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Ball Kids

Would you like to see the 2004 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament up close and personal? If so, apply here.

MVC tournament officials again have reserved two tournament ball kid positions to Young Saint Louis.com. If selected, you will see two games from right under-the-basket at floor level.

If you'd like the opportunity, just fill out the entry form at the end of this story. Be sure to have your entries postmarked by February 21, 2004. Entries postmarked after the deadline can't be considered.

All fully-completed applications will be put into a hat and two winners will be drawn. Winners will be notified by phone. MVC tournament managers will give advance training before you go on the floor.

This YSL.com activity is open to both boys and girls, ages 10 to 13, in the metro St. Louis area.

Ball kids are stationed under the baskets during the games. Their work is important because they keep the floor clean so players don't slip and hurt themselves. Also, the kids wipe down the whole floor at half-time of the games.

The YSL.com ball kids will share in "perks" while working the games. Of course, there's free admission to your assigned games. You'll also get a MVC T-shirt. Kids get free snacks and soft drinks in the tournament media room.

There's also the opportunity to mix with the players and coaches of the tournament teams before games and during halftimes.

(For information about the experiences of past YSL.com ball kids, you can read post-tournament articles. For the 2002 article, click here. For the post-meet article from 2003, click here.)

To apply for one of the 2004 MVC ball kid spots, you need to be between 10 and 13 years of age and agree to work an entire shift. This probably will involve two games, depending on the schedule for your assigned day.

This year's MVC men's basketball tournament will be March 5-8 at the Savvis Center in downtown St. Louis. The winner of the 10-team tournament gets an automatic bid to the NCAA's national tournament.

The schedule calls for two games on Friday, March 5; four on Saturday, March 6; two on Sunday, March 9. The tournament's final game is Monday, March 4. YSL.com ball kids probably will be assigned to work on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

Here's how to enter the YSL.com ball kid drawing:

1. Print out the following entry form.
2. Fill in your name, address and telephone number.
3. Have a parent/guardian sign registration, giving permission for you to work the games.
4. Mail your entry to:
   
   MVC Ball Kids
   Young Saint Louis.com
   231 S. Bemiston, Suite 800
   Clayton, MO 63105
   
   
5. Only registrations postmarked on/before Feb. 21, 2004, will be included in the drawing.

-------------Clip here and mail-------------

YSL.com Entry for MVC Ball Kids Drawing

______ (Check) Yes, I would like to be a ball kid for the 2004 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament at the Savvis Center, March 5-8.

Name: __________________________________ Age: _____

Address: _________________________________________

City: ______________________, State: ____, ZIP: _________

Contact phone no: (____) ___________________

 

* I, _____________________________, as parent/guardian for ____________________ give my permission for him/her to work as a MVC ball kids during the March 5-8 meet.

 

History

Learn about Black History at local libraries

Question: How do potato chips, peanuts and cotton candy relate to Black History Month? Answer: These foods were developed by black Americans.

February is Black History Month. The St. Louis city and county libraries have developed a bunch of interesting programs that explore the nation's rich black culture.

(Also, see the sidebar below that lists special book lists on Black History subjects.)

The programs are scheduled for library branches throughout the area. Some are repeated at different branches on different days so you can attend close to where you live.

Many of the programs were created especially to kids. But, there are others with serious, adult historical themes that will interest all members of families, including kids.

For instance, the landmark court case that ruled segregation was unconstitutional was Brown vs. the Board of Education. This is the 50th anniversary of that 1954 decision that started in Topeka, Kan.

Linda and Cheryl Brown were young Kansas school children 50 years ago. This month, the sisters, now middle-aged women, will be in St. Louis for an anniversary program, sponsored by the St. Louis Public Library.

The anniversary program will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, in the Great Hall of the central library in downtown St. Louis.

At the time of the U.S. Supreme Court's 1954 ruling, St. Louis County had 14 school districts operating separate schools for black students.

The city libraries also will show several films about segregation battles. "Crisis at Central High School" and "The Earnest Green Story" deal with desegregation at Little Rock, Ark., schools. These and other films will be shown at various times during February.

Storyteller Glenn "Papa" Wright will give his "Taste of Black History" talk several times in February. That's where he explains the black history link to potato chips, peanuts, cotton candy and other foods.

"Papa" and Jackie Wright also are part of the St. Louis County Library's Black History programs. They present "The Lion and the Mouse," a puppet show adaptation of a famous Aesop's fable concerning kindness.

The County Library's Dream Weavers presentations involve many different aspects of Black History.

For instance, Gregory Carr presents a one-man show, "The Adventures of James Beckwourth." That tells the true story of an African-American frontiersman who became the chief of a tribe of Crow Indians.

Other dramatizations tells stories of "A Voyage through Africa" and "Africans in the Caribbean."

A neat hands-on program is The Jewelry Making Workshop. It will be repeated at 16 different county library branches. There, kids will learn how to create unique, multi-colored African jewelry.

The Black History Month offerings at both the city and county libraries are free and open to the public. However, it would be prudent to call ahead since seating will be limited for some programs.

(For a complete listing of all library presentations during Black History Month, visit the websites of the two libraries. The city library's website is at www.slpl.lib.mo.us. The county library's website is www.slcl.org.

(In addition, both library systems have created brochures that list all the programs, with dates and locations. The county's brochure is titled "Celebrating Our Accomplishments." The city's brochure is "Brown vs. Board of Education, 50th Anniversary." Check with local branches for a free copy.)

On February 26, the county library will hold an awards ceremony at the headquarters building. The ceremony will be in the auditorium, starting at 6:30 p.m. Among the awards to be given are for essay and poster contests.

The city's brochure also includes recommended Black History readings, including many for kids and young adults.

Also, the county library created for Young Saint Louis.com a list of 10 recommended books about Black History.

For those listings, see the sidebar below.

 

Reading lists for Black History Month

The St. Louis city and county libraries have developed recommended reading lists to help kids understand African-American history in the U.S.

The city library included an extensive list of books for both kids and adults. The children and young adults categories include picture books, juvenile fiction, young adult fiction, non-fiction and biography.

City county library recommendations included 10 specially selected books. The list was done for Young Saint Louis.com viewers by Mildred Rias of the library's Young Readers' Services Department.

A sampling of juvenile and young adult books from the city library include:

Juvenile fiction:

• "The Jacket," by Andrew Clements, 2002
• "Jericho Walls," by Kristi Collier, 2002
• "The Red Rose Box," by Brenda Woods, 2002

Young adult fiction:

• "Circle of Fire," by Evelyn Coleman, 2001
• "The Starplace," by Vicki Grove, 1999

Non-fiction:

• "The Story of Ruby Bridges," by Robert Coles, 1995
• "Cracking the Wall: The Struggles of the Little Rock Nine," by Eileen Lucas, 1997
• "Linda Brown, You Are Not Alone," edited by Joyce Carol Thomas, 2003

Biography:

• "Thurgood Marshall," by Ruth Tenzer, 2001.

The list of 10 recommended books for kids by the county library:

Fiction:

• "From Miss Ida's Porch," by Sandra Belton
• "No Bad News," by Kenneth Cole
• "Born to Sin," by Evelyn Coleman
• "My Home over Jordan," by Sandra Forrester
• "Running Girl: the Diary of Ebonee Rose," by Sharon Mathis

Non-fiction:

• "Slaves who Dare: the Stories of Ten African-American Heroes," by Mary Garrison.
• "Conjure Times: Black Magicians in American," by James Haskins
• "Sink or Swim: African American Lifesavers on the Outer Banks
• "A Forgotten Champion: the Story of Major Taylor." by Mary Wilds
• "From Slave to World-Class Horseman: Tom Bass," by Tom Bass

 

Music

Another in Lewis&Clark series

An original Lewis and Clark opera for kids

A bunch of St. Louis-area kids get a unique chance this month to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery. They are in the cast of an original kids' opera about the exploration.

The "Dream of the Pacific" opera will be performed for the first times this month at the St. Louis Art Museum. There will be student performances Feb. 5-6 and 9-13. Two "world premiere" performances will be at the Museum Feb. 7 at both 2 and 4 p.m.

In June, additional performances will be given by Opera Theatre at the Loretto-Hilton Theater on the campus of Webster University. Those performances will be Monday, June 21, at 7 p.m. and Tuesday, June 22, at 1 p.m.

The same cast will present the opera in both February and June.

(For information on how to attend an opera performance, see sidebar below. Also, your teacher might like to know about free class lesson plans that explain the opera.)

Ten-year-old Sarah Baldessari is the youngest member of the cast. She's thrilled to be able to learn the opera music from the person who wrote it, local composer Stephen Mager.

Sarah said, "I would have liked to meet Bach or Beethoven and hear what they thought about the music they wrote." She gets her wish with composer Mager, who also is the music director for the opera performances.

The 5th grader from Twin Oaks Christian School said the composer/director "relates well to kids and it's good to hear him tell us what his music means.".

The original opera was co-commissioned by Opera Theatre of St. Louis and the Omaha (Neb.) Opera. It is in honor of the 1804-06 exploration of the Louisiana Purchase territory from St. Louis west to the Pacific Ocean.

(Young Saint Louis.com has featured past articles about the bicentennial celebration in October, November, December, 2003, and January, 2004. To read those articles, click on to the Past Stories tab on the YSL.com home page and go to those past months.)

Baldessari and other opera cast members were picked during auditions. The kids come from throughout the St. Louis area, including Illinois.

Eighth-grader Michele Dumoulin is from St. Jacob, Ill. The Triad Middle School student signed up for the audition at the suggestion of her voice teacher, Patrice Stribling-Donald.

She's one of two members of her family in the cast. Her 16-year-old brother, Edward, is a member of the Corps of Discovery all-boy chorus. Michele is singing in the Voices of the Waters and Mandan Women and Children choruses.

Michele also likes the idea of working directly with the opera's composer. She said, "I really enjoy the opera and the composer is really fun to work with."

Eighth-grader Aaron Levin of Creve Coeur is a member of the pit orchestra which will accompany the opera singers. The Ladue Middle School student is a percussionist in the opera's orchestra.

He will play the different types of drums, bells and cymbals in the performance.

Aaron said it's exciting to play in front of an audience. "You get to test out if you've done it right," he said.

Thirteen-year-old Austin Hope of Brentwood is also in the Corps of Discovery chorus. He said he will be singing in five of the 14 scenes in the opera. He said he doesn't expect to be too nervous during the performances.

"I get very nervous if I perform solo or in a small ensemble," he said. Like many of the opera cast members, Austin is involved in instrumental music as well as singing. He has played the cello for seven year and taken voice lessons for five.

Thirteen-year-old Ashreale McDowell plays the cello and dances. In the opera chorus, she'll be singing second alto.

Ashreale is an eighth-grader at Carr Lane Visual and Performing Arts Middle School in the city of St. Louis. She said she likes to dance but that led to her most embarrassing performing experience.

"We danced at school and I had to be dressed in a tutu," she said.

However, that worked out fine. "I did a good job and the principal invited us to dance at church. We did a classical dance to the tune of 'Silent Night,'" she said.

Thirteen-year-old Nathanael McClure of High Ridge has appeared in a previous Opera Theatre performance. "I was in Opera Theatre's 'Tosca' last summer. So they sent me a letter asking if I'd like to audition for the new opera," he said.

The Northwest Valley Middle School student said he's a baritone now. "My voice changed last summer," he said.

Nathanael said he wants to be on Broadway when he grows up. "I saw 'Phantom of the Opera' when I was seven. Ever since then I've be in love with Broadway," he said.

photo1: Sarah Baldessari
photo2: Michele Dumoulin
photo3: Aaron Levin
photo4: Austin Hope
photo5: Ashreale McDowell
photo6: Nathanael McClure

About opera performances, lesson plans

The "Dream of the Pacific" opera performances in February and June are open to the public. Also, Opera Theatre has created 25 lessons to explain the opera to students in their classes.

To get student tickets, call (314) 963-4248. For "world premiere" performances, as well as those in June, call the Opera Theatre ticket office at (314) 961-0644.

In addition to commissioning the opera, organizers also have created 25 individual lesson plans that teachers can use to explain the opera. These lessons can be downloaded free by going to the opera's website at www.lewisandclarkopera.org.

 

Outdoors

Kids fish for trout in winter

Tyler Greer, Matt Breite and Andrew Shelton last month braved cold weather to take advantage of an unusual winter fishing season in St. Louis. They all used different types of bait to try to catch rainbow trout.

Usually, St. Louis-area kids and their families have to travel fairly long distances to fish for rainbow trout. The fish normally need cold, spring-fed streams or lakes to flourish.

But, from November through March, the Missouri Department of Conservation stocks catchable-sized trout in more than a dozen St. Louis area lakes. This is the time of the year when water in shallow local lakes is cold enough to sustain trout.

The MDC started its St. Louis winter trout stocking program in 1989. This season, the trout are being stocked in 16 lakes. (For a list of the 16 lakes, you can click here for an advance story from October, 2003.)

Last month, the St. Louis Parks Department added a special twist to the trout fishing opportunity. Park ranger Tim Emmons hosted an after-hours "trout-and-chili" fishing event at lakes in Suson Park In south county.

The MDC made a restocking run to Suson Park early in the week. Then, Emmons was on hand with a heated chili meal so kids and their families could warm up after fishing.

The County Parks will host another "fish-and-eat" event Friday, Feb. 6, at Tilles Park. That event is at the Windegger Shelter in Tilles from 6 to 10 a.m. There's trout fishing and an all-you-can-eat breakfast.

For information, call (314) 416-4374.

Twelve-year-old Tyler Greer is a seventh grader from High Ridge. The Suson Park outing was his third time for trout fishing. He's caught five.

At Suson Park, he used plastic worms for bait. But, he didn't expect to catch any trout that would match his biggest catch. That was a 17-inch smallmouth bass. He caught it last summer while on a canoe trip on the Black River in southern Missouri.

He said the fish is at a taxidermist being mounted now for display at his home.

Asked about his best fishing experiences, Tyler said, "Whenever I catch big fish." His worst: "When I don't catch any fish."

Tyler has been fishing since he was five. He said he hopes to make a living on the professional fishing tour.

Fourteen-year-old Matt Breite of St. Louis used a more traditional trout bait. The eighth-grader used fly-fishing gear. And he had tied his own artificial flies.

He even brought along his special brimmed leather hat to complete his fishing outfit.

He said he had caught a trout earlier in the fall. But, this was the first time he'd taken advantage of the winter trout season on St. Louis lakes.

He said he usually fishes for bass and crappie. Concerning his biggest fish, Matt said, "I caught a big carp at Trout Lodge."

He said he's been fishing for about five years.

Thirteen-year-old Andrew Shelton brought along a jar of some special, scented bait for his trout fishing efforts. He said the Powerbait "had a pretty powerful scent" when put on the fishing hook. The bait was in the form of fish eggs.

Andrew said he's been fishing since he was three. But, he added, "I'm not lucky at it."

In keeping with that, he said the biggest fish he ever caught was "almost an accident." He said he snagged a large catfish "outside his mouth' while fishing at Lake Taneycomo near Branson.

He said his best fishing trip was at Lake Barkley in Kentucky. "In just one day, I doubled the total number of fish I'd ever caught in my life."

The weather for the Lake Suson trout-and-chili event was pretty cold. In some parts of the lake, fishermen had chipped holes in the ice to get their hooks and line into the water.

But, on the lake's sheltered side, the water was open. Also, Ranger Emmons brought along a fire barrel so the fishermen could warm up if they needed it.

In the St. Louis urban trout season, MDC trucks stock the 16 lakes twice-a-month. However, they don't announce the stocking schedule. If you want to find out when the lake near you has been stocked, you can call a Fish Stocking Hot Line at (636) 300-9651.

For the early part of the season, most lakes are under a catch-and-release rule. But, toward the end of the season, kids catching trout can keep the trout they catch.

Books

This month's book reviews

A February readers' bonus In celebration of Black History Month, YSL.com has two lists of special African-American books. Click here.

A dog gets himself and his new owner in trouble

William's mom and dad were divorced. His grandfather, who was William's best friend along with being a grandpa, had just died two months earlier. To help William's loneliness, his mom had told him she would take him to the pound to pick out a dog to bring home. She thought William would pick a middle-sized dog. Instead William fell in love with a big friendly Labrador-collie mix, named Riley. When William brought Riley home, the dog seemed like the perfect pet and companion. He was smart and seemed well-trained. When out of school, William spent all of his time with Riley. He even slipped Riley into bed at night so they could sleep together.

Nest door to William's family lived an elderly widow named Peachie. She and William had been good friends since William was real little. She even called him "Sweet William" after a type of flowers that grew in her garden Peachie had an old race horse named Sultan as a pet. Sultan as a young horse had been a great race horse, wining many races for Peachie and her now deceased husband. She loved the horse and was trying to provide a happy and comfortable old age for him.

William had to take Riley over to Peachie's house and show her his new pet. To his horror, when Riley saw Sultan, the dog took out after the old horse. Nothing William could do would stop the dog. The feeble old horse tried to run but collapsed on the ground and it appeared he might die from the fear and exertion. The veterinarian was called and managed to keep Sultan alive. However, Peachie and the vet pointed out that by state law dogs that chased farm animals like cows and horses were supposed to be destroyed. Peachie was so angry, she reported Riley to the county animal officer. Riley was taken back to the pound. A county board would decide if and when Riley had to be killed.

William and his friend Grace decided to run a campaign to gain public support to save Riley from being put to death. They wrote letters, made signs, and passed out printed flyers in an effort to save Riley. Although a few people were sympathetic, public opinion seemed to be against them. Can these kids save Riley? Will William and Peachie ever become good friends again? Is there some kind of solution that will satisfy both sides in the dispute? You should enjoy reading "The Summer of Riley" while finding out the answers.

A young girl provides stories for
the Shahrazad, the Sultan's wife

Most of us have heard the story of "A Thousand and One Nights." A powerful Sultan has been betrayed by one of his wives. He is so angry, he had all of the wives in his harem executed along with their servants. He decreed that, thereafter, he would spend one night with any new wives and have them executed the next day. Shahrazad, a young woman, was brought in to be one of his new wives. She had the idea to tell the Sultan a story each night that would make him want to hear the next part on the following night. As long as she told him stories that entertained him and kept him wanting to hear more, she and the other wives in the harem could stay alive.

In the book, "Shadow Spinner," a crippled young girl named Marjan has become a story teller herself. She admires the famous Queen Shahrazad, but never expects to meet her. However, on a business trip with her guardian to the Sultan's palace, Marjan tells stories to some of the children there. To Marjan's surprise, she is summoned before Shahrazad. The Sultan's wife is starting to run out of stories. She asked Marjan's help in pulling together the parts of an old story. She knows the Sultan vaguely remembers this particular one from his childhood and wants to hear it again in its entirety. Marjan and Shahrazad are aware the story and the characters' names have to be accurate or the Sultan will be angry and go back to executing his wives.

"Shadow Spinner" is a retelling of the old Arabian Nights tale and is told through the eyes of an orphaned young crippled girl. The author adds new characters and much detail that cannot be found in the old tale.

A young girl is charged with the murder
of her older sister's ex-boyfriend

Dovey Coe is a twelve-year-old who lives with her family on a mountain side near Indian Creek, North Carolina. There are Coes in the town cemetery with headstones dating back to 1844. Dovey is a tomboy who loves the out-of-doors and likes to do mechanical repairs with her father who is the local fix-it man. Dovey's mother is always encouraging Dovey to be more ladylike. Dovey has a strikingly beautiful older sister, sixteen-year-old Caroline. Amos, her thirteen-year-old brother, although deaf from infancy, is a fun-loving outdoorsman. Because of his deafness, Amos had never gone to school, since the small town had no special classes for kids like him.

Parnell Caraway is the spoiled son of the richest family in Indian Creek. He is seventeen, has plenty of spending money, and drives his own car. He has a history of doing mean things to the other kids around the town, but because he is from a well-to-do family, is nice-looking, and has a car, plenty of girls in town wish he would ask them for dates. But Parnell has decided he wants to marry Caroline and spends the summer hanging around the Coe house trying to convince Caroline and her family that he would make a good husband for her.

Dovey knows that the Parnell's nice-guy personality is only an act . She hates it that Caroline as well as her mom and dad seem to encourage Parnell to keep coming around. Besides, Caroline has applied for teacher's college and her father has already paid for her to go away to college in the fall.

The whole situation comes to a head when Caroline holds a going-away-to-college party in the late summer. Parnell tries to turn it into an engagement party by putting a ring on Caroline's finger while standing in front of the large group of guests. When Caroline rejects him by refusing the ring, Dovey knows that there will be real trouble for the Coe family. And, of course, there is.

The mystery within the story is did Dovey really kill Parnell. She certainly had a reason to do so and she was found unconscious with her open pocketknife in the room with his dead body. Almost everybody in town thinks she killed Parnell. Will the young inexperienced lawyer sent to defend Dovey in court be able to save her from going to prison? If Dovey didn't do it, who did? Maybe you can figure out the answer by the end of the book.

Troublesome brother and sister leave
orphanage for home in Ruby Holler

The Boxton Creek Home for Children was run by Mr. And Mrs. Tripid, who really didn't like children. The orphanage housed about a dozen orphans at any one time. The intent was that kids moved through the home as they were picked up by foster parents or, occasionally, adopted into new families. The twins, Dallas and his sister Florida, had been in the home for years. They had been placed in different foster homes, but had always been returned as too troublesome to keep. Mr. And Mrs. Tripid, who believed in lots of rules to keep children quiet and controlled, were afraid that nobody would ever show up to take the twins to a new home. Dallas and Florida were kept in back rooms so that they wouldn't be a "bad influence" on the rest of the kids.

The twins spent many hours in "the Thinking Corner", a damp, dark cobwebbed corner of the basement. Outside, beyond the home the two could hear the wail of freight trains moving through town. They planned to run away and jump on the night freight train and start a new life free of the orphanage. To their surprise, an elderly white-haired couple, Mr. Tiller Morey and his wife Sairy, showed up one day and wanted to take the kids home with them. Because the kids had such bad experiences with previous attempts at foster home placements, they were distrustful of going home with the Morey's. They decided that they could still run away and ride off on a freight train if things didn't work out.

The kids were impressed when they reached the pleasant little house in Ruby Holler. The Moreys didn't yell at them when the kids did stupid or clumsy things. The food was the best the kids had ever eaten. They weren't ordered to do work, but asked if they would like to help with certain jobs. They were paid real money for some of the chores they did help out with. The twins were allowed to run around and explore the woods and hills around Ruby Holler. The two stayed suspicious and mistrustful, but they were gradually coming to love the Morey's and their new life.

The plot gets more complicated when Tiller and Florida take a river trip and Sairy and Dallas plan a long hike in the woods. While they are gone from Ruby Holler, the bad guys, Mr. Tripid and a character named "Z", sneak in and try to find and steal the Morey's money which had been hidden over the years. Tiller and Florida almost drown on their river trip and Sairy and Dallas get lost in the woods. If you want to know how it all turns out, you need to read the book.

 

Lifestyle

St. Michael's kids set up book club

Seventh-grader Emily Puetz likes to read. She also likes to discuss with other kids the books she reads. The solution: start an after-school book club.

Emily was one St. Michael's Catholic School students who asked if they could set up such a book discussion club. School librarian Angie Meyer liked the idea. She sent out a note asking seventh and eighth graders if they liked the idea.

Now, Emily and 15 classmates meet twice a month to discuss a book they've all read.

Twelve-year-old Emily said, "I like to read for pleasure. I like to discuss the book with others to get their perspective. I also like to see what books others enjoy."

Sometimes the kids make their book club selection. Other times, they decide to read a book librarian Meyer has recommended.

And sometimes they pick a book just because Ms. Meyer didn't like it.

Last month, the club discussed one of those "don't like" books, "The Rag and Bone Shop," by Robert Cormier. Ms. Meyer told the kids, "It's a bad book."

After reading and discussing the book, 12-year-old David Walter thinks the librarian might have been right.

He said the book is about a boy falsely accused of killing a small girl. The boy is finally found to be innocent (the girl's older brother did the killing.) But, the book ends with the boy setting out with a knife for revenge against the bully who falsely accused him.

David said, "I liked the boy at the beginning but not at the end. He kind of turned evil."

David said he likes to read fiction, fantasy and "sometimes horror" books. He admits that sometimes his reading makes it a little hard to get to sleep at night.

This year, the St. Michael's kids added a parent-kid dimension to their reading.

A kid and at least one of his parents agreed to read the same book. Then, last month, they gathered at the school for a night discussion.

The book was "Touching Spirit Bear," by Ben Mikaelsen. It's about a boy who is sentenced to live in exile alone on an island and try to get control of his violent anger. It's an example of "circle justice," where a person who commits a crime has to participate in his or her own rehabilitation.

Emily Puetz and her mother, Susan, were among those that led the parent-kid discussion.

But, Emily admitted, "'Touching Spirit Bear' wasn't my favorite. It was kind of confusing."

Twelve-year-old Jeffery Strader said he and his dad, Pete, were the ones who read the book at his home. He said, "My dad is a fast reader but I read slow to get as much as I can out of the reading."

Jeffery said he likes fantasy books like the Harry Potter and Lemony Snickett series. "But, I'm open to everything," he said. He said he often ends up reading more than one book at the same time.

Twelve-year-old Sara Paynter said she likes historic fiction centered around World War II. One of the books she's read was "Numbering the Stars," which involves Jewish kids being hidden from the Germans during the war.

She said she joined the book discussion club because "I thought it would be fun to see what other people thought of the books."

Twelve-year-old Gabrielle Pfyl said she joined the book club because "I thought I'd get more out of the books when they were discussed."

Most of the kids in the book club take part in lots of other activities. For instance, Gabrielle played soccer, basketball and volleyball and is in a chess club.

She also said she's planning to be a lawyer when she grows up. "I'm good at arguing," the seventh grader said.

Jeffery takes part in swim team in the summer and is going to re-start his karate lessons. He also likes acting and singing. "I've done that since I was seven," he said. He said he hopes to have a career in the theater.

Sara takes part in sports and also is in chess and genealogy clubs. She hopes to have an interior design career. "I love to change a room to make it better," she said.

She redecorated her room after getting drapery material, a new chair and pillows for Christmas. "Then, I helped my dad re-paint the room," she said.

 

Food

Tanya Boksha is a Ukrainian foreign exchange student staying with a St. Louis family this year. Last month, Tanya's host family gave her a holiday treat by cooking food dishes from back-home recipes.

Sixteen-year-old Tanya is living with Damon and Jill McCoy and their three kids. She came last August for a year of study at Parkway South High School.

Tanya is one of several foreign students spending the 2003-2004 school year at Parkway South. While they study and experience American life, they also expose St. Louisans to the culture of their native countries.

Recently, a number of Parkway foreign students were pictured in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's food section. The article featured some favorite recipes from their native countries.

But, for the January 7 celebration of Tanya's Eastern Orthodox Christmas, her host family turned the tables on her. They fixed her foods from her native Ukraine.

The dishes were a flaming holiday pilaf called "donagan plav." The other was a Russian-style soup, called "dilled borscht." (If you and your family would like to try their recipes, see sidebar below.)

And Tanya's cooks knew what they were doing.

Damon and Jill McCoy had lived in Russia for 1 1/2 years when he resident director of a foreign study program near St. Petersburg in Russia. He speaks fluent Russian, one of the languages Tanya uses.

His "borscht" recipe came from a cookbook that quoted an old Russian saying, "There are as many ways to cook borscht as there are cooks."

And the "donagan plav" recipe was cooked by Yelena Onufrieva, a Ukrainian who now lives in St. Louis. Tanya met Ms. Onufrieva during a school social event.

Tanya enjoyed the foods from home. But, she likes American food and admits her favorite food is ice cream. "I could eat ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner," she said.

The McCoy children have their likes and dislikes about Russian foods.

Fourteen-year-old Molly said she likes "mimosa" salad and cabbage rolls, called "golubtsi.' The salad includes hard boiled eggs, tuna, lettuce, apples and mayonnaise. The "golubtsi" is rice and sausage rolled in cabbage leaves and then baked.

But, Molly isn't too fond of "vinigret." That's a vinegar-based, cooked dish which includes potatoes, onions and beets. It's similar to German potato salad.

Seven-year-old Keagan likes Russian "pelmini," which includes meat and potatoes. It's got a coating like ravioli. There's also a meat-less version, where cheese replaces meat.

But, she doesn't like the "mimosa" salad. "I don't like eggs at all," she said.

Molly, Keagan and four-year-old Kelsey all like having Tanya staying with them. Kelsey spoke for her sisters when she said Tanya's "like having another big sister."

In addition to interviewing the McCoys, Young Saint Louis.com talked with Tanya and four other foreign students at Parkway South. We talked of their likes-and-dislikes about American food.

They also discussed their impressions of American education.

Tanya said, "I had heard American classes were easier than in Russia. But, I have honors classes here and they are pretty tough."

Igor Gubin is a 17-year-old from Uzbekistan. At slender 6'9", Igor likes to eat. He said his favorite American foods are cheese pizza, hot dogs and "burgers," anything with lots of meat. He added he likes desserts, "anything with sugar or honey."

He said American schools are "better sponsored (equipped) by government." He said schools in his country have set curriculum for all students, with few electives.

Sixteen-year-old Anna Korunova of Russia said she doesn't like most American fast foods, with the exception of pizza. She also likes sweet corn and apple sauce.

She also commented about the wide choice of classes in American schools. In her homeland, kids stay with the same group of students for all their years in school.

She said opportunities for theater and art in American schools are much better. Although Russia has a fine reputation for the arts, Anna said, "We pursue all that outside of school."

Sixteen-year-old Lara Svobada is from Austria. She said she helped her host family during the holidays when they baked vanilla croissants. But, mostly she thought American foods had too much sugar and fat.

Her mother has been sending her packages of her favorite Austrian foods.

Sixteen-year-old Klemens Vogel comes from Switzerland. He said, "Basically I love all food, Austrian or American."

He said he was with the same classmates for the first eight grades. Then, the schools split into different courses of study. He's in a college-preparatory "gymnasium," featuring sciences such as biology and chemistry.

 

Ukrainian Holiday Recipes

Here are recipes for holiday foods prepared for Ukrainian exchange student Tanya Boksha during celebration of her Eastern Orthodox Christmas:

Dilled borscht
(Serves 6; Preparation, 25 minutes; Cooking 25 minutes)

Ingredients:

6 beets, peeled and diced
3 carrots, coarsely grated
1 white onion, chopped
3 cups (9 oz./280 grams), shredded cabbage
1 3/4 cups (14 fl. oz/430 milliliters) canned vegetable broth
5 cups (40 fl. oz/1.25 liter) water, plus more if needed
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
3 tablespoons lemon juice
6 tablespoons (3 fl. oz/90 milliliters) lowfat sour cream
1/3 cup (1/3 oz/10 grams) chopped fresh dill

Cooking steps:

• In large saucepan, bring beets, carrots, onion, cabbage, broth, water and pepper to boil.
  
  
• Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the beets are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. If the soup seems too thick, stir in 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 milliliters) water.
  
  
• Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice.
  
  
• To serve hot, ladle into individual bowls. Top each with 1 tablespoon of sour cream and sprinkle with dill.
  
  
• To serve cold, cool at room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least four hours or up to 3 days. Ladle into cups and top with sour cream and dill.

Flaming Holiday Pilaf (Donagan Plav)
(Serves 8)

Distinguished in both appearance and flavor, this dramatic pilaf provides a spectacular yet simple-to-make dish for a festive occasion.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
2 cups seedless golden raisins
1 1/3 cups dried apricots
2/3 cups water (approximately)
1/4 cup sugar or to taste
2 recipes Plain Rice Pilaf
Baked quinces
Baked apples
Warmed brandy

Cooking steps:

• In a small skillet, melt butter over moderate heat. Add the raisins and sauté until golden brown, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and keep warm.
  
  
• In a small saucepan, combine dried apricots with water and sugar. Cook gently until the liquid in pan is absorbed and apricots are just tender and still intact, not mushy. Add them to raisins and mix together.
  
  
• On a large round serving platter, mound the hot pilaf in shape of mountain. Cover with dried fruit mixture. Place the baked quinces and apples alternately around the pilaf. With a long handle of spoon, make a hole in center of pilaf. Line the opening with aluminum foil and fill with warmed brandy. Ignite the brandy, turn off the lights and serve.

Note: 3/4 cup blanched almonds sauted in butter may be added to the dried fruits.

 

Sports

Kids vie for spots on basketball "feeder" team

Fourteen-year-old Alex Whiteside is a newcomer to the rich tradition of St. Charles West High School basketball. And, he's hoping he's on the right track to becoming a part of it.

The Jefferson Middle School student is a center/forward on the eighth-grader "feeder" team. For years, the school district has had sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade select teams preparing players for the West high school basketball program.

Alex said, "West has a huge reputation in basketball. I moved into the district just two years ago. So far the experience has been all good."

St. Charles West High School had a third-place finish in last year's Missouri state basketball championships. The team has won state titles in the past.

They've also turned out players who went on to success in college ball. Probably, the best-known players were the Robertson brothers. Ryan was a star guard at University of Kansas and Troy was a swingman at Saint Louis University.

St. Charles West won the Missouri state title in 1995 when the Robertson boys played.

The current coach of the eighth-grade "feeder" team is Ryan Kiernan. He's a West graduate who was a guard on the Missouri Tigers basketball team for three years.

After graduating in 2003, Kiernan took a job with a hotel supply company and lives in St. Charles.

He also accepted West Coach Terry Hollander's request to coach this year's eighth-grade team. Thus, he's back at his alma mater to help new players fit into the West tradition.

Kiernan said, "The district has had 'feeder' teams for years. In the last few years, I've seen a lot of other schools do the same."

He said he uses some of the same plays and drills Coach Hollander uses in high school.

Fourteen-year-old Brad Heckman has lived in St. Charles all his life. He's grown up with the West tradition. "My dad, Rich, played for Coach Hollander," he said.

One other player on the eighth-grade team is also a relative newcomer. But, he certainly comes from a basketball background.

Kramer Soderberg is the son of Brad Soderberg, currently the head basketball coach at Saint Louis University. Prior to coming to SLU, Brad Soderberg was an assistant and head coach at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

Fourteen-year-old Kramer already is getting a taste of West basketball. Because of an injury to one of the West guards, Kramer has been practicing with the varsity, although he can't dress for games.

He didn't get into organized ball until the fourth grade. "Before that, I just played with my dad," he said.

Kramer is a point guard now and he said an injury actually helped his game. "I broke my right arm when I was in fifth grade. That helped me strengthen my ball handling with my left," he said.

He said his best experience in basketball happened when he was in Madison.

"The last year my dad was an assistant at Wisconsin, the Badgers went to the NCAA Final Four. I got to ride with the team and go to all the games," Kramer said.

Now that his father is at SLU, Kramer also hangs out with the college players. He sits behind the bench at all Billikens' games at the Savvis Center. "I learn lots from talking to the players and watching what they do," he said.

Kramer is now an eighth-grader at St. Cletus Catholic School. But, he plans to attend St. Charles West High School. He said the school's basketball tradition is a "big factor" in that decision.

As for college, he said, "I'd like to play for my dad."

Alex Whiteside and Brad Heckman aren't sure basketball is in their college sports futures.

Alex thinks his college sports focus will be track and field and cross-country running. He has had success with middle and longer-distance races. "Besides, there are a whole lot more basketball players than there are runners," he added.

Brad thinks his best chance for college sports is in baseball. He's a pitcher and plays in the infield. "Playing baseball in college has been my hope since I was very young," he said.

But, the boys' immediate sports goals are to work hard this season so they can have a role in extending St. Charles West's basketball tradition in the next four years.

 

Earth Day

First in Earth Day series

You can help with Forest Park project

Would you like to help recreate a native prairie/savanna that looks like this area did before the settlers came? Local kids and families can volunteer to help during this year's Earth Day Weekend in April.

The annual Earth Day event will be held in Forest Park on Saturday and Sunday, April 24-25. It's a celebration of efforts to protect and improve our environment.

The prairie/savanna restoration is in the Deer Lake area. That's an 18-acre area near the Muny Opera outdoor theater.

Gary Schimmelpfenig is an expert in restoration of lands to native conditions. He is helping to reintroduction of native plants and flowers to the Deer Lake area.

When French pioneers first came to what is now Missouri, the area was covered by thick forests, prairies, marshlands and savannas. Savannas are transitional areas which are part-forest and part-prairie.

Schimmelpfenig said a Missouri savanna includes prairie grasses and flowers along with clumps of tall forest-type trees.

The Deer Lake restoration is just one part of the multi-million dollar renovation of all of Forest Park, one of the largest urban parks in the nation.

Organizers include special Forest Park projects in each Earth Day. These allow local volunteers to actually take part in restoration improvements. This year, volunteers will plant prairie grasses and flowers to complete the Deer Lake renovation.

A 3-hour "ecological restoration" planting project at Deer Lake will be Sunday, April 25. Volunteers will work from 9 a.m. to noon. Each volunteer will be served a lunch and get a Earth Day T-shirt for their efforts.

You and your family can sign up to volunteer by going to www.stlouisearthday.org. Or you can call the St. Louis parks department at (314) 289-5323.

Anabeth Weil is the Forest Park executive for the St. Louis Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry. Her department and the Forest Park Forever organization are overseeing the extensive restoration of Forest Park.

The Deer Lake restoration is in its final stages of redevelopment.

One big part of the restoration was connecting Deer Lake and other lakes in Forest Park. That allows for continuous water movement through the park. The movement will aerate the water better and allow it to support more types of wildlife and plants.

Ms. Weil said, "The hydrology of Deer Lake has been completed." What's needed now is to reintroduce ground cover along the banks and in the surrounding area.

That's where the Earth Day volunteers come in.

But, Schimmelpfenig promised, "It won't be a case of us telling the volunteers, 'Here's your tools, let's plant.'" He said volunteers will get a full-blown "ecological experience" that "sensitizes them to native ecosystems."

The Deer Lake restoration will include all the different types of native habitat. There are forests, prairies, marshlands and savannas, which are "buffers between forests and prairies."

In reshaping Deer Lake, construction crews took off most grass and plant cover.

Now it's time to replant with grasses, flowers and other native plants.

When the ground cover has been restored, the area will be open only for foot traffic. Then, park visitors will be able to get a sense of what Missouri was like before settlers came.

Schimmelpfenig already has helped with other prairie/savanna restoration in Forest Park. Reintroduction of native plants at Kennedy Woods was an earlier Earth Day project.

If you like your volunteer experience on this Earth Day, Ms. Weil has a way for you and your family to become permanently involved in Forest Park restoration.

She and Andrea Schnapp have formed the Flora Conservancy of Forest Park.

That group includes about 130 master gardeners and volunteers. They work three days a week at Forest Park. Recently, the gardeners have begun working year-around. They work outside during the warmer months and indoors in the winter.

Among their projects have been plantings in Kennedy Woods, inside and outside the Jewel Box and the Pagoda Circle.

If you and your family would like to continue to volunteer at Forest Park, you can call Ms. Weil at (314) 289-5323. Also, you can get more information about the Flora Conservancy by going to: http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/parks/forestpark/floraconservancy, html

 

St. Louis History

This Month in St. Louis History

The "Exodusters" and other local history

In February, 1880, more than 900 black families from Mississippi arrived in St. Louis as part of a migration of southern blacks to Kansas.

They were labeled "exodusters" because they were a part of the 1870-1880 "exodus to Kansas." As the Midwest's largest city, St. Louis was a significant in that migration.

Of course, many southern blacks came north in those days to settle in cities.

The "exodusters" were different. They wanted to find rural lands where they could own their own farms.

A former slave from Nashville, Tenn., Benjamin "Pap" Singleton, is known as the leader of the "exoduster" movement. He originally urged blacks from Mississippi and Louisiana to establish farms in Tennessee.

However, after the blacks faced white resistance to buying Tennessee land, Singleton established an alternative. He scouted for land in Kansas in the 1870s. In 1874, several families migrated from Nashville to Kansas.

Singleton testified in Congress in 1880 that he was "the whole cause of the immigration" of more than 20,000 southern blacks to Kansas.

The Missouri Historical Museum includes a quotation from an anonymous "exoduster" on the first stop of its "Seeking St. Louis" exhibition:

"Almost every landing on the Mississippi has its camps of devoted colored people looking longingly down the river for the approach of a steamer that will carry them to the promised land."

(Information for the This Month in St. Louis History feature is provided to Young Saint Louis.com by the Missouri History Museum.)

The exhibition notes the St. Louis' African-American community provided food and shelter for the "exodusters" and helped them complete their journey to Kansas.

For other information about "exodusters," visit these websites:

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/african/afam009.html
http://www.umsl.edu/~mga/exodust.htm
http://stlouis.missouri.org/government/heritage/history/aframer.htm

Old Courthouse opened in 1845

The Old Courthouse in downtown St. Louis opened on Washington's birthday, February 22, 1845.

The building is in the classical Greek Revival design and remains today as a popular tourist destination. It has been carefully maintained as part of the national historic site that includes the St. Louis Arch.

In the 1800s, the building was more than a federal courthouse. It also was a public gathering place for pioneers heading west. The courthouse was the central location which led to St. Louis being named the "Gateway to the West."

The Old Courthouse and the St. Louis Arch make a fine destination for families seeking to understand St. Louis' place in American history. The Old Courthouse has guided tours.

For more about the Old Courthouse, visit the National Park Service website at:
http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/curriculumkit/lessons/stlouis/2stlouis.htm

Poet Langston Hughes born in 1902.

Famed African-American poet Langston Hughes was born on Feb. 1, 1902, in Joplin, Mo. He is known for his poems of hope for blacks.

His first poem, "Negro Speaks of Rivers," was published in 1920.

He got a big boost for his poetry while working as a busboy in a New York hotel. Famous white poet Vachel Lindsay stayed there and Hughes left copies of his poems by Lindsay's dinner plate.

For more about Hughes, visit:
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/aa/writers/hughes

A deadly tornado in St. Louis in 1959

A tornado that touched ground for 25 miles hit St. Louis and St. Louis County on Feb. 10, 1959. The storm killed 21 and injured over 350.

The National Weather Service in St. Louis said there were indications the tornado included more than one funnel.

For information about this storm, visit:
http://www.win.org/county/depts/ema/sccg275l.htm

 

From "St. Louis 365"

St. Louis black history events in past Februarys

February is Black History month and several local historic events in past Februarys involved African-Americans. Also, "talk radio" came to St. Louis in February, 1960.

Among local historical items in February involving African-Americans were:

• In 1856, the U.S. Supreme Court began deliberating the Dred Scott case.
• In 1974, Cool Papa Bell was named to the national Baseball Hall of Fame.
• In 1978, St. Louisan Leon Spinks defeated Muhammed Ali for the heavyweight boxing title.
• In 1937, Homer G. Phillips Hospital was dedicated. At that time it was the largest health care facility in the U.S. dedicated to care of African-Americans.

These are just some of the 147 items of St. Louis history listed in the February chapter of "St. Louis 365." That's a book of historical items compiled by local historian Joe Sonderman.

(This book is available in local book stores or at www.booksonstlouis.com. Sonderman has given Young Saint Louis.com permission to quote from his book.)

Here are 10 of the items listed in the February chapter of "St. Louis 365:"

Feb. 2, 1931: The structure of Bagnell dam was completed, and the Osage River began backing up behind it. The Union Electric dam formed the vast Lake of the Ozarks. The lake is 125 miles long with 1,300 miles of shoreline and one "Party Cove." .

Feb. 3, 2002: The New England Patriots stunned St. Louis with a 20-17 victory in Super Bowl XXXVI. The Rams erased a 14-point deficit but lost on the final play, a 48-yard field goal by Adam Vinatieri. The Rams had been listed as 14-point favorites going into the game.

Feb. 4, 1850: The first high school west of the Mississippi opened in a portion of the old Wayman School at Sixth and Locust. Central High at 15th and Olive would be the first building used exclusively for high school purposes. Central opened on March 24, 1856.

Feb. 8, 1947: The first television station in St. Louis signed on the air. At the time, KSD was one of only seven television stations in the country. The first broadcast lasted less than 90 minutes. It featured news with Frank Eschen, ballroom dancers, a wrestler and an appearance by Joe Garagiola.

Feb. 11, 1856: The United States Supreme Court began hearing the case of Dred Scott. Scott sued for his freedom in St. Louis after his owner took him into Illinois, a free state. The Supreme Court would rule that slaves were not citizens and therefore could not sue. The case further divided the country on the slavery issue.

Feb. 13, 1974: James "Cool Papa" Bell was named to the Baseball Hall of Fame by a special committee on the Negro Leagues. James Thomas Bell may have been the fastest runner in baseball history. Teammate Satchel Paige once said that Bell could turn off the light and be in bed before the room went dark.

Feb. 15, 1978: St. Louisan Leon Spinks defeated Muhammed Ali in a split decision to gain the world heavyweight boxing title. It was one of the most stunning upsets in boxing history. Ali regained the title seven months later. Spinks had won the gold medal in light heavyweight division in the 1976 Olympics. His brother, Michael, won the heavyweight title in 1983, making the two the only brothers to hold world titles.

Feb. 16, 1960: Robert Hyland unveiled his new programming concept for KMOX radio. "At Your Service" was a radical concept. Top newsmakers would go on-air and field calls from listeners. It marked the birth of what we now know as talk radio. (The late Jack Buck hosted the first "At Your Service" program on Feb. 29, 1960.)

Feb. 18, 1908: School Superintendent Frank Soldan denied a charge by a Congregational Church minister that "preliminary steps of dancing" were being taught. Soldan and students were doing calisthenics. But, the minister said the calisthenics were similar to dancing, and the same evils could be expected to result from them.

Feb. 22, 1937: Homer G. Phillips Hospital on Whittier was dedicated. At the time, it was the largest and best health care facility in the nation dedicated to the care of African-Americans. It closed amid controversy and violence in 1979. Homer Phillips was an attorney who fought for better healthcare for African-Americans. He was gunned down on a city street in 1931.

 

 

Places to go, Things to do

Places to Go, Things to Do

Maple syrup making and other fun

(Editor's Note: Besides this Places/Things feature, this edition of YSL.com includes two main articles that focus on other public events for kids in February. Read about the Lewis&Clark opera and the Black History events at area libraries.)

February still may seem and feel like winter. But, nature is already giving us our first taste of spring. And what better taste is there than real maple syrup.

The Missouri Department of Conservation and the Missouri Botanical Garden's Shaw Nature Reserve are sponsoring maple syrup-making classes for families in February.

The MDC's Rockwoods Reservation in west St. Louis County has seven different classes. Special classes for homeschool families will be Tuesday, Feb. 10, and Friday, Feb. 13. There's one class on Tuesday and two on Friday.

The other four MDC classes are on Saturdays, Feb. 21, and Feb. 28. On both days, there will be both morning and afternoon classes.

The Garden's Shaw Nature Reserve will have one syrup-making class for families on Saturday, Feb. 21.

The MDC classes are free but there is a fee for the Shaw class.

Because the classes will fill up quickly, you and your family need to call for reservations. The Rockwoods Reservation number is (636) 458-2236. The Shaw Reserve number is (636) 451-3512.

Missouri weather in February usually includes cold nights and then daytime temperatures that are above freezing. That's the formula that produces "maple sugar magic."

At this first sign of spring, the maple trees start to produce sap or sugar water. This is the food the trees use for growth when they come out of winter hibernation.

Native Americans discovered that they could collect the sap and make maple syrup and even crystallized maple sugar to sweeten their foods. Immigrants picked up this skill and a maple syrup industry was born.

One especially good part of this is that you can collect sap for syrup and not hurt the maple trees. They can make plenty more for their own growth needs.

The syrup-making classes will let you participate in identifying maple trees, collecting the sap and then boiling the sap until it's maple syrup. The boiling is needed because tree sap has lots of water and only a little sugar.

Therefore, you boil off the excess water and concentrate the sugar until it's sweet enough for humans. At the end of each class, you get to sample some of the homemade syrup.

The Muny chorus auditions for kids

Kids auditions for The 2004 Muny productions will be held in February.

The audition for kids 7 to 13 will be 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21. The teen auditions (14-19) will be 1 to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 22.

All auditions will be at the Performing Arts Center at St. Louis University High School. That's located at 4970 Oakland Ave.

For information about the auditions, call (314) 361-1900 or log on to www.muny.com.

All kids who are auditioning are required to prepare eight measures of song and bring their own sheet music in the key in which they are singing. An accompanist is provided.

Columbia Bottoms nature hikes

They are starting to schedule events at the new Columbia Bottom Conservation Area. That's the new area at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.

A Winter Wonderland Hike is set for 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 7. An Exploring Nature in Winter hike will be held 10 to 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 10.

The hikes are free but you need to make reservations at (314) 877-6014. Also, you can ask for more information about the new area, which just opened late last year.

Frontier American Market on Feb. 21

If you like to buy, sell or barter for things from the early days, here's a sale for you. The Frontier American Market will be held Saturday, Feb. 21, at Jefferson Barracks Park.

This market is for items from the 1700s to the early 20th Century.

The market is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. To attend, it's $3 for those 13 and over, $2 for kids 4 through 12. If you are a seller, there's a $10 per table charge and pre-registration. For information or registration, call (314) 544-5714.

Queeny Park Ice Revue Feb. 24

A season-ending ice revue will be held at the Greensfelder Recreation Complex in Queeny Park. The event is set for 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24.

Skaters in the revue are those who have been taking winter skating lessons.

But, the revue is open to the public and attendance is free.

In addition to soloists, the skating staff will perform a wacky routine. There's also a "Let's Make a Deal" contest with great prizes.

For information, call (636) 391-0922.

 

Math Puzzler

The Math Puzzlers for February include questions and answers involving lots of big numbers. Also, some questions will seem familiar because they involve math principles you've seen in previous months.

That's one thing about being a regular in the Math Puzzler competition. Mr. Math Puzzler helps you build math understanding with new questions that are variations of basic math principles.

Mr. Math Puzzler is Mr. Wayne Hesse. He's an eighth grade math teacher at Green Park Lutheran School in south St. Louis County.

He's been dreaming up the Math Puzzlers since September, 2001.

As it turns out, kids who have been repeat entrants often are the ones who get all six answers correct. That was true again with the January competition. All three winners had won previously.

First-time entrants very seldom win. But, after they enter often, they see patterns in Mr. Math Puzzler's questions that make answering new questions easier.

One of the best way to understand those patterns is to look at past results. Young Saint Louis.com makes it easy. All you have to do is click on the Past Stories tab on the home page and look at questions and answers to past Math Puzzlers.

Another way to prepare is to print out February's questions. Then, go back through past months to find answers to similar questions. Then, fill out your entry and mail in your answers to this month's quiz.

If you'd like to check on January's questions and answers, just click here.

Here's how we judge the contest entries: If any of our contestants get all six answers correct, we'll publish the winning names in the March edition. Also, as an added incentive, all February winners are entered in a drawing for $10 Border's book certificates. Up to three certificates will be awarded each month.

A reminder: These Math Puzzlers can be quite challenging, especially for younger kids. Remember, we don't mind if you get help from a parent or older brother or sister. In fact, you might want to make this a family activity.

Here's how to enter:

1. Print out the following entry form.
2. Fill out your name, address and telephone number.
3. Give your answers to the six Math Puzzlers.
4. Put your completed entry into a stamped envelope.
5. Mail your entry to:
   
   Math Puzzler Contest
   Young Saint Louis.com
   231 So. Bemiston Ave., Suite 800
   Clayton, MO 63105
   
   
6. All entries must be postmarked by the 15th of the month to be eligible.

-------------Clip here to make entry-------------

Entry for February, 2004, Math Puzzler Contest:

Name: ___________________________________ Age: ____

Address: ___________________ School: ________________

City:_____________________, State:______ ZIP__________

Contact phone no.(____)____________________

The Math Puzzlers
(February, 2004)

1. What fraction of the numbers from 1 to 1,000 have the digit 7 as at least one of the digits?

Answer: _______________

 

2. How many zeros are at the end of the whole number 100? (Example, 100 times 99 times 98 times 97 times.... times 2 times 1)

Answer: _____________

 

3. An ice cream store advertises 31 flavors of ice cream. How many different double-decker cone combinations are possible if both flavors have to be different? (It doesn't matter which flavor is on top or on the bottom.)

Answer: _____________

 

4. What is the ones digit of 7¹⁹⁹⁸?

Answer: _____________

 

5. One news carrier can deliver 75 newspapers in 2 hours. How many papers can 4 carriers deliver in 4 hours?

Answer: _____________

 

6. How many rectangles can you find in the grid shown? (Hint: Remember a square is a kind of rectangle.)

Answer: _____________

Three kids got all six of the January Math Puzzler answers correct. In fact, the three January winners were also winners in December, 2003.

The three repeat winners were brothers Eric and Phillips Hsu of Chesterfield and Leslie Hlavaty of St. Louis.

One pattern that is developing with Young Saint Louis.com's Math Puzzler competition is that entrants don't often start winning right away.

What usually happens is that it takes some time to get the rhythm of Mr. Math Puzzler's questions. Mr. Wayne Hesse is Mr. Math Puzzler. He's an eighth grade math teacher at Green Park Lutheran School in south St. Louis County.

The Math Puzzler feature has been on this website since September, 2001.

One way to develop a winning rhythm is to check out explanations of previous answers. You can do that easily. Just go to the Past Stories tab at the top of the YSL.com home page.

Pick any month after September, 2001. There will be answers to the previous month's questions.

Another way is first print out the February questions. Then go back through previous Math Puzzlers and find answers to similar questions. To check the February, 2004, questions, just click here.

After you've done your research, fill out the February entry blank, list your answers and mail in your completed entry.

These are the answers to the January Puzzlers:

January Math Puzzler answers

1. Begin with a large cube. Slice off a tiny triangular pyramid at each vertex of the cube. How many vertices does the resulting polyhedron have? How many edges does this resulting polyhedron have?

Answer: 24 vertices, 36 edges

The explanation: Every time you clip off a corner, you make three vertices where there had been one. With the original eight vertices, that means it's 3 x 8 = 24. As for the edges, each corner that is clipped off produces three edges (3 x 8 = 24). But, don't forget the original 12 edges, so 24 + 12 = 36 edges.

 

2. In one round of a TV game show, five questions are asked. The second question is worth twice as much as the first. The third question is worth three times as much as the second. The fourth question is worth four times as much as the third. The fifth question is worth five times as much as the fourth. If the fifth question is worth $12,000, what is the first question worth?

Answer: $100

The explanation: This is expressed as a formula, with F being the value of the first question. So that's

  F x 2F x 3F x 4F x 5F = 12,000

 

          120F   12,000
          ---- = ------
           120     120

 

             F = 100

 

3. The four children in the Gonzalez family have a combined age of 25 years. Maria's older brother is six times as old as she is. Her next-to-the-oldest brother is 5 years older than she is and the youngest of her brothers is twice Maria's age. How old is each of the Gonzalez children?

Answer: 2, 4, 7 and 12

The explanation: Again, this can be expressed by a simple formula, with M being the value of Maria's age:

 (6M + [M+5] + 2M + M) = 25

 

               10M + 5 = 25
                    -5   -5
               -------   --
               10M     = 20
               ---       --
                10       10

 

                     M = 2

So Maria is 2 and the other ages can be easily figured from the values of the other items in the formula.

 

4. An electrical panel has 100 switches in a row, all in the OFF position. Every second switch is turned to the ON position, and then every third switch is changed from whatever position it is in to the other position. How many switches are now in the ON position?

Answer: 51

The explanation: Mr. Math Puzzler likes questions where the answers can be arrived at by charts. And then as you figure the charts, look for patterns. This is one of them. Set up a three-column chart with Column 1 showing all switches in OFF position. Column 2 showing that every other switch is in the ON position. Column 3 will then show every third switch being changed to the opposite of what ever it was in on Column 2. As you do the chart, you'll see a pattern develop. If the number is in multiples of 2 or 3, the switch will be ON. But, if the number is a 2 times 3 or 6, the switch will be OFF. So, there are 50 times in 100 where there is a multiple of 2 and 33 times where there is a multiple of 3. But, there are 16 times in each list where there is a multiple of 6. So the answer is: 50 minus 16 = 34 and 33 minus 16 = 17 with 34 plus 17 equaling 51.

 

5. What is the least whole number that is divisible by all the whole numbers from 1 through 9?

Answer: 2,520

The explanation: This is an example of prime factorization. Look for the primes in numbers 1 through 9. One, 2 and 3 are prime numbers, 4 contains two 2s, 5 is prime, 6 has a 2 and 3, 7 is prime, 8 has three 2s and 9 has two 3s. Then, you multiple all those together: (2x3) x (3x2) x 5 x 7 = 2,520.

 

6. Find the product:

(1 - 1/2) (1 - 1/3) (1 - 1/4) (1 - 1/5) through (1 - 1/39) (1 - 1/40)

Answer: 1/40

The explanation: This is an example of cross-factoring. If you start in a series with you'd have

1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8 ....... 38   39
- x - x - x - x - x - x - x - ....... -- x --
2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9         39   40

By cross factoring, you'll end up with each denominator being a 1 and each numerator being a 1 until you get the end and the only number left is 1/40.

 

Fun & Games

Fun & Games

Trivia - Card and Board Games

When you're done, click here for the answers.

1. What card game was popular with gamblers in the Old West?
2. What long-time favorite board game calls for players to have good investment skills to be a winner?
3. This board game requires players to sink ships that they cannot see.
4. What two-player ancient board game is supposedly a favorite with "egg-heads"?
5. What's the popular and old card game for kids where you don't want to be caught holding the one card that gives the game its name?
6. What adult card game (that has its own column in newspapers) always has one of its four players named as the "dummy"?
7. You need to have a good vocabulary and be an excellent speller to be a winner in this board game.
8. This card game is one for lonely people.
9. This two-player board game was supposedly played around the warm stove in old country stores.
10. What multiple-player board game played with marbles is named after a country in the Orient?

 

Crossword Puzzle

When you have completed the puzzles, you can click here to find the answers!

Young Saint Louis.com #1

Across	Down
1. the one just before 2. between two versions 7. given an assignment	1. plays drums, cymbals 3. try out for a role 4. made like original 5. balanced environment 6. a first performance

 

Young Saint Louis.com #2

Across	Down
1. lives beyond borders 5. drawn from a source 7. unlike any other 8. consistent with law 9. a martial art 10. way of looking at	2. a bringing to health 3. book dispenser 4. guilt or blame free 6. tracking ancestors

 

Young Saint Louis.com #3

Across	Down
1. French rolls 4. course of study 7. skimpy costume 8. the one just before 9. a vocal tone	1. purposeful event 2. separation of races 3. non-required courses 5. careful, restrained 6. Russian dish

 

Young Saint Louis.com #4

Across	Down
1. support, keep alive 6. right now, no delay 7. preserves trophies 8. put fish in lake 10. thrive, stay healthy	2. historic reputation 3. artificial bait 4. popular game fish 5. older, top players 9. hot, soup-like

 

Know about February?

Across	Down
3. holiday for lovers 4. chocolate is favored 5. when you care enough 6. Civil War president 9. pretty, but inedible	1. father of country 2. for exchanging cards 7. boys with crush 8. Valentine's symbol 9. flown for presidents

 

Jokes - Let's begin with a few riddles

Did you hear about the restaurant on the moon?
      Yeah, great food but no atmosphere!

What do you call a scared dinosaur?
      A nervous Rex!

Why are Teddy Bears never hungry?
      Because they are always stuffed!

Why is Dracula so unpopular?
      Because he's a pain-in-the-neck!

What did the snail say when it climbed up on the turtle's back?
      Wheee!

Have you seen these bumper stickers?
      Honk if you love peace and quiet
      42.7 percent of statistics are made up on the spot
      COLE'S LAW: Thinly sliced cabbage
      I've taken a vow of poverty; to annoy me, send money
      Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7th of your life
      We do precision guesswork
      The only cure for insomnia is to get more sleep
      I used to be indecisive; now I'm not sure
      Plan to be spontaneous - tomorrow

One regular joke

A man rushed into the doctor's office and shouted, "Doctor, doctor! I think I'm shrinking!" The doctor calmly responded, "Now settle down. You'll just have to be a little patient!"

Our usual concluding knock, knocks

Knock. Knock.
      Who's there?
Rhoda.
      Rhoda who?
Rhoda boat as fast as you can!

Knock. Knock.
      Who's there?
Romeo.
      Romeo who?
Romeo-ver to the other side of the lake!

Knock. Knock.
      Who's there?
Dewey.
      Dewey who?
Dewey have to keep telling all of these jokes?

 

Answers to Fun & Games

Trivia - Card and Board Games

1. Poker
2. Monopoly
3. Battleship
4. Chess
5. Old Maid
6. Bridge
7. Scrabble
8. Solitaire
9. Checkers
10. Chinese Checkers

 

Crossword Puzzles

Note that the words used in Young Saint Louis.com crossword puzzles are all taken from the articles appearing in this months issue.

Young Saint Louis.com #1

Across	Down
1. the one just before 2. between two versions 7. given an assignment	1. plays drums, cymbals 3. try out for a role 4. made like original 5. balanced environment 6. a first performance

 

Young Saint Louis.com #2

Across	Down
1. lives beyond borders 5. drawn from a source 7. unlike any other 8. consistent with law 9. a martial art 10. way of looking at	2. a bringing to health 3. book dispenser 4. guilt or blame free 6. tracking ancestors

 

Young Saint Louis.com #3

Across	Down
1. French rolls 4. course of study 7. skimpy costume 8. the one just before 9. a vocal tone	1. purposeful event 2. separation of races 3. non-required courses 5. careful, restrained 6. Russian dish

 

Young Saint Louis.com #4

Across	Down
1. support, keep alive 6. right now, no delay 7. preserves trophies 8. put fish in lake 10. thrive, stay healthy	2. historic reputation 3. artificial bait 4. popular game fish 5. older, top players 9. hot, soup-like

 

Know about February?

Across	Down
3. holiday for lovers 4. chocolate is favored 5. when you care enough 6. Civil War president 9. pretty, but inedible	1. father of country 2. for exchanging cards 7. boys with crush 8. Valentine's symbol 9. flown for presidents