Two of Hyde Park’s brightest students are preparing speeches for FDR High School graduation on June 28, and they have more in common than most people may think.
For starters, class salutatorian Kerrie Findlay and valedictorian Caroline Bendyk are both children of teachers in the Hyde Park school district. Bendyk’s mother, Pamela, is a sixth-grade teacher at Haviland Middle School and Findlay’s mother, Dorothy, teaches science at FDR High School. The young graduates-to-be have different perspectives regarding how their mothers’ careers influenced their own academic achievements and career aspirations.
Caroline Bendyk, who is finishing her senior year with a 100.25 grade point average, said that listening to her mother’s stories of students who were in trouble served as motivation to succeed. “From my mother, I know the stories of what happens to students who don’t work at school and don’t succeed,” she said. “I’ve learned the importance of doing your work.”
Findlay, who has a 100 grade point average, noted that seeing how much work her mother invested to educate others originally discouraged her from seeking a teaching career. “My whole life, I swore to myself that I would never become a teacher,” she said. Findlay laughs as she explains that she will attending SUNY Cortland in the fall as a secondary education major and hopes to become a French and Spanish teacher. Her experiences at FDR High in the foreign language departments were inspiring, said Findlay. She particularly enjoyed the French program with Mrs. Calenti. “I just really like the language,” she said, adding that the school’s annual French play was “the best part about French.”
Her hands-on opportunities to work with students also helped shape her career goal. “I was the only student in French 5, and I the opportunity to help teach the French 4 class,” she said. “It was a really great experience and it made me realize that I wanted to be a teacher.”
A different track
Bendyk will attend Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Penn. this fall and will major in mechanical engineering and business. She said many of her teachers over the years have had a positive influence on her education, but one in particular stands out, she said: Dorothy Lehsau-Findlay, Kerrie’s mother, who was Bendyk’s physics teacher. Caroline Bendyk’s favorite classes included math and science, especially physics and calculus. “All of the teachers at FDR are very dedicated,” said Bendyk. “They stayed after school to help me.”
Findlay credits her teachers, parents and friends as people who have influenced her life. “There are many different people I admire and respect and I try to emulate daily,” she said. Findlay said she has many fond memories of her four years at FDR. “Everything I got to do there affected who I am,” she said.
Both graduating seniors participated in arts and sports programs while at FDR. Bendyk played in the pit band for the school’s theater program, while Findlay assisted with costumes for theater productions. Bendyk competed on the school’s soccer team and Findlay ran track and cross-country. Both young women agree that they will miss Hyde Park life.
“I’ll miss the small-town feel,” said Bendyk. “In Hyde Park, you have people you’ve always known to support you,” she added, noting that she is the only person from her graduating class to attend Lehigh in the fall. Findlay hopes to stay connected to her hometown friends. “I’ll miss my friends a lot, and I hope we can all stay in touch and stay friends,” she said.
Both young women are the “babies” of the family and ponder how their mothers will adjust to their youngest child leaving home. “She’s sad; she’s going to miss me, I’m sure,” said Bendyk, who has an older brother attending Northeastern University. Findlay has an older sister who attends the University of Vermont and hopes her mother won’t worry about her too much. “I think she’s excited but I think she’ll worry about me,” said Findlay. “She’s excited for me to have this experience.”
FDR seniors will enjoy Senior Week next week, followed by graduation on June 28 with speeches from Findlay and Bendyk that are sure to inspire.