Grants Pass High School - Toka Yearbook (Grants Pass, OR)

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5 14 Classes Division

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Through Opening 13

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Spirit of . . . UNITY Nothing can compare with the feeling of supporting your class! Ask any freshman who has stood up to cheer, only to find a fake spirit stick staring in his face, or an upper classman who has so righteously defended his seniority by harassing the freshmen, or any class member who enjoys the thrill of victory during class competitions, and the bitter taste of defeat in losing. What is that feeling of unity that gives members of the same class a special bond? Why should anyone care if their class is the first to finish a toilet paper race or can yell the loudest? Sophomore Denise Pemberton explains: “Going to school with the same people for so many years, you really get to know them. There’s a special bond there that really unites the class.” When asked for a comment on changes in his classmates over the years, freshman Gary Maurer profoundly stated; “Well, we’ve all gotten a heck of a lot taller!” What about barriers between classes? How big is the gap between freshmen and seniors, sophomores and juniors? “1 think there is too much stereotyping of I ti the freshmen, but mostly the gap lies be- I a tween the different groups of people. There I needs to be a lot more open mindedness,” I f says junior Phyllis Clark. I Bert Callicoat disagrees: “Barriers be- I tween classes help the class keep its identity I and spirit. I think it’s good that different I classes stand out from each other, but I think I people might go a little overboard on pick- I ing on the freshmen.” j How important are pep assemblies and I class competitions for promotion of class I unity? Most students think they are fairly I worthwhile. “Pep assemblies help a lot to I identify separate classes, that’s where you I really find class spirit,” replied junior John I Harelson. Freshman Aaron Olumpius disagrees: ' “Class competitions don’t help class unity at all. How can you get excited about something you know you’re going to lose? The people running them are unfair, unjust, and unrighteous,” he added, not in all seriousness. Despite barriers and stereotyping, a lot of times students forget about separate classes I and the whole school joins together as one. 1 Senior Sean Maloney explains: “During 1 pep assemblies is when class unity shows; I during football and basketball games when 1 everyone is cheering together is when 1 school unity shows.” Frosh Danny Plum- 1 lee agrees: “Everyone in our school is really I spirited. It’s spirit for the entire school, not 1 just your class.” Junior Class president Scott Olds sums it up this way: “What makes a class successful is living and working very hard as a class. Building special friendships and having so much fun is a part of our high school life that can’t be missed.” 1. Kim Heller's smile Is toned to perfection by a “Portrait World worker as another class pic is snapped off. 2. To hold up sophomore class pride, Julie Daugherty and Ted Stephenson pass the ball, not the buck, in class competition. S. Shiek Ray Johnson is catered to by his harem; Denise Bueoy, Brenda Paylor, Tracy Crow-noveT, and Diana Radford to ease the tension before I the clash with the Black Tornado.