The highlights of the evening were an inspirational speech by Mr. Mike Cuccinello and the surprise honorary induction into the honor Society for Mrs. Lynne Erickson. Mr. Cuccinello and Mrs. Erickson are both math teachers at PMHS. Mr. Cuccinello is also the class of 2007 advisor. The guest speaker and honorary inductee are voted on by the members of the National Honor Society so this is truly a great honor presented to teachers by their students.
Athena Aicher was also presented with the Frank A. Juzwiak Principal's Award. This award is voted on by all the HS teachers so it is a great honor to recieve it.
Thanks to NHS Advisor Mrs. Patty Fucci for organizing such a wonderful night for all the present and new inductees.
Pictured from left to right are Mrs. Erickson, Andrew Fisher(NHS Executive Board Member), Athena Aicher(NHS Vice President), Jenna Ferrieri( 2007 Essayist), Chris Perry(NHS President) and Mr. Cuccinello.
Mr. Michael Cuccinello is a man whose dedication to his students, and the Patchogue-Medford High School community is unlike any other. He puts 150 percent into everything he takes on. Along with being an amazing math teacher he is also the co-adviser of the senior class, and he also coaches many volleyball teams. As you can see he is a classic overachiever.
There is never one time where Mr. Cuccinello’s classroom is not crowded with students who just want to ask quick math questions tell funny stories or ask for advice. His ability to talk to his students is a quality, which many of us would say is his best. He pushes you to accomplish goals while having fun and learning. His teachings go way beyond the classroom his lessons are not just about math but about life and how to deal with problems or celebrate you’re many accomplishments.
After knowing Mr. Cuccienello since ninth grade I can tell you that he has inspired me to set goals and not only reach them but far surpass them. I know I can come to him at anytime with a problem, and he can always cheer me up, give me guidance and tell a corny joke. His incredible work ethic among other likable qualities make him a man to be admired and because of this Mr. Cuccinello is an inspiration to me and to many others in this room. Ladies and Gentleman it is my honor and pleasure to introduce to you Mr. Michael Cuccinello
Mr. Cuccinello's Speech was phenomenal according to those who attended at the induction ceremony. For those of you who missed the inductions the speech can be found below. Please remember this was meant to be said not necessarily read...enjoy!
Allow me to be direct without an ounce of exaggeration: tonight is the highlight of my career. And I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Six years ago I made one of the best decisions of my life. I decided to leave my career in engineering to begin my journey toward becoming a teacher. And never once have I looked back in doubt. I have the best job in the world – and it’s because I get to share a workplace with all of you…it really is an incredible privilege. So as you all begin to seriously contemplate your career choices, allow me to suggest that you at least consider this phenomenal career of immense reward, purposeful meaning, but very very demanding summer hours!
From the day my career at Patchogue-Medford began, I was always very impressed our National Honor Society – I truthfully was. You see, it isn’t just another typical Long Island chapter of NHS. Here, you actually need more than just a certain GPA to be inducted. Here there is equal value placed on service, on leadership, and on character….or more collectively, on HONOR. To you new inductees – look around you - you have some rather large shoes to fill. This current senior class, in my opinion (however unbiased it may be), has set the bar higher than I thought possible. They are exemplary – and you have been chosen to stand along side them tonight as equals. Be proud of yourselves and I congratulate you all.
To all members on the stage (both new and old) you are now, and forever will be an honors student. Let me say that again: you are now and forever will be an honors student. If you let it, this can be a life-changing experience. Allow this distinction to guide your lives. Allow it to serve as a ubiquitous benchmark. Allow it to demand excellence.
Is this fair? I mean, because you excelled in high school, should you be expected to maintain this level of performance for the rest of your lives? You better believe you should. I also asked if it was fair – it’s more than just fair – it’s your obligation. To quote a favorite movie of mine, “one of the saddest things in life is wasted talent.” Being on this stage recognizes you as the cream of the crop – so to blend in with society after graduation would be a disservice to your potential.
As you know, our world can sometimes be a scary place….but I see you as a calming force, balancing the occasional senselessness with sensibility. You can take this as a compliment if you choose, but instead I challenge you to take it as a responsibility. You are all intelligent enough to know the difference between right and wrong. But what you will learn in your upcoming years is that the “right thing to do” is very often the harder thing to do. Are you brave enough to still choose it? To deal with unjustified repercussions? Well, we trust that you are. Because to many people in this auditorium, you represent hope.
To the parents in the audience: In a world with such issues and pressures that plague adolescent development, you raised an honors student…AN HONORS STUDENT!! Nice work! I hope you know that everyone on this stage greatly appreciates all that you have done.
Students: If I may, I’d like to pass on some advice:
First, Question Everything! But not as a means of defiance, but rather a necessary and critical means to learning. Great learners ask great questions – and many of them for that matter. Never stop refining your questioning strategies….you will discover this to be invaluable to your academic, social and career development.
Ok, so I have to assume that most of you have at one point or another questioned the relevance of certain high school curricula. And I’ll now admit, when it comes to real life, you will probably never directly use a geometry proof, or need to write a critical lens essay, or everyone’s favorite – the infamous DBQ. But that was never our intention. Rather, our goal was to teach you how to learn. And you did it better than most. It is now and has always been my position that the secret to success is learning how to learn. If you can do it better than the person next to you, then you should succeed more than the person next to you. So if that is true (and I think it is), can you still continue to learn better than most? Can you accept that lifelong challenge? Let your actions speak as your response.
You see, and I never understood this, but some people are just satisfied with mediocrity – blending in with the masses??? I always thought that would be a rather boring way to live one’s life?? Be sure to always challenge yourself; push yourself – even be okay with failure so long as it is a result of challenging yourself. Successful people learn from failure, while others typically allow it to suppress them.
I pose that if you never fail, perhaps you’re not pushing yourself enough.
Next, do your best to MAKE A DIFFERENCE…in whatever you do. In my opinion this should be part of every young person’s set of goals. And choose a career that gives you that opportunity. I certainly did.
For about half of you, graduation is all but a month and a half away. And for the rest of you, it’s a year and a month and a half away. Either way, it’s close. Your thirteen year journey is about to conclude. I would venture to say that not a single person on this stage has legitimate doubt as to whether or not they will qualify to graduate high school. So feeling “proud” on that day may seem somewhat incongruous to you. But you should feel proud – perhaps not for earning the required number of credits to be diploma-worthy, but for earning those credits in the manner in which you did – with HONOR. I suspect your parents will be proud of you for this very reason. Just as I will be….in a month and a half, or in a year a month and a half.
Then following graduation, and a summer of fun (hopefully), your transition on to college will begin – the proverbial “next chapter of your lives.” By the way, I’m SO jealous! My advice on this topic is simple: GO WITH A PURPOSE. I ask, however, that part of this purpose include the following:
1. That you finalize your transition to becoming an adult, realizing now that you still probably have a little more maturing to do.
2. That you acknowledge the amazing opportunity at hand – the ability to pursue your dreams, the ability to learn whatever it is you want to learn, the ability to become whatever you want. You are bounded by nothing, and that may never happen again.
3. That the person you are at your college graduation ceremony is an improvement of the person that you are today. Don’t enter college as an honors student, and come out simply average.
Look, I understand that choosing your future can be a daunting task – especially to a teenager, but you must make decisions. Because the future is coming whether you are ready for it or not and the only thing procrastination does is reduce your options. So the worst case is you make a mistake – so what?? You’ll adjust, and if you’re smart (which you’ve already proven you are), you’ll learn from it .
On a lighter note, and in conclusion, smile as often as possible; laugh as much as you can. Enjoy life. Make it a goal to TAKE JOY FROM LIFE. Focus on that rather than the negative. Follow this simple advice, and I think you’ll do very well.
A quick final comment to my seniors (if I may)…here’s where I might get a little sappy: YOU ARE REMARKABLE – and I know without question that you have made a lasting impression on my life. I will brag about you for my entire career and smile every time the Class of ’07 is even mentioned – because serving as your advisor was a true privilege and I would be a very different person had I not taken the job. A big part of me will be missing next September – but I hope you’ll come and visit when you return home from school.
I have one final assignment for you though and I am sure that it lies within all of your capabilities….it requires for you to draw upon pretty much everything you’ve learned thus far in your lives. It requires some reading, some writing, and a whole lot of thinking (both in and out of the box). Your assignment is… TO BE GREAT!!
Once again, congratulations to all the new inductees.
I’ll never forget this day.An Honors Student for Life
When Ms. Fucci first approached me about speaking at this year’s induction ceremony I was more than just a bit touched. And when she told me I was selected by the students, well, my emotions were taken to another level. You see, this is truly a feeling of reward to me – you hope what you do makes a difference and you hope the time and energy you put in has purpose, and then something like this happens, and you’re immediately reinsured. Unfortunately, only seconds after Ms. Fucci told me this wonderful news, I took wind out of my own sails! I realized I’d be following last year’s amazing speech by Mr. Joe Baglio – truly one of the best speeches I have ever heard. At this point my excitement pretty much transformed into complete nervousness which brings us to my current state! Not to mention, who gives a math teacher a microphone and lets him say anything he wants?!?
Thank you and good luck.
Mike Cuccinello