THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, June 10, 1994                    TAG: 9406090071 
SECTION: DAILY BREAK                     PAGE: B1    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: BY HOLLY WESTER, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: 940610                                 LENGTH: Medium 

TEENS AIMING HIGH, AND THEY WANT MOM AND DAD TO PAY BILL

According to The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star's third annual survey of graduating high school seniors, almost 70 percent of the area's twelfth-graders expect to reach a higher standard of living than their parents. Nearly eight in 10 plan to go to college, running a tad more than last year's 75 percent.

{REST} ``Technology is going wild,'' said Aaron Siegrist, 18, a senior at Catholic High School. ``That's why everybody wants to go to college. That's why I'm going.'' Aaron is headed for Virginia Tech in the fall to major in business.

The newspaper surveyed 558 of the 10,249 seniors at public and private schools in Hampton Roads, Western Tidewater, the Eastern Shore and northeastern North Carolina. Seniors answered questions on a number of issues, including alcohol and drug use, sex and race relations.

Although they are aiming high, seniors are not planning to pay for their dreams. A quarter of them plan to push the cost for school on Mom and Dad, while 21 percent are looking for grants and scholarships.

When it comes to working a year or two at a low-paying public service job to help pay off a college loan, 44 percent of the girls said they'd do it, while a slack one-third of guys answered yes.

Drug use was a hot topic on the survey, with a little more than 70 percent of the students saying it has increased since they started high school.

``It seems like everybody is using drugs,'' said Brett Ealy, 17, a senior at Smithfield High School. ``I think it's fine. I don't have a problem with it.'' Brett said she mostly sees drugs at parties, and marijuana is the choice of her peers.

About 34 percent said race relations have worsened since they've been in school, but after that, the statistics are puzzling. More than 70 percent said they have a close friend of another race, but 38 percent said they would not consider dating outside their race.

More details and reaction to the 1994 Senior Survey will be published on Sunday, in the Virginia Beach Beacon, Portsmouth Currents, Chesapeake Clipper, Suffolk Sun and Carolina Coast. The Norfolk Compass will run survey results on June 23. by CNB