European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 22, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                              Magnuss Nilsson makes an announcement Between classes while other student Council members Christie King left and Katya Schmoll wait their turns. By Ron Jensen staff writer Lien Davenport the principal of Berlin High school said the school had two choices when approaching this the final year of the school s existence. The students faculty and staff could either suffer through the year or celebrate it. They chose to celebrate it. It s not been too bad at All said Davenport. We be tried to celebrate this and the kids have bought into that the school will close june 1, two weeks earlier than usual a victim of the draw Down that will see the Berlin brigade leave the City by the end of the year ending a historic chapter in the postwar presence of the american military in Europe. Davenport who is in his first and last year at Berlin after three years at Hanau said there have been some positive effects of the  the Honor list has grown and the failure list has shrunk. The attitude and morale of the students seem Strong. T i we re not celebrating a funeral Here he said. Gary Jacketti who is teaching television production for the second year at Berlin said he expected a More Mournful atmosphere at the school. Last year he said Berlin for its t below we re not going to a funeral Here says or. Allen Davenport the principal. Right Shawn Mason left Jimmy Hampton and Bret Poplos at work on a video project. Students Are celebrating not mourning the school closure some students responded to projects by asking Why we re not going to be Here next  i Haven t heard any of that this year he said. One reason he guessed is the final decision to close lifted the Cloud of uncertainty that floated Over the school last year when its future was unknown. We re making the most out of an unfortunate situation he said. The entire atmosphere of the school is  his students Are producing a video yearbook that will be available to All students before year s end. Russell Walton who has taught math at the school since 1975, said one reason for the positive attitude might be the nature of the student body mostly children of military families. I Don t detect a slip As far As the students Are concerned he said. They Are so accustomed to  Davenport said 338 pupils Are in grades 7 through 12 this year Down about 200 from two years ago. That s an advantage in the eyes of Christie King 17, a senior who is in her third year at the school. The classes Are really Small but it s Nice because we get More attention from the teachers she said. Josue Madera 13, a seventh grader who has been in Berlin for five years said in a Way i think it s bad because you la be leaving All your friends and you la miss All the things you do Here. When you go Back to the states you won t know  Ben Reilly 12, a seventh grader in his first year in Berlin summed up his feelings this Way it s pretty Good. It s my first time being in the last year of a school that s closing.". Joachim Jensen 17, says the school s Fate is most. Obvious at noon each Day. The lunchroom is one third full said the senior from Denmark who is in his second year at the school while his father works at a local Oil company. " t hey be taken a lot of tables out of the room and still they can t fill it  the Early closure is not a problem Davenport and his teachers said. Department of defense dependents schools have built in accelerated programs to help Speed the school year for students who Are moving before the scheduled close of the school year. The entire Berlin school is on an accelerated program but it is not As great As the Normal built in system. So the final months of the school year will slip away just like it was any other year. But next year the school will fill with German students not american ones. King has an interesting take on How things will be different. Teachers often read letters received from former students she said updating their lives since leaving the school. We won t be Able to do that she said. We won t be Able to write to our old school or come Back and visit our old school. That s too  above seventh graders Ben Reilly left and Josue Madera Learned their first year at Berlin High will be the school s last. Left Werne Prigge instructor for a computer project that links students with German schools helps seniors Christen Nilssen and Shane Clayton. The stars and stripes 17 16 the stars and stripes saturday january 22,1994