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Volume IK Number 2
The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
October 26, 1988
NCSSM Students Attend Conference
Beth Krodel^ Dana
Bius and Bo V/allace
Students across the nation
joined Carl Sagan during the
weekend of Sept. 30 at the
First National Student
Conference of the
Consortium of Specialized
High Schools of Science,
Mathematics and Tech
nology .
Ten NCSSM students .
were part of the experience
held at Thomas Jefferson
High School for Science and
Technology in Fairfax,
Vwginia.
The delegates had a full
itinerary during the con
ference They left NCSSM
around 6:30 Friday morning
and arrived at the school
about 12;30pjn. The
delegates heard welcoming
speeches, visited the
Smithsonian, and tcured the
host school's technology
labs. Friday night they
stayed at the homes of
students from Thomas
Jefferson.
Saturday, Carl Sagan
spoke to the Consortium on
the responsibility of
students at high-caliber
schools to sha^e with
society the benefits of their
unusual educations.
Science teaches
skepticism, he said, and he
stressed the importance of
science in education.
"Carl Sagan was an
inspirational speaker, and
he set the tone for the
importance of the con
ference," said delegate
Kirk Hicks
Following Saga's
speach, delegates parti
cipated in panel discussions
ranging from artificial
Titelligence to biotech
nology . The delegates were
not enthusiastic about these
discussions.
About the discussions,
Kathie Jordan commented,
"They were a nice idea, but
they weren't very well
done."
Finally, the
student-delegates met to
conduct the business of the
conference. One idea
discussed was a student
exchange program among
the schools in the
Eilber Resigns
by Tammy E. Williams
Charles R, Eitoer, the
Director of NCSSM, is
resigning at the end of this
school year.
He has been the Director
here for ten years and was
responsible for getting this
prototype school off the
ground. In July, 1979, he
undertook the challenge
of creating a school that
was to become a model for
the nation.
Since that time, he has
seen this school grow into
an institution that attracts
not only the state's
brightest young minds, but
also caring staff and
faculty.
Director Eilber has also
acted as advisor to other
states that are building
schools similar to ours. Last
year, he recommended the
Second Decade Study to the
Board of Trustees. This
Director Eilber
study win evaluate the
progress of NCSSM and plan
for the next ten y ears.
Eilber feels that this
would be a good time to step
down and let "a new
director come aboard to
take on the responsi>ility of
moving the school into the
future."
Director Eilber s plans
for his own future include
exploring opportunities that
would provide him with
chances to focus on
educational services to
corporations, foundations,
legislatures and foreign
countries.
1/
tji
f-'i
Bartkovich, Baaey, Jordan, Wallace. Fordham,
Eilber, Cannon, Cory, Kradel, Hamze tp. , ,
Consortium. This program
would be available for
NCSSM students during
Special Projects Week
In addition, delegates
proposed a Student Council
to be represented by
schools of the Consortium.
Plans were made to set up
a computer network
(Vidnet) to improve com
munication between the
member schools.
The delegates also
discussed next year's
conference Current plans
call for the new meeting to
be held at NCSSM or a
Texas school. 'Looking vito
the 1990's " is the likely
theme. There will be an
emphasis on women and
minorities in science, as
there was a noticeable lack
of participation at the con
ference from these groups.
The Inter-Relations
Committee is handling the
student exchange program
and the plans for the 1989
conference Any interested
students should contact
Danny Cory
Attending "S&Mers"
were Hicks, Jordan, Cory,
Chris Boney, Bo Wallace,
Samara Hamze, Michelle
Fordham, Beth Krodel,
Celeste Posey, and Theresa
Cannon, accompanied by
math teacher Kevin
Bartkovich.
Student Requests Exceed Activity Funding
by Leighann Pake
The amount of money
budgeted by the Parents'
Fund for organizations such
as athletics. Student Council
and the Social Activities
Board is the same this year,
not less as some have
complained.
According to Principal
Bill Youngblood, the groups
requested 64 percent more
than last year in their
budgets, and the Parents'
Fund could not support all
the requests.
"The amount given to the
athletic and social program
is virtually the same,"
Braughn Taylor, deputy
director, explained. It turns
out to be even a small
increase. Athletics received
$33,555 — an increase of
$3,455. Student Council
received $5,250 — an
additional $25.
The bus driver problem
was obviously a prohibitor
of allowing the groups their
rattested increase. Now
that students under 18 can
no longer drive vans or
buses, the: school must pay
drivers. Accordrig to
Tay lor, the state finances
student transportation for
curriculum purposes, but
buses for the athletic and
social events are funded by
the parents.
Astoundiigly, 80
percent of the parents
donated $122,000 last
year, but the Parent's Fund
could not have been ex
pected to increase the 64
percent more that the
activities had requested.
How are the groups going
to obtain the extra money ?
According to Alan Jackson,
treasurer of Student
Council, many clubs will
charge dues and hope for
their annual fundraiser
to have a good turnout.
The percentage of
students involved in outside
activities is great here. It
is nigher than most public
high schools, bec^se many
students are involved in
more than one activity.
“Ve are all concerned
and sensitive about funding
for activities," Youngblood
said.
Youngblood has foreseen
positive results from this
money disagreement. "I
have asked (Vice Princpal)
Joan Barber to work closely
with the student body to
adjust a budget this year "
What’s inside...
Dukakis wins!
p.2
Liaard fossils
p.3
Ted’s Team
p.4