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Young Achievers
2005 Gateway Young Achievers
Ten St. Louis metro area kids have been named 2005 Gateway
Young Achievers of the Year. The awards go to elementary,
middle and senior high students for accomplishments in school
and in various service and artistic areas.
The
2005 Gateway Young Achievers are:
Elementary
school (Grades 5-6)
* Holly Doerr, Affton
* Jordan Umstead, Florissant
Middle
school (Grades 7-8)
* Allison Langenfeld, Arnold
* Tricia McDonough, Fenton
High
school (Grades 9-10)
* Brad Pingel, St. Charles
* Jessica Rapp, Mehlville
Faith
in Action
* Jordyn Dinwiddie, Festus
Mentor
* Allison Toepfer, Fenton
Music
* Christopher Ash, Edwardsville, Ill.
Service
* Alex Neaveill, Pacific
This
marks the 15th year that the International Leadership Network
has been naming Young Achievers. The local Gateway Young
Achiever award program is made possible by the Millstone
Foundation of St. Louis.
Over
370 youngsters from the metro St. Louis area were nominated.
Fifty
finalists were named medallion winners and received $50
gift certificates. After personal interviews and auditions,
10 of the finalists were named Gateway Achievers. They receive
a $1,000 savings bond and are eligible for the national
Young Achiever competition.
The
10 Young Achievers, their parents and their sponsors were
honored at a breakfast on Friday, April 29, at the Junior
League.
A
2005 awards ceremony for the $50 medallion winners will
be held Sunday, May 1, at the Busch Student Center on the
campus of Saint Louis University.
(Young
Saint Louis.com is a website focused primarily on kids 8
through 13. YSL.com will follow this general story
with a series of individual profiles on the six elementary
and middle school Achievers. The first profile will be in
the June edition.)
The
following are sketches on the elementary and middle school
winners:
* Holly Doerr, 5th grade, Gotsch Intermediate in Affton
Holly has achieved straight A grades since kindergarten.
She is now participating in the school's gifted program.
In both 3rd and 4th grade, she earned blue ribbons in the
school's science fair competition. She also has served as
a student senate representative for three years. Holly began
writing as a pre-schooler and now writes poetry, song lyrics
and detailed short stories. She hopes to be an author of
children's books.
*
Jordan Umstead, 5th grade, Keeven Elementary in Florissant
Jordan
has been elected student council representative for three
years. He is a straight-A student. He also has been an active
member of the Keeven Chorus and serves as student intercom
announcer. He is a school safety patrol officer. Outside
of school, he is a leader in his Boy Scout Troop and plays
on basketball and soccer teams. He has taken part in a number
of scout and school fundraising events. . * Allison Langenfeld,
8th grade, Holy Child in Arnold Allison has been very active
in volunteering for a variety of school and outside activities.
Included were over 300 hours in the Adopt-a-Stray program
and with various church service projects. She also has volunteered
in tutoring. Allison was secretary of the Student Council
in 7th grade and has been president of the council in 8th
grade. She has been an honor roll member for every school
year.
*
Tricia McDonough, 8th grade, Rockwood South Middle in Fenton
Tricia has established an outstanding record in academics
and in participation in a wide variety of school and outside
activities. She has a 4.0 grade point average and has received
academic awards in math, science, geography and language
arts. In addition, she has been a student council representative
since 3rd grade. She has been involved in music, track and
drama. She has been on the yearbook staff. She has volunteered
for various organizations, including the Fenton Wildlife
Rehabilitation Center.
*
Jordyn Dinwiddie, 7th grade, Festus Middle in Festus
Jordyn's
Young Achiever award was in the Faith in Action category.
An outstanding student and athlete in school, she has been
very active in church service projects. They include work
as a power-point technician at her church's contemporary
worship service. She also has been on mission trips and
volunteers in Vacation Bible School programs.
* Christopher Ash, 8th grade, Liberty Middle in Edwardsville,
Ill.
Christopher's
Young Achiever award was in the Music category. As a middle
school student, he has maintained a 4.0 grade point average.
He participates in football and track and in Boy Scouts.
His musical accomplishments including touring in France
with Southern Illinois University's Suzuki violin tour group.
He has been 1st violin chair in the Liberty Middle School
Orchestra and been in the Edwardsville Youth Orchestra since
1999. He was 1st violin chair in the All-District Festival
orchestra. Because the school orchestra needed cello help,
he volunteered to move from violin to cello and is now 1st
cello chair.
WHM Art
Kids learn teamwork, creativity
with art
Thirteen-year-old Jamie Downing is one of the newest
members of a unique art club in north St. Louis County.
Her older brother, Shane, has been a member since the
club started five years ago.
Founder Brad and Laurie Walkenhorst started the club
as a way to help area kids develop both individual creativity
as well as cooperation on group projects.
Many of the kids who join the club hear about it by word-of-mouth.
Many are looking for a type of organization that is different
than those offered at school.
Laurie Walkenhorst said there are lots of extra-curricular
activities available for top students and also many for
kids with difficulties. "We're looking for kids who want
something extra but aren't satisfied with what else is
available," she said.
What WHM Services offers are activities based on a wide
variety of art. Some of their projects might be considered
"different."
For instance, when Shane Downing joined five years ago,
the club members' first big art project was an "art car."
Someone had donated an old-but still running-car.
Shane said the kids had "free rein" to paint and decorate
the car anyway they wanted. The garishly decorated car
became a moving billboard for the art club.
"Lots of people saw it and knew that I had been involved
in decorating it," Shane said.
An "art truck" was another project. The main art this
semester isn't quite as ambitious. But, it's pretty big
and quite creative.
The kids have built an over-sized board game called "Nine
Man Morris." When laid out, the game measures 9' by 9'.
It has giant moveable pieces shaped like buildings and
trees. Each team tries to get three of their pieces in
a row before the opponent can block them.
The major art project is a group activity. The kids first
compiled a long list of possible games. They, they voted
on one which would be built. Each member had a hand in
making the various game pieces.
This semester, another art project involves individual
creativity. The kids are making banners and costumes for
their appearances in the Earth Day "All Species" parade
and in Florissant's Valley of the Flowers celebration.
Brad Walkenhorst urged kids to make banners that "say
something about you as an individual." The banners didn't
have to be just Earth Day or Valley of Flowers themes.
Fourteen-year-old Jada Burks said her banner will express
her opposition to killing so many chickens to make fast
food items, such as Chicken McNuggets. She said she isn't
a vegetarian but has a special feeling for chickens.
She told about an experiment she did at home. "I got
three chicken eggs from a farm and hatched them in my
room, using a light bulb to keep them warm," she said.
Shane Downing said his banner will ask the question:
"Where Are the Hoops?" He said that will be a protest
on the lack of basketball hoops in Florissant parks in
the summer.
Thirteen-year-old Alicia Reese said she was recruited
for the WHM club by Jamie Downing. The two are 7th graders
at Cross Keys Middle School. This is Alicia's first semester
in the club and she says she's having "lots of fun."
Alicia's Earth Day banner will have a recycling theme.
She's making an all-fabric banner that spells out in cloth
letters her theme: "Recycle the Earth." The illustration
will show the Earth "like a comet from space with people
around it," she said.
She said she also does artwork in school and at home.
She said some of her artwork has been good enough for
display in Florissant's James J. Egan Center. Her favorite
artwork is a multi-colored Sun Mask that was displayed
and now is at home in her room.
Thirteen-year-old Larina Haley is in her third semester
in the WHM club. Her favorite type of artwork is cartooning.
She hopes to translate her interest in art and creativity
into a career as an architect. But, she isn't planning
to build roads, bridges or buildings. She wants to build
playgrounds for kids. "Most of the playgrounds now are
rusty," she said.
Seventeen-year-old Danielle Dawson is a first-timer in
the art club. She said she likes the idea of artwork that
expresses individuality.
"I used to do whatever to be accepted by other kids.
But, I've decided I don't care what other people think.
I want to just be who I am," she said.
In addition to participating in community events, the
WHM kids will close this semester with a season-ending
art show late in May. The club will start up again next
fall.
If you are interested in learning more about the WHM
Services art club, you can call (314) 831-5576
or e-mail to whmservices@sbcglobal.net.
School Night at Fox
25
groups at Performing Arts Night at Fox
Twenty-five musical groups from St. Louis Public Schools
were featured last month at the annual Performing Arts Night
at the Fox Theatre. The event was held Sunday, April 27, from
7-9 p.m.
Young Saint Louis.com couldn't cover all of the 25
groups. So, this story will focus on two unique groups that
performed: the McKinley CJA Symphonic Wind Ensemble and the
Madison Elementary Honors Choir.
They are examples of the wide variety of musical opportunities
for students in the St. Louis Public Schools.
At the McKinley Classical Junior Academy, middle school kids
play a variety of wind and percussion instruments. Although
set up like a symphony orchestra, there are no stringed instruments.
And co-conductor Jason Harris uses some unusual practice
techniques to get the most out of the players. At sometime
during a practice while the group is playing, Harris will
turn off all lights in the practice hall. He expects the players
to continue playing while not being able to see their music.
Co-conductor Bob Dorries said the "lights-out" technique
helps convince kids they know the music well enough without
having to refer to printed music in front of them. Although
a shock to spectators, the kids take it in stride and continue
on without skipping a beat.
Twelve-year-old Ally Hany plays trumpet in the ensemble.
In addition to the ensemble's practice schedule, she practices
at home an hour a day. She also takes private lessons in the
summer.
Asked about her best musical experience, she cited the opportunity
to play music with her grandfather. She said, "He's the best
trombone player that I know." She admits she has a hard time
trying to keep up with him in their trombone/trumpet duets.
Ally said she'd like to have a career as a jazz musician.
Fourteen-year-old Jasmine Furnace started playing in the
6th grade. Her first instrument was a soprano clarinet. Now
in the 8th grade, she plays a bass clarinet in the ensemble.
She said she likes to practice. "Sometimes I practice even
before doing my homework. That's a bad thing. Then I have
to stay up late to finish my homework," she said.
She said her parents wouldn't allow her to skip the homework.
Fourteen-year-old Yan Zhu said she plays both the flute and
the piccolo. She said she takes private lessons all year long
and practices from 30- to 45-minutes a day at home.
She said she loves music but admits she had a bad experience
in a recent concert the ensemble played in Jefferson City.
"It was real, real cold and we didn't know we were going to
play outside. My fingers didn't move well," she said.
Yan hopes for a career combining physics research and playing
music professionally.
Thirteen-year-old John Berger plays the alto saxophone. He
said his best musical experience has been "the entire three
years I've played in the ensemble." Asked about any bad experiences,
he added, "I've had some bad moments, but no bad experiences."
He said he'd like to play music in college but plans on
a career as an engineer.
The Fox Night solo number performed by the Madison Elementary
Honor Choir was written and scored by conductor Mark Clark.
Titled "Do The Right Thing," the number has an up-tempo sound
and choir members do a variety of moves in time with the music.
The lyrics for their number reflect Clark's emphasis on character-building
that runs through the entire choir organization.
Selection of members for the choir is based on three principles:
Discipline, Confidence and Performance.
After applying, the kids have to get an endorsement from
their teachers as to their character, participation and teamwork
skills. They also have to demonstrate confidence in their
speech, posture and attitude, Clark said.
The final step is an audition where the kids have to look
like performers, sing like performers and "do their best,"
Clark said.
Eleven-year-old Autumn Jacobs said her best musical experience
came when Clark took the choir to a studio to record a CD.
She said, "We sang twice before we got it right."
The 5th grader said she comes from a musical family. The
family includes singers as well as members who play string
and wind instruments.
Ten-year-old Nicholas Usoroh said the choir sings in school
concerts "for every season and during Black History Month."
He's been singing for three years and also plays the piano
and the recorder. He said his mother helps him with his piano
playing.
The 5th grader said he hopes to continue both singing and
play instruments. Being a professional singer is one of his
potential career goals.
Eleven-year-old Carlos Prado also would like to be a professional
singer. He said he's taken piano lessons. But, he said, "I
want to take guitar lessons but I don't have a guitar yet."
The 5th grader said he practices his singing at home "every
time I'm on the computer, which is often." Carlos said he
even "sings at night when I'm having trouble going to sleep."
Asked if that helps him sleep, he said, "Sometimes."
He said he's really enjoyed music "ever since I've had Mr.
Clark."
Clark is St. Louis-born. He graduated from the Visual and
Performing Arts (VPA) High School. "I was a freshman the year
that school opened so I was in the first class to go all four
years there," he said.
205-06
Mark Twain Award books
Two local kids
help make final list
Eleven-year-old
Sara Ponder didn't really like to read until she was
in second grade. But, she's now in 5th grade and has
helped to select the 2005-06 Mark Twain Award books
for kids all across Missouri.
Each year,
the Missouri Association of School Librarians (MASL)
recommends books for kids across the state. The Mark
Twain list is for 4th to 8th grade kids. The association
has been making recommendations for more than 30 years.
Every
year, a group of reader-selectors-some of them kids-make
the final selections. This year, 36 books made the
selection list. From those books, a total of 20 books
were nominated for the final list.
The final
list is picked after the reader-selectors rate each
book on a scale from zero-through-5. Those with the
highest number of points are recommended.
(The
complete 2005-06 book list can be found in a sidebar
article at the end of this story. If you'd be interested
in the 2004-05 Mark Twain list, you can find that
earlier story by clicking on the Past Stories tab
at the top of the home page and call up the January.
2005, edition.)
Sara
and 10-year-old Kelly Murphy are both students at
Edgar Road Elementary School in Webster Groves. They
were recruited as reader-selectors by Rebecca Schuder,
the school's librarian. She is active in the MASL
organization.
Kelly
is following in the footsteps of her older sister,
Casey, who was a reader-selector for the 2004-05 Mark
Twain list.
Kelly
said she read all 36 of the books from which the final
20 were selected. Sara said she read and rated about
30 books.
Not all
of the books that they liked a lot made the final
nominations list.
Sara said
she really liked a book titled "Hill Hawk Hatti."
That was a story about a girl who was involved in
a complicated plot. First her mother dies. Then she's
forced to work with her drunken dad as a tree logger.
He makes her dress like a boy.
Relations
with her dad improve as his drinking decreases. But
then she's sent to live with her grandmother in order
to get a better education.
Sara said
she liked the book a lot even though "it ended up
kind of sad."
Kelly
said one of the books she liked that didn't make the
final Mark Twain list was entitled "Million Dollar
Goal." It had another complicated plot involve two
brothers, a grandmother who gets a contest chance
to shoot for a hockey goal worth $l million.
The grandmother
dies before getting the goal chance. One of the brothers
takes her place but narrowly misses scoring the goal.
But, in the end, the boys find Elvis Presley's birth
certificate in memorabilia their grandmother had collected.
The certificate was worth $l million as a collector's
item.
Both of
the girls say they read books almost every day.
Kelly
said she "definitely reads every day." Usually, it's
for two hours per day.
She said
she likes fantasy books but also likes historical
and realistic fiction and adventure stories. She said,
"I really like suspense in stories."
Sara said
she reading sessions can range from one hour "to nearly
an entire day." The shorter sessions are when she
isn't too interested in the book. But, a good book
can keep her going indefinitely, she said.
She said,
although she likes fantasy books, she hasn't read
any of the Harry Potter books. She added, "But, my
sister already has the entire series and I'm going
to read them."
Asked
about her early lack of interest in reading, Sara
said, "I guess the books got better and my teacher
had a different approach to reading."
For Kelly,
her reading started early. "I could read a little
in kindergarten," she said.
She said
her parents would read to her at bedtime when she
was little. She said she started reading chapter books
by second grand. Sara said her reading of chapter
books started in second grade, right after she started
to like any reading.
Although
the girls read a lot, they take part in a number of
other outside activities.
Kelly
said she takes piano lessons and hopes to join both
basketball and swimming clubs.
Sara takes
part in soccer and basketball and likes to sing and
draw. She said she's pretty good at drawing cats,
dogs and people. Her best drawing-of a bird-is hanging
up at home.
Asked
what she gets out of reading, Kelly said, "It helps
throughout life."
Muny Kids
Local
kids prepare for The Muny's 2005 season
Tess Boyer of Glen Carbon, Ill., and Nicholas Oliveri of
Clayton will be two of the younger cast members in The Muny's
2005 summer season. As Muny Kids members, they also will do
advance publicity appearances for the new season.
Twelve-year-old Tess is starting her second season at The
Muny. She will play Minnie in "Annie Get Your Gun," the second
show of the season.
Thirteen-year-old Nicholas is starting his fifth Muny season.
He's to play either Young Cosmo or Young Don in "Singin' In
The Rain." That's fourth in the 7-show season at the Forest
Park theatre.
The Muny is the oldest and largest outdoor musical theatre
in the country. Every season, there are lots of parts for
young kids in the various popular musicals. This year is The
Muny's 87th year of operation.
(For complete details about The Muny, visit
www.muny.com.)
Before the season starts, a troupe of Muny Kids performers
make public appearances around the metro area to promote the
season. Rehearsals for the promotional tour began shortly
after auditions were held late in February.
Auditions were held for younger kids (8-13) on Feb. 26, and
for older kids (14-19) the next day at University High School.
Tess and Nicholas already have had plenty of big-time performance
experience all over the country.
Tess is a 7th grader at Liberty Middle School in Glen Carbon.
She is the reigning Miss Junior Teen USA, becoming the youngest
winner in history last fall.
Also, she considers her best musical experience to be her
3½ months with a Vee Corporation group that toured the country.
She said it was fun "going up on stage and making people smile."
Nicholas is a 7th grader at Wydown Middle School in Clayton.
In 2003, he was selected as a St. Louis representative to
perform in the White House. First Lady Laura Bush was in the
audience.
He and another boy sang a medley of patriotic songs at the
national awards ceremony for service to the arts.
Tess has been singing since she was five and Nicholas started
when he was six.
Tess's first performance at age five was as an angel in a
church musical at the Harvest Assembly Church, where her father
is the pastor. She remembers that musical well because it
still ranks as her worst performance experience.
"I played an angel and I got stuck on a stool. It was so
high I couldn't get off without falling. Joseph and Mary had
to carry me off the stage on the stool," she said.
She considers her singing to be her main strength as a performer.
But, she admits she has been learn how to read her lines slower.
"I go really fast," she said.
Tess is also taking private lessons to improve her dancing
ability.
She's hoping to study theater in college. She wants to be
either a professional actress or a singer. "I don't care which;
I want to be a star either way," Tess adds.
Nicholas said his first musical experience was in "Sound
of Music" in a Kirkwood community theater performance when
he was six.His first Muny performance was in 2001 in "Wizard
of Oz."
He said his worst performing experience was in another Muny
appearance that year.
"I was on a Gershwin show. We had to dance on blocks that
were 1½ feet tall. I fell off," he said.
Both of the young performers said they like singing better
than other forms of performing. Nicholas said he still sings
soprano because his voice hadn't started to change as yet.
Nicholas also wants to study theater in college. He wants
to go either to Julliard, NYU or the Cincinnati College of
Art and Music. As a career, he wants to be a performer in
musicals.
Both of the kids say they're more nervous before auditions
than during performances. They said that's because they haven't
yet earned a show spot before the auditions.
The 2005 Muny season includes "Beauty and The Beast," June
20-29; "Annie Get Your Gun," July 4-10; "Jesus Christ Superstar,"
July 11-17; "Singin' In The Rain," July 18-24; "Mame," July
25-31; "Westside Story," Aug. 1-7, and "The Sound of Music,"
Aug. 8-14.
For ticket information, you can call (314) 361-1900
or visit www.muny.com.
Girls' BB
Sparks head for
girls basketball nationals
The 13-and-under St. Louis Sparks girls basketball
team had to overcome an injury to a star player in
last month's AAU district tournament. But, the team
prevailed to win the tournament for the third year
in a row.
The victory in the Ozark District Championship on
Sunday, April 17, gave the Sparks a 54-0 record for
the year. The win also earned the Sparks a spot in
the AAU national tournament in Dayton, Ohio, in July
8-16.
In the district finals, the Sparks overcame a furious
fourth quarter rally by the St. Louis Crusader team
to prevail, 53-51.
The Sparks had a double-digit lead in the third quarter.
Then, power forward Breanna McLaughlin sprained her
right ankle and had to be carried off the court.
Breanna was very disappointed because her right
ankle "is my only good ankle." She wears a brace on
her left ankle, which has been injured several times.
But, in the end, it was the Sparks' strength inside
that carried the team to victory.
Ebony Davis is a 5'10" forward for the Sparks. She
was the team's leading scorer with 17 points and was
strong on rebounding.
Then, 5'9" forward Alneshia Day contributed 10 points.
Also, during the fourth quarter, when the Crusaders
were rallying, she helped the guards bring the ball
up court against the press.
The Sparks were leading, 42-31, at the start of the
fourth quarter. The winners scored just enough to
win when a 3-point basket by the Crusaders at the
buzzer cut the final margin to just two points.
Both teams did their best work when they worked the
ball inside for shots close to the basket. In the
end, the Sparks ability to rebound was the deciding
factor in the game.
The district tournament was a double-elimination
meet. The Sparks entered the final game as the only
unbeaten team. If the Crusaders had won the game,
the two teams would have lined up to play another
game that evening.
Sparks Coach Claude Ussery has had outstanding success
with his 13-and-under team. In addition to winning
the district meet for three consecutive years, players
such as Day and guard Kalia Lahai-Pumagoi are just
seventh graders.
They and other younger players will form a good nucleus
for next year's team. One of the girls who won't be
on the Sparks team next season is 14-year-old Leslie
Damper. But, she's got her eye on another goal for
next year.
She will enter Hazelwood East High School next year
and is looking forward to playing on the basketball
team. That will give her a chance to be on the same
team as her sister, Heather, who will be a senior
next year.
All of the girls have identified things they need
to work on to become better players.
Alneshia thinks that her dribbling and rebounding
are the best parts of her game. But, she plans to
work more on her ability to dribble with her left
hand to allow her more versatility.
Kalia said the areas of her game that need improvement
involve more than just basketball skills. She said,
"I need to work on my attitude and behavior and need
to listen to Coach more."
She admitted Coach Ussery is "always right" but that
she often doesn't listen. However, the coach said,
"She's getting better."
Breanna McLaughlin said her best strength is playing
defense. But, she said she needs to work more on her
shooting and her ability to block out for rebounding.
Ebony Davis said her height helps her block shots
but she also needs more practice on "post moves" and
free throw shooting.
Leslie Damper said she can dribble with either hand
but needs to "keep my head up while dribbling to see
the court better."
Ebony said the whole team will need to play more
as a team in the nationals. She said her worst experience
this year "was when we almost lost a game because
we weren't playing as a team."
The girls all are looking forward to playing in the
nationals again this year. They said they consider
qualification for last year's nationals as their best
basketball experiences.
Ebony was more specific. She said her best basketball
experience was "when he won a game in overtime at
nationals last year."
The girls are hoping to have another bunch of "best
experiences" in July this summer.
History Day
Wydown students excel in
documentary films
Eighth-grader Nate Townsend didn't place first in the Missouri
State History Day documentary film competition last month.
But, he did win a competition of sorts within his own family.
And Nate and other Wydown Middle School students added to
their developing reputation for quality documentary filmmaking
in the statewide History Day event.
In the state documentary competition, Nate and 8th grade
classmates Ellie Bullard, Aaron Praiss and William Behrend
all earned spots in the national History Day competition.
The nationals will be held June 12-16 at the University of
Maryland, near Washington, D.C.
Nate won 2nd in the junior individual documentary classification
in the state History Day finals in Jefferson City. His film
was entitled, "The Internet and the World Wide Web."
Ellie finished 3rd in the junior individual documentary field
in state. Her documentary film was entitled, "The War of the
Worlds." That film was about the 1938 radio drama by famed
actor Orson Wells.
The broadcast caused panic across the country because its
realistic, newscast style made it seem as if the Earth was
being invaded by aliens from outer space.
Aaron and William won 2nd in the state in the junior group
documentary category. Their film was entitled, "The Modern
Day Olympics." Their film focused on the controversial 1936
Olympics in Berlin and the 1968 meet in Mexico City.
Thirteen-year-old William said they picked those two Olympics
because "they were controversial but ended peacefully." He
added, "That's why we didn't include the 1972 Olympics in
Munich." Those games were marred by the terrorist killings
by Arabs of several members of the team from Israel.
The 1936 Olympics had plenty of tension because Germany's
dictator Adolph Hitler tried to make the games a test of superiority
of the Aryan or white race. But, American Jesse Owens, an
African-American, was the star of the games.
The 1968 games in Mexico City are remembered in part because
of the Black Power salute by two American sprinters. In their
film, Aaron and William included an interview with sprinter
John Carlos, one of the two runners who raised their black-gloved
fists on the medal stand.
The Townsend family filmmaking competition centered around
Nate and his older brother, Alex. When Alex was a Wydown student
several years ago, he entered a documentary film in History
Day competitions but didn't earn a state award.
However, Alex did enlarge and refine his documentary so
that it was shown in the 2003 St. Louis International Film
Festival. That documentary centered around interviews with
Missouri veterans who survived the World War II invasion of
Normandy.
(YSL.com earlier included an article about Alex and his
film. You can read it by clicking on Past Stories and going
to the January, 2004,
edition.)
Although Nate and Alex are competitive, Nate said, "My brother
was the inspiration for my History Day entry." However, he
said the two films are "very different."
In entering a documentary, students have to pick a subject
that has an impact on history.
Nate's conclusion: "The internet has become a world-wide
key to understanding."
He said he picked the Internet as a subject because he didn't
want to deal with a historical subject from years ago.
However, Ellie picked the Orson Welle's radio broadcast because
it was old but still has a message for people today. She said
she didn't believe Americans today would be panicked by such
an "alien" broadcast.
But, she added, "People are being fooled by the media every
day."
In researching her subject, Ellie obtained two DVD recordings
of the original 1938 radio broadcast. Included in her research
were conversations with both of her grandfathers who were
alive when the broadcast was done more than 60 years ago.
Aaron and William said they had a hard time picking a topic.
But, they were encouraged by teacher Janet Baldwin to focus
on something that interested them.
Aaron said, "We lost in the first round of the history competition
last year. Our topic wasn't much fun. We wanted to do something
that wouldn't bore us while we were doing the research."
Their selection of interview subjects also helped keep their
interest. In addition to having a phone interview with sprinter
Carlos, they also included a talk with broadcaster Bob Costas
and with Olympic historian June Wuest-Becht, who was at the
1936 Olympics.
Aaron said his experience with the historical documentary
has given him another possible career idea. He originally
expected to be an architect "but I'm now thinking of movie-making."
Nate said he expects to major in filmmaking at UCLA when
he goes to college. He said, "I make films at home all the
time. I'm doing one about Wydown School now."
County Summer Reading
County Summer Reading Program
schedules set
The themes for the St. Louis County 2005 Summer Reading
Programs for kids both are tied to Renaissance period
of knights and dragons. The programs for both younger
and older kids will have kickoff events early in June.
The theme for kids 12 and under is "Dragons, Dreams and
Daring Deeds." There will be three outdoor parties on
Saturday, June 4, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The locations
are:
-
North County Recreation Complex, 2577
Redman Ave.; ·
-
Suson Park in South County, at 6073
Wells Road, and ·
-
Faust Park in West County, at 15158
Olive Road.
The "Joust Read" kickoff event for older kids will be
held Friday, June 3, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Strike and Spare
Lanes, at 1309 N. Lindbergh Blvd. (Kids who are 12-years-old
can attend either the younger or older event, or both.)
Each of the summer reading programs includes prizes for
different levels of book reading activity. There are three
different reading levels. Level 1 is for 260 minutes of
reading, Level 2, 700 minutes and Level 3, 1,300 minutes.
Once a kid reaches a level of reading, he or she will
earn prizes.
One major feature of the prize program is the chance
to win St. Louis Cardinal baseball tickets. Once a kid
reaches the Level 2 and submitted a reading log, he or
she is entered in a drawing for Cardinal tickets.
If a kid's entry is drawn, the youngster gets a voucher
for two tickets. Also, the kids have a choice of six possible
game dates. One of them will be Library Day. Two kids
from among those attending that day will appear on the
field in before-game ceremonies.
Both reading programs also will involve live events and
activities at branch libraries throughout the summer.
Be sure to keep track of your local branch's schedule
by logging on to www.slcl.org.
The county summer programs are popular. Last summer,
over 21,000 kids took part. That included 17,993 in the
younger age group and 3,110 older kids. The 2004 total
was over 17 per cent above the total in 2003.
Each of the three kickoff events for younger kids in
the county parks will have different programs.
At the North County Recreation Complex, there will be
a program called "Adventure Tales." These will involve
stories about knights, dragons and magical beings. Performing
will be storyteller Blake Travis and musician Babaloo.
At Suson Park, the program will be called "Mother Goose
and Friends." The show will include Chris Camp, a master
of the bullwhip. Kathy Schottle will perform "Dragon Stew
and Other Medieval Tales." Kids also will join in a sing-along.
At Faust Park, the performers will include "Frilly and
Miller," singing cowboy Randy Erwin and juggler Jeff Koziatek.
Petting zoos by S&S Farms will be at both Faust Park
and the North County Complex.
Books
This
month's book reviews
A Jewish girl of immigrant parents grows
up
in the Boston of 1918
To appreciate this little novel, a reader should
be aware that three things were occurring in our country during
the year of 1918. First of all, for some time, many people
from European countries had been arriving in big eastern cities
like New York and Boston. They lived in very crowded conditions
in sections of these big cities. Secondly, the nation was
at war fighting the Germans in World War I. Thousands of young
men were serving in the army overseas in Europe. Third, during
these turbulent times, a terrible world-wide influenza epidemic
hit people of all classes, killing thousands of men, women,
and children.
The story of Hannah Gold takes place during
the events mentioned above. Hannah lived with her aunt, Tanta
Rose, and two younger sisters. Also living with them was Vashti,
a longtime friend of Tanta Rose. Vashti was well-known as
a healer - a woman who used various plants and herbs to treat
all kinds of illnesses. While Tanta Rose was patient and loving,
Vashti seemed to be always critical and to speak harshly to
the children. They were all poor and lived in crowded conditions
in a basement apartment. They were Jewish and followed the
customs of their religion as they had lived them in Europe.
Hannah longed for the return of her parents.
Her mother had returned to Russia just before the outbreak
of the war in order to care for a relative. Her father had
joined the army, hoping to fight the Bolsheviks, who were
conducting a violent revolution in his country. Hannah's mother
had hoped that Tanta Rose and Vishti could care for the children
until she and her husband could make it back to Boston.
As we read Hannah's story, we see the influenza
epidemic gradually spreading through the neighboring families
in the surrounding apartments. We know that soon it will reach
Hannah and her family members. Just who survives and who succumbs
to the terrible disease provides part of the suspense in the
novel.
Hannah, under orders from Vishti, is forced
to board a train to go live with relatives in the country.
She boards the wrong train, is taken ill with the flu, and
ends up in an emergency hospital. As she recovers from the
illness, she loses her voice. She is taken in by a elderly
German farmer. Hannah, at first, is frightened of him because
he is German. Some of his neighbors treat him badly because
he is German. Hannah, however, learns the old man is kind
and caring and helps her deal with her physical weakness and
her sorrow over being separated from her family members.
Where does the name "A Time of Angels" come
from? At critical times in her young life, Hannah is sure
she is being helped by a beautiful angel in blue. She comes
to believe that somehow the angel will see that she is reunited
with her sisters and, eventually, her mother and father. You
need to read the book in order to fill in the details of Hannah's
story.
A young girl risks her life to save an
ancient sequoia tree
The story in "Riding the Flume" takes place
in 1894 in northern California. It's a time when lumber is
in great demand to build houses throughout California and
the nation. It is also a period of economic depression and
jobs are hard to find. Men in the lumber business are under
pressure to cut down the state's giant sequoia trees, some
of which are thousands of years old, perhaps the oldest living
things on earth.
Francie Cavanaugh, who is only fifteen years
old, is the daughter of a hotel keeper in a town near the
groves of ancient trees, many of which had already been cut
down. Francie loves the trees and wants to see that the few
giant trees left are protected. Her father, as a business
man in the community, does not want to make the lumber mill
owners angry, since they help keep his hotel in business.
While counting the rings in one of the huge
stumps of a felled sequoia tree, Francie accidentally discovers
a note that her older sister had left there. Six years earlier
the sister, Carrie, had been killed in an accident in the
woods. At that time, Francie had been to young to understand
what had happened to her sister. The note proved that Carrie,
when she was killed, had been trying to save the sequoias
from being destroyed. Finding that out, only made Francie
more determined than ever to do what she could to save the
trees.
In that part of California, lumbermen built
miles of elevated wooden slides, called flumes, which had
water running over them. The flumes were used to swiftly carry
the logs down from higher elevations to the lumber mills down
below. Few men were able to ride the logs down the flume without
being seriously injured or killed.
Against her father's wishes, Francie, gets in
touch with a newspaperman in a larger city down below where
she lives. She is working with others to stir up public opinion
in an effort to save the remaining trees. When she discovers
that the largest and oldest of the trees is growing on land
that the lumber company does not even own, she must get to
the city to obtain proof. She had to have the right papers
and the help of the law to keep the vicious lumber foreman
from ordering this special tree to be cut.
What do you suppose is the quickest way to get
the help she needs? You guessed it - Francie must make a terrifying
ride down the flume, if she is to be in time to save the largest
and oldest of the sequoia trees. How can she do it, when full-grown
men are afraid to try?
A young orphan girl ends up riding with
a famous Mexican bandit as she teaches him to read
Annyrose Smith and her older brother, Lank,
had arrived in California as orphans in the 1850's. Their
mother had died of fever when the small family had crossed
Panama on mule back to reach the ship that was to take them
to California. When they did reach California, the two kids
lost their belongings to thieves and Annyrose broke her leg
in an accident. Annyrose was taken in by what appeared to
be a friendly old lady, while Lank headed to the gold fields
in northern California. He was to send stagecoach fare back
to his sister to join him later.
The nice old lady turned out to be O. O. Mary,
a notorious dealer in stolen horses and anything else she
could steal or cheat people out of. When Annyrose recovered
from her broken leg, she found out that she had become a hard-working
slave on O. O. Mary's ranch. When a notorious Mexican bandit
turned up at the ranch with plans to rob the old lady, O.
O. Mary ran off. Annyrose saved herself by pretending to be
a boy and joining the gang of bandits headed by Joaquin Murieta.
She figured anything was better than being O.O. Mary's slave.
When the bandit chief found out that Annyrose
could read, he decided to keep her around to teach him how
to read. Remember, at the time, Murieta thought Annyrose was
a boy. As the bandits moved northward towards the goldfields,
Annyrose was able to travel safely with them. Of course, she
didn't approve of the robbing and stealing that the bandits
were doing, but she managed to teach Murieta to read English,
which was his goal.
All kinds of things happen on the way north.
Of course, the evil old lady, O.O. Mary, turns up again. Also,
to her surprise, Annyrose finds out that Lank has become a
lawman and is riding with the rangers to try to catch Murieta.
Can she and her brother ever get together and go on to lead
happy lives? What will become of Murieta, since everybody
thinks he is a vicious bandit and deserves to be hanged?
A famous kids' author tells of some "stunts"
that took place in his childhood
Kids' author, Gary Paulson, believes that twelve
and thirteen-year-old boys seem to be almost programmed to
do stupid and dangerous things. He thinks this might have
been even more true in an era where there was no television
to watch. Paulson tells of five events that he says he remembers
from his childhood days growing up in northern Minnesota,
not too long after the end of World War II.
The first story is the one that gives the book
its name. Carl Peterson decided one day that he was going
to beat the speed record for skiers that was seventy-four
miles an hour. He was going to do it using home-made skis
and while being towed by a hot-rod car. Well, he did get up
to 75 miles per hour. The new nick-name came after he told
his friends while he was in the hospital that he had "heard
the angels sing." That's Carl's picture on the cover of the
book.
Other "extreme sports" feats include shooting
a waterfall in a barrel, hang gliding, skate boarding, jumping
a bike through a ring of fire, and wrestling with a bear.
Of course, Paulson tells of these events in the funniest way
he knows how.
As a reader, you have to decide how much of
this famous author's stories are true and how much is just
his wild imagination at work.
St.
Louis History
This Month
in St. Louis History
A
1780 war battle in St. Louis involved few
Americans
St. Louis was the site of a unique war battle
in May, 1780. The Battle of Fort San Carlos
was the only Revolutionary War-era engagement
west of the Mississippi River.
At that time, St. Louis had a resident contingent
of Spanish soldiers and some French settlers.
The attacking force was made up of British,
Indians and Canadians.
Other historical landmarks during May that
involve St. Louis or Missouri include:
-
A couple St. Louis landmarks
hold significant celebrations each year
on Memorial Day, May 30. They are the Jefferson
Barracks Cemetery and the Soldier's Memorial.
-
A lack of communication
between bridge-builders James Eads of St.
Louis and Washington Roebling contributed
to deaths and injuries to workers building
the famous Brooklyn Bridge, which opened
May 24, 1883.
-
The U.S. Supreme Court decided
on May 17, 1954, the Brown vs. Board of
Education lawsuit and ended school segregation.
That led to a 25-year fight and development
of one of the country's most ingenious desegregation
plans.
Each month,
Young Saint Louis.com
publishes
This Month in St. Louis History
with assistance from the
Missouri
History Museum in Forest Park.
YSL.com
and the Museum want to help young readers learn
details of the St. Louis' long, significant
history.
The
Battle of Fort San Carlos
St. Louis was a Spanish colony
in the late 1700s. The Revolutionary War hadn't
started yet and America was still a British
colony. Very few English settlers had ventured
west of the Appalachian Mountains at that
time.
In 1779, France and Spain were
allies of American colonists fighting against
England.
The French had set up trading
posts in the Mississippi River valley. The
Spanish had some forts, including Fort San
Carlos in St. Louis.
On May 26, 1780, nearly 1,500
British-led Indian warriors launched a sudden
attack on St. Louis, which then had 900 residents.
The town's militia and citizens returned fire.
The Indians finally were turned back when
the Spanish cannons from the Fort Carlos guard
towers came into play.
The battle lasted only two
hours. Twenty-one villagers died.
The Spanish lieutenant governor,
Fernando DeLeyba, died a month later of illness,
not battle injuries.
But, no further British-led
attacks were made on St. Louis.
Memorial
Day celebrations in St. Louis
The Memorial Day holiday on May 30 is a
good time to sample some of the area's history
at two famous St. Louis landmarks: The Soldier's
Memorial and Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.
Memorial Day, formerly Decoration Day, was
officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868. The
first observance was that same month on May
30.
The Soldier's Memorial is downtown at the
corner of Chestnut and 14th Street. The Memorial
houses a military museum dedicated to the
memory of armed service men and women who
fought in the nation's wars.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt officially
dedicated the Memorial in 1936.
For information about the Memorial schedule,
call (314) 622-4550.
One of the regular events during Memorial
Days at the Jefferson Barracks Cemetery is
the setting of flags on the graves at the
cemetery. That practice by Cub and Boy Scouts
started in 1951.
For Jefferson Barracks cemetery information,
call (314) 260-8691.
Linking
St. Louis to the Brooklyn Bridge
The link between St. Louis' Eads Bridge and
the Brooklyn Bridge in New York is one of
lack of communication. James Eads, the builder
of the local Eads Bridge, and the Brooklyn
bridge builder, Washington Roebling, weren't
on speaking terms.
If they had been, Eads could have told Roebling
about the danger of "caisson disease" or the
bends. This is the same disease that deep-sea
divers can get if they work too long underwater.
Workers breathing compressed air while setting
the footings at the Eads Bridge had come down
with the bends. A Dr. Janimet of St. Louis
was the first American to hit on the idea
of slow decompression before the workers came
to sea level although this was known in Europe
before that.
Workers on the Brooklyn Bridge didn't know
about that either. Three of them died and
several others were partially paralyzed by
the bends. One of those paralyzed was builder
Roebling. He was a hands-on manager and spent
considerable time in the caissons used to
keep the river away from the construction.
Desegregation
of St. Louis Schools
The U.S. Supreme Court decision
in Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka,
Kan., was issued on May 22, 1954.
One week after the Brown decision,
the St. Louis School Board unanimously adopted
its own desegregation plan. However, by 1980,
federal courts had ruled the city plan was
insufficient because black children were still
mostly in black classrooms.
That led discussions between
city and county schools in which black students
from the city were bussed to mostly-white
suburban schools. The plan eventually involved
16 suburban school districts.
In an article last year by St.
Louis Post Dispatch writer William H. Freivogel,
the St. Louis unique cross-district desegregation
plan was labeled as the largest "school choice"
plan in the country.
Freivogel listed the total cost
at $1.5 billion.
Things
To Do
Places to Go,
Things to Do
Spring
is here; outdoors in IN
Spring weather
is here so a lot of the May Places to Go/Things to Do
in the St. Louis metro area will be outside. And, with
DST in effect, there is time before dark for kids and
families to do outdoor things in the early evenings during
the week.
With those
things in mind, here are some of the new activities available
in May:
-
Trailnet's
Bicycle Fun Club announced free weekly bike rides on
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings.
-
The
St. Louis History Museum plans six Twilight Tuesdays
musical concerts for kids and their families.
-
The
Missouri Department of Conservation has two big kids
fishing events scheduled for May.
-
A
number of walking tours are also scheduled in the metro
St. Louis area.
-
And
the St. Louis Science Center will have its "Run for
the Stars" run and walk events.
There are
also plenty of indoor activities. We told about one upcoming
May event last month with a feature on kid storytellers.
The 26th annual St. Louis Storytelling Festival is scheduled
for May 4-7. For complete details, visit www.umsl.edu/~conted/storyfes.
Also, there
are two interesting Lewis & Clark videoconferences in
May. One of the conferences will feature 4th graders from
Green Pines Elementary School in the Rockwood District.
Both conferences can be viewed online and over Charter
Communications' Channel 22.
Each month,
Young Saint Louis.com compiles a list of some of
the activities and events in the metro area that have
special interest for kids and families. Check for this
feature every month and plan interesting outings for the
coming month.
Trailnet's
evening bike rides
Trailnet is the non-profit organization that organizes
both bicycle and pedestrian activities throughout the
St. Louis metro area. The events are on both sides of
the Mississippi River.
The Tuesday Night Trail Rides are along the St. Louis
Riverfront Trail. They'll run each Tuesday, May 3 through
Aug. 23. Each begins at 6 p.m. at Laclede's Landing.
The rides are from six to 20 miles. Service and gear
support is offered until 8:45 p.m. on each Tuesday.
Wednesday Night Creve Coeur Trail Rides are a new addition
to the cycling calendar. These also are six to 20 miles
in length. They'll run each Wednesday, May 4 through Aug.
24.
Rides will begin from the soccer field parking area east
off Creve Coeur Mill Road. There is limited SAG service
and the rides end when the park closes 30 minutes after
sunset.
The new Thursday evening West County Road Rides are recommended
for adults. These are longer rides with more hills. No
SAG service is provided.
For information about the rides, call (314) 416-9930
Ext. 114 or visit www.trailnet.org.
Museum's
Twilight Tuesdays
The Missouri History Museum's Twilight Tuesdays
concerts will be held six consecutive Tuesday evenings,
beginning May 3. The free concerts are held on the museum's
front lawn in Forest Park from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
The concert lineup includes the Fanfare
band on May 3; Aloha Mischeaux from American Idol, May
10; the Sentimental Journey band, May 17; the Fabulous
Motown Review, May 24; guitarist Billy Peek, May 31, and
Honey Vox, June 7.
Bring your lawn chairs, picnic baskets,
blankets and whatever and enjoy the concerts. If there
is rainy weather, the concerts will be rescheduled at
later dates. For information, call (314) 746-4599.
Kids' Fishing Day events
The annual 2005 Kids' Fishing Fair will
be held Saturday, 21, at the Busch Conservation Area in
St. Charles County off Highways 40/64. The fair is for
kids 15 and under.
That event runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at
Highway D lakes 1,2 and 16.
In addition to getting to fish, the kids
can get tips on baiting a hook, filleting a fish, fish
identification and other lake activities. There are also
experts to help kids improve their casting techniques.
For information, call (636) 441-4554.
The Missouri state trout hatchery will be
the site of the Meramec Spring Park's Kid's Fishing Day
on Saturday, May 14. The emphasis here is on the chance
to catch rainbow trout.
The entire upper half of the spring branch
will be reserved for kids. Conservation personnel and
other adults will be on hand to assist young anglers.
The event runs from 6:30 a.m. to 8:15 p.m.
The Meramec Spring Park is located on Highway
8 about six miles east of St. James, Mo. For directions
and information, call (573) 265-7801.
Area
walking routes also
Spring is a good time to view the migration of birds
along the Mississippi River Flyway.
The Nature Institute will hold bird migration tours on
Sundays, May 1, 8 and 15, in Godfrey, Ill. The tours start
at 8 a.m. This is a free program.
A wildflower Walkabout will be held Saturday, May 7,
at Godfrey, Ill. This starts at 10 a.m.
For information, you can call (618) 467-2521 or visit
www.thenatureinstitute.org.
Another spot for migratory bird watching is the National
Great Rivers Museum at the Melvin Price locks and dam
in Alton, Ill. The museum is open 7 days a week from 9
a.m. to 5 p.m. For information, call (877) 462-6979
or visit www.mvs.usace.army.mil/rivers
Science
Center's Race for the Stars
The St. Louis Science Center will hold its Run for the
Stars/Family Science Day on Saturday, May 14.
There are a variety of kids' run/walk events. There is
a 10K run/walk, a 5K run/walk and a special 1/2mile children's
fun walk. In addition, there are lots of hands-on science
activities available for all members of the family.
There is a nominal fee for single or family participants.
Registrants receive a T-shirt and registration packet.
For information, call (314) 286-4633 or visit
www.slsc.org.
Lewis
& Clark videoconferences
There are two May videoconference broadcasts from the
Lewis & Clark reenactment tour. One is Thursday, May 12,
and the other is Thursday, May 19.
The May 12 videoconference will focus on the character
traits of the Voyage of Discovery participants. In that
one, 4th graders at the Green Pines Elementary School
will appear as part of the program.
The program will focus on the meaning of three key slogan
words from the tour, "Perseverance, Courage and Cooperation."
The May 19 program will focus on the nutrition of the
discovery participants. Unlike our meals, the Lewis &
Clark travelers were dependent on what roots, berries
and meat they could find during their journey.
The videoconferences will be from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. CDT.
You can see it online at http://ali.apple.com/lewisandclark.
Or you can see it on Charter Cable Channel 22.
