Their world in their words Their world in their words (September 01, 2004)

Four high school students discuss college, late-night studying and what's for lunch

Alexandria Rocha

It must have been another time and another town when the teenage years were labeled the age of indiscretion. Today's Palo Alto teenagers are masters of responsibility. They juggle diverse commitments, from softball to band to theater, and manage class schedules like college students. Like adults, they too wish there were more hours in a day.

The freshman, sophomore, junior and senior featured in our Q and A are at different stages of the coming-of-age experience, yet all share similarities. As Kindel Launer, a new teacher at Palo Alto High School, puts it: "Students are students are students."

And the Palo Alto Unified School District has more than 10,000 of them, with about 1,450 in high school. These are some of the brightest students in the state, vying for spots at the top colleges while balancing the toils of being a teen.

That stress has created a world of high stakes for Palo Alto's teenagers. They grow up, like Maya Bruhis, 14, dreaming of going to Harvard University, and believing that what they do in high school, and how well they do it, will get them there.

For some, the stress isn't worth it, and like Trevor Felch, 15, or Elena Stillerman, 17, they decide to take less demanding classes and prepare for careers based on their passions. For Trevor, that's being a professional sports announcer; for Elena, it's interior decorating.

Then there are students like Kevin Chen, 16 next week, who pack on the AP courses, extra-curricular activities and sports -- all in stride.

To understand how they view their world and cope with the highs and lows of high school, you have to hear them explain it in their own words.

E-mail a friend a link to this story.

[an error occurred while processing this directive]