We don't have drug problems. We do not have the things like what happened in Littleton, Colorado. The April slaughter-suicide that killed 15 shocked Balboa teens, not only for its violence but for the idea that it could happen at all. There is nothing at Balboa that would pass for a gang, students agree. Even the idea of teen rebellion is foreign to many.
Latin culture puts heavy emphasis on respect for the family, especially for one's mother.
Others added that teens and adults in the United States would get along better if teens were given a little more freedom. Panama's legal drinking age is 18, and even that is rarely enforced. Going to Panama City nightclubs is a big part of the social scene for many Balboa students. Last month, they had a short-lived prom at a military recreation center before moving en masse to a downtown disco. But to focus on that, students say, belittles the significance of Balboa's last graduation.