COVER- The young & the restless: Local youths share their world
What makes teens tick? Are too many tests making kids tubby? Is UVA's coal tower putting children at risk? The Hook's family issue tackles these questions, plus don't miss our local version of "Before they were stars."<
You may have seen them gather near "watering holes" and "places of material consumption." Forming what we might call "social clusters" or "human herds," they communicate using a mysterious dialect unintelligible to outsiders.
In speech replete with abbreviations, slang, and punctuated by high-pitched noises known as "giggles," they exchange information in a way almost entirely indecipherable to those of us whose "hip factor" has atrophied (and not been replaced).
Never trust anyone over 30?
Never mind that. In what we think of as a "spontaneous social experiment," the Hook asked local teens to share the secrets of their subculture. And as it turns out, we adults have nothing to fear.
Indeed, we have seen the teen, and he is us. Totally rad, dude.
Albemarle High School students Jessie Martin and Paige Rumfelt hang after school at Mario's Pizza
Hilary Walker
Name: Hilary Walker
Age: 14
School: 9th grade, Charlottesville High School
Favorite restaurant: Um... I like a lot of places, Christian's, that dumpling place on the Downtown Mall [Marco and Luca],
Best band: I like a lot of bands, too: Coldplay, U2, Relient K.
Transportation: My mom's car? I can't drive.
I live with: My fam! Dad, mom, brother, sister
Always in my backpack: I think my friend's sock is in there, and then there's my cell phone and maybe some Chapstick.
Hobbies: I love listening to music and playing my guitar. I go out with my friends a lot.
Hangout: I like hanging out on the Downtown Mall when it's not cold. I'm usually at other people's houses.
Best about Charlottesville: I love that Charlottesville is small, and the people here are awesome.
Worst about Charlottesville: I don't know– I guess it can be kind of isolated sometimes.
Drives you crazy: Being stuck on Saturday with nothing to do. Ahhhhhh!
Biggest concern for teens: I definitely think communication is hard for people. A lot of times you're pressured to be someone you're not.
In 10 years I'll be... A movie star! No, I'll probably be married to an insanely rich, perfect man.
Emily Hornsby
Name: Emily Hornsby
Age: 14
School: 8th grade at Buford Middle School
Favorite restaurant: C'ville Coffee
Best band: I hate favorites. I always have too many answers. I like The Who, Franz Ferdinand, Death Cab, and my uncle [Bruce Hornsby]
Transportation: Seeing as I'm 14, I'm pretty much limited to my bike and my feet.
I live with: mi familia (mom, dad, two sisters, one brother)
Always in my backpack: I can tell you what's not always in my backpack: a pencil. I seem to lose about three a day.
Hobbies: Listening to music, instant messaging. I play lacrosse and field hockey. I like to snowboard when I get a chance, clog dancing– no, just kidding.
Hangout: Downtown Mall, friends' houses, you know, clubs, bars (just kidding)
Best about Charlottesville: The people. It has a little of everything– like a stew, I suppose– or a melting pot.
Worst about Charlottesville: It's kind of small.
Drives you crazy: Kids, mostly boys, who watch Cartoon Network and try to be annoying.
Biggest concern for teens: um, drugs. That's probably what you want me to say.
In 10 years I'll be... famous. And if that doesn't work, I've always wanted to be a sponge diver.
Ross Bollinger
Name: Ross Bollinger
Age: 18
School: 12th grade at the Renaissance School
Favorite local restaurant: New York Grille (though I rarely am able to go)
Best band: The Unicorns
Transportation mode: Car
I live with: mom, dad, brother, sister
Always in my backpack: school books
Hobbies: Animating, playing music
Hangout: Around town
Best about Charlottesville: You know everyone.
Worst about Charlottesville: You know everyone.
Drives you crazy: That Zendik commune magazine
Biggest concern for teens: Crack!
In 10 years I'll be... An animator in New York, I hope.
Eleseea Granger
Name: Eleseea Granger
Age: 13
School: 7th grade at Burley Middle School
Favorite restaurant: Chik-Fil-A
Best band: Chris Brown
Transportation: Bus and walk
I live with: Mom and two younger brothers
Always in my backpack: Money and phone and lip gloss
Hobbies: Shopping, dancing, singing
Hangout: My cousin's house, the Downtown Mall
Best about Charlottesville: Boys
Worst about Charlottesville: School districts
Drives you crazy: Being told to go clean up my room
Biggest concern for teens: People in my face
In 10 years I'll be... living with Chris Brown
Chris Sanford
Name: Chris Sanford
Age: 16
School: 10th grade at Madison High School
Favorite restaurant: Miller's
Best band: Grateful Dead
Transportation mode: 240SX Nissan
I live with: Dad
Always in my backpack: Magazines
Hobbies: Carve and smoke
Hangout: Wherever people are
Best about Charlottesville: Hot girls
Worst about Charlottesville: Traffic
Drives you crazy: Sh**ty drivers
Biggest concern for teens: No answer
In 10 years I'll be... rich
Evan Long
Name: Evan Long
Age: 14
School: 8th grade at Buford Middle School
Favorite restaurant: Mudhouse
Best band: The Used
Transportation: Foot, parents, skateboard
I live with: Dad
Always in my backpack: A good book
Hobbies: Reading, skateboarding
Hangout: Downtown Mall
Best about Charlottesville: Everything is so close.
Worst about Charlottesville: violence
Drives you crazy: My older sister
Biggest concern for teens: Drugs/violence
In 10 years I'll be... in college
Lindsay Black
Name: Lindsay Black
Age: 14
School/grade: 9th grade home schooler. I use the Christa McAuliffe Academy online program.
Favorite restaurant: Lime Leaf
Best band: I like a lot of bands.
Transportation: My parents drive me around.
I live with: Parents, brother, three dogs
Always in my backpack: My iPod Nano
Hobbies: I spend most of my time figure skating. I skate around four hours every day. Otherwise, I love to shop!
Hangout: Ice rinks all over Virginia
Best about Charlottesville: It's not too big, yet not too small.
Worst about Charlottesville: I doesn't have most of my favorite stores.
Drives you crazy: Nothing
Biggest concern for Charlottesville teens: No answer
In 10 years I'll be... Hopefully, I'll be an Olympic champion!
Ari Berne
Name: Ari Berne
Age:16
School: 10th grade at Charlottesville High School
Favorite restaurant: Bodo's
Best band: The Beetnix
Transportation: A car
I live with: My parents and sister
Always in my backpack: My binder
Hobbies: Rap
Hangout: Brother's house and Music Resource Center
Best about Charlottesville: Downtown
Worst about Charlottesville: I don't have any complaints.
Drives you crazy: Music
Biggest concern for teens: Teens are influenced by media, and they're not open-minded at all. They try to be what they see on TV.
In 10 years I'll be... Hopefully I'll be working in the music industry, not for the glitz and glamour, but so I can afford to feed a family and do what I love.
Joseph Genest
Name: Joseph Genest
Age: 13
School: 8th grade at Burley Middle School
Favorite restaurant: It would have to be a tie between Mellow Mushroom, College Inn, and Lazy Parrot.
Best band: Local: a tie between Body for Karate and The Wave. National: too many to name, but currently I like a lot of classics and a lot of rock, and I've been getting into a lot of different types of music, like classical, rap, reggae, jazz, and blues.
Transportation: Walking, my skateboard, or mom's car
I live with: My parents and dog
Always in my backpack: Food
Hobbies: I'm starting snowboarding, skateboarding, music, videogames.
Hangout: Skatepark, MRC, the malls when I can afford them, and Wintergreen when I can afford that
Best about Charlottesville: A nice, safe, community
Worst about Charlottesville: It lacks inexpensive activities for teens.
Drives you crazy: Annoying things and people
Biggest concern for teens: idk [that's IM slang for "I Don't Know," for you fuddy-duddies] There aren't too many issues that I can think of. Charlottesville doesn't really have too many issues.
In 10 years I'll be... idk, hopefully doing something in music, and hopefully still Joseph
Danielle Purpura
Name: Danielle Purpura
Age: 16
School: 11th grade at the Renaissance School
Favorite restaurant: Bodo's and Sylvia's pizza
Best band: In Charlottesville Body for Karate, a and now my friend's band is Love Tentacle Drip Society
Transportation: car
I live with: Mom, stepdad, sister and grandparents
Always in my backpack: My license, hopefully
Hobbies: Singing, playing cello
Hangout: Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar, Music Resource Center
Best about Charlottesville: I like the music scene a lot.
Worst about Charlottesville: Traffic and parking
Drives you crazy: Mostly bad drivers
Biggest concern for teens: I don't really know of a specific problem for teenagers
In 10 years I'll be... singing opera and playing cello. Living abroad would be awesome.
Tierra Oliver
Name: Tierra Oliver
Age: 14
School: 9th grade at Charlottesville High School
Favorite restaurant: Wood Grill
Best band: Mary J. Blige
Transportation: sister or aunt's car
I live with: Mom and younger sister
Always in my backpack: books and lotion
Hobbies: dancing, singing and reading
Hangout: Fashion Square Mall
Best about Charlottesville: It has a low-cost studio where everyone can hang out.
Worst about Charlottesville: There's no where for teens to hangout at night and on weekends.
Drives you crazy: People talking at the same time.
Biggest concern for teens: gangs and drugs
In 10 years I'll be... still going to law school
You've come a long way, baby: A look back at locals
Today, the following people are paragons of success and poise– leaders in our community, a talented musician, a renegade performance artist. But it hasn't always been easy. As the following pictures attest, sometimes "cool" takes a while to kick in...
Performance artist 'Stevie Jay'
"You want to know what it was like for me in those days? This is a case where a picture paints a thousand words," jokes Steven Savit.
County supervisors chair Dennis Rooker
"I loved sports and music and still
do," says Rooker, seen here at age 15 in 1965.
PHOTO COURTESY DENNIS ROOKER
Dennis Rooker
FILE PHOTO BY JEN FARIELLO
City Councilor Kendra Hamilton
"Here I am, cleaned up in ninth grade with my hair brushed and without my glasses."
PHOTO COURTESY KENDRA HAMILTON
Kendra Hamilton
FILE PHOTO BY JEN FARIELLO
City Councilor Rob Schilling
PHOTO COURTESY ROB SCHILLING
"The year was 1977. As you can tell from my deep tan, I really liked going to the beach. In fact, I had just returned from a family vacation to Hawaii when this picture was taken."
FILE PHOTO BY JEN FARIELLO
City Councilor Blake Caravati
"I soon realized that a bellhop career was not for me," says Caravati, seen here as a 17-year-old Lieutenant at Benedictine High School in Richmond.
PHOTO COURTESY BLAKE CARAVATI
FILE PHOTO BY JEN FARIELLO
Singer-songwriter Terri Allard
"I loved that cowl-neck sweater," recalls Allard of her 16-year-old self.
PHOTO COURTESY TERRI ALLARD
FILE PHOTO BY JEN FARIELLO
Does SOL = FAT? Where's the P.E.?
By the time they reach third grade, today's elementary school students have already faced a slew of state and federally mandated tests. Even kindergarten– once a paradise of naptimes and crayons– has been infected by the virus of academic expectations. And as the pressure for academic achievement has increased, so too has childhood obesity– reaching what U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt called in a recent speech a "public health crisis."
In some school districts, the push for academic excellence has pushed down the time spent on recess and sports. But avoiding exercise can lead to a variety of physical ailments and make it harder to concentrate, according to data from the National Association of Sport and Physical Education.
"The ideal is to do half an hour every day," says Nancy Markos, physical education teacher at Albemarle's Broadus Wood elementary school. "We're giving them lots of academics," she adds. "You can't have children sit all day long."
The Association recommends 150 minutes of formal physical education per week for elementary school students (that time rises to 225 minutes per week for middle and high schoolers) or at least three class periods each week all year.
Last year, Albemarle County adopted a minimum physical education requirement of 120 minutes, down from 150 minutes in 1998, according to Markos. Several Albemarle County elementary schools offer P.E. four days a week in addition to 30 minutes of recess a day. But in the city, where the achievement gap is glaring and the pressure is on from all sides, physical education and recess get less attention than they do in the county.
According to Linda Bowen in the Charlottesville Schools' administrative office, the school board recommends just 90 minutes of P.E., and there is no written requirement. She points out that the system complies with the SOL requirements for P.E., which dictate the types of activities students should be learning, but not the amount of time.
According to Venable School principal Malcolm Jarrell (whose school tops the list of city schools for combined P.E. and recess time), it's not fair to expect the school to provide everything.
"We have a six-hour day," says Jarrell, "and if you expect everything that every student needs– from nutrition to academics– you can't cram all of that in that amount of time."
Here's how they stack up:
Charlottesville Elementary Schools
Venable:
P.E.: Three 30-minute periods a week
Recess: 30 minutes daily
Total: 240 minutes
Burnley-Moran:
P.E. Two 30-minute periods a week grades K-2; three 30-minute periods a week grades 3-4
Recess: 15 minutes
Total: 135 minutes K-2/165 minutes 3-4
Greenbriar:
P.E.: Two 30-minute periods per week
Recess: 20 minutes daily; second 15-minute recess for grades K-1 on non-P.E. days.
Total: 205 minutes K-1; 160 minutes for grades 2-4
Clarke:
P.E.: Two 45-minute periods a week
Recess: 20 minutes daily
Total: 190 minutes
Jackson Via:
P.E. Two 30-minute periods a week grades K-2
Recess: 15 minutes
Total: 135 minutes -
Johnson:
P.E. Two 30-minute classes a week
Recess: 15 minutes recess each day
Total: 135 minutes
Albemarle Elementary Schools (a sampling)
Agnor Hurt
PE: three 45-minute periods a week
Recess: 15 minutes daily
Total: 210 minutes
Baker Butler
P.E. Four 30-minute periods
Recess: Teacher's discretion
Total: varies
Broadus Wood
P.E.: Four 30 minute periods grades K-4; Five 30 minute periods grade 5
Recess: Teacher's discretion
Total: varies
Meriwether-Lewis
P.E.: Four 30-minute periods grades K-1; two 45-minute and one 30-minute period grades 2-5.
Recess: minimum of 15 minutes daily
Total: 195 minutes
Red Hill
P.E.: Five 30-minute periods a week
Recess: Daily, length at teacher's discretion
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