Published: May 01, 2008 12:18 pm         

Cooperstown names top seniors

By MICHELLE MILLER
Staff Writer

Cooperstown Central School has announced the top four students for this year’s graduating class — all of whom are not quite sure what they truly want to do with their futures. Erin Sullivan, daughter of John and Barbara Sullivan of Cooperstown, plans to head to Slovakia through the Rotary Exchange Program in August. She says the only other place she has been outside the United States is Canada, and she is looking forward to something new. Sullivan says she had a couple of friends who traveled through the Rotary Exchange Program, and that is how she got interested in the program.

Once Sullivan returns from Slovakia, she plans to attend Hamilton College. She will be entering with an undeclared major. Sullivan has been at CCS since she was in fifth grade and said her favorite subjects were English and art. She said Mrs. Murphy, the art teacher, was the most influential for her while at CCS.

``I wasn’t really interested in art until I had her for class,’’ said Sullivan. Sullivan has been involved in swimming, and has been an active member of a school team that competes by answering questions about the environment.

Kaitlyn Breiten, daughter of Thomas and Leslie Breiten of Cooperstown, will also be traveling through the Rotary Exchange Program. She will be packing her bags to go to Poland at the end of the summer.

``I have wanted to do this for as long as I knew I could,’’ said Breiten. ``I have always wanted to go overseas. I am excited for the experience and know I will grow and change while I am there.’’

Breiten went to The Brookwood School before coming to CCS in fifth grade. She says all of the teachers at CCS have been great, and it would be impossible to narrow down just a few favorites.

``They have all been such a huge influence on my life,’’ said Breiten. She says senior year has been great because she feels everyone has gotten closer. She says she will miss the small village and how well everyone knows everyone.

``I’ll miss the feeling of belonging’’ said Breiten.

In high school, Breiten was on the swimming and diving team (captain senior year), participated on the track team, was vice president of the senior class and competed on the quiz team. Breiten says she will be spending her summer as a nanny. She still is undecided on what college she will attend in the fall of 2009. Breiten applied to the University of Texas at Austin and Sewanee: The University of the South located in Tennessee. Sean Killian, son of Tim Killian of Oneonta and Anne Killian-Russo of Cooperstown, will be headed to Ithaca College in the fall. Killian said he will be entering with an undeclared major, but is thinking about pursuing mathematics. Killian said he is looking forward to going to Ithaca because he remembers visiting the area when his older sister attended the college about 11 years ago. ``I am looking forward to living in the city,’’ said Killian. ``I can’t wait to see what it will be like to live in one of the nicest cities in New York.’’

Although Killian says he is excited for a different kind of lifestyle, he says he will miss the familiarity of the halls and the village. Killian has attended CCS since kindergarten, and says Mr. Henrici and Mrs. Conroy have been most influential to him. Killian took Latin with Mr. Henrici for four years and says he really broadened his horizons and made him more interested in speaking other languages. Both teachers are very funny and smart, says Killian.

While in high school, Killian was on the varsity swim team, was part of the high school musical and was stage manager of the senior play. He is also a member of ECT, Honor Society president and has worked for several sales such as the carnation sale for Valentine’s Day.

Killian says he hopes to work at the Clark Sports Center helping out with adventure camps this summer.

He also says he would like to find a job in a local store on Main Street and hopes to enjoy his last days in Cooperstown. Philip Pohl, son of Bruce and Chris Pohl of Cooperstown, will be headed to Clemson University next year on a baseball scholarship. He says he is excited about being able to play ball there and is looking forward to the warm weather.

Pohl will be entering Clemson with an undecided major, but says he really enjoys the sciences.

Originally from Bakersfield, Calif., Pohl began his education at CCS in the fourth grade. He says all of the teachers at CCS have been influential to him as well as his baseball coach, Frank Miosek.

Pohl says he will miss the whole high school experience when he leaves for college. He says he likes living in a small town with a close community, which he says is something most people don’t get to experience.

``I will miss walking down the street and saying hello to all the people,’’ said Pohl. Pohl has played baseball for the past four years, been on student council for three years, served as class president his sophomore and junior years and is a member of the Honor Society. He says he is also very proud of being a part of HOBY, a youth leadership program.

This summer, Pohl says he plans to play baseball on a traveling team in Syracuse. The four seniors are working on their graduation speeches.

Graduation will be held on Sunday, June 29 at 1:30 p.m. on the lawn of the Fenimore Art Museum.

In the event of rain, it will take place at 2 p.m. in the Nicholas J. Sterling Auditorium at the Cooperstown Middle/ High School.