NCNLOCAL.COM presents…

By Ben Brenner

	Ben Brenner, a senior at Somers High, last wrote for this column on Feb. 20, 2008.

It was my first year in Somers, my first day at Primrose Elementary School, my first 30 minutes of recess in the first grade. My only friend was my neighbor, Robby, and as I searched frantically for my missing friend, my curious eyes drifted towards the middle of the Primrose field.

Two sets of bright orange traffic cones rested 10 feet apart from each other on opposite sides of the field as a mob of first graders chased after the black and white ball rolling between them. That was my first experience with the game that would dominate the next decade of my life, the game that would introduce me to new people and places, and the game that would teach me how to win – and how to lose.

Since my first grade year, my life has been dedicated to soccer as I played on several club teams—among them, two teams ranked in the Top 50 nationwide – junior varsity and varsity. Countless camps, countless practices and countless games have left me with memories of fun, memories of torture, memories of victory, and memories of defeat.

I remember the highs and the lows, the goals scored and goals allowed, the games when I played every minute and the games when I never left the bench. I remember the cleats, from the $30 size four, synthetic Adidas, to the $200 kangaroo leather, futuristic size 10 Nikes.Yet, every new pair of cleats were accompanied by a new blister, every turf field accompanied by a dirt field, and every win accompanied by a loss.

As the end of my career looms closer, what am I left with – which memories are destined for permanence? I will never forget that soccer has escorted me around the country, from the most remote areas in Virginia to Disney World in Florida, and has gifted me with mentors and teammates. It has taught me not to take success for granted and has shown me that winning is not the only type of success.With three varsity coaches in four years, it has enabled me to deal with change, to transition, and to accept what is out of my control.

More than anything, I know the influence that soccer has had on my life extends far beyond the field, and the most important skills it has left me with have nothing to do with a ball. My soccer game has not lasted a mere 90 minutes, it has been stretched to 10 years, and it has coached me into the best condition of my life.

So have I left everything on the field? I am confident that when I finally untie my cleats and take off my shin-guards, I will have the satisfaction of knowing that my endurance lasted 10 years and that everything I have gained far ourweighs everything I have left behind.

By Heather Clausen

	Heather Clausen is a senior at Hendrick Hudson High School.

We are in high school, which means we are invincible to everything. There is no such thing as death, injury, or disease. That is not until we are older – much older. Right?

This is my fourth and final year of walking the halls at Hendrick Hudson High School. We have been very lucky to not have suffered any tragedies like many other schools do, which may be the reason that so many of us think we are Superman.

I play for the varsity softball team. One of our teammates, Shannon, is the happiest person we know. We have never experienced a game or practice without her laughing hysterically or grinning from ear to ear. Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with cancer this year. We realized we were not so invincible after all and knew we had to step up to the plate and help her any way we can.

When I heard about the Stay Awake-A-Thon, I immediately thought of getting our team together to participate in this event in honor of Shannon. The Stay-Awake -A-Thon, which is on May 3 at Hen Hud High School, is a community event designed to celebrate with cancer survivors, remember those who lost their battle, and provide support and encouragement to those currently battling this horrible disease. You can stay for an hour, or all night!

We are hoping that Shannon will be able to join us at the event and participate in the survivor parade and other fun activities that will be going on all night including a live band playing music from the ’50s on up, family wacky relay races, karaoke, and much much more!

In order to raise money before the event, teams can do individual fundraising or team fundraising. We are doing several team fundraisers. Next week will be our main fundraising week. During the four lunch periods we will be holding a bake sale as well as selling lollipops. Also, we will be asking for donations and spare change. If we raise $1,000 or more, two of our teachers, Dr. Barcomb and Mr. Hallock, have agreed to shave their head in honor of all cancer victims!

We will also be hosting IPod Day where students will pay $1 in order to have the privilege of using their IPod for one day during study hall and lunch periods. In addition, we will have onsite fundraising which will include a pie-throwing booth!

No person should have to fight this terrible disease, especially someone so happy and so young. We need to find a cure for this. If you would like to make donations to Team Shannon please visit www.active.com/donate/cancerneversleeps/hhvs2007 or e-mail HClausen10@yahoo.com for information on how to send cash or check donations.

For more information about the event and how you can join us, visit www.henhudleos.org and follow the link to the Stay Awake-A-Thon.

Cancer never sleeps, and neither will we!

By Hannah Berkman

	Hannah Berkman is co-Editor-in-Chief of the Briarcliff Bulletin at Briarcliff High School.

Anyone growing up in today’s world has been exposed to enough prom references in pop culture to know basically how planning the event should go.

We’ve seen the trials and tribulations of Cameron and Joey as they plot to get Bianca to go to prom with them in the movie “10 Things I Hate About You.” We watched countless suntanned boys execute over-the-top gestures, most of them involving candles and limos, to ask their manicured counterparts to the prom on “Laguna Beach.” Ren won our hearts over in “Footloose” when he fought the authorities to protect the senior prom in all its holiness. We breathed a sigh of relief when Spicoli finally made it to the prom, despite his teacher’s attempts to keep him away, in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.”

One common theme rings throughout all these pop culture staples. Prom is a huge deal, and planning it should be no less of an affair. At Briarcliff High School, this seems to be true as well.

There are undoubtedly elements of prom that must be planned months in advance. Finding a limo cannot be put off till June. Rates are ever-increasing, and availability is decreasing. Briarcliff students have not lost any time in organizing and booking their limos. However, they’ve also begun the processes of finding dates and dresses even earlier than last year – for an event that isn’t until June.

Whispers of “so-and-so’s already asked so-and-so to prom, and his ex-girlfriend doesn’t even know yet” started around February break. Back in March, such exchanges had become full-blown, out-loud conversations about those who have yet to find dates.

It’s easy to shrug and say that prom is silly and doesn’t mean anything.

It’s easy to be one of those people who act like they are above the anticipation of that one night at the end of their years in Briarcliff schools. It’s easy to say that prom is overrated. Prom is an event that sets itself up to be ridiculed as the most mainstream, corny American tradition that high school students regularly experience.

And yet, in renouncing prom, we are engaging in a practice that is possibly even more typical of teenagers than the fanfare itself. Without making the effort to make prom enjoyable, without trying to work it out in a way that fits our personal styles, those among us who renounce prom are participating in the single most conventional attitude that we as high school students are practically born with: feigned apathy.

When things don’t end up exactly how they were planned, the automatic reaction of people our age is to spit out something along the lines of “whatever, I don’t care.” (Although this phrase usually includes more harsh language that this newspaper can’t print.) Do we really not care or are we just copping out because we feel defeated by circumstances we think we can’t control?

Luckily, many of the trivial concerns we occupy ourselves with, such as prom dates and limos, are merely tests of personal attitude. So the person you wanted to go to prom with is taking someone else. So a junior has the same dress as you. So your group of friends is going in two different limos. The typical response of people in these situations is to turn against prom, to say that it is an overrated night that doesn’t have any bearing on our years in high school. And though prom may be built up to be more than it should be, we effectively rule out any possibility of having fun by assuming such a conventional attitude.

When it comes down to it, prom is just as much fun as we make it. If we feign apathy, pretend it doesn’t matter to us, and secretly sulk about everything that went wrong, we are doomed to go through the same motions of our miserable predecessors who renounced prom. But if we choose to enjoy it, to make the most of prom, we can not only surprise ourselves at how easy it is to make an attitude adjustment, but also we can have an incredible time. In the case of prom, but also so many life experiences, we really will get out what we put in.

Americans have long enjoyed watching people our age sweat over prom and whatever else comes our way because in the years of SATs, college admission, and innumerable physical and emotional changes, it’s easy to get “dazed and confused.” So perhaps the wisest advice we can listen to would be from someone who has not yet hit such an erratic stage. ‘Tween pop star Hannah Montana sings to thousands of 12-year-old girls at her concerts that “life’s what you make it.” Prom is revered as the ultimate celebration — a sendoff from our primary school education and to a certain extent, our childhoods.

We can choose to diminish its importance, or we can celebrate it.

By Rina Joshi

	Rina Joshi is a sophomore at Yorktown High School. She is co-editor of the Arts and Ideas section of The Voice. In addition to writing, she enjoys dance and competitive swimming.

Have you ever noticed a garden? When one weed emerges, it causes several others to sprout around it. The same theory can be applied to religion.

The creation of the Bible sparked three different interpretations of the messiah, messenger of God. The Bhagavad-Gita created new ways and ideas to perceive Hinduism all across India. The list can continue on forever, since there are millions of ways to decipher god(s). To some people, religion means the world. But to others, such as those who are atheists, don’t care for God. Why is it so hard to accept others for their religious differences? What makes religion so dominating?

Religion is important to many people. It is evident that their passion for religion is so powerful that nations continue to be torn apart. For example, during the mid-1900s Muslims felt inferior to Hindus. Muslims wanted to be free of Hindu rule. They fought for a separation of India into Hindu India and Muslim Pakistan. As the war between Hindus and Muslims raged on, the clearer it became that they both fought for one apparent reason: religion.

Even the Arab/Israeli conflict was fought over Jews and Muslims. They fought to decide who the “sacred land,” Israel, truly belonged to. Arab Muslims believed Mohammad was the messiah, who made his mark on Israel; where as, the Jews believed otherwise. For years, Jews were tormented by the Arabs and left homeless. The conflict ended, as the Jews slowly began to prevail in gaining Israel. However, gaining Israel was all the Jews received. No one in the Middle East respected them, or attempted to acknowledge them. Today, Jews are still fighting a century-long battle against Anti-Semitism.

Religious discrimination doesn’t just occur in the world. If you look hard enough, you can see it in our schools. There are some religious groups who are not accepting of others and who cause a lot of tension throughout the student body.

Through the eyes of a Hindu girl, I perceive school and academics differently than a Christian girl. That is not to say I’m less dedicated to my work, nor is the other girl. I’m just saying our religious backgrounds have a huge say in the way we understand and accept certain aspects placed in our lives.

Our school seems like a diverse learning center; even with a very small minority population .We still seem to see a good variety of religions walking the halls. However, some students are more accepting of religions than others. There have been numerous instances where a fight has broke out over a difference in religion. We are one family, one student body, and no matter how different we seem to be, we really are not.

I agree that religion is a huge part of life, if you choose to believe in God. But is that the only thing that separates Hindus and Muslims or Jews and Muslims? What it all comes down to is knowing that there is always someone to believe in, whether it is after death or during a tough situation. Religion is a reason to have faith, and to be spiritually connected, not only with the environment but with others.

Why is it so hard for the world to come to an agreement that religion is based on peace and having pride in who you are? What is the big deal about another man or woman sitting next to you on the train believing in a different religion? As long as you know that your messiah, bhagwan, prophet, or however you would like to word it, exists, then all is well.

Religion is a complex and nail-biting concept. It exists not only in the real world, but in our small community in school. Accept those who are different and learn from them, because that is the only way our hearts learn to love, and our minds begin to understand life.

By Grace Bleiweis

	The author is a sophmore at Briarcliff High School, where he is arts editor and writer for student newspaper The Briarcliff Bulletin.

You know how some people find little tidbits about other people to be extremely fascinating and interesting? Well, there’s one fact about me that really seems to excite people when they find out about it.

I am a triplet.

Now, I know of at least two other people who find it as equally uninteresting as I do, however, I also know of a ton more people that find it completely spellbinding. All my life there has been excitement over the fact that I am a triplet and, to me, that’s nuts.

People tend to ask really ridiculous questions. For instance, after finding out that two of my siblings and I, two girls and a boy, make up a set of triplets, we still get the coveted, “Are you guys, like… identical!?” Just to clear that up…no. No, we are not. My sister has brown hair, I have blonde hair, and… my brother is a boy.

Then there’s the ever so popular telepathy question. Once, my brother and I made up a series of questions and answers for the question, “Can you read each others’ minds?” For example, I would say to the inquisitor, “OK, tell me to pick a number and I’ll bet Alex can tell you what number I’m thinking of.”

Of course, we’d already have it planned out in our secret code what number we would pick and we would proceed to boggle people’s minds with our little trick. But truthfully, Alex, Rachel, and I do not have telepathy and I’ll bet if you ask them if we have telepathy, they’ll say no too.

But the one question that we get most often is: “What’s it like being a triplet?”

Now don’t get me wrong. I understand that it is rare and that it is a little interesting, but what kind of question is that? I’ll bet nobody asks you what it’s like to be a singleton. Well, that might not be true. When people ask me what it’s like to be a triplet, I almost always respond, “I don’t know. What’s it like being not a triplet?”

It’s a tough question to answer because I’ve been a triplet ever since I was born. I’d like to think that it’s just like having other siblings close to your age. We’re all different, have different interests, and stuff like that. Believe it or not, recently, after discovering I was a triplet someone replied, “So, there are three of you!” No; there is one of me, there is one of Rachel, and one of Alex. That reaction, in all fairness, made my day. I mean, it was really funny.

I hope to enlighten past and future triplet inquisitors all over the county; all over the world, for that matter! Sure we are statistically special, but in reality we’re no different than any other singleton or any other multiple you will ever meet.

Although my siblings and I get little kicks and giggles out of the silly questions we get asked, I am formally asking you, reader, to think before speaking. Realize that a boy will not be identical to a girl. Realize that telepathy is a gift that only Jedis have. And most of all, realize that triplets are just three singletons born at once who can excite people with one sentence: “Did you know I’m a triplet?”

By Laya Rajan

They’re smart, they’re overachievers, and they’re bound to take over your school’s orchestra. That’s the general consensus of Asians. There is a wealth of stereotypes out there; everything from how strict the parents are, to how unathletic the children can be. From an Asian perspective, here’s the truth behind the veil.

Asians are smart. This is one of the most overused phrases when our generation thinks of Asia. This is the most irksome thing a person can hear. There’s no gene for intelligence. There are over two billion people on the Asian continent itself, not including the millions of people of Asian descent elsewhere. Every single one cannot be, and certainly is not, brilliant. We’re not any more intelligent than any other ethnic group.

The secret lies in our upbringing. In Asian countries, during our parents’ time, everything was radically different from the way it is here in America. No one lived in a commodious environment. My grandparents were in their 20s at the time of India’s independence. They worked hard, harder than anyone could imagine, supporting their families. My parents understood that to make a better life for themselves, they would have to search out every opportunity and exploit it to its fullest. The only way to do that was through education. The learning system in Asian countries is very different from here in America. While we are playing with blocks and taking naps, over in Asia, children are memorizing their multiplication tables up to 12. Education is a very strong priority in Asian households. Thus, the children work hard to attain academic excellence.

Asians are un-athletic nerds. This makes me laugh. While this may have been true several years ago, in today’s world, Asia is a strong contender in global sports. It’s not evident, because Americans don’t generally hear about the sports in which Asians excel. China especially is producing athletes that are the class of the field. At the last World Gymnastics Championships, China won both the men’s and women’s team competitions. The reigning men’s all-around champion is Chinese, and four out of the top six finishers in the all-around competition were Asian. While people don’t take pingpong seriously as an Olympic sport, Asian pingpong players train as hard as anyone else, and should in no way be considered a lesser achievement. They are considered some of the greatest players of all time, with incredibly impressive resumes. Contrary to what one might believe, athletes from China and India excel in weight lifting. In addition, in figure skating today, Chinese pairs and Japanese singles skaters are the athletes to beat in a sport traditionally ruled by Russia, Europe, and America.

“I got a 97. I am so dead.” Ah, yes: The myth of pushy parents. If someone were to ask me if my parents were pushy, my answer would have to be most emphatically no. Asian parents are not pushy; they’re just incredibly involved in what their kids do. While it is true that anything below an A is considered an abysmal grade by Asian standards, the ideology is not, “either get a 100 or we disown you,” or “until every subject is perfect, you will sit in your room and do nothing but study.” It’s more like, “Get a good grade in everything, or else you’ll have to work harder.”

When I hear people saying that they get MySpace and post pictures on the Web without their parents’ knowledge, or throw parties and go out with their friends behind their parents’ backs, I am truly astounded. It’s unimaginable for me not to tell my parents what I’m doing and what grades I get on every single test, not because my parents would kill me if I didn’t, but because that’s the way I’ve been raised.

I have a laundry list of activities that I’ve been pursuing since a very young age. I’ve also tried just about everything under the sun. Dance, check. Singing, check. Instruments of all descriptions, yup. Gymnastics, swimming, ice skating, horseback riding. You name it, I’ve done it. And why did my parents put a slightly ungainly 5-year old into so many activities? Don’t be fooled. My parents didn’t have any visions of me being the next Yo-yo Ma or Nadia Comaneci. They just wanted me to have every possible opportunity. Every parent wants to ensure their child succeeds, with whatever their definition of success is.

This mentality is exemplified in all immigrant groups, not just Asians. My parents’ generation came to this country with very little, and worked their way up to be able to live the way they dreamed of. They wanted us to start off on a better plane of life than they did, reaching higher. For Asians, the only surefire way they know is education. To this end, every piece of homework has to be done with a sharpened pencil, every line measured, and penmanship exquisite. But there is no “you failed” mentality when something goes wrong, rather a “what did we do wrong together” question. Our parents just want the very best for us. They want to see what we can accomplish that they weren’t able to.

I love my iPod. I love to dance. I can’t wait for the next episode of “The Amazing Race.” I’m just another teenager, but I come with a tag that reads: Asian-American Overachiever. A-plus or bust. The tag is acquired so easily, and it sticks even more easily.

Living up to that label, however, is a different story. But the way I’ve grown up has taught me valuable life lessons. I’ve been taught to dream deep and reach high, because nothing is impossible. You can achieve anything if you want it badly enough, because if it wasn’t possible, you wouldn’t want it so badly.

With a book in hand and violin strapped to my back, I am making my journey towards success. And you know what? I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Laya Rajan is a senior at Yorktown High School and the opinion editor of its student newspaper, The Voice.

By Jordan Teicher

	Leigh Garcia is a junior at Hendrick Hudson High School.

In 1992, a slew of popular celebrities, including Madonna, Donny Osmond, and members of the Ramones, encouraged eligible youths to “Rock the Vote.” In 2004, the voting-advocacy effort continued under the pretense of dumbfounding logic – the threat of imminent death – in rapper P. Diddy’s “Vote or Die” campaign.

Now, in 2008, most graduating high school seniors are members of that key 18- to 24-year-old voting demographic and they, too, have come under the radar of today’s celebrity activists. The question this time, however, is not “should we vote?” but rather, “for whom should we vote?”

As early as May 2007, talk show host and super-celebrity, Oprah Winfrey, set a precedent for the upcoming election by making her political convictions known, throwing her support behind Senator Barack Obama in an interview on “Larry King Live.” From there, the trend of celebrity endorsements of political candidates exploded, and we soon witnessed the emergence of Chuck Norris, Robert DeNiro, the Black Eyed Peas, George Clooney, Whoopi Goldberg, and the like in campaign headlines.

As part of a 10-question interview with Natalie Portman in Time magazine’s March 10 issue, a subscriber-submitted letter inquired if the actress would ever consider running for office. For sensible readers who may remember Portman best as an alien queen sporting a gigantic hairdo in the “Star Wars” films, this question should give pause for thought. Granted, Portman is a smart girl – a graduate from Harvard University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and a talented actress who has landed some important roles. Nonetheless, we should still be asking ourselves, “Do these career attributes qualify her to pursue a career in politics?” Just because Portman is a public figure, should she be in a position to influence public affairs? Frankly, asking a movie star about politics seems about as logical as asking a mechanic for a medical consultation.

The fact that Time magazine even considered publishing that reader’s question illustrates the utter confusion of today’s news audience – the extent to which the conflicting interests of want and need have blended such that the media now needs to satisfy the public’s every whim and its desire to hear reports on both Britney Spears and the war in Iraq in the same two-hour time block.

In a political environment in which an endorsement from Oprah can carry as much weight as one from a powerful senator, in which Al Gore can appear on MTV without much to-do, and Barack Obama can take home a Grammy, it is no wonder that the political arena is so befuddled. Today, politicians are celebrities, and celebrities are politicians. The juices on the proverbial dinner plate are mixing together, and it is because we haven’t been able to create proper barriers.

The consequences of this situation vary, from the good – celebrity-politician Arnold Schwarzenegger, who shocked critics nationwide with his commendable performance as California’s leading executive – to the bad – celebrity-political activist Rosie O’Donnell, boisterous former-host of “The View,” whose views, arguably should never have left her mouth, no less been broadcast to the general public.

A truth that seems to have escaped our star-struck proponents of celebrity endorsements is that some of these political activists who are treated with such reverence – Paris Hilton and 50 Cent for instance – are not nearly as active as they are political. Both “Vote or Die” figureheads, whose public support of the organization may have been responsible for sending thousands of young voters to voting booths, were notably absent when the time came to cast their own votes. Mr. 50 Cent could not vote because he is a former convict, while the infamous Hilton heiress did not because, well, she’s Paris Hilton.

It turns out that hypocrisy is another thing that celebrities and politicians have in common.

And that’s just the point. Our stars may have strong political convictions, and they may, sometimes, be intelligent individuals in their own right, but in the end, they are merely performers. Their reasons for supporting a particular candidate can be just as shallow as anyone else’s. Just because they have a platform for their opinions does not necessarily mean they are better informed.

Ultimately, pride for one’s country, the desire to exercise one’s constitutional right to vote, or concern for one’s future in the United States of America should be enough motivation for citizens to cast their ballots. But, if the sole factor in deciding to participate in the election process is that P. Diddy, Justin Timberlake, Scarlett Johansson, or Oprah said to, then so be it.

For the sake of politics, and the sovereignty of the American voter, however, their power should stop at that. Celebrities have all the show business credibility to help “rock the vote,” but they have no business governing it.

By Leigh Garcia

	Leigh Garcia is a junior at Hendrick Hudson High School.

Many people view teenagers as ignorant and close-minded towards the rest of the world. With the 2008 presidential election approaching and politics invading our lives from all angles, I can’t help but agree.

I am shocked and appalled at the amount of high school students who are in the dark when it comes to politics and world issues. They can tell you who was voted off “American Idol” and what happened on “Lost”or in the sports world, but they can’t tell you who won the Wyoming primary or what happened this week in the White House. I don’t think that all teenagers should know everything about politics, but when they don’t know the difference between Democrat and Republican or liberal and conservative, I worry about the future of this country.

We are the ones who are going to run the country in a few decades. We are the future senators, governors, cabinet members, presidents. We are the future of this nation, and I really fret at that thought when I find more and more people my age who don’t have a clue about the world.

Granted, things do change and one day my generation will wake up and realize that politics – even though anyone born after today’s date in 1990 can’t vote – affect everyone. I also recognize that there are high school students who love politics and are even more informed than I am, but that’s a small minority (or just the debate team). I am not the ignorant teenager who finds politics boring. I think it’s absolutely fascinating! It disappoints me that I am unable to speak about it with my peers.

It is so frustrating that not enough teenagers care about or are aware of politics. With so much technology in our lives, I feel like it’s inevitable that we become aware of what’s happening in our nation and world. Political information blares at me from my home page every time I sign on the Internet (and just reading headlines gives information!). It’s all over my Facebook news feed via polls and debate coverage, and is all over the radio and TV. Unless you live under a rock (which I guess the majority of my classmates do), there is no excuse for not being politically aware.

Another issue I am frustrated about with teenagers and politics is that so many teens “support” a politician and don’t know why. They do so based on race, gender, age, or how expensive their haircut is, not the major issues of each candidate. That frightens me. If young people are going to vote, will they really make the best choice for our nation? Or will they pick the candidate who looks best on the cover of a magazine?

What are worse than that are the remarks I hear and the looks I receive when I say that I am a Republican. I am met with a glare and, “So you like Bush?” How ignorant can they be!?One man does not serve as the basis of an entire party. Oh, wait, that’s right. They actually don’t know the difference between the parties.

What has this country come to?

I am fed up with the “It doesn’t affect me” attitude. I am tired of hearing, “I can’t vote yet – why does it matter?” I loath to hear, “Politics is only for adults.” Politics affects everyone, no matter the age. We teenagers are going to be running the country soon. At what point will politics go from “boring” and “useless” to “fascinating” and “essential?”

I myself do not know, but I hope it’s soon. The fate of the country rests on our shoulders.

By Benjamin Brenner

	Ben Brenner, a senior at Somers High, last wrote for this column on Feb. 20, 2008.

On the first day of fifth grade I wandered the halls of my elementary school searching for Mr. Platow’s classroom. Finding one of my classmates to guide me, I stood with trepidation in front of the big wooden door, debating whether or not the rumors could be true.

The pre-pubescent voices of my peers echoed in my head: “I heard he gives five hours of homework a night and you get detention if you sneeze!”

Gathering all my courage, my little fingers encircled the doorknob, twisted, and I entered the fifth grade. The year would be a trying one for me, as I soon came to realize that my short, bald, Napoleonic teacher expected the 20 11-year-olds in his class to behave like adults. His teachings ranged from geography to etiquette, vocabulary to posture.

If I wanted to avoid detention and failure, I was expected to be able to label every South American country when given a blank map as well as express my gratitude to the teacher for giving me the blank map. The labeling and the “thank you” were equally important. I was expected to memorize vocabulary words, and incorporate the word “please” into every sentence.

Bellowing, scolding, and drilling knowledge into his students, Mr. Platow attempted to force a lifetime of knowledge into nine months. Coinciding with this aspiration, the five hours of homework rumor proved to be relatively accurate, and as I struggled to complete my grammar assignment or science lab, I cursed my teacher with the foulest words a fifth grader could conjure.

Seven years later, though my manners may have transformed, I can still label every South American country. I reflect back on my fifth grade year with a smile, confident that nothing else I have experienced has been as beneficial as my year with Mr. Platow. Pushing me to the brink of intellectual exhaustion, my teacher ingrained good habits, skills, and knowledge, forever leaving his mark.

In ninth grade, while most of my English class was getting 70s on vocabulary tests, I was effortlessly scoring 90s. In 10th grade, both my Spanish and math teachers would collect binders to grade them on organization, and as the teachers circled their rooms in the undercurrent of moaning and complaining, I relaxed and reclined in my chair. For me, organization had become second-nature.

Eleventh grade brought the challenge of AP American history and an endless barrage of note taking. Though taking notes on 30 pages of a history textbook per week was no simple task, the process was simplified using Mr. Platow’s note-taking method.

From schoolwork to dinner with my girlfriend and her parents, the habits that my fifth grade teacher instilled continue to influence every aspect of my life. As I finish my senior year and leave for college, I depart with the certainty that I will make my cynical, neurotic, ingenious fifth grade teacher proud. I am no longer intimidated, but excited and enthusiastic as I look forward to the next challenge.

By Ben Brenner

	Ben Brenner, a senior at Somers High, last wrote for this column in our Jan. 30, 2008 issue.

It is common knowledge that we write best about what we know, what we care about. As I sat and contemplated what I know, what matters to me, I actually realized that I was thinking about my college essay, and as chills clawed their way up my spine and neck, never before did college seem so close, so real, and I wondered if I am even ready to leave.

I was overcome by an unwanted insight that my time in high school is limited, and for that brief moment, I felt unhappy. As the emotions swept over me, I unearthed something I cared for deeply, something that is a part of my existence and has been for more than three years. I decided that my college essay should be about high school.

For me, high school is about fun, about living on more than the essentials. My high school life is more than eating, drinking and sleeping. It is more than breathing; I have found my four years are better defined by the moments I have held my breath—before my first kiss, before the SAT scores, before the final whistle.

If I have learned one thing, it is that I specialize in the science of change, a course worth no credits, a course of no value to a college resume, a course I enrolled in the second I walked into the lobby my freshman year. This course has taught me to reject the stable and constant, and adapt to countless transformations. I want my story told and retold; I want to leave with a legacy, something to be remembered for. I need this because I can never leave completely, and no matter where college relocates me, a part of me will always be a Tusker. So with a flare of insanity, even stupidity, I have spent the last three years trying to craft my high school experience into something worth remembering.

As each day passes I wish I had more time. Goodbye will be the hardest part. Hello seems like a lifetime ago but goodbye looms ever closer. It seems surreal, but I know as tears begin to precipitate, I will feel the reality of goodbye in the moisture. As the saline streaks my cheeks I can only hope that I have no regrets, and that each tear has been earned in a brief four years of living, laughing and loving.

Now I feel the pressure of time, the haste of life, of getting older. I experience love and hate, victory and defeat, ecstasy and depression, as the freedom and pressures of time prey on me every second of every day.

The time I have left in high school is reserved for preparation, and with so little time left I will say my goodbyes, but my life will continue to be about fun, and I will continue living for today in hopes that I will be remembered tomorrow.