THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 23, 1994 TAG: 9406210186
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 15 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SHARON LaROWE CAMPUS, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: 940623 LENGTH: Medium
In the third annual survey conducted by The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star, more than 550 graduating high school seniors (about 90 from Norfolk) aired their views on future plans, quality of education and issues of the day.
{REST} \ Plans
Most Norfolk seniors are heading back to school after graduation. Eight out of 10 students said they plan to attend a two- or four-year college. But most said they plan to leave Hampton Roads when they get that college diploma.
``I'm sick of living around here,'' said Missy Sims, 17, of Norfolk Academy. ``I feel like we live in such a small town compared to other cities.'' Sims, who will attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the fall, said that cities like Boston are more culturally attractive than Hampton Roads.
This year's Norfolk graduates have high hopes for the future - 76 percent believe they will have a higher standard of living than their parents, 9 percentage points higher than the overall sample.
\ Drug use
More than half of Norfolk students surveyed said they do not drink alcohol, 11 percent more than the overall sample. But Sims doesn't buy it.
``A lot more than that drink,'' the Norfolk Academy senior said.
But David Cullipher, 17, of Booker T. Washington High School, said many seniors have already passed the experimentation phase.
``I experimented with (drinking) when I was younger but now that I am older, I don't need it anymore,'' said Cullipher, who has signed up with the U.S. Marines.
As for drug use, Cullipher said, ``I think it's not as popular as it used to be.'' He said many students are replacing drugs with sports.
\ Guns and school violence
While 55 percent of students in the region said they knew students who had carried weapons to school functions, Norfolk seniors undercut that number by 10 percent.
``I feel that the threat for students coming to school is not as great as it used to be,'' said Granby senior class president Baxter Vendrick Jr. Because school administrators conduct random metal detector searches for weapons at school, students chose not to bring weapons into school, the Hampden-Sydney-bound senior said.
More than a third of Norfolk seniors said race relations have improved since they entered high school and 27 percent reported that relations have worsened. Regionally, these numbers are less optimistic. While 29 percent overall said things have gotten better, 34 percent claimed they have not.
Cullipher said he was kind of racist when he moved here from Florida three years ago. After hearing horror stories about Booker T., Cullipher was afraid they'd need a visit from the tough principal in the movie ``Lean on Me.''
He's seen a change for the better since starting school in Norfolk. ``I had two black girls ask me to the prom this year,'' he said. ``I don't really look at their color anymore, I look at them as a person.''
That reflects survey findings, which said that only 24 percent of Norfolk students would not consider dating outside their race, compared to the 38 percent overall.
\ Aids, sex education
Eight in 10 Norfolk students feel they have learned enough to protect themselves from AIDS. In fact, Misti Goodson, 17, said she feels bombarded by AIDS education in some of her classes at Maury.
Vendrick disagrees. He is disappointed with Granby's lack of real-life AIDS education. ``A lot of people know, `Well, don't have sex.' But a lot of them need to have someone come in and put tears in their eyes. . . .They need to know the feelings of someone who has AIDS right now.''
\ Classes they love
. . . and hate
Seniors were passionate when it came to core classes like language studies. And those feelings were either total love or menacing hate.
English, math and science courses received high marks because seniors felt they were gaining useful knowledge for their future careers. The class was a dud if students felt they didn't learn anything in it. This was especially true for P.E. period.
One Granby senior said, ``I have heard of no students emerging from physical education with the bodies of Greek gods. Most students don't want to know how to play basketball. (It was a) waste of time.''Optimism - it's the attitude that bonds Norfolk students together. It's thumbs up for their high school and AIDS education, thumbs down on drinking, drug use and violence.
by CNB