I hope that all of the moms reading this had a great Mother's Day weekend!
What a Game-What an Honor: One of the best parts of my job is witnessing students making memories that they will never forget.
On Thursday night, under the intense pressure of senior night (with 20 seniors recognized) and packed stands of former players waiting to applaud the accomplishments of their former coaches Mike Messere and Bob Deegan, the Boys Lacrosse team found themselves down 5-1 against a very good Fayetteville Manlius team. Then something happened. With just a few seconds left in the half, we scored, making it 5-2. What happened after halftime was remarkable. The boys dug deep, loosened up, and put on a performance worthy of the memory books and won 9-8. They will never forget that night, especially being able to stand proud as the coaches were rained on with applause for their accomplishments. It was a very cool moment.
For the coaches, I will screw something up if I try to rattle off all of their accomplishments over the years and as they left the turf for the last time in the regular season, it will be a challenge to find coaches in any sport in any part of the country with the same level of sustained success. Congratulations to them as they head into a last sectional and hopefully state title run!
Simulated DWI Crash: After that game, Friday morning and our annual simulated DWI crash before the Senior Ball came quickly, but it was as impactful as ever. Our seniors watched as dozens of fire, police, ambulance, and parents laid out what the scene of a DWI crash could look and sound like. Several of our students played roles in the simulation as well, and students were also paid a visit by Buranich Funeral home, Chris Bednarski from the District Attorney's Office, and the Onondaga County Coroner's Office to drive home the importance of making good decisions. My personal thanks to all who played an important part in this yearly lesson and it worked, as I got the all clear at 6:30 a.m. that the night went without incident. While we celebrate that, let me rewind and reflect on the night.
We All Had a Ball: As my wife and I left the Senior Ball, we reminisced about all of the other dances we have chaperoned over the years, (some 25 years worth; we met in college), she turned to me and said that this was the most fun she had in years. This is not to say that all of the others weren't fun and special, but there was something about Saturday that I certainly won't forget, and neither will the students.
The weather was chilly but warm enough to use the entire facility at Traditions (Links at Erie Village) and all of us certainly did. Gazebos for pictures, huge fire pits, decks with heat lamps, photo booths, great food, and an awesome DJ made the night fly by. All of that was capped by a fireworks display that was better than Friday after a Syracuse Chiefs game! As students got to the After-the-Ball Party at the high school, we talked about how tired we all were because of how much fun we had. Special is an understatement. Memories made.
Special thanks to the venue staff and owners, our volunteers, parents, the Camillus Police Department, chaperones, advisors, and our high school administrative team, led by Executive Principal Shannon Coholan. It is also important to mention the role our students played. They were simply awesome. Polite, appreciative, and mature beyond their years. Thanks to all!
One of My Favorite Weeks: This week is one of my favorites. First is the Budget Vote, where I get to see and visit with many people, and second is the Special Olympics. The Budget Vote is tomorrow, May 15 from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the lobby of our Auditorium (PLEASE remember to vote).
The Special Olympics take place at Cicero-North Syracuse High School on Thursday beginning around 10:00 a.m. Our student athletes in the Special Olympics are inspiring and the event is open to the public so if you have a little time, I encourage you to attend.
Many thanks for your continued support and enjoy the week!
Chris
Special thanks to the venue staff and owners, our volunteers, parents, the Camillus Police Department, chaperones, advisors, and our high school administrative team, led by Executive Principal Shannon Coholan. It is also important to mention the role our students played. They were simply awesome. Polite, appreciative, and mature beyond their years. Thanks to all!
