Kecoughtan High School - Tomahawk Yearbook (Hampton, VA)

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Guidance counselor Mrs Evelyn Moore answers Laurie Annans PSAT registration questions while area students wait in line before the November test here at Kecoughtan During his sixth period. Sean Moran winds up some of the homework before leaving school Secluded in a corner of Mrs. Wanda Blelloch s American history classroom. Frank Bell studies his mimeographed notes Patchwork — 26

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I Get Out the» Could this be the school cafeteria? Impossible! Vibrant red, yellow, blue and white streamers dangled from the ceiling Dis- guised with white table cloths, the cafe- teria tables were pulled together to form an open-end square Pushing and giggling, an excited line of students filed past a table groaning with all sorts of delect- able foods. Each person stacked his plate high, trying to sample all the tasty dishes. The annual Foreign Language Banquet was in full swing Each club — French, Spanish, German — prepared various entrees and desserts native to the country it re- presented According to a member of the French Club, the chocolate fondue was es- pecially popular. After the goodies were consumed, the evening ended with gay songs and costumed skits performed by the students. A L K A S E L T Z E R 1 1 Rjjy , iffi 4 With hearty Prost.” German Club members lift their beer Chocolate covered bananas 1 Scott Quinn tests the chocolate fondue contributed by steins in a toast at the Foreign Language Banquet the French Club

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Standardized Tests Augment Regular Study On at least a half-dozen occasions many juniors and seniors suf- fered the fate of nearly all college bound students — the inevitable standardi- zed tests for college entrance Among these were the Scholastic Aptitude (SAT) and Achievement Tests of the College Entrance Examination Board ' s Admissions Testing Program, the American College Testing (ACT) Exams, and the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Tests (PSAT). In order to determine the reactions of those who took the tests, the Toma- hawk staff surveyed sixty-five college bound juniors and seniors. A vast majority of these admitted that they had experienced some degree of tension while the test was being administered. Un- doubtedly, such tension and fears were responsible for panic, which may have resulted in lower scores for those who do not test well under stress. Nevertheless, most students recog- nized the importance of the tests in shaping college decisions, although few felt that SAT-ACT-type exams should carry much weight. When asked what they did the night before the test, only seventeen of the sixty-five mentioned going to bed any earlier than usual Sixteen attended the Kecoughtan-Hampton football game the night before the November 2 Scholastic Aptitude Test, another eleven participated in the game in one capacity or another. At the same time, only two studied the night before the fateful day. Unfortunately for some, many colleges do emphasize the results of these tests. Are the colleges placing too much emphasis on standardized exams? Are the high school students taking the tests too lightly? Is t here a simple answer? Patchwork — 27 A