James Monroe High School - Echo Yearbook (Fredericksburg, VA)

Page 15 text:

1st row: Susan Scaife, Nina Stevenson,Jacque Mason, Susan Gregory; 2nd row: Paula Wells, Brenda Rhea, Elizabeth Miller, Nancy Dawson. Twenty two students attend AFS weekend Nina Stevenson dreaming in government class— perhaps about her homeland, Australia. Jacque Mason displays her souvenirs from her summer trip to Germany with the AFS program, while Carol Stehl, another world traveler, looks on. American Field Service is devoted to exposing students through an exchange program to different countries and cultures. The club at school consists of past AFSers, future AFSers, host sis¬ ters and brothers to AFSers, and other people interested in get¬ ting involved with the fun. Money has been a problem to the AFS Club this year. The school pays for much of the foreign student’s school items. The com¬ munity must pay to have a student come to James Monroe. To try to remedy this problem, members of the club contributed to a bake sale for the Fredericksburg Chapter. Nina Stevenson, the AFS student, and her host sister, Susan Scaife, worked diligently to present an AFS weekend for Virginia AFS students. This weekend helped to bring JM students in con¬ tact with other foreign students. The first of its kind in Freder¬ icksburg, the AFS weekend was an enriching experience and an overwhelming success.

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Basketball tournament proves successful The Student Cooperative Association suffered a trying year, mainly from a lack of cooperation on the part of the student body. The first fund raising drive, a calendar sale, collapsed when students refused to buy calendars. A basketball tournament be¬ tween the classes proved very successful. The sophomore class emerged victorious and the SCA treasury netted $250. After a Christmas snow closed school early the White Christmas Baskets were not completed. But Easter Baskets were formed as a substitute and distributed through the Salvation Army. As their last project of the year, a bake sale was held. The money was divided between the family of Dennis Johnson and the Mus¬ cular Dystrophy Fund. President Al Merchent explains how the SCA works within the school system. Classes formed their own teams and practiced at night to prepare for the SCA tournament. i 1st row: Kelley Sallette, sponsor; Al Merchent. President; Van Hamm, VP; Anita Terrell, Secretary; JoAnne Wheeler, Treasurer; Susan Hearne. Reporter; 2nd row: Eddie Brane, Richard Pierson, Mark Pitts, Beth Merchent, Cindy Wagstaff, Jody Hall, Allison Deavenport, Marga¬ ret Ann Samuels; 3rd row: Bucky Elwell, Betsy Brown, Laura Elliott, Susan Scaife, Cindy Graves, Debbie Stabler, Priscilla Carney; 4th row: David Elwell, Mary Snead, Kathie Dane, Laura Limbrick, Judy Burress, Janice Terrell, Louise Wilson, Jessie Harris, Phillip Atkins. 10

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Nina Stevenson I thought that all Americans drove big cars, popped gum, wore levi ' s, that all the girls had pierced ears and everyone went to rock concerts. I came in July 1973 from Sydney, Australia as an AFS student. On my first day in the States I traveled from New York to Washington, D.C. on an Amtrack train—and, never again will I put myself on a non-air- conditioned, standing room only 100° train! I stayed with a family, the Scaifes, in Fredericksburg. I loved the historic element and was entertained by the Mary Washington streakers. I sometimes found it hard living in a small town, where everyone knows your business—but there were some advantages. The faces around you became familiar and people were very friendly. I learnt that most Americans do drive big cars. There is a lot more school spirit in your schools and I found it an experience to sit on bleachers and observe an American football game. I received a valuable background in American History, Government and Sociology—subjects I would never have had the opportunity to have taken if I were in Australia. Few people in Australia have the added luxuries of dish washers, clothes dryers and garbage disposals, and a second or perhaps third car. I learnt a new way to flush a toilet—we usually pull the chain. I’m leaving in June and hoping that people no longer think every Australian has a pet kangaroo or koala bear. Yes, we speak English and no, not everyone lives in the outback or on a farm with a rabbit problem! It ' s very hard for me to realize that I must leave the States and all the friends I ' ve made. I ' m sure I ' ll come back again, but until then—come visit me. Cooeee diggers! (See you!) 12