Tokay High School - Tokay Yearbook (Lodi, CA)

Page 80 text:

Students at Tokay were faced with the same demands and challenges as thousands of others across the country, new faces, places, and lots of homework. These problems were met at Tokay with much the same solutions as everywhere else. Late night cramming for finals, hours of catching up on endless English assignments, and rushing to get dreaded term papers done. New friendships were also formed, old ones renewed, and through it all another school year proceeded. As school began this year, students were faced with changes, one of them being homeroom. For the first time at Tokay, homeroom classes were instituted. The primary purpose was to build a positive environment in which students might develop a greater identity and feeling of belonging to Tokay. On a trial basis this year, homeroom included the flag salute, reading of the bulletin, and group discussions on many topics. Other noted changes were the departure of the student lounge and the addition of eight more portables. The lounge area was converted to a regular part of the cafeteria, seating 150 more students, and also housing a salad bar. This much-needed space was appreciated by all, though some were unhappy at the loss of the lounge facility. Due to a rapid increase in students not provided for at the time of the school's construction only four years ago, eight new por- table classrooms were added on the north side of the English building, making a total of 10. The growth problem was eased further by a change in the school boundary lines which made Ket- tleman Lane the north boundary for students not already attending Tokay High. Joanne Katanic, a member of the athletic staff since Tokay was created, replaced Manny Borges as athletic director. Katanic became the first female athletic director in San Joaquin Athletic Association history. This change was part of a larger pattern of change taking place in the coaching staff. Tokay lost four head coaches since last year, including Paul Press, varsity football, Dennis Nugent, swim- ming, Monte Hummel, track, and Manny Borges, varsity basketball. A new twist was unexpectedly added to Victory Week -- a senior protest -- when approximately 400 students gathered in the Student Circle after the competition rally to voice their anger at the scoring during the competition rally. Boycotting seniors stayed out of class third period through fifth period. At that point, Senior Class and junior Class officers, ad- ministrators, and Steve VonBerg, activities director, met to discuss demands made by the angry seniors. Students said that they weren't just protesting unfair scoring at the rally. They were also com- plaining about being mistreated in the past: the cancellation of last year's promised litter-plan picnic, last year's disrupted competition rally which gave the Class of '80 the victory, a promised movie they didn't see, and other things. No matter what action was taken, some group was going to be unhappy. A compromise followed. The compromise declared that the seniors and juniors would remain tied in the competition. No one would win. Students unwillingly Campus experiences change 76

Page 79 text:

Wfr fww :Swat . 5 .. 'YM -1 Sw X -X gg 4 r xg X X , A S 2 s , N S f gf ss g S gl F 3' .33 so ,g ,f 1. Tokay travelers visit the tomb of Christopher Colum- bus in the Seville Cathedral in Seville, Spain. 2. Resting after a tour ofthe Acropolis in Athens, Greece, are front row Margaret Bailey, Scott Smith, Morgan Lawley, and Nancy Clingan. Row two Jennifer Johnson, Meg Morgan, Corrine Stroh, Amy Mettler, and Mary Beth Wetmore. 3. Walking through back alleys in Seville are Mary Beth Wetmore, Amy Mettler, and Tony Young. ctgc so European Trip O 75

Page 81 text:

3. returned to classes, but many were still upset as none of their deman- ds seemed to have been satisfied. On October 6, 1980, a third assistant principal was added to Tokay's staff. Orlando Spero was mainly placed in charge of fresh- man attendance problems. But many thought the new ad- ministrator should have been a woman. The need for a female administrator was evident to many. All four administrators who work extensively with students, three assistant principals and a vice principal, were all male. More than 1,300 students gathered in the gym on jan. 13 for a memorial service for senior Terri Winchell, who was mur- dered jan. 8. A Cappella Choir, of which Terri had been a member, presented several songs between talks by Terri's close friends, Pat Santo and Deanna Sanborn. Denise Ai, student body president, read a poem dedicated to Terri, and Dr. Darrel Kraft, head coun- selor, spoke of his long friendship with her. Terri, a song written and performed by Tokay-grad Sara Carniglia, brought even the most distant of Terri's friends to tears as it told of the terrible waste and sorrow in Terri's death. Tigers were aware of the world around them, too. A special assembly was presented in honor of the 52 American hostages freed from Iran and the eight who died in a rescue attempt. Student Assembly members released 60 helium-filled balloons and provided yellow ribbons for everyone to wear in remembrance. Beginning in February, an ac- tivities bus left campus every day at 5 p.m. This much-needed tran- sportation enabled many students to participate in extra-curricular activities, such as sports, clubs, and music. It also helped students who needed help from their teachers after school. With a population of over 2,500, students found lunch lines too long for the allotted Z9 minutes. 1. Orlando Spero, new assistant principal, observes student life in the cafeteria during late lunch. 2. Students mourn the death of Terri Winchell at a touching memorial assembly. 3. joanne Katanic, new athletic Beginning Nov. 12, school started five minutes earlier. The ad- ditional time was added to the fir- st lunch period. The second was extended by cutting the cafeteria workers' prep period betweeen lunches by five minutes. After months of disappointment, Student Government finally got a marquee built in front of the school. Officers also worked to clean and beautify the campus. They set up work weeks and weeded planters, planted flowers, and generally cleaned up the cam- pus environment. It was a year of change, change on campus and change affecting students. Whether they were thought for better or worse varied from student to faculty member. What the future held for Tokay and its students remained uncer- tain, but whatever it would be, the Tigers would take it in stride. by Valerie Harper director, talks with graduate Phil Vaz. 4. New marquee tells Lodians of basketball schedule. 5. Assembly members launch helium-filled balloons in january to celebrate the return of the Tehran hostages to freedom. Student Life Essay 0 77