Vol. 21, No.6 Summer 2005 • aSSlC

Townsend Harris High School at Queens College 149- 11 Melbourne Avenue, Flushing, NY 11367

Baccalaureate celebrates senior acheivements by Alyssa Chase and J ennifer Park

"With imagination, ingenuity and audacity, explore, discover, change the world," challenged Senior Advisor Franco Scardino at the Baccalaureate Ceremony, held on June 14 in the audi­torium. The annual awards ceremony

Pamela Chan, Salutatorian With a .003 difference in grade point

average from that of the valedictorian, Pamela Chan is the salutatorian of the class of 2005 . Pamela feels "extremely honored" to be given this title and is ex­cited to be furthering her ~ducation at Columbia University in the fall, where she will be majoring in biochemistry. She plans to pursue an M.D./Ph.D. in graduate school and start a career in sci­ence research. Pamela was a recipient of the New York Times College Schol­arship, which provides $7,500 annually towards college tuition. ·

Pamela developed her interest in sci­entific research in her research class and

. through her internship in a biochemis­try \ab at New York University's Col­lege of Arts and Sciences. Her project, entitled "Functional Assay ofConnexin 40 Silencing due to RNA Interference," achieved semi-finalist standing at the 2005 New York City Science and Engi-_ neering Fair and earned a number of awards at the 2004 fair.

Pamela has been honing her Kung Fu skills at Shaolin ~emple for a year and a half and remarks that this has been "a big part of [her] life." She explained that it has "helped [her] focus and has pro­vided a way to relieve school stress." Pamela has demonstrated her martial arts skills for the school through partici­pation in the Festival of Nations for three years.

celebrated the seniors' achievements in academics, service, and extracurricular activities and announced the valedicto­rian and the salutatorian, Nisha Singh and Pamela Chan. ·

Mr. Scardino applauded the accom­plishments of the class throughout their

She is Co-presi­dent of Students for the Preservation of the Earth and in prior years has held the po­sitions of Co-editor and Co-captain of The Quantum Cat and the Math Team, respec­tively. Outside of school, Pamela has also served as an adoption counselor for the North Shore Animal League of America.

Pamela says that

high school experience and offered en­couragement for the future . He said, "You entered this beloved institution as the twin towers fell. None of you were untouched by the events of September of your freshman year, not unaffected by the ideological movements of local

she has "always been Salutatorian Pamela Chan and Valedictorian Nisha Singh enjoy a perfectionist" and the fruits of their labor at the 2005 Baccalaureate.

that she has served mainly as her own motivator through­out her high school years. She advises Harrisites to avoid the procrastination plague. With respect to college admis­·sions, Pamela emphasizes the fact that extracurricular activities are as impor­tant as one's average and that one should not be "so consumed by grades."

Nisha Singh, Valedictorian Nisha, who feels "extremely privi­

leged to be receiving such a tremendous honor," is the valedictorian. She will be attending New York University's Col­lege of Arts and Sciences in the fall as a member of their Presidential Honors Scholar's Program, which offers the top

eight percent of entering freshmen ex­clusive opportunities, including partici­pation in a Freshman Honors Seminar and a study abroad program. Nisha plans to major in biochemistry and sees her­self entering the medical field, with a specialty in neurology.

Nisha remarks that she has "always been interested in the sciences," and she has furthered this interest through her internship at NYU's School of Medicine last summer. There, she worked in ~ mi­crobiology laboratory on a project that dealt with bone development and Apert Syndrome. Nisha submitted her research to various science competitions and won

and geopolitics since .. .. You will solve global climate changes and make sus­tainable development a reality. You will write great novels, paint extraordinary art and compose music, which will 'last for posterity. You will make your dreams come true."

a number of honors ancl distinctions, including semi-finalist standing at the 2005 New York City Metro Junior Sci­ence and Humanities Symposium, as well as highest honors in the microbi­ology category/ at the 2005 Otto Burgdorf Scien¢e Research Competi-

.::: tion . d Nisha has also been involved in a 2: number of extracurricular and co1nmu-u . . . .. . . ~ mty serv1ce act1v1t1es m her school and

e:; community, including membership on ~ The Classic as a feature writer, the Sci­~ ence Olympiad, and the peer 6 mentoring. program. Nisha has also u 2 volunteered at the Forest Hills Com-.g_ munity House as a youth organizer,

where-she and her peers organized a fair to help eliminate cultural stereo­types within the community and cre-

ated a documentary ccmcerning media biases and how women's self-images were atfected by the media. She was rec­ognized by Thirteen WNET New York for her work.

After visiting her family in India three years ago and observing the lack of emphasis placed on education, par­ticularly for females, she says she feels "very privileged" to be able to have the chance to pursue her dreams.

Nisha offers words of advice for her fellow Harrisites; she urges incoming · freshmen to ''take everything one step at a time" and sophomores and juniors to "work hard and never slack off."

Sports Awards applauds athletic achievement by Alyssa Chase

The annual Sports Awards dinner on Ju.ne 8 highlighted the achievements of student athletes. Held at the Reception House on Northern Boulevard, the din­ner celebrated impressive individual performances aqd applauded the 14 teams that advanced to playoffs.

Coaches presented members of their teams with Most Valuable Player, Most Improved Player, Rookie of the Year, and Coach's Awards. Varsity bowling,

basketball, and softball player Katherine Incantaloupo, senior, was named Ath­lete of the Year along with senior John Tatti, a member of the basketball, soc­cer, and baseball teams.

Seniors Ari Gayer and Christina "C.C.'~ Chai were acknowledged as re­cipients of the Spring Reisman PS~L Wingate Award, which recognizes these athletes as the best tennis player and handball player, respectively, in New York Ci,ty. Their team shirts will be dis-

played in the lobby alongside the uni­forms of other school legends.

The Sports Awards also honored sophomores Devotia Moore and Susan Wasserman. Devotia qualified for state and national events in track and field, and is also the new PSAL record holder in the steeplechase. Susan won the pole vault competition at sophomore city championships. Senior tennis player Chantal Bruno and Sotiris Georgiou advanced to finals in the PSAL mixed

!Editors; good-byes p.2

Inter-ethnic dating p.3

College slats p. 4-5

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doubles competition. . Students generally enjoyed the sports

banquet. Senior Andrea Mock, a mem­ber of the girls' Varsity Volleyball team said, "I really enjoyed spending time with my team friends and coaches. Win­ning my first trophy, the Coach's Award, [at] my last Sports Awards dinner [made it] one that I will definitely remember for the rest of my life." Senior track member Zoie Blackwood called it "the best way to end an awesome year.''

Staff retirements p. 6-7

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Editors' Good-byes: It's been an interesting four years, to say the least. It wasn't easy for

anyone and, at times, it felt like we would never see the end, but it's finally over and the next step in our future is about to begin. Whatever circumstances brought us together within the halls of this school, we walk out of them different people. We have all made lasting friend­ships, built wonderful working relationships with our teachers, and walked away with invaluable learning experiences that will benefit us in our college experience and beyond.

I know that I will never forget the friends I made in this school and those teachers who made a difference.

I entrust this newspaper to next year's editors and staff, urging them to invest their skills and dedication in it and, in return, to get as much learning experience out of it as possible. Working on The Classic made my senior year what it was - hectic and stressful - but it was also career- defining and an altogether rewarding experience. My best wishes especially go out to the 2005-2006 editorial staff: Chris, Diana, Jocelyn, Michelle, Vivian, Alexandra, Rookie, and Laura; remem· ber to have fun along the way. To my mentor, Ms. Cowen, thank you for all you've done and the great advice you've given me this year.

The newspaper will not be the same without you. Francesca Pizarro- Editor-in-Chief

, , C"">Pres;;,gtbe higl) '<hOOI,expene..,e into ink has been no easy !ask. E<perially,,woon more <>bvio"' Woi<f cboiees, sue), a; "school," "BhideQ~·· 'nd ~·are, accotdlng to student journalism <nJes, iJJegaJ

il) 11ead1ines and leads; I've had fun experimenting with words >nd Phrase, 1/Jce "institutiom>f lea,jng," ~\>~pil," and "P<dagogue"ro dodge:fbese taboo "'~rds, "J'dit teally tickle, me, newspaper netd that I am, When We -eup With a headline that uses alliteration. ·

t heed In embfo<e Fran, Tan>z, Meemers, Lau,a, Diana, Chris, Micbelle, Eugene, Ann. Joss, and Ms. Cowen in a giant lexical Oug. You are the mosr lnotJv'lted People and best Writ""(and photograph., and aniit!) that I hOve ever met. You are the only Ol>ei Who cOuld have made C<><ning to school during vacations and staying Ia"' aft., schOOl fun, Which basically sums up how amazing You all are,

We nave had E<'eat memories,. from our cooing keyboards .and lalking computers "'"ned "tier Shakes~ characten to our fOod •mergenci., and Diana·, lecboo ~.Usic. SJ>ecial'fbanks to Ms. Wiscberth, Who allowed us to invade the photOg,aphy 1:0am at odd hours and bombatd bor With requests fo~ qUOtations. , ,

Finally, I'd li!Q, !o give a sbo~tout to Illy traclcies, wb~ blitzed Qneen, and

City CJiamps this seasop!And ofC<>o/!e, I need to hoJJa (yes, You s.,•,tb'e IV<>nf "boiL!" in 7'l,e C/a;r!fc) at aU my seOennnniiijoooors!

g Alyss~~ Ch~se~ Co-news Editor

Nothing says it better than Coldplay. In the song, "Speed of Sound," Chris Martin sings, "Where to, where do I go ?/If you never try, then you'll never know." That's high school for you; four years of not

········· knowing until the final week of your senior year passes by and a wave of

The Classic's six senior editors witl be leav­ing this ye:ar as part of the tradition of graduat­ing. sources reported l~t week. In a brief speech delivered friday to the newspaper's editors and

r - - - ...,..._ ... _~ , .•. , advisor. the Feature editor, Tanaz Talebpour had -··-··· . ~- this to say:

''This isn't going to be easy for me. Perhaps the best way to start off is by ac­knowledging everyone's hard work and dedication to this epitome of high-quality journalism. I would tike to thank the editorial staff for their relentless efforts in pulling together afi amazing series of issues throughout the course of the year. Francesea, I admire your calm optimism and determination, and thanks for the PageMa'ker ·and Photoshop mini-lessons. Alyssa, your .willingness to help me with anything at any time meant a lot; Mimi, I had so much fun with you as my 'editing partner'; Chris, thanks for being serious and getting down to business, and Diana, you were always there to make us laugh, which is something we all needed; Jocelyn, I hope you enjoyed being our apprentice. Michelle, Laura and Eugene, you helped make The Classic what it is. I cannot express how fortunate I am to have had the

opportunity to work wtth such talented individual's." She continued, "Thanks toM~. Wischerth, who allowed me to work on the

pages during my free periods, and brought us bagels whenever she could. Finally, I'd like to extend my appreciation to someone I've known since the beginning af my experience in journalism, the person who helped launch me as a journalist. Ms. Cowen, thank you for being the phenomenal advisor that you were, and the

outstanding teacher that you are.'' When asked to comment on how she feels about leaving, Tanaz said she was

_ going to miss everyone. ,.._lilliiiLIIIo. Tanaz Tal~bpour- Feature Editor

nostalgia slaps you and then you suddenly realize that everything has fallen into place and you have a faint idea of where you are going.

It's difficult to translate into words the mix of emotions I feel at the mo­ment and I have yet to think of any advice worth dispensing to future seniors (except to sign in). Graduating now is not th~ same as it was in junior high -my eyes were much better then, I didn't have any wrinkles on my forehead, and we didn't have (graduation) caps- but this one will be sweeter. The fine battle lines etched on my face are a small price to pay for the arsenal of memories and friends I've made, experiences I've had, and opportunities I've seized in high school. So merci. buckets to all as I end this chapter of my life and begin a new one elsewhere.

Life will always keep you on your toes, so be prepared to dance to it and to embrace the different beats it will play for you ... but don't be afraid to jive to your own tunes. "When you see it, then you'll under-stand .... "

• Mimi Chung- Co-~ews Editor

It has truly been a pleasure working with such an amazing group of talented individuals led by such an excellent advisor and teacher. It has also been an honor helping create the best newspaper our school could possibly have. Ms. Cowen, thanks for all your guid­ance along the way. I admire you for the patience, generosity, and open-mindedness you have had with the staff and me. You've done a great job guiding us, and I'm glad to have met you and worked with you since day one. Thanks for making this year the best ever.

0 "

:~ 2em in r:;;:;·~~ advisor \ .vr nP. se

Eugene To- Art Editor

Congratulations Class. of 2005!

From The Classic

News Staff: Andrea Gavora, Megan Law, Robert McCullogh, Lance Tomas, Jocelyn Wright

Christopher Amanna Managing Editor

Michelle Montgoris Sports Editor

Laura D' Amato Photography Editor

Francesca Pizarro

Editor-in-Chief

Alyssa Chase

Mimi Chung Co-News Editors

Tanaz Talebpour Feature Editor

Eugene To Art Editor

Ann Margaret Santa-Ines Business Editor

lisa Cowen Advisor

Diana Bell Food and

Entertainmen~ Editor

Principal • Mr. Thomas Cunningham

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Feature Staff: Faith Aronowitz, Michelle Boutis, Cindy Chen, Gloria Chen, Tiffany Cheng, Annie Choi, Marissa Green, Elena Gullotta,Shruti Kamawat, Sangsoo Kim, Veronica Kim, Maureen McCluskey. Donna Mordente, Stephanie Pak, Mary-Grace Papatheodorou. Jennifer Park, Darcy Rendon, Alexis Serra, Priti Shah, Marlene Sim. Nisha Singh, Anita Sonawane, Samia Ullah, Christine Whang, Janet Whang, Maria Wojakowski, Devon Wright, Madeleine Wright

Sports Staff: Rookminie Behari. Gabriele Guelly, Lauren Korzeniewski, Maureen McCluskey, Michelle Montgoris. Alex Rush. Lance Tomas, Wendy Yan

Artists: Mitchell Bader, Darren Deoraj, Rowena Eng, Bonnie Ng

Photography Staff: Diana Deng, Warren Cheng, Hannah Kang, SunMei Liu, Matthew Molina, Tabassum Rahman, Jonathan Stein, Alexandra Stergiou, Anne Tan, Patricia Tolete

Business Staff: Janet Hwang, Nora O'Brien. Sorah Park, Kim Quon

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Townsend Harris High School at Queens College 149-11 Melbourne Avenue, Flushing, N.Y. 11367

The Classic is an open forum for the expression of student views. The opinions expressed therein should not be taken to represent those of the administration or faculty or student body as a whole.

Readers are invited to submit letters to the editor. Letters should be placed in Ms. Cowen's mailbox in Room 315 ore-mailed to thhsclassic@yahoo.com. The Classic reserves the right to edit all letters. Letters must include name and official class. Names will be withheld upon request.

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- ~ . .....__ The Classic 3 • Summer 2005

Young poets immerse themselves in verse by Marissa Green

The roar of airplanes over­head and the buzz of cars driv­ing by competed with the voices of performers at the sec­ond annual Phoenix poetry reading on June 10 in the court­yard . The background noise, which Engli sh teacher Robert Babstock compared to being on a "fli ght deck of an aircraft car­rier," seemed to fit in with the event 's. chosen theme "New York, New York."

"It wa s a f ine id e a th a t turned into a brilliant mistake," said Mr. Babstock the advisor of the Phoenix, the school lit­erary magazine.

Though sophomore Jackie Aubel pointed out that the air­planes "made it hard at times to hear the readers, " sophomore

"Theme for English B," by Langston Hughes, how amazed he was by the fact that so many stu-

"€ dents were there on a Fri­-5 day after school. H e ~ stressed how something .s '5 ..c

like this happens "only at Townsend Harris ."

~ Two poems were per-~ formed enti rely in Span­~ ish and one poem was ~ read in Creole. "T he 5 more languages the mer-u 2 rier," said Mr. Babstock. 0 .

.g_ He even stated that per-

Senior Ksenia Yachmetz engages her audience at the second annual poetry reading.

haps a multi -li ngual cu l­tural theme could be an

Nancy Lee liked the outdoor setting.

The poetry reading had a good turnout fo r its second run

this year. English teacher Jo­seph Canzoneri was one of the very first performers and rriade sure to note before delivering

option for fu ture Phoenix poetry readings.

The event featured some re­turning performers , who are be­ginning to accumulate fans

from the student body. Senior Ky le G ilbride presented an original musical piece acousti­cally and Krystal Hartley and Kris Imperati continued their comical duet narration from the reading held earlier this year.

Many reci tations strayed from the chosen theme "New ' .Yo rk, New York," but M r. Babstock responded by stating that "Kids read their own po­e try that is accepted by the Phoenix and therefore st i II mainta in s the 'Phoen ix ' theme."

Sophomore Cri stina Baran said , "Poetry is about express­ing yourself and even if it's off to pic , it' s about expressing something you feel strongly about and that 's close to your heart. "

Inter-ethnic dating finds widespread acceptance by Rookminie 'Behari

You've fou nd the perfect guy. He's cute, funny, sweet, and everything that you could possibly want in a boyfriend. There' s only one possible prob­lem.

He's black. And you' re white . Years ago, inte r-eth ni c

couples faced widespread dis­crimination, but attitudes are changing. It' s evident on tele­vision, in movies, in books, and through other types of media.

In a2003 interview dealiug solely with black and white in­terracial dating, Jack Ludwig, director of research for Gallup Poll Social Adults, reported that "17% of white teens said they had dated a black person and 44% of black teens said they had dated a white person. When those who had not had an in­terracial dating experience were asked whether they would ever consider interracial dating, 55% of white teens said they would consider dating a black person, and 61% of black teens said they would consider dat­ing a white person."

A poll conducted this month by The Classic asked students if they had ever dated someone of another ethnicity. Out of 220 responses, 4 1% of students said yes, whi le 59% said no. When asked if they would consider dating someone of a different ethnicity, 80% of students said they would, while only 15% said they would not; 5% of stu­dents were unsure. Around 60 students pergrade responded to this poll.

As the poll indicates, inter­ethnic dating in Townsend Har­ri s is not uncommon. "I feel datin~ .someGnle out. of .your . own race in Townsend HaPris

is perfectly fine. It shows how much our society has changed over time because in the 'old days,' people weren't even al­lowed to have that possibility. In our environment we are al­lowed to have that choice, es­pecially when eve ryone is of d i fferent eth ni cit ies ," said sophomore Lina Li.

W hen asked in the poll how their family and friends would react to their dating someone of a different ethnicity, some stu­dents expressed how angry their families would be. " I would be talked to about keep­ing the faith and [would be] dis­couraged greatly," said one male junior. "My family would totally object," said a female · sophomore.

However, many students said their families wouldn't care. "[My parents] would be judgmental at first, but then

they'd be okay with it," said one senior.

"[My parents] would like to learn about that person 's cul­ture," said a female fre shman.

One female teacher added , "Some people pre fer dati ng people from their own cultural or racial background . Other people broaden thei r criteria and are open to dating people of another race . I think ul ti ­mately it is j ust really impor­tant for people to marry some­one who shares the same val­ues as they do, •regardless of their race, especially if they in­tend to start a family."

"It [interracial dating] is not a new concept," said chemistry teacher Tom Sangiorgi, "The more interracial dating is ex­posed, the more people will accept it." He added, "It kind of expands your horizons on how different cultures view

life ." Dating someone out of your

ethnicity can be both a learn­ing experience and a challenge. Sophomore Laura Vasquez, a Venezuelan Christian, has been d a tin g so ph om o re Vi sha l Mukherjee, a Bengali Hindu, for over a year. Both have dated outside their ethn icities before, and said that this never mat­tered. " It depends on the per­sonal ity, not on the color of your skin," said Vishal. "And when you date someone out of your race, you Jearn so much more about other people. It re­ally is a learn ing experience," said Laura. They have never ex­perienced any type of discrimi­nation as a couple, but Vishal added, "Some people don't like the fact that we're together. But you can't let that get to you."

A male teacher of Ital ian/ German descent, who asked to

Would you date someone of another ethnicity?* O.rtiW(]

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.•••• ~c·············· ·.· ...... ·87%·.·.·. .......... ...........

[•Yes l ~~~:sure .

*Based on a June 2005

Classic poll of approximately 220 ·students · · .-.. · · -

remain anonymous, spoke of his relationship to his Indian girlfriend. "Anyone who has met my girlfriend thinks she's absolutely great," he said, "My family's been very supporti ve of it. But it's a culture shock for some fam ilies ."

For some famil ies, the big­gest issue seems to be religion. "It's against my religion, and my religion comes before any­thing," said a j un ior female .

The mass media has been endorsing inter-ethnic dating. The entire plot of the movie Save the Last Dance revolved around the character of Ju lia Stiles, who is white, falling in · Jove with a black teenager from Chicago. On Friends, people watched Ross (David Schwimmer) and Joey (Matt LeBlanc), who are white, court African-American Charlie (Aisha Tyler). In several mov­ies, such as .Bend it Like Beckham, Joy Luck Club, Mis­sissippi Masala, and West Side Story, the issue of interracial dating is addressed. Through My Big Fat Greek Wedding, in­ter-ethnic marriage is explored through humor.

Inter-ethnic dating has come a long way throughout the years. Though it has been a slow and gradual process·, it is constantly seen through the mass media and, more often than not, throughout the melt­ing pot of ~ew York City.

Sources: "Q&A: Black-White Relations in the

U.S., Part II." The Gallup Organi­zation. I 3 May 2003. Online. 19 Dec 2004. <http;//www.gallup. com/poll/content/login .aspx?ci =8638>

Bowman-Kruhm, Mary and Claudine Wirths . Discrimination and Preju­dice. New York: The Rosen Pub-

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4 The Classic

Summer2005 ----~~~"----------------------------- -Where to next year?: Class of

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CLASS OF 2005

NAME

ABAYEV.INESSA ABRAHAM, JOEL ADAMS, DOLORES

AGLIALORO. MATTHEW

AHMAD, MARIAM

AHMADI, ROHINA

AHMED,IMAN

AHN, THOMAS

ALBARRACIN.RAQUEL

ALIAKBER, HEIKAL

ALOGNA. DANA

AMIN, NIMESH

AMORILLO, ANDREA

AN, JONATHAN

ANAM, ANIKA

ANDERSEN, TIMOTHY

ANNABI, SAMIRA

APPIAH, CLAIRE

ARONOVA, YESENIYA

ARREDONDO, STEPHANIE

BABOUMIAN, SHAUNTE

BADALA, MICHAEL

BAJWA, AYESHA

BALARAMAN, AMUDHA

BARAS, IRENE

BARVELS, JACQUELINE

BENNETT, DIEDRE

BEREZA,YEUZAVETA

BERLINER, EMILY

BHAGWANDIN, NATASHA

BHUIYAN,.JENNIFER

BHUYAN, SADIA

BISUNDIAL, VIMAL

BLACKBURN, JASMIN

BLACKWOOD, ZOIE

BOCCHI, DAVID

BRAVO, HELEN

BRUNO, CHANTAL

BUONINFANTE. CHRISTINA

CADELINA; WINDELL

CAMPOS, DIANA

CARROLL, ELIZABETH

CASTILLO, STEPHANIE

CHAE, JANIPER

CHAI, CHRISTINA

CHAN, BONNIE

CHAN. LILLIAN

COLLEGE ATTENDING

FORDHAM UNIVERSITY NEW YORK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY CUNY BARUCH CUNY BARUCH ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY SUNY STONY BROOK NEW YORK UNIVERSITY BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY CUNY HUNTER DREXEL UNIVERSITY CUNY HUNTER BOSTON UNIVERSITY NEW YORK UNIVERSITY COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY CUNY BROOKLYN B.A.-M.D. SUNY STONY BROOK NEW YORK UNIVERSITY HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY CUNY HUNTER (HONORS) ADELPHI UNIVERSITY BARNARD COLLEGE CUNY BARUCH CUNY BARUCH ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY CUNY QUEENS

· SUNY ALBANY SUNY STONY BROOK SIENA COLLEGE CUNY QUEENS (HONORS) CUNY QUEENS ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY PHARMACY CUNY HUNTER JOE KUBERT SCHOOL (GRAPHIC ARTS) HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BOSTON UNIVERSITY SUNY FASHIQN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

CUNY QUEENS (HONORS) PACE UNIVERSITY NEW YORK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SUNY BINGHAMTON BOSTON UNIVERSITY SUNY STONY BROOK BARNARD COLLEGE SUNY STONY BROOK CUNY BARUCH

' ' ' . ''

. . ..

CHAN, PAMELA

CHANCER. JACQUELINE

CHASE, ALYSSA

CHAUDHRY, SUMRA

CHENG, MELISSA

CHEUNG, NINA

CHEUNG. PO VEE

CHI, HAZEL

CHINCHA, ALBERT

CHINWA, TANYA

CHIU, PATRICIA

CHOE, CHRISTINE

CHOI, JUNG MIN

CHONG HYON JIN

CHUNG, CHERMIN

CHUNG, LILLIAN

COHEN, MATTHEW

COLOSI, SABRINA

· CONNOLLY, COLLEEN

CORBETT, SARA

CRAWFORD, JOMAIRE .

CRISCIONE, JONATHAN

CRUZ, EPHRAIM

CUBAS, JORGE

CUOCO, GIANFRANCO

CURY,ELIZABETH

DADDARIO, DANIEL

DAMANAKIS, HARALAMBOS

DAMATO, LAURA

DE LA ROSA. ASHLEY

DEBRAH-KARI KARl, NANA

DENG, DIANA DIEHM, ANTHONY

DOSIL, MELISSA

DOWNEY, AMANDA

DRINKMANN, DANIELLE

DUELKA, MATTHEW

DULA, JAMILAH

DURANTE, CATHERINE

EATON, ALEXANDRA

FEDER; ELIZABETH

FELDER, ETHAN

FINKELSTEIN, MICHAEL

FLYNN, MARK

FOGEL, JENNIFER

FRENCH, NESSA

FRENKEL. MIKHAIL

FUNG, KIRSTIE

GAERLAN, STEPHANIE

GANDHAM,SHERLEEN

GAVORA,ANDREA

GAYER,ARI

GEORGES, JASON

GEORGIOU, SOTIRIS

GILBRIDE, KYLE

GO, KIMBERLY

GOLDSPIEL, GAIL

GOMES, ANGELINA

GONZALEZ, NINA

GRASSEL, AMY

GRAY, ELANA

GRUPSMITH, SAMUEL

GRZASLEWICZ, BARNABY

GUILLOU, CHRISTOPHER

HAAS, WARREN

HOM, MELISSA

HU, WINIFRED

HURT ADO, HEYDI

HWANG, JANET

HYLTON, DAVID

IMPERATI, KRISTOPHER

INCANJALUPO, KATHERINE

JAGROOP, ROBYN

JAIN, VIDUSHI

JOSEPH, DAVID

KAMATE, NENE

KAMLER, JENNIFER

KATWARU, MIRANDA

. .. '

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY CUNY BARUCH (HONORS) WELLESLEY COLLEGE NEW YORK UNIVERSITY I

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY CUNY HUNTER UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN CORNELL UNIVERSITY U.S. MARINE CORPS CUNY BARUCH CUNY BARUCH BOSTON COLLEGE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SUNY STONY BROOK NEW YORK UNIVERSITY . SUNYNEW PALTZ SUNY BUFFALO SUNY STONY BROOK NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SUNY BUFFALO ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY. PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MT. ST. VINCENT CUNY BROOKLYN NEW YORK UNIVERSITY HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY FORDHAM UNIVERSITY SUNY STONY BROOK 'BOSTON UNIVERSITY LOYOLA COLLEGE OF MARYLAND VASSAR COLLEGE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY CUNY HUNTER

ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ITHACA COLLEGE CUNY HUNTER (HONORS) BRYN MAWR COLLEGE SUNY ALBANY COOPER UNION CORNELL UNIVERSITY HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY CUNY QUEENS NEW YORK UNIVERSITY CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY VASSAR COLLEGE CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY SUNY STONY BROOK NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

. MC GILL UNIVERSITY DARTMOUTH COLLEGE NEW YORK UNIVERSITY FORDHAM UNIVERSITY SUNY PURCHASE BARNARD COLLEGE BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY HAVERFORD COLLEGE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT BOSTON UNIVERSITY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SUNY' BUFFALO OBERLIN COLLEGE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC SUNY BINGHAMTON COLGATE UNIVERSITY CUNY HUNTER BARNARD COLLEGE NEW YORK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY SUNY PURCHASE GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY CUNY BARUCH

. CUNY HUNTER (HONORS) UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY ST. JOHN'S UNJYERSITY

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- The Classic 5 Summer 2005

2005 to embark on college journey KAUFMAN, MATIHEW UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND RICE, HOPE SUNY NEW PALTZ KAUR,ARASHDEEP PACE UNIVERSITY RIGOGIANNIS. EFTHIMIA NEW YORK UNIVERSITY KHAIMCHAYEV, TAMARA POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY RISI, AMANDA FORDHAM UNIVERSITY KHAN,DEANDRA CUNY HUNTER{HONORS) RIVERA, ANGELA CUNY QUEENS KIM, ANNA TUFTS UNIVERSITY RIVERA, ARIEL SUNY NEW PALTZ KIM, CECILIA SUNY STONY BROOK RODRIGUEZ. EMMANIA DOWLING COLLEGE KIM.JINA ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY ROSAL, STEPHANY ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY KIM, KATHERINE M. ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY ROZENTSVIT, ARTUR CUNY HUNTER KIM. KATHERINE SUNY BUFFALO RYVKIN, BORIS BROWN UNIVERSITY KING. MAYA HOWARD UNIVERSITY KITAYCHIK, INNA CUNY BARUCH

~ KOLIOS, NICOLAS SUNY BINGHAMTON ' KOROSTELEVA,ALENA CUNY BARUCH . KORZENIEWSKI. LAUREN LEHIGH UNIVERSITY

KOUTAVAS, ERMINA LOYOLA COLLEGE OF MARYLAND KROWICKI, JEANMARIE SUNY STONY BROOK

~ KUPPERSTOCK, DANIEL ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY I KUZNIA, DOROTHY CUNY QUEENS • LAM, CHRISTINA SUNY BINGHAMTON . LEE, DAIN NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

LEE, DAVID SUNY BINGHAMTON c LEE, GRACE HARVARD UNIVERSITY I

- LEE. KEVIN POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY : LEE, MARK NEW YORK UNIVERSITY - LEES, HAYDEN RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN

LEUNG, CELINE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER LEVY, JOSHUA HAMPSHIRE COLLEGE LEW, JOANN SUNY BINGHAMTON LEWANDOWSKI, BARBARA SUNY ALBANY LE'\IVIS, HENRIETI A CUNY CITY (HONORS) LIAO, STEFANIE ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY LIM, SHARON UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA l.!IU, LAURA RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

I . UZZUL, JAMES BOSTON COLLEGE "

LU, CELIA ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY LUCAS, ADRIENNE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH LUKYANOVA, GAUNA CUNY BARUCH LUNA, LEANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY LYNCH, REBECCA COLBY COLLEGE MA, CHLOE CORNELL UNIVERSI:rY

: MA, KATHLEEN SUNY STONY BROOK I · MAGEE, HARRISON GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY I ; MAHMUD, SIDRAH CUNY CITY SOPHIE DAVIS BIOMEDICAL , MAITLALL, JASMIN PACE UNIVERSITY

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. SAINI, PRABHJYOT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY SAKKARI, NEETU SUNY STONY BROOK

.SANCHEZ, GRETCHEN CUNY BARUCH SANCHEZ, ZINA ' SUNY STONY BROOK · SANTA INES, ANN MARGARET NEW YORK UNIVERSITY -SAVOCA, MARIA SUNY NEW PALTZ SCHMIDGALL, CHRISTINE FORDHAM UNIVERSITY SEEMUNGAL, ELIZABETH ST. FRANCIS COLLEGE SEIDLER, KATHERINE WASHINGTON U. IN ST. LOUIS . SEQ, DIANNE · " SWARTHMORE COLLEGE SERRA, ALEXIS CUNY CITY SOPHIE DAVIS BIOMEDICAL SHAIKH,:UMAIR SUNY STONY BROOK SHAO, JOSEPHINE RUTGERS UNIVERSITY SHRIVASTAVA, DIVYAM CUNY BARUCH SHUM,LINDA WESt.EYAN UNIVERSITY _:_

SILVA, CHRISTINA PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY SILVA, NICOLE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY SINGH, DEVANA CUNY QUEENS SINGH, NISHA NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SMITH, IAISHA PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY SMITH, RACHEL HAMPSHIRE COLLEGE SNOP, JEFFREY FORDHAM UNIVERSITY SONG, MINJI CORNELL UNIVERSITY SOOHOO, VICKY CUNY QUEENS SORIA, MARGARET CUNY BARUCH SPENCE, JANAILE SUNY ONEONTA SRIDHAR, PADMAVATI COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY STIGLITZ, ARIEL NEW YORK UNIVERSITY STUTZ, JULIA GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY TAHIR, USMAN CUNY CITY SOPHIE DAVIS BIOMEDICAL TALEBPOUR, TANAZ FORDHAM UNIVERSITY TAM, EMILY UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA TAN, AMY COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY TAN, ANNE CUNY CITY (HONORS) TAQI, IRFAN SUNY STONY BROOK

MANIS, KIMBERLY COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY TATII,JOHN CUNY BARUCH MARKS, JAMES EUGENE LANG COLLEGE . TENN. LORIANN CUNY HUNTER MASCETTI, DAVID CUNY HUNTER TIAN, TIAN GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

1MASHAIQI, ZOOHRA ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY TIRADO, CAROLINA NEW YORK UNIVERSITY MCFARLANE, ASHLEY CORNELL UNIVERSITY TO, EUGENE SUNY BINGHAMTON MEDITZ, MELISSA HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY TORTORA. SAMANTHA LEHIGH UNIVERSITY MIKHAILOVA, MARGARITA CUNY HUNTER (HONORS) I TSIAKAS, CHRISTINA SKIDMORE COLLEGE MOCK, ANDREA ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY PHARMACY TZENG, CHHISTINA COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY MOUSSA WI, All COOPER UNION VALORE, NICOLE CUNY QUEENS MUCHA, MICHAEL CUNY QUEENS COLLEGE VARGAS: JASON CUNY BARUCH

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MUNOZ JOANNA CORNELL UNIVERSITY VAZCONES, JESSENIA CUNY QUEENS MURPHY, ALANA N.Y. INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY VELASQUEZ, YANINE FORDHAM UNIVERSITY NA, BRIAN HARVARD UNIVERSITY VENETSANOS, ANNA NEW YORK UNIVERSITY NIKNAM, REBECCA CUNY QUEENS COLLEGE VITIORINO, CHRISTINE CUNY BARUCH O,UNA NEW YORK UNIVERSITY VOURNAS, TINA ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY O'BRIEN, NORA NEW YORK UNIVERSITY WAGNER, AMANDA SUNY BINGHAMTON ONEFATER,ARTUR CUNY BARUCH WALLIN, AMY SUNY STONY BROOK OSTROBROD,ALEXANDER ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY WAQAS, MUHAMMAD NEW YORK UNIVERSITY PACLA, ROSEANNE ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY PHARMACY WICK, ALYSSA CUNY BARUCH (HONORS) PAN, GRACE NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY WILLIAMS, YVONNE DE PAUW UNIVERSITY PARK, EUNIE BOSTON COLLEGE WOJAKOWSKI, MARIA DUKE UNIVERSITY PARK, JENNIFER BROWN UNIVERSITY WONG, AMY ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY PASCHALIDIS, MARIA UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN WONG, HARRISON SUNY BINGHAMTON PATEL, NIKITA SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE WONG, JASON SUNY BINGHAMTON PAZHAYAMPALLIL, JESIL SUNY STONY BROOK WONG, KELLY CUNY BARUCH (HONORS) PECACHE, MICHAEL UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH WRIGHT, JODIE RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE PETRIZZO, ROBIN HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY WU. CATHERINE COLGATE UNIVERSITY PIZARRO. FRANCESCA CUNY QUEENS (HONORS) PUENTE, CINDY CUNY HUNTER (HONORS) RADHAY, KRISTEN CUNY HUNTER

WU, JASON SUNY STONY BROOK WU,JOYCE ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY (PHARMACY) YACHMETZ, KSENIA NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

RAFALOW, ASHLEY SUNY FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY YAMAMOTO, ANNA NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY RAHMAN, FARHANA CUNY HUNTER YANG, ESTHER NEW YORK UNIVERSITY RAMRUP, TRICIA AMERICAN UNIVERSITY YOU, MIN WOO SUNY STONY BROOK REK, MATEUSZ SUNY BINGHAMTON , ZAKIN, ELINA BARNARD COLLEGE -REN, JANICE ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY ZAMAN, HASAN CUNY BARUCH -

ZHENG, MINNA NEW YORK UNIVERSITY ZOUPANIOTIS, IRENE CUNY QUEENS (HONORS)

6 The Classic

Summer2005 -Six staff. members say .good-bye

Valerie Billy by Christopher Amanna

A famil iar face to generations of Harri sites will no longer grace the aca­demic hearth of the school -the library. After decades of enthusiastically assist­ing students wi th their research and lit­erary needs, librarian Valerie Billy will

JoAnn Gruber by Veronica Kim

After 21 ye ars of serv ice at Townsend Harris High School, secretary Jo Ann Gruber has announced her re­tirement. An original member of the

-staff when the school opened in 1984, she has been responsible for purchas­ing items essential to the funct ioning of Townsend Harris.

Ms. Gruber has been present to see the school's changes and improvements throughout the years. Recalling the school's first years, she said, "We went into an empty building ... and literally had to stock the entire school with li­brary books, office equipment and in­structional textbooks ."

She said that the school has changed dramatically since its re-opening. The transition into the larger Townsend Har- .

be giving her last (official) reading rec­ommendation.

As an original faculty member of the reopened school , Ms. Billy has been a key figure in the Townsend Harris com­munity since 1984. She is proud to have been one of the new school's pioneers.

Valerie Billy

"I was excited to be part of a team devoted to opening a high school in Queens dedi­cated to the Hum an i ­ties ," she said.

Over the years, Ms . Billy has

OJ) seen a lot of ~ changes in U the school ;:: , ~ the most $ dramatic £ being the ~ m o v e -§..from the

old build­ing to the new one.

ris building had made the school " less intimate."

For Ms. Gruber, being a part of the Townsend Harris community gave her the opportunity to see everything from the inside and the advantage of having "the unique vision of both sides of the coin." She was able to have this van­tage point because her daughter, Mara Gruber, was a member of the school 's first graduating class:

Ms. Gruber plans to travel and visit ancient sites in Rome and Greece this summer.

She also wants to volunteer in mu­seums and attend concerts and other events that interest her. Ms. Gruber hopes that the Melbourne Avenue build­ing will still be standing tall when her own grandchildren are ready to attend high school.

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She explained that the library in the old school shared space with the guidance office. "Every student going to guidance had to come in through the library," she said. "This [arrangement] was both good and bad," she added. While the close

· quarters of the old building might have been uncomfortable, it allowed her to get to know most everyone . .

Towards the school 's final years in the old building, overcrowding became so severe that academic classes had to be held in the library. For the sake of fai rness , the subject be(ng taught in the library would rotate between the diffe r­ent departmen ts. Since she could not help but listen, Ms. Billy joked, "It felt like I had a complete high school edu­cation again."

Ms. Billy looks back on her experi­ences at Townsend Harris with great fondness. She has enjoyed working with all the differeht faculty members and their varied personalities . Getting to know students and watching them grow as both students and people have also been rewarding for her. Seeing former' students at meetings of the school's Alumn i Assoc iation and realizing that they are "fully ad ults" amazes her. She said, "It's satisfy ing to remember them

Carol Homiak by Darcy Rendon

Carol Horniak, after working as a li­brary assistant at Townsend Harris for 18 years, has decided to put her career on the shelf and explore opportunities outside of school.

Ms. Homiak expressed some regret about her decision to retire . "With other schools, people want to retire and leave their jobs, but I don't want to leave. It's been great working here, a truly won­derful experience. Everything has been great: the people, the students, the at­mosphere, even the building."

Students expressed disappointment when they heard of Ms. Homiak 's plan to retire. Vidushi Jain, senior, said ''I'm sorry to see Mrs . Homiak leave because

as ninth-graders and . then see the won­derful people they have become today."

"One of the best things about my job is that I get to learn something new ev­ery day," Ms. Billy said, "because some­body asks a differe nt question every day."

When asked why she has chosen to retire now, Ms. Billy responded, "I ask myself that question every morning . I thoroughly enjoy what I'm do ing and don't want to stop , but I'm ready after 31 years [as a librarian] to move on to other thi ngs."

Some of these things include travel and possibly a part- time job. She also hopes to "read all the books [she's] been handing out to people." In addition, Ms. Billy plans to do community service be­cause she believes so strongly in help­ing people.

"I don't want her to retire," said As­sistant Principal of Humanities Susan Getting, "but I understand her choice." She commended Ms. Billy for her dedi­cation to the school and its ideals. "It's going to be difficult to find someone to fill her shoes," M s. Getting said. "She ' s not only a great librarian, but a great Hu­manities person. She really understands what Townsend Harris is about."

she has always been a great help in the library. She helped in finding books and was always happy to make us photo­copies. She is part of the great memo­ries seniors have of Townsend Harris ."

Students who volunteer in the library during their lunch band have worked side by side with Ms. Homiak. Vassil Urmov, sophomore, said, "She is very devoted to her work and always has a smile on her face. She is nice and po­lite."

Although she does not have any de­finitive plans at the moment, she antici­pates moving into a smaller home and spending more time with her grandchil­dren . "Nothing is set in stone," she said, " [but] traveling, like everyone says, would be nice."

-John Brown

by Diana Bell ''I'm a Townsend Harris Of­

fice Max," Mathematics teacher John Brown wryly re­plied when this reporter franti­cally told him he was a staple of the Townsend Harris experi­ence an<t begged him not to re­tire from teaching here at the end of the year.

Mr. Brown has been teach­ing for 33 years, the last 18 'at Townsend Harris. "I liked the idea of talking to people, and telling them something they didn't know," he gave as a rea­son for becoming a teacher.

Over the years, Mr. Brown has developed quite a reputa­tion due to his sense of humor. "He was always funny and never got corny," said senior Anna Kim.

His "chain rule doll" is an example that proves Anna's point. Problems in compre­hending calculus's difficult

Lauraine Goldflen by Marissa Green

"Make the most of every learning experience and re­member to dream big. The big­ger the dream, the bigger the dreams come true," said Lauraine Goldfien, Principal's Secretary for eight years. Ms. Goldfien is retiring to focus her time on her family.

Ms. Goldfien stated that her decision to retire was not an easy one and was "filled with a great de;1l of emotion." She felt she had "made her contribution and now is ready to move on to personal and family interests ." She plans to spend more time with her four grandchildren, ages I 0 months to II years, and with her husband as well.

She served as founding Prin­cipal Malcolm Largmann's sec­retary for three and a half years and as Thomas Cunningham's

chain rule (a formula for the de­rivative of the composition of two functions) led to his cre­ation of the chain rule doll to help emphasize it. He found the doll leftover from a past election simulation, and when nobody wanted it back, wrapped a chandelier chain around it.

Whenever his AP Calculus students make a mistake solv­ing a problem that needs the chain rule, Mr. Brown whips it out and says "You got tripped up on the chain rule."

Apparently, it works. "Now people are obsessed with the chain rule doll," he said. The chain rule doll has been kid­napped three times since it met its first class in 1996.

"She was recently kid­napped, went on a road trip, and came back with a boyfriend," related Mr. Brown.

Although he can't recall much about his early days as a

Harris teacher, Mr. Brown re­members advice given to him by former colleague Harry Rattien. "He told me, 'Kids here want to do well, and do what it takes to do well.' I found that to be true ."

He adds, "Over the course of 18 years, I can count on one hand the number of bad days I have had and the number of people I met whom I didn't like. Teaching here has been a great experience for me."

Mr. Brown will be leaving at the end of this year to work in a private school in Long Is­land. "The city is going to be very good to me," he said.

Mr. Brown will be missed. In fact, the 2005 yearbook re­ports that the senior class has voted him favorite faculty member. "He is a great teacher. The best teacher I ever had . He made it simple and enjoyable to learn,' ~ said senior Ali Moussawi .

Millie Toivonen by T.anaz Talebpour

'Tam inspired by the words of the Ephebic Oath - 'I shall leave my city greater than I found it,"' said College Of­fice secretary Millie Toivonen. After 20 years at Townsend Harris, she has de­cided that it is time to say goodbye.

Before coming to Townsend Harris, Ms. Toivonen worked at Francis Lewis High School in Fresh Meadows. Start­ing in 1984 at the "old" Townsend Har­ris building as one of the· school's original staff members, she first worked as a School Aide and then as an Educational Paraprofessional in the Guidance office.

"When the school tirst opened, we were in need of desks, supplies, etc.

Millie Toivonen

secretary for four and a half years.

Ms. Goldfien remembers her very first day working in the office that was the "heart" of the school. "The office was busy with assistant principals coming in early in the morning to say hello to the principal and start the day," she said.

Ms. Goldfien has worked as a secretary with five principals for over 28 years.

Prior to Townsend Harris, she served as the Principal's Secretary at Van Buren High School. She feels that choosing the career of a school secretary was the right decision . "No other career could have brought me into contact with so many interesting people and made me happier," she declared.

Mr. Cunningham com­mented on Ms. Goldfien's dedi­cation. "I can remember several

times her returning early from her lunch hour ... because she had obsessed about some for­gotten detail or missing comma. It always brought a smile to my face," he recalled.

Alth-ough Ms . Goldfien 's position didn't allow for much interaction with the student body, she says that she "nev-. ertheless admires their work and their emerging academic and individual talents."

On Ms. Goldfien's contri­butions to the school, Mr. Cunningham said, "Ms. Goldfien has the welcome habit of giving great advice to · all staff members, whether it is how to deal with a personal crisis, the bringing up of children, making each typed docu­ment a work of art, or gen­erally offering good cheer for those in need."

"Mr. Brown is a master teacher, one who truly makes mathemat­ics easier to un­derstand and also enjoyable," said Assistant Princi­pal of Math­ematics Ellen Fee. "It is very difficult to re­place a teacher like Mr. Brown, and we will miss his humor and dedication to students," she added.

Before he begins teach­ing again, Mr. Brown plans to spend his summer working in the city.

The Classic

Summer2005 7

£ 0 0 .c a.

John Brown

I had to xerox copies in the principal's office at Parson's Junior High School, which was across the street," recalled Ms. Toivonen. "Empty boxes were used as makeshift tables until desks arrived."

She remembers that in the spring of 1995, "the entire stu­dent body and faculty marched with a police escort from the old building on Parsons Bou­levard to our new location on the Queens College campus."

Ms. Toivonen remarks that as College Office secretary, "there's a lot of interact ion [with students]- from the time students first apply to college

Lauraine Goldfein

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until they get their acceptances -plenty of sharing and caring!"

She also added, "Many graduates return to the College Office when they are on break and tell us how Townsend Har­ris prepared them for college. All their hard work paid otT."

What will Ms. Toivonen mi~s most about her experience at Townsend Harris?

"I will miss the Townsend Harris family. Having worked under two administrations, I can attest lo the dedication of staff members who 'go the ex­tra mile' and who have made THHS a school of excellence," she said.

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8 The Classic

Summer2005 _____ L_·-----------------------------------

Kamate ready to go the extra mile by Alyssa Chase

"I believe that you can­not achieve your fullest po­tential until you truly believe that yQu are the best. In say­ing this, track has given me the ability to gain confi ~

dence, matur'ity, and drives me to succeed in life," says senior Nene Kamate.

showed up late to one of her races, but sailed past her com­petitors regardless, taking fifth in the race and earning her first medal.

. extra mile would come out the victor. I also learned that when you hit rock bottom, you have nowhere t6 go but up. And since then, I've been climbing my way up."

tively. Despite all

these achieve­ments, she re­mains close to her origina l team . "Most of the original members are n.o lo nger on the team be­cause they are older and lead­in g d ifferen t li ves . . . . As of now, I am the o ld es t on m y team . I look at

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Nene has gone the extra mile to triumph in national track and field competitions and earn All-American-Sta­tus . She has been recog­nized as one of the top I 0 junior athletes in the I OOm, 200m, 400m , a nd 400m hurdle races . Nene conti n­ues to slash her times and es­tablish hersel f as a candidate for the 2008 Olympics .

"At 12, I was, to say the least, unbeatable," she remem­bers. Nena won the I OOm and 200m races at the East Coast In­vitational and was named Most Outstanding Athlete in 1999. However, years of victory left her unprepared for the setbacks that an athlete almost inevita­bly encounters . She says, "Af­ter a great year when I was 12, I believe that I was in cloud nine and felt that I didn't need to practi ce because I was · great. . .. I put on some weight, I became lazy, and I didn 't have as much desire to run .... Deep do wn in side , I was scared I would never get better again and that I had lost a talent that could've taken me far."

Nene has since shattered her old times and shows no hint of slowing down. In the past year, she was a member of the na­tional champion 4 x 400 team at the USA Track and Fie ld (USTAF) Youth Nationals . At the USTAF Junior Olympics, Nene placed fifth in the 200m, th ird in the I 00 hurdles, and second in the 400 hurdles wh ile setting new personal records in each event. She came in fourth in a " too close to cal l" 60m hurdl e race a t the Nati onal Scholastics Champs. She re­ceived All -American recogni­tion by the "Bible of Track" mag azine Track and Field News for setting the third fast­est time in the 300m sprint this season. She anticipates drop­ping her 200 times into mid­high '2.3 seconds and ho.pes that her current I 00 hurdles and 400 hurdle times dip to 14 seconds and sub-60 seconds, respec-

my teammates as my siblings and they come Senior Nene Kamate sets her sights on the

At eight, Nena became attracted to the glory of run­ning and joined her neigh­borhood club team, the NY Novas . She recall s, "My friend, who lived up the block, showed me her tro­phies and medals, and I wanted to have a few of my own as well." Nena was im­mediately outstanding; she

After di sappointing races at the Junior Olympics and youth nationals, Nene was eager and motivated to improve . " I learned that at thi s point in the game, everyone was talented . Yet, the person who went the

to me whe n fini sh line.

they need help, a peer's help. I al so stand as a role model to many of them."

Nene was recruited by many and earned full scholarships to eight universities . She plans to attend the University of Florida and "become a Gator." Nene hopes that she will win several NCAA national titles in college and anticipates going pro. "If

all goes well , maybe I' ll be considered one of the best hurdlers that stepped foot on the track. M aybe I' II have a career great enough to compete with that of Gail Devers, the greatest hurdler of all times. I guess I ' ll continue to run until I can no longer move my legs."

Sen·iors Chai, Gayer wi·n Heisman trophy in the city, C.C. was given the Margaret Wigiser Award for the outstanding female student-athlete from amongst all Heisman

.S PSAL Wingate awardees . :g To C.C., "handball is ·, (.)

' ~ a passion, means of ex-~ ercise, way of getting rid "' ·c of stress, and so much <!)

{b more. It has helped me i grow as a teen player,

0 leader, and person ~ through lessons of in­'§ tegrity, discipline, 8 humility, and persev­o :g erance ." She con-

senior cnristina cnai successful\)' returns

ball at one of \let competitions.

P. tinued, "Winning the Heisman Award is a great feeling."

by Mimi Chung

Christina Chai

If anyone had asked senior Christina "C.C." Chai during her freshman year what her goal was for high school, her re­sponse would have been "to get the Heisman PSAL Wingate Award and to have my jersey framed on the wall in the lobby." On. June 15, C.C. had her wish come true as she, alongside other senior athletes, received their honors . In addi­tion to being named the best female senior handball player

"There couldn't have been a better recipient for the award," said second doubles player senior Diana Deng. "C.C. was the most qualified person to win it. She poured her heart and soul into playing handball, especially for the team."

For someone who took in­terest in the sport in the sixth grade after seeing her brother playing against his friends, C.C . 's years of practicing against her neighbors' brick porch and after school for hours have not only led her to munici­pal recognition for her skill in handball, but also national and

intern a tional acknow­ledgement. In 2004, she com­peted wifh the United States national team in Ireland and

, earned high honors . . . C. C., who one day wishes to be inducted into the Handball Hall of Fame, will try to start a handball team and introduce other students to the sport at Barnard College, where she will be attending this fall.

Ari Gayer

Newly crowned 2005 PSAL Individual Boys'

Singles Tennis champion Ari Gayer joins a group of athletes who received the

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PSAL Wingate Award at a cer­emony on June 15. The award honors New York City public high school seniors who are nominated first by coaches and then selected from a panel of PSAL staff for their achieve­ments in their respective sports. He was also recognized as the top scholar athlete in the city.

Gayer, a four-year member of the Tennis team and first singles player, became in­volved in the sport at the age of five with the encouragement of his father. Now playing tennis both for the school and inde­pendently with a private coach for national tournaments, Gayer's training regimen in­cludes practice "about five times a week for two to three hours a day, a,nd hitting the gym about three to four times a week." Boys' Tennis coach Robin Figelman commented, "[Ari's] gotten stronger and bigger over the past two years, and his play has been sharp."

Currently, Ari is ranked in the top five in the Eastern Sec­tion (New York, New Jersey and Connecticut) for boys 16 to 18 and in the top one hundred of the nation. He is ranked 14'h

for the Eastern National · Boys 18 years division,

and he holds the title • as "best in the city"

with his win at the

Standing ready for action, senior Ari Gayer anticipates the oncoming ball

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PSAL championships . Over the past four years, Gayer has had only four losses in all of hi s PSAL matches . He claimed an additional PSAL Individual City Championships title in 2003 and has won the "Most Valuable Player" award each year.

"[Tennis] has affected my whole life," said Gayer, who was recruited to play in the sport's Division One level by Dartmouth College. Gayer, who considers math as his fa­vorite subject in school, intends on majoring in economics with the hope of going into the busi­ness world when he graduates.

"He's poised, has finesse, and is always determ ined to win a point. He has super con­centration and possesses good qualities as a young man. He's sincere, outgoing, and he re­spects others," said Figelman . First Doubles players sopho­more Michael Malhame added, "Ari is a good leader for our team because he helps the other players by winning his matches and teaching the other players. He is the best tennis player and maybe one of the best athletes we' ve had in a while ."

When asked to comment on winning the Heismann PSAL Wingate Award , Gayer said, "I get to have my jersy hung up on the [school] wall."

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