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Help
birds find winter food. Many
are sick and weak
Wild birds always
welcome help from kids in finding food during wintertime.
But, this winter, the West Nile Virus is adding a special
urgency.
Bites by mosquitoes
that carry the virus killed a lot of birds in our area last
summer and fall. Many birds that survived are weakened and
won't have strength to search for food.
That's where you
can help. Sometimes, during the winter, natural food and water
get hidden under snow and ice. Sometimes, it's just scarce
and hard to find.
Young Saint
Louis.com asked bird store owner Judy Rowe for advice
on making simple bird-feeders that kids could hang in their
backyards this winter.
Ms. Rowe is the
co-owner of the Wild Bird Center in Creve Coeur. Last month,
she held a Saturday workshop for kids to teach how to make
simple bird feeders. She likes feeders that are 100% edible.
For instance,
she starts with bagels or unglazed cake donuts. She ties a
string through the bagels or donuts so they can be hung from
trees or bushes.
But, before hanging
them, she smears the outsides with peanut butter. Then, she
rolls them into plates full of bird seed. The bird seed sticks
into the peanut butter. The birds can eat the seeds, peanut
butter, bagels or donuts and all.
Ms. Rowe said
it doesn't make any difference if the bagels are a little
stale. Birds will like them anyway. Also, she said unglazed
cake donuts are the best. "The birds don't need the sugar
from glazed donuts," she said.
You also can hang
pine cones smeared with peanut butter and coated with bird
seed. Of course, the pine cones aren't edible.
Another edible
bird feeder involves stringing different types of food into
a "food garland." Kids can string cranberries, peanuts,
raisins or chunks of fruit to make the "garlands."
She added, "And
don't forget about water. That's almost as important as food.
The birds need to drink and also need to bathe."
She said birds
need to keep clean in order to stay warm. "If birds'
feathers get dirty and matted down, they don't keep the birds
as warm as if they were clean and fluffed up."
When you put out
water, be sure you check each day to make sure it hasn't frozen.
The bird feeders
should be hung close to bushes. "That way, small birds
can take a little food and then retreat to shelter to avoid
predators such as cats, hawks and owls," she said.
(If you'd like
to know how to make a more permanent type of bird feeder,
click here.
In December, 2000, YSL.com covered a kids' workshop
held by the Missouri Department of Conservation. There, the
kids learned how to make winter bird feeders from plastic
soda bottles and milk containers.)
Ms. Rowe's store
is part of a national network of Wild Bird Centers. "We've
heard about the West Nile Virus disease from our stores in
the east for the last 2 1/2 years," she said.
But, it wasn't
until last summer and fall that local calls came in. "We
had a ton of calls to the store about the increase in number
of dead birds," she said.
A local report
from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported
deaths from West Nile Virus in 138 different types of birds.
Ms. Rowe said
bluejays, crows and house finches were especially hard hit.
The World Bird
Sanctuary in west St. Louis County has published a special
booklet about using bird feeders to help wild birds recover
from the West Nile Virus. If you'd like to get a copy of the
Bird Feeding brochure, you can call (636) 861-3225.
The center maintains
three feeding stations near the Meramec River. Director Walter
Crawford said the personnel have noticed a "tremendous
decrease in birds there."
The Missouri Conservationist
is another source of information about bird feeding. The November,
2002, issue contained an article, "The Wreath for Birds."
It has directions for making food wreaths, made with pieces
of oranges, apples, ear corn and other foods.
The Conservationist
is a great source of information about the Missouri outdoors.
Often, it includes a special section especially for kids.
Subscriptions are free. To subscribe, you can write to: Circulation,
P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180.
There is one good
thing about the birds that recover from the West Nile illness.
Those birds develop immunity. So, your help for sick birds
this winter is especially important.
If you'd like
more information about the Wild Bird Centers, there are two
websites. For national information, go to www.wildbirdcenter.com.
For information about the St. Louis centers, you go to www.wildbirdcenterstl.com.
The local website includes bird feeding tips and a calendar
of upcoming events.
News
Two
kids plan better science websites
Jim Hoff and
Bobby Givens of Fenton plan new and better websites for the
2003 Cyber Challenge competition. Both entered for the first
time last year.
Hoff was a winner
in the novice category in 2002 with a website about robots.
Although Givens didn't place last year, he will join Hoff
in the advanced class in the March contest.
Both plan to attend
Cyber Challenge Cafe workshop January 20. It will help prospective
entrants learn more about the contest. Websites need to be
completed by March 3.
(If you would
like to consider entry in the 2003 challenge, you can get
information from the Junior Science Academy website. The address
is: www.jracademy.com.
Also, you can review all 2002 website entries, including those
by Hoff and Givens. Just click on Members Homepages
at the bottom of the Junior Academy's home page.)
The Cyber Challenge
website competition provides Hoff and Givens an outlet for
their long-time twin interests in science and computers. The
two are eighth graders at Our Savior Lutheran School in Fenton.
The two, along
with fellow classmate Mike Crisco, have shared a passion for
science since third grade. In the beginning, the boys' interest
was primarily in electronics and electricity.
In sixth grade,
Jim shifted interest to robots. Now, he designs, programs
and builds them.
Of course, the
subject of Hoff's winning Cyber Challenge entry last year
was robots. The site included pictures of his hand-built robot
with explanations of how it worked.
But, Jim said,
that robot just "sort of roamed around."
He said this year's
new robot "thinks for itself," with its faster processor,
better batteries and a stronger frame. It has an electronic
eye feature that lets the robot "avoid a wall before
even touching it," he said.
Also, it can sweep
the floor and pick up small objects with its workable arm,
he added.
He's changed his
computer's layout software so his website also will have more
features.
Bobby Givens'
science interest took a different turn in fifth grade. And
that shift came about in an unusual way.
Bobby said, "In
fifth grade, our school got a new World Book encyclopedia.
The principal gave each student one of the volumes. He told
us to write a report on something in our volume. My book was
the letter E. I found the section on energy and did my report
on nuclear energy."
That interest
has continued. "I've written a ton of reports on nuclear
energy," he said. Nuclear power was the subject of last
year's Cyber Challenge website. And, again this year, he's
keeping that focus.
But, like Hoff,
he's changed his layout software so his website can have more
features.
"This year,
I'll use sound and motion. I'm planning to use movies about
nuclear energy. And I'll rewrite all the text on the site
and include more material," he said.
Both boys have
moved to an updated Flash MX layout software. Bobby said,
"That's easier for me to move stuff around on the website."
Hoff hopes to
major in electro-mechanical engineering in college. And he's
already got his eye on a company where he might like to work.
Lynx Motion in Pekin, Ill., is into robots. Hoff already buys
his robot components from the company.
"I'd like
to design robots for them," he said. He already works
for his dad on tasks such as networking computers for clients.
Givens also has
his college choices. However, he admits his first choice of
MIT "might be a little stretch." But, he's also
looking at the University of Missouri-Rolla. He'd like to
major in nuclear engineering.
Givens and Hoff
are trying to interest their buddy Mike Crisco in entering
this year's Cyber Challenge. Mike didn't enter last year.
But, first Hoff
has challenged Mike to a battle of robots. They want to stage
a "summo wrestling" contest between their homemade
robots.
Jim's so confident
that he's made a totally one-sided bet with Mike. "If
my robot wins, I don't get anything. But, if his wins, I agree
to give him some food every day at lunch through the end of
the year," he said.
Mike's robot has
a better processor. "He's got the brain but I'd got the
brawn," Jim said.
Despite the odds,
Bobby thinks Jim's bet is good. "Mike doesn't have a
chance," he said.
Education
Kids
learn how to write a holiday book
Fourth grader
Ashley Fowler of Valley Park figured out an important lesson
while trying to publish a holiday book. Her team almost missed
a publication deadline because they spent too much time on
the story's beginning.
Ashley was on
a four-member writing team at Valley Park Elementary School.
They got their book assignment from children's authors Patricia
and Fred McKissack of St. Louis. The McKissacks have published
over 100 kids books, including national prize winners.
Other members
of Ashley's team were 10-year-olds Olivia Cassidy, Tim Royals
and Alexandria Healey.
In November, the
McKissacks gave writing tips to teacher Susan Evans' fourth-grade
class. After a closed-circuit video conference, the kids divided
into publishing teams.
They had a month
to write, illustrate and publish their holiday books. Ashley's
team had a problem meeting the deadline.
Ashley said, "The
McKissacks told us that every story has to have a beginning,
a middle and an end. But, we had a real long beginning and
we got way behind. In the end, we all had to get together
and typed the whole thing out."
Despite the rush
to finish, their Christmas story was one books that got the
McKissacks' attention. In December, the McKissacks held another
video-conference session to critique the kids' publishing
efforts.
Another book that
got favorable attention was one about a Chinese New Year.
This book was authored by Jessica Huddleston, Tim Tanner and
Cody Rawlings, with research help from classmate Anthony Lentini.
(For the complete
texts and illustrations for the two books, just click
here. Also, you can read an earlier story about the first
video-conference by clicking
here.)
The Chinese New
Year's book was one of the shortest ones published. But, it
included some of the most thorough historical research and
a very unique cover illustration.
Anthony said Ms.
Evans at first wanted them to write about Christmas. "But,
we had done so much research on New Year's that she said okay,"
he said.
When Cody Rawlings
first offered his cover illustration, Ms. Evans thought he
had traced it. But, Cody convinced her he had drawn it, using
a picture of a Chinese lion as a model.
He said, "She
held the drawing and the picture up to the light and could
see I hadn't traced it."
The team spent
a lot of time researching oriental new year's history. All
the book publishing teams used internet sources for much of
their research.
One unique touch
was to include an oriental verse. The team said they used
one they found on the internet. But, Tim Tanner said, "We
could have used one of my Haiku verses." He likes to
make up that type of oriental verse. He said they consist
of three lines, the first with five words, the second, seven
and the last, five.
Anthony and Jessica
shared the work on their book. Each of them missed extended
time from school because of illness.
Jessica did much
of the writing but was absent when Young Saint Louis.com
came to do these interviews. Anthony did research but he was
out during much of the publishing.
In addition to
the publishing of the book, each team had to give a PowerPoint
presentation to the class about their work. Ms. Evans' class
is part of a computer-intensive teaching program at Valley
Park.
All of the kids
got some valuable lessons about writing. Some came directly
from the McKissacks but others were learned during the publishing
experience.
Olivia Cassidy
said, "I learned that stories shouldn't have too much
talking. There's a need for more action and then a clincher
at the end."
Alexandria Healey
said, "I found out you have to put in very hard effort
to be a writer."
For Tim Tanner,
the lesson was that "you need to have a bigger problem
and then you solve it with your story."
Cody Rawlings
said, "I remember they said that some books take a long
time to do."
For the kids in
Ms. Evans' class, there was a lot to learn. And they learned
both by listening to famous kids' authors and also by doing
their own publishing.
Holiday
book samples by Valley Park kids
Here are samples
of two holiday books published by 4th graders at Valley Park
Elementary School. These were picked as examples of good writing
after tips from local kids' authors Patricia and Fred McKissack.
The Valley Park
kids divided into teams to do the writing, illustration and
then publishing. Their work came after a closed-circuit television
writing lesson by the McKissacks.
A
Christmas Story
By Ashley Fowler, Olivia Cassidy, Tim Royals and Alexandria
Healey
It was five days
before Christmas, Angel was jumping on the couch singing "Winter
Wonderland." Halley was watching her sister be crazy.
Just then Angel's mom Nancy came in and turned down the music.
"Go get your snowsuits! You are going outside!"
yelled their mother.
The girls ran
upstairs to get their snowsuits. The girls ran down to see
their dad before they went outside. Their dad was looking
for a Christmas tree in the newspaper ads. "Girls, lets
go outside so I can shovel the drive," said their dad.
Suddenly it began
to snow again. It had already snowed two inches. Angel and
Halley both yelled, "IT'S SNOWING!"
"Is this
what Christmas is?" asked Angel. "No silly, it is
just snowing."
"But, I
guess I won't be shoveling the drive," said their dad.
Halley ran to open the door. A cold rush of wind whistled
through the doorway. Halley and Angel ran out the door. Their
father ran outside after them.
He grabbed Angel's
snowsuit hood, then grabbed her hands and twirled her around
until she fell to the ground. Halley made a snowball and threw
it at her dad's head. He spun around and threw a snowball
back at her. They had started a snowball fight.
Angel was making
a snow angel in the snow. Then she saw the snowball fight.
She got up and threw a snowball at her dad. Just then their
mother called them. "Come in you three, it's time for
hot chocolate."
"Is this
Christmas," asked Angel.
Riinnngggg Riinnngggg.
Mrs. Johnson reached for the phone. "Hello, Mother,"
said Mrs. Johnson. "Yes, that sounds great. Tomorrow
it is." She hung up the phone. She turned to the girls.
"Guess what, girls?" said their mom.
"What,"
they said excitedly.
"You're
going to the mall with grandma tomorrow," she announced.
"Cool!"
they shouted. "We're going to the mall!" They started
jumping all around. Their mom told them to settle down. The
two girls started to whisper to each other.
The next morning
Angel and Halley got ready to go to the mall. Then, the girls
ran downstairs to get breakfast. They had a surprise. Their
grandma was already in the kitchen. The girls leaped with
excitement. "I didn't know you were here all ready,"
said Halley. "Is this what Christmas is?" asked
Angel. Their grandma smiled.
They set off
to the mall. They shopped for three hours.
"All right,"
said their grandma. As they were leaving the mall, Angel asked
her grandma, "Is this Christmas?"
"Well how
can I explain," she mumbled. "Christmas means being
with your family and celebrating a birth of someone very special.
His name is Jesus," she said. They went home and wrapped
the gifts they got each other.
The presents
were scattered under the tree. Wrapping had erupted all over
the carpet.
"Is it finally
Christmas? asked Angel. "Yes, Angel, this is Christmas."
New
Year's
By Jessica Huddleston, Tim Tanner and Cody Rawlings
It was a cold
January day. Ickchan Lee was playing noisily with her toy
piano. "Stop making that racket," demanded her mother.
"Come with me and I will tell you about Near Year's."
So her mother
put on her red coat and mittens. They took a walk to the store
to get some food for New Year's dinner. They bought some New
Year's dumplings and cakes.
Ickchan Lee got
an extra small cake for her grandma. She picked out the one
with almonds on the top and cream in the middle. They finished
buying the oranges, rice and Ramen noodles. On the way home
they stopped for the fireworks. Ickchan skipped along the
sidewalk and singing:
"This
little frog has two eyes,
Four legs
One mouth, no tail
Says croak, croak and
Plops into the water."
When they got
home her mother made paper fans, Chinese chews and Chinese
almonds cookies. They decorated the house with paper lanterns.
Ickchan Lee was in her traditional dress for the New Year's
party.
They ate dumplings
and cake. Ickchan Lee's mother showed her how to read the
Chinese calendar. It was the Year of the Sheep. Happy New
Year, Ickchan Lee!
Books
This
month's book reviews
A
haughty English girl in the Middle Ages
learns to live in the real world
Matilda had spent
her childhood in the manor house of a wealthy family. A priest,
Father Leufredus, had served as her mentor and teacher at
the manor. Matilda had learned to read English as well as
to speak and read Latin. She had been treated much like one
of the family, dressed well, ate only the best of foods, and
spent her time much as young girls of a noble family might
have spent their time. Still, she was a poor orphan girl living
off the charity of a wealthy family. The person who most influenced
her thinking about the world was Father Leufredus. Her reading
was about the lives of the saints and most of her conversations
were about religion and the dangers of sin.
Matilda's easy
and sheltered life was suddenly taken away from her. Father
Leufredus was called to London by his superiors. He had to
leave Matilda with someone who would help take care of her
and teach her how to support herself. She was left with Peg
the Bonesetter in Blood and Bone Alley. Matilda held on to
the belief that the priest would return for her, eventually,
and take her back to the comfortable life that she had experienced
at the manor. But, truthfully, Father Leufredus had made no
such promise.
Peg the Bonesetter
was fat, loud, and very demanding. She expected Matilda to
go to the market, buy food, and prepare meals for the both
of them. She also expected Matilda to keep clean the dirt-floored
combination shop and home that they lived in. Peg also made
it clear that she Matilda was to learn how to set bones and
help take care of the poor people who came to the shop with
all kinds of injuries. Of course, Matilda was horrified. Such
things were beneath her. After all, she could read and write
and knew Latin - things that very few people in that era know
how to do! But Peg only made fun of her learning. It had no
practical use in the life Matilda now was forced to lead.
The reader of
"Matilda Bone" finds out about life in the Middle
Ages and, especially, about the practice of medicine at that
time. This background information is picked up as we read
about Matilda's struggle to find a place for herself in the
real world. We, as well as Matilda, come to respect Peg for
her knowledge and to love her as she helps Matilda live a
much fuller and richer life.
"Buddy"
wants to change more in her life
than just her name
Her name was really
Amy Kate, but her dad had called her his "little buddy",
so everybody called her "Buddy". Her mother had
died when she was six. She lived with her dad and older brother,
Bart. But her father lost his job and went to a neighboring
town to look for work. He had disappeared, leaving Buddy and
Bart alone to fend for themselves. They lived in a car for
a few days after being put out of their rented home. Finally,
Bart insisted Buddy go to Haysville to stay with their only
relatives, while he went to look for their dad.
Buddy knew that
for some reason her mother and dad had not had much to do
with the relatives in Haysville. When she arrived to stay
with them, she sensed that her aunts were resentful of Buddy's
dad, and especially her deceased mom. Why? Buddy was determined
to find out. Meanwhile, she had to try to get by in a strange
town, a new school and in a home with resentful relatives.
Buddy was shocked
to find out that her aunts thought that her mother had taken
money from the family when she ran off to marry the young
man who was now Buddy's father. Buddy knew that her mother
would have never stolen money, but could she prove it? Would
Bart find her dad? Would her father be alive? Would she ever
feel like she had a real family again?
"Buddy is
a Stupid name for a Girl" is a little bit like a grown-up
soap opera, except that the main character is a preteen girl.
With all the troubles that Buddy has, it's hard to believe
that it can all work out to a happy ending. At the end, she
is Amy Kate and no longer Buddy.
Yes,
there is a good kid's book
about roller hockey
Kirby Childs
is thirteen-years-old and small for his age. The good news
is that he is an excellent skater on both ice skates and roller
blades. The bad news is that his parents have moved to a new
town where Kirby doesn't know a single person. Kirby also
knows that, because he is their only child, his parents tend
to be overly protective and are always afraid that he's going
to get hurt. As a small guy, Kirby knows what it is to be
pushed around by bigger guys, but he doesn't say much to his
parents about that.
While he is out
exploring his new hometown on his bike, Kirby runs into some
kids playing roller hockey. They are about his age. The trouble
is they are playing in the street, and the street is more
than two miles from where he lives. Still, the kids seem fairly
friendly and interested in giving him a chance to play roller
hockey with them. They gave him a much better reception than
some bullies he had met a few streets away on Bates Avenue.
Kirby's parents
reluctantly give him permission to go skate with the E Street
Skates, the name of the group that he met. The E Street Skates
are practicing for a game against the Bates Avenue Bad Boys.
Kirby realizes these are the guys that had made fun of him
and chased him off when he was exploring on his bike. He knows
his parents are going to forbid him to play against a bunch
of bullies who don't play by the rules. But he desperately
wants to play with his friends and try to beat the Bad Boys
when they play a real game.
Kirby has to show
his new friends that he can be a good enough player to help
them win. He has to convince his parents that playing in the
street isn't as dangerous as they think it is, and that he
can play with bigger guys and not get hurt. You have to read
the book to find out how he does it. There is plenty of roller
hockey action to keep you interested.
If
the Prince does something bad,
should a servant get his punishment?
The King's son,
Prince Horace, misbehaves so much, that the people around
him call him "Prince Brat." But since he is a prince,
he can't be punished. Jemmy, a poor orphan boy from the streets
of an unnamed big city (possibly London) is brought to live
in the palace to be the "whipping boy" for the Prince.
The Prince, because of his mean behavior, is the cause of
Jemmy's receiving frequent whippings. Even though he is given
nice clothes and has much better food to eat than he had on
the streets, Jemmy wants to run away and regain his freedom.
To Jemmy's astonishment,
Prince Horace insists that Jemmy help him run away and live
on the streets with him. The story then is concerned with
how these two boys try to survive on their own in a fictional
London of about the 16th century. Their problems are complicated
by the Prince's behavior - he still insists that he be treated
as the King's son, even though nobody believes him. The two
boys are in real trouble when they are captured by a couple
of cutthroats who find out that one of them is the King's
son.
"The Whipping
Boy" by Sid Fleishman is a short paperback of only 90
pages. It tells you a little bit about how people lived in
England in a period about a hundred years after Columbus discovered
America. Most of all, though, it tells an exciting adventure
story about two boys of very different backgrounds, one a
royal prince and one a poor orphan, who finally become friends.
Outdoors
For
some kids, a wildlife
habitat is close at hand
Twelve-year-old
Jessica Hendin and her 9-year-old sister Aron don't have to
go far to be in an official wildlife habitat area. They've
got one in their backyard in Chesterfield.
And 12-year-old
Monica Streeter hopes her family's home gets certified soon.
These kids and
their families are part of a "Grow Native" effort
in Chesterfield.
The Chesterfield
Citizen's Committee for the Environment (CCE) is leading the
effort. The goal is to enlist 700 local families who will
get their backyards certified as official wildlife habitats.
To do that, families
need to follow rules of the National Wildlife Federation.
To get certification,
families have to agree to raise plants that provide food for
wildlife. They also have to maintain plant cover so the wild
animals and birds can raise their young.
For Jessica and
Aron, that meant helping plant an organic garden and putting
out bird feeders. They used plant compost to loosen and fertilize
the soil. They even planted flowers such as marigolds that
help control garden pests naturally.
For their effort,
they get to harvest fresh vegetables grown without using chemical
fertilizers or pesticides.
They also can
view from their kitchen and bedroom windows all sorts of neat
wildlife. Among the visitors are deer, foxes, coyotes and
owls as well as large and small birds.
Jessica is a 6th
grader at Parkway Central Middle School. She said, "The
birds even helped plant corn and sunflowers in our garden."
She was referring
to the seeds the birds knocked to the ground while they were
using the backyard aerial bird feeder. The seeds dropped into
the composted dirt in their nearby garden and then sprouted.
Aron is a 4th
grader at Solomon Specter Day School. She said she likes to
take hikes in the woods, starting in her backyard. Their home
is on a bluff overlooking the Creve Coeur Creek. That gives
them access to lots of wooded common ground in their sub-division.
Monica is a 7th
grader at Parkway Central Middle School. She and her family
have all the things in place to get their backyard recognized
as a wildlife habitat. Her parents just need to fill out the
registration form and send it to the National Wildlife Federation.
She's helped to
establish a miniature butterfly garden in her backyard. The
garden has native plants that serve as both food and shelter
for butterflies.
Another feature
is a hummingbird feeding station. "We have six hummingbirds
who come back every year. They're getting pretty tame now,"
Monica said.
In addition to
the hummingbird feeding station, the family has planted hibiscus
plants. These provide a natural food source for hummingbirds.
Monica also has
feeders for other birds in her backyard. She made those feeders
as a Girl Scout project.
She and her family
also have nearby wooded common ground that extends their wildlife
protection area.
(You can learn
more about the Backyard Wildlife Habitat program. Just go
to the National Wildlife Federation's website at www.nwf.org.
There is a special section just for the backyard habitat program.
It includes a registration form.)
Darcy Capstick
is chairman of Chesterfield's CCE.
There's more to
the "Grow Native" than just signing up 700 families
to establish backyard wildlife habitats. The group also works
with schools to set up habitats on school grounds.
The Chesterfield
area has some great wildlife habitat resources. The Sachs
Butterfly House and Education Center is nearby in Faust Park.
That county park is reestablishing a native prairie within
its boundaries.
There's also the
Monsanto-Pharmacia-Chesterfield Village with its evolving
prairie lands.
The Chesterfield
CCE has held workshops to explain their "back to nature"
efforts. These are open to the public.
Next spring, the
City of Chesterfield plans to repeat its annual Tree, Earth
and Arbor Day. The Community Wildlife Habitat program was
a key feature of last April's celebration.
The CCE also plans
to repeat its "Grow Native" symposium about establishing
backyard or work-place wildlife habitats. For information
you can call Capstick at (636) 532-2008.
Careers
Want
career, school advice? Check here
Are you looking
for early help in planning a college or work career? Or maybe
you just need help with tomorrow's homework?
The University
of Missouri-St. Louis' Regional Center for Education &
Work (RCEW) has something for you. This help extends to kids
in area elementary and middle schools.
Some opportunities
come only if your local school or community group signs up.
But, there's plenty of free information available to individual
kids. Especially homework help.
All you need is
a computer with Internet access.
So far, nine St.
Louis area middle schools have joined as members of the RCEW's
Pathfinder program. The schools are:
- Barnwell Middle
School in the Francis Howell district;
- Holman Middle
School in the Pattonville district;
- Lansdowne
Middle School in East St. Louis, Ill.;
- Meramec Valley
Middle School in Franklin Co.;
- Normandy Middle
School in St. Louis Co.;
- Riverview
Gardens Central Middle in St. Louis Co.;
- Riverview
Gardens East Middle in St. Louis Co.;
- Saeger Middle
School in Francis Howell district, and
- Wydown Middle
School in St. Louis Co.
In addition, two
community organizations that work with middle schoolers are
members. They are GEAR UP, ST. LOUIS and Junior Achievement
of Mississippi Valley, Inc.
Rosanne Vrugtman
is the Pathfinder coordinator for the RCEW. She is working
to sign up more schools and organizations. Your school could
contact her at (314) 516-4349 or send her an e-mail
at vrugtmanr@msx.umsl.edu.
She said, "Pathfinder
has lots of information helpful to all kids, not just those
at member schools and organizations. That's especially true
if you're looking for homework help."
You can get free
access to the Pathfinder website at: stlpathfinder.communityos.org.
After clicking on Pathfinder, you need to click the
Additional Resources circle at the bottom of the page.
Then, click on St. Louis Pathfinder Resources.
(The links
for Employer, Educator/Youth Professionals, Students
and Community Participants require individual passwords
for access. These you get from member organizations.)
The Resources
tab has lots of links. Pathfinder has sorted the links that
are younger kids. One middle school link, Homework Central,
has 150,000 links to 10,000 subjects.
That's a bunch
of links. But they are divided into easy-to-search categories,
covering just about any homework subject you need.
If your school
or group is a Pathfinder member, you get ways to develop your
own personal resume, college plan and career path goal. Also,
kids as young as middle schoolers get chances to get hands-on
information on various career choices.
Ms. Vrugtman said
sometimes a prospective employer contacts an individual kid
with an internship, a job-shadowing opportunity or even a
paying, part-time job.
For instance,
she said a St. Louis County hospital has contacted a middle
school student who indicated an interest in a medical career.
The hospital had an opening for a junior volunteer on its
Care Team that provides non-technical care for patients.
Currently, Pathfinder
has 22 such opportunities where middle school kids can get
career information and on-the-job experience. They range from
the medical field to carpentry and even theater performing.
Vrugtman is seeking more on-the-job opportunities for kids.
One older Pathfinder
student recently was profiled in St. Louis Commerce
magazine. The article told about this high school student's
first experience in the medical field. She had developed a
personal profile and resume on the Pathfinder site. The student
wants to be an emergency room doctor.
The hospital contacted
her right through Pathfinder. She got a chance at a paying
job while she was getting her first medical field experience.
Ms. Vrugtman said
it's never too early to start developing a resume. The Pathfinder
program lets you update your background material as you go
along.
Another valuable
Pathfinder feature helps kids planning for college. You can
search for the college you want. Then, you can keep track
to make sure your middle and high school classes are the right
ones for your college major.
Why not check
out the free portion of Pathfinder today. And then ask at
your school about joining the RCEW and get individualized
career and college help.
Sports
"Worst"
experience helps cross-country runner
Ten-year-old
Adam Prahlow used his "worst" running experience
as a valuable lesson. It helped him finish third in the 2002
AAU cross-country nationals last month.
Adam is the youngest
of three running brothers. Thirteen-year-old Aaron and 14-year-old
Andrew also competed in the AAU nationals. The races were
held in December at Iowa State University in Ames.
Adam was in the
9-10 age classification while Aaron and Andrew both ran in
13-14.
It was in a preparation
run six weeks before the nationals that Adam ran his "worst"
race. During a cold and rainy day, he was forced to drop out
of the race because he got too chilled and weak.
After the race,
Adam figured he hadn't trained properly, He also wasn't dressed
right for the weather conditions.
Before running
at Ames, he trained harder. He also made sure he drank more
water. Then, he dressed warmer both while waiting to run and
also during the race.
As a result, he
not only finished the 3-kilometer race but was 3rd in a field
of about 200.
But, all his preparation
weren't enough at the USA Track and Field nationals two weeks
later. This was supposed to be the "warm" meet because
it was in Georgia. But, the day of the race had heavy rain,
extreme cold and wind. Also, the course was very muddy.
He got boxed in
at the start. The narrow course made it hard to pass. He finished
90th in the field of over 300. His mother, Linda, called the
race a "learning experience."
Aaron and Andrew
qualified for and ran in the AAU tournament in Ames. But,
they finished farther back in their 13-14 age group. That
was a 4-kilometer race. They didn't run in the USATF nationals.
The three boys
began running road races regularly when they were quite young.
Aaron ran in his first road race when he was three. Andrew
was on a running team when he was four. Adam ran his first
road race at five after the family moved to St. Louis.
Their interest
in running comes naturally. Their father, Jim, is the track
and cross-country coach at Lutheran North High School.
But, he makes
sure the boys run because they like it and not because of
parental pressure.
Both Aaron and
Andrew have taken as much as a year off when they didn't run
at all.
Also Aaron is
very interested in art. He's in a Young Artists Program at
the Craft Alliance. That program helps aspiring artists all
the way through high school.
The 7th grader
said, "I'll probably go to a college with a good art
school." He wants to be a commercial artist. "But,
I'll probably have another job also," he added.
Andrew began running
seriously again more than a year ago. His motivation was a
desire to make the Lutheran North cross-country team as a
freshman. He ended the 2002 season as the sixth man on the
varsity which competed in the Missouri state tournament.
However, Andrew
is very interested in music. He plays the trumpet in both
the Lutheran North pep and concert bands. He continues to
take lessons from a private teacher.
He's got his eye
on Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill., "because it
has a good pre-vet program." He wants to be a veterinarian.
Fifth-grader Adam
is the one who's still focused primarily on an athletic career.
"I want to
go to the Olympics and get my picture on the Wheaties box,"
he said.
Asked about his
cross-country strengths, Adam believes his finishing kick
is best.
The three boys
all run for the Blazers Track Club. The team specializes in
distance and cross-country running. Coach Blair Porter stresses
what he calls the "two-minute drill."
During the last
two minutes of every race, runners try to sprint as hard as
they can.
Right now, the
boys say they get a lot of fun out of running.
Adam said, "I
enjoy it when there is competition and there are a lot of
people in the race."
Brother Aaron
said he likes running through the mud when it's raining. He
said running helps him calm down. He suffers from anxiety
and needs the physical activity to calm him.
Older brother
Andrew explains the fun of running this way. "I was running
with my cousin. We set out for a short run. But, we got lost
and ended up at the Jamestown Mall. Then, we had to run all
the way home," he said.
What started as
a 3-mile run lasted seven miles. "I thought that was
pretty fun," he said.
Profile
Last in 8-part
series
More
citizenship awards for Tori Fenemor
Twelve-year-old
Tori Fenemor moved to St. Louis less than three years ago.
But, she sure got involved in a hurry in her school, church
and community.
Last spring, she
was named a Gateway 2002 Young Achiever of the Year. At the
time, she was a 6th grader at Hardin Middle School in St.
Charles.
Before the end
of the 2001-2002 year, she received several more awards. Among
those were the school's Citizenship Award, Physical Education
Award and annual Honor Roll. She also earned a seat on the
Student Council.
As a 7th grader
at Hardin, Tori is back at work in school and the community.
In September,
she was named the Hardin Middle School's Student of the Month.
She also was elected to the Student Council and was on the
school's Straight-A Honor Roll for the first quarter.
At 5-foot-9, she's
also is the leading rebounder for her select basketball team
in St. Charles. As a member of a traveling team, she and her
teammates play in a tournament just about every weekend.
Coming up are
tournaments as far away as Springfield, Mo., and Chicago.
After joining
the traveling team, Tori cut back on the number of team sports
she played. Before that, she's also been active in soccer,
softball and volleyball.
She said, "With
all the time the select basketball team takes, I had to focus
my attention."
But, she hasn't
cut down on her charitable efforts or on being a "best
friend" to her younger sister, 10-year-old Kylie.
This fall, she
and her sister formed a team to take part in the Adopt a Family
program. That involved earning money so they could provide
Christmas clothes and toys to a needy St. Louis area family.
Tori is also helping
with the Adopt a Family program at Hardin School. That involves
making contributions to a "jar wars" program to
collect money for the Christmas gifts.
One of the charitable
contributions that earned Tori her Gateway Achiever award
involved personal fund-raising in the wake of Sept. 11.
She and a friend,
Sarah Hodges, formed a Kids Who Care program. They made T-shirts
and flyers and set up a collection station in front of a St.
Charles photo shop.
They collected
over $1,000 in 10 hours. The money went to the Red Cross'
relief fund to aid victims of the World Trade Center disaster.
In nominating
Tori for the Achiever award, Hardin Middle Principal Michael
Ebert said, "Tori cares very much for everyone. She will
always do what is best for them before thinking about herself."
(Young Saint
Louis.com has been profiling the elementary and middle
school Achiever winners. YSL.com published the original
story in May, 2002. To read that article, click
here. To read individual profile stories, click
here for June, 2002; click
here for July, 2002; click
here for August, 2002; click
here for September, 2002; click
here for October, 2002; click
here for November, 2002, and click
here for December, 2002.)
Tori credits her
school mates for making her feel at home in St. Charles. They
moved from Normal, Ill. At that time, she said, "I was
worried about going to a new school."
When asked about
that now, she said, "My classmates are all real nice."
They must have
liked Tori also since she was named to the student council
in her first year in St. Charles. She continues to serve there.
"I like being on the student council," she said.
While she's having
fun helping others now, she's got firm personal goals for
the future. Her goal is to study journalism and photography
in college. Then, she wants to be a photo-journalist with
National Geographic magazine.
To that end, Tori
spends a lot of time with her 35mm camera. Her favorite spot
to take pictures is at the Missouri Botanical Garden.
"I like to
get down on my stomach and shoot up at the plants. I like
to get weird views of things," she said.
But, before she
gets her photographer job, she'd like to play pro basketball
in the WNBA. She's hoping to grow into a 6-footer.
Asked about her
choice of a college, Tori said, "I'd like to study photography
in the Fine Arts Department of Washington U." She's also
attracted to the fact that Wash U's women's basketball team
is a perennial power in the NCAA's Division 3.
Things
to Do
Things to do,
places to go...
New
Lewis and Clark center officially opens
A brand-new Lewis
and Clark State Historic Site is now officially open in Hartford,
Ill. The site is on land used by Meriwether Lewis and William
Clark as a winter base camp in 1803-1804 before starting famous
trip up the Missouri River.
One thing the
new historic site makes clear is that Lewis and Clark started
their trek to the Pacific Ocean from the Illinois side of
the Mississippi River. Of course, in those days, there weren't
the states of either Illinois or Missouri.
The $7 million
historic site is operated by the Illinois Historic Preservation
Agency.
The site was officially
opened early in December. Hours for the public will be 9 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. (The site is closed to
the public Mondays and Tuesdays.) Admission is free.
To get to the
site, the easiest access for either Missouri or Illinois families
is from I-270. You get off I-270 on the Illinois side at Exit
3b. Then, go north about two miles on Route 3. The visitors
center will be easy to spot from the highway.
For further information
you can call the site at (618) 251-5811. As yet,
there is no information website. It won't be on-line until
later in 2003.
One of the key
exhibits at the historic site is a replica of the boat Lewis
and Clark used in their exploration of the Louisiana Purchase.
Remember, that was before there were any roads or highways;
long-distance travel was mostly by boat.
When you look
at the boat, try to envision how hard it must have been to
push or drag it upstream for hundreds of miles.
Work will begin
this spring for a 150-foot observation tower to go along with
the visitors center. That will give an aerial view of the
confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. The tower
is scheduled to be open in 2004 in time for the bicentennial
celebration of the start of the Lewis and Clark trip.
Winter
fun with nighttime walks in county parks
The St. Louis
County Parks have night walks scheduled in January. There
is one scheduled at Queeny Park and two others at Jefferson
Barracks Park.
The Queen Park
hike is scheduled for 7-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 16. There's
a $5 charge and advance registration is suggested. For information,
call (314) 615-4386.
A park ranger
leads the 2-mile hike and points out the nighttime activity
in Queeny Park. The hikes start from the Mason Road entrance,
which is on the eastern boundary of the West St. Louis County
park.
The Jefferson
Barracks Park hikes are set for Saturdays, Jan. 11 and 25.
They will start at 7:30 p.m. Admission for kids 6 and under
is free; for those 7 and over, admission is $6.
Advance registration
is suggested. For information, call (314) 615-4386.
These walks through
Jefferson Barracks Park allow hikers to observe the abundant
Whitetail Deer activities during the nighttime. The walks
will start at the visitors center.
The St. Louis
County Parks department has a wide variety of hikes and walks
during the year. For information, either call (314) 615-4386
or check the department's website at www.stlouisco.com.
Update
on Museum's miniature exhibit
In December,
Young Saint Louis.com included in Places/Things
an item about the "Our World in Miniature" exhibit.
It was showing at the Missouri History Museum.
One feature of
the exhibit was an extensive model railroad layout.
Now, there's a
neat website giving lots of details and tons of pictures of
that model railroad layout in the exhibit.
The website is
sponsored by the National Railroad Assn. The address is:
www.gatewaynmra.org/mhslayout/mhslayout.htm
There's also still
time to see the Museum's exhibit in person. It will be open
at the museum in Forest Park until January 21.
A
January favorite: Eagle watching
on the Mississippi
The Old Chain
of Rocks bridge with be eagle watching headquarters on Saturday
and Sunday, Jan. 18-19. The bridge over the Mississippi River
will have special viewing scopes for closer looks.
The Mississippi
River at St. Louis is a popular eagle nesting site. That's
because the river is usually open so eagles can find fish.
Also, on shore, there are also lots of tall trees for nesting.
On Eagle Days,
conservation officials also will provide Lewis and Clark re-enactments,
live eagles for close-up viewing and educational programs.
Eagle Day hours
are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Admission is free.
Be sure to dress
warmly and also bring your own binoculars, if you have them.
You can get to
the bridge via I-270 and Riverview Drive.
For advance information
call either (314) 416-9930 or (314) 231-3803.
If you'd like
to read a more complete story about a past Eagle Days, you
can check our archives. Just click on Past Stories on the
homepage and then call up January, 2002.
St.
Louis History
This month
in St. Louis history...
In
1865, Missouri abolishes slavery in state
On January, 11,
1865, a Missouri Constitutional Convention voted for immediate
emancipation of all slaves in the state. Convention delegates
were meeting in St. Louis at the time.
Before that time,
Missouri laws treated slaves as sanctioned and protected property.
That means they could be bought and sold, willed, inherited,
hired out and seized for debt.
Also, slave marriages
weren't recognized in Missouri. The reason: such marriages
might interfere with the owner's rights to his slave property.
The 1865 action
also rescinded an 1847 constitutional amendment that forbade
the education of Missouri blacks.
The 1865 constitutional
convention was held in the Mercantile Library in St. Louis.
That library has long been a place where historic records
of Missouri have been kept. The first library building was
at the corner of Broadway and Locust streets in downtown St.
Louis.
The library erected
its second building at Broadway and Locust in 1889. At the
present time, the library and its records are at the University
of Missouri-St. Louis.
The year 1865
marked the end of the Civil War. The debate about slavery
abolishment and other legislative actions gave indications
of how divided the state was in its loyalties during the war.
That same year,
a new state constitution included a provision that denied
voting rights to anyone who refused to deny sympathy for the
Southern cause. This provision was repealed five years later.
Ironically, 1865
also was the year George Washington Carver was born a slave
in Missouri. After gaining a college education, Carver went
on to become one of the nation's noted scientists of the time.
If you're interested
in more state history, you can try a couple of websites. One
is run by the Missouri Secretary of State at www.sos.state.mo.us/archives.
Another is from the University of Missouri-Kansas City at
www.umkc.edu/imc/missouri.htm.
Also, if you would
like to know more about the Mercantile Library, you can call
Assistant Director Charles Brown at (314) 516-7243
or e-mail him at cbrown@umsl.edu
Famous
St. Louisans' birthdays
One St. Louisan
who was born here but made her mark in Europe had a birthday
in January. Another person with a January birthday was a baseball
player who was born elsewhere but made his mark in St. Louis.
Opera singer Grace
Brumbry was born in St. Louis in St. Louis on Jan. 4, 1937.
She had some initial
success as a singer both locally and elsewhere in the U.S.
But, it wasn't until she moved to Europe that she developed
an international reputation. Other African-American singers
and entertainers in those earlier days also went to Europe
for fame.
Although Ms. Brumbry
now lives in Europe, she comes back to St. Louis to perform.
She was here late last year for singing engagements.
Famed baseball
player Dizzy Dean was born on Jan. 16, 1910. But, his fame
developed as a pitcher with the St. Louis Cardinals. He and
his brother, Paul, both starred with the Cardinals.
One of the famous
incidents for the Deans as Cardinals happened when both started
games in a doubleheader. Dizzy pitched first and won a one-hitter.
Paul pitched second and pitched a no-hitter.
Dizzy was quoted
after the games as saying, "Paul, if you had told me
you were going to pitch a no-hitter, I would have done the
same."
After his pitching
days were over, Dizzy was a famous baseball announcer. His
natural "down-home" style of speaking brought entertainment
as well as baseball knowledge to his broadcasts.
Both Ms. Brumbry
and Dean are honored in the St. Louis Walk of Fame in downtown
University City. For more information about them and others,
check out the website at:
www.stlouiswalkoffame.org
Math
Puzzler
Two
of January's Math Puzzlers
have same characters
Mr. Math Puzzler
decided he likes the dwarfs Dobbit and Mobbit. So, he used
those characters in two of the six Math Puzzlers for January.
So, you'll be
able to use some of the math you used to solve Question 5
when trying to answer Question 6.
That sounds like
a pretty good deal. However, what if you don't get the correct
answer for Question 5? It might mean you'll be on the wrong
track for Question 6 also. So, whatever you do, be careful
with both questions.
Young Saint
Louis.com likes it when kids that enter the Math Puzzler
competition get the right answers. We get to list the winners
the next month. We also get a chance to give out $10 Borders
gift certificates as an extra bonus.
In the December
contest, there were nine kids who answered all six of the
questions correctly. (To read about the December winners
and answers, click here.)
Before you try
the December questions, you might check the past questions
and answers. That way, you'll learn how Mr. Math Puzzler thinks.
YSL.com
started the Math Puzzlers 1 and 1/2 years ago. To check questions,
go to the Past Stories tab at the top of the home page.
Click on any month since September, 2001, and you can check
both questions and answers. (The answers to one month's questions
are available in the next month's edition.)
Now, you should
be ready for the January contest.
If you get all
Puzzlers correct, YSL.com will print your name and
those of all other winners in the January, 2003, edition.
Remember, all winning entries also get a chance to win a $10
Borders gift certificate. We pick up to three winners for
the certificates.
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:
- Print out
the following entry form.
- Fill out your
name, address and telephone number.
- Give your
answers to the six Math Puzzlers.
- Put your completed
entry into a stamped envelope.
- Mail your
entry to:
Math Puzzler Contest
Young Saint Louis.com
231 So. Bemiston Ave., Suite 800
Clayton, MO 63105
(This is a new address)
- All entries
must be postmarked by the 15th of the month
to be eligible for a book prize.
-------------Clip
here to make entry-------------
Entry
for January, 2003, Math Puzzler Contest:
Name: ____________________________
Age: ________
Address: __________________
School: ______________
City:___________________,
State:______ ZIP_________
Contact phone
no.(____)____________________
The
Math Puzzlers
(January, 2003)
1. While you are
raiding your refrigerator, you look behind the stove and discover
a slice of bread that you misplaced several weeks ago. Needless
to say, it is covered with mold. Since the mold started growing,
the area it has covered has doubled each day. By the end of
the eighth day, the entire surface of the bread was covered.
When was the bread half-covered with mold?
Answer:_______________
2. Suppose you
have a three-wheeled car with one spare tire. You rotate tires
regularly enough that each tire gets equal usage over a 50,000-mile
span. How many miles will there be on each tire at the end
of that distance?
Answer:_____________
3. Place the numbers
1,2,3,4,5 and 6 in the circles below so that the sums of the
three numbers on each side are equal?
Answer:_____________
4. Once a week,
a wagon driver leaves his hut and drives his oxen to the river
dock to pick up supplies for his town. At 4:05 p.m., one-fifth
of the way to the dock, he passes the smithy. At 4:15 p.m.,
one-third of the way, he passes the miller. At what time does
he leave his home?
Answer:______________
5. The dwarfs
Dobbit and Mobbit are building a bridge over a narrow stream.
Dobbit can do the job alone in 30 hours; Mobbit can do the
job alone in 45 hours. How long would it take them if they
work together?
Answer:______________
6. Suppose Dobbit
(from problem No. 5 above) worked on the project alone for
5 hours. How long would it take Dobbit and Mobbit to complete
the rest of the job working together?
Answer:______________
Parade
of Math Puzzlers winners
continued in December
There were nine
more winners in the December Math Puzzler competition. And
that's even though Mr. Math Puzzler threw in a somewhat unusual
question about pies.
Actually, the
total number of winning entries could have been higher. Two
former Math Puzzlers winners also answered all six questions
correctly but their entries were postmarked after the December
15 deadline.
Remember to get
your entries mailed well ahead of the deadline. You can't
be sure when people at the Post Office are going to get around
to registering your mailing.
Of those who got
all the puzzlers correct, one didn't want her name listed
among the winners. The eight others who got all six questions
correct were: Ben Harman, Nina Zanaboni, Amy Lange, Lauren
Kloeppinger, Marc Painter, Jim Hakenewerth, Charlie Lowell
and Leah Vandiver.
Those winners
who get the extra bonus of a $10 Borders gift certificate
were Nina Zanaboni, Jim Hakenewerth and Leah Vandiver.
The winners all
stuck to their guns on the answer to Question 2 even though
it was somewhat confusing. The answer was 10 2/3 pies. But,
Mr. Math Puzzler didn't tell who ate that one big piece out
of the last pie before they were distributed.
Our contest entrants
understand that Mr. Math Puzzler sometimes comes up with some
unusual questions....and answers.
With the nine
winners in December, that means there have been 30 winners
in the last three months of 2002. There were nine winners
in October and 12 in November.
Young Saint
Louis.com is always looking for new contestants for the
Math Puzzlers. While your home on holiday break, why not suggest
to your neighborhood friends that they join in the fun.
Before anyone
enters the contest for the first time, they might like to
check out some past questions and answers to learn how Mr.
Math Puzzler thinks.
YSL.com
started the Math Puzzlers nearly 1 1/2 years ago. To check
past questions, go to the Past Stories tab at the top
of the home page. Click on any month since September, 2001,
and you can check both questions and answers. (The answers
to one month's questions are available in the next month's
edition.)
When you're ready,
just click here for the January entry
blank and questions.
Here are answers
to the December, 2002, questions, including that funny Question
No. 2.
December
Math Puzzler Answers
1. Ryan is trying
to arrange his toy soldiers in even rows with no individual
soldiers left over. At five across, he had four left over;
at six across, he had one left over; at eight across, he had
one left over, and at 12 across, he had one left over. What
is the smallest number that would give him even rows and how
many in each row.
Answer:
49 and 7 rows
The explanation:
Educated guessing will lead to this answer. We need to figure
out what number will end up with rows where there are no soldiers
left over. To start the comparison, lets start with the largest
number, 12. One row of 12 with one left over is 13. But, 13
doesn't work for the other rows. Two rows of 12 plus one is
25. That doesn't work for the others either. Three rows plus
one is 37. That doesn't work either. But, four rows of 12
plus one is 49. That would result in seven rows of seven each.
And, if you divide 49 by the other rows, there's the right
number left over.
2. Simon bought
a number of pies. He gave one-eighth to Tweedledum and one-fourth
to the Black Knight. He then gave four pies to his brother
and was left with one-fourth of the original number. How many
pies did he start with?
Answer:
10 2/3 pies.
The explanation:
Here's a way to build a formula.
Tweedledum gets 1/8 of the total (X). Black Knight gets 1/4.
Simon's brother gets 4 pies. And another 1/4 is left over.
Add all those together and you get:
5/8X +
4 = X
then subtract
5/8th from each side and you get:
4 = 3/8X
then, we use
a reciprocal to simplify the problem:
8/3 (4)
= (3/8X) 8/3
that leaves:
32/3 =
X or 10 2/3 pies
3. Following the
logic used in the pattern below, fill in the missing number
in the third group.
Answer:
24
The explanation:
Using educated guessing, you try different mathematical maneuvers
to see what works. The logic that works for all three involves
multiplying the two numbers in the top squares and then subtracting
the number in the third square. That leads to the number in
the bottom triangle. Thus, 4 times 3 minus 6 equals 6 in the
left-hand illustration. Then, 7 times 5 minus 5 equals 30
in the middle illustration. Using the same pattern in the
right-hand illustration, 9 times 3 minus 3 equals 24.
4. There's a local
candy store that charges some unusual prices. A chocolate
bar costs $.50, a soda costs $.16, and a peppermint costs
$.44. According to the same system, how much will a lollipop
cost? (Hint: Sweets are made up of more than their
ingredients. Their words are made up of different kinds of
letters.)
Answer:
34 cents
The explanation:
Using the hint, we know that words are made up of vowels and
consonants. We need to figure out the types of letters in
the name of each sweet. Then, assign a value for each vowel
and consonant that results in the price of each sweet. In
trial and error, you find that a value of 3 cents for each
vowel and 5 cents for each consonant will result in the prices
of the three sweets that we know. Then, figuring 3 vowels
and five consonants for lollipop, the price would be 34 cents.
5. "I want
two gallons of water for my horse," said Mongol to the
stable owner.
The stable owner replied, "I
have a three-gallon bucket and a four-gallon bucket. I cannot
measure out exactly two gallons."
"I can," said Mongol.
How can he measure exactly two
gallons using a three-gallon and a four-gallon bucket.
Answer and
explanation: Fill 3-gallon bucket and pour it into 4-gallon
bucket. Then, fill 3-gallon bucket again and put in the 1
gallon needed to fill the 4-gallon bucket. What's left in
the 3-gallon bucket is 2 gallons.
6. An outdoor
amphitheater holds 120 adults or 144 children. If 90 adults
are already inside, how many children can also be admitted?
Answer:
36 kids
Explanation:
The 90 adults already inside make up 3/4ths of the amphitheater's
capacity. Therefore, there's 1/4 capacity left to be filled
with kids. One-fourth of the 144 kids that would fill the
amphitheater is 36.
Fun
& Games
Fun
& Games
Food
Trivia
(When
you're done, click here for
the answers.)
- What would
be the best candy to have with you on a leaky boat?
- Name a food
named after the "evil one".
- What kind
of Hawaiian fruit often ends up on an "upside down
cake"?
- What kind
of candy is named after a gesture of fondness?
- What fruit
pie could be made from the tree that young George Washington
supposedly cut down?
- What kind
of candy has a name that means "to cheat a little bit"?
- What orange
colored vegetable can be found in a popular cake?
- What candy
has the same name as a place that makes money?
- What would
be Michael's or Gabriel's favorite dessert?
- When all is
said and done, what is the most popular flavor for ice cream?
Crossword
Puzzles
Note that the
words used in Young Saint Louis.com crossword
puzzles are all taken from the articles appearing in this
month's issue. When you have completed the puzzles, you can
click here to find the answers!
Young
Saint Louis.com #1
| Across |
Down |
|
5. kinds,
classes
6. going through stages
8. small, undersized
|
1.
a practice job
2. likely
3. officially approved
4. pests don't like
5. small, dog-like
7. animals' living area |
Young
Saint Louis.com #2
| Across |
Down |
|
2. immediately
4. prey on others
5. discussion meeting
7. aimed at one person
9. recovers the ball
10. okay to eat
|
1.
year after year
3. helpful to needy
6. necessary for life
8. resistance to germs |
Happy
New Year!
| Across |
Down |
|
1. used
to celebrate
5. end of January
6. ring at midnight
8. ends old, starts new
9. eaten New Years day
10. the morning after
|
2.
made New Years day
3. shows the dates
4. short for evening
7. dominates on TV |
Let's start
out with some school jokes (Teachers, we're only kidding!)
"What were
you before you came to school, boys and girls," asked
the teacher, hoping they would say, "babies." She
was really disappointed when all the children yelled, "Happy!"
Tom's teacher
reports that Tom is a wonder child. She wonders whether Tom
will ever learn anything at all!
"I'm not
going to school today," Alexander said to his mother.
"The teachers bully me and the other boys in school don't
like me."
"Don't be silly,"
said his mother. "You're thirty-six years old and besides,
you're the principal!
Some dumb riddles
and other stuff
What increases
its value by being turned upside down?
The number 6!
If a woman is
born in Italy, grows up in England, goes to America, and dies
many years later in St. Louis, what is she?
Dead!
Why did the girl
buy a set of tools?
Because everyone said she had
a screw loose!
Why do we dress
girl babies in pink and boy babies in blue?
Because they can't dress themselves!
What did the
girl say when she opened her piggy bank and found nothing
in it?
OICURMT
Why did the girl's
grandmother send her three socks for Christmas?
Because the girl had written
to say she had grown another foot!
"Doctor,
doctor, can you help me?"
"What's the problem?"
"Every night I dream there's a horrible, slimy green
monsters under my bed. What can I do?"
"Saw the legs off your
bed!"
1st person: "
I've been bitten in the arm by a snake."
2nd person: "Which one?"
1st person: "I don't know, one snake looks pretty much
like the next one to me!"
Let's end
this with a knock knock or two
Knock. Knock.
Who's there?
Dennis.
Dennis, who?
Dennis says I need to have a tooth out!
Knock. Knock,
Who's there?
Francis.
Francis, who?
Francis next to Germany!
Answers
to Fun & Games
Food
Trivia Answers
- Lifesavers
- Deviled eggs
or devil's food cake
- Pineapple
- Kisses
- Cherry pie
- Fudge
- Carrot (carrot
cake)
- Mint
- Angel food
cake
- Vanilla
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 |
|
5. kinds,
classes
6. going through stages
8. small, undersized
|
1.
a practice job
2. likely
3. officially approved
4. pests don't like
5. small, dog-like
7. animals' living area |
Young
Saint Louis.com #2
| Across |
Down |
|
2. immediately
4. prey on others
5. discussion meeting
7. aimed at one person
9. recovers the ball
10. okay to eat
|
1.
year after year
3. helpful to needy
6. necessary for life
8. resistance to germs |
Happy
New Year!
| Across |
Down |
|
1. used
to celebrate
5. end of January
6. ring at midnight
8. ends old, starts new
9. eaten New Years day
10. the morning after
|
2.
made New Years day
3. shows the dates
4. short for evening
7. dominates on TV |