Lyons Township High School - Tabulae Yearbook (La Grange, IL)

Page 30 text:

J 0-v., MK Ajer a get-acquainted party, Katriina's face reveals her reali- zation that happiness is not limited to one country. 26 Sharing thoughts, a room, and Beulah, the family cat, form part ofKa- tr11na's Americanization. Well-stocked desk areas lure Katriina and Sally back to tomorr0w's school work afer dinner.

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r r C3 Q -Q , , 5 A 3 ,t,..,i. y. ' . . W, ,, ' . ' , 'r ' ' r' ,,a-f.-4 -....4,:i-..115v1w-mq.nT..E '.-sarah... f....s.-..-. ,a......e-..,.. .X-. ,J in if ,5. AFS Committee. FRONT ROW: Karen McLain, Sallv Slockbarger, Katriina Saikkonen, Fe Hem:-V, Chrnin.: Rifle Shepro. Cl1rnzn.,' Fernando Boscliini, Belh Caithamer. ROW 2: Beverlr Lu1:, Sherri Hauersperger, Carol Augusrine, Laura Levilon, Kalhy Kupka, see,,' Jo Ann Kubo. Susi Herlin. Jeanne Hilfe, Mary Jo Reid. BACK ROW: Sieve Eckerstrom, Mike Alarihews, Ginger Lyon. Tanis Reid, Leslie Erickson. Betsy Way. Kalhy Kuhlman, Ginnie Reed, Caroline Svoboda. Reminiseing abou! good limes al LT and anticipating a successful year abroad as a foreign siudenl, Kris Dawkins enjoys a final get-together withjriends at an aner-schoolfarewellparty. mums - V- -g -.-1--Q.-wo...-0' . . .-.--.--.v.............. ...,, For. Re . Comm. acquaints LT with AFSers in drive, assemblies, teas The big word in the Foreign Relations Com- mittee this year was Hinvolvementf' All events planned and presented by the committee had the purpose of acquainting Fernando, Katriina and LT students with each other. For the Hrst few months, the students were given a chance to adapt to LT and were then gradually in- troduced at mixers, parties, discussions, and, formally at the Homecoming Assembly. By Thanksgiving Katriina and Fernando had quite a number of friends, and a tea was held in their honor. A similar tea was presented at Christmas with other schools' foreign students, Small Choir, Christmas treats, and, of course, Santa. By December 26, speaking privileges were granted to the foreign students and plans for the new year began. The biggest of these plans was the A.F.S. Drive week at the end of janu- ary, which introduced a new system of school participation. Next yearis foreign students were sold in 4,000 sections for Hfty cents each share. To stimulate sales, foreign students from area schools visited and spoke in an assembly at North Campus, and a mixer at South Campus. The last day of the drive was highlighted by a sockhop following the basketball game. En- trance was gained by either fifty cents or a previously-purchased share. Though Katriina and Fernando were the greatest concern of the foreign relations com- mittee, many other projects were conducted throughout the year as efforts to improve world understanding. In the fall, they collected cookies for the men in Viet Nam and sent them to the platoon of a former LT student. By the end of January, Kris Dawkins was in- formed of her acceptance as an Americans Abroad student. To chart all former and present foreign stu- dents at LT, a new map was set up at each campus which displayed pictures, maps, and the year of their stay at LT.

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mile from N and of Midnight uni, brightens LT halls The idea of having a Finnish foreign student at LT went over quite well-especially with the boys. A year in America was also well re- ceived by Katriina Saikkonen, an LT senior from Vaajokorski, Finland. She had heard many things about America from some of her Finnish friends who had visited before, but she had no strong opinions about what life would be like here. Instead, she came to discover for her- self what America has to offer. Her conclusions were that LT kids are really greati' and, because of this, she felt she actually became a part of LT. She particularly enjoyed the sports activities and pep assemblies and often found herself involved in such events. After her first assembly at North Campus during which she was introduced, she was both pleased and surprised at the number of kids who came up to her in the halls to say 'iHi though she had never met them. In general, Katriina found school to be less formal than in Finland and the students to be more concerned with group consent and what other people did. She became interested and involved in our presi- dential election and found it more exciting, though more commer- cialized, than in Finland. Though overcoming the language barrier was a minor problem for Katriina, who had studied English for five years, she leamed many things here-especially to smile more. Katriina found her year living with Sally Stockbarger and her family very en- joyable, but somehow incomplete-she missed her sauna! y 'sThis year has really taught me much: American History, English, Spanish, and finally, after all, we all live in the same small world, even if we live in U.S.A. or in Finlandf, Geography shows their countries hundreds ofmiles apart, but in Ill? quiet ofa home Katriinafnds afalher's warmth and understanding universal. Blushing at a reference made about her in a club presidents introduction, Katriina prepares to acquaint another segment ofLT with her homeland. 27