THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 18, 1995 TAG: 9506190181
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MICHELLE MIZAL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 197 lines
Here's the recipe for becoming one out of the area's smartest teenagers: 4 cups procrastination, 2 cups ``ER'' and ``Star Trek'' and a dash of a good book or two.
This is according to a survey of 57 area valedictorians that included questions about favorite books, TV shows, worst habits and the person they most admire. In a separate survey, The Virginian-Pilot asked 420 high school seniors about topics such as quality of their education, school safety, violence and AIDS.
Some results were expected, others were surprising.
Far from being the ``classic nerd,'' (glasses, pocket protectors, and an intellectual book as a best friend), this year's top grads are studious, social and at times silly.
Twenty-two valedictorians said that ``hard work'' and ``turning homework assignments in on time'' are the keys to academic success.
Lance Roy, 18, valedictorian at Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake, recommends reading the textbook because ``the whole class is based on that.'' Lance, a homework fiend, has only missed five assignments this year and has never missed a major assignment.
Seven valedictorians attributed their success to good time management and organization, seven said to set high goals, five said to relax, four said to accept only the best from yourself and three said it was their faith in God that helped them succeed.
But despite their varied secrets to success most of the valedictorians agreed on one thing. More than half the valedictorians, 30, said their worst habit was pro-cras-tination.
``It's a bad habit but I'd like to think it works to my advantage since I work well under pressure,'' said Jennifer Abrajano, 18, valedictorian of Tallwood High School in Virginia Beach.
While procrastinating, these big-brained teens are sometimes filling up their heads with TV. The survey showed that nine valedictorians watch ``ER,'' five watch ``My So-Called Life,'' four watch ``Friends,'' four watch ``Seinfeld,'' 11 watch some sort of science fiction TV show, and four watch sports.
Ebony Jewel Harris, 18, said that she likes to watch ``ER'' because she can relate it to her medical classes. Ebony, who is valedictorian of Perquimans County High School in Hertford, N.C., said that she learns things that often come up in class.
``I've talked to people who actually work in the emergency room and they say that it's (the show) is realistic,'' said Ebony, who plans on being an RN.
The favorite books were ``Their Eyes Were Watching God'' by Zora Neal-Hurston and the Bible. Nathaniel Hawthorne, George Orwell and Emily Bronte were among their favorite authors.
And what about that brain food? The valedictorians suggested Chinese food or pasta.
In phone interviews, three of 10 valedictorians said they drink alcohol. One valedictorian drinks every weekend, one drinks twice a month, and one drinks twice a year. The other seven don't drink alcohol at all.
Compared to results of the newspaper's fourth annual survey of high school seniors, the valedictorians drink less than their peers, perhaps preserving more brain cells.
In the larger survey of rank-and-file seniors, almost 56 percent indicated that they don't drink. That was a 4 percent increase in abstinence over last year and a 5 percent increase from 1993.
John Wilkinson, 17, fits the bill of the average local senior. Wednesday at 4 p.m., he will graduate from Norfolk's Norview High School in the top quarter of his class. He's had a couple of drinks in the past.
John likes to play sports and video games. He's participated in a few clubs and has seen three people with a gun at school. He doesn't believe in abortion and thinks AIDS education should be strengthened.
He has two dogs, a couple fish and is ``kinda sorta, not really, but wouldn't mind though'' wanting a girlfriend. He'll attend Blue Ridge Chapel of Prophets in the fall.
To John, the girl's race doesn't matter, as long as her personality is appealing. He is one of 33 percent of seniors who said that they have never dated outside their race but would consider it.
Full results of the 1995 survey of high school seniors will be published on Sunday in the Chesapeake Clipper, the Portsmouth Compass and the Carolina Coast. The Norfolk Compass will publish the results on June 22 and the Virginia Beach Beacon on June 25. The Suffolk Sun published results on June 11.
Here's the recipe for becoming one out of the area's smartest teenagers: 4 cups procrastination, 2 cups ``ER'' and ``Star Trek'' and a dash of a good book or two.
This is according to a survey of 57 area valedictorians that included questions about favorite books, TV shows, worst habits and the person they most admire. In a separate survey, The Virginian-Pilot asked 420 high school seniors about topics such as quality of their education, school safety, violence and AIDS.
Some results were expected, others were surprising.
Far from being the ``classic nerd,'' (glasses, pocket protectors, and an intellectual book as a best friend), this year's top grads are studious, social and at times silly.
Twenty-two valedictorians said that ``hard work'' and ``turning homework assignments in on time'' are the keys to academic success.
Lance Roy, 18, valedictorian at Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake, recommends reading the textbook because ``the whole class is based on that.'' Lance, a homework fiend, has only missed five assignments this year and has never missed a major assignment.
Seven valedictorians attributed their success to good time management and organization, seven said to set high goals, five said to relax, four said to accept only the best from yourself and three said it was their faith in God that helped them succeed.
But despite their varied secrets to success most of the valedictorians agreed on one thing. More than half the valedictorians, 30, said their worst habit was pro-cras-tination.
``It's a bad habit but I'd like to think it works to my advantage since I work well under pressure,'' said Jennifer Abrajano, 18, valedictorian of Tallwood High School in Virginia Beach.
While procrastinating, these big-brained teens are sometimes filling up their heads with TV.
The survey showed that nine valedictorians watch ``ER,'' five watch ``My So-Called Life,'' four watch ``Friends,'' four watch ``Seinfeld,'' 11 watch some sort of science fiction TV show, and four watch sports.
Ebony Jewel Harris, 18, said that she likes to watch ``ER'' because she can relate it to her medical classes. Ebony, who is valedictorian of Perquimans County High School in Hertford, N.C., said that she learns things that often come up in class.
``I've talked to people who actually work in the emergency room and they say that it's (the show) is realistic,'' said Ebony, who plans on being an RN.
The favorite books were ``Their Eyes Were Watching God'' by Zora Neal-Hurston and the Bible. Nathaniel Hawthorne, George Orwell and Emily Bronte were among their favorite authors.
And what about that brain food? The valedictorians suggested Chinese food or pasta.
In phone interviews, three of 10 valedictorians said they drink alcohol. One valedictorian drinks every weekend, one drinks twice a month, and one drinks twice a year. The other seven don't drink alcohol at all.
Compared to results of the newspaper's fourth annual survey of high school seniors, the valedictorians drink less than their peers, perhaps preserving more brain cells.
In the larger survey of rank-and-file seniors, almost 56 percent indicated that they don't drink. That was a 4 percent increase in abstinence over last year and a 5 percent increase from 1993.
John Wilkinson, 17, fits the bill of the average local senior.
Wednesday at 4 p.m., he will graduate from Norfolk's Norview High School in the top quarter of his class. He's had a couple of drinks in the past.
John likes to play sports and video games. He's participated in a few clubs and has seen three people with a gun at school. He doesn't believe in abortion and thinks AIDS education should be strengthened.
He has two dogs, a couple fish and is ``kinda sorta, not really, but wouldn't mind though'' wanting a girlfriend. He'll attend Blue Ridge Chapel of Prophets in the fall.
To John, the girl's race doesn't matter, as long as her personality is appealing. He is one of 33 percent of seniors who said that they have never dated outside their race but would consider it.
Full results of the 1995 survey of high school seniors will be published on Sunday in the Chesapeake Clipper, the Portsmouth Compass and the Carolina Coast. The Norfolk Compass will publish the results on June 22 and the Virginia Beach Beacon on June 25.
The Suffolk Sun published results on June 11. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
GARY C. KNAPP
Graduating seniors from Indian River High School in Chesapeake show
their excitement Thursday as the commencement exercise concludes.
Graphic
Here are some results from the survey of the area
valedictorians:
Person most admired:
Parents: 25
Teachers: 7
No one: 7
Other: 18
Career plans:
Medicine: 22
Science: 13
Undecided: 6
Military: 3
Business: 3
Education: 3
Communications: 2
Law: 2
Government: 1
Accountant: 1
Law enforcement: 1
College to be attended in the fall:
University of Virginia: 9
College of William and Mary: 7
Virginia Tech: 6
University of Chapel Hill North Carolina: 3
Princeton University: 3
Other: 24
Undecided: 4
Highest GPA: 4.7
Evangeline Su, 18, Western Branch High School in Chesapeake.
Evangeline will attend Princeton in the fall and apply for the
Woodrow Wilson School of International affairs. Evangeline hopes to
change the educational system of the U.S. and promote respect for
the nation's finest institutions, the presidency and diversity.
by CNB