Thomas Jefferson High School - Yellow Jacket Yearbook (Port Arthur, TX)

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But Most of All it has been a Time to Change! and 1 50w 0ur THOMAS JEFFER ; SENIOR HEW SCHOOL . .. . New WT mum :xDiPEww mum 1119er r- 55 ,- u PrOnCOpal

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1987-88 Has Given Us . . . A time to laugh A time to be free A $.ng ,. And A time to get caught

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DON'T JUST STAND THERE! - Karen Utley UZI gets the party rockin' with her smooth moves. A Time for Freedom I still remember that pitch dark and chilly night in December when my mother, my sister and I fled our native land in a small and fragile boat with many other people. I coulant close my eyes even for one minute during the long and perilous thousand mile journey across the turbulent ocean. However, God did lead our boat through the long nights and murderous waves of the turbulent sea to a safe harbor of freedom and liberty. After those endless nightmares and fearful days, I realized that I left behind some precious things that I had loved and cherished. My father is still over there, being held prisoner by the communist regima in a so- called IIre-education camp. Because of his love for us, he endures hard- ships. I also left friends and classmates with whom I shared joys and sor- rows. I left the small hamlet bordered by a quiet river and rows of coconut palms, the laughs and cries of the children playing and the shrill cries of the crows and roosters. Gone are the familiar calls and cheers of the peasants on their way home at sunset. All these precious things are part of my native land, a land with many childhood memories, a land in which I was born and raised, and memories of a land for which my father has fought in a pursuit of freedom and liberty. He went through great hardships in order to keep us from missing any school days. Now, thousands of miles from this land, I let my mind wander through the cherished memories and browse through these unfortunate events that happened in my life. After a few months in a refugee camp, my family was settled in the country. Now, within a new school environment, surrounded by new ao- quaintances, it seems as if I have already inherited a priceless heritage from the youth of this nation. I have a dream that one day Pll contribute my tiny part to strengthen this nation which provides me a good life and new hope for my future. I now understand the meaning of the word freedom. I deeply understand the utmost sacrifice that my father has to endure in exchange for our liberty and future. I also understand the value of extreme suf- ferance we had to endure while drifting in the open sea. A $igtt of 132mm MY HOMEWORK? e Hoi Nguyen NJ does not recall any homework assignments, so he poses at the church.