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Maine Adventures
Growing up, my family would stay in a vacation house for about a week every summer with the Pugielli's, a family from Brewster that we met at a church in the Bronx and have been close family friends with ever since. I have a lot of memories of Maine. My dad fishing the sneaker that I dropped into the ocean, almost dying several times, getting a fishing hook caught in my dad's shoulder and trying to cast it... Those were the days. -
New Kid on the Lake
My family moved to Brewster from Yonkers at the start of the New Year, so it felt like a real fresh start. Unfortunately, it was also the middle of the school year so I was very scared of starting at a new school in the middle of fourth grade. I have made friends in this town that I am eternally grateful for all they've done for me, and for helping me grow into the person I am today. These are true friendships that have gripped my heart, I will not forget the close friends this town gave to me. -
My Grandfather's Death
On summer break, my parent's sat me and my siblings down in the dining room for a talk. Given the fact that they'd just come home from visiting my grandfather in the hospital where he'd been hospitalized for a week or two, I figured it wasn't very good news. I was saddened and shocked to find out how right I was when my parents told me that my grandfather had passed away that morning. He's the man that my family gets their playful sense of humor from. He was quite the prankster. -
Girls, girls, girls
In the 8th grade, I realized that I liked girls the way I was "supposed" to like boys, Little things started to make sense, like how I wanted to marry my best friend in the first grade. Or how whenever we played house I would always be the dad, not because I wanted to be a boy, but because I wanted to have a wife. I came out to close friends and over the years I've grown more comfortable with my sexuality. I don't go around "flexing" it but I am gay and I won't deny it. -
Festival of Music
My freshman year of high school, I went on a trip with the school's concert band to perform in the Festival of Music, a music competition for high school bands and orchestras. Of all the schools that competed, Brewster's band and orchestra both came in first place for their competitions. We also got to spend two other days exploring the history of DC, and we spent one night on a dinner cruise where we got to eat and dance. -
Plop
I've never been a cat person, ever. Especially not after my oldest cat, Lily, scratched my arm pretty bad as a child. When my neighbors texted me telling me to "hurry home" because there was a litter of kittens that'd just been born in my yard, I was less than excited. That was until I was handed the smallest and wildest cat of the bunch. He looked paranoid as his head poked out of the blanket, peering around while all his siblings slept. I knew we had to take this one home. His name is Pete. -
Marching Bears
I joined the BHS Marching Band near the end of my sophomore year of high school. Ms.P was desperate for new recruits and at the time my friends and I had nothing better to do. It ended up being one of the best decisions I've ever made. I joined again junior year after being asked to lead the trumpets. The marching band has become a close-knit family of best friends, it has opened doors to insane opportunities that most kids don't get to have and I don't regret sacrificing my time to be there. -
My First Time in Disney
This has been my favorite school trip ever. This was my first time in Disney, my first time flying on a plane and the farthest away I've ever been from home. Not only did I get to spend three days in the parks with my best friends and no supervision, but I also got to march in the parade on Main Street, and do voiceover work in a chorus workshop with professionals. I got to spend my 17th birthday wandering around Hollywood Studios with my friends, Those were some of the best days of my life. -
Mamma Mia!
I've always loved theatre ever since I was little but I was too scared to audition, despite encouragement from friends. Finally, with a little push from my band teacher, and the promise of a new start with a new director, I finally worked up the courage to audition for both the fall drama and the spring musical. I got to do my first musical with my best friends by my side, and I formed a lot of new, stronger friendships in the theatre department, all while performing one of my favorite movies. -
My Uncle Passed Away
Over spring break, I was shocked and speechless when I found out that my uncle had passed away in a car accident in Florida. The way I found out was mildly traumatic since I hadn't been in town at the time, and I'm still a bit in shock. My uncle was in many ways like my grandfather, he was also a big prankster and he always knew how to make people laugh even when they didn't want to. I see a lot of him in my brother, not only in how similar they look but how lovable their personalities are.
