Local News
Risky behaviors said to contribute to teen pregnancy problem
CHICKASHA — Chickasha teens are learning far more than reading, writing, and arithmetic these days.
It seems that some high school students are involved in more “down-to-earth” extra curricular activities like booze, drugs, and sex.
“There’s an awful lot going on that people don’t realize,” said Chickasha High School senior Emily Summars, 17. “You hear crazy stuff at the high school.”
According to Summars, students come to class on Monday mornings boasting about how they and their friends behaved over the weekend.
“Every Monday you hear about kids who have gotten drunk and done the drugs,” said Summars. “And you hear about people who have gotten so drunk that they got into fights and ended up in the hospital.”
Former Chickasha High School student Courtney Sherwood, 17, of Rush Springs, concurs, saying that there was a great deal of peer pressure when she was in high school.
“I used to go to parties where older people were buying teens drinks,” said Sherwood. “There was a lot of peer pressure to drink, do drugs, and to have sex. I fell for all three of them.”
As a result, Sherwood got pregnant at 15 and became a single parent at 16.
“Everybody drinks. I don’t know any kid up there [Chickasha] who doesn’t or hasn’t,” said Sherwood. “Whether you’re from the best family or the worst family, you’re gonna do it.”
Summars is also aware of these parties, and, although she does not drink or do drugs, she knows teens that do.
“College students have parties and they don’t know high school students are there. They can’t tell them from college kids, and the high school kids lie about their ages,” said Summars. “I never partake, but I hear about it all the time. But, you also hear about the ones who stay sober and watch out for their friends - very rarely, but you do hear about them. They act like guardian angels.”
One consequence of this kind of behavior is that teenage girls are getting pregnant. When Sherwood enrolled in high school at Rush Springs, she felt out of place, because only one other girl was pregnant, and she was not showing yet.
“In Chickasha, there were lots of pregnant girls and girls with kids at the Academy, and at Chickasha High School,” said Sherwood. “I have four teenage friends who are pregnant right now.”
“I know of two girls at school who are pregnant, one of them is my friend,” said Summars. “They get pregnant and start showing at five to seven months, then they usually go to the Academy because it has smaller classes and a totally different atmosphere than the high school.”
The Academy the girls mention is the Quality Academy, which is affiliated with Chickasha High School.
“The Academy is set up for kids with academic deficiencies and health problems. We consider pregnancy a health issue,” said Liz Ketchum, Quality Academy principal. “The Academy is an alternative for them; they are not required to come over. They are allowed to stay at the high school if they want to. There are still girls at the high school who are going to be teen parents.”
Students must go through an application process to enter the Academy. Next, the student and his or her parents must meet with school officials at an Intake Meeting where the student tells why he or she wishes to attend the Academy. Then a committee makes the final decision about whether a student is allowed to enroll.
“We have a great atmosphere here,” said Ketchum. “All the kids who are here want to achieve, so we have very few disciplinary issues.”
Students who attend the Academy may return to Chickasha High School for graduation, or they may graduate from the Academy. Either way, they receive a high school diploma.
According to Chickasha High School Principal, Beth Reigh Edwards, there are some pregnant students at the high school, but she has no statistics about the actual number.
“It’s a privacy issue,” said Edwards.
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Transformations
What comes to mind when you think of the word, “Transformation”?Do you have fantastic thoughts of people or things changing into something amazing for example, Clark Kent turning into Superman or Bruce Banner becoming the Incredible Hulk or possibly something a little more down to earth like a caterpillar miraculously changing into the beautiful butterfly?
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GRADY COUNTY FAIR RESULTS
Plants
Potted Plants
(Several varieties combined)
First: (Adult) Ann O'Bar
Second: (Adult) Joyce Riker
Third: (Adult) Jallane Link -
AROUND THE AREA
SEPTEMBER 2
Poetry Reading
• When: Sept. 2, 7 p.m.
• Where: Eduardo’s Mexican Restaurant, Private Room, 3127 S. 4th St., Chickasha
• Details: Featured Poet is Carol Hamilton, writer, storyteller and Poet Laureate of Oklahoma 1995-97Hamilton’s website is www.carolhamilton.org. There is no admission fee to attend the Poetry Reading, and refreshments are available for purchase. For more information, contact Rockford Johnson, 224-0160 or 317-7506. -
Duncan nips Chicks for straight-game win
Duncan got their eighth match win of the season Tuesday, beating Nancy Waters’ Lady Chicks in straight games at the Activity Center.
The Chicks looked like they had a little hangover from Monday night’s tough road loss at Tecumseh, coming out flat again and dropping their first two games by identical 25-17 scores.
They came out firing on all eight cylinders for game three, running out to a 15-9 lead on the strength of a 7-0 run with Shelby Crosley serving, but the Demons battled back to tie it late and the Chicks let it slip away, 25-21. -
STATE SPORTS BRIEFS
NORMAN (AP) — Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops has named walk-on Patrick O'Hara as the starting place-kicker for the seventh-ranked Sooners.
Stoops said on his radio show Tuesday night that O'Hara won the competition with Jimmy Stevens, freshman Michael Hunnicutt and redshirt freshman Bryce Easley. -
OSU's Gundy still learning on job
STILLWATER (AP) — Mike Gundy hasn't lost his love for dialing up the right play to keep Oklahoma State's offense purring along.
That passion, which he has called the most enjoyable part of his job as head coach, was bred into him as an offensive coordinator. And he is a former starting quarterback for the Cowboys. -
Whimsical metal work, jewelry part of big art show at USAO
A showing of whimsical metal work and jewelry is scheduled to be on display at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma during Helen’s Show Sept. 10-Oct 1.
The show will feature the work of USAO graduate Helen Shafer. The exhibition will be open daily during normal business hours in the Davis Hall Third Floor Art Gallery on the USAO campus. The show is free and open to the public. An opening reception is scheduled Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. in the gallery. -
High-speed chase lands 1 in jail
A high-speed motorcycle chase down Highway 81 last Wednesday landed a Ninnekah man in jail and a felony charge of eluding a police officer.
Court records show that James William Hutchins, 21, blew by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Timothy Parrish at U.S. Highway 81 and County Road 1460 and was clocked going 144 miles per hour in a posted 70 miles per hour zone.
Parrish reported that he was sitting stationary at that location at about 3:45 p.m. on Aug. 25 when he observed a red motorcycle traveling southbound. He engaged his emergency lights and siren and pulled onto the roadway behind the Triumph motorcycle. -
5 inmates denied parole
Parole was recently denied for five Grady County inmates serving sentences with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
The following individuals were denied at the August Pardon and Parole Board meeting:
• Jeremiah Daniel Cline, who is serving a five-year sentence for distribution of a controlled dangerous substance and a five-year sentence for possession of a controlled dangerous substance, began his sentence in August 2008.
• Warren P. Diego, who is serving a 15-year sentence (10 years PTS) for lewd molestation, began his sentence in February 2009. -
Judge recuses herself from pharmacy case
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Transformations
