Hoofprints Issue 6 June 2010 - Union Free School District of the ...

S L E E P Y H O L L O W S T U D E N T N E W S P A P E R
I S S U E V I June 2010
SHHS Science Researchers Continue to Excel
By Adam Caspari
S
leepy Hollow’s Science Research
program had great successes at
competitions this year. The competent
group of students won 27 awards in
total, the second largest
number in the
program’s history.
The students, who
have all been involved
in the program
since the tenth grade,
presented a wide
variety of projects,
ranging from green roofs to pre-mRNA
splicing. Ms. Longo-Abinanti, Sleepy
Hollow’s Science Research instructor, says
that she “loves her students,” who “do
quality work.”
The Science Research program at
Sleepy Hollow provides a unique opportunity
for students to conduct an in-depth
study in a scientific discipline of their
choice. Since projects are complex and
Block Scheduling to
Prevail in 2010-2011
By Paula Unger
W
ith the end of the 2009-2010
school year approaching, many
students are beginning to think
about their schedules for the upcoming
year. The guidance department has been
busy planning and placing students in
appropriate classes for September. Next
year, Sleepy Hollow students and teachers
will experience a big change in scheduling.
Every class for high school students
will be blocked—a major change for
freshmen and sophomores, who have
previously had single-period math and
language classes. Though this might seem
like a drastic change to some, others consider
it a simple and logical transition. In
fact, almost all classes in Sleepy Hollow
are blocked already.
Mrs. Conklin explains that originally
it was thought that ninth and tenth grade
students would benefit from the repetition
of math and language skills through everyday
single periods. These single periods
were also intended to ease the transition
from middle to high school for underclassmen.
However, in many other schools
across the country, educators believe that
having math and language every day does
not benefit students.
extremely thorough, students partake in the
program for all three of their final years of
high of school. Science Research requires
a large commitment from students, and
also allows Longo-Abinanti
to
“really get to
know each and
every [student],”
as she said during
a speech at
this year’s Science
Research
Symposium.
The 13 th Annual Sleepy Hollow
High School Science Research Symposium
was held on April 28 th this year. It
featured presentations from students from
all three Science Research classes. The
seniors, who were the only power-point
presenters of the night, dedicated the symposium
to Principal Conklin. Conklin has
been a firm supporter of the program since
To simplify scheduling for next year,
math and language classes at Sleepy Hollow
will be double periods every other day
for every grade. This will also cause all
electives to be blocked, which will be
beneficial to many students, who could get
more accomplished during double periods
of art and music classes than they could
during single periods.
There are other advantages that
come with this change in scheduling. First,
class sizes will be more evenly distributed.
This will be very important next year because
classes will be made larger as a
result of the new budget. Students will also
have more time to do their homework, as
assignments will no longer be due every
day. However, this demands more responsibility
and better time management, especially
for the upcoming freshmen. “It will
not be that much of a transition though,
since some of our classes are already
blocked this year,” replied Alec Stoll, an
eighth grader excited to move up to high
school.
Despite its numerous benefits, some
students do not welcome this change.
“Ninety minutes is just too long” said
Continued on Page 3
its formation thirteen years ago,
when it only included 13 students (it
now has 60).
Since the first class began
competitions in 2000, Sleepy Hollow
Science Research students have
achieved recognition on a regional,
national, and international scale.
Students have attended the Intel International
Science and Engineering Fair
(ISEF), the largest and one of the most
prestigious science fairs for high school
students, on five separate occasions. One
of these was last year, when Tara Bonanno,
now a senior, attended ISEF (which
rotates location each year) in Reno, Nevada.
Two students have also attended the
three-year-old International Sustainable
World (Energy, Engineering, Environment)
Project Olympiad (ISWEEEP). One
of these students is senior Adam Fry, who
competed in Houston, Texas earlier this
year and won first place in the environment
category. In addition, Madeleine
LaRue, Elyssa Swanson, and Adam Fry
qualified to compete in the New York
State Junior Science and Humanities Symposium
(NY-JSHS) in Albany, where
Swanson won first place in behavioral
science.
Ms. Longo-Abinanti says that bringing
her students to competitions is “the
most awesome experience that a teacher
can have,” as students are recognized for
their hard work. Not surprisingly, Longo-
Abinanti describes the days at these competitions
as “full”, frequently lasting from 8
Voters OK TUFSD Budget
By Nate Caspari
Continued on Page 8
“I
would like to think the vote reflected
a general sense that we had produced
a budget that preserved the
kinds of programs and services that the community
values in our public school system,
while reflecting sensitivity to the current
economic environment,” Dr. Howard Smith
told the Hudson Independent, after the
$63.44 million budget passed with a vote of
793 to 571 on May 18, 2010. The budget
was designed to give the school more money
in its time of need, while not heavily increasing
the already high taxes that plague the
area. The budget, however, will cost the jobs
of twelve teachers, and a place many have
grown to love, Tappan Hill.
Tappan Hill is the Union Free School
District of the Tarrytowns (TUFSD) kindergarten
(Kindergarten students will be moved
to the John Paulding School). “I am probably
like many other parents; I am really sorry to
see Tappan Hill close. It was a perfect environment
for kindergarteners, but I did vote
for the budget, and I think closing Tappan
Hill is the right thing to do” says parent
Arline Segal. Despite this closing, taxes will
increase by .10% for the citizens of Tarrytown,
while citizens of Sleepy Hollow will
experience a much more dramatic tax increase
of 6.62%.
Spending in the budget will be increased
by 1.48%. As mentioned earlier, the
budget aims to keep vital programs, and tries
to make the least impact on students. Dr.
Smith is attempting to keep the sports and
fine arts budgets intact, and prevent failure in
the educational budget itself. If the budget
had not passed, much more severe cuts
would have been made, due to the reduced
amount of income (mainly state aid) available
to the school district. Some types of
school spending that would be likely to be
reconsidered would have been: band, chorus,
orchestra, full day kindergarten, summer
school, the challenge program, sports, bus
transportation and many afterschool activities.
The plan passed will decrease school
district spending, and will increase the
amount of income generated from taxes on
Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown citizens.
Another cost saving measure for next year is
the streamlining of the school district’s transportation
system. The closure of Tappan Hill
will create fewer dismissal times, decreasing
the need for transportation-related resources.
The plan also suggests the complete
elimination of school bus monitors. When
the school budget is put into effect, the school
will experience many changes. However, as
mentioned earlier, central administration
hopes it will have the least impact on students’
education.

PAGE 2 O P I N I O N HOOFPRINTS
Sleepy Hollow Students Attend HHREC Conference
By Amelia Bonvento
On March 17 th , eight other students and
I, represented by global teacher Ms. Graham,
participated in the 9 th annual All Day Human
Rights Institute of the Holocaust and Human
Rights Educational Center (HHREC) at Manhattanville
College. The workshop hosted not
only Sleepy Hollow students, but sophomore
representatives from 21 other schools in our
area.
With over 300 students entering the
dining hall, the day opened with an introduction
about the conference’s purpose. Led by
motivational speakers Omèkongo Dibinga
and Michael Andrews, attendees learned
about being “upstanders”, or people who
would speak up if faced with unjustness and
opposition. The speakers then continued to
talk about the history of the violation of human
rights, ranging from the Holocaust, to
present day issues, such as ongoing genocide.
After the introduction, we were split up
into twelve different workshops, which were
led by juniors and seniors who had attended
this very event in previous years. The topics of
these presentations included the environment,
domestic crimes, human trafficking and
women’s rights, as well as many others.
Being a person who never shies away
from defending women’s rights, I, who was
assigned into the latter workshop, was interested
to hear what the presenters had to say.
Three upperclassmen girls led the presentation,
and the more they talked, the more disgusted
I became at how corrupt and heartless
our world can really be. Here I was, along
with a handful of other students. We had
clothes on our backs, attended schools, and
had the opportunity to go to workshops like
these, whereas girls across the world, not
much older than we are, were struggling just
to stay alive on a day to day basis. The whole
event was eye-opening for me, and by the
looks on the faces of my peers, it was for them
also.
During all of these presentations informing
the sophomores around the campus, Ms.
Graham and the other teachers attended a
meeting with the HHREC’s director, Dr.
Marlene Yahalom. In this workshop, the
administrators and teachers discussed the
connection between past and present human
rights violations, and ways to expand one’s
own awareness within their schools.
During lunch, after a discussion within
our own school groups, one representative
from each school went up and shared their
own accumulated ideas of how they were
going to inform their school about what they
had learned. Ideas ranged from having weekly
in-school newscasts, to a monthly bulletin
about ways in which one could help out in
their community.
Closing the day, we had a Q&A session
with two Holocaust survivors, Sel Hubert, and
Susan Rothschild. These two speakers were
also featured in the film “Testimony of the
Human Spirit”. After the last of many questions
had been answered, multiple students
surrounded both Hubert and Rothschild, to
share their gratitude and appreciation for
speaking so generously on such a sensitive
subject. We shook their hands, shared an
embrace, all the while wiping away fragile
tears that had been triggered by the conversation.
At the end of the workshop, as our group
of eight awaited our bus, we all talked highly
of the experience. It was very informative, and
above all else, inspiring. “You are here for the
people who cannot be.” The words of
Omèkongo Dibinga ran through my head, as
we eagerly talked about ways to spread basic
awareness throughout our own school community.
I couldn’t help but thinking; if a oneday
workshop can inspire this much motivation
for change, what could we do over the
long run? The answer is simple: a whole lot of
good .
Guitar & Film Classes Cut
By Sophie Simon
For years, Mr. Dileo has been a teacher
and friendly face around Sleepy Hollow.
There is little doubt that this Guitar and Film
teacher is one of the most-loved teachers in
the high school. Known for his love of movies
and music, as well as his ability to produce
smiles, Mr. Dileo has touched the lives
of many, both inside and outside of the classroom.
Mr. Dileo’s guitar classes have always
been popular with freshmen and seniors
alike, whether they are hoping to learn a few
chords or to become skilled on the instrument.
His other class, Film, has given students
the opportunity to create their own
movies, while the Film club has been an
outlet for students to watch and appreciate
good movies together. In addition, once
school hours are over, Mr. Dileo acts as the
advisor of the stage crew, teaching members
how to work the lights and sound to ensure
that school productions run smoothly. His
various roles have certainly kept him busy
over the years.
However, due to the new budget that
will be implemented in the 2010-2011
school year, the Guitar and Film classes will
no longer be available to students. Because
the district is facing pressures to find savings,
it has been forced to reconsider any “extra”
components of the budget—Guitar and Film
classes falling into this category.
Many students were extremely disappointed
by this news. Sophomore Rob Dondiego,
who is in Mr. Dileo’s Film class, explains,
“I loved his classes, everybody does.
They’re probably the most requested classes…
That’s why I was shocked to hear they
were being cut!” Junior Marco Kostaras also
expressed dismay. “Honestly, I feel like it
doesn’t make sense,” he says, adding, “He
got me started playing music.”
The music, sports, and extracurricular
programs run by the school were all at risk to
be reduced, but the aim of the new budget
was to create changes that would have minimal
impact on students. Eliminating Guitar
and Film classes will save the district a large
sum of money, without taking away Mr.
Dileo’s job. According to the plan, Mr. Dileo
will be moved to Washington Irving, where
he will take over the position of leading the
orchestra. As Mr. Dileo puts it, he will be
“continuing their study of classical music, but
infusing it with [his] own style of modern
rock music.”
Many high school students are happy to
hear that Mr. Dileo will still be around after
school to help out with stage crew. Stage
crew members are relived and certainly glad
that they won’t be losing the most important
member of their team. “I don’t know what
we would’ve done without him for stage
crew,” says sophomore Kerry Evans.
Junior Sean Kirkpatrick also has many
good things to say about Mr. Dileo. “Film
class was the most fun I had all year. Also,
Mr. Dileo is one of the funniest teachers in
the school, and he is the best person to head
the stage crew.” Even Mr. Dileo seems to
think pretty highly of himself. Walking in
town, his cousin once told him, "I feel like
I'm walking with a rock star..." What was
Mr. Dileo's response? "You are."
Based on students’ reactions, Mr.
Dileo’s absence next year will certainly not
go unnoticed. Mr. Dileo has had a huge
impact on the school, which will be truly
missed. Mr. Sprague, also a teacher in the
music department, sends Mr. Dileo off with
positive support: “Mr. Dileo is an excellent
teacher that will do a great job down at W.I.”
It seems all students would agree.
Gone But Not Forgotten
A Tribute to Lucas Goldbaum
By Jack Centra
Lucas Addison Goldbaum was
born on January 22 nd 1996. Lucas
was shaping up to be an amazing
person as he entered his teenage
years. He did very well in school and
was the starting goalie for one of the
best soccer teams in the area, FC
Westchester. Whether he was running
the streets of Sleepy Hollow, playing
sports or hanging out with his friends, he
always had a smile on his face. But just as
he was getting ready for teenage life, he
was diagnosed with an inoperable brain
tumor. The doctors told his family he had
around six months to live. However, since
Lucas was a true fighter
throughout the whole experience,
he was able to
hang on for far longer than
six months. His loving
family and all of the people
involved in helping him
through the ordeal did the
best that they could to
support him; whether it
was cooking for him, telling
him jokes or simply
sitting by his bedside. It
seemed as though there
were always people there supporting him
and his family. Sadly, the brainstem tumor
took his life on May 12 th 2010 at 11:44
PM, 22 months after he was diagnosed.
The amount of love the community
had for Lucas was never more apparent
than at his funeral. Not only was the
church packed to its limit, but there was a
room behind the main church and a tent
outside filled with people, who viewed the
entire ceremony on a big screen. There
Photo by Thomas Sobolik
Photo by Thomas Sobolik
were over 1200 people in attendance. To
the surprise of many, the funeral was not a
long, gloomy, drawn out event, but a wonderful
celebration of Lucas’ great 14 years
on earth. There is no question it was the
exact way that he would have wanted it.
Lucas was a truly amazing person
and an inspiration to all.
He touched so many
people during his time on
earth and will be dearly
missed by everybody
here at Sleepy Hollow
High School/Middle
School along with the rest
of the community. “My
Story is pretty simple,”
said Lucas, “one day I
didn't have a brain tumor,
and the next day I discovered
I did. Now I've got to
battle this thing in my head and am very
lucky to have an unbelievable family and
friends fighting at my side.” It takes a
special 12 year old boy to handle the horrible
situation that he was put into with such
maturity; not once did he complain. He
was willing to do whatever it took to beat
this disease. Although he is no longer with
us, he will remain in our thoughts and
hearts forever.

HOOFPRINTS N E W S PAGE 3
SHHS Walks for AIDS
By Veronica Polanco
On May 16 this year, members of
Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) and many
other students from Sleepy Hollow attended
the annual AIDS Walk in New York
City. The walk is intended to fight AIDS, a
serious and often fatal disease of the immune
system. This year, the walk raised
more than $10 million for HIV/AIDS programs
and services in New York. More
than 50 determined Sleepy Hollow students
woke up at six on a Sunday morning to take
part in this event.
Mrs. Dreher, advisor of GSA, organized
Sleepy Hollow’s participation in this
event. Many students were eager to join the
effort and spent the entire day helping the
cause. At about nine o’clock, students from
Sleepy Hollow, all dressed in customized
purple shirts, began their ten kilometer walk
into Central Park.
Many people all around the world
have unfortunately lost interest in AIDS,
and efforts to help victims of this deadly
disease have waned as a result. This walk
helps to raise money and to spread the message
that the crisis of AIDS is not over.
Students felt the gravity of the AIDS crisis
more than ever when they looked around
that day and saw thousands of people joining
together to help the cause. This event
helped students at Sleepy Hollow think
about their impact on the world and all they
can do to help.
People that were new to the event
were particularly affected. Sophomore
Marbelis Concepcion said, “It was my first
year attending this event and I honestly
enjoyed myself. It was a wonderful experience,
I’m definitely doing it next year.”
Students arrived back at Sleepy
Hollow High School at 5 PM, exhausted,
vigorous, and altered. They seemed to realize
that events like these are what Sleepy
Hollow is all about: helping others that are
less fortunate. “It’s amazing to know you’re
turning the tides in AIDS research and that
your fundraising will potentially save a
life,” said Ariana Cember, member of GSA
and senior at Sleepy Hollow High School.
Many other students shared Ariana’s feelings.
At the end of the day, the students
raised approximately $3,500. The AIDS
Walk was a gratifying experience for all the
students who participated and they will
probably never forget it.
Block Scheduling Continued from page 1
freshman Andres Wilm, expressing a
common complaint. Although students
may initially share Wilm’s feelings, they
will most likely realize the benefits that
this system will bring. “Every student
would only have three main classes each
day, which would shorten the day significantly,”
noted Mrs. Conklin, who is excited
about the new system of scheduling.
“This could actually make the day go a lot
quicker,” agreed Caryn Hummell, who
realized the potential benefits of block
scheduling.
This change will also strongly affect
the foreign language and math teachers
who teach freshmen and sophomores. “I
think this will be a great change,” said
Mrs. Kaiser, who recently attended a conference
about how to teach underclassmen
for double period blocks. “This will really
change the classroom experience. There
will be a lot more group work, since it’s
almost impossible for me to lecture for
two periods.” Having good attendance
will be even more important now, Mrs.
Kaiser pointed out, since missing one class
would be equivalent to missing two lessons.
Despite some setbacks that this new
scheduling might bring, it is generally an
exciting and inevitable change for Sleepy
Hollow. Foreign language and math classes
will now have the freedom to do activities
that last longer than 45 minutes. This
freedom will hopefully lead to more exciting
lesson plans, as well as greater responsibilities
for underclassmen. Once the
shock of this new scheduling wears off,
many people will likely agree that this
system is a large improvement from previous
years.
N e w s p a p e r S t a f f
Editor-in-Chief:
Melanie Ferreira
Managing Editor:
Matt Hammer
Production Editor:
Adam Caspari
Writers:
Cynthia Barros, Myles Birrittella, Amelia Bonvento, Adam Caspari, Nate
Caspari, Ariana Cember, Jack Centra, Harley Falasca, Melanie Ferreira, Matt
Hammer, Marco Kostares, Jonathan Mares, Kyle Norman, Violet Overn,
Veronica Polanco, Sophie Simon, and Paula Unger
Photographers: Ali London, Veronica Polanco, Johanna Rosen
Teacher Advisors: Mr. Baxter and Ms. Langston
One Small Step: Becoming an Upperclassman
By Harley Falasca
In life, everyone takes many “steps”. We
take our very first steps when we are young;
we say our first words, take our first bike rides
and go to the beach for the first time. As we
grow older, we take different types of steps.
We go to school, introduce ourselves to people
to get our names out there, and essentially
take steps to ready ourselves for the “real
world”. One step in that process is high
school, and this year my class and I will be
taking a step from being underclassmen, to
being “upperclassmen”, undoubtedly a more
desirable tag. When we take this step, we
gain some privileges; we will be permitted to
use the lounge, we will be able to get class
rings and we might get a couple of free periods
and other small features. We are beginning
to realize how fast life goes; we are
almost halfway through high school and soon
we will be taking SAT’s and thinking about
colleges. Outside of school, we realize that
we are growing up and trying new things.
We look at the middle-schoolers and realize
that some of us once found it fun and cool to
run around the hallways like maniacs, and
that we once believed “flirting” was making
fun of the person you liked or throwing paper
balls at them. Now, people are driving,
changing their looks, making new friends,
and transforming as human beings. I remember
just last year I was a kid with braces,
“Annie” hair and no sense of how I was
supposed to act. I know a lot of people reading
this are thinking “you still don’t know
how to act”, but although I may get carried
away at times, take a look at me last year and
then take a good look at me this year and
think hard about who I am now. Although I
am still the same Harley you all “know and
love”, you have to admit that I have made
some changes.
In the process of writing this article, I
asked a few people what they thought about
the topic. Stacey O’Brien, SHHS Math
teacher didn’t even have to think. She said the
main difference between first-year underclassmen
(freshmen) and first-year upperclassmen
(juniors) is “maturity”. She explained
that freshman are still in the “middle
school mode,” so they feel they will still be
allowed to have second chances, and are not
always as serious as they need to be about
their work. When asked about juniors and the
way they have changed, she said “they are
more focused, more on task and more concerned
about making plans for college and
beyond. They just carry themselves differently.”
When I asked Krista Bucci, a classmate
and an impending upperclassmen, she
noted several differences. She believed the
biggest difference between the two was her
mindset. She has different goals going into
junior year, than she did entering freshman
year. She thinks many juniors begin to see
glimpses of who they may become as young
adults. When she was a freshman, she didn’t
know what to expect, where to go, and was
unsure about what to do at times. She now
feels comfortable, settled in, more mature,
and more focused. She says it is time to buckle
down and get everything done, (she hopes
to finish high school strongly.) Like many
others, Krista is amazed that she is already
halfway through her high school years.
In order to get a different perspective I
asked a parent of an incoming junior, Karen
Bucci a few questions. She believes that “kids
entering ninth grade are a little shy and timid.”
She explains that many freshman are nervous
about how the upperclassmen might treat
them, which frequently leads them to ask a
parent’s advice. As juniors, they separate
themselves more from their parents and although
they have dreams, fantasies, questions,
and insecurities, they are more likely to go to
their friends with these feelings. Parents are
slowly nudged out to make way for the independent
and autonomous young adults
they’re dying to be. Most parents would say
that upperclassmen are a bit more difficult to
get along with than their younger counterparts.
But Mrs. Buci believes that many parents
are feeling loss more than anything else.
”As much as we enjoy seeing who our children
are becoming and how proud we are of
them as they become upperclassmen, there
will always be a part of us that misses the
younger child that needed us and was more
able to show it.”
The reality of it is, life goes fast and we
should enjoy it while we can. In less than a
month, a new class will be entering the high
school and another will be leaving, but only
the Class of 2012 will be experiencing the
transition from underclassmen to upperclassmen,
which is just “one small step”.

PAGE 4 S E N I O R S HOOFPRINTS
Class of 2010 College Acceptances
Adelphi University
Anna Maria College
Arcadia University
Belmont University
Beloit College
Berkeley College of White Plains
Berklee College of Music
Binghamton University
Bloomfield College
Bloomsburg University of PA
Boston College
Boston University
California Institute of the Arts
Carnegie Mellon University
Cazenovia College
Central Connecticut State
University
Chowan University
Coastal Carolina University
College of Charleston
College of Mount Saint Vincent
College of New Rochelle
Colorado State University
Columbia University
Concordia College
Cooper Union
Cornell University
Dominican College
Dowling College
Drexel University
East Carolina University
Eastern University
Eastman School of Music
Eckerd College
Elon University
Emory University
Endicott College
Fairfield University
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Fordham University
Franklin and Marshall College
Full Sail University
George Mason University
Gettysburg College
Hofstra University
Indiana University at Bloomington
Iona College
Ithaca College
James Madison University
John Jay CUNY
Johnson & Wales University
Lafayette College
Lehigh University
LIM College
Long Island University, Brooklyn
Campus
Long Island University, C.W. Post
Louisiana State University
Loyola University New Orleans
Manhattan College
Manhattan School of Music
Manhattanville College
Mannes College of Music
Marymount Manhattan College
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology
Mercy College
Messiah College
Miami University, Oxford
Middlebury College
Morrisville State College
Mount Saint Mary College
Muhlenberg College
New England Conservatory of
Music
New York City College of
Technology
New York Inst of Tech.-Manhattan
New York Inst of Tech.-Old
Westbury
New York University
Northeastern University
Northwestern University
Oberlin College
Oberlin Conservatory of Music
Pace University, New York City
Pace University, Pleasantville
Polytechnic Institute of NYU
Prescott College
Providence College
Purchase College
Quinnipiac University
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rutgers, State Univ. New
Brunswick
Sacred Heart University
Saint Joseph's University
School of Visual Arts
Seton Hall University
Siena College
Skidmore College
Springfield College
St. John's University
St. Thomas Aquinas College
State University at Albany
State University at New Paltz
Stevens Institute of Technology
Stony Brook University
SUNY College at Cobleskill
SUNY College at Cortland
SUNY College at Geneseo
SUNY College at Oneonta
SUNY College of Environmental
Science and Forestry
SUNY Delhi
SUNY Oswego
Syracuse University
Temple University
The College of New Jersey
The College of Saint Rose
The College of Westchester
The University of Arizona
The University of NC at
Chapel Hill
Tompkins Cortland CC
Towson University
Tulane University
Union College
University at Buffalo
University of Bridgeport
University of Connecticut
University of Dayton
University of Delaware
University of Hartford
University of Maryland
University of Massachusetts,
Amherst
University of Massachusetts,
Dartmouth
University of Miami
University of Michigan
University of New Hampshire
University of New Haven
University of North Carolina,
Asheville
University of North Carolina,
Greensboro
University of North Carolina at
Wilmington
University of Pittsburgh
University of Rhode Island
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
University of Vermont
University of Virginia
Villanova University
Virginia Commonwealth
University
Wake Forest University
Warren Wilson College
Washington University in St. Louis
Westchester Community College
Western New England College
Wingate University
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
York College of Pennsylvania
Class
201
What were your favorite memories of Sleepy Hollow High School?
I happily remember the days when
“procrastination” wasn’t part of my vocabulary, I got
more than five hours of sleep on weeknights, and believed
college was light-years away.
Of course, what I’ll miss the most will be Spirit Week
and how we won three years in a row. Being hippies,
playing the guitar, reciting poetry, sitting in the hallways
protesting going to class, and leaping in the hallways and
hiding behind the doors as ninjas—Spirit Week 2009-2010
was by far the best.
I’ll never forget the times when the school was under
construction. There were open classrooms in lower west
hall, so my Global History II class would be listening to the
class next door learn about equilibrium price and supply
and demand while we were taking our tests. And of
course, how could anyone forget not being able to see in
the hallway because of the dust? I reminisce on the days
when someone pulled the fire alarms almost every week,
sometimes more than once a week—and somehow it
always seemed to happen during my fourth period precalculus
quizzes. But after all the difficulties we dealt with,
now we have an amazing school to show for it.
Another experience that I will never forget was my
first pig dissection. Though I felt horrible for the fetal pig, I
surprised myself by not fainting and actually performing
the dissection by using the scalpel to cut open the pig.
One of the particularly special memories I have from
Sleepy Hollow has to be participating in the Blythedale
Toy Drive during the holidays. Though my only time volunteering
for the drive was this year, it touched my heart
to see all the children’s faces light up when they saw Santa.
They squirmed in their seats and clapped their hands
when the band played tunes. Then they ripped open the
presents that Santa’s helpers gave them.
I’ll also miss hastily adding pictures to the yearbook,
serving lunch to the teachers on Staff Development Day
before Thanksgiving, singing during chorus (and other
classes,) and skipping through the hallways…or was that
yesterday?
-Cynthia Barros
Ah, Sleepy Hollow, we’ve had a good run. To
sum up the last four years would be really tough, so I’ll
stick to talking about senior year. But I will say this
about all of my years at SHHS: I had a lot of fun,
worked hard, and did the best I could with my experiences.
That being said, I hope that in the future everyone
will be able to say that too, because no one will
get another shot.
Senior year really started off right with fall sports
and Spirit Week. Generally, this is my favorite part of
the year. School spirit is high, everyone is wearing their
jerseys to school, and they’re all representing their
classes. The mood around school is great. Being able to
play for the soccer team this year was an unforgettable
experience, as we won so many games as well as
the league. We finally got the recognition we had
been craving for years. For the first time in four years,
everything really felt right for me, especially when we
won Spirit Week for the third time—the first time in
Spirit Week history! It felt like everything was going
our way.
After the fall, things slowed down a little. I spent
much of my time “Fif-ing” with my boys and “chillen”
in the field. At one point, Adam and I came up with
the novel idea of going to Hackley for lunch, which
worked twice!
One of my proudest moments of the year was
the talent show. I think we rocked everyone with the
Lovetrain. We even ended up winning, something I
never thought we could do. But that goes back to
doing everything the best you can. Always ask yourself,
is there something I can do that I will never forget?
Is there something spontaneous I can do to spice things
up? My friends and I certainly found ways to accomplish
this, and we’ve had a great time. Thanks SHHS,
it was fun.
-Kyle Norman
This year has been a whirlwind. How is it already
June? I truly can’t believe high school is coming to a close.
When I walked into the middle school, I was naïve and
shy, but I am leaving Sleepy Hollow as a mature and
confident young woman. The uniqueness of Sleepy Hollow
High School is simply incredible, and the distinct features
of our school have made it a makeshift home for
me, as well as the Class of 2010.
First and foremost, I will dearly miss the people I
have grown so close to. Without them, my high school
experience would not have been as special or complete.
In middle school, I gained important friendships that have
kept me sane and whole, and I don’t’ know where I’d be
without my plethora of crazy, weird, hilarious, quirky
friends. I don’t think I’ll ever have as much fun singing and
making Britney Spears references with someone as I did
with Aidan during all of our classes.
Special shout-outs to my AP American Sorority and
AP Gov. class (“states too”). My fabulous teachers have
had an enormous impact on my high school career and I
can’t thank you all enough for everything; you will sincerely
be missed! GSA has held a special place in my heart
since I joined and became an active member in the 9 th
grade. We have made such progress within the walls of
the high school and beyond, and I can’t wait to see what
great things our devoted and passionate members will
accomplish in the future. Reach for the stars and never let
anyone hold you back in your pursuit of happiness, whatever
that may be.
Of all the Sleepy Hollow traditions, I think it will be
hardest to part with Spirit Week. For one short week,
each grade is unified and works together for a common
goal. The air is almost sweet and nothing can interfere
with our undeniable school spirit. Class of 2010 3Peat: we
made history and I’m so proud! Let’s not think of this as an
end, but simply a new beginning. I wish you all the best of
luck in your future endeavors and I can’t wait to see what
the future has in store for our vivacious and memorable
grade.
-Ariana Cember

HOOFPRINTS S E N I O R S PAGE 5
of
0
Around the
Hollow
Rose
Ceremony
June 3rd, 2010
A Letter to the Readers
Dear Hoofprints readers,
My time at Sleepy Hollow High
School is drawing to a close, but I have
gained countless amazing memories along
the way. One of the best parts of high
school for me was being editor of the
school newspaper for a year. The experience
taught me a lot and helped me gain
insight into the kinds of things I hope to do
with my future. I would like to continue
working on newspaper staffs while I am in
college and possibly after college.
All year long, it was both enjoyable
and stressful to work with staff members
and meet newspaper deadlines. Throughout
the process, I learned that a lot more goes
into producing a newspaper than meets the
eye. I would encourage all future Sleepy
Hollow students who are interested in the
newspaper to make an effort to join the
staff. Being involved in Hoofprints since I
was a sophomore, I can say that it was
really a great experience. It allowed me to
grow as a student and prepared me to become
a young adult, about to get a glimpse
of the real world.
It is with great pleasure that I introduce
to you the new co-editor-in-chiefs of
Hoofprints, Matt Hammer and Adam Caspari.
Having worked with them for the past
few years, I am confident in their abilities to
lead the staff and work to improve the
newspaper. I wish you both the best of luck.
Always remember that I am just a phone
call away if you need help with anything,
even if you simply forgot how to Photoshop
a picture! I’m sure you will do great
things next year and that you will bring
Hoofprints to new heights.
I would like to thank the advisors of
the newspaper, Mr. Baxter and Ms. Langston,
for guiding me as editor-in-chief and
always being willing to help. I would also
like to thank all the members of the staff—
writers, photographers, and illustrators—for
working so hard and being so enthusiastic
about the newspaper. As much as it drove
me crazy when things were handed in late,
I truly enjoyed working with all of you. I
urge you all to be supportive of Matt and
Adam as they assume the positions of editors,
and to help them make next year’s
newspaper another success.
Congratulations to everyone in the
Class of 2010.
Good luck to all of you in the future!
Sincerely,
Melanie Ferreira

PAGE 6 S E N I O R S HOOFPRINTS
2010 Sleepy Hollow Prom
Prom on a “School Night”?: New Rules in Pearl River
By Melanie Ferreira
For many of us, it is difficult to imagine
going to prom on a school night—and
then having to be at school the next day.
However, this is the case in Pearl River this
year. After a prom fiasco last year, the
school’s administration decided to put new
rules into effect for its junior and senior
proms this year.
The most noticeable change in rules
in Pearl River is the decision to hold its
senior and junior proms on a Sunday and
Wednesday, respectively, requiring that
students show up to school the next day.
The senior prom was held on Sunday, June
6, and the following morning students
were expected to be at school at 7:34 AM.
Their day consisted of a senior breakfast,
field day events, and then regular classes
after lunch. Students’ failure to attend resulted
in inability to make up the academic
work that they missed and prohibition
from participating in the day’s sports
events. For students who had tests or an
important game, it could have been extremely
serious for them not to go to
school that day.
The reason for this change in rules is
simple: the administration is trying to prevent
a repetition of past problems. Last
year, police caught fifty Pearl River seniors
consuming alcoholic beverages Seaside
Heights, New Jersey and fined each of
them $300.
Whether or not the change is reasonable
or even necessary is a popular topic of
debate at Pearl River. Many students protested
with boycotts and petitions, expressing
their beliefs that the new rule was unfair.
Students in Advanced Placement
classes, (especially juniors who were expected
to be in school the day after junior
prom) argued that they could not attend
prom because they had important tests the
next day. Some students and even a few
parents said that the rule was unjust because
not all students would engage in
illegal or irresponsible activities after prom.
The parents who made this argument said
that it should be their responsibility, not the
school’s, to control their children.
Schools throughout the country typically
hold weekday proms, but generally
schedule them immediately before a day
that students have off. However, some
other schools have made attempts to curb
the excesses of after-prom activities. Albertus
Magnus High School has started a
Disney World Trip for seniors after-prom
to prevent students from going to the Jersey
Shore. In Derby, Connecticut, an “after
-prom” occurred at a sports and laser-tag
complex. Schools have also attempted
sleepovers in school gyms, no-alcohol
pledges, and held senior proms the night
before graduation.
It is very likely that if rules similar to
those at Pearl River were instituted at
Sleepy Hollow, many students would
object. “That’s ridiculous!” remarked senior
Kelly Pereira. “If Sleepy Hollow did
this, I would be outraged. It seems like
they’re trying to get us home right after
prom is over and that is certainly not the
case for the majority of seniors attending
our prom.”
As more and more schools are beginning
to create new guidelines for proms,
our school may eventually see changes.
Though administrators have not yet mentioned
the possibility of a Pearl River like
strategy to students, only time will tell what
rules future prom attendees will face.

HOOFPRINTS S E N I O R S PAGE 7
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
by Myles Birrittella
Tara Bonanno
Adam Fry
Melanie Ferreira
Jason Ruivo
Tara Bonanno
truly enjoyed her
time at Sleepy
Hollow. She was
in several clubs,
including the Interact
Club, National
Honor Society,
Math and
Science Honor Society (Vice President of
Science), National English Society, and
Social Studies Honor Society. Tara also
dances with Evolve Dance at the YMCA,
and takes and teaches Tae Kwon Do at
Yoo’s Martial Arts (she is a seconddegree
black belt). Some memories she
reflects on include sweeping Spirit Week
three years in a row and hanging out with
her friends. “Balance out your life,” she
says to her fellow classmates. “Work
hard in school, have fun with your friends,
and get involved with something you love
to do. Now is the time to try out as many
things as possible.”
Adam Fry played
on the soccer
team all four years
of high school and
the Junior Varsity
lacrosse team for
two years. In addition,
he played
tennis this year. He has been an important
member of many clubs, including
Club Weight, the Buffet Club, Amnesty
International, the Bowling Club, and all of
the honor societies. Adam was the president
of his class freshman through junior
year, and this year he was Student Council
President. Some of his favorite memories
of Sleepy Hollow are his conveniently
located house, his lunchtime activities,
Spirit Week, Ninja Day, and all of the
school dances. He will also miss spending
time with his friends and all the
“shenanigans.” His advice to underclassmen
is to “do work in all aspects of life
(extra-curricular, academics, and social),
enjoy the ride, and cherish the memories.”
Melanie has accomplished
many
of her goals
throughout high
school. She was
editor-in-chief of the
Hoofprints, as well
as a member of
the Yearbook Club,
S.P.E.A.R., all of the honor societies, and the
high school band. She was also an officer of
the National Honor Society and Foreign
Language Honor Society. Melanie says that
the things she will miss most about high
school are her best friends, who she grew
up with and is used to seeing every day, and
the teachers who are always willing to help
her and guide her through her classes. She
will be attending the Stern School of Business
at New York University next year.
Some advice she gives to underclassmen is
to “hold on to the dreams you had for your
future when you were younger. It’s always
better to keep trying and keep dreaming
than to just settle for what you assume you
can accomplish.”
Jason Ruivo has
accomplished a
lot throughout
high school. He
was a member of
both the National
Honor Society
and the Foreign
Language Honor Society. He has also
played Varsity Soccer since freshman
year, and he was a captain when he was
a junior and a senior. Jason says that
after graduating from Sleepy Hollow, he
will greatly miss Spirit Week, his friends,
and the school’s diversity. One of his
favorite high school memories is winning
Leagues with the soccer team this year.
Next year, he will be attending SUNY
Binghamton University, where he might
major in management and is planning on
continuing soccer. The guidance Jason
would give to younger students is to
“never take your eyes off your goals and
dreams.”
Greg Denise
Jill Moshman
Peter Delmonico
Ariana Cember
Greg Denise has
been a member of
the Cross Country
team for four
years, and an active
member of
the G.S.A. and
S.P.E.A.R. for two
years. The high
school memories that Greg fondly recalls
include being in a graduating class that
won Spirit Week three years in a row,
having great times during lunch with
friends, and being a part of such a wonderful
community. Still, he is extremely
excited to attend Stony Brook University
this fall, where he plans on majoring in
either psychology or anthropology. “Don’t
take high school too seriously,” Greg
says, “or stress out about grades too
much, because in the end it’s all going to
be okay.”
Jill Moshman is a
m e m b e r o f
S.P.E.A.R., orchestra,
the Interact
Club, and the Amnesty
Club. She is
also a member of
all the honor societies,
and the president of the Math and
Science Honor Society. Although Jill has
not participated in any school sports, she
has danced outside of school. She says
that what she will miss most about
Sleepy Hollow are all of her friends and
her favorite teachers. Her favorite
memory of high school was winning Spirit
Week three times. Jill plans on going to
Middlebury College, but is still undecided
about her major. She advises her classmates
to “know when you need to work
hard, but be able to have fun too. High
school goes by so quickly, so enjoy it
while it lasts.”
Peter Delmonaco
has participated in
student government,
Varsity Football,
Varsity Wrestling,
and Varsity
Lacrosse. He also
participated in the
talent show this year and won first place
for his performance “Love Train.” The
things Peter says he will miss most about
Sleepy Hollow include playing sports, the
“shenanigans,” his teammates and
friends, all the crazy and fun times they
have had, and the box. Peter plans to
attend SUNY Cortland, but he has not yet
declared his major. Some advice he
would like to give to underclassmen is,
“Find a balance between your friends,
sports, and school. Enjoy yourself in high
school. It can be a great time if you make
it one.”
Ariana Cember
has been an active
member of
Gay Straight Alliance
(GSA) since
freshman year.
This year, she was
the co-vice president
of GSA and president of the Model
UN Club. Throughout high school, Ariana
participated in Junior Varsity and Varsity
volleyball. She also performed in Execution
of Justice, a play associated with
GSA. Though she is excited to branch out,
she says that she will truly miss Sleppy
Hollow, particularly Spirit Week. In the
future, she plans on attending SUNY New
Paltz. She advises underclassmen to
“stay focused and work hard, but enjoy
high school and never miss an opportunity
to have fun!”
COME OUT AND SUPPORT OUR GRADUATING SENIOR ARTISTS AT THE
Senior Art Show
June 18 –27, 2010
Artist’s reception
Friday, June 18 from 7–9:00
Studio A Gallery
52 Main Street, Tarrytown
Exhibiting Artists will be:
Lauren Zallo, Jenny Yanqui, Stephanie Crawford, Alexis Bateman, Brigid
Chillemi, Kelly Pereira, Qiao Llang Zhang, Ramses Vasquez, Edwin Zhinin,
Marta Baran, Diana Paccha, Matt Durso, Polina Ionina, Katherine Wood
Come out and support Sleepy’s most talented artists!
Live Music will be provided by singer songwriters:
Nikki Schoen and Will Holland

PAGE 8 T h e B a c k P a g e HOOFPRINTS
Science Research Continued from page 1
AM to 11 PM. Despite the intense natures
of ISEF, ISWEEEP, and NY-JSHS, Longo-Abinanti
says that both she and her
students “have a good time [and] enjoy the
trip.”
Though participating in international
and statewide competitions can be an
enjoyable experience for everyone, Longo
-Abinanti and her Science Research students
savor experiences closer to home as
well. While only some students qualify for
statewide and international competitions,
all the seniors and some of the juniors
participate in regional competitions. One
such competition is the Westchester/
Rockland Junior Science and Humanities
Symposium (WR-JSHS), which took
place at John Jay High School on February
6, 2010. Winning power-point presenters
(whose names were previously
mentioned?) qualified to compete in NY-
JSHS. Jonathan Araujo and Kelly Bender
won awards in the poster competition at
WR-JSHS.
Students also competed in WESEF,
which took place at Sleepy Hollow, for the
first time ever, on March 13, 2010. Sleepy
Hollow students did exceptionally well, as
four different single presenters (Adam Fry,
Maddie LaRue, Diana Morales, and Layla
Fassa) and two different teams (Elyssa
Swanson and Emily Mottola, and Jonathan
Araujo and Tara Bonanno) placed in
their respective categories. In addition,
many others won special awards for their
presentations.
In order to succeed in their presentations,
students needed to work hard to put
their projects together. To get to the point
at which one can present, research students
must learn about their topics, plan
and conduct their experiments, and put
together a paper and an actual presentation.
Ms. Longo-Abinanti calls the final
part her favorite, as the “power-point
presentation and the poster board combine
art and science.”
With every competition now over,
sophomores, juniors, and Longo-Abinanti
are already beginning to prepare for next
year. Longo-Abinanti says she expects to
have 19 seniors and 80 students total next
year, more than ever before. But for Longo,
who says that she loves her job, most
students are just part of a program that is
constantly reaching unprecedented
heights.
FROM THE NEW EDITORS
Dear Hoofprints readers,
After three years of working for
Hoofprints, we are honored to take the title
of co-editors-in-chief for the 2010-2011
school year. We would like to express our
gratitude to several individuals who have
helped us during our tenure at Hoofprints.
First, we would like to express our
gratitude to our advisors, Mr. Baxter and
Mrs. Langston. They have consistently
helped us throughout the past few years,
and have helped us to make our dreams for
the newspaper realities. They are always
passionate about the newspaper and are
willing to do whatever it takes in order to
increase the quality of our publication. We
could never do it without them.
Second, we would like to thank the
current staff of Hoofprints. Each member—whether
a writer, photographer or
illustrator—helps to make Hoofprints more
relivant by bring their unique perspective to
the paper. We would like to give special
recognition and congratulations to Class of
2010 staff writers, Ariana Cember and
Aidan Young, who have worked hard
during their time at Hoofprints to make the
publication the best it could be. Also, we
would like to express or deepest gratitude to
our current editor-in-chief, Melanie Ferreira,
for all that she has done for Hoofprints. She
has unfalteringly lead our newspaper staff
and has made countless contributions to our
publication. It has been a great pleasure to
work with her and we wish her the best in
her future endeavors. We will sincerely
miss her.
Third, we would like to recognize
you, the reader, for reading Hoofprints.
Although it might not seem like much to
you, your loyal readership heartens us profoundly.
Seeing others enjoy the final product
is the greatest joy of being an editor.
So, it is with our readers in mind that
we begin to formulate plans to make the
paper even better next year. One improvement
we have already decided to make is
reducing our production time by streamlining
the editing processes. We also hope to
create a newspaper that isn’t merely a reflection
of our own thoughts and ideas, but
a reflection of what Sleepy Hollow cares
about most. To do this, we invite you to
write us a “letter to the editor”, with your
suggestions concerning what improvements
we should make. We may even
publish your letter in the next issue of
Hoofprints! In addition, we encourage
readers who would like to bring a news
item to our attention or to highlight any
aspect of the Sleepy Hollow community to
do just this.
Finally, we urge students who are
curious about working on the newspaper to
join us. We always welcome new staff
members, whether they be students who
enjoy writing, students who like taking
pictures, or students who would like to
work on the production of the newspaper.
Don’t be apprehensive. Remember, we
were in the same position just a few years
ago. We are confident that if you join us,
you will enjoy Hoofprints, just as we have.
In conclusion, we are very excited
about next year and we hope that we can
spread our excitement to readers. We wish
everyone a good summer and hope that
you return to school excited about the new
year and another year of Hoofprints.
Sincerely,
Adam Caspari and Matt Hammer
DEAR ROXY
Dear Roxy,
I can never seem to stay focused
in my history class. All
of the stuff is so boring that
I cannot even keep my eyes
open. I want to pay more
attention, but whenever I
try to listen, all I hear is a
bunch of words that I can't
bring myself to connect. And
now I'm getting bad test
grades and my mom says if
I fail another test, she will
ground me. What should I
do?
-REEEEAAAALLLLLYYYY
BORED
Dear Really Bored,
I tend to suffer from the same thing.
History class often gets boring but you
have to get through it anyway. I suggest
coming to class with energy so that
you can stay focused. Eat high-sugar
fruits right before class if you can; coffee
and energy drinks can also help if
you like them. History is more interesting
if you make it more interesting. Try
to think of history as a story and it will
drive you to want to learn. Obviously
there are going to be times where you
can’t focus and hangman seems like the
only escape. But if you take a half
hour to look over your textbook before
next class you will be fine. Just relax
and take it slow. Enjoy class and don’t
think of it as a chore.
Sincerely,
Roxy
Dear Roxy,
Some of my close friends are
getting involved in drama
that I don't want to be a
part of. Will you help me stay
out of it?
Best regards,
Be Nice and Don't Fight?
Dear Be Nice and Don’t Fight,
My advice for you is short and simple.
Next time there’s drama that
you don’t want to get involved in,
don’t get involved. You should avoid
taking sides or even discussing the
matter with your friends. If they ask
you for your opinion, just say that
you don’t want to get yourself involved.
It might be a good idea if
you try to resolve the problems your
friends are having by encouraging
them to have real and honest conversations
with each other. This would
eliminate the drama altogether. Just
remember to always be neutral.
I wish you the best of luck,
Roxy
Roxy is getting ready for
another great year!
Remember, whenever you
have a question email it to
Hoofprints@ tufsd.org!