Valparaiso High School - Valenian Yearbook (Valparaiso, IN)

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Class Of ’86 Celebrates OING IN STYLE ... This is it. Guys in green, girls in white. Everyone in alpha- betical order, please. When we give the signal, stand up. OK, sit down. And remember, when he calls your name, walk slowly, like this ...” After 12 years of school, these 399 kids know one thing — how to act during a convocation. They know when to nod, when to smile and when to react. During this final convocation, commencement, their reaction was planned, but also spontaneous. Their excitement — their joy — was evi- dent when Lori Zweig, number 399 by the alphabet, received her diplo- ma. The unrestrained reaction of the graduates reflected the tension that built up to the ceremony. Fi- nally,” explained senior Jennie Gir- ton, I’ve been waiting for a long time.” Yeeeaaaah! This is great,” said Bill Hickman, I feel like I can get away with anything.” Confetti, fireworks and yes, toi- let paper flew everywhere. It’s total exhilaration,” said Pat Kim, Words can’t describe it. It’s a feeling no sophomore or junior can ever understand.” Chris Reichert agreed, It’s great to be out. I feel like I’m finally al- lowed to live a real life. And man, I’m going to celebrate.” Yeah, after 12 years of school, these kids know how to act at a convocation .... When to throw confetti. And most of all, when to break out the sunglasses and toilet paper. — Karen Mutka VHS PRINCIPAL DR. David Bess and sen- ior class president Marco Alcantara distribute diplomas. MINNIE ANG, VALE- DICTORIAN of the class of 1986, ad- dresses the crowd at graduation. Ang finished the year with a 4.3421 GPA and planned to at- tend the University of Chicago. WITH ONLY 10 minutes left before the gradu- ation ceremony begins, Anne Frey helps for- eign exchange student Rico Garzotto fix his cap. In July, Garzotto returned to Switzer- land to study, and he planned to enter the Swiss army. 2 $ Graduation

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Make It Magical OMIGHT Since the release of her hit ' Mon- ey Changes Everything,” Cindy Lauper has been accused of kicking a dent into American values. It’s an understandable attitude. In a society where prices increase al- most daily and spending entire pay- checks on a single outfit is in style, money plays a key role. But does money really change everything? Was money the reason why the 1986 prom was moved from the high school gym to the Porter County Expo Center? No. It was there because, accord- ing to junior class sponsor Rhonda Yelton, A lot of kids said, ' No mat- ter how you decorate it, the gym is still the gym.’ So we decided to try something new.” Something new turned out to be exactly what students wanted. It was the dance of the year,” said senior Tim Collins. The whole thing was a total blast — no parents and lots of fun things to do,” said sophomore Wendy Berner. Besides the absence of parents for a weekend, students enjoyed prom for another reason. Visions, a VHS band composed of junior Mike Hartig, senior Rick Allen, junior Paul Gold, and graduate Bill Day Jr., pro- vided the music. It was cool because we knew the band members,” said senior Natalie Cavanaugh. They’re a great band.” In early March, the band began practicing songs suggested to them by the student body, to insure that students would like what they heard at prom. We had people request songs months before prom, and we did some of what we wanted to play, too,” said junior Paul Gold. The night before prom we prac- ticed until one in the morning,” said Gold. We were all very tired the next morning, but we were at the Expo early, set up, ran a sound check, and left. It took us about four hours.” Despite the hours of preparation. Visions enjoyed prom as much as everyone else. I still find it hard to believe that someone paid us for something that was so fun,” said Gold. The money was just an extra bonus.” Money didn’t change anything. But it did influence three things about prom: where students ate (The White House or McDonald’s drive thru?), what students did the day after prom (Great America or the beach?), and what picture pack- age they ordered at prom. Really now, what student cared if he got eight wallet size photos or 16? — Karen Mutka JUNIOR MELISSA HUTTON and Wash- ington Township ju- nior Todd Kado re- lax together on the dance floor at post prom. Music was provided by the band Abacus. WHILE THE BAND takes a break, so do junior Jason Freitag and senior Marybeth Reavis. JUNIORS KAREN CARICHOFF. Brian Benedict. Kristin Mooney, and Jeff Adney enjoy prom. 21 Prom

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SENIOR CLASS VICE president Mike Neis and treasurer Russ Barone clown around after Neis led the turning of the tassels. Between the two boys is class salutatorian Susie Johnson. SALLY JASNIC AND Myra Macapagal celebrate together. Both girls continued their celebration at the senior party at t he VU student union. 29 Graduation