Austin High School - Comet Yearbook (Austin, TX)

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Mm 'W ' -ef I 'om Cogdell, sophomore, Sofie Cavazos, junior, and Steve Cantu, senior join hands a final prayer of the 'ellowship of Christian Students on Nov. 29. SAT mean verbal scores 486 444 4 I 412 Nation Texas AISD SFA 489 SAT mean math scores 51. 468 A53 Nation Texas AISD SFA 'iraduates of 1983 earned higher mean scores on the i SAT than other graduating seniors in the AISD Texas, i -L ss? itat .X PLE ith s M a - -5 Congressman J.J. Jake Pickle hails Austin High M, the nation ' during a special assembly on Dec. 7. well-balanced academic atmosphere through the instituted attendance policy. The number of students in school went from 86'Z1 to 96'Zv with this policy, keeping the students in school, more days, which aided in the superiority of the SAT scores. The junior counselor, Margaret Kahn, credited SFA's success on the SAT to the teachers w o believe in demanding the most from their students. Phyllis Rothgeb, English Department chair, said that Austin High has a tradition of academic excellence because the students are very well prepared, and the competition pushes the students to do their best. Break Dancers strut and twirl in new fad In a darkened downtown parking lot of the South Bronx, several youths gathered together to create the newest dance craze to hit America since rock-n-roll dancing. Break Dancing began on top of a scrap of linoleum used as a homemade dance floor when teenagers took turns strutting to the center of the dance floor to spin, flip and twist into a human pretzel. Break Dancing has spread across the nation, and its belated arrival in Austin seemed to trigger the infectious whirls and sipins to teenagers in all neighborhoods. At least a dozen break ancing groups exist in Austin, and they fold their bodies and resemb e expert contortionists in parking lots, shopping malls, skating rinks, school hallways and downtown nightclubs. A breaker can slam himse f to the ground and twirl on his head or his shoulders with his legs cutting through the air above him like helicopter blades. With speed and agility, he can reverse his moves and become an upright acrobat preparing to twist into a number of unidentifiable shapes. He can walk on his hands while his body is perpendicular to the floor. He can bend backwards and hold that position until he jumps from his hands to his feet. T e dancers have named some of their moves and maneuvers that mimic objects, such as, the scorpion, the egg roll, the helicopter and the centipede. One of the most difficult maneuvers to complete is a crab-like dance in which a dancer throws both legs over his shoulders and walks on his hands. Besides dancing in assemblies and in the school hallways, SFA breakers occasionally visit Sixth Street to embrace their audiences. Unfortunately., the Austin Police were worried about the large crowds the dancers would attract. The crowds often grew so large that pedestrian traffic on the sidewalks were blocked. The breakers were forced to move to Red River and Fifth Street for their shows. Once only the dance of the South Bronx, now the dance has elite, professional dancers that are paid to break at nightclubs and television specials. Music videos and dancing scenes from 'Flashdancef 'Footloose,' and 'Style Warsf also help spread the popularity of break dancing. Some breakers were also paid to participate in the movie, 'Breakin' or in a Michael jackson Pepsi commercial to stir up even more of the country's attention on the latest dance invention. Free-lunch privileges ceased by AISD For years, the AISD offered a free-lunch program for students whose famil incomes fall below a given mark. In February the AISID cancelled some free or reduced price lunch privileges in coordination with the federal government in order to crack down on students who get away with school lunch fraud. The AISD ceased the program for 123 students, where 103 continued to pay reduced prices and 20 were ordered to pay full rice. P Vada Bockhorn, manager of the SFA cafeteria, said that only nine students from Austin High were taken off the free lunc program and most of the students were put on the reduced- riced ro ram. About goo Sliistgdents were on the free-lunch program and the majority of those received reduced priced meals. The nine students ta en off the program neglected to submit the proper income information. If those students produced the adequate information they could return to the program within the ear. y The reason the government audited the program was to stop students from receiving free lunches when their parents were earning an income over the cut-off mark. The shidents that were taken off the rogram had either increased their family income or did not finnish income reports. Principal Iacquelyn McGee supported the government's decision in auditing the program to change any discrepancies and to save the taxpayers money. Students nabbed in radar detector thefts The Austin Police Department reported 55 burglaries of autos involving the theft of radar detectors between january and March. Because of the vast number of burglaries, the APD began extensive investigations on the stolen property which resulted in six Austin High students being accused or charged with stealing radar detectors for themselves or their friends. Most radar detectors mount on the car dash and are designed to sound an alarm when the car approaches a law officer using a radar gun to measure speed. Many students at SFA obtained these devices and owning one soon became somewhat of a fad. A law officer on duty noticed that there were a lot of radar detectors in the cars in the SFA parking lots. When he found out that the devices were traceable by recorded serial numbers, the APD started checking detectors. The first two detectors that were inspected were reported earlier as stolen. The police recovered 13 stolen devices from Austin High students who either had bought them from someone or had taken the detectors from apartment complex parking lots, the Highland Mall parking lot, West Austin homes and businesses, the University area, or along MoPac. The students that were involved with the criminal offense were subject to the consequences ofa third-degree felony. However, the students who bought the stolen merchandise were not charged if they turned the detectors over to the police, Coach Harper resigns After months of controversy over the Maroon's disqualification from the District ZGAAAAA football competition, head football coach, Bill Harper announced his resignation from Stephen F. Austin High on March 19. Harper had coached at Austin High for four years following a coaching position at Linden-Kildare Hi h, a 3A school in East Texas. The four years Harper coached hefd a record of 10-29-1, but his last 3-7 season put Harper and the Maroons in center stage. An University lnterscholastic League rule, which states no player can participate in more than one game within five calender days, was broken when Harper played two Maroons during a varsity game one night, and played the same players during a junior varsity game the very next day. Although Harper said the events in October did not play a big part in his decision to resign, both he and the football team were shrouded in controversy when Harper was placed on probation. He also received a letter of reprimand from Princpal McGee. l just thought it wasgood for me and good for Austin High, stated Coach Harper o his resignation. The AISD immediately began the process of finding a replacement for the head coaching position in hopes of receiving a new coach before spring training. Unfortunately, many of the players were very concerned about having to gain new positions and learninzg new plays with a new coach, while many players were fire up about a new coach to take charge. 1

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Soviet leader dies Yuri Andropov, the leader of the Soviet Union, died Feb 9 of heart and vascular insufficiency, kidney disease, and diabetes, Andropov had been in charge of the USSR for barely more than a year since the death in 1982 of Leonid Brezhnev. During Andropovs final months in power, he made no public appearances, instigating rumors that he was terminally ill. Andropov, was 69 at the time of his death, seven years beyond the averatge life expectancy for Soviet males. At the age of 49, he suffere a heart attack and, like 10'Zv of people over 65, he had diabetes. The combination of cardiovascular disease and diabetes made him a victim of kidney trouble such as rep,orted when he assumed power in November, 1982. By Fe ruary, his kidney function had become so poor that he started specialized treatment on a dial sis machine, at first, two or three times a week, but eventuallyy it became every other da , The various symptoms Andropov displayed during his last appearances in public were trembling hands, uneven gait, di ficulty in getting out of his chair, and muscle weakness. Despite the complications he suffered, Soviet authorities maintained that Andropov remained mentally alert throughout the ordeal by conducting business from his bed. Even a week before his death, Soviet doctors remained publicly optimistic about his return to normal activities, but Andropov died, leaving the Soviet Union to face yet another leadership transition. Thus, Konstantin Chernenko, 72, who had been defeated by Andropov 15 months before in a similar situation, stepped into office. Andropov's rule was marked by the Soviet downing of a passenger airliner, attempts to reform the Soviet bureaucracy, and increasing hostility toward the US. The final years of Brezhnev, the short year of Andropov and the new regime headed by Chernenko were times of increasing tension between the Soviet Union and the US. Angry rhetoric was exchanged between the two countries, and the Soviets walked out of strategic arms talks in protest of American deployment of missiles in Europe. A measure of the low in Soviet-American relations was that President Reagan attended neither Brezhnev's nor Andropov's funerals, Now that Chernenko has taken office, many people believe that the Soviet Union will undergo another trauma of power change sooner rather than later. It seems that Soviet leaders have one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel, said SFA student, Iulie Ivy. Americans win 8 medals at winter olympic games The United States was thought to be represented by its strongest team ever for the XIV Winter Olympic games in Sarajevo. However, the Americans won on y eight medals, including four golds, but a number of U.S. athletes achieved notable, non-medal performances. The first medals to be awarded to the Americans at the games were silver, and draped around the necks of brother-and-sister figure skating pair, Kitty and Peter Carruthers, The mighty Elena Valova and Oleg Vasiliev, world champions from the U.S.S.R., won the gold medal. Following the Carruther's silver victory, Debbie Armstrong brought the U.S. its first gold medal in the giant slalom. In that same competition, Armstrong's teammates, Christin Cooper and Tamara McKinney respectively finished second and fourth. It was a stunning surprise, and it took the sting out of the first week's disappointments, including the U.S. hockey team, which lost to both Canada and Czechoslovakia and tied with Norway, and cross-country skier Bill Koch, who tied for 21st in the 30-km race. During the ski jumpin competition, American Ieff Hastings earned a fourth place wit? a 90-meterjump. Not since 1924, had an American athlete jumped in comparison with Hastings. Another unexpected finish was the our-man bobsled team which came in fifth, Nick Thometz finished fifth and fourth in the 500- and 1,000-meter races, which was better than he had figured he would do, The 15th place attained by Bonny Warner was the best ever by a U.S. woman in that sport. The real slendor of the Sarajevo Games 1? in the attainment of three men. Bill johnson won a gold me al in the downhill ski race being the first American to win a gold in that event. Twin brothers, Phil and Steve Mahre took a gold and a silver in the slalom race. The public finally could distinguish the brothers apart because Phil wore the gold and Peter wore the silver. In the last week of the Olympic games, Scott Hamilton, a three-time world champion, won the gold medal for his figure skating. Canada's Brian Orser took the silver and Iozef Sabovtchik of Czechoslovakia took the bronze. After receiving his medal, Hamilton grabbed an American flag from the audience and skated around the rink to the applause of the excited crowd. Following the U.S. figure skating ViCf02 for Hamilton, Rosalynn Sumners skated beautifully and ma e off with the silver medal. She barely lost to East German's Katarina Witt who took home the gold. Reagan calls for stronger classroom discipline ln his State of the Union Address in February, President Reagan called for reforms in discipline to fight crime in the Pl I onus ei it me miss I Beth Simpkin, freshman, performs a back dive pike at the Texas Swim Center. cartoonist for the Austin America Statesman, speaks to the Intro Reporting class Nov 14. 4 i 5 6 s s During a state board of education meeting on Sept. 10, Principal McGee receives a resolution honoring Austi High's excellence in education. public schools. Reiterated his belief that school violence is the primary obstacle to excellence in education Reagan urged a return to old fashioned discipline where school administrators have more authority to discilpline students. The President's Wor ing Group on School Discipline said that legalistic disciplinary procedures have hindered the ability of school principals to deal with behavioral problems. White House officials say that the President could challenge a Supreme Court ruling which, under the 14th Amendment, guarantees due process to students. The Court established that students facing suspension should be informed by the priority. Schools SAT scores best State and district means administrators of the charges against them, and given an opportunity to defend themselves. Principa Iacguelyn McGee said that student discipline is a lot different to ay than when Reagan and she went to school. Then, students did not have any rights and a principal did not need any kind of evidence to suspend students, McGee supports the concept of student rights, and feels that we cannot go back to the old way of school discipline because due process is necessary to be fair to students. The general public indicates a concern about discipline in the schools. The Gallup Poll has indicated for the past ten years that people chose poor school discipline over low standards and incompetent teachers as the primary reason for the downfall in public education. McGee feels that discipline is important, but academic excellence should always be first Austin High's 1983 graduates earned higher mean scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test than did other graduating seniors in the AISD, Texas, or the nation, The average mean verbal fEnglish and Grammarj score for the AISD was 444, for Texas, 4125 and for the U.S., 425. The mean verbal score for SFA graduates was 486, 22 points higher than the next district high school. The mean math score for the AISD was 489, for Texas, 453: and for the U.S., 468, SFA graduates scored 514, leading the district by 25 points. Principal Iacquelyn McGee felt that the success of the students was partial y attributed by the programs at SFA. For instance, the students at SFA are required to take four years of English to graduate instead of only three years as is the case in most high schools. The school has also maintained a 14-,am any

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Cheerleaders Elected Students elected cheerleaders for 1984-85 on March 21, choosing Amy Francis, Tami Johnson, Gracy Benavides, Suzanne Sculze, Kelly Weedon, Melanie Milner, Laura Williams, and Leah Martin. Before the day of the elections, all of the prospective candidates prepared an application and practiced jumps, chants, and cheers during a two week clinic. The previous cheerleaders instructed the candidates in the clinic everyday after school. On the day of the try-outs the girls were informed of which cheers and in what order they would perform. During the try-outs, each candidate was presented and then tumbled or cheered in the middle of the crowded gymnasium. The candidates then joined a group of three or four to perform two chants and a cheer. After the 21 candidates cheered with at least two other girls, the entire group of candidates joined for a final cheer. Cheerleader sponsor, Leyla Colhmia, said that being elected cheerleader carries the responsibility of setting a good example as far as leadership, high moral character, sportsmanship, willingness to follow school rules, and keeping good grades with courses. Academic Decathletes Finish Fifth in State Academic Decathlon team members overcame two disadvantages to tie for fifth among 20 schools at the April 7 competition at Highland Park High School in Dallas. Social studies and Debate coach, Dan Arnold said that SFA was given less preparation time before the competition than other opponents. Tom Prentice, journalism advisor, added that every ot er coach was paid for their extra work in directing their teams, but neither Coach Prentice nor Coach Arnold were reimbursed for conducting three months of decathlon direction. Their efforts were completely voluntary. These disadvantages discouraged SFA's expectations, but the initial team surprised the competition with their winning results. Individual winners were Andrew Chin, third overall, first in math, first in speech, second in language and literature, and third in science, Chaim Goodman-Strauss received first in math, first in science: Angie Hurst, second in slpeech, second in interview, Michelle Bourianoff, first in an uage and Iiteratureg Gretchen Myres, third in essay, and Martelle Luedecke-Klier, third in speech. Participating as alternate contestants were Evelyn Lester, Christoper Corsbie and Michael Genet. SFA led all schools through three of the ten events but fell behind on the social science and superquiz contests. Eventual winner Richardson Pearce, as well as the top five teams Houston Memorial, Highland Park, Klein Forest and Permian high schools all outscored SFA by substantial margins on the stggerquiz, an event consisted of trivia questions dating back to l 6, Decathlon coordinators repeatedly referred to their production as a contest that would stimulate academic excellence. The contest's motto upward, outward, and downward, urged contesting schools to spread the decathlon concept to higher and lower grade levels and to other states. Mondale, Hart and Jackson campaign for Demo nomination The race for Democratic presidential nominee between Sen. Gary Hart of Colorado, Rev. jesse Jackson, and former Vice-President Walter Mondale left behind yet another year of political combat throughout the United States. While the candidates strongly opposed each other's political practice and beliefs, the three presidential hopefuls developed separate identities to attract voters in their favor. Senator Gary Hart established himself as a younger American, using campaigning techniques, similar to those of Kennedy, that appealed to the youth. He created a new vision for this country's uture and Hart's new ideas that offered his policy in military spending. He felt the stress should be on how government money is spent rather than simply how much. He advocated shifting spending from complex and delicate weapons to systems that are simple and rugged. He would have taken steps to prevent the use of nuclear weapons by freezing plutonium production worldwide and negotiating a mutually verifiable freeze with the Russians. His policies on foreign affairs were cautious because he supported less interventionalism from the U.S. He opposed aid to countries which violated human ri hts such as South Africa, He did not believe the president giould cgive more aid to central America without a resolution from ongress. He also opposed the sale of AWACS to Saudi Arabia. At 47, Hart felt he had a new approach to political solutions to offer Americans, while his o ponents accused his new ideas as a program lacking sugstance. Nevertheless, Hart stood by his policies. Reverand jesse Iackson, 43, was assumed to represent certain stereotypes because he was black, a Baptist minister and a former aide to Martin Luther King, Ir. Because of his color, some people supported him, some people opposed him and some people felt wrong for opposing him simply because he was black. Since he was known for his participation in the civil rights movement, jackson was set in a position posing as a hypocrite. However, he organized People United to Save clerk, Bertielb ens erates a machine automatically dials absent students' home and unopposed forlthe 1984 elections. delivers a message informing the absence. Democratic presidential nominees, Sen. Gary Hart, Rev. Jesse Jackson and former Vice-President Walte Mondale converse after a televised debate. ,:, VV M John Donovan, junior, drives his Blazer into Lake Austir in February. During cheerleader elections on March 21, sophomore Kelli Weedon presents a cheer. 16-Nwufm