Stafford Senior High School - Indian Legend Yearbook (Falmouth, VA)

Page 33 text:

Is There Life After School? The usually crowded halls were now bare. The normally full parking lot was now empty, except for the sparsely scattered cars. And as the majority of the student body was at home watching soap operas or doing homework, a few Stafford students were still at school, as late as nightfall, to finish their after school activities. These after school activities came in a variety of forms. The largest group of these students were those that participated in sports. Staying after school daily for practice or a game consumed anywhere from two to six hours. As stated by Greg Sharpe, ‘‘staying after school everyday for practice takes up a lot of my time. But the satisfaction | get out of practice and running track, more than makes up f or the extra time | don’t have. Another large group of students were those that stayed after for club meetings, club activities and journalism activities such as yearbook and newspaper. Like sports, this was often a daily occurence. As Debbie Whitehead replied “‘It takes a lot dedication to stay after school everyday until 4:00 or 4:30’. The results of such daily dedication was seen throughout the school in such ways as a monthly newspaper and a yearbook. Yet recognition for those who are in yearbook and newspaper was minimal. This group received no letter or school credit. The final group of students that stayed after school are those that needed extra After school activities 29

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Spick and span. Wrestling manager Stephanie Doggett, scrubs the school’s wrestling mats after school while the team is practicing. Neck lighting. Stephanie King untangles Christmas lights to decorate a Christmas tree which appeared in the school lobby. Snowflakes. Senior class officers Karin Sullivan and Sherri Baughman prepare a snowflake to decorate the media center during Christmas. Planners. Literary Magazine members stay after Board work. National Honor Society members Beth school to plan the current issue of the Literary Ravinsky, Cindy Steinbach, Karen Thompson, and Magazine. Teresa Tulloss decorate the NHS bulliten board. 28 After school activities

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Is There Life After School? | help with studies or were making a test whether it be Nation Honor Society, Monday night tutoring or making up typing work, this group of students were at school at least an extra 45 minutes. As Michelle Lampert replied, ‘‘staying after school to make up a test is ever worse than taking it in class; the test was usually harder and I could be doing something I’d enjoy a lot more.”’ Despite the reason, after school activities were a large part of school life for many Stafford students. And despite the reshifting of ones spare time or trying to get a ride home, after school activities were an essential part of school life. This idea could be summed up by a statement said by Catharina Minn, ‘‘there isn’t enough time in school to accomplish everything that needs to be done.” Pyramid power. Freshman cheerleaders practice Departure time. Varsity cheerleaders sit waiting in one of their stunts while their part-time coach Tandi the hall before they leave for an away game. Beverly looks on. 30 After school activities