high school as a freshman, I came with the definitive goal of getting into college. In my young eyes, high school was like a holding pen until I could finally be freed into the real world. Since then, my horizons have expanded beyond the doors of the high school and into the outside world I craved to experi-ence so much. As I sit here reminiscing, my mind is muddled by all the bits of advice I wish I could have delivered to my kindergarten self with the innocent waterspout hairdo (ah, nostalgia). Dream big, be willing to lose, smile often, surprise people, wish everyone to have a nice day, be a Democrat, I’d say- things that define who I am today. In retrospect, however, it was the journey that led me to this identity, this Samina Hydery. I needed to discover it all the hard way.

When things didn’t go my way, my two older sisters would always quip, “everything happens for a reason,” to which I would roll my eyes. But they were right. It’s true that interpretation can only be left for the future. I look back at all my so-called failures in life, things that I spent days worrying about, things that left me wondering, why me? Lost elections people reassured me would be victories,

inopportune diagnoses, and a cut from the varsity team. It’s interesting how life works out… while those doors closed, bigger doors seemed to have opened. My passions in public service and poli-

tics emerged and op-portunities I could have never imagined presented them-selves: a request to speak alongside Diane Sawyer, be-ing elected National Chair of a political

organization, and even an invitation to the White House among them. Now, “Hydery 2036” posters lightheartedly hang in the Journal Office and my peers lead hypothetical situations with “when you’re President.”

As I walk out of the high school, I leave with the goal of getting into college fulfilled. But more importantly, I leave with the understanding that this school gifted me so much more than I thought it was even capable of. People like to ask me what is to come or even, what’s my next “political move”. There are so many variables; here lies a math equation that cannot be solved, not even with a Gauss-Jordan. Maybe the dream of Hydery 2036 will come to fruition. But if not, I know there is something significant out there that I am destined to do. Until then, I will keep dreaming big, keep smiling, and keep being a Democrat. Hakuna matata.

A lot of bad things have happened in my life since I started high school. There have been countless arguments with my parents in which a lot of awful things were said. I have had two deaths in my family since the start of high school. My mom has had multiple surgeries. My dad lost his job because our car was unreliable. My brother went into respiratory distress on my sixteenth birthday. There has been a lot of bad in just four years of my life.

Even with these bad things occurring, I have always made sure that I could be proud of at least one thing: my grades and schoolwork. I have always taken pride in my accomplishments as a student. Maybe this was because I wanted that moment of pride from my mother when she opened my report card. Or maybe because I needed that one sure thing that I could always be proud of. Either way, my grades have always been impor-tant to me.

High school has shown me that even when everything seems to be going wrong in my life, I can find stability in something, and keep myself sane. It just happened that grades were my sav-ing grace in high school. People always wondered why I cared so much about my grades; that was why. They were my stabil-

ity, my pride, and my sense of normalcy. I also felt a need to have good grades so that I could end up at a good college, away from everything that had gone wrong in high school. My mom has always said that I had to go to college to have a better life. I knew that she was right, and I made it my mission to ensure that I would end up at a good college, away from home.

I managed to get into my dream school, Ithaca College, which brought me an ultimate sense of satisfaction. I was even offered a $10,000 academic scholarship, which gave me even more satisfaction. And, even though I won’t be able to go to Ithaca until I transfer as a sophomore or a junior, I feel sure that I will graduate from my dream school, and everything will end up just the way I have always hoped it would.

High school has given me the direc-tions to start on the path that will lead me

to the rest of my life. It allowed my light to shine through many hardships, and that light guided me in the direction that will lead me to the future. I may have not had a great life during high

school, I will always be grateful for what it led me to, and to the friends and teachers who have helped me to where I am now, a graduating senior on the way to starting the rest of her life.

Justine Polonski

HardsHips & stability

Samina Hydery

Horizons& opened doors

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It’s interesting how life works out… while those doors closed, bigger doors seemed to have opened.

I have always taken pride in my accomplishments as a student.

I know this is going to sound bor-derline-cliché, but college applications literally consumed me. The past year was almost entirely dedicated to me pick-ing and choosing colleges that I liked, teachers and parents often stopping mid-conversation to ask me what college I liked the best, and pouring my soul over the Common Application.

I worked endlessly with my parents, whittling my college list down from 30 schools to the final 11. I spent every mid-night hour I had punching keyboard keys as letters appeared to form my college essays, as I stared at college essays that made it to Harvard. And then, when I saw my best friend receive the email of his dreams in mid-December, I hoped for three months that a similar fate would be bestowed upon me. But senior year is more than just college applications, even if it may not seem that way. School spirit ran

strong as we, the “kings” and “queens” of high school, walked proudly in the hallways of the building we would leave in a year. From the shirts that announced our “seniority” in the beginning of the year to the free blocks that were given to us (either by the administration or by ourselves – it was still a free block in our eyes), we were proud to be the ones that everyone else looked up to. Seniors with cups of coffee or hot cocoa in their hands would mosey their way in as the bell resonated for second block. The younger kids were forced to tilt their heads back

just to get a glimpse of their superiors (okay, I admit, that sentence isn’t com-pletely true). And, alas, we will never forget: the Seniori-tis Plague that took down each of us in

turn. The desire to just sit and relax and not worry about anything school-related was something that affected each and every one of us, and let me be honest: it was a really, really, really good feeling.

Many of my friends tell me that they “can’t wait to get out of this school.” Yes, I’ll admit that I feel this way too, more of-ten than not. Let me tell you something, though. There will be a time that you’ll say “I wish I made more use of my high school years.” You might not think that you’ll say it, but you will. Trust me. Life after high school is so different that you won’t be able to help but miss those years where school work was still manageable (albeit extremely dif-ficult and lack-of-sleep-inducing at times), friends you knew for the past thirteen years were still with you every day of your life, and returning to a nice warm snack at home was still a daily occurrence. Freshmen, sophomores, juniors – take note of this.

Wherever we take ourselves next year, whether it be college, work, or the military (or somewhere else, who knows!), we will always be proud Dutchmen. We will always remember our classmates that we

spent our last thirteen years with (even if there may be that one kid that you wish you never met). Those good times in Guilderland will never truly leave us, especially the football games and the Pops

Concerts and the warm three cookies that you could get for just one dollar and the parties in advisory and every-thing and anything. I know for a fact that I’ll miss the amaz-

ing friends that I have made here, the spectacular teachers that have guided me through tests and homework, and the memories, good and bad, that have shaped my life and created the person I am today.

Guilderland High School Class of 2012, I wish all of you the best of luck. Whatever path you take will lead to success, I’m sure of it. This is my time to say good bye. I will miss all of you, even if I may not know you by name, and I will look forward to our 50 year reunion.

Sharon Lin

Senior year is more than just college applications, even if it may not seem that way.

Whatever path you take will lead to success, I’m sure of it.

ApplicAtions, seniority, & cookies

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The Bottom Line.The cost of a private college education

is a lot less than you think.

The College of Saint Rose

We maintain one of the lowest private college tuitions in the entire

North-east and award more than $25 million annually in guaranteed

scholarships, grants and financial aid. In fact, take a look at our guar-

anteed academic scholarships which range up to $14,000 annually at

www.strose.edu/scholarships.

With no teaching assistants, a student-to-faculty ratio of 14:1, an average

class size of 20, and recognition as one of “the Best Northern Universities”

by U.S. News & World Report, Saint Rose is a remarkable educational

experience in the heart of Albany, N.Y., at a price you can afford.

Before you make a judgment that a private college experience is out

of your reach, take a look at the

bottom line. It may surprise you. Passion. Knowledge. Purpose.

clic

k www.strose.edu/calculator

guilderland journal_affordability_affordability ad 5/16/2011 4:01 PM Page 1

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15are entering employment

5 are joining the military

12% are Undecided on a major

48 are majoring in BUsiness

25 are majoring in Biology

gUilderland class of 2012

9

10

20 are majoring in EnginEEring

49% are attending a SUnY School

77%are staying in nEw York

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I have three days left of high school. Sixteen days until graduation, and one hundred and five until college. Thirteen and a half hours before I have to be back in first block. This is the type of math that often ran through my head during high school. But if four years as a student at Guilderland has taught me anything, it’s that this is a very dangerous form of thinking. There is only one moment we can ever experience, and it is the present.

Block scheduling has its pros and its cons. Its greatest flaw comes with the fact that eighty five minutes of class can be very, very boring. It’s easy to space out and try to place your mind elsewhere; your bed, the park, the future. I’ve de-veloped this tendency to spend most of fourth quarter daydreaming about the summer. This may not seem like a huge problem; all I lose is the attention of a few minutes in class. Daydreaming is fun, and I might be getting a lot of satisfaction out of counting the hours until summer. But what I’m giving up is much more valuable. It is the ability to experience the present. After developing such a knack for daydreaming, it was hard to shed the chains of the illusory future.

I first realized this was an issue at a Phish concert. In the middle of a song, I wondered to myself what the band would play for an encore. Here I was, a band I love playing music I love right before me, yet my mind was off imagining things. I had always thought imagination was a very important pursuit of mind. It

certainly is, but when it takes away from experience, it can be harmful. The only notes I ever hear are the ones played in the present. To really hear and feel those notes is an amazing thing, more beautiful than any speculation or reflection. To do so, you have to be immersed in the present, and this takes practice.

Thoughts about all the fun stuff I can do when I get home might take the edge off the boredom during math class, but they also dull my ability to experience. The present is the present. You have to live it, and if you can’t live it, you better change it. To experience a mundane class is still to experience, and it often has more value than thoughts about what will be experienced later.

Seniors, a lot of us,will be starting our own, independent lives next year. We will have even more responsibility over our selves. When you’re sitting through that long Friday lecture, don’t dwell on the party that you’re going to later. There will be plenty of time for that during the night. If your mind doesn’t know how to live in the present, you might find your-self at that party thinking about the essay you have to write that weekend. You might waste your college years thinking about what to do when you get out. You might end up on your deathbed, hoping something will come next and realizing that you never noticed anything that happened at all. But if you live your life feeling each breath and appreciating each moment, you’ll get a lot out of it; such is life, and it is meant to be lived.

Matt Simon

Over my four years of high school I’ve learned how to conjugate spanish verbs, take derivatives, how to determine what word is the direct object pronoun, what you need to make a silver bottle, why many powerful empires all around the world fell, and countless other things

that I may or may not ever need to use again in my lifetime. I think that the most important things that we as students should learn during those four years are the lessons that may not be taught by teachers, but from each other, and from the experiences of ourselves and those around us.

John Wooden& conJugation

Shelby Iapoce

Things won't always go the way you want them to, the way you expect them to, and the way they deserve

to. As 50 Cent says in his song “Many Men”, "Some days wouldn't be special if it wasn't for rain, joy wouldn't feel so good if it wasn't for pain."

Be more concerned about your character than your rep; as John Wooden says, "Your character is what you

really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."

Put things in perspective; when you start complaining about having a bad hair day, be grateful that you actu-

ally have hair to cause you a problem. There are going to be a lot of things in your life that you can't control no matter how badly you want to.

When things don't go your way, accept your circumstances, and make the best out of the situation.

Help others because its the right thing to do, not be-cause you want good karma.

If one person has a problem with you, ask them why. If multiple people have problems with you, ask your-

self why.

True character is only revealed by how we react after we've been kicked behind the knees and our hearts

have been broken.

"The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary." -Vince Lombardi

It's perfectly okay to grieve; crying has never meant that you're weak. Ever since you were born crying has

been a sign that you're alive.

We all want to make an impact on the world. By being kind, innovative, and smart, you can. If we

change the way people see the world and see themselves, we can create an environment that we love to live in.

experience& phishing

I always knew I wanted to present a senior speech at graduation. Many people were surprised and upset about this, telling me that nobody wants to hear the epitome of anti-school spirit speak in front of all my fellow classmates, teachers, parents, and administrators. After consideration, I realized this was true. However, that wasn’t going to keep me silent.

It is obvious to me that I never truly fit in with a group of friends at GHS. When I look around our school cafeteria,

the overwhelming amount of cliques that unite and divide all students is startling. And yet, I remember the days when I desired to attach myself. This is before I realized that I would be emulating a parasite. It wasn’t until half way through that I started going my own way. Not too many noticed, and I didn’t expect them to do so. All I was searching for was a way to make my time as a teenager worthwhile.

Just because I was forced to spend four years at Guilderland High School didn’t mean I was going to waste my limited time. Instead of dwelling on the

Blessing& curses

Christian Meola

frustrations I encountered at Guilderland, I found other ways to make my mark on my surroundings. I made a Bucket List of things to accomplish in my life-time, with items that ranged from skydiv-ing to creating a time capsule to bury in my backyard. I cre-ated a movie review blog to share with friends online, and wrote a play sati-rizing stereotypical high school life to provide laughter to those who can relate. I made it my mis-sion to compliment at least five people a day, despite my tendency to be overtly honest. In addition, I probably stopped more hallway bullying incidents than the administration.

Being a high school senior could pos-sibly be life’s biggest blessing and curse. While we are at an age where time seems incomprehensible and plentiful, the hours

we should be spending while we still have minimal responsibilities are often taken out of our reach by society’s standards. I always wanted to take new risks, meet new

people, and travel on adventures while I was still young, and I truly hope my class-mates share the same philosophy. Regard-less of where our individual paths lead us, I urge my friends and enemies to make

a difference in the world through com-passion, intelligence, and respect. Don’t come back to the ten-year reunion in hopes that you’ll rekindle the flame with your current boyfriend or girlfriend. Instead, brag about how many items on your bucket list you’ve crossed off. At least that’s my plan.

“The only greatness for man is im-mortality.” –James Dean

Being a high school senior could possibly be life’s big-gest blessing and curse.

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Daniel Alejandro HVCC Undecided

April Alfieri Siena College Biology (Pre-Med)

Brandon Alger Military Air Force

Sarah Alloush SUNY New Paltz Accounting

Zaid Alwakfi Elmira College Business and Management

James Baldwin Jr. Employment Employment

Brianna Barr SCCC Business/Early Childhood

Delainie Bart SUNY Buffalo Nursing

David Bauer Saint Joseph’s University Risk and Management and Insurance

Jessica Becker Moriset HVCC International Relations

Meranda Bell Trade School Nursing

Kathleen Bender Siena College Communication Studies

Alexander Benninger Arizona State University Asian Languages- Chinese

Jacob Benninger SCCC Music Therapy

Joseph Bentley HVCC Auto Mechanics

Cristal Benton Johnson and Wales University Event Management

Belen Betancourt Clark University Int’l Development and Social Change

Cydney Betton SUNY Buffalo Business Administration

Jenna Bickel Penn State University Early Childhood Education

Samantha Biondo University of Rhode Island Nutrition and Dietetics

Olivia Bishop SCCC Social Work

Matthew Blair Castleton State College Social Work/Sociology

Zachary Bobersky Quinnipiac College Business

Thomas Bradley Hofstra University Political Science/Economics

Jackqueline Brassard Syracuse University Biology

Matthew Breton Western New England University Sports Management

Glen Brittell SUNY Purchase Graphic Design

Brigid Broderick SCCC Undecided

Caitlin Brogan Employment Employment

Conor Browne SUNY Purchase Undecided

Christina Bruno HVCC Nursing

Hannah Buckey Hartwick College Undecided

Sara Buckley University of Hartford Biology

Seth Buono HVCC Undecided

Michaela Burbank SUNY Albany Chemistry

Shelby Burby SCCC Hotel and Resturant Management

Michael Capone Drexel University Sports Management

Casey Carpenter College of St. Rose Business Administration

Joelle Caroll Canisius College Marketing

Albert Cartagenes HVCC Architecture Technology

Taylor Cassisi HVCC Political Science

Morgan Castilla SUNY - FIT Advertising & Marketing Communications

Alessandra Cerio Worcester Polytechnic Institute Biology

Francesca Cerio Worcester Polytechnic Institute Bioinformatics, Genetics, Biochemistry, German

Monica Chappidi SUNY - Binghamton Neuroscience and Philosophy

Sahana Chaudhry Boston University Business Administration and Management

Jiamin Chen HVCC Accounting

Yogesh Chettiar SUNY - Binghamton Bio Engineering

Naeem Gibson-Ancrum North Carolina A&T State Nanoscale Engineering

Michael Chevalier SUNY - Plattsburgh Entrepreneurship

Courtney Chludzinski Employment Employment

Kendall Cietek Villanova University Chemical Engineering

Mackenzie Cietek Villanova University Pre Law

Rosamaria Cirelli University of Vermont Neuroscience

Chancellor Cobb SUNY - Brockport Business

John Russell Cochran HVCC Electrical Trades

Jessica Cohen University of Vermont Elementary Education/Special Education

Zachary Cohen Marist College Psychology

Alexandra Cole UNC at Greensboro Chemistry

Dylan Collett Keene State College Business Management

Leah Condemi University of Vermont Communication Sciences and Disorders

Nicholas Connolly Vassar College Undecided

Heather Corbett HVCC Undecided

Austin Cornell Purdue University Mechanical Engineering

Brandon Courtney SUNY - Oswego Business Administration

Angelina Cox Siena College English Education

Warren Cozine Paul Smith College Forestry

Jacqueline Cramer SUNY Plattsburgh Nursing

Atika Abdullahi Clark Atlanta University Mass Media Arts

Carrie Ableman SUNY Brockport Biology

Tyler Adamczak HVCC Business Marketing

Gregory Adams College of St. Rose History Education

Anthony Albanese SUNY New Paltz History

Samantha Aldrich HVCC Independent Studies

Austin Burnham Union College Biology

Marissa Buyck SUNY Geneseo Biology

Meghan Cahill College of St. Rose Social Work

Kelly Camardo Fairfield University Undecided

Jessica Cameron Military Marines

Ian Campbell Emerson College Undecided

Kaitlin Campbell Nazareth College Physical Therapy

Alexander Campione Employment Employment

Francisco Cancedda HVCC Engineering

Melissa Cannistraci HVCC Human Services/Social Work

Guilderland High School Class of 2012

Senior Destinations

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Kevin Curry SCCC Music Business

Amanda Dame Oberlin College Biology/Flute Performance

Kailin Dausch Western New England University Marketing Communications/Advertising

Max Davidoff University of Tampa Marketing

Caitlyn Dean Philadelphia Community College Undecided

Rachael Degnan SUNY Cobleskill Social Science

Matthew Del Brocco HVCC Business

Nikolas Del Signore Siena College English Education

Emily DerArakelian Employment Employment

Kapil Desai HVCC Engineering

Vijaykumai Desai Employment Employment

Breanna DeVito University of Vermont Zoology

Leah Devlin Eckerd College International Relations

Catalena Diamente Utica College Physical Therapy

Marisa DiMarzio University of Connecticut Animal Science

Emily Doak HVCC Nanoscience/Semiconductor Manufacturing

Cameron Dobbs Johnson C. Smith University Sports Management

Kayla Domalewicz Employment Employment

Chelsea Donnelly SUNY Brockport Accounting/Finance

Kelsey Dorado SUNY Oneonta Math Education

Hannah Dordick University of Hartford Illustration

Jessie Doyle James Madison University Biotechnology/Pre-Veterinary Studies

Michael Doynow HVCC Business

Patricia Drake Albany College of Pharmacy Pharmaceutical Sciences

Carly Drislane Hartwick College History

Connor Drislane Ithaca College Physical Therapy

Kaleb Dubin Bentley University Marketing

Taylor Dubose Western New England University Liberal Arts

Christopher Duell Jr. HVCC Undecided

Michael Dvorscak SUNY Purchase Studio Production

Roman Early HVCC Computer Information Systems

Andrew Ehlinger HVCC Business

Enaw Elonge Mansfield University Music Education

Tsz Keung Eng SUNY New Paltz Biology

Giovanni Falciano Asthetics Science Institute Aestheticians

Ryan Fanuele HVCC Computer Information Science

Cameron Farina Endicott College Biology

Cooper Farina University of Vermont Undecided

Zachary Fashouer Manhattan College Economics

Alexis Fehervari University of North Carolina Undecided

Michael Field SUNY Cobleskill Trade School

Devin Fisher Bentley University Animal Science

Angelina Fiumara HVCC Human Resources

Jonathan Foley HVCC Undecided

Michael Garcelon HVCC Business

Arianna Geier SUNY Plattsburgh Undecided

John Geis HVCC Computer Information Sciences

Alexis Geisel Paul Mitchell School Cosmetology

Marisa Gentile University of Maryland Psychology

Daniel Gerety HVCC Undecided

Adam Gersowitz University of Connecticut Business

Ryan Ghizzoni College of the Holy Cross Economics

Anisha Ghosh Northeastern University Psychology

Daniella Giardina New York University Neuroscience

Olivia Gismervik SCCC Culinary

Brian Gleason HVCC Undecided

Amanda Gnirrep SUNY Geneso Biology

Eric Golderman SUNY Oswego Physician Assistant, Nursing, Education

Chen Gong New York Univeristy Undecided

Zachary Gorman HVCC Auto Body

Katherine Govin SUNY Alfred Art

Zachary Grant Employment Employment

Steven Greene HVCC Undecided

Mario Guzzo III HVCC Undecided

Emily Hale SUNY Cortland Criminal Justice/Psychology

Nicholas Haluska Clarkson University Civil Engineering

Natalee Handron SCCC Undecided

Dejana Harris Lafayette College Engineering

Marissa Haslett Jacksonville University Business

Marie Hausgaard HVCC Criminal Justice

Charlotte Hayden Clarkson University Engineering and Management

Tyler Herbst Employment Employment

Michael Higgins Worcester Polytechnic Institute Biomedical Engineering

Joseph Hoffman SUNY Oswego Marketing

Alyssa Hopsicker Albany College of Pharmacy Pharmaceutical Sciences

Shane Horan University of Missouri Fine Arts/Dance

Ramy Houacine SUNY Binghamton Biomedical Sciences

Jennifer Houck Maria College Undecided

Ryan Hourihan HVCC Nanotechnology

Megan Howland SCCC Culinary Arts

Ashleigh Huber HVCC Dental Hygiene

Samina Hydery University of Pennsylvania Economics and Political Science

Nicholas Iapoce St. Lawrence University Biology

Shelby Iapoce Fairfield University Undecided

Rosemary Crowley Elmira College Nursing

Michael Crupi Boston College History

Marissa Cubillos Roger Williams University Biology

Tyler Cullen Cazenovia College Business

Andrea Cunningham HVCC Early Childhood Education

Lea Cure Salve Regina University Justice Administration/English Communications

Courtney Follan SCCC Undecided

Evan Fraher HVCC Electrical Construction and Maintenance

Cody Francis Military Marines

Tyler Fronte Siena College Business

Steven Gaines Jr. University of New Haven Civil Engineering

Andrew Gallagher St. John’s University History

Kevin Gallagher Clinton Community College Undecided

Joseph Gallo SUNY Oswego Business Administration

Jia Gao SUNY FIT Communications Design

Brandon Garcelon HVCC Construction

Helena Kaszluga HVCC Fine Arts

Erik Keating SUNY Purchase Theater Design/Technology

Devin Keenholts HVCC Photography

Stephanie Keller Bentley University Finance

Amanda Kernozek SUNY Albany Human Biology

Lucas Kerr HVCC Electircal Construction/Maintnence

Khushboo Alam Khan HVCC Liberal Arts/Science

Maria Khazova SUNY Albany Psychology

Alexa Kilcher SUNY Cobleskill Diesel Mechanics

Shayna Kimmerer HVCC Liberal Arts

Lauren Kindlon HVCC Business/Marketing

Ryan King St. Bonaventure University Business

Ty-Jaan King Tompkins Cortland CC Liberal Arts

Caroline Kleitgen HVCC Human Services

Sean Klim Ithaca College Business

Bryan Komaromi HVCC Auto Body Collision Repair

Valerie Kontakos SUNY Albany Criminal Justice

Alexander Kornilin HVCC Dental Hygiene

Brian Kowalski SUNY Albany Business Management

John Kowalski College of St. Rose Undecided

Zachary Kronick McDaniel College Excercise Science

Clare Ladd Tufts University Humanities

Marissa LaFave Boston University Undecided

Alexander Laing Hamilton College Physics

Sujin Lapinski-Barker Fairleigh Dickinson University Undecided

Megan Lauzon Trade School Cosmetology

Jin Lee SUNY Buffalo Business Administration

Taylor Lee SUNY Oneonta Chemistry

Julianne Legnard SUNY Fredonia Childhood Inclusive Education

Nicole Leonard SUNY Albany Undecided

Nicole Levine University of California- Berkeley Molecular and Cell Biology

Peter Libertucci Siena College Business Administration

Sharon Lin SUNY Buffalo Biomedical Engineering

Adam Link HVCC Criminal Justice

Joseph Livingston Employment Employment

Karah Lizotte North Carolina State University Criminology

Jordan Lloyd SUNY Brockport Dance

Michael McGill Jr. Employment Employment

Connor McLachlan Mercy College Business Administration

James McLaughlin Utica College Communications

Carley McLean Albany College of Pharmacy Human and Health Sciences

Erin McNamara Hofstra University International Business

Asif Mehdi HVCC Pre-Med

Sheila Mehling SCCC Education

Ishan Mehra New York University Economics

Christian Meola Florida State University Acting

Helen Merkley Hartwick College Pre-Med

Chelsea Merrill University of North Carolina Undecided

Jesse Mesick Military Navy

Glenn Messier SUNY Oneonta Biology

Megan Meyers Siena College Political Science

Kelsey Michele SUNY Binghamton Accounting/Finance

Austin Miller HVCC Engineering Science

Brianna Miller SUNY Oneonta Undecided

Emma Miller HVCC Undecided

Laura Miller College of Saint Rose Undecided

Samuel Mohr HVCC Undecided

Ryan Mitchell SUNY Cobleskill Wildlife Management

Michael Morawski HVCC Business Administration

Casey Morris SUNY New Paltz Theatre Performance

Ryan Morrissey HVCC Undecided

Jonathan Muamba HVCC Business

Nadya Munsie SUNY Plattsburgh Nursing

Jacquelynne Murphy HVCC Gallery Management

Malcolm Nelson Ithaca College Preprofessional Health

Nicholas Nelson HVCC Undecided

Corey Nicklas HVCC Accounting

Casey Nunamacher Makeup Designery School Makeup

Konrad Odhiambo New Mexico Military Institute Logistics

Austin Ingalls HVCC Criminal Justice

Hannah Ingoldsby Roger Williams University Communications

Nicholas Iuorno College of St. Rose Business Management

Tara Jackson SUNY Binghamton Neuroscience

Zeph Jackson SCCC Computers

Shauna Janiszewski Finger Lakes Community College Criminal Justice

Matthew Japikse University of Rhode Island Ocean Engineering

Bernard Javier SUNY Cortland Psychology

Matthew Jones Bryant University Accounting

Derek Jorgensen Employment Employment

Savannah Joseph HVCC Undecided

Anya Joynt University of Rochester Molecular Genetics

Courtney Kappes HVCC Individual Studies

Ryan Long HVCC Business

Daniel Lonky SUNY Oswego Communications

Trevor Losee Albany CTE Welding/Metal Fabrication

Colleen Lovely Union College Classics

Logan MacGilfrey HVCC Criminal Justice

Jessica Madsen Daytona State College Business

Brian Magnan SCCC Music

Jordan Macken Cazenovia College Undecided

Austin Malerba RIT Electrical Engineering

Michael Mancuso Employment Employment

Samuel Mancuso Siena College Liberal Arts

Amanda Markessinis Keuka College Social Work

Logan Marshall Cazenovia College Business/Sports Management

Tyler Mattson New York University Philosophy & Literature

Michaela Maybee St. Lawrence University Business Administration

Justin Maynard HVCC Criminal Justice

Taheim McCain HVCC Undecided

Brooke McCullen SUNY Oneonta Food Service/Restaurant Administration

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Abhishek Paul SUNY Binghamton Undecided

Jaimie Peck Paul Mitchell Cosmetology

Jessica Peck St. John Fishers College Animal Sciences

Alexandra Pellman Paul Mitchell Cosmetology

Alora Peplowski HVCC Nursing

Paige Perez SCCC Early Childhood Studies

Gabrielle Perrault HVCC Liberal Arts

Bram Peterson Boston University Journalism/Economics

Peter Pezzulo Jr. SCCC Music

Austin Phillips HVCC Undecided

Brianna Phillips SUNY Cortland Physical Education

Shawn Phillips Siena College Pre-Med

Anna Pickett High Point University Accounting

Anthony Pitkin College of Saint Rose Music Industry

Garrett Plant HVCC Undecided

Emma Platek Boston University Film/Television

Justine Polonski SUNY Oswego Journalism

Noah Poskanzer Ithaca College Physical Therapy

Allison Potolski University of North Carolina Biology Pre-Med

Alyssa Purdy HVCC Nursing

Kiernan Puvogel HVCC Education

Cydney Quinn Elmira College Nursing

Alexis Rabadi Pace University Musical Theatre

Christopher Raber SUNY ESF Natural Resources Management

Joshua Rainer SUNY New Paltz Undecided

Dominic Rapp HVCC Criminal Justice

Helen Ratner New York University Graphic Design

Jacob Raucci HVCC Engineering

De’Essence Reed HVCC Chemistry

Robbi Ribner University of Dayton Business

Kenneth Schumacher Nazareth College Physical Therapy

Jordan Scott New York University Undecided

Nathan Scott Rochester Institute of Technology Biomedical Sciences

William Scotti SUNY Oneonta Business Management

Tucker Seinberg-Hughes Lyndon State College Illustration/Animation

Matthew Seita Rochester Institute of Technology Computer Science

Phillip Sellie SUNY Cobleskill Cullinary Arts

Danielle Sentz James Madison University Dietetics

Danielle Shealy SUNY Albany Psychology

Denis Sheehan SUNY Cobleskill Culinary Arts

Ian Sheridan SUNY Oswego Engineering

Nigel Simmons Ithaca College Physical Education

Matthew Simon Stanford University Philosophy

Tyler Simpson HVCC Construction

Prabjot Singh SUNY Binghamton Pre-Medicine

Rantej Singh New York University Undecided

Matthew Siskin University of Michigan Biology, Economics, History

Lauren Sitterly SUNY FIT Communications Design

Raymond Siu HVCC Business

Aaron Sklar HVCC Engineering

Alexandria Smith SCCC Culinary

Cameron Smith Union College Biology

Joshua Smith SUNY Buffalo Media Study

Geoffrey Snow SCCC Performing Music

Matthew Sobieski HVCC Autobody

Won-Ki Sohn University of Wisconsin Business

Kara Sour Siena College Liberal Arts Business

Hannah Olson SUNY Oneonta Nutrition

Joshua Owens HVCC Undecided

Meghan O’Brien SUNY Buffalo Business Management

Kelsey O’Connor Fordham University Biology

Timothy O’Connor Fordham University Biological Sciences

Brian O’Hanlon Alfred University Ceramic Engineering

Dimitri O’Hea HVCC Undecided

Houston O’Hea HVCC Physical Education

Angelo Pacifici SCCC Nanotechnology

Samantha Padula SUNY Plattsburgh Pre-Med

Alexandria Page Clarkson University Biology

Hannah Palmeri Employment Hair Salon

Lacy Palmiotto HVCC Undecided

Anjali Panackal Siena College Biology

Bailey Pangman SUNY Brockport Nursing

Jacqueline Paratore HVCC Business/Sociology

Jung Min Park Employment Undecided

Maxwell Parker Southern Vermont College Sports Management

Lucas Pasquerella Quinnipiac College Business

Matthew Pasquini Harvard University Mathematics

Adam Richards HVCC Computer Informations Systems

Sydney Ritchie-Liddle HVCC Humanities and Social Science

Alexander Ritmo HVCC Electrical Construction/Management

Gianno Rodino Siena College Social Work

Daniel Rogers St. John Fisher College Undecided

Brian Root Clarkson University Chemical Engineering

Michael Rophael SUNY Albany Undecided

Shannon Ross SUNY Oneonta Education

Kaitlyn Rougas Ohio State University Business Marketing

Desiree Ruiz HVCC Individual Studies

Tori Russo North Country CC Massage Therapy

Darya Rutina HVCC Liberal Arts

Kelsey Ryan SUNY New Paltz Political Science

Justine Salerno HVCC Liberal Arts

Daniel Santandrea Le Moyne College Biology

Peter Scatena Union College Undecided

Kayla Scheidel SUNY FIT Communications Design

Rachael Schenkel HVCC Liberal Arts

Jessica Schiller Mount Holyoke College Animal Sciences

Emily Schlierer SUNY Albany Criminal Justice

Jonathan Schlutow SUNY Cobleskill Undecided

Clarissa Schmidt Adelphi University Journalism

Sadie Schroeter Johnson and Wales University Criminal Justice

Amanda Van Auken Hartwick University Nursing

Ashlyn Van Buren University of New Haven Forensic Science

Kelly Van Epps Rochester Institute of Technology Business

Anna Van Patten Santa Clara University Undecided

Nicholas VenEck University of Michigan Computer Science

Adison Vanina Western New England University Mechanical Engineering

Jeremy Veldhuis The Art Institute of Boston Fine Arts

Samantha Veloce SCCC Humanities and Social Sciences

Taylor Vigay Maria College Nursing

Tin Vo SCCC Music

Harleigh Voss Paul Mitchell Cosmetology

Zachary Wacksman HVCC Criminal Justice

Chris Wagner SCCC Undecided

Kagni Wang Albany College of Pharmacy Pharmaceutical Sciences

Nicholas Watt HVCC Criminal Justice

Xing Yu Wei Brown University Chemical Engineering

Michael Weijola Le Moyne College Accounting

Christopher Weimer Military Marines

Kim Weinberg St. Lawrence University Business Administration

Eric Wells SCCC Fire Science

Anson White SCCC Computer Information and Systems

Justin Whiting HVCC Undecided

Marlana Wier HVCC Individual Studies

Steven Spaccarelli Siena College Political Science

Erin Stack SCCC Hospitality and Hotel Management

Anthony Stanish SUNY Stony Brook Undecided

Adam Starkman Geroge Washington University Arts and Sciences

Alexandria Staroba HVCC Liberal Arts

Marissa Starr SUNY Oswego Marketing

Dierdre Stevens Misericordia University Occupational Therapy

Emily Stevens Fairfield University Child Psychology

Alexandra Stockman SUNY Plattsburg Hotel Tourism Restaurant Management

Erin Sullivan High Point University Elementary Education

Brittney Svingala HVCC Biological Sciences

Alicia Switser SUNY Oneonta Undecided

Kayin Sykes HVCC Electronic Arts

Christopher Szady SUNY Stony Brook Biology

Madelaine Taylor SUNY Purchase Visual Arts

Morgan Ten Eyck Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Business and Management

Taylor Ten Eyck Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Business and Management

Kayla Thorton SCCC Undecided

Nicole Toich Herkimer County CC Fashion Buying and Merchandising

Arielle Tonge HVCC Marketing

Donald Tourtellot HVCC Environmental Sciences

Hallisey Travers University of Michigan Literature Arts and Sciences

Casey Trejo Cazenovia College Criminal Justice

Matthew Trestick SCCC Undecided

Nico Turek Northeastern University Finance

Troy Vagianelis Boston College Biology

Jessica Valensi Massachussetts College of Pharmacy Pharmacy

Ashley Williams Roger Williams University Business

David Willis III HVCC Business Administration

Patrick Wood SUNY Stony Brook Finance and Accounting

Richard Wood Albany Career and Technical Center Welding

Toby Wykes SUNY New Paltz Geochemical Science

Rachel Young SUNY Binghamton Vocal Performance- Classical

Valerie Zajac SUNY New Paltz Art

Ross Zuk-Pafumi SCCC Business

Scott Zwinge Jr. HVCC HVAC/R

Jacob Zyskowski SUNY New Paltz Business Administration and Management

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Store Hours• Mon-Fri 7:00 a.m. - 8 p.m. • Sat 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. • Sun 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

1874 Western Ave AlbAny, ny 12203 456.7383

The helpful place.®

Serving the Community Since 1958

ROBINSON

Store Hours• Mon-Fri 7:00 a.m. - 8 p.m. • Sat 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. • Sun 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

1874 Western Ave AlbAny, ny 12203 456.7383

The helpful place.®

Serving the Community Since 1958

ROBINSON

Photos by Mike Dvorscak & Madelaine Taylor / The Journal

Journalth

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