ROANOKE TIMES

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

DATE: TUESDAY, January 19, 1993                   TAG: 9301190040
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: MELISSA DeVAUGHN
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Long


KIDS SPEAK OUT ON HOLIDAY-NAMING ISSUE

On Jan. 14, about 900 Montgomery County residents attended a School Board meeting about the controversy over Christmas and Easter holidays after the public learned that the board had changed them to winter and spring breaks on calendars and other documents several years ago.

Twenty people spoke pro and con, but not one of those speakers was a student. In the high schools, students and teachers have discussed the issue and, as among the adults, both sides of the issue are well represented.

Here's what some county students think of the issue:

"They passed around petitions at the school saying to call the breaks winter and spring. I didn't sign it. I'm a Christian and I think it should be called Christmas and Easter."\ Jay Adamo, 14\ Blacksburg High School

"It should stay Christmas and Easter break. There are too many people that practice Christmas and Easter and that's really what the breaks are for."\ Dania Lucas, 16 Auburn High School

"I'd say it should be Christmas and Easter, but there's no sense in it. It's just something to harp on for a while and it will go away soon."\ Brandy Hawley, 17\ Auburn High School

"I don't think they should make it winter and spring. I'm real high on that. Almost all the students are Christians and it just doesn't seem to be fair."\ Mike Miller, 16\ Auburn High School

"It's kind of confusing to me, because I'm a very strong Christian and as Christians we feel this is just one more right that is being taken away. But I also understand the minorities should not be pressured to have our views. Just because the name is taken out, it doesn't mean we can't celebrate Christmas." \ Emily Garlick, 17\ Shawsville High School

"Well, I think it should be left the same - leave it as winter and spring break. It doesn't matter what you call it and people can celebrate however they want to. It won't affect at all how they'll celebrate it."\ Lynn Price, 17\ Blacksburg High School

"I really feel that it shouldn't matter whether it's winter or spring, or Christmas or Easter. If people are true Christians, they'll what it means anyway."\ Tracy Carroll, 17\ Blacksburg High School

"At first I felt that maybe they should put Christmas and Easter back in, because I'm a Christian. But then the more I learned about it, I realized we will celebrate the holidays just the same anyway. offending some people to keep those names in, so we shouldn't have them. The Christian people that are causing the uproar should realize all the religions need to be represented."\ John-Michael Knowles, 17\ Christiansburg High School

"I just think it's been called and spring break for so long, it should stay that way. They're making a big deal out of nothing - all we want is a break; we don't care what you call it."\ Judy Carroll, 16\ Blacksburg High School

"Personally, I support the Christmas and Easter names because to me it is a tradition. I realize other people have holidays and I have no problem with them being recognized. I'm not close-minded; all people should be represented, but the names should stay Christmas and Easter."\ Shannon Greer, 17\ Christiansburg High School

January is FINANCIAL AID AWARENESS MONTH in Virginia. As part of this initiative, a financial aid hot line will operate all month.

Call (800) 552-3006 toll-free, 7-10 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday evenings through Jan. 28.

The PULASKI COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL Band Boosters will meet tonight at 7:30 in the band room. For further information, call Vangie Shockley at 674-8993.

The video club at PULASKI COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL has produced a video showing highlights from all 14 Cougar football games, including the state championship victory in Richmond.

The video costs $25, and can be purchased at the high school or Cougar X-Press Market.

\ BLACKSBURG HIGH SCHOOL, along with 1,600 other high schools nationally and around the world, participated recently in the Knowledge Master Open.

Schools in the competition are mailed a sealed computer test containing 200 questions. Of a possible 2,000 points, the team scored 1,540, landing it in the top 4 percent of the 1,614 competing high schools and 66th in the nation. The Blacksburg team came in fifth in Virginia.

If you have an interesting news item from your school, write to Melissa DeVaughn at P.O. Box 540, Christiansburg, Va. 24073.



by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB