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SPORTS
Another Year of
Success for Tennis
By Kamrul Islam
The Boys’ Tennis Team successfully
ended their season by going to the playoffs for the 2nd consecutive year. “It was
a terrific season,” commented Klaudio
Luka.
With only two returning players, the
team anticipated a difficult season. Spectacular teamwork, however, helped the
Tiger to finish the season with a 6-4 record and place second in the division
along with Aviation.
Every team that faced Cleveland was
crushed. Unfortunately, a team full of
new players was not strong enough to
defeat John Bowne.
Since there were too many teams who
were eligible for the playoffs, Cleveland
had to play a play-in match against Richmond Hill. The Tigers were confident
and defeated them 3-2.
On the first round of the playoffs the
Tigers traveled to Far Rockaway to face
Beach Channel. The players faced some
difficulties adjusting with the environment. Rafael Zara, the 3rd singles of the
team said, “It was too windy, since it
was right by the bay.” He also complained that “there were cracks on the
courts.”
The team played great, but unfortunately they had to say goodbye to their
season as they suffered a devastating
loss.
Even behind the sorrow of losing the
match, there was a smile of success on
Coach Mr. Sternleib’s face. He said to
his team, “It’s been a great season. I’m
really proud of you guys.” The coach
looks forward to work with the new
players next year.
Herald
Volume 25, No. 9
Coach Fimmano with
some members of the
Track Team.
High-Speed Track Team
By Albi Skendari
What does it take to be on the track
team? Is it will? Determination? Physical
excellence or good grades?
Coach Fimmano, who in his tenth
year guiding Cleveland track, said,
“Lowering your time is the name of the
game.”
Following his advice, team leaders
Abraham Tejada, Szymon Wnetrzak, and
Albi Skendari worked to achieve a successful outdoor season by training hard.
As the season ended, the Tigers won
first place in the Queens 4 X 400 with
seniors Abraham Tejada and Kevin Beteta with teammates Szymon and Albi.
Also adding to Cleveland’s power were
the improved running of seniors Shou Li
Wang, Johan Velasco, Kreshnik Sadiku,
and Fu Ming Huang.
Junior Dwayne Clarke said, “This was
a great team. Everyone encourages each
other.” Helping this successful track
family were runners Jorge Adan, Mena
Farag, Anthony Mortillaro and freshman
Hiram Troche.
At the Athletic Award Dinner, Mr.
Van Aalten, AP, Physical Education,
presented the MVP award to Szymon for
cross-country, Eugene Moricito for the
indoor season, and to Abraham Tejada
for the outdoor season. Abraham also
won the prestigious Jack Louis Award, a
notable honor.
Soccer Team Ends on a High Note
By Johnny Macancella
After the first three games of the season, the Boys’ Soccer Team seemed like
they would have a promising season.
After all, they played two of the toughest
teams in the leagues, Newtown and
Newcomers, and those games ended up
in draws.
However, Cleveland did take care of
the third game and they beat John Adams, 5-1.
Then, the team hit a wall, going 1-4 in
their next five games and
losing to Bryant, Aviation, L.I.C., and Newtown. Their only victory
from the SA
came against Newcomers with a 1-0 win.
Reading research has shown that reading fifteen
After this tough
minutes a day will result in being exposed to a milstretch of games, the
lion, two hundred thousand words a year —
1,200,000. So, as the summer approaches find time team was ignited by a
solid effort against Newto read for fun. No matter what the material –
town, even though it
sports, soap opera magazines, video magazines,
plays, poetry, novels, or your plain old ordinary news- ended in a loss. This
prove to be the defining
paper — read and enjoy. Reading can take you on
moment because the
the most wonderful vacations.
team then played their
PAWPRINTS
Grover Cleveland
June, 2003
best soccer of the season, to finish with a
6-4-2 record.
Eugene, the captain and right defender
of the team, said, “We fortunately woke
up in time to make the playoffs.” Richard Lopez added, “I am proud of my
team because they showed they had big
hearts. We could have given up and just
played out the season, but we didn’t. We
kept trying and in the end our effort rewarded us with a spot in the playoffs.”
At the playoffs, the team performed
pretty well. In their first game against
Evander Childs from the Bronx, Cleveland rolled with a 3-0 victory.
This celebration was short lived because in their next match against PSAL
powerhouse, Newtown, they lost 3-0,
and were eliminated from the playoffs.
After the game, coach Dimitri Draguca told his players, “I am very proud
of the season we had. You played your
hearts out. You did your best.”
Tryouts for the next season are underway. Coach Draguca believes the Tigers
will have another strong season.
Mr. Scarola Interview
Page 3
Tennis!
Page 4
June, 2003
Art Grant Brings Students
and Families Together
By Gwendolyn G. Dick
The “Parents as Art Partners” art grant
has allowed Ms. Spinella to bring the
world of art to students and families. On
Wednesdays and Saturdays during the
spring term, Cleveland students and their
families worked on a new mural, which
will become a permanent fixture at Cleveland.
“It is fun to spend time with new people,” said twelve-year-old Michelle, the
sister of junior Michael Paulik. Michael
and Michelle participated in seven
Wednesday evenings when the program
ran from 6 P.M. to 8 P.M. in B-28.
In addition, the program allowed the
group to visit the Metropolitan Museum
of Art to get ideas for their “Unity in Diversity” mural.
“It’s a great program from
which you learn a lot, such as
how to bring elements together
and make them look like they
belong next to each other,” said
Christiana Isacescu.
Cleveland can see some of the
exciting progress of this mural by
stopping by the Art Club, which
meets Wednesdays after school in
B-28. Also, an eye-catching, colorful display about the program is
outside room 319.
“The mural we are creating
represent all the heritages that make up
Grover Cleveland’s student body,” said
Ms. Spinella.
She feels that “in addition to beautifying our school, I hope that it helps to promote a deeper understanding and toler-
Young artists celebrate their achievements.
ance of the unique community that we
coexist in.”
When looking at this mural, remember
it reflects the many contributions of all
who took part in this program.
Fellowship of the Christian Club
Bible and try to apply what we’ve
learned to our everyday lives,” said Derek
Schiavone, a member.
Mr. Kemp serves as the advisor of
Youth Alive, which sponsors events at
Cleveland like the Thanksgiving Feast,
where “more than
40 people attended,” he noted.
The
club’s
president, Jenu
Jose, describes the
club as “a place
where we gather
and express our
thoughts.” After
the weekly meetings, he said,
“When I leave the
fellowship
of
Christian friends,
Members of the Christian Club welcome all to their Wednesday meetings.
I feel that we
By Kris Corella
The Christian Club, which is also
known as Youth Alive, meets every
Wednesday in room 121 from 3:00 P.M.
to 4:30 PM. Here, students discuss topics
that relate to their lives. “We go over the
share the same mission. Each meeting
gives me euphoric joy.”
The club welcomes everyone, regardless of religious affiliation. There are
more than 15 members in the club, which
meets throughout the year. Some students
who experience problems report that this
club has helped them.
“Having a place to talk about problems
makes a difference,” commented one
member, who asked to remain anonymous.
As Mr. Kemp, the club’s advisor for 10
years, expressed it, “I really enjoy these
meetings with the students. Their prayer
and frank discussion inspires me.”
For those with questions about religion
or about Jesus, come to a club meeting.
As the vice presidents, Dwayne Clarke
and Ralph Polanco explained, “We are
glad to speak with new people and we’ll
try to answer any questions.”
2 Grover Cleveland Herald, June 2003
From The
Principal...
Dear Students, Parents and Staff:
A
s the school year comes to
a close, let us reflect on our
accomplishments. While June is a
month when students advance on
their journey through school, it also
means saying goodbye to friends we made during
the year. It means moving forward, and for seniors,
celebrating graduation.
I want to congratulate the staff of the Cleveland
Herald. Our school newspaper has become a
professional, timely source of news for our school
community. Thank you for a job well done. I also
want to congratulate all those graduating seniors
who are moving on to the next phase of their lives.
“It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult
undertaking, which more than anything else, will
determine its outcome.” William James
ADVICE FOR THE SOUL
Dear Herald,
A friend of mine happens to have a crush on my exboyfriend. She asked me if it was alright if she makes a move
since she likes him a lot. Even though I know it would hurt me,
I don’t want to tell her. What should I do?
Confused
Dear Confused,
Obviously you still have feelings for your ex, even though
you don’t want anyone to know. What you have to do is be real
with your friend and tell her how you honestly feel. Let her
know how disappointed you would feel if she were to start a
relationship with him.
Dear Herald,
My friend is going out with two guys at present. One of them
has been my friend for a long time. I feel like she’s playing with
his feelings and might end up hurting him. I don’t want to cause
any disagreements between them, but at the same time I feel I
should do something. What should I do?
Concerned friend
Dear Concerned friend,
It’s ok to feel worried and concerned, but at the same time
don’t blame yourself for not doing anything. You should talk to
your friend about the issue and hear what she has to say. Also,
don’t interfere too much because you might be seen as the bad
one in the end.
This column is by Tony Ferruggia, Geovanna Jerez, and
Karen Moore.
Get Out There and Represent!
By Suneyda Sandoval
Ever wanted to join student government? Although many of
us have great ideas, we just can’t find the time in between homework, tests, and life to get involved. Here’s one of the best-kept
secrets that can change your life — become a senior representative!
While you must be a senior to become a “Senior Rep,” now
is when freshmen, sophomores, and especially juniors should
listen up!
During senior year, your homeroom teacher will give out
information about these office positions. Each class then picks
two representatives resulting in a committee of 25-30 representatives.
This new committee of fortunate selected seniors decides on
important issues such as the prom, senior trip, and other senioryear related issues. Rosa Verdesoto said, “I didn’t think that being a Senior Rep would be so easy and fun. I’m the one deciding
on prom colors and senior trips, and that is a great thing because
it’s my year.”
Jennifer Tellado explained, “As a Senior Rep, you get a
voice in what goes on in the school. Also, we only meet a few
times a month after school and it’s not that time-consuming.”
Along with Ms. Louis, the Senior Advisor, reps help organize the senior meetings and discuss issues with other seniors.
Often, the best sources for ideas are friends.
Reps also speak with others whom they may not necessarily
know and ask them what they would like to see happen for their
senior year. Rani Rivera encourages all students to join because
“your voices are heard and you get the first look at all of the future senior activities.”
Sounds like a lot of work? Well, meetings can last about an
hour to an hour and a half, but they are not every week. Don’t
worry about spending every Friday afternoon in school, just be
willing to get together every now and then to make some fun
choices!
Until now, you probably thought that you had to be Senior
President to make all the decisions, but that’s simply not the
case. As a representative, you really are the outlet of opinions
from yourself and your peers. You’re the student. Only you can
make your senior year the best it can be!
**Good luck to all students who are taking
the Regents exams in June**
The Herald can be viewed from the Grover Clever website at http://
schools.nycenet.edu/queenshs/gchs.
GROVER CLEVELAND HERALD
2127 Himrod Street, Ridgewood, NY 11385
(718) 381-9600
Principal: Mr. Dominick Scarola
AP, Communication Arts: Ms. Michelle Robertson
Editors in Chief:
Kamrul Islam and Karen Moore
Page Editor: Bobby Gurba
Advisor: Ms. Sedlack
The Grover Cleveland Herald is composed of stories about the students and activities of Grover Cleveland High School. We ask students their opinions about current issues and hope to use their responses to provide a forum of communication
for the school.
We welcome any comments or letters on the paper’s content. Please drop
your letters in the English Department, room 315.
Special thanks to our Assistant Principal, Ms. Adams and our Computer Technician, Mr. Uche Onaga.
Leading the Way
By Hema Tiwari and
Nestor Hernandez
Do you think that you could be a great
leader like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.?
First, you have to stop and ask yourself,
“What qualities are needed to lead?” How
do you contribute to society and inspire
others?
Grover Cleveland offers a Leadership
class to help students to develop the skills
needed to be a positive influence in the
Cleveland community and in our society.
Mr. Santaga teaches the class.
He describes this class as an opportunity to “assist the students and
help them become better leaders.”
Mr. Santaga also learned many
leadership skills from being a drill
sergeant in the Army.
Junior Christian Rivera feels that this
class helps, “build the school’s sense of
identity as well as respect for others.”
Senior Tamara Medina, who participated
in this class, thinks that, “this is a great
opportunity because this course helps to
build self esteem and courage.” Tamara is
now the Arista (National Honor Society)
Treasurer.
Many students have taken this class as
“training” before deciding to run for a
position in Student Government. Sophomore Nithranie Tiwari says, “This class
June 2003 Grover Cleveland Herald 3
was great. I learned many skills that will
benefit me in the future.”
The Leadership class offers students
the chance to develop their minds on another level. Students get the chance to
develop confidence when dealing with
decision-making that will affect their
lives.
This class currently has 15 students and
meets everyday during 2nd period. If you
are interested in participating in this class
for the fall semester, you can be nominated by a teacher, guidance counselor, or
see Mr. Santaga in room 236A.
This course should not be thought of as
just a credit, but as a life skill. Don’t miss
In the Office with
Mr. Scarola
By Dominique Shuler and Dino Brienza
Everyone wants to know about the man
behind the title of Cleveland’s new principal. The Herald recently spoke with Mr.
Scarola about some issues on everyone’s
mind. There is no question that Mr. Scarola has big plans for improving Grover
Cleveland’s stature.
Herald: Why was freshman house
started?
Mr. Scarola: Superintendent John Lee
brought the idea to my attention after visiting a talent development school where
the classes and learning environment were
smaller.
Smaller learning classes are proven to
help students accomplish more in life. It
allows them more attention from the
teachers. Also, teachers can help them
with any particular problem in which they
experience during class.
Herald: Do you plan to continue freshman house in the future?
Mr. Scarola: Of course! The students
who are in the 9th grade and in freshman
house have done better academically compared to students who were in regular
classes.
Herald: How has Cleveland improved
since you’ve become principal?
Mr. Scarola: Well, I'll leave that up to
the students to answer.
Herald: What standards would you
like the school to meet?
Mr. Scarola: I want to see more students graduate and go to college and make
something of themselves for the future. I
also would like to see students get more
Principal Scarola meeting with members of the student government and Mr. Santaga, the COSA.
involved with our after school activities.
Herald: What makes you proud of the
school?
Mr. Scarola: For one my job and the
staff members. But most of all, I enjoy the
students and how unique they are in their
own way. Students in Grover Cleveland
are one-of-a-kind.
Herald: What influenced your decision
to come to Cleveland? Also what obstacles have you overcome?
Mr. Scarola: I didn't ask to be principal, I was offered the position but looking
back and knowing what I now know about
the students and staff here, I would have
asked. A lot of stress comes with this job.
I also had to overcome the obstacle of
more hours here than before because it’s
less time with my own children at home.
Let me note though, I consider the students of Cleveland as my own.
Herald: Many male students ask why
is the hat policy so important?
Mr. Scarola: Students must follow the
policy to prevent the possibility of gang
colors being represented. It also sets a
positive tone within the school. If I let one
student wear a hat, I have to let all do the
same and that’s just not right. Plus it’s a
N.Y.C. rule.
Herald: Would you ever consider extending the passing time between classes?
Mr. Scarola: We’re thinking about it.
The school isn’t overcrowded, and if
everyone worked on doing the right thing,
it wouldn’t be a problem. Efforts are made
by the security to eliminate the problem.
Herald: Is there anything about Cleveland that reminds you of your high school
days?
Mr. Scarola: It’s hard to remember.
Well, I began high school in Brooklyn
Tech. It was a very big school like this
one. Then I moved to Long Island and
went to school there. Nothing has really
changed. One thing that’s different concerns New York City’s cultural changes.
Herald: We know that Cleveland is
among the N.Y.C.’s top 200 list. How
does that make you feel about the students?
Mr. Scarola: It’s a very good feeling
and a pleasant surprise. It takes the pressure off with all the ongoing changes.
It helps to show that we are doing
something right here. Making the list is
positive for both the students and staff.
Students should try and join after school
activities like clubs and teams. It makes
the school what it is.
SENIORS
Grover Cleveland
Herald
Senior Issue, 2003
You Have Options
WRITTEN BY BOBBY GURBA
If someone was to take a survey of
all the students in Grover Cleveland
High School and ask them what their
plans for after high school were, I
would bet that the majority would say
college. That’s because a great number
of students already have implanted in
their heads that after high school you
must go to college.
Consider this: because you go to
college, it doesn’t necessarily mean
you will be successful in it. Some people are simply not made for college.
Some barely make it out of high school
and the thought of another four years of
school makes them cringe.
You may be wondering, “If I don’t
go to college, then what will I do after
high school?” One very good response
would be “join the military.”
Joining the military could be one
of the greatest and most gratifying
things that you ever do in your life. If
you do it right, you can take full advantage of all the benefits that the armed
services offer, and as a result, you will
become a much better person.
But, as with college, the military
isn’t for everyone. You must be willing
and able to completely transform your
way of life. You have to be the kind of
person that respects authority, not one
who defies it. The military will instill
within you morals and discipline that
cannot be found any place else, and in
return it asks for hard work and complete dedication.
However, because you join the
military it doesn’t mean you are never
going to college. Actually, the military
offers many programs for enlistees who
want to go to college and serve their
country. One program is the Montgom-
ery G.I. Bill. If you apply for this program, the military will deduct $100 or
so from your pay for 12 months; after
the year is over, you can get up to
$50,000 for college. That money can be
used to go to college while you’re still
in the military, or for up to 10 years
after you get out.
Among the Army, Navy, Marines,
Air Force and Coast Guard, there are
over 4,100 different jobs, you may
choose from. The jobs range from musician to nuclear technician. There is
something for everybody.
What if this option sounds like a
good idea, but you still really want to
go to college? If you join the military
after you finish college, you can apply
to be an officer. An officer gets higher
pay and is one of the most respected
figures in the military.
What if you don’t want to fully
commit yourself for four years? Then,
you can join the reserves. You attend
meetings one weekend every two
months. You can go to college or have
a full time job while in the reserves,
and still receive most of the military
benefits.
So, if you feel that you don’t want
to go to college, there are other options.
Why let anybody pressure you into
doing something you don’t want to do?
In the end, you will only hurt yourself.
If you want more information
about the military, visit your local
recruiter, guidance counselor for
information, or visit this site, http://
usmilitary.about.com/mbody.htm.
There you will find masses of information including what boot camp is like,
military pay, information about every
job the military has to offer, and
much more.
PAWPRINTS
from the SA
Reading research has shown that reading fifteen minutes
a day will result in being exposed to a million two hundred thousand
words a year — 1,200,000. So, as the summer approaches find time
to read for fun. No matter what the material – sports, soap opera
magazines, video magazines, plays, poetry, novels, or your plain old
ordinary newspaper — read and enjoy. Reading can take you on the
most wonderful vacations.
Volume 25, No. 10
Senioritis
Page 2
Difficult Decisions
Page 3
June, 2003
Senior Trip to Baltimore
Cortrell Bishop of the Boys’ Basketball Team
shows the winning spirit found in all Grover
Cleveland sports.
Yearbook Class
Written by Jennifer Tellado
In the yearbook class, which creates the
yearbook for 2003, students must be responsible and have high standards. Aside from
the classes being exciting, it involves hard
work. The yearbook staff often works with
the administration to establish clear guidelines on student publications and assists in
gathering information.
No one in the staff has just one job,
that’s why team work plays a crucial part in
the yearbook class. While some take pictures of their friends and events in the
school, others design layouts. Then, they
come together to pick the best pictures, and
fit them to the layout, or draw a new one.
When it’s all done, they write the captions for the pictures. The staff constantly
meet to find out names of students, to take
pictures of missing people, and to correct
typing. According to Erica Torres, “The
class is great and gives us a taste of how it
feels to be at a work place.”
When I asked Mr. Guille, the yearbook
teacher, how he felt about the class. I expected to hear something like “It drives me
crazy,” instead his exact words were “I love
it.” The yearbook class all felt proud when
they finished the yearbook and realized that
they captured the most wonderful moments
in the senior’s life and put it all together into
this memorable book.
Written by Eddie Henry
Edited by Christopher Negron
With high hopes of a great senior trip
for the weekend of March 21 to March 23,
Grover Cleveland seniors awaited traveling to Baltimore day by day.
The trip was orchestrated by Ms.
Louis and the senior representatives. The
$250 cost of the trip included meals, hotel,
and events. At last, the day came, and an
excited group of students departed.
Arriving in Baltimore around noon,
the Baltimore Aquarium was the first stop
for the students, who witnessed a spectacular dolphin show. Danny Soto exclaimed, “I loved the show because that’s
my favorite animal.”
Afterwards, the seniors were treated
to a buffet. That night, they went roller
skating for three hours until eleven.
On Saturday morning the seniors
awoke at 7 A.M. to eat and left to visit the
Black Wax Museum at
noon. The museum contained many great African
American figures.
After that, the next
phase of the trip was the
Science Museum. The
IMAX documentary on a
great voyage was one of
the memorable highlights.
Later in the day, the
seniors went to the ESPN
zone. There were dozens SENIOR YEAR BEGINS with the Yearbook’s official group porof different sports games trait. Above, students wait for the Class of 2003 to assemble.
to watch as well as an
entertainment game area on the second together to treat them to one last meal. It
floor.
was a steak buffet. “That was simply
On the final night, students enjoyed a amazing,” said John Rivera.
pizza and pool party before going to bed.
The weekend tour headed home, arThat Sunday morning the buses departed riving at Cleveland at 9 P.M. All on the
the hotel for the clothing outlets. After 2003 senior trip had a chance to be with
shopping, Ms. Louis called the seniors friends and experience new places.
A SPECIAL DAY
Written by Rafael Jerez
A ring is possibly the most symbolic
item. Rings can represent the bond of love
in a wedding or symbolize social status as
some display jewelry to show wealth.
Above all, rings can be a symbol of
graduation.
An eager group of senior students
attended the much anticipated second
annual Senior Ring Ceremony held on
March 25 in the school library. Before the
ceremony kicked off at 7 A.M., there were
donuts and juice for the participants.
Senior Advisor Ms. Louis and Russell
Williams from Jostens presented each
senior with his or her class ring. “When I
present these rings, I better see smiling
faces,” said Mr. Williams jokingly.
Megan Hernandez smiled as she tried
on her ring with a blue stone. “It was
wonderful to receive it. What a great feeling,” she said.
Jennifer Figueroa was presented with
a free class ring. Ms. Louis picked her
name out in a raffle at an earlier senior assembly, and she
won a gold ring.
Students were excited with
their senior class rings. As a
group, they put on their rings
at the same time, twisted it
once towards the pinky.
The ceremony succeeded
in making everyone feel happy
and the students displayed
their rings with joy to everyone
who attended.
The Senior class turn their rings
towards a golden future.
2 Grover Cleveland Herald Senior Issue, June 2003
From The
Principal...
Dear Students, Parents and Staff:
A
s the school year comes to
a close, let us reflect on our
accomplishments. While June is a
month when students advance on
their journey through school, it also
means saying goodbye to friends we made during
the year. It means moving forward, and for seniors,
celebrating graduation.
I want to congratulate the staff of the Cleveland
Herald. Our school newspaper has become a
professional, timely source of news for our school
community. Thank you for a job well done. I also
want to congratulate all those graduating seniors
who are moving on to the next phase of their lives.
“It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult
undertaking, which more than anything else, will
determine its outcome.” William James
ADVICE FOR THE SOUL
Dear Herald,
Do you believe in love for an institution? This may be crazy
because I spent four years telling myself I hated high school.
Now I will graduate and I hate the idea of leaving Cleveland.
Can I possibly be in love with high school?
Desperate
Dear Desperate,
It sounds like you love to hate Cleveland. Ever notice that
those who say they hate something over and over really deep
down like that thing? People don’t like to admit that they like
school, but if you take the time to think about it, Cleveland
has given you many things—friends, memories, and most
importantly, an education.
This column is by Teuta Kurtovic and Suneyda Sandoval.
GROVER CLEVELAND HERALD
2127 Himrod Street, Ridgewood, NY 11385
(718) 381-9600
Principal: Mr. Dominick Scarola
AP, Communication Arts: Ms. Michelle Robertson
Senior Editors:
Jocelyn Berrios, Janildy Garcia and Christopher Negron
Page Editor: Bobby Gurba
Advisor: Ms. Sedlack
The Grover Cleveland Herald is composed of stories about the students and
activities of Grover Cleveland High School. We ask students their opinions
about current issues and hope to use their responses to provide a forum of
communication for the school.
We welcome any comments or letters on the paper’s content. Please drop
your letters in the English Department, room 315.
Special thanks to our Assistant Principal, Ms. Adams and our Computer
Technician, Mr. Uche Onaga.
SENIORITIS
WRITTEN BY OSWALD CRUZ JR.
The time is approaching for Grover Cleveland graduates of
2003 to depart high school.
Most students say this year is a breeze, but some are enjoying senior year too much. Students should not take for granted
their last year in high school. The teachers here try their best to
help students pass their classes. The parents come up with ways
to motivate their children and to keep them focused. In the halls,
some students misinterpret what senior year means.
Senioritis comes, in fact, to all students. I am a student who
believed that senior year would be easy. It is easier than other
years, but work has to accompany all the courses you must fulfill
before graduation. I learned that doing your work on time is a
great way to learn if you can succeed in life. Students must realize that being a senior is not all work either; it also gives us the
benefit to have fun and enjoy ourselves.
As seniors, we must take care of our responsibilities. Making
mistakes during senior year may cost you the prize. If you have a
problem and need to talk to fellow students or teachers, don’t be
afraid to ask questions. All seniors need to take action and ensure
they will graduate.
I hope my words help you on your path to graduation. Let go
of the myth of senioritis!
Farewell Friends!
Being a senior is exciting, but at the same time, I feel
upset because I’m going to leave my brothers and sisters. We
are friends; we hang out together in the library, cafeteria, and
in classes. We are not blood related, but in my heart
we are joined together. The advice I leave for my “family” is
to believe in yourself and to stay on track. Later in life, I’ll
be able to see you in the gorgeous future you’ve created
for yourselves.
—(Becky) Yan Ting Liu
Grover Cleveland, farewell! I hope to see you again. You
were like my second home. You helped me realize all my
dreams and hopes. You are the one who woke me up to see
the reality in life. Grover Cleveland, you are special, and I will
miss you so much.
— Alexandra Munoz
I came into Cleveland feeling strange. I did not know any
teachers or know where anything was, period. Now it’s four
years later. The day for graduation is rapidly arriving and I
feel like I am leaving my home and leaving behind friends
and teachers that are like a family. In turn, I am ready to
start a new life. I want to say farewell. I will miss everyone,
but at least I leave with four years of an amazing experience.
— Jennifer Tellado
Bye-Bye Grover Cleveland! It was fun while it lasted, but
everything must come to an end. It is near the end, and I
must say farewell to my high school days and start a new life
with new achievements.
—Tony Pham
Farewell to all my fellow classmates and good luck to all,
even the ones I never knew well!!!
—- Jonathan Lever
Senior Issue June 2003 Grover Cleveland Herald 3
DIFFICULT DECISIONS
Written by Jocelyn Berrios and Janildy Garcia
We all take different paths in life, but no matter where
we go, we take a little of each other everywhere. There are
many difficult decisions in life, which teenagers must
make.
The graduating class of Grover Cleveland must prepare for the challenging decisions they have to encounter.
It’s the last semester of high school for seniors, which can
become pretty stressful at times.
Seniors are very excited about going to the prom and
the senior trip, but are also very worried about meeting
college application deadlines. “I’m so nervous. I don’t
know what to expect from college and the things to
come,” Jenny Cruz said.
So many decisions must be made when you’re a senior. Some are small nerve-racking choices, like whom you
will take to the prom or if you want to go on the senior
trip. Some are more intense, such as what college you’ll
attend or if you really want to go to college directly after
high school.
As Johanna Villanueva put it, “Senior year is the best,
but the most crucial, part of your life. You don’t know
how to react if a college doesn’t accept you and you wonder what will happen once you get out of high school.”
As seniors, we feel the same way because when the
unexpected faces us, we all have fear. The majority of
seniors plan to attend college where they’ll pursue their
studies and prepare for a good future
Although many feel that college is necessary, others
reported that their immediate goal focused only on completing high school. Patricia Lopez stated, “I don’t care
about later; I just want to leave this school.”
Ana Gutierrez, Joanna Nunez, and Larry Montero
took a different view. All agreed that they would go to
college for better opportunities. They said, “Queremos ir a
la universidad para mejorar nuestras vidas.” (We want to
go to college to improve our lives.)
How difficult is the fact that some students will receive rejection letters from colleges of their choice? Some
believe it doesn’t really matter what college they attend,
higher education is the key.
“I really don’t care what college I go to. My main
goal is just to go to college and get into the career of my
choice,” stated Krystle Serra. She went on to say, “For
people that do care what college they attend, they should
work really hard to impress the college of their choice.
Just remember not to stress yourself too much.”
Life can be difficult, but there is a very important saying that many of us live by, which is: “In a tombstone,
you have the year you were born and the year you died,
but the most important thing is the little dash in between.”
It means live your life knowing that what you do in between those years is the most important fact of all.
During the January graduation ceremony in the library, seniors applaud
as they experience a moment they will remember for a lifetime.
MEMORABLE MOMENTS
My favorite moment at G.C.H.S. occurred when I was
competing on the school swim team against Far Rockaway
High School. While I was swimming the 100-yard freestyle I
needed to break one minute to be eligible to compete at the
open championships where only the best swimmers in N.Y.C
compete. That night I hit 59.96 seconds in the 100-yard freestyle and became one of the swimmers at G.C.H.S to make it to
the individual championships in over 10 years.
—-Tony Ferruggia
The most memorable moment in my four years at Grover
Cleveland is seeing all the students in here who received numerous awards at the Senior Awards night. Success for the
graduating class is simple. Just believe in yourself and always
strive to be the best at what makes you happy. Only you determine what name you leave behind.
— Dominique Shuler
One of my most memorable moments being a student of
Grover Cleveland actually occurred pretty far away from the
school itself. It was when our school’s debate team left for Lexington, Mass. to compete in a tournament. It was the first time
ever in Grover Cleveland’s history that the school competed in
an out of state tournament. It was a momentous occasion.
— Christopher Negron
While attending G.C.H.S I enjoyed many pleasant
experiences. Two of the most memorable experiences were
being part of the Hispanic Club and performing in the Winter
Festival. I also enjoyed playing for the soccer team.
— Kevin Beteta
My favorite moment occurred during 10th grade. We were
playing a baseball game against Aviation. I was up at bat and I
hit a 3-run homerun to win the game. My teammates and I were
very happy because we won the game.
— Johnny Macancela