Correction Appended
Big Sibs ease students’ first uncertain steps at Stuyvesant. The current Big Sib chairs once walked in as freshmen too; now they have to choose their successors.
Out of about 500 applicants in 2007, 143 became Big Sibs. From there, 30 applied to be Big Sib chairs. According to ‘07-’08 Big Sib Chair Philip Chang, Big Sib chairs are “responsible for planning all the Big Sib events and fundraisers. They do administrative work and are Big Sibs to the Big Sibs,” he said. In order to choose their successors, “we looked at their leadership abilities and capability to work in groups,” he said.
“They’re all the best of the best. I think they’ll be able to live up to what’s expected of them, and more,” wrote senior and ’07-’08 Big Sib Chair Allison Weiner in an e-mail interview.
Spiridoula Giannoulas
Junior Spiridoula Giannoulas describes herself as a “spontaneous adventurer.” Her motto is “I’ll try anything once providing it’s legal, not too dangerous and not completely insane,” she wrote in an e-mail interview. She regards her Greek heritage as a way of life and something that defines her.
“I know the things I want to do and that just keep me motivated,” Giannoulas wrote. “[It] keeps me working hard to try to make all my dreams come true.” She originally tried out for the Big Sib program because she likes to help others and make things more enjoyable for them.
As Big Sib Chair, Giannoulas wants to expand the program. She plans to further develop Big Sib events by getting more people involved. She is particularly interested in continuing Stuyspace, a group formed to keep the halls clean. She also wants to unite students and not have them confined to social cliques: “When you can walk down the hallway and clearly see the hallways divided into groups,” wrote Giannoulas, “something about it doesn’t seem right.”
Her visions and goals may prove tough to execute, but the ‘07-’08 chairs and her Little Sibs have faith in her. Weiner said “Spiridoula is a kind, confident girl who is very passionate about the program.”
Freshman and Giannoulas’ Little Sib Chris Lee admires her work as a Big Sib. “She seems to actually care about the people in our homeroom,” said Lee.
After Stuyvesant, Giannoulas wants to go to Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey and pursue a career as a corporate lawyer. “I really just want to enjoy myself. I have a lot I want to accomplish in my life, but I wouldn’t want any of it if it meant compromising myself as a person,” she wrote.
Tina Khiani
Junior Tina Khiani proves that it’s possible to be at two places at once: she’s co-captain of both the girls’ varsity basketball team and volleyball team. She also lives in a town that’s split in two—half of it is in Queens, the other in Long Island.
As Chair, she hopes to further the efforts of the program by holding more Big Sib events and improving the tutoring system. “I just want to make sure at the end of freshman year, every freshman loves being at Stuy and doesn’t regret choosing to come here,” Khiani wrote in an e-mail interview. “I feel like that is the job of Big Sibs, helping freshman not only get accommodated to Stuy, but to make them aware of its wonderful opportunities.”
Freshman and Khiani’s Little Sib Janis Jiigsaawlala is happy about Khiani getting the position. “She helped me out a lot, especially when I wanted to try out for the volleyball team. She told me the rules and eligibility guidelines. She motivated me to try out and have fun,” Jiigsaawlala said. “She also helped give advice on teachers […]. She told me all about the tutoring available.”
“I have a special place in my heart for Tina because I originally interviewed her for Big Sibs and she was in my [Little Sib] homeroom this year,” Chang said. “I got to see her change and improve as a Big Sib.”
Weiner wrote, “Tina is an amazing leader who will surely get things done.”
After Stuyvesant, Khiani is looking forward to getting out of New York and going to school on the West Coast. “As for long term, I just want to find something that I’m passionate about doing and do it,” she wrote.
J.J. Russo
Junior J.J. Russo loves to make movies and is the co-president of the Stuy Film Community (SFC). He’s involved in theater and has been the co-director of the Stuyvesant Theater Community (STC) spring comedy, “The Man Who Came to Dinner,” and of both Soph-Frosh SING! ‘07 and Junior SING! ‘08. When he’s not directing, Russo does sound for the STC.
Russo draws inspiration from his friends and his family as well as the ’07-‘08 Big Sib chairs. He feels the chairs have “done an unbelievable job this year with the program, making it work and making it fun. They’ve helped me a lot as well as the Little Sibs, and I’m really excited to learn more from them about how they’ve been running things,” Russo wrote in an e-mail interview.
As a Big Sib Chair, Russo wants to create a more positive environment. “I’m really focusing on keeping things fun […] for everybody, because I think having fun at school is the easiest way to avoid getting stressed,” he wrote. Outside of the program, he wants to enhance the SFC. “Getting that to keep running and to be a major creative program in the school for people interested in film is another goal of mine,” Russo wrote.
Chang is confident of Russo’s ability to achieve his goals. “J.J. is a very nice, friendly guy who is positive,” he said.
Freshman and Russo’s Little Sib Eric Kiss feels the same as Chang. “He always talks to people and tries to help them. He’s very patient,” he said.
Lee Schleifer-Katz
“In order for me to be happy, I want to be surrounded by happy people, and so I do whatever I can to make everyone around me as happy as I am,” junior Lee Schleifer-Katz wrote in an e-mail interview. “That is what motivates me to do things that benefit both myself and others.” It is this positive attitude that he feels will help him to be a good Big Sib Chair.
As a member of the debate team, Schleifer-Katz enjoys learning about the world and developing the ability to think on his feet. He feels he can relate to his Little Sibs because he has a younger brother.
Both Schleifer-Katz’s Little Sibs and former Big Sib chairs have faith in him. “He always says ‘Hi’ in the halls, asks about teachers, the workload and friends. Some of his friends always joke around with me,” freshman and Schleifer-Katz’s Little Sib Tammuz Huberman said.
In addition, “Lee is very business-like,” said Chang. “He’s clean-cut and gets things done.”
As chair, Schleifer-Katz wants “to create an environment for freshmen which will help them to really get acclimated to Stuyvesant and [...] help them to enjoy themselves here,” he wrote. “If we can create an environment where all of our students are truly happy, Stuyvesant will be everyone’s favorite place to be and that is a prospect worth making every effort to work towards,” Schleifer-Katz wrote.
In the future, Schleifer-Katz wants to pursue something in which he will enjoy himself and influence others positively as well. He has always dreamed of being a professional guitarist. “My experiences with music over the years have shown me that music really does ‘make the world go ‘round,’” he wrote.
Dylan Tramontin
Junior Dylan Tramontin started out in Kentucky, but made six cross-country moves in her lifetime to four different states and now resides in New York. She loves theater and immerses herself in shows both in and out of Stuyvesant. In most shows, she acts and sings, but recently directed the STC studio musical Moby Dick.
Tramontin’s greatest inspiration comes from her family. “From the time I was little, they have always pushed me to work hard and achieve a goal, whether that goal is learning how to cross monkey bars at the playground or getting into the right college,” Tramontin wrote in an e-mail interview. She is also inspired by the ’07-’08 chairs. She feels they “were not only hard workers, but great creative thinkers as well. I hope to continue their pattern of unique and innovative changes to the program, whether through implementing Big Sib training or promoting enthusiasm through Big Sib get-
togethers,” she wrote.
She also hopes to battle selfishness through the program and believes this will eventually fix some of Stuyvesant’s flaws. “The competitive nature of Stuyvesant can often breed a sort of selfishness. I think that the Big Sib program really combats this selfishness by showing freshman they are not alone, and by promoting good will through projects like Stuyspace,” Tramontin wrote.
Weiner is highly supportive of Tramontin. “Dylan is a very dynamic girl who knows how to take charge,” Weiner wrote.
Tramontin’s Little Sib Sadie Bergen is confident in her Big Sib. “Coming into Stuy, […] I didn’t know if I would make friends, find any of my classes, like my teachers, pass the swim test, get lost, the list goes on and on.” Bergen said. “As soon as Dylan began talking to me I felt more comfortable. She went on and on about how incredible Stuy was and how much she loved it, and made me believe that I could love it too.”
Tramontin’s short term goal is to be able to get into a good college. As for life after Stuyvesant, she’s interested in many careers, from social work to working for a magazine.
Correction:
In the article “Introducing the New Big Sib Chairs,” the title of “Moby Dick! The Musical” was misstated.