THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 23, 1996 TAG: 9608230403
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: MICHELLE MIZAL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 85 lines
HERE'S WHAT the nation's smartest students said about American politics, social issues and science in this June's Panasonic Academic Challenge.
The challenge, which was held in Orlando, is a high school competition with teams from each state competing in subject areas from English to fine arts. In most states, the students were nominated by teachers.
This year, Maryland took first place with each student winning a $2,500 scholarship, a championship ring and a computer. South Carolina won second place with each student receiving a ring and a $1,500 scholarship. Alabama won third, a ring and a $500 scholarship going to team members.
But before the competition, the 196 students were surveyed with questions stretching from the technical to the not-so-serious.
Here are some of the results of the poll:
Politics
How would you rate President Clinton's overall performance?
Excellent 7.7%
Good 61.7%
Poor 20.9%
Very Poor 6.6%
No answer 3.1%
If the presidential election were held today, and you were eligible to vote, for whom would you most likely vote?
Bill Clinton 46.9%
Bob Dole 23.0%
A 3rd Party Candidate 2.0%
Undecided 27.6%
No answer .5%
On the heels of Bob Dole's call for tolerance on abortion, do you feel women's rights to abortion should:
Remain unchanged? 55.6%
Be more limited? 26.0%
Be taken away? 16.8%
No answer .5%
Social Issues
If you were President, would you spend more or less on government funding for the arts?
More 56.1%
Less 24.5%
No opinion 19.4%
How large a factor in world culture and human interaction do you think the internet will be 10 years from now?
Extremely important 54.1%
Modestly important 35.7%
Insignificant 6.6%
No factor .5%
Undecided 3.1%
Science Science
How would you rate the chances of finding a cure for AIDS in the next 10 years?
Very likely 10.7%
Somewhat likely 42.9%
Unlikely 35.2%
Highly unlikely 8.7%
No opinion 2.0%
No answer .5%
How would you rate the quality of science education in your high school?
Excellent 25.5%
Good 29.1%
Adequate 26.0%
Poor 11.7%
Sorely lacking 7.1%
No answer .5%
Do you feel personally threatened by the deterioration of the ozone layer, global warming, the destruction of the rain forests or other environmental threats?
Yes 49.5%
No 42.3%
No opinion 7.1%
No answer 1.0%
KEYWORDS: POLL TEENAGERS by CNB