TEACHERS HAVE ARRIVED… ARE THE STUDENTS READY?
by Cate Murway
Aspiring academics have traded beach balls for books and sandals for shoes, but are they ready? Brendan Andersen, 14 years old, munching on a crabmeat sandwich, said, “I’m looking forward to seeing my friends”. He, a Roman Catholic H.S. student, and his grandmother, Joan Andersen, who feels “the parents are much more excited than the kids” are sharing “shore caught cuisine” at the Dutch Country Market on Farragut Avenue.
A new “Bristolian”, 14 years old Scott Clymire, bicycling his way through the borough, is “looking forward to a new school and new friends”. “Gym class is my favorite and I like football and basketball the best”.
Bristolian lifer, Mario Marrozzi, a 2005 Conwell-Egan Catholic graduate and cross country athlete is excited about his upcoming civil engineer education at Drexel University. He’ll be rooming with his good friend, Dave, a Holy Ghost Prep graduate. “I’m ready. I went on a road trip to North Carolina and then to Wildwood with some friends, but that’s about it for this summer.” Mario also works at the “home of the original $12.00 hoagie” Mazzanti’s Market, his dad’s family store and deli on Lincoln Avenue.
Enjoying the final “dog days” of summer with her canine companion, Bates, (who is named after a hockey player), Kara Kennedy is spending the day with her mom’s mom, Grandmother Kathy Cohn. 4th grader Kara “loves art… especially ‘pencil drawing’, math and gym” and she, too, will be attending a new school and making new friends. Something in her voice sounds like she wishes the month still started with a “J”.
Still sporting sandals, 10th grader, Lauren Panzano, 15, shared that she is excited about seeing her school friends again. Her busy summer already included 2 weeks of school! Lauren raved about the “Rising Stars” program she attended which was presented at the Grundy Library. “I would love to have a class like that, to teach us to set goals and realize our dreams.” Lauren excels in math and is insightful in her thoughts “math is needed in everything”. Lead, follow or get out of the way! Lauren definitely is a future leader.
Her best friend and self-declared “sister” Jacqui Salerno, also 15, is a sophomore at Conwell-Egan Catholic H.S. She’s not really ready to do the uniform school day thing yet but she loves sociology. Her 9th grade teacher, Mr. Papirio was “the best” and she has decided that subject is her favorite since then. Jacqui “wishes there were an interior design class at the school” and that she could have “science 1st period, just to get it over with for the day”.
Michelle Panzano, Lauren’s mom, states, “The summer went by too fast. I miss having them around and I feel badly for the kids since they have to get up so early”.
“Now I can relax some but not much will change; just a break from having them home”, states Maria Figueroa since her daughter will be returning to Bristol H.S.
A local shoe storeowner was too busy sizing the school students’ soles to take time to speak. Ann Mundy, an owner of Mignoni’s Jewelry on Mill Street, who inventories a large array of Celtic treasures and dancing shoes, sees “many Irish dancers preparing to jig, reel, polka and step dance, and also sells many more watch batteries” this time of year.
Education is said to open doors but the general consensus is to “keep them closed, just a tad longer”.
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