THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 26, 1994 TAG: 9408240223
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 2B EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HEIDI GLICK, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
Student leaders at First Colonial High gathered recently for a school spirit summit. Their mission? To write up an action plan that encourages school spirit and involvement among students, parents and faculty for the coming year.
Ideas ranged from adopt-a-newcomer and a faculty talent show to a parent newsletter and teacher dunking booth.
About 20 students showed up for the school's first-ever planning session organized by Kevin Liptrap, the new activities coordinator.
``One of my major goals is to increase F.C. spirit and involvement,'' Liptrap explained. ``The best way to do this is through the students. They know the school better than I do.''
Students divided into three groups, with each group brainstorming ways to increase either student, teacher or parent involvement.
For student spirit, leaders focused mainly on how to help freshmen adjust to high school, getting them involved in clubs and recognizing overall student individuality.
``We want to make freshman feel welcome,'' said SCA president Karl Boggs. ``It's a blast when you walk in. The first day is so different from middle school.''
Sam Leslie, who will be a senior and SCA secretary, suggested an upperclassman ``adopt'' a freshman and help him or her get situated to high school.
``I thought a phone call would be personal,'' she said, adding that the upperclassman could take the freshman, or newcomer, ``buddy'' to a football game and get a discount off admission.
``The first day pair them up and make sure the newcomers get to school on time,'' Boggs explained.
Nominating students of the week and month was another idea to encourage school spirit and individuality - to see each student separately and not just part of a body.
``You're not worried that might be a popularity contest?'' asked SCA treasurer Carlos Chandler, a junior.
Another student suggested letting the teachers help pick the nominees.
Principal Stephen Charton said he wants students to have a bigger say in the decision-making process at the school.
``It's their school. I think they need to take some ownership,'' he said, and later added, ``Students are more and more involved and taking an initiative for things they see are a problem.''
The faculty, he said, is very receptive to the students' ideas.
``We try to give the kids a lot more voice on what's going on,'' Charton said.
In a different classroom, other students discussed ways to bring parents into the forefront of the school.
``We can get the old sports stars to come and dress up in their old uniforms,'' Courtney Lett, who will be a senior, suggested. ``We can get old cheerleaders from 1970.'' This would be for a so-called Heritage night, complete with skits, dinner and slide show.
Other popular ideas included a newsletter for parents.
For increasing teacher spirit and involvement, a third group of students focused on encouraging student/teacher relationships. They came up with ideas such as having a faculty car wash where students wash faculty cars or to have students volunteer to help teachers in the classroom.
And if the students' other ideas become reality, their school's traditional ``Mr. F.C. Pageant'' and ``Mrs. F.C. Pageant'' may spread into a ``Mr. F.C. Faculty Member'' and a ``Mrs. F.C. Faculty Member.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by HEIDI GLICK
Sam Leslie, who will be a senior at First Colonial, keeps track of
the suggestions during the brainstorming session.
by CNB