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Trivia
Harry
Potter's coming. Let's have a contest
The long-awaited
publication of the next Harry Potter book is coming in June.
That seems like a good reason to have a trivia contest featuring
the world's most famous boy wizard.
Young Saint
Louis.com trivia expert Dick Burnett has come up with
10 unique questions based on the first four Harry Potter books.
If you answer
all 10 correctly, you may win a copy of the new book, "Harry
Potter and the Order of Phoenix." From among the all-correct
entries, YSL.com will select up to three winners to
get Borders book certificates to purchase the new book.
That huge book
will be on sale in bookstores June 21, according to publisher
Scholastic Books.
The "Order
of Phoenix" book promises to be even bigger than the
fourth book, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire."
That book published two years ago was considered to be one
of the biggest children's books in history.
It had 191,000
words.
But, the "Order
of Phoenix" book will check in at 255,000 words. That's
a third longer than the last book. The new book will have
38 chapters.
YSL.com
has paid close attention to the Harry Potter books. That's
because author J.K. Rowling has done more to popularize kids
books than any other author in history. The four earlier books
have been translated into dozens of languages and sold millions
of books worldwide.
One of the first
stories published on YSL.com was about an elementary
school book club that was reviewing the first Harry Potter
book.
Also, YSL.com
has reviewed both of the first two Harry Potter movies. Those
special locally-written movie reviews were published in November,
2001, and November, 2002. To read the November, 2001, review,
click here. To read the November, 2002, review, click here.
For the YSL.com
trivia contest, we have created a special print-out entry
form. All you have to do is print out the form, which includes
the 10 trivia questions. Then, fill in your entry and answer
the questions.
YSL.com
will judge the answers. Those entries that include all correct
answers will be put into a hat. Then, three entries selected
will get a Borders gift certificate that covers the cost of
the "Order of Phoenix" book.
A reminder:
These Harry Potter trivia questions may be quite challenging.
We don't mind if you get help from a friend or older brother
or sister. In fact, you might want to make this a family activity
and all kids 8 to 13 can enter.
Here's how to
enter:
- Print out
the following entry form.
- Fill out your
name, address and telephone number.
- Give your
answers to the Harry Potter trivia questions.
- Put your completed
entry into a stamped envelope.
- Mail your
entry to:
Harry Potter Trivia Contest
Young Saint Louis.com
231 So. Bemiston Ave., Suite 800
Clayton, MO 63105
- All entries
must be postmarked by the 15th of May, 2003,
to be eligible.
-------------Clip
here to make entry-------------
Entry
for Harry Potter Trivia Contest:
Name: ________________________________
Age: _______
Address: ____________________
School: _______________
City:_____________________,
State:_____ ZIP___________
Contact phone
no.(____)____________________
The
Harry Potter Trivia Questions
(May, 2003)
You may need
to "research" some of these unless you are a real
Potter-maniac.
- What was the
special piece of clothing that Harry had inherited from
his father?
- What is special
about a Parselmouth?
- What make
was Ron Weasley's family car?
- Which teacher
at Hogwarts always entered class by floating through the
chalkboard?
- Which magical
device enabled Hermione to study several lessons at once?
- What was Serius
Black's connection to Harry Potter?
- Who was the
Bulgarian seeker that Harry and Ron idolized?
- What is unusual
about leprechaun gold?
- What were
the O.W.L.s at Hogwarts?
- What did Harry
buy for Ron, telling him it was a Christmas present for
"about ten years"?
News
Local
2003 Young Achievers of Year selected
Twelve metro
St. Louis area kids have been named 2003 Gateway Young Achievers
of the Year. The young people are honored for their accomplishments
in the community and schools.
Four of the 2003
Achiever awards go to elementary school kids, four to middle
schoolers and four to students in high school.
The 12 Gateway
Achievers are:
Elementary
school (grades 1-6):
- Kristen Delia
of O'Fallon, Ill.
- Alexander Eklund
of Wildwood, Mo.
- Julia Epplin-Zapf
of St. Louis
- Logan North
of St. Charles, Mo.
Middle school
(grades 7-9):
- Lydia Bishop
of Fairview Heights, Ill.
- Meghan Boitnott
of St. Charles, Mo.
- Mark Council
of Edwardsville, Ill.
- Ryan Nikodern
of St. Louis.
High school
(grades 10-12):
- Carl Allendorph
of Godfrey, Ill.
- Alex Gavenda
of Wildwood, Mo.
- Jennifer James
of St. Louis
- Lacey Seiffertt
of St. Louis
Each of the 12
Achievers wins a $1,000 savings bond. They also are entered
in the national Achiever competition.
The award ceremony
was to be held Sunday, May 4, to honor the 12 Achievers. In
addition, 50 other kids were named medallion winners. The
medallion winners receive $50 gift certificates.
The Achievers
were picked after all medallion awardees were given personal
interviews.
Over 500 nominations
were judged in the 2003 competition.
Barbara Eichhorst
heads the local office of the International Leadership Network.
The ILN sponsors the Young Achievers of the Year program.
The local Gateway program is made possible by support of the
Millstone Foundation of St. Louis.
Here are thumbnail
sketches of the four elementary and four middle school 2003
Achievers. (In the coming months, Young Saint Louis.com
will feature individual profiles of the elementary and middle
school 2003 Achievers.)
(For more information
about the Achievers program, call (314) 961-5978
or log on to www.iln-gateway.org)
Elementary school
winners:
* Kristen Delia
of St. Clare School in O'Fallon, Ill.:
Kristen is a 6th
grader and a Student Council board member. A high honor roll
student, she received a first place in the Greater Belleville
Area Science Fair. She also had the highest score in her grade
in the National Social Studies Olympiad. She's a Level-6 gymnast
on the Midwest Twisters team. She's been a member of St. Clare's
soccer team since 1st grade.
* Alexander
Eklund of Babler Elementary in Wildwood, Mo.:
A 4th grader,
Alex participates in the district's Creative Learning Center
for accelerated students. He's received a number of science
and physical fitness awards. A Boy Scout, Alex earned 13 of
20 Webelos pins in his first year. He also started his own
company, ACE Birdhousing Co., to raise money for his baseball
camp tuition. He's a catcher on his baseball team and also
has acted in several plays.
* Julia Epplin-Zapf
of Kennard Classical Junior Academy of St. Louis:
Julia is a 3rd
grade honor student. She's a science fair winner and has received
many certificates of merit. She's a student council representative.
Julia also is a member of the Kennard Chess Tigers, French
Club and Advanced Mathematics group. She participates in synchronized
swimming and gymnastics. Also, she is a Girl Scout and plays
the piano.
* Logan North
of Harvest Ridge Elementary of St. Charles, Mo.:
Logan is a 5th
grader. He participates in his student council, choir, intramurals
and safety patrol. He's also received awards for music, art,
reading, citizenship and Science Fair District competition.
Logan has received three Presidential Physical Fitness awards
and the Holly Huntington Trophy from USA Track and Field.
He's a Show-Me Games record holder and an AAU Olympic Games
medalist.
Middle school
winners:
* Lydia Bishop
of Pontiac Junior High in Fairview Heights, Ill.:
Lydia is an 8th
grader and president of her school's Student Council. She's
a member of the National Junior Honor Society and Academic
All Stars. She also has received an Optimist Student of the
Month award. Lydia is a member of the school's softball and
basketball teams and on the cheerleading squad. She serves
as a peer mentor and tutor. She also volunteers at the Belleville
Christian Center, the Women's Crisis Center and at her church.
* Meghan Boitnott
of St. Charles Borromeo in St. Charles, Mo.:
Meghan is a 7th
grade honor student. She is a member of student council and
the speech and debate clubs. She is goalie for the Gateway
Strikers soccer team. Meghan was honored for her fund-raising
efforts for Friends of Kids with Cancer. She participates
in dance and music and has been in many school and community
theater productions.
* Mark Council
of Edwardsville Middle in Edwardsville, Ill.:
Mark is an 8th
grade honor student and has received numerous math and science
awards. He has over 20 first place medals for tuba and piano
in both regional and state music competitions. Mark is a peer
tutor and participates in the Young Authors Assn. and math
team. He's on the Wildcats football and wrestling teams and
in both marching and symphonic bands. He volunteers at his
church and in the community.
* Ryan Nikodern
of Chaminade in St. Louis:
A 7th grader,
Ryan is an honor student and a student council representative.
He's been recognized as an outstanding student who demonstrates
leadership, maturity and sportsmanship. He's been a Student
of the Month award winner. He's also received awards for charity,
speech, academic scholarship and sportsmanship. He participates
in soccer, tennis, swimming and golf. Ryan also volunteers
in church and community affairs.
Science
Local
boy does science project in Africa
Many things about
13-year-old Micah Manary's school science project are unusual.
For one, he spent five months in Africa doing the research.
Last month, the
8th grader from St. Roch Catholic School represented the St.
Louis region in a Missouri science academy competition. He
presented his nutrition study on little HIV-positive children
in the African country of Malawi.
His project involved
testing three different basic diets on children up to 5 years
of age. The goal was to see if the diets could help the malnourished
children reach normal weight.
"We wanted
to see if the children could reach 100% of the World Health
Organization's goals for weight to height," he said.
He said 52% of
the children did reach that goal during the 5-month study.
Micah was in Malawi for the whole time to handle the distribution
of the diets and to measure the kids.
Micah had the
opportunity to do the research in that southern African country
because his father, Dr. Mark Manary, has been heading up a
larger long-term nutritional study there.
Dr. Manary is
an associate professor of pediatrics at Washington University's
School of Medicine. He's also with St. Louis Children's Hospital's
Division of Emergency Medicine.
With major foundation
grants, Dr. Manary heads up what is known in Malawi as "Project
Peanut Butter." The object is to improve nutrition in
that poor country by developing nutritious foods based on
peanuts.
Malawi is a land-locked
country of 11 million people, located in the southeast corner
of Africa. Dr. Manary said 85% of the population are "peasant
farmers." Residents have one of the lowest per-capital
incomes in the world, something like $40 per year.
Micah said 25%
of all people there are HIV-positive or have AIDS. And, he
added, 25% of children are malnourished, "include 10%
who are so hungry that they're ill," he said.
The three diets
used in Micah's study may sound awfully dull to American kids.
But, he needed to use foods which were available locally.
People there can't afford to buy food.
One diet was a
"peanut butter" food, "kind of like a porridge,"
Micah said. This included peanuts, milk powder, sugar and
either corn or soybean oil. These ingredients were mixed together
in a food blender.
"It had all
the vitamins, minerals and energy the young children needed,"
he said.
Asked about taste,
Micah said, "It's very, very sweet. It's got lots of
sugar because they need lots of energy when they're small."
He said the oil is a source of fat, also a necessity for small
children to help growth.
One of the other
diets consisted of a dough made from corn-soy flour, the most
common food in Malawi. The other was a combination of corn-soy
dough and a peanut supplement.
Asked about liquids
in the diet, Micah said, "some were still breast-feeding."
But, otherwise, they drank water, he said.
Although the children
were all listed as HIV-positive or with AIDS, he said all
were at home and not in a hospital.
The 5-month period
for Micah's science project was in 2001. However, he spent
three more weeks in Malawi this spring, getting back in early
April in time to present his project in the state science
competition.
Asked about his
career goal, Micah said, "I want to be like my dad."
He added, "I like helping people; that's what I want
to do."
Dr. and Mrs. Manary
were missionaries in the African country of Tanzania in the
1980s. Then, when the children started to come, he came back
to the United States and entered medical school at Washington
University.
But, he maintained
his interest in Africa and was able to find grants for work
there.
Micah said the
"Project Peanut Butter" started in 2001. The first
year was used to find out if a peanut-based diet would improve
nutrition. In 2002, the goal shifted to discover whether this
food could be produced with all-local ingredients.
This year, the
project expanded from one food station to seven throughout
the country, to allow for more thorough testing.
For Micah, one
of the problems during his 5-month research study was how
to keep up with his homework.
"When we
went, I brought all of the study materials and tests I needed.
Then, I'd work during the day and study at night," he
said. Usually, he was up about 6 a.m. and finished work about
5 p.m. Then, it was study time.
But, Micah isn't
an all-study type of guy. He likes to play soccer and basketball
and this spring was named to the "all city band."
He plays percussion, everything from snare drums to the xylophone.
Books
|
Advance
note on St. Louis County
Summer Reading Program
Here is
some advanced information on the 2003 St. Louis County
Summer Reading Program.
The 2003
program will kick off with three outdoor parties in
county parks on Saturday, June 7. Hours are 10 a.m.
to 1 p.m. They will be at Faust Park in West County,
North County Recreation Complex in North County and
Kennedy Recreation Complex in South County.
If you want
more information, call the St. Louis County Library
at (314) 994-3300.
Young
Saint Louis.com will have fuller coverage in the
June, 2003, edition. It goes on-line June 1.
|
This month's
book reviews...
Talk
about daydreams! The guy in this book
gets carried away by his daydreams.
See the picture
on the cover of this paperback. That's a cat's head on a boy's
body. Ten-year-old Peter Fortune is the boy. The cat is Peter's
seventeen-year-old -cat, named William. Afternoons, after
school on cold winter days, Peter liked to lie down on the
carpet in front of the living room fireplace and pet his old
friend William the Cat. One unusual day, he was guided by
William to a button-like bone just beneath the cat's chin.
Peter found out that he could zip open the cat's fur and let
William out of it. To Peter's astonishment, the cat then showed
him how to zip off his own skin. The two were able to change
into each other's skins. The cat became Peter. Peter became
the cat. Peter thought it was great because now he could sleep
in every morning like William. He need not go out in the cold
every morning to go to school. In fact, he could sleep all
day if he wanted to. Now that's a daydream!
But Peter was
in for some surprises. That evening when he went out to roam
around the backyard, he was confronted by the big tomcat that
had been bullying William the Cat for sometime. The cat bully
would even slip in the pet door and eat William's food. Poor
old William couldn't do anything but watch. But now, the cat
bully didn't realize he was facing a much younger William.
Peter took great delight in winning this battle for his old
friend.
"The Daydreamer"
is just a telling of a number of Peter's fantastic daydreams.
Like Peter, you soon start having trouble knowing what is
just a daydream and what are real-world happenings. Peter
has an imagination that may be just a little more active than
most ten-year-olds. And, of course, that's what makes the
books so much fun to read.
Two
best friends change from regular letters
to e-mail to hold on to their friendship
Elizabeth and
Tara had been best friends all through grade school. When
Tara's family moved to another state, the girls had maintained
their friendship through regular letter writing. Now they
were both in seventh grade and life was getting more hectic
for each of them. Since both of their families had acquired
a home computer, the girls switched over from writing letters
to exchanging regular, or sometimes irregular, e-mail messages.
As with all kids,
each of their families had its own set of problems. Elizabeth's
father had an alcohol problem that had caused her mother to
insist he leave them because he refused to alter his behavior.
Even when out of the home, he exerted a disturbing influence
on the family. Elizabeth's mother had to take a fulltime job.
Elizabeth had to take on more and more responsibilities around
the small apartment that they had to move to.
Tara's parents
had married quite young and were slow to settle down and accept
the responsibilities of a family. Now, they were finally in
a home of their own and were expecting a new baby. Tara had
to think about a new little brother or sister's arrival and
what it would mean to her home life.
Both girls were
facing the experiences that come with starting to grow up.
Elizabeth was more settled and quiet in her life style. Tara
was much more outgoing and unpredictable in her behavior.
Both girls were starting to be aware of boys. Each reacted
differently to becoming teenagers. Could these two girls continue
to be friends and supportive of each other through e-mail
and infrequent visits to each other? As you read their e-mail
messages, you, along with the girls, begin to wonder if they
can possibly remain best friends.
Sometimes
telling the truth and nothing
but the truth can get you into trouble
Wallace Wallace,
besides having an unusual name, could never tell anything
but the truth. If anybody, family member, teacher, or classmate,
asked him how he liked something, he had to tell them just
what he thought. His own father told lies constantly, always
exaggerating everything, so Wallace was determined never to
lie and always to say just what he thought.
In his English
class, when required to do a book report on a book titled
"Old Shep, My Pal", he stated, "This book couldn't
be any lousier if it came with a letter bomb. I wouldn't recommend
it to my worst enemy." Unfortunately, not only was the
book an award-winning kids' book, it just happened to be his
English teacher's favorite. Wallace explained that he was
tired of reading dog books where the dog hero always died
at the end. But his English teacher accepted no explanations
and told Wallace to rewrite an acceptable report and until
he did, he would be on detention every day after school.
Of course, Wallace
refused to write good things about a book he hated, so he
had to quit the middle school football team since he couldn't
make their practices anymore. In last year's final game, he
had accidentally scored the touchdown that won his school
the championship, so everybody in school is upset that he
had to leave the team. They all thought he was a football
hero. Other kids were writing reports on "Old Shep, My
Pal" and begging Wallace to turn them in so he could
rejoin the team. But Wallace would not change his mind.
Things kept getting
worse. The English teacher was directing the school play,
so Wallace had to start spending his after school detention
at play practice. The actors were preparing to put on a play
based on "Old Shep, My Pal." Naturally, Wallace
had to keep pointing out that the play was just as dumb as
the book. In addition, the football team started losing every
game it played. Wallace finds that he is becoming the most
unpopular guy in the whole school.
It is surprising
how complicated the plot becomes before, finally, this hilarious
book can be brought to a conclusion.
Good
kids can get into trouble if they let
a bad kid lead them around
It was summer
and Frankie had just finished kindergarten. He was trying
hard to keep up with his brother Earl, who was middle school
aged, and Wayne, a cousin who was still older. He couldn't
understand why Wayne would scout around neighborhoods looking
for bicycles. Wayne would bully Earl into helping him "borrow"
bicycles they found and ride off on them. Wayne would tell
Frankie that they always took the bikes back that evening.
And of course, they weren't taking them back. They were stealing
them and selling them for money.
Earl knew what
they were doing was wrong and he hated it. But Earl needed
money to buy food for his little brother, Frankie, and for
Angela, their sister. Besides he was afraid of Wayne who threatened
him with bodily harm if he didn't help steal things. The mother
of the three kids had recently died. Their Aunt Lula was supposed
to be caring for them while their dad was out of town looking
for a job. Without the father knowing about it, Lula had abandoned
the kids.
For the first
part of the book, we are seeing everything through Frankie's
eyes. Just as he doesn't understand what's going on, we don't
quite understand it either. Just like little Frankie, though,
we know what's going on isn't quite making sense. As Wayne
plans more and more criminal activities, we worry more and
more about the three kids. Can all of this have a happy ending?
You need to read the book to find out the answer.
Government
Normandy
kids plan "welfare-to-work" plan
Thirteen-year-old
Rikkisha Polk has a harsh view of Missouri's current welfare
system. She and nine Normandy Middle School classmates are
designing a plan to get people off welfare.
Students in teacher
Kim Morton's class will present their "welfare-to-work"
plan at a Project Day later this month. Their class is one
of several at area schools that are studying how to solve
governmental problems.
The Citizen Education
Clearing House (CHEH) at University of Missouri-St. Louis
sponsors these studies. CHEH wants to help kids understand
the process of solving problems of government.
Kids at Normandy
Middle decided to work on improving the state's welfare system.
Their plan will propose training for welfare adults and help
them find real jobs. But, it would require adults to take
the training before they can receive their current welfare
checks.
In Rikkisha's
view, "By just giving away welfare money, the government
is promoting teenage pregnancy. Teens are having babies so
they can get bigger welfare checks."
Fourteen-year-old
Jamie Moody said some people abuse the welfare system "just
to get extra money" without working for it. She said
those who abuse the system hurt those who have a real need
for welfare support.
The kids' plan
would require adults on welfare to work at least part-time
before they can get a welfare check. The final goal is to
help adults prepare for full-time jobs so they can be off
welfare permanently.
Last month, State
Sen. Rita Days (Dem., 14th District) came to their class to
help them understand how tough it is to make a workable plan.
She said some
adults can't hold a job because they have no job skills. She
said, "That's because they didn't do what they needed
to do when they were in school like you are now."
"They didn't
get the education they need and they didn't learn to be self-sufficient,"
Senator Days said.
She asked questions
about what kind of training the students are putting in their
plan. The kids listed jobs such as bus driver, security guard,
lab technician and child care. The senator asked why computer
training wasn't included.
Senator Days urged
them also to consider giving general aptitude tests to learn
more about what adults might be able to do. She suggested
including a follow-up program to make sure adults continue
to succeed after they finally do get real jobs.
Jamie Moody said
Days offered good suggestions. She said, "We'll put them
in."
Thirteen-year-old
Carissa Oliver said their plan requires adults to do 20-hours-of
work before they can receive a welfare check. "There
won't be any free handouts," she said. She added, "People
appreciate things better if they have to work for them."
Fourteen -year-old
Kevon Moore is on a team that's writing a plan policy statement.
He said, "That's like writing a constitution. It will
make sure everything in the plan is legal."
He said, if more
adults were off welfare, the state government could use the
savings to improve education. "That way, we can have
more classes and kids can get a better education," he
said.
Also, Kevon said,
the adults gain because they'd "get better jobs and earn
better money," .
The kids have
their own plans to avoid welfare. The four have career plans.
Rikkisha Polk
said she wants to be a clinical pathologist. Asked where she
got that idea, she said she meets three times a week in a
small group. Each kid has an adult mentor who helps them think
of the future, she said.
Carissa Oliver
said her favorite class in school is math. She said that will
help her in reaching her career goal of being a civil engineer
or architect.
Jamie Moody said
she initially wanted to be a lawyer. She has changed her mind
now. But, she added she might study law in college as a way
to prepare for a different career.
Kevon Moore said
he's leaning toward a career in construction. Recently, kids
in Ms. Morton's class learned about a local program where
kids can learn more about construction while they attend high
school.
That program does
more than teach about construction. Kids also learn social
and job skills. That's like the program they are planning
to help adults get off welfare.
Lifestyle
Some
get early practice for Kids' Fishing Fair
Twelve-year-old
Alex Rohlfing and 10-year-old Nicolette Napolitano got in
some early fishing practice last month. They were preparing
for one of the "funnest" early-spring outdoor events
in the St. Louis metro area.
That's the Kids'
Fishing Fair at Busch Conservation Area in St. Charles County.
The event this year will be held Saturday, May 17, from 9
a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free and no reservations are needed.
The Fair is open
to kids up to 15 years of age. Everyone is invited, regardless
of fishing skill. You can get lessons from experienced conservation
volunteers. .
There are even
"loaner" rods if you don't have your own fishing
tackle. For information and directions, you can call the Busch
area at (636) 441-4554.
Alex and Nicolette
were among 15 kids who got a head start on the fishing season
in April. They had a warm, sunny Saturday to get personal
basic fishing instruction in advance of May's Kids' Fishing
Fair.
Alex is a 7th
grader at Christ Community Lutheran School in Kirkwood. He
said he started fishing at age 4 at a Crestwood Parks and
Recreation Fishing Day. So far, his biggest catch was a 4-pound
catfish.
He said he likes
fishing because he gets a chance to be outdoors. He said most
of the time he "just takes a picture and puts the fish
back in the lake." But, he said he did clean and eat
his fish twice.
Nicolette is a
4th grade home schooled kid from St. Charles. She said she
had her first fishing experience in Florida when she was just
2. She said she was born in Florida and has been on "about
a hundred fishing trips."
Although she's
had experience, she said she learned how to tie a new knot
at the class.
Nine-year-old
Bradley Lai and his younger sister, 7-year-old Melinda, also
were at the early basic class. The two Taiwan-born kids started
fishing a couple years ago after they moved to St. Louis.
They live in Chesterfield
but are students at Henry Elementary School in Ballwin.
Bradley said he
caught his biggest fish, an 8.9-pound catfish, while fishing
at a "giant pond" at a friend's house. Melinda said
she hasn't caught a fish yet.
Asked about baiting
her hook, Melinda said, "I don't like worms."
One of the lessons
at their fishing class was how to put night-crawlers on the
fishing hook. Because their hooks were small, that meant they
used only a piece of a worm.
The volunteer
showed them how to pinch off a piece of the tail. He said,
"It doesn't hurt the worm because they don't have that
type of nervous system."
The kids also
got a chance to practice casting their hook and bait into
the lake. Then, there was some time for actual fishing. Again,
there were "loaner" rods and reels for those who
didn't have any tackle.
Nine-year-old
Cody Lemay is a student at Westridge Elementary School in
Ballwin. He said he caught his biggest fish at Wentzville
while on a school trip.
He said he not
only likes to go fishing but he likes to cut up and cook what
he catches. He cleans his own fish.
Cody sports a
ear ring that he got on his grandmother's 80th birthday. He
said he and his grandmother both decided to get their ears
pierced for the first time on her birthday.
Eight-year-old
Dustin Readenour is a classmate of Cody's. They came together
for the fishing lesson.
He said he's been
on at least 10 fishing trips, mostly to the Busch conservation
area. He said he caught his biggest fish, a large-mouth bass,
at Lake 2. But, he says he likes Lake 28 the best.
He said, whenever
he catches a fish, he releases it back into the lake. He lives
in Ballwin and has a fishing lake in Vlassis Park, near his
home.
Eight-year-old
Kaycee Georgevitch is a second grader at Cedar Springs Elementary
School. That's in House Springs, MO.
Asked about her
catches, she said, "I don't think I've ever caught a
big fish. They're mostly bluegills."
But, she said
she'll be at the Kids Fishing Day event to try her luck again.
You ought to join them.
Entertainment
Fox
Theatre performances by city school kids
Hundreds of St.
Louis kid musicians will be performing at the famous Fox Theatre
on Thursday, May 22. The occasion is the Saint Louis Public
Schools' "Performing Arts Night."
Most musicians
will be high school kids, with past experience performing
to big crowds.
But, a third of
the program will be by musicians from city elementary and
middle schools. Many of those kids will be performing in such
a large theater for the first time.
Ten-year-old Precious
Taylor is in Ames Elementary School's choir. That choir will
join with Shaw Elementary School's choir to fill one of the
17 performing slots that night. The combined choir will sing
three different musical pieces.
Precious said,
"I think it's so exciting. I'm going to get a new dress
and everything."
On the other hand,
14-year-old Tamika Wilson of Carr-Lane Middle School said
she thought the night "might be a little scary."
The 8th grader plays the flute in Carr-Lane's Concert Band.
Fourteen-year-old
Jasmine Dobbs plays the clarinet in the Carr-Lane band. She
admits she sometimes gets nervous before performing. But,
she added, "As soon as I get on stage and start to play,
my nervousness goes away."
The Performing
Arts Night event will have a wide variety of performances,
ranging from combined bands to solos. There's even a Shakespearean
monologue by Hannah Longworth-Mills of Metro High School.
Admission to Performing
Arts Night is free. But, you'll need a ticket
to get in.
Tickets can be
obtained by calling (314) 345-4448 and leaving
your name and a mailing address with ZIP code. Be sure to
call early to make sure you get a seat.
Many of the elementary
school kids who will perform got involved in music early.
Twelve-year-old
Amanda Kunkleman is a 5th grader at Ames. She said she started
with music at 3. "I asked my mother if I could be a singer.
She said I could be anything I wanted as long as I practiced.
So I started to practice then," Amanda said.
She's still singing
and practicing because she wants to be a professional singer.
Amanda said she
doesn't usually get nervous. "But, I can't handle it
if there are a lot of flash bulbs going off. I stand stiff
like an ice cube," she said.
Eleven-year-old
Brittney Jones is another Ames kid who wants to be a professional
singer. But, she admits that when she goes to college she
might get a second degree "in case it doesn't work out
as a singer."
Another Ames choir
member is 10-year-old John Swapshire. The 4th grader said
he wants to be a professional singer. Asked about the type
of music he likes, he said, "Slow music you can dance
to."
Tamika Wilson
of Carr-Lane isn't planning on a music career. She said, "I've
always dreamed of being a doctor." She added that music
has been "something extra."
Eighth-graders
Joshua McKinney and Jarrell Little want to stay in music.
But neither is planning to be a performer. They both want
to go on to be music producers.
Fourteen-year-old
Joshua plays percussion instruments in the Carr-Lane band.
He performed last year at the Fox. He said the experience
of playing before a nearly-full-house was "great."
But, he said it got "pretty hot" in the theater
by the time the concert was over.
He said his favorite
class at Carr-Lane is mass media. That's where he gets the
chance to practice as a music producer. Joshua said he wants
to go to a Los Angeles college to study music direction.
Thirteen-year-old
Jarrell is in the Carr-Lane choir, where he is the choir's
lead baritone.
Jarrell has had
a variety of musical experience already. He plays the piano,
organ and drums at both his home church, Fountain Temple,
and at Antioch Baptist Church.
He's also in demand
elsewhere. He said, "People ask me to play a lot."
Jasmine Dobbs
at Carr-Lane doesn't see herself as a professional musician.
Although she said she might be interested in being a dancer
or a fashion model. But, she also said she's thinking about
computer science or nursing.
Twelve-year-old
Natasha McDaniel and 13-year-old Ashley Mitchell are both
in the Carr-Lane choir. In fact, the two girls are very close
friends and do lots of things together.
They both like
the mass media offerings at Carr-Lane because they like photography.
Ashley added,
"I want to be a song writer also." Natasha wants
to be a "punk rock" singer who writes her own songs.
But, for now all
the kids are focused on May 22, when they perform before a
packed house at the Fabulous Fox.
Sports
Chess
teams get big surprise before victories
The Wydown Middle
School chess teams got a big surprise at the start of their
trip to the 2003 Missouri state chess tournament. They went
to Jefferson City but, at the last minute, their coach went
to Iraq.
When the kids
showed up at the school for 5:30 a.m. start, Coach Napoleon
Carter was on hand. But, he was dressed in a regulation military
camouflage uniform.
That was the first
the kids knew their coach wasn't going with them to the state
meet. He's a major in a reserve medical evacuation unit that
was activated.
His school stop
was his last civilian business before he headed to the war
zone.
That put the 6th
and 8th grade teams under direction of interim coach Rick
Voskuil for the state meet.
A few days later,
when Carter made a short phone call to the school, he got
good news.
The Wydown 6th
grade team of Mack Su, Chung-Rok Lee, Rowland Han and Edward
Monson won the state team title.
The school's 8th
grade team of Ka-chuan Suen, Marek Paplowski, Charles Johnson
and Jim An won second place in their age group. They tied
for first but another team was awarded first place on tie-breakers.
Kids from other
St. Louis schools won individual titles.
Tony Cao of Parkway
West Middle School was the 8th grade individual winner. (Young
Saint Louis.com featured Tony in a profile in April, 2002,
when he also won a state title. To read that story, click
here.)
Kevin Guo of Parkway
Central Middle School won the 6th grade individual title.
(For
complete chess information, log on to www.gatewaychess.org.)
Most of the Wydown
chess kids remembered Major Carter as a good coach.
Sixth-grader Rowland
Han said, "He is pretty strict but he also is fun."
Eighth-grader
Jim An said, "He is a good guy and a good coach even
if he isn't a very good chess player."
Several of the
team members said the state tournament victories were among
their best experiences in chess.
Fourteen-year-old
An and 12-year-old Chung-Rok Lee said the state tournament
competition marked the first time they won trophies.
Some of the team
members have played chess since they were much younger. But,
13-year-old Merek Paplowski said he's only been at it two
years. He said an elementary school teacher got him interested.
Thirteen-year-old
Charlie Johnson said his dad got him interested three years
ago. Asked about his dad's game, Charlie said, "He's
easy to beat. I don't play him anymore."
Twelve-year-old
Rowland Han said his dad also got him interested in chess.
But, unlike Charlie Johnson's experience, Rowland said his
dad "still beats me almost every time."
Most of the kids
say their worst experiences in chess involve getting beat
by younger and less experienced players.
Thirteen-year-old
Ka-chuan Suen said he gets beat "usually when I get careless."
Suen and other
players said the best way to get better at chess is to play
more experienced players. Johnson said he often gets beat
"if I underestimate a younger player." But, he added,
"Most of the time I play kids who are in high school."
One thing you
notice when you go to chess club meetings at Wydown is the
noise. If you've watched a high-profile chess match, you notice
how serious and quiet players are.
Johnson said,
"You'd think if you go to a tournament it would be quiet.
But, we're not like that." He also termed the bus ride
to Jefferson City as "noisy but fun."
Interim coach
Voskuil said the school recently got an e-mail from Coach
Carter. "You couldn't tell where it came from,"
he said.
But, Voskuil said
Carter wrote he was hoping for an early end to the war "so
he could get back to his kids."
Profile
Do The Right
Thing
With
no English skills, new kids need a friend
The number of
kids with Hispanic backgrounds is growing at Kratz Elementary
School in north St. Louis County. When new students start
with little understanding of English, they often need some
help.
Although Kratz
has a strong English as a Second Language (ESL) program, the
teachers are adults. Sometimes, the new student needs more
than that. They need a bi-lingual kid who also can be a friend.
That's where 10-year-old
Jobani Ramirez comes in.
Jobani's family
is Hispanic. But, Jobani was born in California so learned
English. But, his family also visits in Mexico often and he
even gone to school there. So, he knows Spanish.
But, there's more
to Jobani's value at the school than as an interpreter.
Principal Kim
McKinley said, "Jobani is a very caring person."
That's why the
teachers called on Jobani to take a first-grader under his
wing. The new student knew virtually no English. One day,
when he couldn't understand what was happening in P.E., he
started to cry,
Jobani was called
in to help.
The boy often
had his biggest problems about halfway through the school
day. By noontime, he'd get "homesick" and want to
go home.
Jobani said, "I
helped him for two or three weeks. He learned the language
pretty fast. I don't have to help him anymore."
School nurse Terry
Knight also asks for Jobani's help. That will happen when
a Hispanic child gets sick at school and the nurse has to
call the parents. Oftentimes, the parents won't have fluent
English skills either.
Principal McKinley
said it often helps when another child can speak Spanish and
tell the parents what's happening to their child.
About his interpreting
for adults, Jobani said, "I like to do that."
Jobani's good
works came to the attention of the Do The Right Thing program
in St. Louis. That's a cooperative program that recognizes
good works by kids throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area.
Jobani was given
a Do The Right Thing award last semester.
Jobani has been
at Kratz Elementary since he was in first grade. He was born
in California but moved to St. Louis about five years ago.
His younger brother, Charlie, is a kindergartner at Kratz.
But, he has been
back to Mexico for extended periods. He went to Mexican schools
for part of first and fourth grades.
He admits that
when he started at Kratz he didn't know the English language
very well.
But, he said now
he does better work at Kratz than he did in the Mexican schools.
Although he's fluent in speaking Spanish, he said, "I
don't know how to read or write Spanish."
Besides, he said
teachers in his Mexican school used to discipline the students
by hitting them with a wooden rod. He said he was hit "after
some kids tattled on me."
"My mother
said I'm not going to school there anymore," he said.
Jobani said he
also likes the food in America better.
He said the pizza
in St. Louis and in California is better than in Mexico. Also,
he likes American burgers better. "In Mexico, they put
too much hot stuff on and the meat doesn't taste like burgers
should," he said.
Although he will
interpret for others, Jobani also goes to ESL classes twice
a week like other Hispanic students. That helps him learn
the formal structure of both languages. "They help me
with synonyms and other parts of language," he said.
Last month, two
of Jobani's cousins who came from Mexico started school at
Kratz.
Teachers haven't
asked him to counsel his relatives. But, Principal McKinley
said the cousins have been paired with other kids in their
classes. That way, they also can have a friend to teach them
how to get comfortable, the way Jobani does.
St.
Louis History
This Month
in St. Louis History
1896
tornado devastates St. Louis
May is the anniversary
month of the most severe tornado in St. Louis' history. It
occurred late on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 27, 1896.
Four hundred persons
were killed and 1,200 injured in the tornado which struck
the City of St. Louis and East St. Louis, Ill.
A write-up in
a book of photographs about the disaster said loss of life
and damage was worse than in the famous earthquake along the
New Madrid fault. That earthquake was so strong it reversed
the flow of the Mississippi River for a time.
What made damage
from the 1896 tornado so severe was that it ran right through
some of the most populated parts of St. Louis. And it virtually
destroyed every building in East St. Louis.
Young Saint
Louis.com received information about the tornado from
the Missouri History Museum. In turn, the museum drew on material
in a book entitled, "Photographic Views of the Great
Cyclone at St. Louis, May 27, 1896."
(Editor's
note: In the write-up, the terms "tornado" and
"cyclone" are used interchangeably. However, in
weather bureau terms, the storms have a technical difference.
But, both have circular winds and cause lots of damage.)
The 1896 storm
hit just before 5 p.m. on May 27, just as people were getting
off work. It entered from the southwest, hitting the Compton
Heights district first. That book referred to the area as
a "thickly populated section, with a large number of
very costly mansions."
Next in the path
was the Mill Creek Valley area. The book noted the storm tore
down "whole rows of smaller dwelling houses, many of
them housing more than one family, and ruining thousands as
it went."
The storm even
caused damage to the Eads Bridge over the Mississippi. The
book's author said, "The bridge has been frequently spoken
of as unnecessarily massive and heavy." But, even that
bridge lost about 300 feet of the eastern approach and rail
cars were toppled off the bridge's tracks. Some almost toppled
into the river.
You can view some
dramatic photos of the damage to St. Louis and East St. Louis.
Just log on to www.google.com/search.
Then, type in the key words "St. Louis,"
"tornado" and "1896." From
the list, pick the ones that involve photos by Tom Harmon.
Busch
Stadium opened in May, 1966
Busch Stadium,
home of the St. Louis Cardinals, was opened on May 12, 1966.
That was just four days after the last Cardinal game was played
in old Sportsman's Park.
There's talk of
replacing Busch Stadium with a new ball park. But, many people
in St. Louis think that Busch Stadium is still a fine place
to watch a baseball game.
For stadium pictures,
see www.ballparks.com/baseball/national/buschs.htm.
Harry
Truman was born in May, 1884
Although Harry
Truman wasn't born in St. Louis, we're listing him because
he's one of Missouri's favorite sons.
Actually, he was
born in Lamar, in the western part of Missouri. He grew up
in Independence, Mo., just outside of Kansas City.
From "St.
Louis 365" book
Lots
of local baseball history in May
Lots of interesting
events involving St. Louis baseball teams happened in May.
Included was a health ban on St. Louis Browns pitcher Harry
Howell's spitball.
Health officials
in Cleveland issued the ban to prevent Howell from spreading
germs with his pitches. Many of them were soaked with saliva
to help them break sharper. That ban was issued in 1903.
Another event
included a no-hitter by Browns' pitcher Bob Groom. Also, St.
Louis hitter "Sunny" Jim Bottomley was sued after
a fan's nose was broken by a homerun hit by him. And Cardinal
great Stan Musial's nickname, "Stan the Man," was
coined in May.
Of course, there
were other more serious historical events that happened in
May. There are a total of 156 different historical anniversaries
are listed for May alone.
(All these
events are mentioned in the book by local historian Joe Sonderman.
The book, titled, "St. Louis 365," can be purchased
at local book stores. It's also sold over the internet at
www.booksonline.com.)
Here's a sample
of some of Sonderman's May anniversary items:
May 2, 1861:
Missouri's pro-southern governor, Claiborne Jackson, ordered
the state militia to assemble at Lindell's Grove, a site that
would soon become famous as "Camp Jackson." (The
site is now part of St. Louis University.) Jackson asked Jefferson
Davis for a large shipment of rebel arms, which were taken
to the camp. The Commander of the Union Arsenal, Nathaniel
Lyon, marched on the camp on May 10th. The Civil War was about
to shatter St. Louis.
May 3, 1907:
Health officials in Cleveland banned the spitball there after
watching Browns pitcher Harry Howell's spitter "working
in all its slimy effectiveness." The chief health officer
said a player should not have to face "a batted ball
covered with microbes coming at him like a shot out of a gun."
May 6, 1917:
Belleville native Bob Groom threw a no-hitter for the St.
Louis Browns in his very first start. It came in the second
game of a doubleheader against the White Sox. Groom had thrown
two scoreless innings to wrap up the first game. In 1917,
Groom would lose more games than any other pitcher in the
American League for the third season in a row.
May 8, 1898:
George P. Dorris founded the St. Louis Motorcar Company, the
first automobile manufacturer here. Dorris and his partner,
John French, built the first internal combustion automobile
seen in St. Louis. The Dorris was one of over 200 makes of
automobiles manufactured in St. Louis between 1800 and 1930.
May 14, 1804:
The Lewis and Clark expedition disembarked from the present
site of Wood River, Illinois, on the epic voyage of discovery
into the Louisiana Territory. The first stop was at the mouth
of Coldwater Creek. Two days later, they arrived at Les Petite
Cotes (St. Charles). The first three days were sort of a shakedown
cruise for the crew. Lewis remained in St. Louis until May
20th.
May 20, 1948:
Stan Musial's "Stan the Man" nickname was born.
A day after going five-for-five, Stan continued a hitting
spree against the Dodgers at Ebbets Field. His four hits,
including a home run and two doubles, led the Cardinals to
a 14-7 win. As he came up to bat, fans were overhead saying
"here comes that man again."
May 26, 1926:
A fan who had his nose broken by a home run ball off the bat
of "Sunny" Jim Bottomley of the Cardinals used for
$7,500. Bottomley was forced to admit in court that he "intentionally
hit the ball to create a situation known as a home run."
A jury awarded the fan $3,500, but the Cardinals won on appeal
in 1928.
Places
to go, things to do
Places to go,
things to do...
Cahokia
Mounds' Children's Day
and much more in May
The Cahokia Mounds'
Children's Day is always lots of fun for kids of all ages.
This year, it's on Sunday, May 18.
Cahokia Mounds
Historical Site is a one-of-a-kind archeological marvel. The
earthen mounds were built by native Americans long before
there was a United States of America.
The Children's
Day hours will be 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.
There will be
lots of hands-on activities, crafts, games and dancing for
kids and families.
Access to the
historic site is easy from Interstates 270, 255, 55 and 70.
On I-270, get
onto I-255 south to Exit 24. Then go west 1 1/2 miles to the
site. On I-255 north, again you get off at Exit 24 and proceed
west 1 1/2 miles.
For I-70/55 from
Missouri, go over the Poplar Street Bridge to Exit 6, take
the right ramp to the first traffic light. Then, turn left
and go 1 1/2 miles to the site.
For more details,
call Cahokia Mounds on Wednesdays-Sunday at (618) 346-5160.
Or you can contact the Collinsville Convention and Visitors
Bureau at (618) 345-4999.
Also, the historic
site has a website at www.cahokiamounds.com.
There is an e-mail address you can use to request a Children's
Day flyer be sent to you.
Lewis
& Clark Heritage Days
A key event in
the famous Lewis & Clark journey will be celebrated May
17-18 in St. Charles.
The two-day Lewis
& Clark Heritage Days festival celebrates establishment
the encampment where the party prepared for exploration of
the Missouri River. The beginning of the historic trip will
be celebrated a year later, on May 14-23, 2004.
You can get all
sorts of information about Heritage Days and other planned
events on Internet websites. The Saint Charles Lewis and Clark
Bicentennial Commission's site is www.lewisandclarkkstcharles.com.
And the Greater Saint Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau
site is www.historicstcharles.com.
There's another
general Lewis and Clark site at www.lewisandclark.net
One place you'll
want to visit during the Heritage Days is the Lewis &
Clark Boat House and Nature Center. This is the permanent
home of replicas of Lewis and Clark's boats. These boats were
especially designed shallow-draft boats to navigate the Missouri
River, which is very shallow in spots.
How
about Lewis and Clark food?
Would you like
to sample some foods made from wild plants in Lewis and Clark's
time? The Missouri Department of Conservation has a couple
wild edible classes scheduled in May.
One is on Wednesday,
May 14, at the Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center. The
hours are 3-4:30 p.m.
This program will
be both indoors and outdoors so dress for the weather. Reservations
began on April 30. Call (314) 301-1500.
Another program
will be Thursday, May 15, at Rockwoods Reservation. The hours
are 4-5:30 p.m. Reservations begin May 1. Call (636) 458-2236.
In addition to
showing wild plants as foods, this event also talks about
wild plants as medicines during the Lewis and Clark expedition.
Young Saint
Louis.com featured a wild edible event, with recipes,
last September. To review that article, click on Past Stories
on the top of the home page. Then, select September, 2002,
to call up the article.
Not
too early to plan for Summer Camps
Summer vacation
is just around the corner. It's not too early to check out
some of the summer camps and workshops.
Here are a couple
suggestions to check out:
* Summer classes
and workshops for kids at the Saint Louis Art Museum
They include classes
for kids through 6th grade. Kids will be working with clay,
stone, stained glass, metal, wood and fibers. Of course, there
are classes with paint and ink also.
There's also a
"mixed media" workshop for middle-school kids.
For information,
call (314) 721-0072 or visit
www.slam.org.
* Summer science
activities at the St. Louis Science Center
There are all
sorts of activities covering everything from flying birds
to rocket science.
Some of the activities
are at the Science Center downtown. But, others are outdoors
at Babler State Park.
For information,
call (314) 289-4439 or visit
www.slsc.org.
Math
Puzzler
You'll
need educated guesses in May Puzzlers
Mr. Math Puzzler
has come up with a bunch of unusual questions for Young
Saint Louis.com's May Puzzlers. You'll need educated guesses
to get most of them.
Remember, there
may not be a clear-cut math formula for each questions. Sometimes,
you have to experiment with a variety of answers until the
right one makes sense. "Educated guesses can be a part
of successful math figuring," Mr. Math Puzzler reminds
all of you.
Also, there are
a couple of questions where the answers look simple but aren't.
The operative phrase for them is "thinking outside the
box." The direct answer may not be the right one this
month.
Mr. Math Puzzler
wants to give you a bit brain-teasing sendoff in this last
quiz of the 2002-03 school year. But, don't worry, He's has
agreed to have more Puzzlers during the summer months. YSL.com
wants you can have fun with math over the summer also.
In April, some
of the new winners repeated their success from March.
Why don't you
invite some of your summer buddies to play along with the
Math Puzzlers. You can answer the questions and then each
sent your own entry form.
If you are a new
entrant in the Puzzlers, we suggest you review some of the
past Puzzlers questions and answers to see how Mr. Math Puzzler
thinks. Mr. Math Puzzler is Wayne Hesse, a math teacher at
Green Park Lutheran School in south St. Louis County.
The YSL.com
Puzzlers have been on website since September, 2001. If you
click on the home page's Past Stories tab, you can
find all the past questions and answers.
Just click on
any month since the start and call up the Math Puzzler stories.
After checking
a month's questions, move to the following month for those
answers. By studying both questions and answers, you'll understand
how Mr. Math Puzzler thinks.
(For a listing
of winners and answers to the April competition, click
here.)
Young Saint
Louis.com likes it when kids who enter the Math Puzzler
competition get the correct answers. We get to list the winners
the following month. We also give out up to three $10 Borders
gift certificates as an extra bonus.
Now, you should
be ready for the May contest.
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
- All entries
must be postmarked by the 15th of the month
to be eligible.
-------------Clip
here to make entry-------------
Entry
for May, 2003, Math Puzzler Contest:
Name: _______________________________
Age: ______
Address: ____________________
School: _____________
City:______________________,
State:____ ZIP_________
Contact phone
no.(____)____________________
The
Math Puzzlers
(May, 2003)
1. How many ways
can you read ACE off the diagram below? You can move horizontally,
vertically or any combination of horizontal or vertical as
long as the letters are adjacent.
A
A
C A
A
C E C A
A
C A
A
Answer:
_______________
2. Timmy rents
a car to drive to a city 100km away. He stops halfway and
pick up a friend, who rides the last 50km with him. Returning
in the evening with his friend, Timmy drops him where he picked
him up, then drives on to his starting point, where he is
charged $24 for car rental. Timmy and his friend share expenses
equitably. How much should each pay?
Answer: _____________
3. Tammy is preparing
for a 42,000km trip in her car, a traditional four-wheel model.
Buying tires which each last 24,000km, Tammy contends that
7 would be enough. Is she right? Prove it.
Answer:_____________
4. Jenny is having
dinner with a friend. She brought five dishes and her friend
three dishes. At the last minute, another friend comes and
eats with them. The second friend pays $4 as her share. If
all dishes have the same value, how can the money be divided
between Jenny and her first friend? (Be careful.)
Answer: _____________
5. Nine schoolchildren
form a circle. To choose a leader, they decide to start from
one of them, count up to 5 clockwise, ask the fifth player
to leave the circle, and so on. The last player left in the
circle is the leader. Andrew does the counting. He wants to
take advantage of this to become the leader. Let's call him
and his friends by the first letter of each child's first
name using the letters A (for Andrew) through I, clockwise.
With which child should Andrew start his counting so he becomes
the leader?
Answer:
_____________
6. The locomotive,
which is 24 feet long, plus a Pullman car equal the length
of 3 coaches. The four Pullman cars equal the length of the
locomotive plus the length of the 3 coaches. The diner car
is 2 feet longer than a Pullman car. One of the 3 coaches
is 1 foot longer than the other two. How long is each car?
Answer: _____________
Three
get April Puzzlers; all win certificates
In March, the
three Math Puzzler winners who received Borders book certificate
prizes needed both skill and some luck. But, this month, the
same three won again but needed only skill this time.
In March, Clayton
Vance, Phillip Hsu and Drew Fender were among 10 entrants
who answered all six Math Puzzler questions correctly. Since
Young Saint Louis.com awards only three certificates,
the three had to survive a random drawing.
But, this month,
the same three answered the April Math Puzzler questions correctly.
But, this time, they were the only entrants who got all answers
right so all three again receive the book certificate prizes..
YSL.com
congratulates Clayton, Phillip and Drew for getting the answers
correct for the second month in a row. Their $10 Borders certificates
were put in the mail May 1.
The three double-winners
are all from different schools. Clayton is from Mason Ridge
Elementary, Phillip is from Wild Horse Elementary and Drew
is from Sperreng Middle School.
We also want to
remind kids who enter the Math Puzzler competition to make
sure they get their entries mailed early. In April, we got
Puzzler mail that was postmarked after the 15th of the month
so their entries couldn't be counted.
If you are a first-time
entrant in the Math Puzzler competition, you might like to
do some reviewing of past questions and answers. That way,
you'll get a chance to understand the thinking of Mr. Math
Puzzler, Mr. Wayne Hesse. He's a mathematics teacher at Green
Park Lutheran School in South St. Louis.
He started writing
Puzzlers for YSL.com in September, 2001. Therefore,
you can use the Past Stories tab on the home page to
find past issues. Just pick a month after the 2001 start and
read the questions. Then, click on the next month to find
the answers. Each Puzzler answer includes an explanation.
(To find the
May Puzzler questions and contest entry form, click
here.)
The
Answers to April Math Puzzlers:
1. Sue and Jim
were practicing free throws and each made 75 out of 100. After
a little break, Jim tried again and hit 37 out of 50 shots.
Sue did not do any more shooting. Who had the better percentage
for the day?
Answer:
Sue, with 75%
Explanation:
Both shot 75% in the first round of 100 shots. But, Jim's
second round left him with 112 of 150. That was just short
of 75%; 74.67% to be exact.
2. A solid white
cube that measures four inches on all sides is painted black
on all six faces. The cube is then cut up into smaller cubes
measuring one inch on all sides. Some of the smaller cubes
have three black faces, some will have two, some will have
one and some are completely white. How many of each kind of
smaller cube will there be?
Answer:
8 three-sided; 24 two-sided;
24 one-sided and 8 all white.
Explanation:
This is one of those Math Puzzlers where a good three-dimensional
diagram and some visualization will bring you the right answer.
3. A bull frog
and a green frog have a race from a starting line to a point
12 feet away and back to the starting line. Both frogs travel
at the same rate of one foot in four seconds. However, the
bull frog can jump in only 10-inch leaps and the green frog
can jump only in 6-inch leaps. Which frog wins the race and
by how much?
Answer:
Green frog by 4 seconds
Explanation:
The difference here is that the bull frog's 10-inch leaps
take him past the finish line. That means he needed 15 leaps
to complete the circuit when 14.4 leaps were all that were
needed. Each of his jumps took 3 1/3 seconds for a total 100
seconds. The green frog's 12 leaps got him right to the finish
line and another 12 back for a total of 24 leaps. Each of
his jumps took 2 seconds, for a total of 96 seconds. That's
4 seconds less because bull frog ended up jumping one foot
further.
4. You have two
candles, one of which is eight inches tall and can burn for
four hours before it is all gone. The other is shorter and
fatter. It is six inches tall and can burn for five hours.
If both candles are lit at the same time, how long will they
have to burn until both have the same length?
Answer:
2.5 hours
Explanation:
The taller candle burns at 2 inches per hour. The shorter
one burns at 1 1/5 inches per hour. You can convert that into
the following formula:
8 - 2h
= 6 - 6/5h
+2h +2h
------- --------
8 =
6 + 4/5h
-6 -6
------- ---------
2 = 4/5h
5/4
(2) = (4/5h) 5/4
10/4
= h
2.5
= h
5. How can you
make four equilateral triangles by using six toothpicks? (This
answer can be an illustration or a word description.)
Answer:
A triangle pyramid
Explanation:
By making a three-dimensional pyramid, you can have four equilateral
triangles on the three sides and bottom of the pyramid and
only use six toothpicks.
6. Suppose a typical
license plate is composed of three letters followed by three
numbers. How many license plates can be made if no letters
or numbers can be duplicated on the same plate?
Answer:
11,232,000
Explanation:
This is a probability problem. There are 26 letters in the
alphabet so that involves multiplying 26 chances for the first
letter, 25 for the second and 24 for the third. There are
10 chances for the first number, 9 for the second and 8 for
the third. That formula is:
26
x 25 x 24 x 10 x 9 x 8 = 11,232,000
Fun
& Games
Food trivia
fun
(When you're
done, click here for the answers.)
- What is still
the most popular fast food in America?
- What food
is favored by grown-ups for dunking in their morning coffee?
- What kind
of food still shimmies and shakes even when it finally hardens?
- What kind
of flavored sticks are chewed but never eaten?
- What kind
of food is available in both hard and soft-shell?
- What kind
of fast food was made popular by an old gent with an honorary
military title?
- Who is the
famous clown that promotes America's largest fast food chain?
- What coated
chocolate candies have two of the same letter imprinted
on them?
- What is the
popular meat served on toast with lettuce and tomato?
- A big fish
named Charlie has been used to promote what kind of food?
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 |
2.
seeks to get along
4. defensive coloration
7. clear out of an area
8. for a limited term
9. specialized worker
10. reported on behavior |
1.
governing rules
3. like-meaning words
5. make understandable
6. special ability |
Young
Saint Louis.com #2
| Across |
Down |
1.
seeks death causes
4. plans structures
6. prior registrations
7. effort to preserve
8. small pan fish
9. fishing equipment |
2.
coordinated movement
3. know value of
5. an award medal |
Memorial
Day
| Across |
Down |
1.
sunny and sandy
4. has marching units
6. fought in past wars
9. outdoor meals
11. prominently display
12. beginning signaled |
2.
fun car
3. placed on graves
5. precautions needed
7. start of season
8. almost over
10. seasonal attire |
Jokes
May is a little
early for corn, but here it comes
What is the easiest
way to count a herd of cattle?
Use a cow-culator!
Where do math
teachers go on vacation?
To Times Square!
What did the
math book say to the other math book?
I've got a lot of problems!
What did one star
say to another when they met?
Glad to meteor!
What do you get
if you cross a nun and a chicken?
A pecking order!
"I'm a walking
economy;" a man was overheard saying to a friend. "My
hairline is in recession, my waistline is a victim of inflation,
and together they're putting me in depression."
Some book titles
- always favorites
- "Crime
Does Not Pay" by Laura Norda
- "Don't
Leave Without Me" by Ima Coming
- "Tape
Recording for Beginners" by Cass Ette
- "A Call
for Assistance" by Linda Hand
- "The
Leaky Faucet" by Constant Dripping
- "The
Best Day Ever" by Trudy Light
And yes, a
final knock knock or two
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Oliver.
Oliver who?
Oliver clothes are getting wet, it's pouring out here!
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Ken.
Ken who?
Ken you let me in?
Answers
to Fun & Games
Trivia Answers
- hamburgers
- doughnuts
- jello or gelatin
- sticks of gum
- tacos
- fried chicken
- Ronald McDonald
- M and M's
- bacon
- tuna
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 |
2.
seeks to get along
4. defensive coloration
7. clear out of an area
8. for a limited term
9. specialized worker
10. reported on behavior |
1.
governing rules
3. like-meaning words
5. make understandable
6. special ability |
Young
Saint Louis.com #2
| Across |
Down |
1.
seeks death causes
4. plans structures
6. prior registrations
7. effort to preserve
8. small pan fish
9. fishing equipment |
2.
coordinated movement
3. know value of
5. an award medal |
Memorial
Day
| Across |
Down |
1.
sunny and sandy
4. has marching units
6. fought in past wars
9. outdoor meals
11. prominently display
12. beginning signaled |
2.
fun car
3. placed on graves
5. precautions needed
7. start of season
8. almost over
10. seasonal attire |
