FEBRUARY 1990
THE FULL MOON
^ Features
PAGE 2
EDITOR: ALEX OVERCASH
Attendance Policy Creates Positive Attitude
There has been a lot of work done recently by school adminisirators throughout the nation to
improve educational standards. North Carolina, especially, has initiated many programs, such
as funding the PS AT and developing after-school programs for students who need help with their
studies, designed to reform its educational systCTi. These types of additions and changes are vital
for this state to compete academically with other states as well as other nations. The Albemarle
High School staff and school board are doing their part to improve the educational opportunities
for Albemarle students by establishing an attendance policy. Many factors determine academic
success teachers, family life, and student attitudes, just to name a few. No matter how great
teachers, family life, and student attitudes may be, significant educational achievement will not
come without good, steady attendance.
A student cannot leam what is expected of him or her without attending classes regularly, so
I am glad to see our high school develop a more effective system for attendance. By allowing
fifteen class absences per semester before automatic failure, this policy’s terms are more than
fair. The school board and staff has also done a good job of preventing this means of failure by
submitting a warning after eight absences and jointing a counselor to students with poor
attendance records. A final clause that greatly increases the attendance policy’s effectiveness is
the rewarding of students with few absences. Prizes and recognition, along with exemption from
exams, for students with outstanding attendance is a positive way to encourage students to be in
school everyday. When your mom or dad wakes you up one morning, and you don’t feel like
coming to school, think about your options. Would you rather spend four more hours sleeping
now or four hours sleeping June 5th, 6th, and 7th while your truant classmates study for their
exams?
Albemarle High School s attendance policy is definitely a step in the right direction towards
better education. I am glad that we are taking this step because a student cannot truly succeed
academically without putting forth strong personal effort and maintaining a sincere desire to
leam. I hope this policy will show to be extremely successful in overcoming the major
educational obstacle of student absences while it helps students motivate themselves and give
good efforts towards learning.
Stop Abusing the Environment: Recycle
By Tom Stubbs
Ever since the dawn of time, man has been using the environment for his own personal
gains, food and shelter. Through the years, though, this policy has gone from taking what
one needs for himself to survive to exploiting the earth and raping its natural resources for
fun and profiL This irresponsible behavior must stop before the earth becomes a barren
wasteland.
Every year tons upon tons of nonbiodegradable material is produced and disposed of,
causing mass fill- ups of landfills nationwide. If that weren’t enough, at the rate timber is
being cut and processed, in fifty years we will have destroyed all of our existing trees. This
is not just a national problem. The entire planet is suffering because of the greed and
exploitation of short-sided governments and compames unconcerned with the earth’s future.
All of this rambling probably has you wondering what one person can do about it. More
thanyouthink! Although Stanly County does have a collection center for glass and aluminum
across from North Stanly High School, not many people seem to know it exists. In addition,
the inconvenience is a deterrant for many people.
With the dawn of a new decade, this is a very important topic, socially as well as politically,
with which everyone should become involved. In Charlotte, the city is testing curbside pick
ups of recyclable materials which could prove profitable and environmentally responsible.
Stanly County needs an centralized collection center for steel, aluminum, glass, and paper
and should look into the option of curbside pick-up. If you or your families are interested in
this topic, organize yourselves and write the mayor. The longer we wait, the worse things get.
FULL MOON
Published nine times per year by the journalism class
at Albemarle High School
Member Quill and Scroll
Staff
Bill Snyder - Editor-in-Chief
Beth Childress- Business Manager Tim Burris- Sports Editor
Brett Richards- Entertainment Editor
Alex Overcash - Features Editor Tom Stubbs- News Editor
Jason Wagoner- Art Editor
Susan Hathcock - Advisor
Junior Staff
Shelly Austin, Michael Blagg, Meonne Blalock, Mesheka Davis
Susan Grander, Jason Hazlett, Rachel Kendall, Leslie Morgan ’
Cheers and Jeers
By Susan Grantier
Cheers to: The cleanliness of the halls and
restrooms. (Seriously - this is the cleanest school
I’ve ever been in.) There is no writing on the stall
walls and almost no trash on the hall floors.
Jeers to: Tlie ocean of red mud outside of the
front doors. That area is a popular place where
students hang out during lunch, and something
should be done to improve those conditions.
Cheers to: Climate control. The air condition
ing and heat system acttially work (although
somedays, especially in the spring and in the fall,
it seems like the air temperature can’t make up its
mind.)
Jeers to: The often overcrowded conditions
inthe cafeteria during our three limch periods.
Cheers to: The payphone available to students
in the student lounge. No permission needed.
Jeers to: The roaches!!!
Cheers to; The new attendance p>olicy which
gives students an option to be exemp>t from ex
ams.
Jeers to: The faded parking lines.
As far as the physical appearance of Albe
marle High School is concemed, there isn ’ t much
to complain about. Compared to most schools,
this building is practically clinical. If it wasn’t
for the lockers, our school could probably be
mistaken for a hospital. In a way, our building
lacks character; however, when the students fill
the halls, the school comes to life. As we move
into the 1990’s, let's keep up the cheers and work
on the jeers.
Will the real Michael Todd Furr please
stand up?
First Names - Most Ponular Last Names - Most Pomilar
’ Jennifer
20
Smith
18
J John, Jonathan
20
Morgan
8
Christa, Christy
15
Blalock
7
Michael, Mike
15
Brown
7
Chris
11
Lowder
6
Brian,Daniel, Lynn
8
Harris
5
Kim, Melissa, David
7
Whitley
5
Amy, Misty, Jeff, Tim
6
Lilly
5
Kevin
5
Birthday?
In case you were wondering, August 28 is the
most popular birthday with 7 AHS students cele
brating on that day. Tjdng for second place are
Aug. 19 and November 9, with 6 students cele
brating on each of these dates. Coming in third
with 5 students each are January 30, October 6,
October 8, and October 29.
. ..
November
October
June
61
58
53
January, March, July 51
December 49
September 47
February, April 45
May 43
Kevin Lawrence takes advantage of the |
new pay phone while others wait their |
turns. I
What's in a Name? !
By Meonne Blalock and Shelly Austin [
When someone yells “Jeimfer!” or “Jolm!” |
how many people actually turn to answer? With |
20 girls at AHS named Jennifer and 20 guys j
named John it is easy for others with the same |
name to think you are talking to them when . j
you’re not. Jon and Jennifer Eddins probably get i
double the trouble in the name mixups. They i
have the same last name, the same birthday, and i
the most popular first names at school. Michael
Todd Furr and Michael Todd Furr also have the
same trouble when someone announces, "Will
Mike Furr report to the office?" The two Leslie
Morgans and the two Jonathan B ennetts are in the
same predicament.