Alief Elsik High School - Ramblings Yearbook (Houston, TX)

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Freshmen Earn Money For Prom The Hard Way . . . Sophomore Dawn Lyngass tells everyone her bid at the Freshman Sale. She eventually bought Freshmen Cinda Shine and Jenny Barnett for $22. Freshmen Brandon Sandefur, Bob Rathgeber and David Johnson look to see who has made the latest bid on them. The group sold for $26. During Sale Day, one of the 'tasks' many slaves performed was pushing their partner in a trashcan around the cafeteria. Freshmen Dan Billman and Joel Hanksalong with David Bower joined together to be sold. The group was bought by Juniors Ron Chrisastomo and Tommy Richardson. All Photos by S. Lackey 156 Ramblcr Frcshman Sale

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help her talk about the incest. All I would do is say yes or no, she says. Beth felt the three years of sexual abuse were her fault. Her stepfather had denied everything. Her mother accused her of lying. My mother be- lieved him over me. And I felt betrayed. I couldn't ever put into words how Suicide is the third leading cause of death among our nation's youth. much that hurt my feelings. So she expressed herself in other ways. On different occasions she drank fingernail polish remover. She slashed her wrists, and once she broke pencil lead into the wound. I couldn't say how hurt I treated at the Belle Park Hospital for personal as well as drug Photo by R. Law felt so (the suicide at- tempts) were my way to show it. Once Beth and a friend ( I don't know why I call her a friend ) ate glass together. At the time I thought I would be better off dead. Beth was shifted from child welfare facilities to hospitals and psychiatric units back to child welfare. When she was twelve, almost thirteen, she began experimenting with drugs. She started dating, and she engaged in sexual re- lationships, just to get back at Mom. She injected fingernail polish into her veins, in addition to drink- ing the stuff. That, finally, was the act that landed her in West Oaks twenty months ago. It took me a long time to open up once I got here, Beth says. But eventually I did. For the first time in my life I expressed anger. Beth hasn't forgotten her past, and occasionally she still has problems coping. But now, I can talk about it. I used to feel alone and not cared about, but there are people now to listen. Therapy has helped me tremendously. Tears well up in Beth's eyes, then she laughsself-consciously. It makes me sad to think how I used to be. When asked, Beth offers some advise to parents with troubled kids. Listen to them instead of yelling at them; try to find out what the problem is. Show them you care. If all else fails, get psychiatric help. Any advice to depressed teens? Open up, and share your feelings with others. Talk - somebody else will understand. You know, I used to pretend I was too big to cry, now I cry all the time. Now when I'm upset, everybody knows it. Stress, family problems, and insecure feelings about oneself have always been related to suicide. Several Elsik students have been treated; many for attempted suicide. The recently built Belle Park Hospital has had positive results as a housing and theraputic center. Senior stress has also been a major issue. One senior related her feelings; The thing is, as quickly as it comes across my mind, (suicide), I realize it is really a stupid thing - it's like a cop out. I know that my problems I'm dealing with, whether they arise from school or home, may not seem bad to others, but for me they are traumatic. This has probably been my highest pressure year. It's the year you want to make your mark on the school, so people will remember you. But sometimes suicide looks like the only way out: away from the nagging parents, teachers, and the whole world in general. As bad as things seem now, if this is the worst my life ever gets. I'll be a lucky person. If lean kick my way through this, I can do anything. By Misty Bogle, Editor-in-Chief Rambler 155

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 hman Verlon Smith endures his owner's torture and secution. Although there were 74 groups of freshmen sold, »s President Elliot Segal brought the highest price, $60, which paid by Junior Don Ballard. Photo by S. Lackey Popular dress for males was a dress and high heels which freshman R. J. Harr chose to carry. The Sale is the major fund-raising event for the Freshman Class. This year they earned a profit of $2,432. Photo by S. Lackey Health teacher and auctioneer Susan Contine once again carries on the tradition of the Freshman Sale. Mrs. Contine has been auctioning the fresh- men ever since the first sale six years ago. Photo by S. Lackey hman Class Sponsor Jean Muckelroy, after weeks of planning the April 18 sale, watches the auction go off successfully. In background, Kelly Benson and Melissa Herzog wait anxiously their turn to walk to the middle of the gym to be auctioned. Photo by S. Lackey 157