’Stoga Students take part in upcoming election pg. 12-13
THE
Sp ke
CONESTOGA HIGH SCHOOL, BERWYN, PA
VOLUME 63 NO. 1
OCTOBER 16, 2012
STOGANEWS.COM
HIGH ON
SUCCESS In this special investigation, The Spoke takes a look at how students are illegallly using prescription medications for an academic edge. By Lavi Ben-Dor and Heather Ward See pages 4 and 5.
Laura Weiss Co-editor-in-chief From afar, the hub of students on Martin’s Lane seems to be chatting before school and enjoying the sunny weekday morning. Moving closer, the spots of light from their cigarettes come into view. One student deeply exhales a curl of grayish smoke, so out of place with the bright morning around her. Another coughs into his arm. Just off of school property, they are barely safe from the school’s jurisdiction here.. Students say they come here, to “Smoker’s Corner,” to talk to each other, meet up with friends and light up. Sometimes, one student says, freshmen that are just starting to smoke hang around, trying to bum cigarettes from older, more seasoned junior and senior smokers. And when he smoked cigarettes, the student says, “That place was my home.” On March 8 the U.S. Surgeon General, Regina Benjamin, issued a tobacco use, and referring to smoking as “a global epidemic among young people.” The report details that 88 percent of adults who are daily old, and nearly 25 percent of high school seniors in the United States currently smoke cigarettes, compared to 20 percent of adults. Though slowed, bringing smoking back into the spotlight.
Photo Illustration: Margot Field and Karolis Panavas/The SPOKE Photo Illustration: Karlois Panavas and Luke Rafferty/The SPOKE