THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, April 17, 1996 TAG: 9604160113
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Close-Up
DATELINE: WINDSOR LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
When Tonya ``TJ'' Cope was in elementary school, she always wanted to help produce a yearbook that would help her look back on her school memories.
Today, as a junior at Windsor High School, she's finally doing just that.
Tonya, 17, is the business manager for the 1996 Duke yearbook at Windsor High. She bills advertisers that place ads in the yearbook and keeps records on who has and hasn't paid their bills.
Most years, there are 15 pages of advertisements in the yearbook.
``I get all the hassles of the money,'' she said recently from a classroom where she was laying out pages for the yearbook. ``Sometimes, we send out bills and the business has closed or moved. When they don't pay, we send out more letters.''
In addition to serving on the yearbook staff, Tonya is also one of about 20 peer facilitators at Windsor High.
``If someone has a problem at school, they can come to us and talk, but that seldom happens,'' she said.
What the group does mostly is plan for special events like Prom Promise, a national competition sponsored by Nationwide Insurance in which high school students are asked to pledge that they won't drink and drive on prom night.
Two years ago, 95 percent of the students at Windsor High made that pledge and won the national championship.
This month, Tonya said, the school is gearing up for the event once again.
Tonya said there will be a candlelight vigil, remembering those who have died in alcohol-related accidents. The student body also will participate in Bandage Day, where everyone comes to school looking like they've been in an accident.
``But the main thing is that everyone knows that they shouldn't drink and drive,'' Tonya said.
Name: Tonya Jane ``TJ'' Cope.
Birthdate: Dec. 20, 1978.
Extracurricular activities: Business manager for the 1996 Duke yearbook, member of the Academic Challenge Team, reporter for the Beta Club, assistant secretary for Peer Facilitators, and member of the Windsor High School choir.
Hobbies: Reading and listening to music.
Favorite night out on the town: Dinner and a movie.
Favorite food and drink: Pizza and Mountain Dew.
Favorite movie: ``Mr. Holland's Opus.''
Favorite music group: No particular group, but I love country music.
Pet peeve: People who don't use common sense.
Ideal vacation: Paris, France.
Describe your ideal date: Going to the movies.
What characteristics attract you to a person? Friendly, good sense of humor.
Most cherished possession: My dolphin collection. I love dolphins.
What's the best gift anyone ever gave you? My computer.
What is the one thing your parents don't understand about you, but you wish they did? My dad doesn't understand why I want to go out of state for college.
Worst habit: Biting my fingernails.
What's the best advice your parents ever gave you? To be myself.
An issue that concerns you and why? The fact that Windsor High School is a brand new school but has inadequate seating in the gym, poor chemical showers in the labs and holes in the walls everywhere you look from where construction was not completed.
What type of things do kids worry about today? Future, college and money.
How do you battle peer pressure? Be myself.
If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be? I would have fame and fortune.
Few people know ... that if I could, I would sleep until noon every day.
What's the best thing about yourself? My personality.
What would you like your first job to be? Secretary/receptionist or teaching. I wouldn't have to work until after college.
What are your goals in life? To go to Meredith College (in Raleigh, N.C.) and become an English/photojournalism teacher. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by JOHN H. SHEALLY II
by CNB