![Picture](/uploads/1/0/0/6/10064318/78476.jpg?452)
"The end depends upon the beginning!"
-- a quote taken from the movie The Emperor's Club
Considering that the beginning of my life was at West Point, New York (the
United States Military Academy), it is not hard to understand why I became a
Social Studies teacher. Every street was named after a famous military hero --
names like Lee, Bartlett, Merritt, Bailey, Schofield, etc. I used to wonder why
some people were important enough to get a street named after them. Futhermore,
my father was a member of the USMA Band; I fondly recall spending Sunday
evenings listening to the band play songs, like "Stars and Stripes Forever,"
"the Battle Hymn of the Republic," "Garry Owen," "Yankee Doodle," and our
National Anthem, with the Hudson River as their backdrop. I grew up climbing
across the cannons that served in every major American conflict and playing tag
around links of the "Great Chain." Statues of MacArthur, Eisenhower, Washington,
Patton, and Thayer could be seen just riding your bike. General Douglas
MacArthur's words of "Duty, Honor, Country" were written on buildings all around
me; it's not surprising that those words would become part of my daily life.
After moving away from "home," I left there not only with a deep sense of
appreciation for our country's heritage and the sacrifices of our armed forces,
but with a passion for history as well.
-- a quote taken from the movie The Emperor's Club
Considering that the beginning of my life was at West Point, New York (the
United States Military Academy), it is not hard to understand why I became a
Social Studies teacher. Every street was named after a famous military hero --
names like Lee, Bartlett, Merritt, Bailey, Schofield, etc. I used to wonder why
some people were important enough to get a street named after them. Futhermore,
my father was a member of the USMA Band; I fondly recall spending Sunday
evenings listening to the band play songs, like "Stars and Stripes Forever,"
"the Battle Hymn of the Republic," "Garry Owen," "Yankee Doodle," and our
National Anthem, with the Hudson River as their backdrop. I grew up climbing
across the cannons that served in every major American conflict and playing tag
around links of the "Great Chain." Statues of MacArthur, Eisenhower, Washington,
Patton, and Thayer could be seen just riding your bike. General Douglas
MacArthur's words of "Duty, Honor, Country" were written on buildings all around
me; it's not surprising that those words would become part of my daily life.
After moving away from "home," I left there not only with a deep sense of
appreciation for our country's heritage and the sacrifices of our armed forces,
but with a passion for history as well.
![Picture](/uploads/1/0/0/6/10064318/6401078.jpg?391)
"Great ambition and conquests without contribution is without significance." (Shutruk Nahunte)
-- a quote taken from the movie "The Emperor's Club"
How will history remember you? What will your contribution be? Will your story end up in a history book
one day? Does that type of recognition even matter to you? Having goals and accomplishments is a good thing, but what about the QUALITY of your goals and the IMPACT of your accomplishments on others? These are all questions that I pose to my students throughout the school year and hope that they will continue to ask themselves long after they receive their diplomas.
-- a quote taken from the movie "The Emperor's Club"
How will history remember you? What will your contribution be? Will your story end up in a history book
one day? Does that type of recognition even matter to you? Having goals and accomplishments is a good thing, but what about the QUALITY of your goals and the IMPACT of your accomplishments on others? These are all questions that I pose to my students throughout the school year and hope that they will continue to ask themselves long after they receive their diplomas.
![Picture](/uploads/1/0/0/6/10064318/1881527.jpg?307)
James I. O'Neill High School Class of '97
Highland Falls, NY
Go Raiders!
Influences: Mrs. Kingseed (Levy), Mrs. Strong, Coach Love
Activities: Varsity Soccer, Varsity Ice Hockey, Art, Band, Chorus, Senior Class President, Student Council,
Math Team, National Honor Society, Peer Leadership in Aids Awareness, Peer Tutoring, INTERACT, etc.
![Picture](/uploads/1/0/0/6/10064318/1024389.jpg?346)
Providence College Class of '01
Providence, RI
Go Friars!
Influences: Professor Richard Deasy, Professor Robert Deasy, Dr. Sickinger, Fr. Kehew
Activities: Phi Alpha Theta (History Honors Society), Best Buddies, BOSSA (Board of Students Supporting Athletes), Club Soccer, Coed Indoor Soccer,Army ROTC (see below), Volunteer Special Olympics, Adopt-a-grandparent Program
![Picture](/uploads/1/0/0/6/10064318/1916690.jpg?307)
US Army ROTC
'97-'00
Influences: LTC McNamara, SGM Fortunato, SFC (Ret) Michaud
Activities: Pershing Rifles, Army Ten-Miler Team, Ranger Challenge Team, New Bedford Half Marathon,
Color Guard, FTX/STX, Frosted Gold Cold Weather Survival Training