Austin High School - Comet Yearbook (Austin, TX)

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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

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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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gg Elizabeth Essary's science class personalizes Waldo when Essary left her class in March. ,r ctss g S A fi VVV., ,Jfgj A V A V,gig.,t my , ' G . 1 , , A 9' ,f s if fkky .Q 4,4 il 4,5 A W' ' ,. of' ' I , o :Q if I ' O - ,.g,,r,:,.1, v'.,.. ff f . ' K 1 if 1 V ' Y'- - I 15 Q - 04. 4 ' -9' .- Vkf. J m en v' S .g o tt., . , . my A WQX, it .. . '1- ' f5'f'4f4'W . if :' I I ,,,,, . at -IAF? A pyr, L V I I Senator SEHATURX' fuk, v - '--f 'fs ua. . 1 , Lfs?rf.1ffigir?.f .F ' 'ff-Pi+z3'W 1 lf- A I 4 , fi A Z .lf voted in Election '84 on May 5. Lorenza Bianchi-Maladrone and Gretchen Myers notice the new plaque of the school seal on the second floor. .. 4 '1 . arding, Donna Bogle, and Bill Glover were chosen as three outstanding teachers by the PTSA on April Humanity which worked for economic and educational justice for all Americans beyond the blacks, Being a Baptist minister, he acquired a forcefully inspiring oratory style which seemed over-zealous to many Americans, and this impression was yet another detriment to Iackson's authority in the White House. He preached a greater willingness to do away with the threat of nuclear war and opposed nuclear energy. He opiposed the MX missile, the B-1 Bomber, the neutron omb an the deployment of Pershing and cruise missiles in Western Europe, He supported a mutually verifiable nuclear freeze, as the other candidates did also, but he was willing to take some extra risks for peace for the world. Walter Mondale was an established Democrat that was supported by labor unions because he was determined to reduce unemployment. He stressed the importance of the cooperation o the government, business, and labor to rebuild America's basic in ustry and be able to compete with other exporting companies. He wanted to support smaller businesses because arger businesses did not need public assistance. Mondale wanted to keep America strong while ensuring that nuclear weapons were never used. He would improve conventional forces to raise nuclear threshold and stren then crisis communications to prevent the risk ot' an accifental nuclear war. Mondale also advocated a mutual and verifiable nuclear freeze and non-proliferation which would prevent other nations to gain nuclear power. While Mondale represented the image of the established Democrat who will do exactly the opposite of President Ronald Reagan, Hart was considered the leader of the youth with new perspectives on older Democratic beliefs, and jackson was considered the strongest, leader of equal rights and justice. President Ronald Reagan as the only Republican nominee, did not have to actually start his campaigning until after the Democratic nomination election was complete. However, rumored by KLBI radio news, Reagan was planning to break the tedium of boring presidential aides by using john Cougar's Pink Houses in one of his advertisements. Gary Turberville appointed new head football coach Crockett HS assistant coach Gary Turberville was appointed head football coach in late April, replacing Bill Harper, Turberville is a 16 year veteran assistant coach with ten years in AISD including six as assistant coach at Austin High until 1980. He inherits a Maroon football squad that has had five straight losing seasonsg bad publicity from last October's disqualification from the District 26AAAAA race, and an historic tradition which spans the school's 103 year history. Because Turberville was at SFA when the Maruoris won the District Championship 119785, he is familiar with the involved community that insisted on a blend of academic excellence and a fine athletic program. He acknowledged that the community was expectin him to turn things around. l did not gel like there was another high school in Austin that I wanted to be at, Turberville told the Maroon. I have taught here before and I know the quality of teachers and stu ents is high. Educationally, we are a step above the others and I wanted to be part of that again. Although other opportunities to apply for head coaching Eositions were open to Turberville, he wanted a chance to come ack to Austin High. When he did receive the head coach position at SFA, he worked the Maroons with morning and afternoon practices and the players were pressed to wear the full pad uniform during the warm month of May, I we work together, we can meet our goals,' Turberville said. Athletics is just an important part of a student's education, I want to return the athletic program to the level of our academic programs. l want a quality program, Turberville said. The layers and the assistant coaches see him as a very demandjing and knowledgeable coach. Athletic coordinator Del Moberg said of Turberville in the Austin American-Statesman that I-le's very demanding and extremely knowledgeable about the defensive aspects of the game - not that he isn't offensively - but he is a very good technician on defense. Soviets Boycott Olympics The Soviet Union announced May 8 that their team would not participate in the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, scheduled to begin july 28. The USSR accused the United tates of failing to ensure the security of Russian athletes from the possibility of defection. Security at the games had been a major issue, but the U.S. met several Soviet demands, including the right for Soviet athletes and officials to be quartered aboard a Soviet ship in the Los Angeles port and permission for charter flights from Moscow to land in Los Angeles, U.S. Federal Officials also worked closely with local law-enforcement agencies to devise additional arrangements to protect the Russians against harrassment, Even so, the Soviets felt that U.S. authorities took a cavalier attitude toward the Olympic charter and in those conditions their sportsmenlwomen would not attend the 23rd Olympiad. Observers felt the real reasons for the Soviet boycott were retaliation for the US boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics and the fear that Soviet athletes would try to defect. The Soviet announcement was made nearly a month in advance of the Iune 2 deadline for resenting formal notification of Olympic participation. This announcement raised concerns that several Eastern European nations allied with the soviet Union would also not take part in the games. 17