STUDENTS STILL HAVE FUN AT SCHOOL

Several years ago only those adults who chose to watch Fifteen, Beverly Hills 90210, Saved By The Bell or a handful of other television shows aimed at the younger teen market, got a glimpse at what supposedly goes on inside America's high schools and junior highs.

Today, following outbreaks of violence in schools across the country, frequent charges of sexual harassment by female students, gang activity, continued drug and alcohol problems and other highly-publicized fiascoes, chances are virtually every American adult has formed an image of modern school life.

Like the glib "after school" TV shows, this picture is probably not accurate in many areas.

Things are changing, no doubt, even in Jackson High School. This year a resource officer from the Jackson Police Department has been added, along with other security procedures. At various times during the past several months, tension has been in the air -- especially after local bomb threats followed the Littleton, Colo. tragedy in April.

For the average JHS student, though -- and especially for the dozen active campus leaders who met with the USA Signal last week, school is still a fun place to be.

"I think everybody has a lot of fun in high school," said Josh Pfefferkorn, local and state president of the Future Business Leaders of America president. "It's a good time here."

"By the time we're seniors, we're comfortable in school and with our friends and more relaxed," said Marci Myracle, president of Peer Tutors.

"You can definitely tell a difference between sophomores and seniors," agreed Julie Gerecke, French Club president. "Sophomores definitely haven't found their niche and don't know where they want to be."

Not all of the approximately 1,030 JHS students are Eagle Scouts. The secret to adapting and feeling at home, according to the dozen student leaders, is to find a peer group or niche of friends.

"I think you choose the people you are around," Pfefferkorn said. "The people I've chosen to hang out with are not the morons out there. You choose your friends and you have the opportunity to pick who you hang out with."

As next week's follow up article will show, the students push active membership in one or more of the school's organizations and clubs as another vital way of getting into the flow of things.

Where male-female relations have become almost adversarial in some schools, questions about the two genders barely drew a response from the JHS students.

"I think there's not a break in guys versus girls; it's not like that at all in Jackson," said Maggie Martin, president of Spanish Club and a co-editor of The Squawler. "Everybody's supportive of each other. There are just as many guys at girls' basketball games as girls at guys' basketball games. It's not like a race."

"Some of my best friends here at Jackson are guys," said Abby Grossheider, president of National Honor Society. "They're just as supportive as my girlfriends and I couldn't ask for better ones."

The male representatives seemed just as pleased with the other gender.

"You always bad apples," said Tim Nicolai, president of Drama Club, "but in general the female population of Jackson is awesome.

Being a teenager continues to be a challenging -- at times overwhelming -- time of life. Yet it also continues to be a rewarding and enjoyable time for most teens. Jackson High School students in 1999 may not live the lives of romanticized television characters. Neither are they going to classes in a daily war zone, though.

While the world is rapidly changing, the teenage years continue to be a time of excitement and growing independence, not necessarily that different from the high school memories of today's adult population.

Check out part two of the Jackson USA Signal's exclusive interview with 12 leading JHS students in next week's Signal!