Every year, around Regents time, I offer my students the chance to put their money where their mouth is. It is called The Wager.

You can see all the students that have taken on The Wager in my classroom. There is a wall dedicated to these students who have bet me and then stopped by to take their picture the following year. Scroll down if you would like to see a run down of ALL students that have bet me since 1998

It all started back in my first year at Colonie in one of my tenth grade Chemistry classes. It was around June 1st and my kids were feeling pretty confident about their upcoming Chemistry exam. A student by the name of Ryan Connelly-Carr wanted to bet me on his score. At first I declined, I didn't want to put pressure on a student come test time, but after a few more students pleaded to bet, I caved in. So THE WAGER was born. CLICK HERE to take a look at Ryan's actual Wager. Oh, Ryan was also my first LOSER! As his picture shows, he had to buy me breakfast on the first day of school.

In my ten years at Colonie High, I have taken 188 Wagers from students. My record is 12-28*-148*...12 WINS-28-LOSSES-148 TIES (PUSHES). Most of my losses (which means the kids did a great job!) resulted in kids getting a sundae, McDonald's meal deal, or breakfast the first day of school the following year. The prizes for kids that get a 100 are fun...I have had many quality prizes on the line, such as taking students golfing, pitching batting practice to them, buying them dinner at the Olive Garden, or getting them Great Escape tickets. On the other side of the coin, there has not been one student that bet me that failed...this would result in them washing my car!

2007-2008 Wager Results

NAME
RESULT
PRIZE
Jonathan Browarski
PUSH
Bryan Cross
PUSH
Kyle Gorzynski
PUSH
 
Rose Hammond
LOSER
Aly Ira
PUSH
 
Cathryn Jones
PUSH
 
Erin Karius
LOSER
Padraic Lyman
PUSH
 
Nick Malatesta
PUSH
 
Tommy Nguyen
PUSH
 
Brian O'Keefe
PUSH
 
Alba Pysqyli
PUSH
 
Lise Sukhu
PUSH
 
Paige Weinman
WINNER
she received a McDonald's sausage combo meal on the first day of school

2006-2007 Wager Results

NAME
RESULT
PRIZE
Anna Campanella
PUSH
Taylor Carey
PUSH
Kelsie de Chantal
PUSH
Mike Chmielewski
WINNER
he received a Dunkin' Donuts gift card
Taylor Daby
PUSH
Keith DiPace
PUSH
John Drabik
LOSER
he brought me breakfast on the first day of school
Pam Eistertz
PUSH
Mohammad Hussain
PUSH
Nick LaRose
PUSH
Kori Macdonald
PUSH
Keith Nieckarz
LOSER
he wore a funny sign designed by me on the first day of school
Brittany Papuzza
PUSH
Rachael Peterson
PUSH
Tyler Salamone
PUSH
Brandon Simmons
PUSH
Haley Smith
PUSH
Chan Tran
PUSH

2005-2006 Wager Results

NAME
RESULT
PRIZE
Merlyn Athimoottil
PUSH
Ryan Danahy
PUSH
Leanne Frederickson
PUSH
Chris Futia
WINNER
he got a bagel from Bruegger's on the first day of school
Nina Garhartt
PUSH
 
Megan Geurds
PUSH
 
Eliah Golding
PUSH
 
Addy Hawkins
PUSH
 
Mike Leonardo
PUSH
 
Chelsea Malone
PUSH
 
Ben Martino
PUSH
 
Colleen McCarthy
PUSH
 
AJ Monin
WINNER
he got a McDonald's breakfast on the first day of school
Allison Mullen
PUSH
 
Gema Ody
PUSH
 
Andrea Pfeil
PUSH
 
Brianna Pierce
WINNER
she got a bagel, doughnut, and coffee coolata from Dunkin' Donuts on the first day of school
Michelle Probst
PUSH
 
Paige Rueckert
PUSH
 
Gabby Saulsbery
PUSH
 
Rebecca Spath
PUSH
Billy Taylor
PUSH
 
Alyssa Zadrozinski
PUSH

2004-2005 Wager Results

NAME
RESULT
PRIZE
JJ Anderson
PUSH
Samantha Cunningham
PUSH
James Devoe
PUSH
Nicole DiMauro
PUSH
Francesca Fontanelli
WINNER
she got a Dunkin' Donuts breakfast on the first day of school
Randy Girgenti
LOSER
I got a Bruegger's bagel and coffee on the first day of school
Elijah Graham
PUSH
Danielle Hazen
LOSER
she dressed as the "Ultimate Preppy" on the first day of school
Kelsey Jacobsen
PUSH
Bobby Macari
PUSH
Tim McCarthy
PUSH
John Mehleisen
PUSH
Katelyn Mennella
PUSH
Greg Nowicki
PUSH
DJ O'Connell
PUSH
Phil Plessas
PUSH
Anthony Sardella
PUSH
Dan Sofia
WINNER
he got a McDonald's breakfast on the first day of school
Jill Varner
WINNER
she got a Vanilla Chai from Dunkin' Donuts on the first day of school
Lindsey Wilkins
PUSH

2003-2004 Wager Results

NAME
RESULT
PRIZE
Janay Burke
PUSH
Brittany Darling
PUSH
Justin Fahd
PUSH
Rob Frost
PUSH
Josh Gallacchi
WINNER
he got a McDonalds #1 Lunch on the first day of school
Andrea Gregory
PUSH
Lynn Hausman
PUSH
Rachel Hennings
PUSH
Devan Johnson
PUSH
Will Lentlie
WINNER
he got a 2 lbs. bag of jawbreakers on the first day of school
Logan Pintka
WINNER
she got a McDonalds 1/4 lb. burger on the first day of school
Kelsey Schlutow
PUSH
Nick Shaker
PUSH
Greg Sleasman
WINNER
he got a Friendly's gift certificate
Keith Viglucci
PUSH
Stephanie Wahrlich
PUSH
Dan Wright
PUSH

2002-2003 Wager Results

NAME
RESULT
PRIZE
Shannon Buckley
WINNER
she got a Coffee Coolatta and chocolate donut on the first day of school
Megan Carpenter
PUSH
Joe Coleman
PUSH
Kizito Dennis
PUSH
Maggie Devenpeck
PUSH
John Fontanelli III
PUSH
Dale Friscic
PUSH
Larry Jones
PUSH
David Klouse
PUSH
Erin Michels
PUSH
Zach Milos
PUSH
Hunter Moffatt
PUSH
Alex Palleschi
PUSH
Sara Patterson
PUSH
Matt Shoudy
PUSH
John Twardowski
PUSH
Chris Wright
PUSH
Deborah Yaklin
WINNER
she got a 3-pound bag of Tootsie Roll Pops

2001-2002 Wager Results

NAME
RESULT
PRIZE
Chad Allen
PUSH
Dave Cardella
PUSH
Tina DiCioccio
PUSH
Carlo Ferrandino
WINNER
he got a Popeye's chicken meal for lunch
Dave Finnerty
PUSH
Linsday Flanders
PUSH
Eric Garhartt
WINNER
he got a McDonalds' breakfast meal
Trisha Gresco
PUSH
Nick Houle
PUSH
Alicia Jordan
PUSH
Dan Kramer
PUSH
Emily Lanthier
PUSH
Andrea Prime
PUSH
Neil Reynolds
PUSH
Pat Rivers
PUSH
Allison Ross
PUSH
Jeff Sager
PUSH
Shawn Shaffer
LOSER
I got a Bruegger's bagel with cream cheese
Kyle Signer
PUSH
Ron Tavarez-Frye
PUSH
Nate Vonk
WINNER
he got a Burger King breakfast meal
Alex Weir
PUSH

2000-2001 Wager Results

NAME
RESULT
PRIZE
Cory Amarando
WINNER
he got a McDonald's breakfast meal
Chris Barnum
PUSH
Peter Benedetto
PUSH
Kierstin Burns
PUSH
Gina Carbone
PUSH
Laura Cardwell
PUSH
Becky Colino
PUSH
John Comitale
PUSH
Eric Crouch
LOSER
I got a Bruegger's bagel with cream cheese
Gary Dayter
LOSER
I got a Bruegger's bagel with cream cheese
Jess Gagnon
PUSH
Elizabeth Jubert
PUSH
Christine Kochan
PUSH
Shannon Kolner
PUSH
Kris Kowalczyk
PUSH
Jacqlene Kraft
PUSH
Mitch Lecuyer
PUSH
Chris Lee
PUSH
Whitney Longmate
PUSH
Mike Masilotti
PUSH
 
Josh McAllister
PUSH
 
Emily McDermott
PUSH
 
Eryka Perreault
PUSH
 
Brain Pezzulo
PUSH
 
Eric Prusaczyk
PUSH
 
Lisa Reles
PUSH
 
Mike Ruede
PUSH
 
Allison Tulio
PUSH
 

1999-2000 Wager Results

NAME
RESULT
PRIZE
Derek Adams
PUSH
Jon Branche
PUSH
Brandon Dumas
PUSH
Becky Halpin
PUSH
Chris Hebert
WINNER
he got a McDonald's #1 lunch meal
Zach Jablonka
PUSH
Katrina LaRose
PUSH
Oma Malema
PUSH
Nick Miller
PUSH
Justin Morello
LOSER
I got a McDonald's breakfast meal deal
Jeff Moroukian
PUSH
John Murphy
PUSH
Mike Nadeau
WINNER
he got an Oreo McFlurry
Morris Rieger
PUSH
Christine Sonder
WINNER
she got a McDonald's #7 lunch meal
Carly Stallone
WINNER
she got a gift certificate to Border's Books
Charles Sullivan
PUSH
Jeremy White
PUSH
Ally Wray
PUSH

1998-1999 Wager Results

NAME
RESULT
PRIZE
Curt Benedetto
WINNER
he got a Friendly's sundae
Ryan Connelly-Carr
LOSER
I got a McDonald's breakfast meal deal
Greg Helf
LOSER
wore my green bathroom pass helmet all day
Lindsay Kearsing
PUSH
Eddie LaBombard
WINNER
he got a Friendly's sundae
Dave Langlois
LOSER
the Yankee fan had to wear a Met hat all day
Alicia Lombardo
WINNER
she got a Friendly's sundae
Drew Phillips
WINNER
he got a McDonald's breakfast meal deal
Kinga Zajaczkowski
WINNER
she got a Coffee Coolata