Show Wednesday September 15 2004 Sanpete Messenger Sanpete B3 Valley Edition Messenger-Gunniso- § Proud of todays youth The common consensus of how the youth of today are doing compared to earlier generations would probably be that youth today are doing much worse in every negative indicator However a recent study by American Association of School Administrators comparing youth today with youth from the early 1980s shows that today’s youth are actually doing much better The following is a list of indicators comparing data from the 21st century with data from thd 1980s: The percentage of 12th grade students smoking cigarettes daily went from 22 to 17 the percentage of 2th grade students who reported having five or more alcoholic beverages in the last two weeks went from 42 to 28 the percentage of 12th grade students who reported using illicit drugs in the previous 30 days went went from from 38 to 26 the rate of serious violent crime victimization of male youth ages 56 to 22 pregnancy rates per 1000 women ages dropped from 16 to 84 the abortion rate fell from 40 to 24 the juvenile arrest rate for property crimes fell from per 1000 women ages 148 arrests per 10000 and the number of 250 per 10000 juveniles ages to approximately to 14 in at school fell from 34 in At the same time positive indicators have risen The number of students taking AP exams rose from just under 200000 in 1981 to nearly 1600000 in 2002 The average number of Carnegie Units earned by public school graduates rose from 21 58 in 1982 to over 26 in 2000 Students earn on average one more full unit of science math and foreign language now than in 1982 when asked if schools are more or less dangerous than when they attended parInterestingly But the statistics clearly show that schools are much safer ents uniformly say “more dangerous” r percent of adults think today's youth are more aggressive and 7 percent say that today’s kids commit more crimes and are far more likely to use drugs and tobacco However the data homicides By Bob tS11'' John Hales Monday’s theme is “Hawaiand students are encouraged to wear their favorite -apparel from yet appropriate the island paradise is “Cowboy Day” Tuesday (no horses please!) and Movie theater Night at Basin Drive-iWednesday is “Camel Day or Support Your Troops Day” and students can show that supian Staff writer MT PLEASANT This theme for year’s homecoming North Sanpete High School is “You Ain’t Seen Nothin' Yet!" And while that might be true the Hawks are planning on giving the Emery Spartans something to see indeed when they play against them in the home- - coming football game on Friday the Before then however Hawks will celebrate not only school spirit but national spirit as well during activities throughweek beginout homecoming ning on Monday Day” - port by wearing military-typclothing or the traditionally triotic The annual pa- powder-puf- f football game will be held that day at 3:30 pm on the school’s main field Thursday is “Pajama PHOTO Day” “It’s getting Homecoming festivities opened up Tuesday but really kicked into high gear with the football game on powder-puf- f Thursday The Manti High senior gills squared off against the juniors in the game and both teams looked "ft studentbody and the football team for the game against the Spartans that night at 7 pm The homecoming dance (for students only) will begin immediately after the game and end at 11:30 pm Student must have their activity cards to attend ELEMENTARY Bahlmann MANTI — Apparel Day” The homecoming parade will begin Friday at 4 pm traveling down State Street and finishing at the high school A at 10:30 am will pump up the school’s MANTI PHOTO weirder all the time" says Manti High School principal Brennan Jackson about Manti's homecoming festivities “but our kids are loving it more and moie” and the JV football team will play at Emery The festivities will culminate Friday which is “SpiritHawk COURTESY MESSENGER Sports editor rable data is available” While the media often focuses on the negative we know that parents schools churches and other organizations aie impacting youth in a positive manner That is good news as the school year begins To review the materials referenced in this article please contact me for a copy along with sources In the meantime we invite you to visit any of our South Sanpete Schools Browse through the halls and enjoy the learning environment our students experience every day We certainly are not immune to the problems that the nation's youth face but it is my observation that our schools are filled with great students who are working hard and trying to accomplish worthwhile goals By CALL Homecoming antics rev up Manti High Templars shows that these indicators are significantly lower than they have ever been According to Robert Strauss an author and lecturer on generational history the millennial as the young people who range up to age 22 are called “have reduced substantially generation every single measure of undesirable behavior for which data is kept on young people while simultaneously improving nearly every measure of educational attainment for which nationally compa- North Sanpete prepares for homecoming action '' LLOYD state champion Templars catch a ride on a fire truck during Manti High The reigning School’s homecoming parade last week good They played some pretty good football too The senior team got off to a great stait diiving the length of the field to score the first touch down of the game on a sweep by Holli Harman Andi Shaw carried conthe ball in for the version Great kicking by senior Shalene Bird kept the juniors pinned deep in their own territory but that didn’t prevent them from getting back in the game On the first play of the game for the juniois Amanda Copeland went down the sideline on a 90 yard run that lightened up the score at With time running out in the Huiman again went wide to get the seniors to the line Lori Jonson took the ball in for the score as time first half ran out The second half was a defensive struggle with both teams turning the ball over and neither SCHOOL Manti Elementaiy students complete summer reading program Students at Manti Elementary who completed Bridges Activity Books this summer were rewarded with a picnic and swimming activity hosted by the PTA Back row: Mark Barton Bryant Christensen Kyle Lyon Dylan Maylett Heidi Richardson Harmonee Bigelow Jessica Lund Kelsie Meacham Middle row: Mitch Wagner Tyson Roberts Logan Lund Seth Jenkins Corey Greenhalgh Kayla Me Elisabeth Frischknecht Kaltlyn Young Marlie Meacham Jaycee Hill Jaidyn Jorgensen Michelle Traina Erin Pipes Front row: Hannah Eddy Baily Simons Kaltlyn Keisel Nathan Bradley Carson Young Not Pictured: Brandon Maylett Jorgen Rasmussen and Carson Hill Check out our newspaper’s web site: wwwsanpetemessengercom PHOTO COURTESY GUNNISON VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL Music teacher Jody Allred and girls from the Gunnison Valley High School Cantus Choir with the new Pramberger grand piano they are working to pay off New grand piano graces Gunnison High By Anita Lyons Staff writer GUNNISON— A stately Prambciger grand piano now graces the Gunnison Valley High School Music Department The South Sanpete School District paid half of the $14 (XX) cost The Music Department is committed to paying off a loan covenng the other half Cantus Choir members and music teacher Jody Allred will work in the concession stands at this year's basketball wrestling and volley ball activities to help pay the debt Watch for them working on other fundraisers as well such as a car wash or performing singing Valentines The former stage piano is now used in the music room at the high school while the former music room piano has been given to the elementary schixil |