West Springfield High School - Olympian Yearbook (Springfield, VA)

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Studying and common sense are keys to academic success as students improve their grades It was 12:30 a.m. and yon still hatln t writuii that i-vaptr duu the nt-xt day . Sound tamiiiar. ' In order to keep their grades up, students often stayed p late at night to finish their homework. Many athletes and cheerleaders ran ito this problem because they got home from school around dinner time — later. Busy weekends with athletic games and trips interfered with Spartan udy habits. Musicians having to practice ran into a similar problem because inadequate practice time and rooms. I ] Late-night studying was common among Spartans with busy schedules. tudents who participated in extra-curricular activities had to budget their ime between either sports, yearbook, or newspaper. Many Spartans stated hat they would become weary-eyed by 12 a.m. and slowly doze off, lying omfortably in between their books. I liked to study in my bed, but I would ;et too comfortable and fall asleep, said freshman Ann Yatzeck. A lot of tudents came into contention with this situation; as a result, they completed heir homework during break and lunch. Spartans found the library, the afeteria, and their lockers to be adequate study spaces. I From the end-of-the-quarter Honor Roll lists, one could see that WS kept THE PEN ROLLS ON . . . Doing scfioolwork was one way of getting good grades. lophomore Teresa Brandli does her portion in an effort to attain another A. up a good G.P.A. A lot of seniors inetl extta hart! tii keep u|i their grades so they could get accepted into a renowned college. Keeping up an exceptional G.P.A. starts when you ' re a freshman — you cant just wait until the last minute, commented senior Eric Butterworth. Believe it or not, there was a lot of competition out there. Pressure from parents as well as peers resulted in good study habits. Friends often helped each other study for a major test and received good results. Others found it easier to study solo. The incentive to do better than a peer pushed students to get better grades. Working to receive exceptional grades was a year-long effort for some Spartans. Time at summer school was spent by students in order to fill graduation requirements or to retake a previous course. WSHS was the hosting school for the summer program in 1985 for the Northern Region schools. Sleepless nights for nine months wasn ' t all that bad — it was worth it to those who saw their report card containing only the first letter of the alphabet. THANK YOU MR. DEWEY DECIMAL . . . The library was a crucial factor in getting good grades. Freshman Mariain Kramer makes use of the library ' s wide range of resources. LO ' VING EVERY MINUTE OF IT . . . Using all available spare moments to study could sometimes make a difference between an okay and a good grade. As she waits for a ride, sophomore Michelle Kutner works on an assignment. Studying -JrffFulce, s good for the ' Pepsi ' industry. sophomore Heather Hurst. Student Life c Scholarship A J

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STARTING WITH GREAT EXPECTATIONS . . . Both contemporary and classic [iterature selections were read and analyzed in English classes. Senior David Koss reads his assignments in preparation for class. NO END IN SIGHT . . . Homework was the major factor in many classes that often determined the final quarter grade. As he finishes his homework, junior Mike O ' Day earns another grade. dying was sleepless. It was the reason there were so many zombies walking around. sophomore Nicole Whitehead Student Life Scholarship

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500-WORD ESSAY . . . Taking go port a thesis. While preparing to some notes from her book. curate notes was necessary ' to properlj sup- her essay, freshman Wendy Repass copies SHHH . . . The library not only served as a source of information but also as a quiet THE SEARCH IS ON . . . Knowing how to use the card catalogue was very impor place to complete unfinished homework. Sophomore Billy Putnam finishes his to survive in this world of book reports. Thumbing through the cards, sophon assignment before going tu class. Gyune-|u jun looks for her book. Haven of quiet students go to library for studies and socializing Library: a collection of books especially a large systematically arranged collection for reading or reference. These words, according to Webster ' s, could never bring to life those exciting moments found at the WSHS library Where could you find thousands of books and hundreds of people all in the same place? Of course it was the WSHS library. In case you didn ' t notice, practically everybody was in the library before school, after school, during break, and during lunch. Within a few weeks, the library was constantly in use. Many newly in- terested Spartans were surprised at the steady number of reports and research papers constantly being assigned to them. Each year seems to get a little harder, with more and more assignments to complete, commented junior Dan Donovan. Run by Mrs. Jacque Morris and assisted by Mr. James Edwards, the library was an excellent resource center containing books and friends. During class periods, the library was practically empty with a few students doing their homework. However, when the 9:20, 10:30, and 1:50 bells rang, it was a mob scene. Many students tried to study at these hectic times, but found it difficult to concentrate because of the many conversations. 1 even tried after school but then I couldn ' t even find a place to sit, explained senior Will Schmidt. When one could find a time when it was a little less chaotic, he she could get a lot of work a. ne. The reference room carried various kinds of books that were helpful to research projects. The rest of the library carried everything you wanted to know about anything — even about the 25 ' students at WSHS. Several student aides were kept constantly in motion by confused freshmi diving into their first major paper, not to mention the laid-back seniors ti ing to finish their last ones. On the other side of the coin, students did manage to find time ti socialize. Mr. Edwards happily remarked that the library had become one the social centers of the WSHS community. In addition to that functioi We have one of the best reference collections in all the county, including public libraries, he concluded. Fairfax Library Representatives concurred ' with Mr. Edwards, saying that the WSHS library is the busiest school library in the county. During National Book Month, students could pick up a chocolate kiss for every book they returned. SGA president Julie Bruce ' s encouragement could be heard on the morning announcements each day of the campaign, Hey, Spartans, be sure to pick up your free kiss at the library! I ' ll meet you in the library, was a common sentence shouted in the halls - of the school. The library was not only a good source of information for school work, it was a great meeting place for friends. Being able to see friends in a quiet place was a favorite activity among Spartans. I liked the library because it was the only place besides a shopping mall where I could have fun with my friends, said sophomore Paula Myers. X- Student Lite Z.(3 Library ■ ' The library was a fountain of knowledge and learning. senior Paul Ryai