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Local kids give views on Phoenix DJ

Kids at Rockwood South Middle School took note last month when Phoenix DJ Beau Doran made a rude phone call to the widow of Cardinal pitcher Darryl Kile. In letters to the editor, the kids called him a "jerk" or worse.

Seven-grade students in teacher Allison Seitz's language arts class often have discussions about things that show up in the news. Then, they write editorials or letters to the editor to express their ideas about the situations.

Young Saint Louis.com received copies of some of the letters. We've reproduced some of them in this edition. (To read the letters, click here.)

In addition, YSL.com interviewed the letter writers on their views on personal cruelty. We also asked about the line between funny and cruel in their own words and actions.

Before we give their views, some background:

DJ Doran is what some people call a "shock jock" radio announcer. They are hired to be controversial because their station managers think that builds a bigger audience.

Last month, the baseball Cardinals were in Phoenix for a post-season series with the defending world champion Arizona Diamondbacks. During the season, Cardinal players said the memory of their star pitcher helped them play harder.

The Cardinals invited Kile's widow, Flynn, to be with the team during the playoffs. Just before the second game, Doran called Flynn Kile at her hotel. He told her he thought she was "hot" and asked if she had a date for the game.

Cardinal Manager Tony LaRussa took exception, calling it crude. He and others asked the station to discipline Doran. Soon, the incident was being talked about all over the country.

Doran's radio station responded. First, they got Doran to apologize and suspended him. Later, as the protests continued, they fired him.

Twelve-year-old Adeline Wider admits she listens to some "shock jock" announcers on St. Louis radio stations. She said some "pranks" are funny but "sometimes they go too far."

She admits her efforts to be funny sometimes backfire. "I made what I thought was a funny comment about a girl's clothes. But, she thought she was well dressed."

She added that most of the time she follows her parents' advice on good manners. She added, "They said, 'If I know it would hurt my feelings, I shouldn't say it at all.'"

Twelve-year-old Maggie Blume said, "Being funny is when you are laughing with someone. Being cruel is when you are making fun of them."

Maggie thinks she has a good sense of humor, but admits that sometimes another person may not think she's funny. "It happens all the time with my Mom. I try to make jokes but she takes it seriously," she said.

Twelve-year-old Melissa Haley said she learned good manners from her parents. She said she usually gets instructions before she goes to someone else's house. "If I don't behave, I have to go back and apologize to them," she added.

Thirteen-year-old Curt Singer said cruel is "when someone is sad about something and you make fun of it." He said he can tell when he's over the line between funny and cruel.

Curt said he learned a lot about manners in school. "In elementary school, they were really big on it with the Manners Matter program."

Thirteen-year-old Melissa Keating also mentioned the Manners Matter program. "It was pretty cool. People would wait to hear who won the monthly award. You went to the office and got a medal." She said she won a monthly good conduct award three times.

She said the secret to treating others well is thinking before you speak. "Cruel is when you're rude to someone," she said. To avoid that, she said, "That's where the whole 'watch what you say' idea comes in."

Twelve-year-old Courtney Redman remembered one time when an attempt to be funny backfired. She said she was at a birthday party sleep-over. Some girls put clothes that little girls use when they play "dress up" over one girl while she slept.

"She was really mad when she woke up," Courtney said. She said the line between funny and cruel is "when something is normally funny until that person gets emotionally upset."

Teacher Seitz said the kids were "pretty much split" over what should be done to DJ Doran after his phone call. "Some thought he should be fired but others thought he was just doing what he was paid to do," she said.

 

Fenton students' letters on Kile/DJ

Here are some of the letters to the editor written by Rockwood South Middle School students, dealing with remarks by a Phoenix DJ to the widow of Cardinal pitcher Darryl Kile.

All the letters were written by 7th graders at the Fenton, Mo., school.

 

"I would like to thank the people of Arizona for apologizing for the DJ's actions. Like most Cardinals' fans, I really think that what he did was wrong. Hearing that he was fired was like finding water in the desert. Thank you for apologizing for his actions, but he should be the one saying he's sorry."

Maggie Blume

 

"To Arizona DJ:

"I would like to tell you that you are quite a jerk. The phone call you made to Flynn Kile was completely rude. Obviously, you know she just lost her husband, with no warning, and you were being just cruel. Calling her the way you did was totally disrespectful. I am very glad you were fired. Hopefully, you learned a lesson about how to treat people!"

Melissa Haley

 

"I think Beau Doran is a man only thinking of himself. The only reason he made the phone call to Flynn Kile was so he could be noticed. He was being mean and selfish. If people think it is funny to make fun of others as long as it doesn't happen to us, then we all need to open our eyes."

Adeline Wider

 

"Like many other people, I like playing jokes on people when it's funny and everyone laughs. What the Arizona DJ did was not funny. He basically made fun of Darryl Kile's death and acted as though it didn't have any effect on his wife and children. He crossed the line."

Curt Singer

 

"I would like the people of Arizona to know that we do not hold a grudge against them because of one man's actions. I find harassing a newly widowed mother something that is completely sick. Apologies have been made, but what about other cases of this type of harassment that are aired on our radios? I don't understand the cheap thrill people get from causing others pain in their games."

Melissa Keating

 

"I would like to say that I forgive the people of Arizona, but I do not forgive Beau Doran. His poor choice has caused a huge uproar, just like he wanted. He got all the attention and is now known from coast to coast. His phone call to Darryl Kile's widow, Flynn Kile, leads me to believe that many adults remain very immature and will do anything to be famous. I'm happy he got fired because now people don't have to listen to him insult others"

Courtney Redman

 

Health

Special fitness/food advice for kids

Eleven-year-old Yolanda Suggs of East St. Louis is just starting out on what she hopes will be a track career like her hometown hero, Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

The Clark Middle School 6th-grader is being coached by Kersee's former school coach, Nino Fennoy. She's already earning recognition in regional meets for her times in the 100 and 400 meter sprints and 4x400 relay.

And, last spring, she learned about proper eating and exercise habits in classes at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Boys and Girls Club in East St. Louis. Those classes included the principles from Joyner-Kersee's new "Get Fit With Five" food/fitness program.

With Joyner-Kersee as spokesperson, Schnucks Markets is offer the "Get Fit With Five" program throughout metro St. Louis. You can get details in a special flyer in Schnucks store. The program includes Joyner-Kersee's special 30-day food/fitness challenge.

To end the promotion, 3-time Olympian distance runner Craig Virgin will lead a Schnucks/JJK 5K Bridge Run Saturday, Nov. 16. It starts at 9 a.m. and runners travel a 3.1-mile route back and forth over the Martin Luther King Bridge in downtown St. Louis.

After the run, a street festival and awards program will be held on the Missouri side of the bridge under Interstate 70.

Yolanda and other East St. Louis kids got their special health classes as a part of the full program at the JJK Boys and Girls Club. In addition to all sorts of athletic facilities and activities, the club features a computer lab, music and dance rooms and library.

Special tutoring help for academic subjects also is offered.

Yolanda said, before taking the food/fitness classes, "I ate quite a bit of chicken, both baked and fried." After learning about too much fat in her diet, she said, "Now, all the chicken is baked and I eat lots of fruits and vegetables."

She said peaches are her favorite fruit and her favorite vegetable is broccoli.

The "Get Fit With Five" program recommends kids eat five to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Health officials say cutting down fat, sugar and salt and increasing fruits and vegetables help prevent serious illnesses like heart disease and some cancers.

Nurse Shirley Beltz at the Joyner-Kersee club helps kids remember the food/fitness rules with a simple rhyme:

          "You can have a healthy heart.
          "It's as easy as 1, 2, 3!
                    "Eat healthy stuff
                    "Move around enough
                    "Live tobacco-free"

Yolanda's younger brother, 8-year-old LeGrant Suggs, also took the health classes at the club. Asked what he learned, LeGrant said, "You should wash your hands before you eat. And you shouldn't eat too many sweets because they cause cavities."

He said he stopped eating fried chicken and fast foods. Like his sister, he likes broccoli and fruits such as bananas and kiwi fruit.

For exercise, he likes football and dancing, "especially tap dancing if the floor is loud."

Ten-year-old Wynishea Hamiel said she also changed her eating habits after taking the food/fitness classes. "Now I eat more vegetables and more fruits," she said.

She said she also reads the nutrition labels on food packages. She admits she likes Cheetos snacks. But, after checking for fat content, which was 17%, she said, "That's too high."

She said she likes the exercise classes at the club. She said, "Coach (Willie) Phiffer has us do 20 jumping jacks, 30 pushups and 20 situps to build up muscles." She also likes dancing classes. But, she avoids ballet because "it's too hard to stand on my toes."

Wynishea's younger sister, 7-year-old Davion Traylor, said she liked the health lessons. She especially liked the one where the kids listened to their hearts through a stethoscope both before and after running around the room. She noticed how fast her heart would beat after the running.

As for exercise, she said she liked pushups and also liked to play basketball.

Because of the club's interest in health foods, Bob Kersee, Jackie's husband and trainer, made one decision that some of the kids didn't like. He had cheese-fries--that's french fried potatoes smothered in cheese--taken off the menu because they had too much fat.

(For more about healthy diets, see: www.5aday.com and www.aboutproduce.com).

 

Science

One Waterloo, Ill., team's
unique rocket design didn't work

An all-girl team of eighth graders from Waterloo, Ill., was confident its rocket with a unique nozzle design was a winner. But, their water-powered rocket didn't live up to their expectations.

Heather Wiegand, Tori Vogt, Teryn Schaefer and Amber Rucker made up Team NXB036. Their's was one of 50 teams taking part in the Eggs-Prize competition at Waterloo Junior High.

The goal was to build a rocket that could survive two consecutive launches, rise 30 meters into the air each time and land twice without breaking a raw egg stored in the nose cone.

The Eggs-Prize lessons for kids were provided by X-Prize of St. Louis. That's the organization which is offering a $1 million prize for anyone who builds a reusable machine that can take passengers on two consecutive trips into outer space.

(To learn more about the X-Prize, visit their website at www.xprize.com or .org.)

After two days of final firings, seven teams met the launch standards. Two teams were tied for first, with two successful launches and landings, and maximum height of 44 meters.

The two teams tied for first after two days were Team NXB053 (Cody Gallagher, T.J. Ervin, Andrew Biffar and Kayla Koller) and Team NXB087 (Kaitlyn Stephan, Sara Yarbrough and Wesley Braswell).

Before the firing started, 13-year-old Heather Wiegand said, "Our narrower exhaust hole will make the rocket go higher." That was the theory at least.

After their launch, the girls admitted they hadn't cut the smaller exhaust hole correctly.

The girls said, "We think it would have worked if the nozzle hole had been bigger and exactly round. Our hole was uneven so when the rocket shot off it swerved and didn't go straight up." The rocket only got only 2.61 meters off the ground.

But, the girls added, "The egg survived the landing."

All teams made their rockets out of upside-down 2-liter plastic bottles. The rockets got lift when air pressure forced water "fuel" through the spout where the soda comes out.

All other rockets in the competition left the bottle opening the way it was made. But Team NXB036 glued half of a ping-pong ball over the regular opening. They had cut a smaller hole in the ball.

The girls divided up design and building jobs when making the rocket.

Fourteen-year-old Tori Vogt said she worked on "the payload so the egg will survive." The kids used a combination of cotton balls, packing peanuts and bubble wrap to cushion the egg.

Thirteen-year-old Teryn Schaefer worked on design of the fins that were to stabilize the rocket flight. The rocket had fins that were thin and stuck out further than fins on some other rockets.

She said, "This is the first year anyone has ever done a design with a smaller exhaust hole." She added, "We learned that the smaller the hole the bigger the thrust."

Andrew Robert and Quinn Rodenberg were on another of the rocket teams in science teacher Debbie Clinebell's classes. The two 13-year-olds left the exhaust hole as is.

But, they put a lot of effort into the payload container for the egg and the stabilizing fins.

Quinn said, "We used a pointed payload container so the nose cone will crumple and cushion the landing."

Andrew said their rocket had stabilizing fins both at the end of the rocket and in the middle. "The two in the middle will act like wings during flight," he said.

He said the rocket experiments helps him to learn about space. He thinks he might like to be a space scientist when he grows up.

Thirteen-year-old Mike Hopper's rocket featured a smaller nose cone than many. "In our expert groups, we learned a smaller, lighter nose cone works better," he said. His rocket also featured only three stabilizing fins.

He said the team tried a rocket with no fins and a big nose cone. "The rocket tumbled and hit on the side where the egg was. It shattered in a million pieces," he said.

One thing missing from this year's rockets were parachutes. In previous years, kids tried to cushion the landing with parachutes but most of them didn't deploy. This year, they put more faith in extra padding in the nose cones.

 

Books

This month's book reviews

A young actor of today performs
in Shakespeare's London of 1599

Nat Field in only fourteen. As a gifted young actor, he has been chosen to travel to modern London with a small group of other talented young actors to perform in the rebuilt Globe Theater. On arrival in London, Nat comes down with a mysterious fever. He wakes up from his illness to discover that he is now among young actors from the Lord Chamberlain's Men of 400 years earlier. Luckily, they are performing plays with which Nat is already familiar. The players accept his strange speech and manners without too much surprise, because Nat has been "loaned" to them from another acting group. A young playwright named William Shakespeare takes Nat under his wing and talks to him about new plays that he is planning to write.

Nat has to get ready to perform on stage before audiences that are quite different from those in the 20th century. Meanwhile, he has to be adjusting to a 16th century lifestyle. The food is totally different. The only eating utensil is a knife that is carried with you at all times. The main drink is something called ale, which is like a sour, weak beer. The water is unsafe to drink. People do not take baths or brush their teeth. There are no sewers. Sewage and garbage is simply thrown out the windows and washed down the edge of the streets when it rains. So the smells of old London are a shock to a boy from modern times.

Nat is thrilled to be part of how the original Shakespearean plays were performed. He is especially thrilled to be able to speak to William Shakespeare himself. On the other hand, he is homesick for the home he left behind in modern America. Will he ever be able to make it home? What will happen to him if he has to go back to the group that "loaned" him to the Lord Chamberlain's Men? They will know he is an imposter.

Whether you like Shakespeare's writing or not, you will find "King of Shadows" by Susan cooper an exciting historical novel.

 

An orphan boy tries to find a home
for himself and his little brother

Twelve-year-old Tree lives in an orphanage with his brother, Acorn, who is a couple of years younger. They had lived in the St. Paul Orphanage since their parents had died in a fire when Tree was just three years old. After years of the boys' longing to be in a real home with a real family, finally, a farmer and his wife show up to take Tree to live on their farm. They agree to try him for a year before they decide whether or not to adopt him. Mr. Gunderson, the farmer, refuses Tree's request to take Acorn along with them. Mrs. Gunderson seems disappointed, but her husband says there is room for only one boy. Besides, Tree, at twelve, is barely big enough to do all the work that is needed for a boy living on their farm. Acorn is just too small.

Tree hates to leave his younger brother. He hopes, though, that he can work hard enough and please the Gundersons, so that they will send for Acorn before the year is out. He is really worried about Acorn, because Acorn has a tendency to get in trouble and run away from the orphanage every chance he gets. Little as he is, he has learned to hop trains and travel away from the orphanage before he is caught and brought back. Tree gets Acorn to promise to wait and not run away until he hears from his older brother.

Once on the farm, Tree finds out that Mr. Gunderson demands a lot of hard work. He never seems satisfied with anything Tree does and is always criticizing the boy. On the other hand, Tree likes having his own room, and the food Mrs. Gunderson sets on the table is better than anything he has eaten in his life. He also likes Mr. Gunderson's younger brother, Jake, who has his own little house, but works on the farm everyday.

When Mr. Gunderson gets angry at something Tree has done and threatens to send him back to the orphanage, Jake takes Tree to live with him in his house. While Tree is trying to make himself a part of the family and seems to be failing at it, Acorn suddenly shows up. He has run away to join his brother. What can the two boys do to keep from going back?

The story takes place on a North Dakota farm in 1926. A reader finds out what it was like to live on a farm when modern farm machinery was just starting to become available. It was a hard life even under the best of circumstances. As a reader, you will become involved in the two boys' problems and hope that somehow things will turn out for the best.

 

Too Many Secrets

Chad Weldon lives with his father, who spends much of his time after work rehearsing for the plays in which he acts. When Chad's mother died his great aunt Elsa moved in to take care of him and his dad. Chad loves his Aunt Elsa, but he would like to see more of his father. Chad is bored and lonely.

Jeannie, Chad's only friend in the neighborhood, makes money by babysitting. So Chad is excited when he gets a chance to earn some money by taking care of a neighbor's big lazy dog, named Benson, and a talking parrot. The neighbor, Miss Beane, has been hospitalized after falling in her home. There is some talk that she fell when she was frightened by a burglar.

The plot thickens when Chad and Jeanie are in Miss Beanes's, checking on the pets, when they hear footsteps in another part of the house. Whoever it is escapes through a window before they can identify him. Their main suspect is an older boy who lives behind Miss Beane's house. But they need to catch him in the act before they can prove he is the burglar. They decide to take turns watching the house.

It turns out that their main suspect claims to be just watching the house himself and trying to protect his elderly neighbor's property. Things get a lot more complicated and even dangerous for Chad and Jeannie before the kids finally find out who the burglar is and what he is looking for.

If you like mysteries, this book keeps you involved with a little suspense and a few laughs. It's short and easy to read.

 

A twelve-year-old genius goes to war
with the secretive "little people"
who live beneath the earth

Artemis Fowl is the only surviving child of a long line of international criminals. His family has been robbing and stealing around the world for hundreds of years. Artemis wants to pull off a job that is greater than anything his ancestors could have imagined. He's going to rob the fairies, elves, leprechauns, trolls, etc. who live underground of a billion dollars worth of gold. He knows that he has a brilliant criminal mind. In addition, he has a couple of devoted servants who are from a family that has served Fowls for many generations. And, finally, a little book that contains all the fairy secrets has come into his possession. Artemis is confident that he can pull off the greatest theft of the millennium.

Artemis's basic plan is to kidnap a fairy and hold him or her for ransom. He knows that the fairies who rule under the earth will do anything to keep from been discovered by the humans who inhabit the earth's surface. What Artemis doesn't know is that the fairies have a technologically advanced society and weapons that are beyond his imagination. When the underground people begin to fight back, Artemis, arrogant as he is, begins to think that maybe he has taken on more than he can handle.

"Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer is a story that keeps you amazed as it moves from incident to incident. Because Artemis Fowl is a crook, you don't know whether to root for him or for the fairies that he is trying to rob of their gold. In addition to all the action in the story, there is plenty to keep you laughing as you wait for the next scene to unfold.

 

Number two book and movie in the popular series is "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

Many of us read "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" when it first came out. We may want to read it again now that the movie based on the book is being released. In this second book, Harry is just completing his summer vacation after spending one year at Hogwarts, the school for wizards. His vacation has been miserable because of the way the Dursley's, his muggle relatives, treat him. His fat and lazy cousin, Dudley, and his Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia treat orphaned Harry like Cinderella's stepmother and stepsisters treated her in the fairy tale.

Harry can't wait to get back to school. He is surprised when a strange elf, named Dobby, suddenly appears and warns him to not return to Hogwarts because it will be dangerous for him. To his amazement and relief, however, his schoolmate Ron Weasley, along with older twin brothers, Fred and George, show up in a magic flying car to take him home with them.

So Harry is getting ready to return for his second year of wizard school along with the Weasley kids who are Hogwarts students also. The all go to the wizard market to buy books and supplies for school. Strangely, Harry and Ron are unable to board the special train back to school in the usual way. Ron has to "borrow" his father's magic car again so that he and Harry can make it to Hogwarts on time. Their crash into the Whomping Willow outside of the school makes for a dramatic return. Harry begins his second year by getting in trouble before classes even begin.

Mysterious things begin to happen in the school. Kids are frightened and even attacked by some kind of monstrous creature. The rumor is that the creature is coming from a "Chamber of Secrets" hidden beneath the ancient school building. Most of the plot centers on Harry and his friends trying to discover the Chamber and do away with the deadly creature, whatever it is. We find out eventually that the evil wizard, Lord Voldemort, Harry's mortal enemy, is behind it all.

Of course, the story includes quidditch action and visits to Hagrid, the gentle almost giant, that wants to be Harry's protector. Headmaster Dumbledore is there along with Professors McGonagall and Snape. A new character is Professor Gilroy Lockhart, who is conceited beyond belief. To Harry's discomfort, his overly smart girlfriend, Hermione, thinks Lockhart is wonderful.

The book seemed even better on a second reading two years later than it did the first time around. The movie ought to be great!

 

Lifestyle

Two churches help U City kids

Two youngsters from the Republic of Azerbaijan are kids participating in the Big Kids Place after-school program at Brittany Woods Middle School in University City. It and another one for younger kids are run by volunteers from two local churches.

Big Kids Place is for 6th and 7th graders from Brittany Woods and the McNair Sixth Grade Center across the street. Kids Place helps for younger kids at the Delmar-Harvard Elementary School.

The two Kids Place programs do more than just help with homework. There's time for fun, food and activities as well.

Most of the kids in the Kids Place programs are native St. Louisans.

But, the program is of special help for 13-year-old Huru Mummadova and her 11-year-old brother, Javid Mummadi. (In Azerbaijan, the kids' last names have different endings, depending on whether they are boys or girls. Azerbaijan is one of the independent republics that split away from the former Soviet Russia.)

Huru said she and Javid knew only a few English words before they came to America in August, 2001. They came with their mother, a graduate student at Washington University.

Huru said, "My mother is always busy with her own class work. So the Big Kids teachers help me with mine. Mostly we work on social studies."

Huru already speaks English well. Now, she said, "I'm trying to do my best and get A's and B's in my classes."

She said her favorite activities are the art projects the kids do after their evening meal. Two projects in October involved Halloween. In one, they made a trick to use when "trick or treating." The other was carving pumpkins.

Her brother, Javid, gets tutoring in math. He's already written a book on poison ivy. His Big Kids Place teachers are going to publish his writing in book form.

Big Kids Place is in its first year. Huru and Javid were in the Kids Place program last year.

Kids Place was started in 1998 by volunteers at University United Methodist Church. It was an outreach effort for kids at Delmar-Harvard Elementary School in University City.

The program started on a one-day a week basis. It was for two hours and involved about 20 kids. These were kids who could benefit from extra help in school. At first, it was for kids up to 5th grade.

But, as the first kids got older, they wanted to continue in the Kids Place program.

So, this year, a group of volunteers from Grace United Methodist formed Big Kids Place for 6th and 7th graders. The Kids Place workers help with the younger kids.

At Kids Place, the program is now three days a week. And on two days, the hours have expanded to four. Big Kids Place is twice a week for four hours each time.

In the longer sessions, the kids receive an evening meal. A total of 45 kids are in the two programs.

In addition to in-school activities, the Big Kids Place kids take field trips. One trip in October involved a visit to nearby Ruth Park Golf Course.

A big hit of that visit was when the kids got to drive golf carts around the course.

One of the native St. Louis kids who got to drive a cart was DeAndre Brett. He's an 11-year-old 6th grader. He's been in the Kids Place program for three years and likes it.

DeAndre said, "I get lots of help with school work." He said he likes the teacher activities and the field trips. In addition to the golf course trip, he said he liked the visits to the police station and to the Riddles restaurant.

A big attraction at Riddles was getting to see how ice cream is made. Of course, he and others also liked the chance to sample the homemade ice cream.

One of DeAndre's activities is writing "nice" rap poetry. The group is going to put those poems in book form next spring.

Help with reading is a big part of both the Big Kids Place and Kids Place program. For the younger kids, 30 Washington University students come over to tutor the kids one-on-one.

Also, another part of the churches' volunteer work a special 8th grade math tutoring class.

 

Careers

Construction classes help kids set career goals

In the summer of 2000, teenager Marvin Dorsey joined a minority construction program with an idea of becoming a union electrician. Two years later, he's got his eye on a 4-year degree in electrical engineering.

Seventeen-year-old Dorsey is now a junior at Kirkwood High School. In 2000, just out of 8th grade, he was one of 33 kids in the first class of the Minority Youth in Construction Program. Now in the third year, the program has 95 students enrolled.

(To learn more, see sidebar below.)

Local construction companies and unions are sponsoring the program run by Washington University. The goal is to boost the number of minority youth in the construction industry.

The program recruits 8th-graders and then follows them through high school. They continue to learn about the construction industry. But, they also get help in "life skills" that prepare them significant careers.

Dorsey said, "At first, I thought construction was just hammering nails. But, I've got a better view of the whole construction industry now."

That broader view also caused him to widen his career goals.

Initially, after high school, he planned to go to Ranken Technical College to earn a 2-year associate degree and become an electrician. Now, he's got his eye on a 4-year degree in electrical engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla.

Dorsey was one of the kids who knew something about construction before joining. His grandmother had owned a construction company and he helped his dad with home repairs.

But, 16-year-old Maya Washington wasn't even thinking about a career in construction when she was recruited. "I was thinking about a law career; I like to debate," she said.

Now, she's thinking about combining careers. She wants to earn an engineering degree as well as one in law. "I like the hands-on experience you get in construction," she said. She said she, her grandfather, mother and younger brother now are remodeling her home.

The kids have six-week sessions each summer. They also meet once a month during the school year. For this first class, the kids are getting a little "real world" experience; their sessions start at 7 a.m. on Saturdays.

Last summer, these first-class members actually built a model kitchen at McCarthy Construction's yard in St. Louis. McCarthy Construction is one of the program sponsors.

Sixteen-year-old Lakita Brown was on that construction crew. "We did everything. We laid the cement, framed the walls and shingled the roof," she said. Lakita is a junior at Sumner High School this year.

She said one adult teachers told her a good carpenter should be able to drive a nail with just five strikes of a hammer. Before her summer work was over, she said, "I could do it."

She's hoping to do an apprenticeship as either an electrician or carpenter while getting a college degree. She wants to combine her career in construction with one as a medical doctor. She said she'd like to work construction while attending medical school.

Seventeen-year-old Gary Williams Jr. said he first learned about the Washington U program through his church. "Someone talked to my mother at church and she then told me about it," he said.

The McCluer High School junior said, "I'd thought about construction but didn't know anything about it."

He's another of the students who hopes to earn an apprenticeship in construction and then go to college for a four-year degree. "I'd work during the day and then go to college at night," he said.

Williams said he also enjoyed last summer's kitchen construction project. "I like to work with my hands and we built the kitchen from scratch," he said.

One way the program has broadened the young people is in their attitude toward where they'll live in the future. Many are thinking of going to college out of town.

For instance, Maya Washington wants to attend Spelman College in Atlanta for engineering and then Harvard University for both engineering and law.

Also, after college, the kids say they'll consider relocating to other areas. Williams and Dorsey said they'd go where the best job opportunities are.

Interested in this minority program? Why not ask today Arnold Porter of Washington University is executive director of the Minority Youth in Construction Program. He's looking for 8th-graders who'd like to be considered for the next class. Interviews to select 35 kids for the fourth year of the program will be held March, 2003. The program is open for boys and girls from all minority groups. If interested, Porter said he welcomes contact at (314) 935-5661. Each year's class starts in the summer between 8th and 9th grade. There are 6-week classes every summer and then regular monthly meetings through high school. Porter said, "The program works to develop the whole person. We broaden their horizons concerning the construction industry." However, he said there is emphasis on "life skills" such as speaking and writing. The class members also get help in mastering their regular school subjects, he said. The program administered by Washington University is supported by construction companies and trade unions. Additional support comes from companies and organizations that use facilities built by construction companies, Porter said. (Young Saint Louis.com first wrote about the program in September, 2000. To read that earlier story, just click here.)

 

Profile

Sixth in a series

Liver transplant opens new life for local kid

Ordinarily, having an organ transplant can be difficult for a young kid. But, 12-year-old D.J Lampert had his operation when he was a tiny baby. And it has opened up a whole new life of service to him.

(See sidebar below for more information.)

The 7th-grader at Oakville Middle School got his new liver when he was only eight months old. Therefore, it doesn't remember anything about the operation. And now he's able to live a normal, active life, including participation in school sports.

That complete recovery makes him an ideal spokesperson for organ-donor awareness in this country and overseas.

Last month, he appeared at a National Kidney Foundation meeting in St. Louis to represent individuals who have had successful transplants. In 2001, D.J. was the only kid on the 65-person U.S. team that competed in the World Transplant Games in Japan.

In 2000, he was one of 300 kids worldwide who were given the Millennium Dreamers Award for his efforts to "make a difference in other children's lives." The award was announced by the United Nations and sponsored by the McDonald's Foundation.

This year, his work in raising organ-donor awareness was one of the reasons D.J. was named a Gateway 2002 Young Achiever of the Year. He was one of 12 St. Louis-area kids given the award last May.

(Young Saint Louis.com has been profiling the elementary and middle school Achiever winners. To read the original May, 2002, awards story, click here. Then, to read individual profiles, click here for June, 2002; click here for July, 2002; click here for August, 2000; click here for September, 2002, and click here for October, 2002.)

(The last two profiles will be in December, 2002, and January, 2003.)

D.J. said, "Now, I have no physical limitations, although the doctors said I probably shouldn't play football."

Last month, he participated in his first cross-country meet for Oakville Middle School.

Last school year, in addition to cross-country, he was goalie on his soccer team. He also played on a select baseball team and his school's 6th grade basketball team.

He's also active in his school in service projects to help other kids. One program involves reading new books to younger kids as well as helping them develop better self-esteem.

Last year, he spoke to a school assembly during Diabilities Day. The program helps kids cope with different problems they might have. He spoke regarding organ donation.

D.J. said he enjoys talking with kids about organ donation. He urges them not to be afraid. He also is living proof that kids can survive organ transplant surgery.

His own physical problem started with a birth defect. He was missing a little duct that drains off the body wastes from his liver into his intestines. "Since the bile couldn't get out, I was killing myself," he said.

At first, doctors put in a man-made liver duct. But, that failed after five months and the next step had to be a liver transplant.

D.J. got his new liver from a 15-month-old girl from Kansas City who had died. He was extremely fortunate that the donor was another small child. He said, "Right after the operation, the bile started to run."

As an organ-donor spokesperson, D.J. has had a lot of neat personal experiences.

Earlier this year, he appeared at the first St. Louis event of the Larry Hughes Foundation. Larry Hughes is the former Saint Louis University basketball player who will be playing with Michael Jordan on the Washington Wizards this season.

Hughes' brother, Justin, is a heart-transplant recipient. Justin had his heart transplant operation in St. Louis. Larry's foundation will help others with organ transplants.

Also, at the 2002 U.S. Transplant Games, D.J. met Chris Klug, who won a bronze medal in skateboarding during the last winter Olympics. Klug also has a transplanted liver. D.J. won three more gold medals at the U.S. Transplant Games.

He's now trying to qualify for the 2003 World Transplant Games, which will be held in France next year.

D.J. hasn't decide on whether he'll go to college. But, he said he'd like to have a career as a physical trainer for sports.

 

2003 Achiever nominations now being accepted

The nomination period for the 2003 Gateway Young Achievers Program is now open. The deadline for nominations is Nov. 30, 2002.

Principals, teachers and youth leaders in the St. Louis-area can nominate young people in elementary, middle and high schools. Be sure to tell your teachers or leaders of your youth organizations about this neat award program.

In 2002, 550 students in the Gateway area were honored as Achievers. That included 50 who received medallions and $50 gift certificates. Also, 12 kids--four each from elementary, middle and high schools--received $1,000 U.S. Savings Bonds and nomination for national honors.

To get information, teachers or youth leaders can call (314) 961-5978 or 1-800-693-4384. To learn more about the program, log on to www.iln-gateway.org.

 

Movies

Expect more action in Harry Potter II movie

Kids seeing the 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" movie this month can expect more action and special effects. But, the producers won't tinker with the plot.

That's the word of director Chris Columbus in an October interview in Vanity Fair magazine. That article also included first photos of the movie's cast and sets.

(Young Saint Louis.com will publish a review before the movie opens November 15. The review by Eddie Szewczyk of Belleville on-line in mid-November, after a critics' preview showing. Szewczyk reviewed the first Harry Potter movie for YSL.com last November.)

Some critics say "Chamber of Secrets" as the weakest of author J.K. Rowling's four Harry Potter books.

Columbus dismisses that criticism by pointing out the second book in the series already has sold 40 million copies. That includes 15 million in the United States and Canada alone.

He also said the "Chamber of Secrets" offered great plot situations to show in movie form.

In the Vanity Fair interview, Columbus said, "It's the most cinematic of all the books. It delivers amazing action sequences, amazing set pieces. I was ravenous to do it."

Even the pictures of Harry and his classmates playing Quidditch, the flying game, have been speeded up.

Columbus said, "I gave the effects people more time...I wanted Quidditch to be twice as good, twice as fast. I wanted full-blown fighting scenes."

But, as with last year's "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" movie, everyone is keeping the movies true to the book's plots. Author Rowling makes sure of that.

But, director Columbus finds Rowling's attention to detail very helpful.

"For every book she's written, there's another book of knowledge" in her head, Columbus is quoted as saying.

"She can give you the entire history of the Whomping Willow," he explains. That is the tree Harry and his friend Ron Weasley ran into when arriving at Hogwarts school in their flying car.

Another thing that hasn't changed much from the first movie is the cast.

Teenager Daniel Radcliffe returns as Harry. Emma Watson is Hermione Granger and Rupert Grint is Ron Weasley.

Among the adults, Dame Maggie Smith is back as Professor McGonagall. Robbie Coltrane is the half-giant Hagrid and Richard Harris is headmaster Dumbledore. (Harris had completed the role before he died last month.)

But, there's a new teacher of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Kenneth Branagh plays the professor Gilderoy Lockhart. He got the job over actor Hugh Grant.

Of course, many of the movie's stars aren't human.

The flying car and Whomping Willow will be back. And then there's a computer-generated "house-elf" called Dobby.

Harry, Hermione and Ron are a year older as are the actors in real life. Radcliffe turned 13 last summer; Emma Watson is 12 and Rupert Grint is 14.

Author Rowling is having her characters age in each book of the series. How long the real-life actors will stay with the cast is still up in the air.

But, one thing is sure, Columbus is giving up his director's role in the third movie. He's going to continue as producer but Alfonso Quaron will take over as director. The third movie is "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban."

That movie is scheduled for the holiday season in 2003. Some work is already being done.

The Harry Potter mania also is becoming a real tourist attraction in England. Leavesden Studios near London is where the movies are being filmed. Its permanent sets are a favorite destination for busloads of school kids.

One thing that is uncertain about Harry Potter is when the fifth book will be published. Originally, the plan was to bring out a book a year like the movies. But, it's been two years since Rowling published her fourth book.

Rowling's U.S. publisher, Scholastic, Inc., is quoted in Vanity Fair as saying, "We don't know when she's going to finish." The best guess now is summer of 2003.

 

Young Saint Louis.com asked Eddie Szewczyk of Belleville, Ill., to review the new Harry Potter movie. You'll remember that last November he did an exclusive review for the first movie, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone."

By Eddie Szewczyk
(Special to Young Saint Louis.com)

Calling all Harry Potter fans! The youthful wizard's return to the silver screen in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" is another "can't miss" cinematic experience.

Last year, you'll remember I said you'd absolutely love the "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" movie.

The second movie is absolutely awesome.

This newest installment in the Harry Potter series had a pretty tall order to follow after last year's film. But, the film adaptation of author J.K. Rowling's famous series doesn't disappoint Muggle fans.

In the new movie, Harry returns for his second year of training at that esteemed institute of higher learning, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy.

After a dreary summer at the home of his muggle relatives, the Dursleys, Harry is looking forward to escaping to familiar school surroundings. But, he has plenty of trouble getting back to school.

The Dursleys are determined to keep Harry away from all magic and wizardry. They forbid him to even mention the word "magic." Also, they keep Harry's owl, Hedwig, in a cage all summer and put iron bars on Harry's bedroom window.

To make matters worse, the Dursleys aren't the only ones trying to keep Harry from Hogwarts.

Enter one house-elf named Dobby. He's an ugly but somehow cute little creature. And wild, mischievious antics are part of his nature.

Dobby actually thinks that keeping Harry from Hogwarts will protect the wizard-to-be. Dobby has overheard plots and threats of the most vile nature against Harry.

Of course, these challenges only make Harry more determined to get back to school.

But, the burning question for Harry is how to escape.

His buddy, Ron Weasley, comes to the rescue. Driving his Dad's flying automobile, Ron and his brothers break Harry out of his bedroom jail.

And, in short order, Harry is deep into his next adventure.

Surprises are in store down every hallowed Hogwartz hallway. Our young wizard has to face down new as well as old foes.

The plot gets serious when whispered rumors give way to petrified cats and wizards.

Harry realizes someone or something is doing its best to strike fear into the deepest chambers of Hogwarts.

The plot gets more sinister by the minute. And, Harry and Ron end up facing many of them alone. Their friends Hermoine, the half-giant Hagrid and Professor Dumbledore all are knocked out of action. Hermoine ends up petrified. (She gets unpetrified later with the help of a new magic potion.)

Harry and Ron get some help from a new faculty member.That's celebrity-in-waiting wizard, Gilderoy Lockhart. They find the entrance to the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets.

They are surprised to find a fellow student, Tom Marvolo Riddle, waiting deep in the chamber. That's when Riddle reveals his real identity. The letters of his Muggle name are rearranged in fire to read, "I am Lord Voldermort."

The evil Lord has reared his ugly head in yet another deviously attempt to kill Harry.

Voldermort releases the most horrifying secret of all. That's a giant serpent that is so evil and terrifying the mention of his name is forbidden in the deepest depths of the forbidden forest.

The chase begins. First, there are rivers of spiders that Harry and Ron escape with help of Ron's flying car. Then, the serpent chases Harry through the sewers of Hogwarts.

Harry gets help when Dumbledore's pet bird, the Phoenix, who blinds the serpent. Harry is able to finally kill the serpent with a magic sword.

There's one more showdown with Voldermort. With help of his wand, Harry's good magic wins. Voldermort vanishes in a blaze of light.

After his experiences, a more mature Harry Potter questions Professor Dumbledore. Harry asks about the meaning of his destiny and the paths he's chosen.

Dumbledore replies, "It's not our abilities that show who we are. It's our choices."

That marks the end of Harry's second year at Hogwarts. Then, it's back to the Muggle world until the next adventure. That's due to come in movie form in the fall of 2003.

Many of the same characters and actors from the "Sorcere's Stone" return for this movie.

But, in the third movie, there'll have to be a new Professor Dumbledore. Actor Richard Harris died his fall so he won't be around to play the enchanting headmaster of Hogwarts.

Lots of new creatures and fantastic beasts were introduced in this "Chamber of Secrets" movie.

But, some of our favorite scenes from the first movie return, including a Quidditch match. This match had even more spine tingling, hair-raising rides.

You'll love this movie as much as the first. Harry Potter again grabs our fascination as surely as he grabs the game-winning snitch in the game of Quidditch.

(Editor's note: Eddie Szewczyk (pronounced, Sev-chek) is now 14 years old. He's a freshman at Saint Louis University High in St. Louis. He is a paid reporter for the Radio Disney station in St. Louis. He's also starred in a movie that won first prize in a recent San Diego, Calif., movie festival.)

 

Things to do

Place to go, Things to do

See wild buffalo and more at Lone Elk Park

Special guided tours to see wild buffalo at Lone Elk Park will be held Saturday, Nov. 24, and again Dec. 1. You're likely to see other wildlife also.

The St. Louis County Parks system is sponsoring what it calls "buffalo hunts." But, no guns are allowed. Rather, kids and families are urged to bring binoculars and cameras.

The walking tours start each Saturday at 2 p.m. Be sure to wear good hiking shoes. The tours are likely to last up to 2 hours, according to Dennis Hogan. He's an outdoor programming supervisor for the county parks.

Admission is $5 per person and advance registration is recommended. To make reservations, call (314) 615-4FUN.

Lone Elk Park is home to a herd of eight buffalo, or some call them bison. There's an adult bull, four adult cows and three calves. They are in a restricted 120-acre part of the park.

Elsewhere in the 420-acre park is an 18-member elk herd along with white-tailed deer. Hogan said, "Also, at that time of the year, visitors are likely to see migratory waterfowl on the two lakes in the park."

He urges everyone to dress for a hike. But, he guarantees you'll see buffalo. Park officials will scout the area in the mornings to see exactly where the buffalo are.

For complete St. Louis County park information, visit www.stlouisco.com.

Also, for additional information about the "buffalo hunts," you can call Hogan at (636) 391-0922.

Lone Elk Park is in southwest St. Louis County. You can get there by going on either I-44 or Highway 141. When you get to the intersection of those highways in Valley Park, take the North Service Road west along I-44. That road leads directly into the park. You then go to the Visitors Center.

 

Kids can fish for trout in local lakes

For local kids who like to fish, November is the start of a unique urban fishing opportunity. The trout are coming to St. Louis area lakes.

Ordinarily, if you fish for trout, you go to spring-fed lakes and streams where water is cold. The water in St. Louis lakes is too hot in summer months to let trout live survive.

But, now colder fall and winter weather is moving in. That means the Missouri Department of Conservation can start its Urban Trout Fishing program.

Starting Nov. 1, crews will stock rainbow and brook trout in nine park areas. Kids under 16 can fish for trout without a state license. But, everyone needs a trout permit.

The park areas involved:

• August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area, Lakes 21, 22, 23, 24 and 28.
• Suson Park in South St. Louis, Lakes 1, 2 and 3.
• Tilles Park Lake in St. Louis County.
• Vlasis Park Lake in Ballwin
• O'Fallon Park Lake in City of St. Louis
• Boathouse Lake in Carondelet Park in City of St. Louis
• January-Wabash Lake in Ferguson
• Wild Acres Park Lake in Overland.

Fishing in some lakes is on a "catch and release" basis. In others, you can keep the trout you catch (5 per day). For permit information, call the Regional Office at (636) 441-4554.

Complete details are on the department's website at www.conservation.state.mo.us.

The lakes will be stocked once or twice a month through the end of January, 2003. The department doesn't announce stocking dates in advance. But you can keep track by calling the Fish Stocking Hot Line at (636) 300-9651.

Also, Young Saint Louis.com featured some of kids who caught fish on opening day last November. You can read that story by clicking on the Past Stories tab at the top of the home page. Then, click on the December, 2001, issue.

 

A fun winter hobby: snowflake photography

Snowflakes come in many sizes, shapes and designs. Now, you can learn ways to photograph them from a well-known expert.

The Green Center is a unique nature area in the middle of University City. It features wetlands and prairie displays right in the middle of town. But, it also sponsors workshops for families on a wide range of outdoor activities.

One of the most unique will be held on Sunday, Nov. 10, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. That's when nature photographer Rick Walters will hold his "Amazing SnowFlakes" workshop.

The workshop is open to adults and children from 6 years and up.

But, attendance is limited. Be sure to call ahead for reservations at (314) 725-8314.

To learn more about Green Center programs and tours, visit www.thegreencenter.org.

 

St. Louis History

November birthdays of famous Missourians

This month, Young Saint Louis.com takes a look at a few famous people who were born in November. The four we picked are forever linked to the Show-Me State.

Two of them are historic figures from the 1800s. The other two are sports heroes who are still living.

Elijah Parish Lovejoy was born in Albion, Maine, on Nov. 9, 1802. He died in Alton, Ill., on Nov. 7, 1837. His death was at the hands of a mob outside the office of his anti-slavery newspaper, The Saint Louis Observer.

After graduation in the East, Lovejoy decided to seek his fortune in the Midwest. He got to St. Louis by walking over 1,200 miles.

He was hired by a group of St. Louis businessmen to be editor of their newspaper that promoted religious and moral education. His anti-slavery editorials attracted national attention but local anger.

After many threats, he moved his newspaper across the Mississippi to Alton. It was there that the mob gathered and killed him.

For more on Lovejoy's life, see memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/nov07.html.

Another historic birthday from the 1800s was of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain. He was born on Nov. 30, 1835, in Florida, Mo.

He spent his childhood in nearby Hannibal, Mo.

Of course, he's known for his books about life on the Mississippi River. The most famous are "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" (1876) and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" (1884).

For a more on Twain's life, see memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/nov30.html.

The two St. Louis sports heroes born in November were Stan Musial and Bob Gibson. Both of them attained Baseball Hall of Fame status while playing for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Musial was born in Donora, Pa., on Nov. 2, 1902, and still is prominent around St. Louis. He played his entire 22-year major league career with the Cardinals. A former pitcher, he made his fame as an outfielder.

Among his records: a lifetime .331 batting average, 3,630 hits, 475 home runs and seven batting titles. He won the league's Most Valuable Player award three times and was on three Cardinal world championship teams.

He was named to the Hall of Fame in 1969.

Bob Gibson was born in Omaha, Neb., on Nov. 9, 1935. He was the Cardinals most dominant pitcher in a career that ran from 1959 to 1975.

He racked up 3,117 strikeouts in his career. One season, he had a earned run average (ERA) of just 1.12 and 13 complete game shutouts. In World Series appearances, he pitched seven consecutive complete game wins and averaged 17 strikeouts per game.

The Cardinals won two world championships with Gibson on the mound. He won two Cy Young awards as the league's best pitcher. He also earned nine Golden Glove awards for his fielding ability.

Gibson was named to the Hall of Fame in 1981.

For more about Musial and Gibson, visit www.stlouiswalkoffame.org.

The St. Louis Walk of Fame in downtown University City is a unique historic resource. Bronze stars naming 103 famous St. Louisans are displayed in the sidewalks of the business district.

The 15th annual induction ceremony for new honorees is scheduled for May 11, 2003.

The group's website has short biographies of all the inductees. In addition to sports figures, the walk features stars of St. Louisans in the arts, science, education and politics.

A walk up and down the streets of University City to see the stars is a fun family activity. Check it out.

 

Math Puzzler

Coins, cider and rabbits
in November Math Puzzlers

Mr. Math Puzzler has designed the November puzzles using all sorts of different objects. They include coins, cider, mythical "math rabbits" and the make-believe cities of Factorville and Divisorton. .

But, don't be fooled. The object of his Math Puzzlers remains the same. He wants you to have fun with math while joining in a competition with other St. Louis area kids.

The students of St. Gabriel School in the City of St. Louis did a good job of answering the October puzzlers. Nine of them got all six of the October puzzles correct. That's the biggest number of winners in the history of Math Puzzlers.

(To read about the winners and get answers for October questions, click here.)

Before you try to answer the November questions, why don't you check some of the past questions and answers. That will help you to learn how Mr. Math Puzzler thinks.

Young Saint Louis.com started the Math Puzzlers over a year ago. To check questions, go to the Past Stories tab at the top of the home page. Click on any month since September, 2001, and you can check both questions and answers. (The answers to one month's questions are available in the next month's edition.)

Now, you're ready to try your hand at the November questions.

If you get all Puzzlers correct, YSL.com will print your name and those of all other winners in the December, 2002, edition. Remember, all winning entries also get a chance to win a $10 Borders gift certificate. We pick up to three winners for the certificates.

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

Here's how to enter:

1. Print out the following entry form.
2. Fill out your name, address and telephone number.
3. Give your answers to the six Math Puzzlers.
4. Put your completed entry into a stamped envelope.
   
5. Mail your entry to:
             Math Puzzler Contest
             Young Saint Louis.com
             7733 Forsyth Blvd., Suite 350
             Clayton, MO 63105
   
6. All entries must be postmarked by the 15th of the month to be eligible for a book prize.

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

Entry for November, 2002, Math Puzzler Contest:

Name: _____________________________________

Address: ___________________________________

City:_______________, State:______ ZIP__________

Contact phone no.(____)____________________

The Math Puzzlers
(November, 2002)

1. You have an equal number of pennies, nickels and dimes. If you have $1.60, how many of each coin do you have?

Answer:_____________

 

2. If six students can do 36 math problems in an hour and a half, how many math problems can eight students do in an hour?

Answer:_____________

 

3. The following multiplication example uses all the digits from 0 through 9, and Y's have been used to represent the numbers. Can you find the problem that works? (Values that are "carried" do not count as digits used.)

            7YY
          x  YY
          —————
          YYYYY

Answer:_____________

 

4. The cost of a liter of cider plus its liter container is 10 stickels. The cider costs 4 stickels more than the liter container. How much does one liter of cider cost?

Answer:______________

 

5. Math rabbits are not like normal rabbits. They can only jump two distances: 5 feet or 7 feet, either straight forward or straight backward. To reach an object 12 feet in front of it, a math rabbit would take one 5-foot jump forward and then one 7-foot jump forward. What is the fewest number of jumps (and what are they?) needed for a math rabbit to reach a carrot that is 13 feet in front of it?

Answer:______________

 

6. One-third, one-fourth, one-fifth and one-seventh of the human population of Factorville, which has fewer than 500 inhabitants, are all whole numbers. The sum is exactly the population of Divisorton. What is the human population of Divisorton?

Answer:______________

 

All-time high in Math Puzzler winners: 9

Students at St. Gabriel School were really on their game in the October Mr. Math Puzzler competition. There were nine kids who answered all six questions correctly. All the winners were from the same school in the City of St. Louis.

This is the first time we've had more winners than the allotted number of Borders' gift certificates. Under Puzzler rules, if there are more than three winners, we put all winning entries in a hat and draw out three who get the $10 gift certificates.

First, here are the names of those who got all six answers correct:

Dominic DaVasta, Leslie Ganer, Tim Hunt, Lauren Kloeppinger, Amy Lange, Tim McCann, Zane Reifsteck and Jeffrey Vaninger,

The three that survived the random drawing were Dominic DaVista, Tim McCann and Zane Reifsteck. They will receive their Border's certificates in the mail.

Congratulations to all of the St. Gabriel students who got all the answers right.

Teacher Amy Ruzicka has told her students they will get extra credit if they want to enter the Math Puzzler competition. Each month, she runs off copies of the entry blank and then mails all completed entries to YSL.com.

Why don't you ask your math teacher if he or she would do the same in your math class.

(To enter November's Math Puzzler contest, click here for questions and entry form.)

Here are the answers and explanations for the October Puzzlers:

The Math Puzzler Answers
(October, 2002)

1. If one-half of 12 were 8, what would one-third of 36 be?

Answer: 16

The explanation: This is a question that looks for the proportion between two numbers. This can be answered by setting up a simple formula. The problem says one half of 12 is 8 but in "real life" it's actually 6. One third of 36 in "real life" is 12. We're looking for a same proportion that an unknown number is to 12 that 6 is to 8. The formula:

     6   8
     — x —   becomes 6x = 96 then
     8   x

     6x   96
     —— = ——   or   x = 16
      6    6

 

2. What size square has a perimeter that is equal (in number only) to its area?

Answer: 4

The explanation: This is a problem in geometry. Remember, in a square, Area (A) equals one side (s) multiplied by itself or (A=sxs). In a square, the Perimeter (P) is obtained by adding the four sides (s) or (P = 4s). Therefore, you can use trial and error to see which side length will give you the same number if you multiple by 4 or multiple the number by itself. The number that works is 4.

 

3. a.) If the number of quarters I have is a multiple of 5, it is a number between 1 and 19.
b.) If the number of quarters I have isn't a multiple of 8, it's a number between 20 and 29.
c.) If the number of quarters I have isn't a multiple of 10, it's a number between 30 and 39.
What total number of quarters do I have?