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Life goes on
By LOGAN NEILL
© St. Petersburg Times, The school year had just begun when Top of the Class first introduced readers to Chad Jones, Adam Dixon and Katie Hallberg, three Hernando County seniors who were embarking on what they considered a challenging and exciting time in their young lives. Like the rest of their classmates, each was looking forward to the months ahead and the enjoyment of the rites and celebrations that come in the final year of high school. Homecoming dances, senior nights and prom celebrations would be among the most wonderful memories they would take with them after graduation. Little did they know that their world would be forever changed by the shattering events of Sept. 11 in New York, Washington, D.C., and a field in western Pennsylvania. The uneasiness of living in a country torn by such an unprecedented tragedy was probably best summed up by Adam, an 18-year-old company commander in Central High's ROTC program, who concluded after watching the World Trade Center towers collapse that "someone else may have decided my future for me." In the weeks following the terrorist attacks, the students have attempted to focus their attention back to their educational goals. As Katie, a Springstead High senior put it: "You can't help but be anxious. It leaves a mark on you. But you also have to realize that there isn't much you can do about it, either. You have to go on." When Top of the Class caught up with the three seniors this past week, there was an undeniable notion that, indeed, life is going on. Chad Jones, Hernando HighOf his many wishes, perhaps Chad's greatest desire would be to tack on a couple of extra hours each day so he could finish all of the tasks before him. The exhausting pace that comes with a full load of honors courses has been taxing on the 17-year-old, who is hoping to get to college to study architecture next fall. Since the school year began, Chad has made that goal his top priority. He signed up for high-profile classes and special activities that he hopes will make his college resume more attractive. He signed on to be part of the school's academic and Spanish competition teams. He also agreed to take part in a project for the school's DECA business entrepreneur competition this fall. "Getting recognition is really important when you're going after scholarships," said Chad, who has narrowed his primary college choices to the University of Miami and Washington University, two schools with highly rated architecture programs. "A lot of kids make good grades, but most schools are looking for more than just that," he said. "I just hope that what I'm doing right now gives me an edge when it comes time for them to start handing out money." Chad hopes that by the second half of the school year he has been able to relax a bit more and be able to take day-to-day campus life in stride. "I wanted to get a lot of the hard work out of the way, so I could enjoy being a senior," he said. "Once I'm gone, I know I'll never get the chance again." Adam Dixon, Central HighThis was supposed to be Adam's most triumphant academic year. His goal was clear: Make good marks in every class and he could boost his cumulative grade to a level that would earn acceptance to a technology-based program in a military institution next fall. He was well on his way toward that goal, or so he thought, when he got the news that his family would be immediately relocating to the east coast, where his mother had taken a new job. Wanting to stay and finish out the school year, he chose to live at his grandmother's house, while his family relocated. The upheaval proved to be more of a distraction than he had planned. Waiting for his grandmother to return to her winter home, Adam was forced to stay at friends' houses. He missed homework assignments, and spent less and less time studying. As a result, his report card was several grades less than stellar. "My fault, no excuse," he said of his academic regression. Currently shy of the minimum 3.0 grade-point average needed to gain acceptance in a college-level officer's training program, he admits that he's under the gun to improve. "I need to get back on course," Adam said. "I'm the only one who can get it done. I just have to suck it up and work harder." Katie Hallberg, Springstead HighLike Chad, the first 12 weeks of school have found Katie immersed in her goal of getting to college next fall. Toward that effort, she took on a heavy load of honors courses, in the hope that her academic talents will be rewarded with an offer of fully paid college tuition. For months, her sights had been set on attending Appalachian Bible College, a small private institution in West Virginia. However, the 17-year-old abandoned that idea when she discovered the school does not have an accredited teaching degree program. "It was very disappointing," Katie said. "My heart was really set on it." Instead, she has turned her attention toward the University of Florida. "It's my parents' choice mostly, but I'll go along with it," she said. "They like it because it's close to home, plus Bright Futures (the scholarship program) would pay for everything but my room and board." In an effort to bolster her finances for a four-year program, Katie has embarked on a full-scale hunt for every scholarship dollar she can find. She devotes several evenings a week to filling out applications for grants big and small. "I've looked into a lot of local scholarships because they seem a little easier to get," she said. "But really, I'll take anything I can find." As vice president of the student council, Katie was involved with planning the school's recent homecoming events. But as she watched her fellow seniors in the Spirit Day parade, the finality of the event caught her by surprise. "I got very emotional about it and had to keep from crying," she said.
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