To the editor
Proudly, I write this letter to the Beacon audience but especially to the parents of my former students. For the past 12 years, I have invited certain college freshman, my former students, to join a panel, for the benefit of my present students, to discuss the challenges of college life.
This valuable experience has always occurred on the second school day after Christmas break; that Friday morning, Jan. 3, one filled with sleet and freezing rain, was that second day. I silently questioned whether those who had promised would come through the doorway of Room 217.
By 8:15 a.m., they began to arrive. How could I have doubted?
By the end of the school day, my seniors had received current knowledge and sage advice about the next major step in their lives, whether community college, the military, a four year college as close as TCNJ or as far away as the University of Colorado. They learned about academic probation and the dean’s list, about roommates and meal plans, about textbook costs and internships, about writing centers and changing majors, and about teaching assistants and time management.
They heard about homesickness (yes, many truly miss their families, home cooking and their homes), not really a surprise, since many of you taught them to live up to their commitments and nurtured them to become fine young men and women.
And so, I thank you parents first. Then, my loyal students, thank you for fulfilling your promise to me to participate in this final panel. I will cherish the memory of this day as I face the next major step in my life, retirement in June 2003.
Thank you; Nick Berezansky at Delaware Valley College, Phil Breese at Chaplain College, Nick Chaya of Cook College, Jocelyn Conn at Montclair State University, Frank Daliani of St. Peter’s College, Dana Daddario at Widener College, Scott Dunham at The College of New Jersey, Sheena Eustice at the University of Colorado, Jess Eckleberry at Monmouth University, Sean Finnegan at Xavier University, Jonathan Grotz at Norwich University, Michele Herman at Rutgers University, Kristin Iwanechko at The University of Delaware, Landon Katz at the University of West Virginia, Glenn Kaye at Virginia Tech, Vanessa Kropack at the University of New Haven, Heather Lavoie at the University of Maryland, Keven Miller at Raritan Valley Community College, Bob Szymanik at St. John’s University, Stacey Telenson at Douglass College and Scott Visnic at Bucknell University.
Hillsborough High School

