Poquoson High School - Islander / York Chronicle Yearbook (Poquoson, VA)

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Catch the Wake. Freeboarding is a hobby that takes much skill and ef- fort. Senior Steve Forrest enjoyed this activity in the Poquoson River. Splish-Splash. The last day of school, Senior Amy Martin enjoyed splash- ing in a stream at Surrender Field. Summer 7

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Free at last! When the bell signaling the end of the last hour of school rang at 8:30 on Wine Uo underclassinen heaved a sigh of relief. They raced for the school and lib- rary parking lots or took to the pavement to begin ten weeks of freedom from classes. This period of teen- age liberty is more commonly called “Summer Vacation.” The summer was a hot one, and beach lovers, sun worshi- ppers, and surfers took great delight in the blazing sun and cloudless days. They were frequently seen roaming the beaches, arms filled with chairs, coolers, floats, and radios, looking for just “the spot” on the over-crowded beach. Junior Tracy Butts com- mented, “I went to Virginia Beach almost every day this summer. Sometimes the beach Born to Skate. In the sky, senior Don Firman shows his skateboarding skills by skating a half-pipe. 6 Summer was so crowded, I had to wait for someone to leave so that I could take their spot.” But once found, the spot was often abandoned for the salt spray of the water. Senior Steve Forrest admits to being guilty of this. “I love the excite- ment of paddling out on one of those rare days when the surf is really great,” he says. Going to the beach may sound pretty easy, but was often more difficult than anti- cipated. Senior Jackie Windley agrees. “Stacey (Robbins) and I went to Croatan almost every Satur- day and Sunday until we were too scared to go. We thought our cars, Bessie Lou and Bessie Sue, were going to break down in the tunnel and cause a back-up for miles.” But there is more to summer than lazy days frol- icking on sunlit beaches. Working was a way of life for many high school students who saved their money or spent it on indispensible ex- tras such as clothes and cars. Senior Melanie Kirsch said, “I worked at t he Original Cookie Company for part of the summer and saved the money I earned for a newer Calas Summer was also a time for traveling to visit family or friends, and students could be seen cruising the country- side in the backs of their par- ents’ cars or in their own. When asked how she spent her summer, junior Amy Alexander replied, “I went to see two friends who live in North Carolina that I haven’t seen for four years. Then I went to visit Clare Bartels, who moved to South Carolina last summer.” Geraldine Flynn said, “I ...rare days of really great surf ife’'s a Breeze spent this summer as an ex- change student in Greece. I had such a great time, I can’t wait to go back, and if someone asks me about it, I could go on for hours just talking about the people I met.” Family reunions often play a part in family vacations. “I went to Colorado for a family reunion and got a four-year- old boyfriend — my second cousin!” confessed Michelle Iacobucci, sophomore. As September 8 drew closer, students were caught in a whirlwind of confusion. From shopping for the latest back-to-school fashions to or- ganizing last minute back- yard barbeques, students were seen rushing frantically from place to place, deter- mined to see the summer out with a bang.

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We may not have an Eiffel Tower, or a gorgeous bridge, but what Poquoson does have are people who have known each other for many years. Poquoson is a small town. There are no movie theaters or malls. There isn’t that much for a teenager to do around here on weekends. Some people may think the city is a loss because it is mis- sing these things, but many students in the school see Poquoson as a “tight-knit community,” says junior David Stowell. David moved to Poquoson one and a half years ago. “When I first moved here it was tough to get to know people because everyone was in little cliques. After I finally got to know people, I had a really good time and I’ve had Throw it in. During Mama’s basketball guards Mrs. Judy Townsend as she tries to pass the ball to a teammate. ame, Diana Pope ..close-knit community irds of a Feather fun ever since.” Junior Jennifer O'Donnell, who moved here a year ago, agrees with David. “It’s weird because everyone knew each other, and it seemed like everyone was related. They all had their own group of friends and it was hard to get involved.” People who have lived in Poquoson for many years agree with the newcomers sometimes. “It’s so small that everyone has already made their friends and newcomers feel locked out,” says Matt Mendez, junior. He has lived in the city for 10 years. But Poquoson also has many advantages related to its size. “It’s good because you have a lot of friends that are really close. You get to know everyone and everything the Cardiac that’s going on. It’s so small that you can feel involved in the community,” says Matt. Junior Randy Freeman, a “Poquosonite” for 10 years says, “I like everything about Poquoson except the flooding and the mosquitos. But other than that I like living in a small town because of the slower pace. You really get a chance to get to know your classmates.” “It has its advantages and disadvantages. I don’t like it because I don’t know what it is like to go toa different school. But it is nice because I get to know just about everyone here,” says junior Laura Milton. Senior Susan Gardner says, “It’s weird because I’ve been going to school with these people since elementary school and now I have to leave my friends and go to college.” There are many positive aspects to growing up in a small town other than the friends you make. “Acad- emically it’s better because of smaller classes, better com- petition and specialization by teachers,” says Randy Davis. Junior Kevin Weis says, “It’s a close-knit community. You're close to a lot of dif- ferent people. In a sense it’s like a big family.” So if you judge Poquoson on its night life or its cultural advantages you may not be impressed, but there is more to a town than its sights. A town is a group of people, and many of the people in Poquo- son are happy right where they are.