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5/22
2010

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Trip to Memphis a source of cultural, historical education

By laurableeke

Before the Civil Rights Act of 1964, America had failed to make good on its promise of equality to all citizens. African Americans had been discriminated against and segregated from whites, and in many parts of the country they were subordinate to whites.

The National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee pays homage to this part of our history.

Students in the US/World History II class were given the chance to go and see the National Civil Rights Museum and the Stax Museum of American Soul Music in Memphis. US/World History II teachers Mark Bayles, Paul Hoelscher and Rick Kordenbrock helped plan the trip.

The US/World History II class studies the civil rights movement in the classroom, and the teachers believed students would learn even more if they could visit museums on the topic and crucial sights that shaped the movement.

“It was really cool to see the National Civil Rights Museum after having studied the civil rights movement in class,” sophomore Bianca Vannucci said.

The experience also allowed students to gain more knowledge than they otherwise would have by just sitting in the classroom.

“I feel that this trip was more in-depth than what we learned in class because we got to physically see things that happened fifty years ago,” sophomore Kendal Freeman said. “And the way the museum was set up, it almost felt like you were there.”

The National Civil Rights Museum and the vast amount of information it covers impressed many of the students and teachers.

“I think the museum itself was very educational because it covers a lot of African American history,” Kordenbrock said. “The focus being the civil rights movement, it has so much information it’s almost overwhelming.”

The museum on civil rights was able to give the students a much more knowledge on the civil rights movement, but it also touched and moved them emotionally.

“[The Civil Rights Museum] was such a moving experience because you got to stand and look at the spot where Martin Luther King Jr. fell when he was shot, and you can imagine back to that day,” Kordenbrock said. “I mean, if you’re not moved by that you’re probably not human because that was a powerful experience.”

The students were also able to visit the Stax Museum of American Soul Music and learn about the history of soul music. The small record studio changed the world of music, and it also changed the role of African Americans in music.

“It was really cool to see the Stax Museum because it was where so much music started,” sophomore Isabella Jacobs said.

Although students loved the trip and the knowledge they gained from it, many felt that the 24-hour voyage was too short.

“Looking back at the trip now, it feels like I was on the bus the whole time,” Jacobs said. “It was just so short. But it was still was very fun.”

Others felt that the trip should have incorporated more activities to further their experience.

“Maybe next year they can have another museum lined up because we finished early and got back really early,” Freeman said.

Students believed a great part of the trip was the culture and style of Memphis that you can only learn about if there, and wanted even more time to understand it.

“I wish we got more time to walk around Memphis and get a feel for it on our own,” Jacobs said.

The teachers planning the trip have already begun to think of ways to change the trip for next year. They hope to lengthen it and add more educational experiences.

“We may make it an additional day next year,” Kordenbrock said. “And maybe go to Graceland.”

Although students and teachers would make changes to the trip, they enjoyed it and believe it is a great trip and that students should continue to participate.

“More people should go next year,” Vannucci said. “Because I think that if more people went it would be even better.”

The trip was a great way to see an important part of our history’s past and partake in it being remembered.

“It’s a great out of town trip, and you get so much history,” Kordenbrock said.  “And you get the sense that you are somewhere where something really, really important happened – because you are.”

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5/14
2010

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Senti retires from superintendent position

By Ken Zheng

As the Superintendent of the Clayton Schools, Don Senti is a very busy man, and it shows. During my half-hour interview with him, I noticed that he received six emails as his computer pinged to signal their arrivals. Senti is currently 65 and has been a superintendent for a total of 21 years combined at Parkway and Clayton. While most students associate him with his ability to approve snow days, His typical day involves many meetings with various officials and discussing issues with the School Board. “What I’ve been doing the last two years is spending a lot of time with architects,” Senti said. “After the Bond issues passed, we have to design the buildings and work out the details. The only kids I see very much are Globe reporters and the ones getting kicked out of school.”

Senti leaves a legacy of achievements and the construction projects he began as superintendent. (Meng Wang)

Senti leaves a legacy of achievements and the construction projects he began as superintendent. (Meng Wang)

Before he came to Clayton, he was the Superintendent of the Parkway District, which had 22,000 students. “I had 2,500 employees at Parkway, more than there are students in Clayton,” Senti said. “At Parkway I was sort of a Public Relations guy, going from meeting to meeting. It was just a really huge operation. Moving to Clayton was wonderful. There’s only one high school instead of five, and one mayor instead of 11. I was really happy at Parkway, but when I got here it was really nice.” Senti is glad that all the administrators here fit around a large table, while at Parkway he had to use a microphone to address them. “It’s easier to get things done here,” Senti said. “To convince five high schools to do anything is very difficult. We also had a philosophy at Clayton that the district either had to be child-centered or data-driven. You had to be one or the other. I said that we had to be both because you can’t be more child-centered than wanting to know what makes kids tick. I think that over the years we’ve come to have a good balance of both and that’s something I’m very proud of.” Before he came to the District, he believes that Clayton was too concerned with the affective domain, or only thinking of decisions in terms of motivating students to learn. “There was nothing wrong with being [too focused on the affective domain],” Senti said. “Obviously Clayton has always been a very high quality district so this is all relative. I wanted to focus more on giving kids a diagnosis of what they needed to improve upon with the data.” About five years into his tenure at Clayton, Senti worked out what is now known as the Kid Check Statement. He views this Kid Check Statement as Clayton’s mission statement: “We are responsible for student learning by knowing students well, valuing every child, and placing students at the center of every decision.” “It looks simple,” Senti said, “but there are no qualifiers. The statement doesn’t just say ‘we’re responsible for the kids who want to learn.’ It doesn’t matter if the kid has a single-parent family or if they’re poor or wealthy. We assume responsibility for student learning, rather than teaching. We have to think about the kids first, and that’s really hard about this job.” Senti acknowledges that sometimes the adults want to be first. “For example, most kids think that all I do is decide whether we have snow days or not,” Senti said. “What you may have noticed is that the School District has never been sent home early. The reason is student-centered since a lot of kids’ parents aren’t home. If we decide to send everyone home in the early afternoon, then a lot of students aren’t going to know what to do if they don’t regularly walk home or don’t have the keys to the house. Most of the staff would prefer to go home early, but the decision is based on the kids.” While Senti is most proud of the Kid Check Statement, he realizes that most people will instead remember him for working with the Mayor to start the Center of Clayton among other construction projects. “I’m particularly glad about the success of the Center,” Senti said, “because its existence proves that two governments, the school and city governments, can work together. We have 10,000 members to the Center and it has almost broken even in terms of cost and revenue. It’s really become part of the community. The mayor at the time was looking for a community center and we were looking to expand our athletic and fine arts facilities. The architect who designed the structure was the one who envisioned where it would go.” Principal Louise Losos is agrees with Senti that the architectural additions to the district were some of his biggest accomplishments. “Dr. Senti has been a visionary on two fronts,” Losos said. “The first is the community partnerships that he has championed the Center, Metro Theater among other structures. He has been the leading force in the St. Louis community in keeping the VST program alive and viable. Finally, under his leadership the High School has undergone one major renovation and one major addition [Prop S] and the District has begun the process  of building a brand new middle school. The last two were accomplished in some of the worst economic times in this country since the Depression.” Senti is known for being in favor of the Voluntary Student Transfer Program. “The program is beneficial for kids that come from the city,” Senti said. “It’s also good for our students to have a diverse educational environment. I think if you weighed the positives and the negatives of the program, the positives would shine through.” The District surveyed all the residents in Clayton and found that two out of three residents really like the program. Back in 1983 when it started, either the district joined the program or was wiped out. The judge mandated that districts choose between those two choices and many districts “volunteered.” In 1999, none of the districts were forced to stay and Ladue was the only one that dropped out. “[VTS] is supposed to ‘end’ in 2014,” Senti said. “That means we wouldn’t be taking new kids. Our Board of Education will eventually have to make that decision.” Senti has been a huge proponent of student rights in the press during his tenure at Clayton. If a professional newspaper, such as the Post-Dispatch, ran a story against one of its financial supporters, the story could be censored. “It’s very usual for student papers where the administrators don’t review it [for content] before it is published,” Senti said. “We passed a policy entrusting the responsible staff members of the Globe. Some of the articles [the Globe] writes are critical of the school and I believe it’s good to have some dissenting voices.” The Missouri retired teachers system is so good that once he retires, he would make more than he currently is. However, Senti has other motivations for retiring. “That’s not the main reason,” Senti said. “The main reason is so I can do some other things while I’m healthy and able. I would like to be able to do something that’s a little less demanding.” Once he retires, Senti plans to keep working on educational issues like improving urban schools and continuing to work on the Mayor’s charter school committee. “My main problem would be, not staying more busy than I already am now because I’m a compulsive volunteer,” Senti said. “I’m going to read the newspapers in the afternoon instead of the morning like now and watch the sunset as often as I can.” As Senti leaves, Losos knows that Dr. Mary Hermann, his successor, will have large shoes to fill. “Taking over after a very successful, long-serving superintendent is difficult enough,” Losos said. “I think the trickiest issue facing Dr. Hermann is the current Math Curriculum review. Beyond that, I believe that most difficulties are inherent in her position.” Senti believes Hermann has had the experiences needed to be a great superintendent at Clayton, including being an elementary and high school principal and superintendent at a much larger district. “She’s used to meeting with a school board pretty much like ours,” Senti said. “They have high expectations for their own students and school. I think she’s going to be superb.” Losos deeply appreciates Senti’s many contributions to the district and the greater St. Louis area. “It’s hackneyed but he truly sees things as they might be and asks why not, rather then thinking of reasons not to do it,” Losos said. “I appreciate and respect Dr. Senti tremendously. He has been a rock to lean on and to learn from. We will miss his steadying influence and his vast experience in St. Louis Education. I think we often don’t appreciate what we have until it is gone.” As his final message to the district, Senti believes that while he has made many steps in the right direction, the work is far from done. “Clayton is one of the best public school districts in the country,” Senti said. “Our graduates attend the best universities. Frankly a Clayton School District diploma is worth more than most districts. That is a result of a world-class education. The reason for our success is an incredible combination of academic rigor and sensitive, caring teachers – the head and the heart. What is best for every student is the filter through which decisions are made. The challenge, a daunting one, is to continue to improve, day in and day out, year in and year out. Although Clayton Schools are outstanding, good enough can never be good enough.”

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4/14
2010

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CHS Film Festival inspires creativity filmmaking

By snehaviswanathan

The second annual CHS Film Festival has a new deadline for submitting entries: April 15.

Veteran directors Ryan Shields and Nate Townsend pioneered the film festival at the school last year with the support of staff educational technologist David Hoffman.

“For the first year, I was really pleased with the number of entries and the variety and quality of the entries,” Hoffman said. “I wish more people had turned out for the event.”

Though the number of people who participated in the festival was relatively small this year, Hoffman said that last year’s festival reflected students’ and sponsors’ interest in making films.

He said that in particular, the Film in American Society class offered at CHS has sparked student interest in the film festival.

Students who participated in the festival created a variety of films that revealed a genuine passion for the art of filmmaking.

Senior Jake Leech, who participated in the festival last year, plans to submit an entry for this year’s festival as well.

“I had a really good time last year and Mr. Hoffman was really encouraging, so I thought I would try it again this year,” Leech said. “My film last year was a music video with a song I’d written myself. It was kind of ambiguous; I messed around with a bunch of different clips that I’d collected over the winter.”

Leech appreciates film for its ability to bring themes to life. One of his main sources of inspiration is Michel Gondry, who directed music videos for Bjork, Flight of the Conchords, and several other artists.

“I like film a lot because it’s art that can grab your attention; it’s not just a picture on the wall but it’s something that you can interpret in different ways,” Leech said. Music videos are like poetry with sound behind them. Film is like a story with more emphasis on motion.”

Festival director Ryan Shields said he enjoyed the variety of films produced by students but wishes more people would participate in the festival this year.

“We got to see a lot of different people and their films, so it wasn’t like everything was action or everything was drama,” Shields said. “The main negative thing was that even though it was our first year, I would have liked to see more people come out with a few more films.”

Shields also wants students to focus on lengthening their movies.

“I like to see longer films because they are really good to watch and you really get into them,” Shields said. “A lot of the films came from the Film in American Society class, so they were about seven minutes long, but if you really get into it and it’s over after seven minutes, you want to see more.”

Shields developed his passion for making movies during his childhood, observing that movies are an ideal vehicle for transmitting stories.

“I got started [with film making] when I was really young because I like to tell stories and I like to watch movies, and they [filmmaking and storytelling] go hand in hand,” Shields said.

Both Shields and Hoffman acknowledge that amateur filmmakers can face several difficulties through the process. However, the proficiency of participants in last year’s festival impressed the judges.

“It’s very difficult to use editing to create a flow in your story,” Hoffman said. “Most editors use too much roll in a scene; they’re reluctant to cut anything they’ve filmed. Many of our participants last year showed real skill in their ability to edit.”

In addition to having technical difficulties, filmmakers also face challenges that might seem minor to students who have never attempted to make movies.

“I think the main [challenge] is getting time of day correct; for this [year’s film] I have actual characters running around and doing things,” Leech said. “Getting the time of day correct and making it work fluently throughout the rest of the film is the hardest part.”

Finding the right people is crucial.

“You have to find the right group of people that can work in the right frame of time,” Shields said. “I was supposed to make a movie this year and it didn’t work out because of scheduling conflicts. Getting people really committed and figuring out when people can work is the most challenging part.”

The films are judged by the Shields, Townsend, and Hoffman, but the festival directors also involve the staff as a whole by encouraging teachers to review the movies. Several criteria are used to evaluate the films.

“[We evaluate] quality of video shoot, quality of video edit, enhancement of video, including titles, graphics, special effects, background music, sound effects, content, creativity and video premise (plot),” Hoffman said.

The directors decide the categories for movies after they view all the submissions.

This allows students to be flexible and experimental with their work, because they are not restricted to a single category as they make their movies.

“I would advice people to be creative, try to be as original as possible, and just have fun with it,” Shields said. “You get to show your creative side and it’s really cool that you can take your ideas and put them onto paper and then put them into a film, so it [filmmaking] is a great art form.”  ⎫

Published:

4/14
2010

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Clayton strives for eco-friendly improvements

By laurableeke

Cities all around the country are going “green”. And Clayton is right along side. Over the past few years Clayton has been taking steps to make new construction more environmentally friendly.

Clayton began it’s focus on the environmental movement 15 years ago when it started the residential recycling program.

Then, in 1997 Clayton citizens started the Ecology and Environmental Awareness Committee (EEAC) an organization that supports and advises ecologically sound programs in Clayton.

The committee is still very active today and puts most of their focus on recycling in the city. This includes having helped obtain the green residential recycling containers.

“The committee did not stop with household recycling, but was behind the effort by the city to purchase items made from recycled materials” Chairman of the EEAC Diane Meyer said. “We’ve worked hard to find a way to encourage the city’s restaurants to recycle and eliminate styrofoam, but we aren’t there yet.”

Clayton was the first of two Missouri cities to implement the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification program that was created by the U.S. Green Building Council.

“In 2006, the City of Clayton passed an ordinance requiring all new constructions and major renovation projects that are 5,000 square feet of floor area or larger to be owned, occupied or funded by the City of Clayton be certified at the LEED Silver level,” Planning Intern for the City of Clayton Planning and Development Services Department Elizabeth Simons said.

Clayton is one of the most environmentally active cities in the St. Louis area.

“All city buildings must use green cleaning products, use paper goods made from recycled materials,” Meyer said. “Any construction or remodeling must be sustainable from the materials used to the way old material is disposed.”

The initial cost of environmentally friendly construction is two to five percent higher than the initial cost of regular construction.

“The additional cost of green construction is mostly from the additional time it takes for architects and engineers to incorporate green systems,” Simons said. “Another added cost is the testing of green systems to make sure that they have been designed and installed in order to be capable of being operated and maintained in a sustainable way.”

Although “green” construction can initially be more expensive it can save money later on things like heating and cooling bills.

“The City is also seeing construction projects using ground source heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems which transfer warmer air during the winter and cooler air in the summer by taking advantage of the earth’s underground stable temperatures,” Simons said.

Eco-friendly construction is much more than just keeping up with the latest trends. It has great health, economic and environmental benefits as well.

“It reduces operating costs of the building, improves the health of the people occupying the building and reduces the negative impact on the environment,” Simons said.

Most people associate green house gas pollution with cars, but in reality much of that pollution is coming from buildings.

“Within the City of Clayton,” Simons said. “The amount of greenhouse gases coming from energy usage in buildings is more than seven times greater than the amount of greenhouse gases coming from automobile traffic.”

Everyone can make a difference in our community’s efforts in making the city a more eco-freindly environment.

“Recycle, recycle, recycle,” Director of Clayton Public Works Mike Pratt said. “And become involved in our City.”

Renovations for Clayton High School are in full swing, and the question of environmentally friendly buildings has been a focus in discussions.

“Energy and environmental professionals were consulted during the development of the plans for the new renovations of the Clayton schools,” Simons said. “These consultants work to ensure the green design, construction and operations of Clayton’s school buildings.”

Clayton High School partnered with Energy Star to create an environmentally friendly plan for the newly constructed high school.

Energy Star is a government-backed program that helps businesses protect the environment through energy efficient plans.

“Clayton School District is an Energy Star Partner and has committed to measure and track building energy performance, develop and implement an energy performance plan and educate staff and the public about the Energy Star partnership and achievements with Energy Star products,” Simons said.

According to a 1987 United Nations meeting, sustainable development is the ability to “meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.” ⎫

Published:

4/14
2010

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Latin spring break

By biancavannucci

This year some members of the CHS Latin class vacationed in Italy over spring break.

The group consisted of 11 students and the Latin teachers at CHS, Stephen Meier and Pamela Skinner.

It was expensive trip and required a certain amount of preparation. The trip took about a year to plan, and this is the first year that students and teachers were able to actually go.

“I didn’t go because it was too expensive and my parents wouldn’t let me out of the country by myself,” junior Kara Kratcha said. “They said if I went they’d have to go too, I was kind of sad looking through everybody’s pictures, it looked really fun.”

The plane left St. Louis on Friday, March 19, and the student arrived in Milan about a day later. They then drove through Milan to Venice, where they spent the first night. The trip quickly headed to Verona, Florence, Assisi, Rome, Sorrento, Capri, and then finally back to Rome. From the Italian capital the student returned to St. Louis via New York City.

“If we were to repeat the trip in the future I would do the same itinerary over 14 days instead of 10,” Meier said. “The constant traveling was difficult.”

“The one thing I really would have liked is to have more time,” sophomore Nia Charrington said. “It was a really cool trip, but we saw lots of places too quickly.”

“The trip was not designed for Latin students: with us was a group of Canadian students and a group from Arkansas, neither taking Latin,” Skinner said. “If Mr. Meier and I had planned the trip, we would have designed it to be more focused on Ancient culture. But it was a trade off: we got to see more things from the Renaissance and medieval times.”

Most of the Latin scholars found that one of their favorite parts of the trip were those that situated around the Ancient Roman culture.

“I liked Pompei best of all.” Nia Charrington said. “I wanted to spend more time in the forum.” Skinner said.

Considering it was the first year, even though the trip had a few kinks, the trip was very successful.

“We saw some great sights and the kids really enjoyed it,” Meier said. “I think they got a lot out of it. The students were very well behaved; it was a great group.”

“Every day the students would say that that day had to be the coolest day ever,” Skinner said. “The trip definitely escalated. Even the weather got better as the trip went on.”

Overall, many are excited that this might be incorporated as an annual CHS trip.

Published:

4/14
2010

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Triumphs of the Debate team

By Maria Massad

The CHS Speech and Debate team triumphed in the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) tournament at Ladue High School during March 12-13 and the National Forensic League (NFL) Districts competition at Pattonville High School during March 4-6.

Student competitors Will Schedl, Kathleen Naccarato, Brett Virgin-Downey, Becca Steinberg, Emma Riley, and Robert Love qualified for the Nationals competition, as they did very well in their events and debates in the NFL Districts tournament.

Naccarato, Ian Miller, Corrine Yap, Riley, and Love advanced to the State competition after winning a third place or better in the MSHSAA tournament.

The CHS Reader’s Theater also advanced to State tournament.

According to Speech and Debate coach Brenda Bollinger, the team did a great job at MSHSAA.

“This has been one of the best MSHSAA tournaments I have been to,” Bollinger said. “CHS had a competitor in every event final. All but one placed 4th or better. This tournament was the largest number of students that I’ve taken to MSHSAA since I’ve been here.”

Schedl, co-president of the Speech and Debate team, agrees with Bollinger.

“We did not drop a single entry going into the finals,” Schedl said. “It’s pretty cool when Ms. Bollinger and Mr. Jenkins, our coaches, are not allowed to judge an events final round because there is a Clayton kid in every one of them. But CHS only advanced one debate team out of six to quarter-finals.”

Freshmen Riley and Love won first place in duet acting, and junior Miller won first place in radio speaking. Sophomore Yap won second place in humorous interpretation. Senior Naccarato received a third place in extemporaneous speaking.

“My partner and I worked very hard the week beforehand, but that was about it,” Riley said. “When we got to the tournament, we did much better than we had expected. There weren’t that many duo teams that we were competing against, but as we got further we were meeting fewer and fewer freshmen and more and more varsity teams. Getting to the final round felt like a really big accomplishment. At the awards ceremony, when they called second place and it wasn’t us, we couldn’t believe it. We had gotten first place. Honestly, the tournament was one surprise after the other.”

Bollinger thought that Miller’s performance was spectacular.

“It was really cool,” Bollinger said. “It was the first time that Ian had done radio speaking, and he ended up winning first place.”

Miller was surprised yet pleased about his results.

“I competed in dramatic interpretation – usually my best event – and radio speaking for the first time ever,” Miller said. “Happily, and surprisingly, I placed first in radio speaking – qualifying to State – and placed only fourth in dramatic interpretation. I now really love radio, and I hope I can become better at interpretation for next year’s season.”
Yap was extremely pleased that she won second place, even though the main reason she competes is to have fun.

“I had a great experience at both tournaments,” Yap said. “I love acting and doing speech, and I’m really glad that I got second place.”

CHS Reader’s Theater also advanced to the State competition, making the total number of students going to State 24.

“Everyone performed well above expectations, and expectations were very high,” Schedl said. “But since Reader’s Theater hasn’t done poorly within any current student’s memory, it’s hard to say if we did better, but the amount of work put into rehearsing and perfecting is certainly very commendable and is the reason why we are always so successful.”

At the NFL Districts tournament, Schedl (Congressional debate), Naccarato (US Extemporaneous Speaking), Steinberg (Original Oratory), and Riley and Love (Duo Interpretation) advanced to the National tournament.

As co-president, Schedl thought that the team had done very well at NFL Districts.

“This tournament is one of the most stressful, hectic, exhausting, and insane tournaments of the year by far but also one of the most fun,” Schedl said. “At Districts, the stakes are a lot higher, so the whole culture changes. Again, we had less than our hoped-for success in debate. Even though we aren’t sending any debaters to Nationals, several of our debate teams performed fantastically and came very close. We had a lot of unexpected success in events, though. We had a freshman novice duo team win first place and advance to Nationals, which is incredibly exciting.”

This is the first time Steinberg is going to the Nationals competition but says that the NFL competition polarizes people greatly.

“The tournament was a lot of fun,” Steinberg said. “It is a really great experience because I went with so many friends, not just from Clayton, but from schools all over the area. But about half the kids are really nice while the other half gets really mean because they are so competitive.”

Riley also thought that the tensions rose at these tournaments due to the stress of other competitors.

“Even though people are supposed to be competing at tournaments, everyone’s really friendly with each other,” Riley said. “But at NFL and MSHSAA tournaments, I felt like the competitiveness had gone way up and the attempt to be friendly had gone down a little. These are the tournaments that matter; the other tournaments throughout the year are essentially preparation for these tournaments, where the skills get put to the test. As a freshman, the stakes weren’t as high for me.

Yap is not attending Nationals, but she disagreed with Steinberg and Riley’s viewpoints of the atmosphere of the competition.

“Surprisingly, this tournament didn’t seem any more competitive than the others I’ve been to,” Yap said. “There was a very casual atmosphere, and just seemed like there were greater incentives. I actually thought it less serious than previous tournaments.”

Schedl was very pleased with the team’s hard work.

“I was incredibly proud to be a Clayton team member,” Schedl said. “There wasn’t a single Clayton competitor that didn’t give it their all, who didn’t perform admirably. Also, our team size is at the largest it has ever been and exceeds schools of comparable size. The level of commitment and hard work far exceeds the stereotypical laid-back view of CHS and our success. I am proud to have served as president over such an amazing team.”

The State competition will be held in Columbia, MO on April 23–24. The National competition is going to be held June 12–19 in Kansas City, MO.

Published:

4/2
2010

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St. Louis Tea Party One Year Anniversary at the Arch

By jackholds

Tea Party protests Obama policies, big government under the Arch

By Jack Holds

Conservatives gather under the Arch to protest governemental policies.

Conservatives gather under the Arch to protest governemental policies.

On a weekend day with a beautiful break in the dreary weather, the St. Louis Tea Party celebrated its one-year anniversary. At 1:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 27, roughly 800 men, women, and children gathered on the steps of the St. Louis Arch to show their support for the Tea Party movement.
The St. Louis Tea Party, inspired by the Tea Party movement across America, was created Feb. 22, 2009, when Bill Hennessy and Dana Loesch agreed to set up a rally in St. Louis at the same time the Nationwide Chicago Tea Party was being held in American cities on Feb. 27, 2009.
The St. Louis Tea Party is, like the Tea Party movement, focused on fiscal conservatism: in protest of government deficit spending, such as the 2008 bailouts and the 2009 stimulus package. As they say on their website, “We believe in small government and dealing with the consequences of your own bad decisions. We utterly reject the notion that the most productive and responsible members of society owe a government-mandated handout to the less productive and irresponsible.”
As the celebration Saturday began, the Star-Spangled Banner and Pledge of Allegiance mingled with city noises and the MC, John Burns, shouted through the megaphone, “A year ago we began a war on tyranny.”
Following the introduction and a few warm-ups for the crowd, many speakers, including Michelle Moore, Stephanie Rubach, Jay Stewart, Jim Hoft, Gina Loudon, Dana Loesch, and Bill Hennessy, stood at the center of attention. They all shared some variant of insight on the current political standings in the United States.
Jay Stewart, an African American conservative, had a one-liner that stood out over some of the other political campaign promotions.
“Americans who are successful are the enemies,” Stewart said.
Jim Hoft runs a website called “The Gateway Pundit,” a nickname he commonly goes by. He had bold words for the audience that proved to excite them to the point of a U.S.A. chant.
“We’re not going to back down and we’re not going to be silent,” Hoft said. “We will not allow our country to be redesigned, or transformed, or destroyed by these radicals.”
Later, when Bill Hennessy spoke, the crowd was once again stirred to a fervor when he referenced the Health Care Summit that took place the Thursday before.
“Thank you for proving America still cares about its future,” Hennessy said. “In a smart, maniacal way, Barack Obama showed us every way our government is wrong.”
Although those who spoke to the crowd were the power that carried the rally on for an hour, the crowd was equally important, hooting, hollering, and cheering.
The signs and flags people carried included messages like “liberty not tyranny,” “talk is cheap except when Congress does it,” and “Obamunism: hand outs you can believe in.” One truck drove past the Tea Party back-and-forth that read, “How’s that Hope and Change working for you…” for over an hour.
One supporter at the Tea Party, Jim, was there to spread his message in addition to listen to the messages of the speakers. He carried a poster saying, “Reduce Military Spending by 50%.”
“I’d like people to think about what I’m saying,” Jim said. “I’m just trying to contribute to this movement in my own small way.”
Another supporter, Craig Niehaus, who was at both last year’s movement at the Arch and Kiener Plaza, gave a word of advice to the younger generation.
“The younger generation will be the people who will be paying for a lot of this; in a few years, they’ll be getting jobs and who knows what their social security costs will be,” Niehaus said. “Hey guys, look at each other, face the facts, and feel like you have to make some changes right now.”
Remarkably, there were many different opinions about the number of people at the rally. As Jim Hoft had warned in his speech, there was some distortion in the media.
“These selfish radicals may lie about the numbers here today, they may lie about the numbers we had back in April, and they may lie about the hundreds of thousands who marched in Washington, D.C., last year,” Hoft said.
The St. Louis Globe-Democrat reported 500 at the rally while The Gateway Pundit reported 1,500. Both of course had reason to distort the numbers and to no surprise, KMOX reported 1,000 supporters at the rally, exactly in the middle of the Democratic and Republican reports. While it seemed there were close to 800 people, John Burns, the MC, said he thought there were about 2,000 throughout the hour.
Burns said that once students go to college, only one type of thinking is allowed. He said the majority of students think alike, the majority of professors think alike, and if students are not part of the mainstream thinking, peer pressure will try to force people to believe it.
“Students need to have a commitment to intellectual honesty and to research all sides, especially the people who are outside the main stream, especially the people who aren’t considered to be right,” Burns said. “Listen to them because there’s a chance they could really be right and the supposed majority is wrong.”

Published:

3/29
2010

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Close-Up Trip

By Alexander Grayson

Whenever you hear the words “Close-Up” at CHS, you may automatically think of it as just a “week-long field trip.” In reality, this is referring to the week-long field trip that takes the participants to the heart of Washington, D.C. and beyond. Both students and teachers have said that it is always very successful, and this year is no different. Although this year did not have a new President being inaugurated, students still participated in the Close-Up Trip, which occurred on January 11 through January 15.
What exactly is the Close-Up? Well, it’s an organization that provides educational opportunities in Washington, DC. It primarily focuses on how the government functions and on politics, but it also gives a big tour of the state. This year the sponsor was history teacher Mr. Kordenbrock, and it was his first time leading the event.
“The Close-Up gives the students an opportunity to see senators, representatives, and the D.C. capitol in action,” Kordenbrock said. “It also gives a historical study because a large part of the program is seeing historical sites in Washington and discussing the historical aspects of them.”
For example, the students visited the FDR Memorial and talked about the role of the government and the differences between liberal and conservative views. They were required to keep a notebook of all the significant things they encounter, and are asked to reflect on them later. This way, the students can take a bit of school with them, rather than separating it completely.
While the educational aspects were still similar to last year’s trip, the biggest difference was that it wasn’t dominated by the inauguration. Last year, the trip occurred during the inauguration of Barack Obama, and the students witnessed the inauguration several rows away. Another main difference was that this year there were more students from around the country, such as Arizona, California, and Texas. Clayton High School was the only school from Missouri.
Not only was Mr. Kordenbrock impacted by the trip, but many of the students were as well.
“I thought the trip was amazing and life-changing,” sophomore Amanda Wagner said. “It influenced me to be more politically active and aware, and maybe even pursue a career in politics.”
And while it was life-changing, Wagner claims it to be a one-time event since it will never be the same experience again.
Many people watch the debates on television and see people like Claire McCaskil and John McCaine, and for the students to be able to see them in person giving their lives to govern their country is definitely a powerful feeling. Many students commented on this note and certainly felt the same degree of happiness.
“It was empowering for the students since they interacted with people who were not unlike them and were active in political affairs,” Kordenbrock said. “Students found that they can do it too.”

Published:

3/29
2010

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Vietnam Day Plans

By bencolagiovanni

War with an undefined cause and an invisible enemy is hard to fathom, but that is exactly how Vietnam has been repeatedly characterized for the last four decades.
In an effort to define this important but elusive time in American history, on Thursday, March 18th, CHS sophomores will participate in Vietnam Day, which will feature guest speakers and a wide variety of lectures and demonstrations, called breakout sessions.
“This is our 6th annual event,” CHS social studies teacher and Vietnam Day coordinator Josh Meyers said. “We did a World War II Day for two years and then realized that the kids really had a lot more knowledge about World War II than they did Vietnam. So we thought we would change our focus a little bit and make it a full blown program with breakout sessions.”
Social studies teacher Rick Kordenbrock, who has been involved with Vietnam Day since the beginning of his tenure at CHS in 2007, feels that the shift in focus was a logical and pertinent one.
“The Vietnam War politicized a generation of Americans, and was extremely divisive,” Kordenbrock said.
“Since the war our involvement in it has been repeatedly analyzed and agonized over, and it remains a very sore spot in our national psyche. So it makes sense that we would devote as much time and attention to it as we do.”
The day’s schedule will be formatted much like a typical school day with special presentations and breakout sessions taking the place of core classes and electives. Aside from an obligatory 1st period assembly showcasing the event’s keynote speaker and a collective viewing of a movie during periods 4 and 5, the students will be in control of which activities they will participate in throughout the day, as they will be able to choose four breakout sessions to attend during periods 2, 3, 7, and 8.
“By allowing for student choice we’re hoping that students really pick something they’re interested in and that they have a 46 minute period to be able to delve into something in a little more detail than they would otherwise be able to during the school year,” Meyers said.
Sophomore Freddy Barnes is eagerly anticipating the day’s slate of activities.
“I am very excited because I think that we will get an in depth, well thought out look at the Vietnam War,” Barnes said. “I would love to learn more about the military tactics that were used there.”
There will be no shortage of options to select from, making it easier for students like Barnes to home in on a specific subject of interest. Topics of discussion will include guerilla warfare tactics, Veterans’ viewpoints on the Vietnam War, a study of Ho Chi Minh the controversial leader of North Vietnam, American P.O.W.s in the Vietnam war, an analysis of protest music of the Vietnam War era, a session analyzing Muhammad Ali’s refusal to serve in the war and much more. Students will even get the unique opportunity to sample Vietnamese fare during lunch.
While the day is intended to be a fun and enjoyable experience, Vietnam War Veteran and Vietnam Day guest speaker John Pocsik hopes that students are reminded of the gravity of war.
“War is neither fun, nor a video game,” Pocsik said. “When you hold somebody who is dying in your arms, and there is blood all over, war is not fun. War, like any kind of physical confrontation, should be a last resort. “
The CHS social studies department, who collectively initiated this project, hope that while the students are immersing themselves in the Vietnam experience they will be able to contextualize their newfound knowledge of the Vietnam War and come to appreciate its significant place in American history.
“I think the Vietnam War was largely if not solely responsible for the presidential demise of Lyndon Johnson, and played a major role in the ultimate failure of the Nixon presidency,” Kordenbrock said. “Every President since has had to deal with the legacy of Vietnam, and I think every President since, including President Obama, has been acutely aware of the political danger of involving America in ‘another Vietnam.’“
Pocsik also wants the day to give students a way to gain a new perspective on Vietnam’s place in American history and hopes that with this much needed contextualization will come a realization that the rights all Americans enjoy are not free.
“I wish there were actually some kind of requirement that every kid, male and female alike, would have to serve [his or her country] for two years,” Pocsik said. “You would have a choice of working as a civilian in a hospital or a home or a school or in the military. Everybody talks about ‘my rights’ but how do you pay for them?”
Barnes echoes this sentiment.
“I think that service is one of the most important things that any person, in any country, anywhere in the world can do,” Barnes said.
However, despite this importance, beyond the zeal to serve Pocsik offers a cautionary warning.
“If you’re going to be called to do things that you would never have thought you would ever do, there should be a cause; it should be clearly defined, and it should be verified.”

Published:

3/26
2010

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Meet the BOE candidates

By noaheby

One year ago, Clayton residents witnessed firsthand that the phrase “every vote counts” is no joke when Prop S passed by a mere two votes. This spring, voters will once again have their voices heard in the local elections. Amongst other important issues on the April 6 ballot, including Prop W, is the election of members of the Board of Education.

Three candidates have filed for two vacant seats. Susan Buse and Robert Kerr, both one-term incumbents, seek to keep their current seats as Brad Bernstein, who served on the BOE from 1998-2007, hopes to regain a spot on the Board. Bernstein said that he has decided to run again because he has “a passion to do what’s best for all students.”

“I believe I can really make a difference,” Bernstein said. “We have a strong district, yet we need to constantly identify areas of improvement and work with the entire Board and administration to bring positive change to meet the needs of all students.”

Buse and Kerr also stressed that it is necessary to keep moving forward and adapt to changing times and challenges. Buse, who received an AB from Washington University and a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law, has been involved in Clayton schools for 16 years. She has four children who have attended or are currently attending schools in the district and has worked on PTOs, curriculum committees and other organizations. She said that her in-depth involvement in Clayton schools distinguishes her from the other candidates.

“I think what makes me different from the other candidates is that I got to the Board because I had been inside our classrooms for so many years,” Buse said. “I have relationships that I think strengthen my ability to bring the community concerns and community goals to the board table.”

Kerr grew up in Clayton, attending Glenridge, Wydown and CHS, going on to Washington University as an undergrad and law student. He currently works at a law firm in Clayton. Kerr has two children attending Meramec and lives in Davis Place. He said that his past experience in Clayton schools acts as motivation for him to serve on the Board.

“I really feel like I got a lot out of attending Clayton schools, and they’ve benefited me throughout my whole life, and I just feel a very strong desire to give back,” Kerr said.

Kerr said that he is a pragmatic, results-oriented person who is able to agree to disagree and move on to tackle the next challenge, which he said is possibly the most important skill that a board member possesses. He also said that all of the candidates have records as board members and that his “speaks for itself.”

Though Bernstein has children in the Clayton schools, his background is different from that of the other two candidates since he is not an attorney.  He said this is part of what makes him unique and a valuable asset to the Board.

“I did lead a path unlike the other candidates or even Board members,” Bernstein said. “I went to community college, I went to UMSL, I went to Washington University, I went to medical school, I was in the Marines, I was in the Navy, I was on an aircraft carrier, I came back home, I was faculty at Washington University and now I’m the head of my own private practice anesthesia group.  I really think I’ve walked the walk in environments like no other candidate.”

Buse said that her job as a board member is to tie community values and goals to education and make them realized in the classroom. Bernstein said that he looks at his role as to “engage in active listening, asking hard questions, working with my colleagues to set specific goals and objectives for our schools, teachers and curricula.”

As for issues that the Board will have to deal with in the upcoming three-year term, all three mentioned revisions to the math curriculum.

“[The math curriculum] has been a significant source of concern for at least 12 years” Bernstein said. “Specifically in math, we really have to balance concerns of parents and teachers to provide the best outcomes for our students. I’d like to see added emphasis on challenging kids in the middle, not just those in honors. Every student at Clayton should feel confident and prepared to pursue any career field they have an interest in.”

Buse said that she thinks the community has to “come to some sort of consensus on math” and that she hopes that the community can act together and move forward. She and Kerr also said that transitioning to the new superintendent would be an issue facing the district. Bernstein and Kerr named the nutrition program as an area for improvement.  Bernstein said that he “has always felt strongly about a major reevaluation of the food service throughout the district.”

Yard signs have begun to pop up on front lawns and fliers have started to circulate, but the Buse campaign faces a unique challenge. Due to a clerical error, Susan Bradley will be listed on the ballot instead of Susan Buse.

“Unfortunately, with the mistake on the ballot, a lot of our campaigning is just to make sure that people are aware that I am on the ballot even though my wrong name is on the ballot,” Buse said. “And that’s been a real problem for us, because name recognition is key, especially because my whole family is involved in our community.”

Buse said that she filled out all of the paperwork right and that it was too late by the time the mistake was noticed, despite the district’s efforts to have it fixed.

“We discovered [the mistake] several weeks ago and Clayton, as it should have, went to court to get the Board of Elections to correct the ballot,” Buse said. “The amazing thing to me was that, even though this was February for an April election, the Board of Elections said that because of their technology, they couldn’t fix the ballot.”

Voters can still vote for Susan Buse by checking Susan Bradley, and signs will be posted at voting locations to remind voters. Buse said that the incident can be a learning experience for new high school voters as they can see the importance of being informed on what is on a ballot. She said she hopes it is a “wake-up call” to the Board of Elections.

The April 6 election will determine which two of the three candidates have seats at the board table for the next three years, but one thing is clear: each of the candidates is experienced, committed to the future and success of Clayton students and eager to serve the community.