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Show would stamp "Brain" across their foreheads. However, they are what one would like to look at and find reflected in himself. As I have observed some of them, never by word or action have I noticed that they knew they had superior powers lurking beneath their stylish hairdo's. The differences I have felt have been in their capacity to genuinely care, and their concern for those around them. If I were to ask them what made them stand above the crowd, suspect that they would look at me wide-eyed, and wonder what I was talking about. Some of their parents aren't as reticent. "He came that way", was the easy answer given by one. Another said, "She's not really all that smart - she just studies all the time." One mother put it succinctly. "It's just a lot of hard work." Scholastic results are not the only thing which sets them apart. They are found as student leaders, band and choral officers offic-ers and members, cheerleaders, debators, speech and drama entrants, and musical production participants. In addition, they are Eagle Scouts, church youth group leaders, tutors, yard-care experts, and the neighborhood's favorite baby sitter. One such youth vowed at a young age that he would never be bored. And he hasn't been. As he has excelled at one thing, another has come along with its challenges, and he tackles that too. He enjoys collecting things - merit badges, grades, (top) and essay questions, which he answers with knowledge, skill, and humor. Along with everything else they do, many of them also work at gainful employment, where they spend upwards of 20 hours per week. They are quick, courteous, and hard-working - an invaluable asset to their employers. When you know how involved in-volved these students are (in just about everything) you wonder when they have time for the study which their parents claim they do. After her last AP test, one young lady explained it this way. "I can go to my brother's soccer game tonight without my books, and not feel guilty. I never go anyplace without studying along the way." I am suspicious that many of them burn the midnight oil and do without a lot of sleep in order to be and do what counts most to them. Their commitment to their ideals, goals, dreams, plans, and each other, is refreshing. Many of them never make the headlines, head-lines, nor receive a lot of public recognition. They're not interested in-terested in headlines, which are not always positive anyway, and both public and private contribution seems to satisfy them. You have to know how truly unique they are, for they won't publicly advertise their abilities. The contributions they are bound to make as the years pass, are presently unmeasurable. As the bell rang back in the fall of '85, the school year stretched out unendingly before them. They really didn't think it . would ever end especially not the AP classes. But it has and they did and they passed. Congratulations to the graduates of 1986. We know we'll be hearing from you. Kelley f Hard work pays The high school seniors didn't think it would ever happen, but it has. They're finally over. Tests, I mean. At least the big ones, particularly the AP tests. For the unitiated, AP stands for advanced adv-anced placement. Students who have been in AP classes during the school year have the opportunity at year's end, to take a test to determine if they qualify for college credit in various academic acade-mic subjects. Classes are difficult, accelerating the pace from the norm. Students either sink or swim, according to their effort and study. One soon-to-be graduate, shortly after finishing the last of several of these tests commented, "I think I made it. It was hard, and I didn't get the highest mark, but I passed." This particular young lady, along with some of her close friends, is graduating at the top of her class. She has achieved "academic excellence", with resulting honors, awards, and scholarships. Another top scholar, a young man, is also graduating at the top of his class from another area high school. Actually, there are several from each school who graduate with the rank of No. 1 . Achievement of a perfect GPA, no simple task, gives them the top rating, so it is a shared honor. In appearance, these young people are not so different from the average "typical teenager". No one, by looking at them, |