Students walk in one of the area's smallest graduation ceremonies

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Students walk in one of the area's smallest graduation ceremonies

RYAN LIGHT

Story Created: Jun 29, 2008 at 8:23 PM EDT

Story Updated: Jun 30, 2008 at 12:50 PM EDT

VAN HORNESVILLE - Students from Owen D. Young School graduated on Sunday.

Eight seniors marched to pomp and circumstance in the area's smallest high school graduation ceremony. Three young men and five young women walked into a big future from a small town.

The Interim Superintendent, Lawrence Zacher, says there are benefits of being one of a few.

Tuesday, Jul 1 at 11:07 PM TO fellow GRADUATE wrote ...

That (the issue of discipline and respect et all) is pretty much what I was getting at was all. Ken Sherry, for his short time was great, Deb Bronner went out of her way to force me to do well. Before he left, Andrew Peik (RIP) would actually listen to you more so than not, and dispense worthwhile advice. It just seems that the system there is breeding more hooligans. The upside when i was young was these people knew your parents, and would threaten you with that, in a good way.

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Tuesday, Jul 1 at 9:06 PM ODY GRADUATE wrote ...

I too was a graduate and yes it was a great school back when there was disipline and respect and teachers who really cared,things change and you all should realize that.It was a small graduating class of 18 and we didn't always get along but on graduation day it was the hardest for all of us to say good bye, not only to each other but the staff as well.We didn't feel we missed out on anything.HCCC pre college agreement doesn't work for all the students.I agree life is what you make of it.

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Monday, Jun 30 at 11:02 PM ODY graduate. wrote ...

I was not aware of the pre-college agreement prior to reading this story, Obviously I am now as I mentioned it in my initial post. I don't wish to walk in anyone's shoes, I once wanted to teach and decided against it. There were/are some quality educators. Most sadly move on to greater challenges or more money. Sadly, the poorer ones seem to always stay.

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Monday, Jun 30 at 10:55 PM I love ody grad wrote ...

I think ody grad has a point. Have a nice night :)

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Monday, Jun 30 at 9:09 PM Anonymous wrote ...

Sorry for jumping to conclusions ODY graduate. Are you aware of the "pre college" agreement ODY has with HCCC? It offers students the chance to earn college credits at the college campus. Needless to say the adjustment to "civilization" is no longer as difficult. As far as the teachers are concerned, try walking in their shoes in today's society before casting judgement.

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Monday, Jun 30 at 2:23 PM To Anonymous at 8:09 AM wrote ...

You inferred a little bit there. I have been fine in life and was not picked on more than average at school. I guess the upside of ODY is that you really have to work to be an outcast. I am glad that your experience was superb, mine was better than average. I mainly was referring to those that do suffer later thanks to the isolation. For instance, my class Valedictorian, as the story goes, began walking home from college as he had alot of trouble not being accepted in a bigger setting.

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Monday, Jun 30 at 10:49 AM A Parent wrote ...

This is a great school, outstanding graduation rate, superb NYS test scores, a very high percentage of students go on to college, what more could you want from a school?

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Monday, Jun 30 at 10:21 AM abc wrote ...

No, it will never happen. We have a bunch of people here who would rather save money on the budget and put every high school aged kid together in one UNSAFE school..where they dont teach them, they dont learn to get along, and most kids have to learn that bullying is ok because Proctor does NOTHING at all about it. My kids go to get an education, but what they get is learning that some kids get special treatment based on what part of the city they live in..No interest in kids not in Cornhill..

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Monday, Jun 30 at 8:33 AM parent wrote ...

Im a parent of kids that go to utica school and i wish we could have some classes here to but it will never happen

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Monday, Jun 30 at 8:09 AM Anonymous wrote ...

Sorry to hear that the smallness of ODY caused you to miss out on socializing in the "real world." Yes there are times when kids can be cruel to one another, but guess what? It happens in the urban areas as easily as it does in a "one horse town." It is what you make of it and if you do what is right in life, that is all you can do. I too graduated from ODY with a class of 25 and I wouldn't trade it for the world. Life IS what YOU make of it.

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Monday, Jun 30 at 12:11 AM ODY graduate wrote ...

I am a graduate of this school and the closeness is often a burden. Everyone knows, or thinks they do, everything about everyone. You hardly have the pick of the best educators. I am happily surprised by the idea of socialization in a larger setting. Of course, what do I know I had a class of 17, clearly too many for the teachers to key in on.

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