Menchville High School - Crown Yearbook (Newport News, VA)

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After reading chapters for his re- search paper, senior Brian Klose has had enough. Excessive school work results in many cases of ‘‘senioritis.”’ Tommy Zuckerwar Tommy Zuckerwar Senior Tracy Norcutt tries to think of a correct answer during an English test. Testing represents a major source of pressure for students. Stumped with an error, senior Darrin Fosque stares in disbelief that his program crashed. After several at- tempts, the program loaded. Stress 27

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The pressures of school: rests, quizzes, homework, reports, projects, papers, and everybody's favorites: mid-term and final exams, often seemed overwhelm- ing To students. On top of this, seniors also had to wor- ry about college admission. “It's like a long, drawn out torture. Colleges make you apply in the fall and then don't tell you about admis- sion until spring, leaving five months for you to drive yourself nuts,’ said senior Craig Lynch. The amount of time spent on projects, papers, and reports often resulted with a student spending 26 Stress endless hours into the night and sometimes the morn- ing. ‘It seems as if teachers assign everything at the same time come? TO think of it, they do! ’, joking- ly remarked senior Brian Klose. With activities and athletics that many were in- volved in, there was barely time left for sleep. Many students agreed that second semester was easier. For seniors this was true mainly because there was more fo look forward to, such as graduation and prom. Burt for the majoriry just Knowing that summer vacation was nearing was enough to make second se- mester better. Just when students thought the year was over, and the work finally done, exams appeared, filled with information from previous months. The tasks of re- viewing the maferial offen seemed never-ending. © By the time I'd finished my sixth exam, | was halfway done studying for my first one,” senior Tracy Norcutt added with a grin on her face. When school was over, Monarchs celebrated joy- ously, and many took a well earned vacation at the beach. Tommy Zuckerwar Cathy Paul Senior Bill Sorenson strains too hard while trying to think of an answer and breaks his pencil in frustration. Senior David Goodrich attempts to beat a previous lift. For many stu- dents, working out after school is one way to relieve stress.

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Chrisry Gianettino OSeceeeeasetesaeesecuceacsanenese Some said they were fashionable, bur to most people T-shirts were an ex- pression of identity. Many students seemed to be competing with each orher in a battle of personal pride with designs thar ranged from colleges and zodiac signs, to their boyfriend's or girlfriend's name. In some cases, teenagers were more concerned with their appearance than their 28 Shirt Designs schoolwork. Senior Milke Lett commented, “'If you're al- ways worrying abour what other people think about you, how can you concen- trare on the real meaning of school — ro learn. If you like it — wear ift!’’ Lett pointed our, however, that some people felt the need fo pro- ject to what groups they be- longed or even to what groups they wished to be- long. “Some people feel that by wearing a certain style, they are automatically part of a particular group,” Lett believed. Many teachers believed thar the shirts thar students wear today would not have been tolerated in earli- er years. Times have changed and so have the styles and images thar kids wished to project. Baseball coach Jim Snow reflects on the days when he was in They are not just reflections of style, but identity school. ‘When | went to school we wore comfort- able shirts like a plain white T-shirt. In those days every- one that you went to school with was pretry much the same, bur now you have all different kinds of people go- ing to the same school. You've got everyone trying to express whar they stand for in the most unique way.’ Ricls Parnell Chrisry Gianertino We came, we saw, we conquered. Once a famous saying of Julius Cae- sar, now a catchy Latin jingle worn by Mrs. Sigrid Lawrence.