With two unconventional years behind us and a bright year ahead of us, the Class of 2022 is ready to get back to normal and finish high school on a high note. Senior year can be the most exciting and memorable year in one’s life and for this year’s class, it will be. Senior year is a year to highlight and the time to emphasize one’s accomplishments throughout the years. This edition features Onondaga’s Class of 2022 President and Vice President. Nicholas Toomey, a top ten student in his class, is a Senior at Onondaga this year. He is unsure of his plans next fall but will probably enroll in OCC to explore future career options. In high school, Nicholas plays Basketball, Baseball and runs Cross Country. In Basketball, he is a Center and in Baseball plays third base and left field. Although Nicholas is a three sport athlete, his favorite sport is basketball, because of the team atmosphere and the intense, non-stop pace of the game. His favorite sports memory is Coby’s hat. Clubs Nicholas participates in include: Student Council, National Honor Society, Key club, German Club and Band. He is President of the Class of 2022, and Student Council Treasurer. Nick regrets not joining more clubs in his early years at the high school, adding that that you will never regret trying new things. Onondaga offers numerous classes in an array of subjects. Nicholas’ favorite class was German because of the fun environment and teaching strategies, as well as the interesting curriculum. Nicholas is going to miss his friends the most after graduating high school. High school is filled with many successes, even through difficult tasks, and for Nicholas, his proudest achievement is being ranked top ten in his class. His advice to underclassmen is to join numerous clubs and sports and be very involved in Onondaga’s extracurricular activities. “If you love something you have a passion for it, do it and whatever you do, whether a sport or a club, give it 110% effort.” High school is the time to explore what you do and do not like, so take advantage of it. You only go to high school once and it only lasts four years. Outside of school and sports, Nicholas enjoys playing basketball, hanging out with friends and spending time outside. In the summer, he worked in the Poultry Barn at the NYS Fair and continues to do yard work throughout the fall for neighbors. The person who inspires Nicholas the most is his mother because she always pushes him to do his best and supports him in all of his endeavors. Sophia Myer is graduating top in her class at Onondaga this year. Sophia is applying to prestigious colleges such as Cornell, the University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown, University of Rochester, and LeMoyne. While she may be applying to many universities, her first choice is the University of Rochester due to its location and science programs. In college, she plans on majoring in biology because she intends to pursue a career in the medical field that will require further education in medical school. In high school, Sophia plays soccer, lacrosse, and indoor track. In both soccer and lacrosse, she plays mid-field. In indoor track, she runs the 200m, 4x200m relay, and the 600m. While she is a three-sport athlete, her favorite sport is lacrosse because she got to meet new people from LaFayette that she has now become friends with. Sophia’s favorite sports memory is having a home Sectional game for soccer. Although they lost the game, being able to represent their school on their home field created an exciting energy and a sense of pride. Sophia is a member of multiple clubs at Onondaga. She is secretary of Key Club, president of Varsity Club, secretary of National Honor Society, and is the Vice president of the Class of 2022. Her favorite high school memory is this year's homecoming and senior night. Having all of her friends and family there to support her was meaningful and memorable. Her teammates decorated posters and the locker room in honor of the senior soccer players’ successful careers. While the game ended in a tie after double overtime, the girls left it all on the field, creating an unforgettable night for Sophia. Her proudest accomplishment is earning the titles of 1st All-League Soccer team and 2nd All-League Lacrosse team. When Sophia is not on the field or in school, she is a cashier at the Amphitheater parking lots for concerts. In ten years, Sophia imagines herself as a doctor, working hard in the medical field to make a lasting impact. Her advice to underclassmen is “don’t stress too much.” Good luck Sophia and Nicholas in all your future pursuits!
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This year, senior year was nothing like many imagined nor what they never would of hoped for. For many seniors, the year fell short of what it could have been, what memories could have been made, and what goals could have been achieved. However, this does not demean the great achievements of Dylan Price and Nicole Dooley. Dylan Price, the Onondaga Class of 2021 Salutatorian will graduate with an average of 99.63. In the fall, he will go onto college, majoring in Business Administration or Finance. Dylan has been accepted to University of Virginia, Villanova University, Fordham University and Seton Hall University. He is awaiting decision from several other colleges. What excites him most about college is to have “more opportunities to prepare for a successful career, taking new classes and meeting new people.” At OCS, Dylan has taken numerous College and AP classes and is currently taking AP Psychology and A.P. Government. In the past years, he has completed A.P. U.S. History, A.P. World History earning a 5 on both exams. As a senior, he took a Financial Accounting class at OCC. Since this class was not available at OCS, Dylan spoke with Mr. Ciereck and arranged to take this class and learned a lot. Dylan strongly recommends that “If there is a class you want to take in a subject that OCS does not offer, talk to Mr. Ciereck about taking it at OCC.” History is Dylan’s favorite subject, having enjoyed all the classes. In addition, he also enjoyed A.P. Psychology, College English, and OCC Financial Accounting. He also liked Earth Science. Dylan suggests for students to take Public Speaking, Creative Writing with Mrs. Ferris, and Modern American History as electives since they were valuable classes and taught important life-long skills. Adding that “They will complement your other classes and teach skills you will need in life.” When Dylan is not working hard academically, he is working hard on the mat and running hard, participating in Cross Country, Track & Field, and Wrestling. While Dylan qualified for Classes last track season in the 200 M, 400 M, 800 M, 1600 M, and 3200 M, his favorite races are the 800 M and the 1600 M. By winning Classes in the 800 M, he advanced to State Qualifiers in that event. In Cross Country of his Sophomore year, Dylan qualified for States, running against hundreds of runners. At States, Dylan was a member of the Section III State Champion team. Although Dylan was successful in running, his main sport was Wrestling, achieving a total of 169 varsity career wins, winning 14 tournaments, 4 League Championships and 3 Class Championships. But his achievements did not stop there. He joined the varsity team as a 7th grader and placed 3rd in Sectionals. He continued to place 3rd at Sectionals in both 8th and 9th grade. In 8th grade, Dylan was a State Qualifier at 113lbs, earning a wildcard. In his Sophomore year, Dylan Price became the Section III Division II 132lb champion. At 138lbs, he won Sectionals again his Junior year, earning the title of Two Time Sectional Champion. Also in his Junior year, Dylan broke the Onondaga School record for wins of 164. As a Junior, Dylan placed 4th at the New York State Wrestling Tournament which was his favorite high school memory and proudest high school accomplishment because “it is a culminating moment of hard-work”. In addition to wrestling since he was five years old he explains that it is his favorite sport because, “wrestling is the most rewarding of the sports I do since I have to not only work-hard but sacrifice to achieve my goals. In wrestling, there is also a lot of freedom. You can pick and choose what moves work for you and what you like. Most importantly, you are the only one on the mat. There is no one else to blame or fall back on. You have to be self-reliant. Self-reliance is an important American value” Wrestling all these years has taught him “, dedication, grit and hard-work,” invaluable life lessons that will stick with him for the rest of his life. If Dylan had to describe himself in word it would be determination. Dylan plans to be four sport athlete his senior year having participated in cross country, wrestling, football and planning on track next season. On top of academics and athletics, Dylan Price participates in countless extra-curriculars, performing duties that help OCS and the community become a better place. Dylan has been Student Council President since 10th grade. Along with being Student Council President, Dylan has been Key Club Co-President since 11th grade. In Key Club, he has organized the ornament fundraiser with IIP, as well as helping with the Food Drive and Christmas Card drive for troops. IIP, also known as the International Internship Program, was founded by Dylan Price after attending the summer program at Georgetown University. Since 10th grade Dylan served as IIP Team Leader, he has “worked with the International Internship Program and learned a lot of valuable international business skills.” Dylan has worked with a range of business partners from a fish farmer, a motorcycle repair shop owner to a welder. Another contribution Dylan made to OCS was founding the Model UN team, saying that “As an 8th grader, Ms. Delgado was looking for a way to help students learn more about history. I attended a Model UN camp a few years earlier and thought it would be a good idea to start at OCS. We would meet weekly to develop solutions to global issues and everyone would represent a country and we would vote on the proposal.” Furthermore, Dylan was Marketing Director SECNY Tiger Branch, Class President in grades 8-10, and is currently a member of National Honor Society, Spanish Club, a Peer Mentor/Peer Tutor and was Class President for three years. Besides sports, Dylan’s favorite extracurricular was “working at SECNY Tiger Branch and serving as Student Council President.” Dylan encourages “all students to either become a member at the Tiger Branch or work there.” As a sophomore and Treasurer of Junior Honor Society, Dylan organized Operation Shoebox to get donations for troops serving overseas. Dylan has been a major contributor to Onondaga’s newspaper, while serving as Editor-in-Chief starting an online website for the paper, starting the usage of a consistent format, increasing the number of editions with the addition of more content and increasing viewership. Even with Dylan’s busy schedule, he makes time to work at Sollecito Landscaping Nursery. This year will be his third year working there. At Sollecito, he “learned a lot of valuable information about horticulture, improved sales skills, and develop leadership skills.” Dylan has a “variety of duties that include sales, training new employees, tracking inventory, watering the plants, pruning, weed control and any other needed tasks.” This ties to one thing many people do not know about Dylan. He is very knowledgeable about plants and can answer any landscaping questions. To fulfill his political interests and fight for his values, Dylan has worked on several campaigns. For three election years, including 2016, 2018, and 2020, he assisted the John Katko for Congress, making phone calls and going door knocking. Other campaigns were Bob Antonacci for State Senate in 2018 and Matt Beadnell for County Comptroller in 2019. In high school Dylan says sophomore year was his favorite year since it was a full school year and he excelled at the higher level in all three sports he participated in. One thing Dylan will miss about high school is his daily politics update with Mr. James. When asked what Dylan does in his spare time, he said “I don’t really ever have spare time” but if he does he likes to hike and read. One of the greatest influences in Dylan’s life has been his mom since “she was a stay-at-home mom I spent a lot of time with her and she helped get me where I am.” Most importantly, Dylan wants to thank his family: mom. dad and sister ,Natalie for all the support that have given him. Fast forward ten years from now, Dylan wants to have started and be running his own company. His advice for underclassmen is this: “Don’t be lazy. There is nothing worse than mediocrity. Set goals. Work-hard and keep fighting to achieve them. “ After being accepted to Binghamton University, Nicole Dooley plans to attend there. At Binghamton, she will major in biomedical engineering, saying that “I knew I wanted to be in the medical field, but after volunteering at Crouse Hospital I realized I did not want to do patient care but rather go down the research route. As time and technology move forward the field will always be changing, so always room for new innovations.” The STEM field interests Nicole because of the hands-on research and the ability to work towards inventing new technology that will help others. Her dream is “to be able to help improve an already existing technology and to make it more accessible to people who are less fortunate.” Nicole loved attended a small high school, knowing everyone, and being apart of a tight-knit community. However, she feels it will be a “nice change to meet other students with different backgrounds.” Since college is a new experience, Nicole is most scared about the classes she will have to take, saying that she has done well in high school due to teachers walking us through processes and answering all questions. She is aware that college will have larger classes, removing one on one time with a professor, fearing this will “take a toll on my performance.” Nicole Dooley will graduate 5th in her class having a GPA of 98.95. She took College and AP classes throughout high school. Her favorite class was the Global Environment and Human Interactions through ESF taught by Mr. Mauro. Although Nicole was “a bit skeptical” when she discovered only one other person was in the class, she enjoyed it. The small size allowed them to talk about environmental topics “more comfortably” and “freely.” This class inspired her to be a lot more environmentally conscious. Nicole especially loved the support from her teachers in high school. “Throughout high school, I could not even count the amount of times I would stop into Mr. Melfi or Mr. Miller’s room when I was confused about the content. They never turned down my questions and I never left feeling confused.” When it came to applying to college, she was able to talk to Mr. Sharpsteen and Mrs. Kurucz, making her more comfortable with college. Her favorite high school memory was the last rehearsal for The Little Mermaid. Although the show was never shown, “I was able to see the final product and see how hard my new close friends had worked to make that happen.” Nicole believes she will miss high school more than she thinks. She will miss the team bondings and relationships she developed through sports. The proudest moment of her high school career was when she was applying to colleges. “Besides one, I know I had a very strong chance of going anywhere I wanted.” She worked tirelessly every day for three years to reach this moment and “participated in countless activities and went above and beyond the requirements.” Nicole’s advice to underclassmen is this: “Try to make the best of it. It's six years of your life. If you have the tiniest interest in a club but are unsure just join. Clubs and sports are a great way to make friends. Having a common goal in a group has a good way of bringing people together.” Beyond academics, Nicole was a three-sport athlete, running track and cross country along with playing basketball. In track and field, Nicole was a distance runner. As for her position in basketball, she plays post. Out of these three sports, her favorite is cross country since “everyone is so supportive, even other teams.” Nicole also loves her basketball team because she feels like “we are a small family.” As a student at Onondaga, Nicole was extremely involved in extracurricular activities, being a member of the Key Club, Class Officers, Student Council, Newspaper Club, International Internship Program, National Honor Society, Drama Club, Environmental Club. Not only is Nicole Vice President of the Class of 2021 and Student Council, she is also President of Key Club. Nicole’s role in Key Club included volunteer opportunities such as the salvation army Gift Drive and introducing the Angel Stockings drive. In Newspaper Club, Nicole is most known for her recipes. Although she doubted them at first, thinking they were a “bit stupid”, but after skipping an edition, she received multiple messages on social media asking where her recipes were. Nicole continued to say “I love sharing the recipes I make with my family so others can have those experiences as well.” Her favorite recipe is cinnamon rolls. Even though they are very time-consuming, baking relaxes Nicole, giving her time to “really focus on what I am doing.” Not to mention the “end result is delicious.” Baking allows her to introduce her family and friends to plant-based food, proving their favorite desserts can taste the same without animal products. Nicole eats plant-based since it is better for the environment. Nicole stresses that “I don't pressure anyone else to follow that as I know it is difficult which is why when I do introduce it to them, it is with sweets.” When Nicole is not running down the court or studying, she works at Green Hills. Being employed has taught Nicole “how to take some heat and be less sensitive.” One thing many people, with the exception of her closest friends, is that she is quite goofy. Nicole said that in class “I can be a bit uptight sometimes or quiet, but I am quite easy to talk to.” One of Nicole’s hobbies is walking her dog daily because “it is very relaxing to me and allows me to clear my head.” Nicole also loves hiking with family and friends whenever time permits. In her spare time, she enjoys driving with her friends and spending quality time with her mom since that time with her is always meaningful. Her mom has influenced her the most, even if it is a “cliche,” but she “really inspired me.” This is because her mom “has been taking care of mentally ill individuals for over thirty years and seeing how her work impacts those individuals lives made me want to do something that helped people.” Her mom is why she is pursuing a medical career, one that will “positively impact someone's life someday.” In ten years, Nicole hopes to see herself at a “starter job where I would be pursuing biomedical engineering,” staying true to her dreams and preserving through any hardships. She plans to “be in a starter home and maybe have a pet, who knows?” Congratulations Dylan and Nicole on all your accomplishments! Good luck pursuing all your future endeavors! Senior year can be the most exciting year in one’s life, but may also be filled with sorrowful moments, making it bittersweet. A senior has arrived at the end of their high school journey and will soon undergo a dramatic change in their life, whether moving on to college or entering the workforce. Senior year is by far the most memorable year. Senior year is a year to highlight and commemorate one’s accomplishments throughout the years. This edition features two of Onondaga’s spectacular seniors: Ethan Miller and Cassidy Field. Although Ethan Miller has applied to many colleges such as St. Rose, Le Moyne, and Niagara University, he applied early decision to SUNY Geneseo and will be going there next year. Ethan is currently attending as undecided, but knows he wants to head in either a math or science direction for his major. College is a brand new experience that a high school senior looks forward to, especially once they know where they are going to be spending their next four years. Like many, Ethan is most excited to make new friends and about “having a fun experience while also finding out what I enjoy doing.” College is for young adults to gain more freedom and independence than they did in high school. However, with freedom comes responsibility. Ethan is most scared of “not having anybody on my back telling me what to do,” adding that “procrastination, if not handled correctly, can be a very bad habit to have.” As the days and months of high school go by, so do exams, sports events, and numerous other competitions to demonstrate all one’s hard work that has paid off. Ethan’s proudest moment of high school is being voted secretary of both National Junior Honor Society and National Honor Society. Every year, a high school student fills their schedule with classes, some mandatory, others not. Ethan’s favorite class he has taken is German because “it opened my mind up to the possibility of learning a new language that I enjoy and possibly going to that country someday to speak the language and be immersed in that culture.” A class Ethan wished he took was Auto-Tech so in case he had car troubles in the future, he would know how to fix the problem and help him better understand them. He is going to miss all the memories he cultivated along with all his friends. Out of all his high school memories, his favorite is the “Real Housewives of Navarino.” As for extracurricular activities, Ethan takes band and is a percussionist. Outside of the classroom, students become athletes playing a wide range of sports out of the three seasons, spring, fall, and winter. Ethan plays baseball and is both a first baseman and a pitcher. When school is not in session, Ethan enjoys playing drums and riding his dirt bike. His favorite hobby is riding his dirt bike because, he says “I can escape from all of the pressures of school and I can forget about my responsibilities for a little while. It’s also a great way to get some fresh air.” In the summer, Ethan is employed at a grocery store. In his spare time, Ethan enjoys spending time with his family, watching Criminal Minds, and is always trying his best to make others laugh. One thing many people do not know about Ethan is that he was born three months premature. Senior year is all about looking towards the future and, in ten years, Ethan will be out of college. He hopefully will have traveled somewhere and plans to have spent a bit of time there; “or at least that’s what I’d like to do,” he says. He also says, “ I most likely will have a job in something math or science-related, but who knows, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens,” keeping an open and optimistic view of his future. A senior has learned all the ins and outs of navigating and being successful in high school, Ethan’s advice to underclassmen is this “Take advanced classes now so you don’t have to worry about them when and if you go to college. Then you can focus on what you want to do in the future in college.” Good luck Ethan in achieving all your aspirations and future goals! Cassidy Field is another accomplished senior at Onondaga Jr./Sr. High School. She has applied to OCC, Le Moyne, Binghamton, and Cornell. Cassidy is most interested in Lemoyne’s Physician’s Assistant program after receiving her bachelor’s degree, which will be in biology. In college, she is excited to continue her soccer career. College is full of new and exciting opportunities, Cassidy is most excited to make new friends, try new things, and “further my education.” When students enter college, the atmosphere may be new and fun, but classes will come with their challenges. Cassidy is most scared of the workload she will receive at college. She continued on to say, “I know that in my major there are a lot of difficult classes, so that is definitely something that scares me the most.” High school athletics are not only a source of fun, competition, and enjoyment, but also a great place to make new friends and develop work ethic and determination. Cassidy plays varsity soccer and varsity volleyball. In soccer, her position is as a forward and in volleyball, she is either the outside or middle hitter. Although she is a multi-sport athlete, her favorite sport is soccer because “I have been playing my entire life, and have grown to love the atmosphere and love working together as a team.” With sports comes memories, good and bad ones, ones of wins and ones of losses. You learn lessons from your failures and celebrate your successes. Cassidy’s favorite memory is playing in the soccer game of her sister’s senior night and, of course, her senior night this past season. Throughout Cassidy’s athletic and academic career, her proudest moments were receiving the yearly Academic Letter award, being on Top Ten and High Honor Roll each marking period, as well as the Scholar-Athlete award. As for extracurricular activities, Cassidy partakes in art and National Honor Society. Over all the years of high school, her favorite part of it was all the time her friends spent together before COVID, saying “looking back, we have had some amazing times and lots of fun before the start of the pandemic.” These friendships are what she is going to miss the most about high school. Cassidy said “I know we will still try to keep in touch, but I am going to miss seeing them on a daily basis!” Out of all the memories cultivated throughout high school, Cassidy’s favorite memories are from all the Friday night football games she attended with her friends. Outside her time in the classroom, on the court, and on the field, Cassidy enjoys hobbies such as playing both the guitar and the piano. For both instruments, she took lessons for three years. In the winter, she loves snowboarding and snowmobiling in Old Forge, Adirondacks. One thing many people do not know about Cassidy is that “I participated in competitive gymnastics for up to 5 years. The competition really taught me that if you work hard and focus, anything can be made possible.” As a senior, the future no longer seems beyond one’s reach. The world is at their fingertips as they plan their next adventure in life. In ten years, Cassidy plans on “being in the medical field and making a difference in patients' lives.” Her advice to underclassmen is “to be yourself, and be confident in your abilities and if you do you will succeed in high school.” Good luck Cassidy in all your future endeavors in the medical field and beyond! Senior year can be the most joyous year in one’s life or for some, the most sorrowful. For many, the year can be both, making it a bittersweet year. Senior year is, by far, the most memorable year. All one’s hard work finally pays off, they apply to the college of their dreams that will end one chapter of their life and start another. This edition highlights another two exceptional seniors: Emma Rumney and Evan Carter. Emma Rumney has her sights on the future, applying to numerous colleges. She has applied to the University of Rochester, University at Albany, Niagara University, Union College, and College of Saint Rose. At one of these colleges, Emma will work towards a degree in psychology with a focus on counseling psychology so she can one day become a mental health therapist. College is a brand new experience for young adults, the beginning of entering the world on their own. For Emma, she is most excited about meeting new people and encountering a new school environment. Emma’s favorite class was Mrs. Kurucz’s tenth grade Earth Science class because “The information was interesting and her teaching style worked well for me.” Also, each class period offered a fun learning experience, and “She is a wonderful person.” In high school, Emma wishes she took Careers or Public Speaking class- “Something that would better prepare me for life after high school.” Students at Onondaga have spent the past six years in the Junior/Senior High School creating close ties to the community and relationships with friends and staff members. She is going to miss the OCS teachers and faculty the most after graduating and moving onto college. High school is filled with highs and lows for all students. Emma’s proudest moment of her high school career is either winning the Weighted Ladies relay or winning an individual 400-meter race in her ninth-grade track and field season. As for extracurricular activities, Emma partakes in Envirothon, track and field, and band. Her favorite is Envirothon because “It’s always informative and it’s also a fun group of people to spend time with. In her free time, Emma spends most of her time reading and enjoying time with her family. Some of her hobbies include: reading, writing, hiking, bird watching, and spending time in nature. One thing many people do not know about Emma is that she knows how to fold and create origami. Senior year is all about the future and inching towards it at whatever pace one wants. As each day passes, a Senior comes closer and closer to reaching their goals. In ten years, Emma sees herself as a “practicing therapist, with the financial stability to offer free therapy to people if they can’t afford it.” Seniors have quite a bit of knowledge on the ins and outs of navigating high school. Emma’s advice to underclassmen is; “If you are struggling with something, school-related or not, ask for help. There is nothing wrong with needing help, and it will probably benefit you in the future if you learn how to ask for it now.” Evan Carter is another one of Onondaga’s outstanding seniors. He has not specifically applied to any colleges yet, but is interested in applying to any college with a hockey team with a location in the Northeast, ranging from Boston to Buffalo. High school allows you to find courses and subjects you like and dislike, narrowing down your interests to choose a college degree and future job. Evan hopes to pursue a finance degree because “I’ve always enjoyed handling money and creating plans to make the most out of my money.” In college, he also plans on being a student-athlete and playing college hockey. Not only do college athletics allow athletes to set goals and better themselves physically and mentally, it also allows you to be a part of a team and make many friends. Playing hockey in college excites Evan the most since “It’s been a dream of mine for a long time.” However, college is a brand new chapter and it is not all fun and games. All seniors are nervous or scared about attending college. For Evan, he is most scared of all the independence required for college and all the responsibilities he will have. Not only does Evan play hockey, but he is also a member of the baseball team. In hockey, Evan is a goalie and in baseball, he is a catcher. Many multi-sport athletes have a favorite and Evan’s is hockey because “ It’s the place I forget about everything going on in my life.” High school sports are filled with wins, losses, and even life lessons. Evan’s favorite memory is assisting his hockey team towards their third straight Sectional Championship in 2020. The four busy years of high school are jam-packed with tests, quizzes, sports games, homework, and pep rallies. By the end of your high school career, you will have collected so many memories and one will especially stand out to you. Evan’s favorite high school memory is when he started his first game on his high school hockey team. He is going to miss high school sports seasons the most, particularly hockey. Evan’s favorite class was Mr. Melfi’s math classes because he always had fun in his classes. Outside of school, you will find Evan on the ice rink, playing hockey. One thing many people do not know about Evan is that he has four siblings. As Evan’s high school career winds down, his advice to underclassmen is this; “Be involved in things like school sports as well as start applying to college early.” Good luck, Evan, in all your future goals and pursuits! Senior year can be the most exciting year in one’s life, or for some, the most sorrowful. For many, the year can be both, making it bittersweet. A senior has arrived at the end of their high school journey and will undergo a dramatic lifestyle change, whether moving on or entering the workforce after graduating. Senior year is by far the most memorable year. Senior year is a year to highlight and emphasize one’s accomplishments throughout the years. This edition features two of Onondaga’s superb seniors: Bryce Piron and Alannah Lewandowski. Bryce has his college plans mapped out. He is applying to the Rochester Institute of Technology along with Clarkson University. Bryce plans on majoring in Mechanical Engineering. He is interested in that major because, he says, “I find a lot of enjoyment in designing and creating my own things. I also enjoy hands-on projects where I have to physically construct something.” Attending college is something completely different than a high schooler has never before experienced. The drastic change from living at home with your family, attending school, and coming home at the end of the day can be thrilling, but terrifying at the same time. Bryce is most excited about meeting new people and making new friends along with experiencing college to the fullest extent and encountering everything it has to offer. Leaving his friends and family to move away to college scares Bryce the most. He does not have any plans on playing an official college sport, however, he will most likely join a club lacrosse team. High school athletics is an enormous part of many seniors’ lives. Sports allow athletes to have fun, be competitive, and ultimately do something they will enjoy for many years to come, even after high school and college. In Bryce’s high school tenure, he has played varsity football and varsity lacrosse. In football, he plays wide receiver as well as a defensive end. In lacrosse, he plays defense. Unfortunately, football was postponed for the fall season, but hopefully, on March 1st, the Fall II season can begin. Sports can furnish irreplaceable memories and enlighten an athletes day or even week. In previous years, OCS has needed to combine with other neighboring schools for boys lacrosse. Before last season, the boys played on Bishop Ludden’s lacrosse team. Last year, however, Onondaga combined with Lafayette. The Onondaga Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse players combined strengths with Lafayette to achieve the NYS Boys Championship title. Winning the State Championship is Bryce’s favorite sports memory. Winning states is a truly unforgettable feat that Bryce was excited to be a part of. When the 2020 spring lacrosse season was canceled, along with all other spring sports, Bryce would occasionally meet up with his teammates and friends to practice. Multi-sport athletes always have a favorite sport and Bryce’s favorite is football. Bryce stated that football was his favorite sport because “I’ve been playing with the same kids since we were little so the chemistry we’ve built is like no other.” As for extracurricular activities, Bryce was a part of Key Club and National Honor Society. In his spare time, Bryce enjoyed skiing with his friends during the wintertime. In the spring and summer, Bryce does commercial and residential lawn mowing. In the fall, he picks and sells pumpkins at The Hollow, and in the winter he sells Christmas trees. Bryce’s favorite high school memory was not any particular time, but “any class I had with the boys was a good one.” A senior has experienced all the highs and lows of high school. Bryce’s advice for underclassmen is “ You only get one trip through high school, so make the best of the four years you get.” Congratulations Bryce, and good luck in all your future endeavors! Alannah Lewandowski, another fantastic senior at Onondaga, has chosen the college route after graduating. She is applying to the University of Rochester, St. John Fisher College, the University of Colorado, or Colorado Academy of Silversmithing. Alannah plans on majoring in business management with quite the entrepreneurship spirit in mind. She is majoring in business management because, as she says, “I’m really interested in becoming a jewelry bench worker/designer. So, majoring in business would help me to potentially start my own jewelry business.” Alannah definitely sees herself playing a club sport in college, such as volleyball. When a senior tosses their graduation cap in the air on a warm June day, one very long chapter of their life comes to a close, catapulting them into a new one. This can be both exciting and scary. Going to college allows for a new beginning in an unwonted place, where nothing or no one is familiar, yet the prospects for the future are always bright. For Alannah, she is looking forward to making new friends and having the opportunity to have a “fresh start.” She also said, “I’m excited to find myself and start my own life.” When asked what makes her nervous about college, Alannah states that “a little part of me is scared to be on my own,” not to mention leaving her hometown, friends, and family. Along with many seniors, sports were important to Alannah. She plays volleyball and softball. In volleyball, she is a middle hitter. In softball, she plays shortstop, second base, and left field, as well as a pitcher. Alannah’s favorite sport is volleyball because “it's very fast-paced and I love the energy. I love my coaches and all my teammates, so it’s just fun in general.” She also loves how competitive the sport is. Alannah’s favorite sport’s memory is the League Championship game for volleyball this past season. She also enjoyed all the volleyball games against the team’s rival, Tully, because “they were so much fun.” Many athletes play their sport all year round or even in a summer league, like Alannah, who plays softball and volleyball in a summer league. Alannah was not only a member of Onondaga’s sports teams, but a member of clubs such as Character Ed Club, National Honor Society, and Peer mentoring. Alannah’s favorite thing about high school is “making new friends, and playing sports because they bring me the most enjoyment and excitement. They are what I look forward to every day.” Many high schoolers work part-time to prepare for the future and Alannah is no exception. She works for Marcellus Lanes Ice Cream Stand in the summer and The Hollow in the fall. When Alannah is not participating in sports, clubs, or at school, she enjoys numerous hobbies. Alannah said: “my hobbies are playing volleyball and soccer with my friends. I love drawing and painting outside. In the summertime, I love paddleboarding, jet skiing, and kayaking. I like to quad with the boys. I play ping-pong with my friends. Lastly, I love making glass stained art, and jewelry out of silverware.” One thing many people do not know about Alannah is that the dream place she would like to travel to is Greece. As senior year kicks off, a senior has gone through three years of high school and has seen and done it all. Her advice for underclassmen is the following: “You should work very hard, but still have fun while doing it because you’re not going to get the high school experience again.” To that, she adds, “don’t sweat the small stuff.” Senior year can be the most memorable year of one’s life. It can be extremely happy and exciting for some and sorrowful for others. For many the year can be both, making it a bittersweet year. Senior year is by far the most memorable year of one’s high school career. Unfortunately, for Seniors all across the country, their Senior year has been cut short, causing them to miss some of the most exciting and memorable trips and events of their high school career. Just because this year has not gone as planned, nor are we currently able to be in school, does not mean Onondaga’s Seniors deserve any less recognition. This edition highlights yet another outstanding senior: Zach Delaney This coming fall, Zach Delaney is attending Hobart and William Smith Colleges. He chose to go there because he loves “the close-knit community atmosphere on campus” and he “will still be close to home” where his family is. At Hobart and William Smith Colleges, he will be majoring in economics. Not only will he be a student at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, but he will also be an athlete playing lacrosse in the upcoming season. Zach will play midfield, which is both offensive and defensive. He has played this position all through high school. In high school, Zach played football, hockey, and lacrosse. In football, he played on both sides of the ball as quarterback and safety. In hockey, Zach said he was “specifically a defenseman, whereas in lacrosse I play both offensive and defensive midfield”. Zach’s favorite sport that he plays is lacrosse because “I really find it to be unique in its own way as well as a challenge, which I am always willing to push myself to in order to keep getting better”. His favorite high school sports memory was winning two state championships in his junior year, one for hockey and the other lacrosse. High school is not all about sports, even athletes participate in extracurricular activities and clubs. Zach said, “Even though I spend most of my time involved in sports, I am also a member of National Honor Society, Varsity Club, Peer Mentoring, and the SECNY team.” On the SECNY Tiger Branch Credit Union team, Zach is the Branch Manager, making this his second year working for the Tiger Branch. He joined the SECNY Tiger Branch so he “could learn valuable life skills and lessons that could benefit me later on in life from a financial standpoint”. Zach’s proudest high school achievement is that he is among the top-ranking students in the Class of 2020 and has had continuous success in winning championships throughout his entire athletic career, including a total of six sectional titles and two state titles. Going to college can be exciting and thrilling for many, as it is a brand new experience. For Zach, the thing that excites him the most about going to college is “beginning the next chapter of my life and continuing to further my education and my lacrosse career, as well as getting to meet lots of new friends”. Not only is college exciting but it can also be scary and worrisome. Joining a new community and starting a new school is not always easy. One thing Zach is worried about is the “thought of difficult coursework” He may be worried, however, he is “willing to do whatever it takes to succeed”. While Zach is excited about beginning a new chapter, ending a chapter can also be sad. Zach is going to miss “walking the halls of Onondaga and seeing all the friendly and familiar faces of my friends, as well as the faculty”. When Zach was asked for what advice he would give to any high schooler, he said the following: “One piece of advice that I would give to an incoming high schooler would be to never be afraid to push yourself to the limits and go out of your comfort zone.” His favorite grade would have been his senior year because “I was really looking forward to enjoying all of the fun and memorable activities and events that we had planned.” While people may know one another in a school environment, there are many things about one’s self that people probably do not know about you. Something many people do not know about Zach is that he “really likes to sing out loud and listen to music”, but only when he is alone. Life can be quite the journey full of twists and turns, hardships, and triumphs. Throughout one’s life, there is always someone who impacts and inspires you to push through and succeed. Zach said “My life has been inspired and impacted the most by those who I am the closest with, which is my family and my girlfriend. Every one of these individuals has always encouraged me and pushed me to be the best I possibly can at whatever I do in life, whether that’s striving in the classroom or on the sports field.” Good luck Zach in all your future endeavors including your lacrosse seasons to come at Hobart and William Smith Colleges! Hopefully, the Senior Class can get back to school to enjoy their Senior year soon! Senior year can be the most memorable year of one’s life. It can extremely happy and exciting for some and sorrowful for others. For many the year can be both, making it a bittersweet year. Senior year is by far the most memorable year of one’s high school career. All one’s hard work finally pays off. Students apply to the college of their dreams that will seal one chapter of their life and start a new one. This edition highlights yet another fantastic senior: Ventre Woolery. Ventre is planning on attending SUNY Oneonta this coming fall. He is interested in having a dual major in education and social studies. Ventre said, “I am interested in teaching because I love working with kids, and I plan on using this to help me to become a school guidance counselor.” In high school, Ventre played soccer, basketball, and track. Soccer is his favorite sport because he is better at it and “it involves many different ways you can approach and play the sport”. On the soccer field, Ventre will play every position except for goalie. On the basketball court, he is a point guard. On the track Ventre runs the 100, 200, 400, and 800 meters, as well as relays and the triple jump. Unfortunately, due to his torn ACL, he is not able to play most of his sports this year. His favorite memory in his entire athletic career was “upsetting MPH in soccer with a score of 3-1 with having 3 assists as a junior,” said Ventre. He participates in Key Club, Robotics, and peer mentoring. His favorite is peer mentoring because he “loves to work with kids, and it is very fun to do activities and bond with them.” Ventre is President of the Robotics Club. He is one of the main builders and drivers of the robots. Not only that, but he is also a writer of the robotics journal for our team. “My favorite thing about robotics is that I get to hang out with my friends and solve problems creatively which I find very fun and interesting,” stated Ventre. High school is four years long. For some, it feels like an eternity for others it goes by in a flash, but no matter how fast it goes by so many memories are made. Ventre’s all-time favorite high school memory was going to prom and hanging out with his friends afterward and being around all his friends during it. His advice to any underclassmen is this, “Give a 100% in anything you do no matter how small, this will show people what kind of person you are and will help you later on, and if you make a mistake it’s okay, just make sure you learn from it and don’t make the same mistake again. Also, don’t forget to have fun, you won’t be in high school forever so make sure you balance school with your social life.” When asked what his favorite year of high school was Ventre said, “Although my senior year has been disappointing sports-wise, it still has been my favorite year so far because I have classes with almost all my friends, and almost all my classes are really fun.” Ventre is going to miss hanging out with all his friends in school and his teachers. No matter how much of high school you are going to miss, everybody is excited about college! |
AuthorTiger Prowl: Archives
October 2021
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