Caddo Magnet High School - Odyssey Yearbook (Shreveport, LA)

Page 59 text:

Senior Matthew Schocke concentrates on study tech- niques which make qualification for the Decathlon team easier. Qualifying for the honor of being a part of the Decath¬ lon team is a harrowing but exhilarating experience. Seventeen ambitious students perused the exam for the length of one day. The Decathlon Team 1985 86 includes these mem bers: Robby Magee, Neil Hohmann, Mark Walker, Ja nice Raines. Larry Marino, sponsor Mary Rounds, Ste ven Stanley, Don Harrold, Eric Chen. Michael Kime, and sponsor Dr. Riley Bratton. Decathlon • 55

Page 58 text:

If you can ace the academics, you should join Dr. Bratton has been one of the three advisors to the Decathlon team for the past four years. Aruna Rao awaits the magical effects of his wisdom and exper- tise. Decathlon The Magnet High School Decathlon Team is selected to represent the school in academic competition. After a team of six members and three alternates has been chosen, the team competes against other teams from across the state in a competi¬ tion sponsored by centenary College. The final winner of this team competition is chosen to represent the state and ultimate- ly travels to Los Angeles, California. Here the team competes against teams from the other forty-nine States for gold, silver, and bronze mdeals which represent a mem¬ bers high academic achievement in the competition. To be selected for the Decathlon team is an honor, however everyope must work hard for it. Students who were interested in becoming members met after school on many afternoons to hear speakers, to study and to learn instead of rushing horne to relax. Senior Michael Kime, a member of the team, finds the lectures and study time after school “intellectually stimulat ing.” After many weeks of preparation, the hopefuls were subjected to a grueling one- day test, an interview, and an essay. Due to the high intelligence of the hopeful stu¬ dents, the decision as to who the team members were to be was difficult. Howev¬ er, students like seniors Stephen Stanley, Michael Kime, Eric Chen, Don Harrold, Robby Magee, and Larry Marino put forth great effort and were paid off; they were selected as part of the Decathlon team. The members are selected according to their grade category — two members from each of the A, B, and C categories, along with an alternate from each category. Oth¬ er members of the team are juniors Neil Hohmann, Mark Walker, and Jan Raines. Decathlon hopefuls senior Amanda Mayo and junior Aruna Rao collaborate on the Decathlon study out- line. Seniors Don Harrold and Eric Chen conclude that quizzing each other before the test helps a great deal. Academics

Page 60 text:

' Tea anyone? Mrs. Brand presents her freshmen English classes wlth a vintage Victorian High Tea Service. Devoting time and energy to English assignments is a taxing process but the rewards are rich. Expressiori develops with Rhetorical style The perplexed Senior nibbled at the end of the blue Bic ballpoint pen and stared at the blank sheet of notebook paper. “What is the Metaphysical conceit of this poem?” she queried. “Good grief,” she reflected, “how I remember when English was so simple ... Her thoughts drifted from the poetry analysis to her Freshman year and English I. “Spelling and vocabulary quizzes, dia- gramming sentences, and reading short stories. She fondly remembered the caring and kindness of Mrs. Borders and Mrs. Bell, who helped make the transition into high school so much easier. And what fun in the Gifted and Talented Program. Mrs. Brand’s class was always learning folk dances or enjoying high tea ...” Then she recalled with amusement the antics of Ms. Rounds in English II. The grammar and literature was never dull with the enthusiasm and vivation she brought to class. Mrs. Hughes had given them a new point of view to consider in narration. As sophomores they had taken a stab at Julius Caesar. Paragraphs of description were the formidable writing tasks for Mrs. BoswelTs students. “American Studies was English III with a totally different style,” she decidedly con- cluded. “The combination of American his- tory and literature put both in perspective. Plus the soap-carving and the sketches we performed created memories as well as les- sons. Mrs. Sledge s English III students es- pecially remembered Edgar Allen Poe and making 1920’s gangster movies. The Sa¬ lem witch hunts of Arthur Miller’s The Cru - cible was a burning issue in Mrs. Lynn’s junior classes,” she recollected. “So much easier than British literature,” she exclaimed. ‘The British Lit Express of English IV is Marjean Purinton’s speciality ... “she signed.” “Oh, for a simple spell¬ ing quiz.” Only the poor Advanced Place- ment students who are reading Milton, Shakespeare, Moliere, Volpone, and George Herbert s collected poems ... for this week’s assignment ... have it worse than the Senior who is taking English IV. “I guess,” she conceded, “that some day I will appreciate ali of this and realize how helpful it will be to me in college.” Now ... if I just could find this conceit ...” Suddenly the Senior perceived that the comparison in the poem revolved around the importance of life s exper iences in confronting the future. English is more than dead words that bear no rel- evance. The idea for her paper crystalized, and she confidently began to write her ana¬ lysis. One of the fundamental parts of an English class is the lecture. Ms. Marjean Purinton uses this technique as she helps her sixth hour English class analyze cavalier poetry. 56 • Academics