"This year has been very rewarding and interesting for me, my family, and Velma. I wish more people would take advantage of the AFS program," said short, hazel‑eyed Marianne Bretsnyder about having Velma Welch, our foreign exchange student from Panama, stay at her home this year. Marianne is very active in the AFS program.

"It is designed to give foreign students a view of our society and country ‑ a favorable view ‑ that they can take back with them to their native countries," said Marianne. She added that it is very important to give foreign exchange students a good impression to take back with them.

Marianne is known as "Eyes 'n Ears" at Northern Illinois University. After she graduates she would like to attend Northern and get a position on the "Northern Star." After graduation Marianne would like to be a part of the newspaper world.

This year Marianne is a member of German Club, Girls' Business Club, Class Council, Quill and Scroll, and page one editor on The Westerner staff. In other years she has taken part in the activities of the executive board of Pep Club.

Marianne's interests outside of school include listening to the records of her favorite singers, Tony Bennett and Barbara Streisand, and collecting unusual mugs. She also enjoys dancing. She has taken dancing lessons for eight years, including ballet, tap, and modern jazz.

Among the courses Marianne is taking this year are English IVE, economics, government, speech, and family living.

The thing Marianne likes most about Maine West are the high standards set by teachers and the students themselves. The things she would change about Maine West are little classroom space, the lack of a fieldhouse, and not being able to advertise in The Westerner.

Marianne's most embarrassing experience takes place at least four times a day. "Every time I get a drink of water, my hair falls into the fountain."

One of her favorite pastimes is teasing her big brother and his "little friend."

She has traveled in the East and likes New York and Washington, D. C. However, her favorite city will always be Chicago since she is a fourth generation Chicagoan, a fact of which she is very proud.

Thomas "Terry" Ritter, host to Gus Herrero, our exchange student from Argentina, would like to improve Maine West by not only building a fieldhouse, but also by "having fish tanks put into the walls!" This 6', brown‑haired, green‑eyed senior likes to watch television, read, and engage in his hobbies in his spare time. Two of these hobbies are golf and tennis.

Along with that, Terry is active in Student Council, in which he was Service Committee chairman last year and is parliamentarian this year. He is also a member of Brotherhood Society, Class Council, National Historical Society, Thespian Society, and is vice‑president of his Fellowship club at the Congregational Church. Also talented in theater, Terry has participated in V‑Show and was Uncle Stanley in the Senior Class play, George Washington Slept Here.

It was in this play that a funny incident occurred and is still occurring. Playing the part of an uncle, Terry had to develop a special laugh just for this role. It seems that now many people who walk by him laugh, trying to imitate the "Uncle Stanley laugh."

His most embarrassing incident was during a V‑Show performance. "Last year I was in an act called the Early Birds. My pants kept falling down during the show because they were held together only with safety pins. At the time it wasn't too funny!"

Terry thinks the best thing about Maine West is the "cooperation within the organizations like Brotherhood and Student Council." But one thing he dislikes is "the lack of communication between the administration and faculty with the student body."

Chemistry I is his favorite subject. He is also taking English A.P., government, analytic geometry, and gym.

Terry's pet peeve is "the kids that don't respect Maine West and the seal, symbols, etc."

Next year he will attend Michigan State University where he will major in business administration and then go into law.

He has done a lot of traveling throughout the years. Not only has he visited most of the states, but three years ago, he was in Europe and is going there again this summer. Dallas, Texas, is his favorite city and state.

Terry's advice to students is to "work hard on academic subjects right from the start‑the beginning of school‑and support the teams as much as you can."