Page 6
WELCOME Issue
Student Government takes action at NCSSM
By Katie Hobbs
Like many other high schools, NCSSM
has a Student Government Association (SGA)
whose purpose is to plan social events and
represent the student body in helping solve
community and residential programs. Last
year, SGA had four main projects.
One of the biggest successes was the stu
dent-written proposal for NCSSM students to
serve on the Judicial Hearing Board. Begin
ning this year, certain selected students will
be part of the team that hears level II and level
III cases. Hopefully this will give students a
chance to take part in NCSSM’s judicial pro
cess while increasing students’ faith in the
judicial system.
During fall 1996, students from the South
Carolina Governor’s School of Science and
Math (SCGSSM), a residential high school
similar to NCSSM, spent three days here vis
iting classes, touring Durham, and hanging
out with students. In the spring, NCSSM stu
dents visited
SCGSSM, fo
cusing on se
lected issues
and learning
about
SCGSSM’s
approach to
these topics.
With the
schools hav
ing so much
in common,
we can learn
from each
other, and we
hope to extend this interaction to other sci
ence and math schools in the future.
Student privileges were reviewed last
year, and the committee worked hard to im
prove the system. SGA suggested such new
privileges as overnight VCR check-out on
weekend nights, access to tickets for special
community
events, and
access to
faculty-
sponsored
movie runs
on Friday
and Satur
day nights
once per
quarter.
SGA also
suggested
changes in
the criteria
for being eli
gible for privileges.
Along with Dr. Barber last year, SGA
reviewed the Code of Conduct during a com
munity Speak Out, where students were in
vited to voice their opinions on the Code. Stu
dents expressed concern that the time to ap
peal a level I was too short, so SGA proposed
Joan Barber & SGA rep Tree Calloway at a SpeakOut.
that the appeals time be extended, which was
incorporated into the document in March.
Among the many community events that
SGA planned and organized were Arts Day
and AIDS Week. On Arts Day in April, the
school celebrated the artistic interest and tal
ent of the student body. Students and clubs
on campus presented visual arts, had perfor
mances in the gym, and a Coffeehouse was
held at night.
During AIDS Week, SGA presented in
formation about the effects of AIDS on soci
ety and the technological advances made in
the fight against the disease since 1980. A
speaker informed students about AIDS while
SGA passed out red ribbons at lunch.
Through SGA, this school can continue
to improve in future years. If you ever notice
a problem or even have a concern, you can
write it down and drop it in the SGA box next
to the cafeteria or get in touch with an SGA
officer or your dorm representative. Working
together, we can always make a difference.
not taught in the classroom
By John Bowman
High school has taught us many things
that will shape the rest of our lives. At
NCSSM, just life any high school, the thost
important lessons are not learned in the class
room. These lessons elude the best-laid plans
of educators, reaching students in the things
their peers are doing, in lunch time conversa
tions and in random comments in the hall.
Long after what we learn in class is forgot
ten, these social lessons of high school will
linger.
Many people in many schools have re
ceived a negative message from high school.
They have learned that they are judged by
their looks. They have discovered peer pres
sure towards sex and drugs. They have seen
life-changing effects of unwanted pregnancy
and dropping out. They have found that get
ting the right answer in class is not important
and doing well academically is not a popular
idea.
At NCSSM we have the chance for a
better high school experience. We have seen
our peers succeed, doing things we didn’t
know were possible. On SPW Sharing Day
last year, we realized that our classmates had
done amazing things. There were special
projects on such varied topics as DN A analy
sis, computer graphics, aerial photography
and bluegrass music. Individually, none of us
could have i magined the full range of projects
that were possible. NCSSM teaches us that
there are other people just as talented as we
are. Our peers can do some unique, surpris
ing things.
At NCSSM, we have seen people break
our preconceived notions and stereotypes. In
many high schools, people are classified by
their athletic ability, clothes, or ethnic back
ground. Here, we sometimes put people into
categories, but at the same time we recognize
that we can’t predict what people will be like
based on our preconceived notions. We have
to get to know them one by one.
After our time here, we know a little more
about the possibilities of life. We don't go to
school with people who are just ’’smart.” In
stead we live with people who are talented in
hundreds of different ways. NCSSM has been
a place to reconsider the limited view of the
world We had atbur old schools; It teaches us
that we are part of a bigger picture, a larger
community.
With the help of its students, NCSSM can
continue to offer a unique high school expe
rience. It will continue to teach the most im
portant lessons of all: lessons about tolerance
and maturity and the value of the people
around us. There will be no report card grade
handed out for these lessons. Life is the test.
On the weekends...
BY KEVIN Cromwell
Van Loops: Getting around
Six classes, lab periods, work service,
tutorials, housekeeping. Student Life 101,
room inspections, and term papers may leave
some students concerned that Science and
Math’s idea of fun is grammar check on
Microsoft Word. However, the Student Ac
tivities Office with assistance from the Stu
dent Activities Board frequently provides a
variety of activities both on and off campus.
The Student Activities Office, completely
funded by the Parent’s Fund, is responsible
for distributing van loop schedules as well as
providing notices regarding events and activi
ties to students and staff. The Student Activi
ties Office also plans and produces Prom Nite,
Air Band, and the Hall Theme dance.
Some activities planned for the beginning
of the school year include a T-shirt signing
dance hosted by Mike Long’s Sound and
'Video Productions, Durham Bulls baseball
games, and a pool party at the Rock Quarry
Swimming Pool. Student Activities in coop
eration with the Humanities Department will
show a movie in the Dance Studio every
weekend on the video projector. A few of the
early selections include “Rebel Without a
Cause,” “1492,” and “The Last of the
Mohicans.”
Two members from each residential hall
make up the Student Activities Board (SAB).
The SAB committee meets weekly to plan
monthly recreational and cultural activities.
Two of the early projects planned for SAB
are “Singled Out at NCSSM” and a Hallow
een Carnival. SAB provides students with an
opportunity to plan the activities in which they
want to participate and enjoy. Students can
become part of SAB by volunteering at their
first hall meeting.
Students can receive information regard
ing SAB activities by reading their email or
by checking the bulletin board outside Bryan
4. A few of the activities planned for later in
the year include the State Fair, North Caro
lina Symphony Productions, and “The Best
of Broadway Productions.” Come to the Stu
dent Activities Office anytime and provide
input and suggestions for future activities.
BY KEVIN Cromwell
Need to get to the grocery store and can’t
wait for your next hall food run? Want to try
one of the many restaurants on Ninth Street
after dark? Haven’t seen the latest “block
buster” movie and can’t afford a taxi? Try tak
ing the van^us loop, provided by the Student
Activities Office and Parents Fund for
NCSSM students and staff.
The van loop provides students with a
safe means of transportation Tuesday and
Thursday evenings as well as Friday and Sat
urday nights. Students leaving campus may
board the van at Bryan Circle outside Bryan
Lobby.
Loops travel to the parking lot near 9th
Street Active Feet, then continue to Harris
Teeter and Northgate Mall. On Friday eve
nings, students may attend movies at
Willowdale by taking the first loop at 6:45.
Students will be able to view movies at
Carmike on Saturday evenings by taking the
6:45 loop. In addition to these regular loops.
the Student Activities Office also provides a
monthly trip to South Square Mall on Satur
day afternoons.
The van loop was first implemented in
1991 by volunteers from the Parent Associa
tion and NCSSM faculty/staff. NCSSM rec
ognized the necessity of a regular schedule
and started providing paid drivers through the
Student Activities Office.
Debra Bowick and other NCSSM staff
will be the regular loop drivers for 1997-98.
Bowick will provide a resource familiar with
NCSSM needs and policies.
Students should wait in well lit areas on
Ninth Street and at Northgate while waiting
for the van loop to return. It is very important
to keep a quarter and the phone number to
the Bryan SLI Office (286-3366 ex. 637) in
case of emergencies. Also, always be polite,
courteous and respectful to fellow passengers
and the van loop driver. Students can find in
formation regarding the van loop schedules
on their residence halls and the SLI offices.