Kristen Sevilla
Columnist
2016 Powerball Winner$
Three lucky ticket holders from Florida, Tennessee, and California will split the record
$1.6 billion Powerball prize. According to USA Today, “The winners beat the 1-in-292.2 million odds by picking the magic combination: 4, 8, 19, 27, 34 and Powerball 10.” The winning
tickets were sold at a 7-Eleven in Chino Hills, California, Naifeh’s Food Mart in Munford,
Tennessee, and Publix grocery in Melbourne Beach, Florida. “In addition to the winning
ticket, the California Lottery said 12 tickets matching five of the six Powerball numbers were
sold for Wednesday’s drawing. Those winners will get a $1 million prize.” The winners will
have the choice in how they receive their prize, either a lump sum or annual payments over
decades.
The Tennessee couple that won the Powerball, John and Lisa Robinson, were seen
on the Ellen Degeneres show and described their reaction when they found out they won.
“John Robinson stated that he purchased four Quick Pick tickets, returned home and his wife
Lisa later checked the tickets with the winning numbers only to discover one of their Quick
Pick tickets matched all five winning numbers as well as the Powerball.” The California and
Florida winners have yet to claim their prize.
Scan the QR code below to watch a video of the seven-time lottery winner Richard
Lustig sharing his tips for winning the lottery, including Powerball.
Printing
Brought To
You By:
Panther Press Staff
Questions? Comments? Concerns?
Feel free to contact us!
[email protected]
Staff Editor: Miss Rao
Editing Chief of Staff and
Senior Columnists:
Tyler (The Creator) Guarnieri
Maddie Jorolemon
Katie Locastro
Molly Ryan
Kaitlyn Sevilla
Columnists:
Jessi Menotti
Lexi Vitale
Taylor Cuff
Haleigh Reese
Kaleigh McLoughlin
Kristen Sevilla
Emma Redmond
Anna Vincent
Sophie Redmond
Abbey Vincent
On behalf of the Panther Press Team, we’d like to thank you
for reading this issue! Be sure to come back for more of Port
Byron’s best newspaper!
PANTHER PRESS PRINT EDITION: PART OF PORT BYRON’S STUDENT MEDIA GROUP
Generating opportunities for students to create media; broadening perspective, increasing marketability upon
graduation, and reaching out to the local and global community.
Port Byron High School’s Newspaper
Only the Best From the Panther Press
February 2016
Ty Guarnieri
Senior Columnist
Established 2011
Volume 6, Issue 10
Affluenza? Or a Chronic Arrogance?
Some people are just too rich for prison;
at least this was the case for one teen in Texas. In
2013, Texas teenager Ethan Couch, 16, was found
not guilty on charges of killing four people in a
drunk-driving car crash. How did this happen? It
is because a highly respected psychologist spoke
on the defendant’s behalf, stating that his wealthy,
privileged upbringing had caused his parents to
neglect to teach him responsibility and he is therefore not responsible for his actions.
According to Couch’s psychologist, this
condition is most commonly known as “affluenza.” Sound absurd? For those not familiar with
this condition, the Oxford dictionary defines it
as a “psychological malaise supposedly affecting young wealthy people.” In other words, it is
a psychological illness that excuses the poor behavior of rich kids. According to “The Affluenza
Project,” some symptoms of affluenza include a
lack of motivation, feeling, the inability to tolerate
frustration, and an addiction to chaos. The peculiar thing about this condition is that it is not recognized by the American Psychiatric Association
(ASA). When the trial was said and done, Couch
walked out of the courtroom with a sentence of
10 years probation and a stint in a rehabilitation
center.
Still underage and in direct violation of
the terms of his parole, Couch, now 18 years old,
was allegedly caught on film drinking alcohol at a
party this past December. It was soon after this that
is mother, Tonya, and he fled to Puerto Vallarta,
Mexico. An arrest warrant was issued in Texas
soon after they fled because Couch failed to report
to his parole officer. If he is actually found guilty
of not reporting to the probation officer, Couch
could go to prison for up to ten years (longer than
the (non)sentence he “served” for the initial four
murders). Couch and his mother were apprehended, and Couch arrived back in Texas on January
28th, his mother arriving shortly before him. Due
to her part, Couch’s mother is now facing charges
related to his escape.
Many find this condition to be outrageous.
It should not be defined as a condition, but rather
an excuse for the extremely wealthy to escape punishment for their lack of control. It is difficult to
understand how one can justify the deaths of four
innocent people as being “because of his privileged upbringing,” (theguardian.com) especially
because this “condition” is
something that is so easy to
cure. The first step is simply
unveiling the condition. Afterwards it is just a process
that “involves awareness,
education, and change.”
Abbey Vincent
Columnist
Volleyball Victory
APW Win:
On December 15th, Port Byron’s Varsity Volleyball team played AltmarParish-Williamstown (APW), the then first ranked team in the league. The game
was a nail biter, and took all five matches. Port Byron won the first, third, and
fifth games to record a victory over the previously undefeated APW. The girls
were able to work together and put it all out on the court. The results showed
that the only thing that previously stood in their way was themselves, and with
the right attitude this team is capable of anything. It is true that “teamwork
makes the dream work,” and together, nothing can stand in these girls’ way.
Senior Keirstan Bozeat racked up 19 kills, Amanda Wilczek had an astounding
22 assists, and Allison Ryan finished the game with 6 aces, 7 kills, and 8 assists.
This was a defining game for these girls because it showed their skill as a team.
The Weedsport Vs. Port Byron Cancer Game:
Like the APW game, on January 28th Port Byron Varsity Volleyball team
played a close game against Weedsport. Port Byron won the first game 25-23,
but came up short in the following three games. Port Byron lost, but it was a
win for the fight against cancer. Port Byron played for childhood cancer and
Weedsport played for pancreatic cancer. All the girls were to individually raise
money and both teams also made baskets to sell. The proceeds went to their
respective causes. Both teams raised a combined total of $4,368.00. Coach
McAuliffe, the Varsity Volleyball coach,
told The Citizen, “That’s our rival and
we have fun with it. The girls really get
into it and the crowd gets into it. It’s all
the energy” (auburnpub.com). Despite
the tough loss for Port Byron, it’s great
to see what a little rivalry can do to help
out a great cause.
Anna Vincent
Columnist
New Bench(mark) for fitness Center
Anna: What class is working to build the benches?
Mr. Mulcahey: The Manufacturing Systems class.
A: What inspired the design of the benches?
M: We took one of the old benches that had broken and brought
it to the shop. Then we pulled that bench all apart piece by piece
and started looking at the weak spots.
A: What is the total amount of time it took to build each bench?
M: The first bench was started just after Thanksgiving. Then the
bench was glued and sat throughout Christmas break. It was then delivered to the
fitness center the week of January 25th.
A: Is the wood that’s used to build the benches unique in any way?
M: It is, it’s a tropical hardwood that’s farm raised and is sustainably forested. So it
doesn’t add to any depletion of rainforests. Some unique characteristics of the wood
is that it is rot resistant and also pest resistant, so the bugs don’t like to eat it... and
it’s really pretty!
A: Do you have any other future projects in mind to benefit our school?
M: We still have two more benches on the way; also one of my other classes is
designing a bench to go outside the elementary entrance. This bench will have a
completely different design than the benches that we are currently working on, and
will be so heavy (made out of concrete) nobody will be able to steal it!
Jessi Menotti
Columnist
Political Update
As 2015 drew to a close, candidates for
the 2016 presidential election began to turn up
the heat on their campaigns. What used to be
a lighthearted competition has become a bitter
fight for the 2016 presidential bid.
On February 1st, 2016, the Iowa caucus was held. A caucus is similar to a primary,
except for the fact that the results aren’t set in
stone. Iowans vote for the candidate that they
want to win the election, and whomever has the
most votes is the top candidate. It doesn’t mean
that the winner is guaranteed to become the
presidential nominee by any means. When Bill
Clinton ran for president (the first time), he was
crushed by his opponent. That’s why it’s easier
to think of a caucus as a popularity contest. The
candidates are competing to see who is the most
popular right now; then they will revise and
adjust their campaigns accordingly.
Going into the caucus, Republican Donald Trump had a commanding lead over his
fellow Republicans. He had roughly 32 percent
of the votes, with Ted Cruz following behind
with 25 percent. The two recently called off a
temporary alliance after learning of the polls.
Trump called Cruz an “anchor baby,” referring to the debate that is occurring about Cruz’s
eligibility for the presidency. Cruz was born in
Canada, which normally would instantly disqualify him from
being able to become president. However, his
mother was a citizen of the United States. Most
people therefore consider Cruz to be an American citizen, but Trump is choosing to exploit
the facts of Cruz’s birth in the hopes of destroying the campaign and credibility of his closest competitor. Although there is a possibility
that Cruz could be kicked out of the race, it is
extremely unlikely, as there are no constitutional
barriers that prevent him from running (politifact.
com). Nonetheless, it could still have a negative
impact on Cruz’s campaign. For years, President
Obama argued against allegations that he wasn’t
born in Hawaii. Even after his birth certificate was
released,
conspiracists still doubted his roots, despite that
his American citizenship was clearly valid. Cruz
will likely face the same problems, especially if
Trump has his way.
The Democrats have a much closer race.
Democrat Hillary Clinton was in the lead with 48
percent of the vote, but she was followed closely
behind by Bernie Sanders, who was at 45 percent.
Martin O’Malley, the third democratic candidate,
was at 3 percent. Ahead of the caucus, Clinton received some bad news. The State Department, the
department in charge of reading Clinton’s emails,
determined that 22 of the emails she sent while
being Secretary of State are top secret, and hence
impossible to be released to the public. At the time
she sent the emails, they weren’t
considered to be classified; however, Clinton’s
rivals are using them against her, declaring her
untrustworthy. Sanders stands to gain from the
newly released report. He has been steadily gaining on Clinton as her numbers have started to
dwindle. In New Hampshire, Sanders is beating
Clinton by 19 percent. In a race this close, it is
hard to say which way the vote will swing.
It is only the beginning of 2016, but the
race for the presidency is in full throttle. Only one
thing is for certain: the 2016 presidential election
is one that is sure to be remembered for a long
time.
Lexi Vitale & Taylor Cuff
Columnists
Basketball Sectionals
For the first time in six years, the Port Byron Lady Panthers Varsity
basketball team is heading to Sectionals making for one exciting season. The
girls presently have a winning record of 9 - 8 and they attribute their success to hard work and teamwork. The dedication of each player on the team
has brought them to their goal. Sophomore Hannah Martens believes that
this dedication has helped them with their success, and according to Jamarah
Owens, the team is “lit.” Martens agreed,
joking “we’re ballers- cashin’ threes and breakin’ ankles.”
Coach Gilbert and her team are excited for this opportunity to really
show what they can do. The team is living in the moment and not ready for
their season to be over. In the meantime, they will be practicing hard for the
big games that have yet to come. Be looking out for the announcement of the
girls’ sectional game so you can come out and support your panthers!
Maddie Jorolemon
Senior Columnist
Lady Panther’s Basketball Senior Night
The Port Byron Girls Varsity Basketball
team had their Senior Night on Tuesday, February
2nd. This season there are two seniors on the team,
Katie Locastro and Kaylee Jefferds. Both girls
have been playing since they were young and have
had very successful basketball careers. The team
played very hard, but unfortunately lost to Pulaski.
It was a sad night for the seniors, but it is not the
end of their season just yet. This year the Lady Panthers are going to sectionals for the first time in five years. This is a very exciting time for the team and they are looking forward
to their upcoming games.
Sophie Redmond
Columnist
The importance of Off-Season Training
Off-season training isn’t just for the pros and is essential for
many sports. It helps to prepare athletes for the next season and stay
in shape. Many athletes might think that they don’t need to improve,
or they’ve already trained enough; however, there is always more to
do during off-season training that one may or may not already know
about.
In an interview with 8th grader Jenna Mapley, she said, “Off-season training is very important because you want to make sure you improve in your sport, and keep practicing so that you don’t forget how
to do certain things- or get worse.” Jenna also added, “I would recommend practicing with people who are better at the sport; for example
an older sibling, or playing on a team other than the school’s team.”
Several members of the Port Byron Field Hockey teams take
advantage of playing on teams outside of school, such as playing at
Champions For Life in Auburn, which Jenna does. (If you would like
to join another team in order to train during the off season, ask a coach
for more ideas.)
Off-season training is a great idea if an athlete is looking to improve in the sport that he or she plays. It
is also a great idea if an athlete is contemplating joining a new sport. It can be
as easy as playing basketball in a driveway, or at a park, or simply asking for a
friend’s help. There will always be possibilities to train, just remember to give it
110% when doing it.
Kaleigh McLoughlin
Columnist
The Tomlinson Baby Name Investigation
Recently, heartthrob Louis Tomlinson, of the band One Direction, has become a
father to a baby boy. Being as inquisitive as the One Direction fans are, they immediately wanted to know the child’s name. There were many guesses on many
social media sites, including one spotted on Twitter reporting his name to be
“Sydney Rain.” But perhaps the one that got fans the most riled up was a name
spelled “Conchobar,” but supposedly pronounced “Conner.” The internet immediately blew up. There were many jokes regarding the child’s name, including:
“What would you do for a Conchobar?” a funny play on the old Klondike candy
bar slogan.
There were no immediate comments from Tomlinson regarding the name whatsoever. Fans
were hoping for a tweet either confirming Conchobar as the child’s name or not, but there was no comment to be heard for several days following. Finally, Louis uploaded a beautiful picture of him and his
son to Instagram, with the caption “Meet the little lad Freddie.” Fans breathed a sigh of relief knowing
that Tomlinson did not in fact name his baby boy “Conchobar.” Even though Freddie is not a peculiar
name, there were still jokes made, including several referencing the television show, “iCarly,” in which
one of the main character’s name was Freddie. One Direction were guest stars on the show in 2012 and
fans were saying “Louis knew he would name his kid Freddie because it was love at first sight.” Apparently Louis, nor little Freddie, can’t catch a break on this whole name thing.
Emma Redmond
Columnist
Celebrating 100 Years of Life
How many people have lived through two world wars, 17 presidents, and are still
around to talk about it? Imagining what things must have been like a hundred years ago is
difficult to do, that is unless you are actually 100 years old!
In Port Byron, there is one resident who most certainly falls into this category:
Lucille Hitchcock. On December 4th, 2015, Lucille turned 100 years old, but does not
act a day over seventy! She is still very independent, living only with her cat, Miss Kitty.
Impressively, she was still on the road with an active driver’s licence until a few years ago.
A lot has changed since Lucille first started driving- when gas was only five cents per gallon
compared to the almost two dollar price of gas today!
Gas prices haven’t been the only changes Lucille has seen. Throughout her years
she has experienced many changes in society. As was not unusual of the time, during World
War II she went to work in a factory, while many American men were away at war. She worked as a crane operator at
the Alcoa factory, which is now the abandoned Bombardier building.
Lucille has adapted to new technology quite well, and even finds it useful. Lucille recalled when she got her
first television in the 1940s. Although she now enjoys watching her favorite actor, Kevin Costner, in color, Lucille’s
first television was a black and white Phinko television. It was about the size of most modern cell phones. Speaking of
cell phones, before she stopped driving, this tech-savvy lady had an emergency cell phone with her in the car.
After being alive for just over ten decades, Lucille has learned a thing or two about living. When asked how
to be happy she answers with an enormous smile, “Love everything you do, and love your cat; always love your cat.”
Molly Ryan
Senior Columnist
Movie Reviews
Movie theaters have been packed with major films recently, ranging from hilarious comedies to intense, actionpacked thrillers. These reviews may help narrow down the multitude of viewing (depending on the viewer of course, age
appropriate) options.
“Sisters”
Starring: Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Maya
Rudolph
Description: This rated R movie follows
two grown sisters who decide to throw
a house party. This comedy shows the
sisters’ attempt at reliving “the good old
days” before their childhood family home
is sold.
Opinion: This was one of the funniest
movies to come out recently. It showcased
original humor that kept the audience
laughing throughout the entire film.
Rating: 4.5 stars.
Panther review: “It was hilarious. Very
funny. There wasn’t a moment when I
wasn’t laughing. It only took a couple
seconds after a joke for something else to
happen that made you laugh. 4.5 stars.”
“Daddy’s Home”
Starring: Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Linda
Cardinelli
Description: This PG-13 movie follows the
feud between a father and step-father.
Opinion: The only funny part of this movie
was the end portion, which, in this movie’s defense, was laugh-out-loud funny. Even so, the
beginning and well into the middle of this film
was nothing special and quite boring. Hearing
accounts of viewers leaving the theater early
during this movie was not surprising.
Rating: 2 stars
Panther review: “It was okay. The beginning
dragged on, but the end was good. 3.5 stars.”
-Haleigh Reese
“Dirty Grandpa”
Starring: Robert de Niro, Zac Efron
Description: A soon to be married man
spends time with his grandpa that proves
to be a less than desired adventure, but
nonetheless valuable in the end. This
movie is rated R.
Opinion: This movie was inappropriately
funny but proved a good laugh. The plot
was a little all over the place, but made for
a good comedy nonetheless. The grandfather-grandson relationship portrayed is far
from relatable, which makes the comedy
shine through even better.
Rating: 3 stars.
Panther review: “It was pretty funny. 4
stars.” -Mitchell Walsh
“The Finest Hours”
Starring: Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Ben
Foster, Eric Bana, Holliday Grainger
Description: This PG-13 movie is based on
a true story and recreates a heroic rescue attempt by the Coast Guard.
Opinion: What had the potential to be a
heartwarming and emotional retelling of a
true story fell a little flat due to underdeveloped characters and storylines. This movie
could have been a real tearjerker had the
character development been stronger to make
viewers feel connected to the characters. Nevertheless, this film conveys a good message
and is slightly educational and enjoyable at
the same time.
Rating: 3 Stars
“The Revenant”
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Will
Poulter
Description: This rate R movie is based on a
true story about a man’s hard journey to revenge.
Opinion: Even if the genre isn’t appealing to all,
there is no doubt that this movie was extremely
well done. The graphics and set were very
realistic and the blood and gore were believable
enough to make skin crawl and hair stand on end.
The length of the movie (two hours and 36 minutes) did not take away from the power, and the
audience was never bored. Leonardo DiCaprio
gave a great and heart wrenching performance.
Rating: 4.5 stars.
Panther review: “I feel like it was really inspiring, in a weird kind of way. I don’t think it was
directly supposed to be inspiring, but he goes
through a lot to get revenge. What some people
might mistake as being a slow movie, it instead
is doing a very good job portraying what he goes
through and immersing the viewer in what he’s
experiencing. 4.5 stars.” -Matt Aldrich
“Fifty Shades of Black”
Starring: Marlon Wayans, Kali Hawk
Description: This movie is once again
rated R, and is a parody of the popular
“Fifty Shades of Grey.”
Opinion: If crude and stupidly funny
humor is your cup of tea, then this movie
may be enjoyable. This movie came across
much more dumb than funny.
Rating: 1 star
Panther review: “I thought it was very
funny. 3 or 4 stars.” -Sarah Brown
Haleigh Reese
Columnist
“No, No, Nanette”
This year, Port Byron Drama Club is putting on the production “No, No,
Nanette” as the spring musical. This musical is a fun and hilarious production that is
entertaining for the whole family.
“No, No, Nanette” is about a young woman named Nanette (Kaitlyn Sevilla)
who dreams of living an excitement-filled life before she has to grow up, get married, and settle down. She wants to travel and go to unchaperoned parties, but as she
is growing up in a wealthy family in 1925, and this is unheard of. She is told “no”
by her Aunt Sue (Haleigh Reese) when she asks to go to Atlantic City for a fun-filled
weekend with friends. On the other hand, her Uncle Jimmy
(Matt Aldrich), a Bible salesmen, with three quarters of a million dollars to his name, gets himself into a funny pickle when
he generously donates money to three young, beautiful girls
without thinking how it might look to his wife! These girls:
Flora from Frisco (Molly Ryan), Winnie from Washington
(Kasey Cioffa), and Betty from Boston (Emma Redmond), all
want to meet with him in an effort to receive more money.
Innocent as his intentions might be, Jimmy can not
have his wife Sue find out about the three girls, as he has kept
these “generous donations” from her since the beginning of the escapade. The only
way that Jimmy and Nanette are going to get what they want is with the help of the
sassy housekeeper, Pauline (Skylar Horsford), lawyer Billy Early (Coby Hildebrant),
Nanette’s beau Tom Trainor (Tyler Guarneri), and each other. When Sue and her
best friend Lucille Early (Marissa Turo) go to Atlantic City for a weekend vacation,
they find that everyone else is already there, and it turns into a big “out of control”
reunion when Jimmy and Billy, their husbands, are there, along with the three girls
that Sue is not allowed to know about. Not to mention that Nanette might be in some
trouble showing up there after Sue told her, “No No Nanette!”
Come watch the production on March 17th and 18th at 7pm and March
19th at 2pm to see what happens to Nanette, Sue, Jimmy, Billy, Lucille, Tom, Pauline, Flora, Betty, and Winnie, and listen to classic songs like “Tea for Two” and “I
Want To Be Happy.”
Ticket prices: Adults: $9; Students & Senior Citizens: $6; Household Family: $35
Kaitlyn Sevilla
Senior Columnist
Gaby Otvos: Staying True to
At night, when all the
students and faculty have retired
to their homes, the night staff
are busy at work; tidying the
messes of the previous day. One
night cleaner, however, can be
found smiling, even singing,
while doing her nightly rounds.
Her contagious laugh can be
heard from hallways away, her
smile radiating although her job
can at times be tedious. This
real-life Wonder Woman’s name
is Gabriella Otvos, known to the
Port Byron community as “Gaby.”
What many would be surprised to know is that
Gaby’s life isn’t ordinary, not even in the slightest bit. After just
a few interactions with Gaby, a simple “hello,” or a smile in the
hallway, one cannot help but smile.
Gaby was born on September 13th, 1980 in Transylvania, Romania. At the age of three, Gaby’s parents made the
decision to flee the country and voyage to America.
In the 1980s, Romania faced a period of harsh communist rule. The focus was shifted from a safe balance of both
industrial goods and agriculture to a heavy emphasis on industrialization. As a result, agriculture suffered, bringing about
long-term food shortages, and in 1981, Romania began using a
rationing system for basic foods, such as bread, milk, sugar, and
meat.
“It was a very tough time. People would wait in extremely long
lines just to receive small amounts of bread,” said Gaby. “My
parents knew we had to leave.”
“In the 1980s, the Romanian government wasn’t keen
on letting people move out of the country,” said Gaby.
In fact, because birth rates were so low, that in an
effort to increase population, the government issued a law that
said only women over the age of 38 with five or more children
were eligible for birth control and abortion.
“My father attended secret meetings in which people
got together to discuss different methods for leaving the country. He was able to be put in the right contact with people who
told him how to successfully depart.”
At the age of three, Gaby started her journey to freedom with her mother and father.
“We had to tell the Romanian government that we
were ‘visiting’ Italy, just to get us out of the country. The Romanian government would never have let us leave if they had
known we did not have plans to return. It was from Italy that
we were able to go to America for good.”
On June 1st, 1984, Gaby and her parents were admit-
ted as refugees in New York City, and they were finally freed
from the oppressive Romanian government.
“I have some very vague memories of my life in
Romania. I remember a vision of my father leaning over my
crib with that funny hat of his. I remember playing with my
cousins, most of whom still live in Romania.”
Much of Gaby’s family still lives in Romania, including her aforementioned cousins, aunts, uncles, and more.
As a young child, Gaby attended school in Brooklyn.
“It was easy for me to assimilate into the culture; I
basically grew up speaking English, unlike my parents, who
spoke mainly Hungarian.”
Gaby’s mother, who was pregnant at the time of their
arrival, entered the United States with nothing more than an
eighth grade education.
“I remember helping my mother study for her GED
test. It was harder for her to assimilate into American life because English was her second language. She worked hard, and
eventually became a Head Start teacher.”
Gaby attended a unique high school called “City As
School;” a school in which the focus was aimed at experiential
learning through internships.
“We took classes, but we also were given the opportunity to earn credits through internships. While in high school,
I interned at a number of places; a first grade classroom, an
ESL (English as a Second Language) classroom, and a political organization called “Common Core,” which ironically has
nothing to do with the new state educational standards. I found
that I learned best when I was doing hands-on work.”
Gaby spent her freshman year of college at Alfred
State, which began her love for the countryside.
“I loved Alfred, it is where I was really first introduced to the country, and I am grateful for that. But I always
felt like sitting through lectures wasn’t for me. The courses I
took weren’t connecting to my life in an effective way.”
After a year at Alfred, Gaby decided she would enter
the workforce.
“I lived in Baltimore for a while, then back to New
York City, and eventually found myself in Auburn. That’s
when I met Scott Lincoln, who I have been with for several
years.”
Scott Lincoln is the son of our very own Mr. and
Mrs. Lincoln. Commonly referred to as her “daughter-in-love,”
Mrs. Lincoln can only speak about Gaby with the highest
regard.
“Gaby is the most open and honest person. She is
hardworking and has more energy than anyone ought to be allowed to have,” says Mrs. Lincoln.
“Scott has always wanted to build a house on the
family property in Port Byron, and having my own house has
Yourself; The American Dream
been a dream of mine since I was 12! I feel so fortunate, everything just fell into place for me,” says Gaby.
In 2000, Gaby’s mother and brother were able to visit
Romania. Unfortunately, Gaby had just begun a new job and
could not travel with them.
“It would be fun to go back for a visit. I only know
two words in Romanian, ‘water’ and ‘bed,’ so if I were to ever
visit again, I would never be thirsty and I’d always have a
place to sleep!” joked Gaby.
“I am happy with my life here. There are always opportunities ahead of me.”
Gaby recently became a citizen of the United States.
On September 17th, 2015, Constitution Day, Gaby successfully
completed the citizenship process.
“There are essentially three parts; the application, the
background checks, and the interview,” said Gaby.
Gaby brought along her papers, and showed the application, which is about 20 pages in length.
“It took me quite a while. They ask all about who I
am, where I’m from, who I live with, where I live, and there
was a lengthy section on loyalty to ensure that I was faithful to
America.”
Gaby had to get fingerprinted, as well as have her
picture taken. From there, many background checks were made
by the FBI.
Finally, Gaby was sent a letter stating she had received an interview time. Gaby traveled to Buffalo, where she
passed the daunting interview with flying colors.
“They provide you with a packet of information before the interview, containing a list of 100 questions that could
possibly be asked, as well as several references and resources
for additional studying. You have to get six out of ten questions
correct in order to pass. Thankfully, I grew up primarily in the
United States, and I’ve always loved history, so I passed with a
score of six out of six questions.”
Gaby is a night custodian, working many weeknights
from three o’clock until eleven at night. The members of the
custodial staff at Port Byron are the unsung heroes of the
school. They are the backstage hands; making sure the work
gets done without asking for acknowledgement.
“We don’t need feathers put in our caps. We fit our
jobs well; we just want to do quality work and feel like we’re
doing our best,” says Gaby.
“The hardest part about this job definitely has to be
trying to multitask. In one night, I might have to help set up a
basketball game, bring tables into a certain area for an event,
and set up for special occurrences such as a board meeting.
It’s hard to use my time wisely, while at the same time doing
things to my best ability, but I try. Every day I try my best,”
says Gaby.
Surely aiding in her persistent, hardworking attitude
is her unfaltering optimism. Ask anyone that has ever come in
contact with Gaby and you’ll hear the same thing: she is the
most positive, upbeat person they’ve ever met.
“Being optimistic takes a lot of work, you have to
allow yourself to know that. But there is no need for negativity. It will always be there, but you have to make the choice
whether to ignore it or use it to motivate you. I wouldn’t feel
good about myself if I chose to give into the negativity in my
life,” says Gaby.
“I remember what my life was like as a child: having
to help my mother with the language barrier she experienced,
helping take care of my younger brother as we were growing
up- all those experiences have shaped me into the person I am
today.”
“At the end of the day, I am just so grateful for the
freedom I have in America. I look at my family members
currently living in Romania, and they don’t have the power
to chose where they go in life. They’re put on one path, like
engineering or health sciences, and expected to follow it. Here,
you can be the bearer of your own destiny, and I am grateful
everyday for that.”
When asked about the best piece of advice she could
give, Gaby responded with, “Just be yourself. I tried the whole
‘fitting in’ thing, and it doesn’t work. It’s okay to not do things
the way everyone else does them. Just stay true to yourself.”