Irvine High School - Citadel Yearbook (Irvine, CA)

Page 23 text:

KING OF HEARTS COURT; Princes Sean Hitchcock, Greg Dunlap, Bobby Rhodes, King Lance Neal, and Prince John Petersen. Christmas Dance Sweethearts Ball 19

Page 22 text:

DO YOU THINK WE COULD GET THEM TO DANCE? At the Sweethearts Ball Pam Orton and Katie Face exchange ideas for getting their dates to dance. lile the Christmas dance experienced a series of firsts the Sweethearts ball remained steadfast in many of its traditions. For the first time in the history of IHS, the Christmas dance was held in the small gym. The ASB cabinet worl ed the entire Saturday to transform the gym into a winter wonderland with a 16 foot Christmas tree and colored lights adding a cheery, holiday glow. Although attendance at the dance was fairly low, the organization and participation by the ASB in preparation for the dance was unusually high, said Sherry Phelps, Activities Director. The dance had an ice atmosphere, it was wintery and Christmassy. The people who didn ' t go don ' t know what they missed. It was really a lot of fun, said Rebecca Thomas. Two weeks before the dance, nominations were taken for the Christmas court. During the week prior to the dance, the entire student body voted during lunch for the students they wished to honor as members of the court. To reign over the court the student body chose Senior Mit h Muniz as King and Anna Toohey as Queen The remaining court members included Senior Prince Darrin Walentine and Princess Ester Gil, Junior Prince and Princess Jeff Fisher and Rebecca Thomas, Sophomore Prince and Princess Steve Bayne and Liz Brown, and Freshman Prince and Princess Mark Henigan and Tanya Yata. Tradition was the word for the Sweethearts ball. As in years past the Senior Council was responsi- ble for the organization of this Sadie Hawkins — style dance. Although the dance was held February 18, (after Valentine ' s Day) a romantic at- mosphere was ever-present. I think it ' s great that the girls get a chance to treat their boyfriends to a dance I also think it ' s a good idea that a girl can ask someone she really likes instead of waiting around for him, said Michelle Delvaux, senior. Students were impressed with the setting and mood created at the Plaza De Cafe, the site of the Sweethearts Ball, and enjoyed the return of the band Evergreen, who played at the 1983 prom. The dance was really fun because the at- mosphere was like a party; it was open, had a lot of tables to sit down and talk at, a lot of people, a lot of music, and a lot of dancing, a lot of fun, said Jim Martin, senior. The King of Hearts court the only all male dance court, was nominated several weeks before the dance and voted on by the student body. The court included King Lance Neal and Princes Greg Duniap, Sean Hitchcock, John Petersen, and Bobby Rhodes. It was an honor to be named as the King of Hearts. The best part about it was that all the guys on the court were really good friends and we had a really great time at the dance, said Senior Lance Neal. — by Kathie Kieran ' ;r m •f ' LOOK OF LOVE: cuddling up, Melissa Smith and Steve Bates enjoy the romance of the Sweethearts Ball. KISS OF CONGRATULATIONS: named as the 1984 King of i Hearts, Lance Neal receives a kiss from 1984 Homecoming ' Queen Donna Phelps. - 18 Christmas Dance Sweethearts Ball

Page 24 text:

Startinsi ever aaain For most students at Irvine High School, the four years in their lives denoted as high school con- sist of classes, Friday night football games, pep rallies, dances, friends, homework, parties, and otherwise becoming a lasting part of IHS. Yet for some, these high school years seem torn apart, and in some cases even destroyed. Faced with new social habits, different values, and often radical cultural changes, new students must adjust their entire lives and lifestyles. They are the victims of family location changes. Some move across town, some across the country, and others make trans-global moves. There were several reasons why families made these big moves. One of the most common was a military transfer . We moved from the USA to Japan three years ago. Then, just before my senior year we were transferred back to the states, said Mary Babitz, senior. Other families moved because they wanted a change in lifestyle and new surroundings. My parents moved us from France to the United States last year because they wanted a dif- ferent lifestyle, and to meet new people, said Veronique Plantier, senior. Melissa Curtis, a senior, and her family felt that a move was necessary in their case. My dad moved us from Santa Ana to Irvine because it had a more healthy atmosphere, and it was closer to both my parents ' jobs, said Curtis. Many changes had to be accepted by these new students and often times they found the assimila- tion process a difficult and frightening experience. Students that come here from other countries are not only faced with a language barrier, but also cultural and value differences that, in some cases become barriers in themselves, said Rudy Her- rera, who teaches the E.S.L. (English as a Second Language) class at IHS. At times these dif- ferences are so extreme that the new students find themselves completely deserting their own cultures and adopting American ways. Often times, the motives for Americanizing are not part of the normal assimilation process. They change because of the ridicule they receive from other students who have not been exposed to the ways of other cultures. These pressures were felt and dealt with by many students. Sometimes I didn ' t feel as if I belonged. I was so different; they were so different. Eventually I ac- cepted that to enable them to accept me, I would have to accept them, said Thu Dao, a senior who moved to the U.S. from Vietnam. Other differences were easier and even happily a ccepted by the new students. One such discovery was in the level of difficulty of education. The general consensus was that IHS was less difficult than the other schools they had attended. In France I went to school from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. then from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. There was no time for a job and barely enough time for homework, said Plantier. The hardest part of moving, most students agreed, was leaving friends behind. And coming to a new school in the middle of one ' s high school career, making new friends and becoming involv- ed also presented some problems. I put three years of time and dedication into my high school so I could have a rad senior year. Then at the end of my junior year, it was all taken away by our moving. It doesn ' t seem fair because now there ' s no time for me to get involved, said Babitz. Differences in student ' s attitudes were also noted by the students, and sometimes took some getting used to. People in New Jersey are much more cliquish than here at IHS. Everyone here is really friendly, said Leo Hicics a senior, who moved to IHS from New Jersey during his junior year. Claudia Villegas, a senior who moved to the USA from Peru just before her sophomore year, felt differently. People in the states are much colder and harder to get to know than my classmates in Peru. Sometimes it seems that the whole society is this way, said Villegas. Several different sentiments were expressed when the memories of these major moves were stirred up. Most tended to view the experience in a positive light. A move is a difficult thing to accept; it ' s like starting all over. But sometimes these kinds of transitions can be a challenge. A new, exciting obstacle to conquer, said Curtis. — by Kathie Kieran MY FAVORITE MENTOR: Mary Babitz listens patiently to words of wisdom from Tammie Montgomery. HITTING THE BOOKS: Working hard to keep up their class work are Effrain Becerra and Peppo Manzana. Gary Ferrato 20 Feature