Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, May 31, 1990                   TAG: 9006010295
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: S-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BOBBIE SLOUGH SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

ACADEMICS TO ATHLETICS:CLASS OF 1990 DOES IT ALL

The 383 seniors are enthusiastically involved in everything from academics to athletics. Some of them attend classes at the Governor's School, some at the Arnold R. Burton Technology Center. Regardless of what they do, the seniors at Cave Spring are living up to the popular advertising slogan, "Just Do It."

Mark Schleupner, a member of the senior class, said it is not unusual for a student to spend two or three hours after school every day most of the school year.

Schleupner, who plays soccer for Cave Spring, also attends the Governor's School at Patrick Henry. Spending half his day at Governor's School has given him the opportunity to get to know students from all over the area.

"Governor's School has helped me a lot. I've gotten to meet people from Franklin County and Bedford County and Botetourt. It's nice to get other people's perspectives on things."

Brenda Hawkins, a senior who spends half of her day at the Arnold R. Burton Technology Center, also enjoys the chance to meet people from other schools. She says projects such as "Student Shadowing" at Burton have helped prepare her for the work world after graduation.

For some, extracurricular activities provide the strongest memories of high school. Jenny Bird, who played basketball for three years, said her winning basketball season and the closeness with her teammates are among the things that have made her senior year so special. Between practices and games, she said, "You're with those people more than you're with your parents."

Lin Manning, who was on the wrestling team and will enter boot camp shortly after graduation, agrees. She and Bird both said the dedication, discipline and time management students acquire from athletics are among the most valuable skills they gain from high school.

The variety of activities doesn't always produce a unified senior class, but there are some things that bring everyone together.

Last fall, Cave Spring won its first homecoming game since 1981. The crowd was so excited that about 60 fans ran onto the field and pulled down the goalposts.

Then there was the day someone ran a bicycle up the flagpole in front of the school. And, of course, there's prom. These are the events that stand out in every graduate's memory. And just in case they don't, senior class president Jud Allen and classmate Benji Tull are working on the Cave Spring senior class video.

Tull and other student video bugs have taped hours and hours of class history, which Tull and Allen are editing. They plan to set the images of the Class of '90 to "lively" music - perhaps recorded by another classmate - and make copies their classmates can buy. The proceeds will offset the cost of producing it.