PIRATE PRESS Vol. 74 Issue: 6 March 2010
MUSIC AT PATTONVILLE HIGHLIGHTING CHOIR, ORCHESTRA AND BAND
SPRING SPORTS PREVIEW nHISTORY OF ST. PATRICK’S DAY nSPRING BREAK IN ST. LOUIS
Staff Editorial It is the opinion of the Pirate Press that the Summer Olympic games are better than the Winter Olympic games. The highlight of this Winter Olympics were the two games between the United States and Canada in hockey. Without hockey, the Winter Olympics would lose much popularity and suffer in the TV ratings. According to NBC, only 190 million viewers watched the Winter Olympics this year for all 15 sports. Such a low number of viewers might be due to the fact that some of the activities featured in the Winter Olympics are questionable “sports.” A sport is defined as an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature. If one were to have watched curling, physical prowess would definitely not describe this “sport” because curling is just another version of shuffleboard on ice with broomsticks. Not only does curling involve zero athleticism, but it is also one of the least popular sports in America, so “competitive” does not fall into that nature. Yes, skiing, snowboarding and ice skating take superior athleticism to perform those dangerous stunts, but the word “competitive” might not completely describe these activities because the winner is determined by a judge and only a handful of people participate in these sports due to climate and expensiveness. According to NBC, 4.7 billion people watched the 2008 Summer Olympics, which is 70 percent of the globe’s population. The Summer Olympics include 43 different sports played on a wide variety of fields including a swimming pool, track, baseball and soccer field, obstacle course, and gymnasium. In terms of a “sport,” all of the Summer Olympic games take athleticism and skill whether it be swimming 100 meters, sprinting 400 meters, smacking a ping-pong ball, or kicking a soccer ball. Competitiveness describes the Summer Olympics perfectly being that soccer, basketball, baseball, swimming and track are the world’s most popular sports. Yes, the Winter Olympics included famous athletes like Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, Shaun White, Lindsey Vonn and Apolo Ohno, but the Summer Olympics included more famous and recognized athletes like Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell, Michael Phelps, Tyson Gay, Robinho, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Maria Sharapova, Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin. The true champions of the world are determined at the Summer Olympics where the entire globe competes. The champions of the Winter Olympics are determined by whoever lives in a freezing environment, unless you are a part of the Jamaican bobsled team. v
Pirate Press Pattonville High School 2497 Creve Coeur Mill Road Maryland Heights, MO 63043 Editor-in Chief+Opinions Editor
Elise Moser
Managing Editor+News Editor
Jessica Brunts Copy Editor
Julia Wurm Photo+Design Editor
Jacob Sharp
Features Editor+Sports Editor
Alexia McGhee Staff Writers
Alex Amo Geri Farrell Adviser
Brian Heyman The pirate press is the open forum news magazine of Pattonville high school. The opinions published are of the publication and are open to criticism. As the members of 2009-2010 pirate press staff, we dedicate ourselves to the accurate and objective dissemination of information to all readers of this publication. we will protect and exercise our first amendment rights, not only for our own benefits, but for the benefit of all high school journalists past, present, and future. The viewpoints of all staff members are to be regarded as being separate from those of our administration, faculty, peers, and adviser. On the cover : Montel Moore plays the trumpet in the Jazz Ensemble at the Winter Band Concert on Feb. 25.
Have a comment, question, concern, or opinion on something you read in the Pirate Press? Have something to say about Pattonville High School? Please write to the Pirate Press by either e-mailing at pattonvillepress@gmail.com or giving a letter to Mr. Heyman in B108 or the Pirate Press staff during lunch in B108.
Photo by Jacob Sharp
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Just Dance
Arens Elected Future Educators of America’s President of Missouri
Arens Makes Accomplishment in First Year in FEA
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acob Sharp
Mallory Arens, junior and member of the Future Educators Association’s Pattonville chapter, was elected president of FEA’s Missouri Section. At a conference in Jefferson City, of FEA chapters of Missouri, Arens was nominated to become president by the Pattonville chapter. “I was nominated, and then for the day I sort of campaigned and talked to the other chapters about electing me,” Arens said. By the end of the day, Arens, who has wanted to be a teacher for years, was
elected president of the Missouri chapter. This was accomplished despite it being her first year in FEA. The FEA chapter at Pattonville tries to meet every Thursday to talk about education and fundraising, among other things. “My favorite part is when the teachers come and talk to us and tell us stories about their experiences and tell us stories. I love the guest speakers,” Arens said. The students in FEA have to choose a teacher as sort of a ‘mentor.’ Arens’ mentor is Miss Weissler. “If you want to be a teacher, you should really join FEA.” v
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ulia Wurm
The Pattonville Varsity Drill Team has always been competitive. This year in competitions the Varsity Drill Team has placed not once, but twice. At the February nationals in Orlando, Fla., the VDT earned 4th place for their hip-hop routine. On Feb. 27 the VDT placed first in the state, beating out many other teams hoping to earn the title of state champions.The VDT showed great teamwork and effort in all of their months of practicing, and it is only proven by the phenomenal scores they recieved in competition. The members of the Varsity Drill Team are Kristin Wilson, Casey Leek, Emily Bishop, Alexis Boldin, Jessica Fitzgerald, Kelsey Koenig, Elizabeth Voris, Sarah Nunez, Alyssa Buxbaum, Gabby Sealey, Genevieve Schmoeker, Sarah Giancola, Alyssa Gibson, Arrianna Buchheit, and Ciara Glenn. v
College Column
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ulia Wurm
Filling out the FAFSA
The official Web site for registering for the FAFSA is www.fafsa.ed.gov, but the site can also be accessed by just Googling “FAFSA.” The federal deadline for the FAFSA to be due is June 1, at midnight Central Standard time. When you submit your FAFSA, be sure to print out the confirmation page and keep it for your records. The confirmation page contains a confirmation number with the exact date and time the form was received. You can also choose to have a copy of your receipt e-mailed to you if you have provided an
e-mail address. The deadline for the FAFSA is final, and must be met. After submitting your form, there is a possibility that it could be rejected for multiple reasons, such as a mistake in filling it out. If you have submitted your FAFSA and it is not accepted, then you must fill it out again and correctly for it to count. For many other financial aid applications, the FAFSA is a prerequisite form. The FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is the first step in applying for federal help with college, like grants and student loans. The government gives out more than - The words “you” and “your” always mean $80 billion to students every year, and all the student. students are encouraged to fill it out. - The word “school” means a school beYou can submit your FAFSA online, or yond high school education. you can print out a copy from the Web site - Round to the nearest dollar and do not and mail it in. use commas or decimal points. Filling out the FAFSA as early as possible - For dates, enter numbers. For example, is highly recommended, and Pattonville for November 7, 1992, enter 11071992. seniors should be thinking about doing so in the very near future. v
When Filling Out The FAFSA:
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essica Brunts
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Documents you want to have as you begin to fill out your FAFSA
- Any current bank statements -Your driver’s license - If you are a dependant student, your parents Federal tax forms. - Your Pin number from FAFSA.ED.GOV, which should be set up - Your 2009 W-2 Forms, and any other records of money earned. - Your current business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bond and other investment records - Your social security number
SENIORS:
MISSOURI’S PRIORITY FAFSA DEADLINE IS MIDNIGHT ON APRIL 1 THIS YEAR
Bond for New Additions to High School
he Pattonville School District bond proposal has many new additions for the high school including a natatorium, new football stadium and turf field, and new flooring in the main gym. The bond will be placed either on the April or November ballot. It had not been decided on press day. Once passed, the changes will be put into effect immediately. According to Sara Keene, all four of these points on the bond are necessary to the school. The natatorium will be built near or on the softball field. The softball field would be moved if that is the chosen location of the natatorium. The pool needs to be in an easily accessible location, Keene said, so it can be utilized by the physical education classes. The school’s close proximity to the quarry brought many questions about the school’s capability of having a pool. Many believed that the frequent rumblings would crack the
foundation of the pool. “It is not an issue,” Keene said, “Because of modern technology, it is the same reason why the school building hasn’t crumbled yet.” According to Keene, the new stadium will be bigger in terms of seating capacity. “It will be bigger to seat all the fans on our side,” Keene said. The old stadium is to be completely torn down to make way for the new one. Included with the new stadium will be brand new locker rooms as well. The turf field will can be utilized throughout the school day. According to Keene, the band will be able to practice on the turf field, there will be less cancellations, and it would also make possible the option of renting out the stadium to generate some income for the school. “The improvements are going to boost fitness awareness,” Keene said. “I’m excited, I know it will be wonderful for the students and the community all together.”
There are many other issues addressed on the bond that are top priority to these four points. These maintenance issues are all required improvements in the school and cannot be ignored. The natatorium, new stadium and locker rooms, and new gym floor hsve appeared on previous bonds but were pushed aside because of maintenance requirements. Keene said that these big improvements are going to happen this time. It also includes future school improvement plans. Future exterior improvements include adding an outside courtyard for students, a green house and a new outdoor storage area. Future interior improvements include a new addition which includes an auditorium and band and orchestra classroom, relocate warehouse, and new auditorium seats. v
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lex Amo
PBIS: A Positive Thing
Say goodbye to stalling, yelling and crowding in the halls, and say hello to PBIS. On Feb. 24, Dr. Keene, a staff member from each department, and class representatives from the junior, sophomore, and freshmen class started discussing behavioral problems within Pattonville High School, and the future of enforcing Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. PBIS’s goal is to establish an expectation for students, staff, and communities in order to make school a place of quality learning and friendly interaction to ensure that each student makes a helpful contribution to an already-troubled society. After discussing the use of PBIS in other schools with a McCluer staff member, Dr. Keene was convinced to bring PBIS to Pattonville. “We gathered a group of McCluer teachers to discuss the use of it and found that PBIS would provide as an all-around better climate for learning,” said Keene.
Whether a student is standing in the hallway after the tardy bell has rung, yelling profanity to their friend, or hitting their bud as they go to class, teachers and other staff members will respond with a positive reaction. Instead of saying “Hey, quit doing that or it’s detention for you,” staff will say, “Come on everyone let’s get to class on time and set a good example.” Not only does Keene believe that PBIS will help with hallway, before and after school, and cafeteria behavior but it will even provide a comfortable environment for students in class. “We want to make sure that every student is comfortable in the classroom and that every student will be able to speak their mind without being ridiculed” said Keene. PBIS officially goes into effect next year and staff members will be looking forward to a change in behavior. PBIS has been used for 10 years in all 50 states. seen changes in behavior. v
PATTONVILLE SCHOOLS THAT CURRENTLY USE PBIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS BRIAR CREST BRIDGEWAY DRUMMOND PARKWOOD REMINGTON TRADITIONAL ROSE ACRES WILLOWBROOK MIDDLE SCHOOLS HOLMAN PATTONVILLE HEIGHTS
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St. Patrick’s Day
March 17 Holiday Has History Interesting Facts
aint Patrick’s Day has long been a celebrated holiday in Ireland, Canada, the United States and many other countries. Many myths exist around Saint Patrick, who is the patron saint of Ireland and the source of the holiday. Most of the base-stories and tales revolving around Saint Patrick are false. Saint Patrick did not banish all of the snakes from Ireland as popular myth dictates and he was not the first person to introduce Christianity to the Irish people. Experts say that snakes may never have existed on the island, and that Saint Patrick was not the first person to introduce the Christian faith to the island. Saint Patrick was indeed not the first person to introduce Christianity to Ireland, but he is credited with the feat of making Christianity a large religion in Ireland. He did this by incorporating traditional Irish values, such as the lucky number three and worshipping deities through fire into the Christian faith. An Irish superstition is that everything good comes in threes, such as past, present, and future. Making a popular symbol of St. Patrick’s Day to this day the clover. The clover is considered lucky, because of its usual three leaves, and when Saint Patrick described Christianity (Father, Son, Holy Ghost) in threes, it endeared the faith to the country.
The Life Of Saint Patrick
Born sometime in the late fourth or beginning of the fifth century, Saint Patrick is believed to have died around March 17. The year of his death is debated, although it is debated to be either 460 or 493 A.D. Although his father was a deacon, Saint Patrick was never believed to have been very religious when he was growing up. When he was about 16 years old, he was kidnapped by Irish marauders and sold into slavery to a sheep farmer. After six years of tending flocks and generally being alone, Saint Patrick turned into a devout Christian. Saint Patrick fled his cruel master. He is believed to have walked over 200 miles in his escape. The reasons for this, Patrick wrote in a journal. This journal talks about Saint Patrick’s religious revelation that changed his way of thinking. After his escape from slavery, he traversed
The shamrock is the national flower of Ireland and this is because of Saint Patrick. St. Patrick used it to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagans.
Until the 1970’s, all pubs were shut in Ireland on St Patrick’s Day, and the sole venue selling alcoholic drink was the annual dog show. and most families would begin the day by attending Mass. St. Patrick’s favorite color was blue, not green, and the people of Ireland didn’t even like green. According to them it was the color of the Fairies and Leprechauns and that was not good. You would refrain from sporting that color too often. It wasn’t until the 19th Century that Green became the official color of Ireland.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the highest number of leaves ever found on a clover is 14. Saint Patrick is patron of fishermen in the Loire, where a legend exists about a blackthorn bush. The saint is said to have slept beneath it, and when he awoke the next day, on Christmas, the bush flowered, and was said to have continued to do so every Christmas until its destruction during World War I.
Since 1962, tons of green dye is tipped on St Patrick’s Day into the Chicago river, although the quantity has reduced, for environmental reasons, from 100 to 40. The original amount dyed the river green for a week, and the current amount only dyes it for a few hours.
St. Louis Parades
over 200 miles back home, where are more for he became a missionary to spread tourists than Christianity to Ireland. This is actual Irish where St. Patrick put his own celebration, spin on spreading Christianity by This is the 27th year of the authentic and the holiday incorporating Irish values into parade in the Irish part of town thrown by festivities are their original pagan rituals a major tourist the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and it Current Celebrations always happens on March 17. It goes down attraction for the country. To this day, Ireland celebrates Tamm Avenue and always starts around The St. Patrick’s Day festively. noon. celebration of On St. Patrick’s Day, people St. Patrick’s Day traditionally wear a small bunch of shamrocks on their jackets or This parade has been going on for 41 years was brought to North America caps. Women and girls also wear and is always held on the Saturday before by early green ribbons in their hair. St. Patrick’s Day. This year the parade is at immigrants. St. Patrick’s Day is more of a 3 p.m. on March 13. It travels down Main religious holiday in Ireland than it Street from Sixth Street to Fourth Avenue. New York holds the largest ever is in the United States, more like St. Patrick’s Day our cultural Christmas or Easter. parade, and has held this position since 1972. Ireland is littered with grand parades, St. Patrick’s Day has spread across the world feasts, charity shows, and many attend church. as a celebration that spreads festivities and joy The parades, green beer and shamrocks to all ages and nationalities. v
Dogtown
Downtown
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essica Brunts
Leonard Waldau Sweeps in from Sweden
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elieving that it was his time to venture away from home, Swedish foreign exchange student, Leonard Waldau, 12, crossed the Atlantic Ocean and landed at Pattonville. Waldau is fulfilling a life-long ambition as a foreign exchange student and he is enjoying his time here. From Stockholm, Sweden, Waldau is getting a taste of a new culture and experiencing life in a different country. After his mother had come to New York as a foreign exchange student at the age of 17 and his brother had come to Alabama as a foreign exchange student two years ago, Waldau believed that it was his turn to explore America. “I’ve been looking forward to it my whole life,” Waldau said. Coming to school each day provides a striking contrast for him. According to Waldau, school is a lot harder in Sweden. A person begins their career-focused education in high school. So the high schools in Sweden are more like colleges. School days are also longer for Swedish students who go from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Waldau joined the Pattonville hockey team. This was his first time playing hockey on a high school team and he liked it. The hockey team lost to Eureka in the playoffs, but Waldau said the team had a good season. A difference between hockey in Sweden and hockey in America, Waldau said, is the fans. “There are a lot more fans my age,” he said. Food is another difference between Sweden and America, Waldau noticed. His favorite Swedish dish is Swedish Meatballs with macaroni and his favorite American dish is roast and lemonade is his favorite beverage. Religion is a bigger deal in America, according to Waldau. “Everyone is more serious about religion,” he said. He also said that the people
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in America are more outgoing than people in Sweden. According to Waldau, everything in America is bigger than in Sweden. For example, grocery stores are bigger in America than they are in Sweden. Waldau became a foreign exchange student to continue a family trend and to see another
Swedish Meatballs
Waldau’s favorite Swedish dish is Swedish Meatballs. Here is a simple recipe to make Swedish Meatballs
Ingredients *1 2/3 cups evaporated milk *2/3 cup chopped onion *1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs *1/2 teaspoon salt *1/2 teaspoon allspice *Dash pepper *1 pound ground round *2 teaspoons butter *2 beef bouillon cubes *1 cup boiling water *1/2 cup cold water *2 tablespoons all-purpose flour *1 cup evaporated milk *1 tablespoon lemon juice
Preparation Combine 2/3 cup evaporated milk, onion, crumbs, salt, allspice and pepper. Add meat; mix well, chill. Shape meat mixture into 1-in. balls. In large skillet, brown meatballs in butter. Dissolve bouillon cubes in boiling water; pour over meatballs and bring to boil over medium heat. Cover; Leonard Waldau came to the U.S. to simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, blend fulfill a lifelong ambition. together cold water and flour. Remove meatballs from skillet, skim fat from part of the world. “I’ve grown up a little since I pan juices and reserve juices. Stir 1 cup haven’t seen my parents in a while,” Waldau said. evaporated milk and flour/water mixture Along with a taste of America, Waldau is into pan juices in skillet; cook, uncovered, experiencing a taste of independence. “I have become more independent,” he said. “And I’ve over low heat, stirring until sauce thickens. Return meatballs to skillet. Stir in lemon seen how America works.” Most of all, Waldau said that he’s matured. juice. Serve with cooked noodles that “I’ve learned that people are different wherever have been tossed with poppy seeds and you go and you have to accept that.” v butter.v
Sweden vs. America: 2010 Olympics
n the 2010 Olympics, the Swedish team placed eighth overall with 11 medals won. Waldau said that while he cheered for the Swedish team, he liked the American team as well. Including the Vancouver Olympics, Sweden has 48 gold, 32 silver and 48 bronze medals overall. The United States has outperfomed the Swedish Olympic teams with an all-time total of 87 gold, 95 silver and 71 bronze medals. Sochi, Russia, will host the next Winter Olympics in 2014 where the two countries will once again compete on the ice and snow. v
By The Numbers
Cross Country Alpine Skiing Biathlon Curling Total
SWEDEN Gold Silver 3 2 0 0 1 0 1 0 5 2
Bronze 2 2 0 0 4
UNITED STATES Gold Silver Alpine Skiing 2 3 Short Track 0 2 Snowboarding 2 1 Nordic Combined 1 3 Speed Skating 1 2 Freestyle Skiing 1 1 Figure Skating 1 1 Bobsled 1 0 Hockey 0 2 Total 9 15
Bronze 3 4 2 0 1 2 0 1 0 13
Music at Pattonville
HIGHLIGHTING CHOIR, ORCHESTRA AND BAND
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lise Moser and acob Sharp
The music program at Pattonville provides students with a chance to excell in performing music. The three programs, choir, orchestra and band, allow students to learn to perform with vocal, string or wind instruments. At the core of the music program is a group of dedicated students and teachers. Music inspires these individuals to be the best that they can be. This inspriration drives them to push themselves through practices and performances, all the while developing a passion for the music they play.
Choir
Choir is the only music performance group that does not require any instrument other than a voice. Choir students have the opportunity to sing in groups with other students, developing their voices and training their ears. Students are placed in three choirs based on ability: Concert Choir, the all-girl Treble Choir and the most select Chamber Choir. At the heart of the choir program is the director, Melynda Lamb. Lamb has been choir director at Pattonville for five years. Lamb has worked to build the choir program. “When I started here, the choir program was at a very low point and then I got a few very dedicated kids in choir who have helped triple the size of the choirs and our quality is quickly improving, and we are almost to a level to be competitive with other choirs in the area,” she said. Her students notice her hard work. “Mrs. Lamb is very dedicated,” Sam Decker, 10, said. Decker wanted to make sure everyone knew just how much of an influence Lamb has had on him. She was the reason he joined choir in the first place. “It was actually kind of random [for me to join choir],” he said. “I didn’t plan on joining choir. [Mrs. Lamb] put my name on the list and I joined.”Choir students are always challenged to get better. “Every year we have to learn to blend voices with new people,” Jessica VanNoy, 11, said. VanNoy has been in Chamber Choir since her freshman year. “Choir is different than singing solo. The vocal work is a lot different,” she explained. “In choir you kind of have to sound older, direct the voice back into your head and try to match it with everyone else’s to make it more cohesive as a group.” Another challenge for choir is seeking music that fits with the group. Lamb said that her students always challenge her to choose good literature. “Pattonville choir students understand what it takes to make good choral music,” she said. Decker said the hardest part of choir is “singing the songs you don’t want to sing.” “I’m extremely picky about what I like,” he said. “The good ones make it all worth it,” he added.
Senior Crystal Mikeworth thinks the technical side of choir is what makes it challenging. She said the hardest part of choir is the “circle of death,” or the circle of fifths. She also thinks learning key signatures can be difficult. Mikeworth had orchestra experience before joining choir, so she already knew how to read music, however many choir students join without prior musical experience. “There’s a lot of fundamental techniques and note-reading that students need to learn when they start choir,” Lamb said. Next year, Lamb is making choir more accessible for beginners by adding a new choir just for them. “It’s difficult to address those needs [of beginners] when they’re in a group of students who have experience,” she said. The most unique thing about choir is that anyone can join at any time. In band or orchestra, students need prior music experience, usually from middle school. “A student can join choir at any point in their high school career,” Lamb said. Students who join choir gain more than just vocal skills. “Since I started choir, I’ve had more confidence in myself and my academics,” VanNoy said. “Shy people can join choir and learn to become a lot more outgoing and confident. We’re a big family here.”
Orchestra
Orchestra provides students an opportunity to learn string instruments, which include the violin, viola, cello and double bass. Orchestra students are placed according to ability in one of three ensembles: String, Chamber or Honors Orchestra. Since he was a kid, orchestra was the path Daniel Henderson, the new orchestra director, set himself on. He started playing the cello, his favorite instrument, at age ten. It’s been almost a year since he took control of the orchestra program at Pattonville, transferring here from Parkway West Middle School. Henderson thinks that orchestra is an extremely difficult form of music. String performers must learn to do two different things at once: use a bow in one hand while moving their fingers onto various strings with the other. Henderson said that in order to be successful musicians, orchestra students need “self-discipline because they need to make sure they practice. Playing a string instrument in very difficult.” Henderson believes that students choose orchestra because of its unique tone. “Some people are just more attracted to the string sound,” he said.
Photo by Jacob Sharp
Maddie Sportsman, 11, rehearses during Honors Orchestra, the top orchestra class offered at Patonvile.
Photo by Jacob Sharp
From left, Erica Ream, 11, and Khalil Griffin, 11, play the bassoon while Allie Jennings, 11, plays the flute in the Wind Ensemble during the Winter Band Concert. Photo by Jeremiah Williams
Photo by Jacob Sharp
From left, Ryan Schaeffer, 11, Joey Hakenson, 10, and Dillon Ciampolli, 10, play trumpet while performing Esprit de Corps with the Wind Ensemble on Feb. 25.
Chamber Choir students are directed by Melynda Lamb (right) during 6th hour.
Henderson said he always knew what instrument he wanted to play. “The first time I heard a cello I knew that’s what I wanted to play,” he said. The sound of the violin attracted Anjali Fernandes, 9, to orchestra as a fifth grader. “I had my violin and I always thought it was pretty elegant and not in your face like a tuba,” she said. Chris Aman, 9, chose the viola to be different. “I wanted to be a part of something different,” he said. “I had plans to switch to the clarinet but I never did.” Aman has worked hard to become a top musician. He was selected for both the 7th and 8th grade AllSuburban Honors Band. He also tried out for the high school group and was selected as a freshman. “It was stressful to practice [for All-Suburban] and very nerve-racking for the audition but it went pretty smoothly,” he said Many orchestra students find the class challenging. Aman said that the most difficult part is “getting all your notes in tune and playing fast. Fernandes said that it is Henderson that makes the class a challenge. “[The hardest part about orchestra is] getting everything up to Mr. Henderson’s standards. He makes us work for it,” she said. Although the orchestra program is not as large as the band and choir programs, the students involved are very passionate. “People don’t give enough credit to orchestra. We’re pretty good,” Allison Kelly, 12, said.
Band
The band program is the largest of the music programs in the high school, with over 175 students enrolled. The band program is unique because of its many opportunities for involvement. The program offers marching band, pep band, an in-school jazz ensemble and an out-of-school jazz band just within the district. Outside of Pattonville, students can audition for the St. Louis All-Suburban Honors Band or participate in Solo and Small Ensemble Festival. John Sorsen, 10, has been selected for the AllState Band for two years in a row. A baritone player, Sorsen said the best part about the All-State experience was “playing in the concert because everyone was actually good.” David Lindsay, 10, also made the ensemble on trombone. The best band students are also extremely dedicated to what they do. Many take private lessons and practice outside of class time. Director Sara Deutschmann said “it takes a tremendous amount of time to be a good musician.” Sean Hayes says the hardest part about band is pushing himself to practice. He said motivated to practice his trumpet because he is always “wanting to play the best I can. The more you practice, the more experiences you get to have.” Montel Moore, 12, also a trumpet player, thinks the hardest part about band is knowing when to stop practicing. “Trumpet players, in order to play, have to have physical contact with a piece of metal. Flesh against metal. After a while, the facial muscles get fatigued,” he said. Moore said he has over-practiced on numerous occasions and wound up with cut or swollen lips. But his dedication has paid off—Moore was chosen for the All-Suburban Jazz Band his sophomore and senior years and was an honorable mention in the All-State Jazz Band this year, making him the
seventh-best jazz trumpeter in Missouri The program has not always been as strong as it is today. Deutschmann, who started at Pattonville in 1995, inherited a program with 110 students and only two concert bands. Every student was required to be a member of the marching band and the jazz program was virtually non-existent. When McFarland joined the staff a year later, he worked to revive the dying program. “When I got here, the jazz program only had a few kids that wanted to sign up so they canceled the class [jazz ensemble],” he said. So, McFarland started a before-school jazz band, which met twice a week. Since then, the program has greatly expanded. “Over the past 14 years we’ve grown from not having a class during the school day to having two jazz bands,” he said. This passion for music can be seen not only from the directors, but from the students. “I don’t want to think about what my life would be like without band,” said Caitlyn Dunsford, 12. Dunsford, an alto saxophone player, plans on becoming a band director. “I love music and I just love that look on people’s faces when you help them and they get something right,” she said. Dunsford is not the only band student considering music as a career. Moore plans to major in music business and someday create an institution where music lovers of all ages could come and practice, have recitals or take lessons. A passion for music and a passion for band are what many of the top musicians share. “I love band and [everyone] should be in band. The directors are great. They’re a step down from parents,” Shannon Flanakin, 12, said. Moore also shares a passion for music: “Out of everything that’s going on in the world, the foundation that’s still going to be there is music,” he said. “That’s one main language that everyone is going to understand. That’s music and that’s my passion.” v
Pattonville Gears up for the Spring Season Varsity Sports Have High Hopes for This Year Boy ’s G Vol : ield eri Farrell
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The varsity boy’s ba seball team is hopin g for a repeat of its Suburban North Co nference victory las t season. The team had a re cord of 13-6 in its conference the previous year. “We’ve got a good nucleus coming ba ck and a good grou of young kids,” Co p ach Mark Hahn sa id. Key returning playe rs for this year inclu 12, Brett Humphrie ded Br yan Hruby, s, 12, Brad Ridings , 11, Arsalaan Alvi, 11, and Geoff Nesb it, 12. This year, Hahn ho pes that the team can compete well, improve througho ut the season and win the conference “I just think that wi title. th the people com ing back and the good, young junior s and sophomores , we can be a really team and should be good really successful,” Hahn said. v
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Bowling For Pattonville J
acob Sharp
In Its First Year as a Pattonville Club, Bowling Team Moves on in the League
Dalton and the team started talking first few weeks. Their hearts weren’t in it to Mr. Hebrank about starting a bowling as much as a lot of the guys on the team he Pattonville bowling club club here at Pattonville. now.” placed 5th in city and moved “The most important thing that we The team, as it is not an official MSHAA on to further tournaments. needed was to see if there was even any sanctioned team like football, soccer, and As the first year that bowlinterest in the school,” Dalton said. cheerleading, has to supply its own funds ing has been around at Pattonville, this The hopefuls began having meetings in order to compete. was a pleasant surprise for the members Bowling at Pattonville is a club of the bowling team sport, as is hockey at the high “A few freshmen, Dillon DoBowling is a thinking sport. It’s school. rey and Tommy Graven were about focus and mental toughness. Tommy Graven, leader of the bowling at other schools, and 5-man bowling team that won they were in my class,” Mr. fifth place, says they have to pay Dalton, the bowling sponsor, in order to gauge interest throughout the for all their own equipment. said. high school. “We have to pay for gloves, shoes, and “I bowl, and we started talking about Eventually, the dream of a bowling even balls sometimes. We have to pay for bowling in general and how there wasn’t team became a reality. the use of the lanes we play on during our a bowling team here at Pattonville. Dillon “We got the go ahead, and started havcompetitions. and Tommy could never move on in the ing a few meetings to sort of flush out the “At Kingpin though, the owner lets us league because in order to do that, they students that were really interested and practice for free,” Graven said. had to be bowling for their school. I said the ones that were only casually inter“Bowling is a thinking sport. It’s about if you ever get a team, let me know and ested,” Dalton said. focus and mental toughness.” v I would sponsor it. Eventually, Tommy “Almost half dropped out after the asked me and we got the ball rolling.”
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Hawks, Cats, Oranges, Boilers: Oh My!
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ith the regular season coming to an end and conference tournaments approaching, certain college teams will be preparing for their season goal: making it to the Final Four in Indianapolis. Unlike past Final Four’s, this year has wider distribution of powerful teams, giving headaches to sports gamblers and bracketology predictors. Every year, ESPN analysts talk about North Carolina, Duke, Texas, and other historic programs, preaching that at least one of them will win the NCAA Championship. North Carolina probably will not even make the 2010 tournament, Duke does not have the same talent they had five years ago, and Texas has played inconsistently in the Big 12 against teams like Iowa State and Colorado. The Four Top Favorites: This year is especially hard to predict an exact Final Four, but if one had to pick the early
Final Four favorites, they would have to glance at the current NCAA rankings. As of Feb. 26, No. 1 Kansas is a strong contender with experience and depth all over the court that includes Sherron Collins, Xavier Henry and Cole Aldrich. All year long the Jayhawks have manhandled teams like Texas, UCLA, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Look for the Jayhawks to make a long run to at least the Elite 8 and add on to the National Title list from 2008. It has been 12 years since the storied Kentucky Wildcats have won the national championship, and Kentucky fans are praying that this is the year the Wildcats end a decade of mediocrity. No. 2 Kentucky will look to add an eigth trophy to the case with NBA prospect players John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, and Patrick Patterson leading the highscoring offense. For some reason, many basketball fans believe that the Big 10 doesn’t pos-
sess the same talent it once had in the 90s and early 2000s. The No. 3 Purdue Boilermakers have silenced Big 10 critics this season, defeating powerhouse teams like Wake Forest, Tennessee, Ohio St., Alabama, Wisconsin, Michigan St., and Minnesota. The Boilermakers have one of the best all-around lineups in the country, with Robbie Hummel, E’Twuan Moore, JaJuan Johnson, Keon Grant, and Cris Kramer. Fans will be cheering “Boiler Up” as Purdue looks for its first championship. Syracuse looks like a team on a mission to destroy and embarrass any team in its way. Beat-downs on Memphis, Providence, UCONN, West Virginia, Georgetown, Cincinatti, and Notre Dame show why the Orangemen should be ranked No. 1 instead of No. 4. Ever since star player Wesley Johnson transferred from Iowa St. to Syracuse, the Orangemen have been a nightmare for opponents’ defenses. v
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lise Moser
STUDENT REPRESENTATION AT PATTONVILLE
Part VI: Conclusion their classmates are unaware of who their class officers even are. This is
Student representation at Pattonville provides students with a chance to represent their peers in a leadership position. Each group has different set of responsibilities and therefore a different impact on the school. To wrap up the Student Representation Series, each group received a “representative ranking.” To determine these rankings, several key areas needed to be analyzed, such as responsibilities of each organization, how they are chosen, either by election or appointment and its proximity to the administration. How were the groups ranked? As seen in the the chart below, each group has been ranked first through fourth in a “representative ranking.” This ranking is determined based on several factors. First, each group’s responsibilities were analyzed. Those that focused more on school policy and less on school spirit were also ranked higher. Second, the way members for each organization are selected was looked at. Some groups are mostly nomination or application-based, while others are elected by the student body. Finally, each group’s proximity to the administration is taken into consideration. Those groups that do not meet regularly with the administration were ranked lower than those that do. Class Officers Class officers were ranked the lowest of the four representative groups. The biggest factor in this ranking was the fact that class officers have very few responsibilities. Although each grade level has varying responsibilities, the most important event class officers are in charge of is Homecoming Spirit Week. The junior class officers have more responsibility—they are in charge of prom. But these students do not have enough responsibility to be considered “representatives” of their peers. They do not meet regularly with principals to discuss issues amongst their classmates. In fact, many of
an obvious flaw in the system. Class officers cannot provide their classmates with adequate representation and therefore has been ranked last. Student Council Student council is ranked third of the four representative groups for one reason—they do not provide students with a platform to discuss issues within the school. But that’s OK—student council is not designed for that. STUCO is mainly a spirit group, and that is something it does very well. STUCO is in charge of both Homecoming and the Glow Dance. In addition to that, they do several events during the school year, such as the Special Olympics or Valentine Carnations. Finally, the STUCO store is open during lunch periods for students to buy snacks and school spirit gear, such as Green Team tee shirts. STUCO does a fairly good job at getting the school spirited and excited about being Pirates. Even though they do not focus on the issues of the school, they do listen to students concerning spirit events and make decisions based on those opinions, giving them the 3rd ranking. School Improvement Team School Improvement Team is ranked No. 2 out of the four representative groups for one main reason—anyone can participate. Unlike the other groups, which are either elected or appointed, if a student wants to attend a SIT meeting, all they have to do is talk to Sara Keene, principal. Students who participate on SIT have the opportunity to meet with Keene, other staff members and parents and discuss issues concerning the school. At SIT, students’ opinions really matter. They are the only ones who can provide a point-of-view from a high school student, and will therefore have insight that parents and staff members lack. The one drawback to SIT is what landed it in second place—not many students attend. It is really such a shame, because the group would allow for students to have their voices heard in Proximity to Ada setting where those voices are crucial to make ministration the right decision.
Student Representative Group and Ranking
Responsibilities of the Organization
Election/Appointement Process
BSAAC - 1st
*Meets monthly with the administration and school board to discuss issues at school *Community service
*Officers are voted at the end of the previous year *ECHO, Pirate Press, STUCO are nominated by club sponsors *All other members are chosen by an application process
School Improvement Team - 2nd
*Group of parents, staff and students that meets monthly to discuss issues at the high school
*Anyone can come to a SIT meeting, just talk to Dr. Keene
Student Council - 3rd
*Promote school spirit -Homecoming -Glow Dance -Special Olympics *Run the STUCO store
*Officers and representatives are elected by the student body
Class Officers - 4th
*Homecoming spirit week *11th grade - Prom
*Elected by student body
*Meets with Dr. Keene, a member of the school board and Mike Fulton, superintendent, every time they meet
Board Student Administration Action Committe BSAAC is the most effective representative group at Pattonville. The students on BSAAC have the opportunity to meet with Keene, Mike Fulton, superintendent, and a member of the school board to discuss problems at school. *Opportunity to These students are not elected, except for meet with Dr. Keene the officers, who are elected at the end of the as well as other previous school year by the other BSAAC memstaff members and bers. The others are either appointed by their parents club sponsor or chosen through an application *Do not meet with process. the administration This makes BSAAC not a direct form of on a regular basis representation, but in the high school world of popularity, it may be for the better. BSAAC *Does not meet with members are top-tier students, and therefore are able to represent their peers the best. v the administration on regular basis
The Wiggle Wurm J Nature Is Natural–Let’s Keep It There. S
ulia Wurm
unshine beating a warm caress on your face, beautiful rolling green fields, clear inviting lakes and oceans. All of these things are not renewable resources. In fact, once the environment is gone, there will be no more. Respecting others is something that many people have been taught from a young age, but many people have not been taught to respect the environment. Nature is a calming influence that a few people know how to stop and appreciate, but this is a skill all people should experience. Seeing an animal that is new, or especially cute, or just plain different can be exciting and inspirational. When we are children, our favorite games probably included some form of exploring or playing outside, and when we are growing up we hang out in parks and play sports. As technology advances and we grow more adapted to it, we natually want to use it more. Nature’s assualt on your senses may at times seem a little irritating, allergies making noses stuffy and eyes water, but with today’s technology and advancements in the medicine
field, a little Claritin D can clear you up in no time. Experiencing nature is beneficial to both the mind and the body. In the good old days of home medicine, doctors would suggest ‘fresh air’ as a cure for many diseases. While this is sometimes considered to be old-fashioned, maby reports say that this is actually beneficial to a person’s health. The idea that the good old outdoors is a healthy alternative to medicine is called ecotherapy. People taking part in nature conservation projects have reported an increase in their well-being which comes from being in the open air, says a study reported at Anglia Ruskin University in Essex, England. Europeans as a whole are much more involved in preserving the environment by recycling and saving energy. Famous poet Walt Whitman and contemporary transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau wrote about nature appreciatively quite often in their works. How could all of these educated people have
McGhee’s Mind High School, Where’s the EXIT? A s the year is coming to an end, most us of seniors find ourselves stressing over the papers, the books, the tests that seem to be coming at you faster than you keep up with. We find ourselves worrying about all the things that honestly won’t even matter in 10 years! If there is one thing I really learned in high school, it’s that everything you learned from the year before won’t even matter by the time the next year rolls around. By the time summer is over and a new school year is ready to begin, the majority of students have forgotten what papers they wrote, what tests they failed and who the author of their class novel was from the previous year. I mean seriously. How many useless assignments can teachers give us until they realize they are not only making our lives more difficult, but theirs as well? How does reading “Ragtime,” “Night,”
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been wrong? Nature isn’t just the grass between the sidewalk and the road, it’s not just the grass you have to mow, it is luscious fields blowing in the wind, the provider for all that we need and want. Have you ever been daydreaming in class and stared out the window for an indeterminate length of time? I have, and when I find myself gazing out a window like that it’s usually at the expansive blue sky with fluffy clouds, the auburn leaves falling from trees, or the white snow on the ground. All of these enticing items being nature, of course. Being outdoors in the summer is, of course, much easier than it is in the winter, and I’m not asking you to walk around freezing in the dead winter looking at wayward items. All I’m saying is, appreciate nature while it is here, because if we abuse it enough, it won’t be. v
lexia McGhee
“Catcher in the Rye” and writing a 10-page essay about something that has absolutely no relevance to my life whatsoever going to help me in the real world? I know most teachers would argue that “applying discipline and deadlines at a young age will help prepare you for your career,” but I beg to differ. What if my career has nothing to do with anything that I’m reading or writing about? Then I just waisted two weeks of my life biting my nails and pulling my hair out for nothing. School does not teach students the practical life-skills that they really need to make it in this world. I do not need to learn pre-calculus, or know how to structure a criticism essay on some boring book in order to make it in this world. All of that just fills my brain with unnecessary knowledge and stresses me out! The problem that I had with high school is the fact that I had to take classes that I have absolutely no interest in.
I don’t see the point in taking two years of a foreign language that I won’t ever use unless I end up living in that country. After these four years of my high school life, I don’t see the point in knowing how to write in MLA format, or knowing how the Pythagorean Theorem works, or knowing what muscle on a cat’s back that I’m touching. I just don’t see the point! And I still don’t feel adequately prepared for the real world. Seriously, I feel like I have to do my own research and teach myself about how the real world works, and to me that’s the most important thing. But apparently, learning the same thing 10 times until my brain bleeds week after week is the solution to all my problems. Underclassmen, beware. Senioritis... It’s a curse. v
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2010
Tue 2 Wed 3 Thu 4 Fri 5
Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
Winter Sports Awards: 6 p.m.
Tue 9 Wed 10
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Spring Break
fri 12
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Ludacris Battle of the Sexes
Mon 15 Tue 16 Wed 17 Thu 18 Fri 19 Tue 23
Clash of the Titans I love you Phillip Morris How to Train Your Dragon
Fri 26 Tue 30
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Orchestra Concert: 7 p.m. Ajami Brooklyn’s Finest Alice in Wonderland
Green Zone Mother Remember me She’s Out of My league Our Family Wedding
Hubble 3d The Bounty Hunter The Runaways Season of the Witch City Island
Cam’ron - The U.N. Justin Bieber- My world pt 2
Barenaked Ladies - All in good time Trina - amazin’
All images are courtesy of Wikipedia
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The Crazies: Finally a Remake that is Better than the Original
he recent remake of the 1973 film, “The Crazies” came to theaters Feb. 26 and was marginally better than the original. The story focuses on Ogden Marsh, a small town in Iowa, that is infected by a mysterious virus which causes the citizens to become insane and homicidal. The main characters are David Duttin, a sheriff of the local township who is played by Timothy Olyphant, and his wife, Judy, played by Radha Mitchell. Both actors portray convincing characters whose raw authenticity causes the audience to empathize with them almost immediately. The plot itself follows the original very loosely, but that is probably for the best since the original was slow-moving and hard to follow. There was a major improvement from the subsequent film whose mediocre acting,
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practically nonexistent storyline, and constant scene changes screamed low budget filmmaking. The eerie atmosphere of the remake is set at the very beginning of the film and the suspense increases exponentially from there. However, unlike many recent thrillers, “The Crazies” is not simply a jumble of chilling, gory scenes. The film actually carries a definable storyline and while there are a few gory moments, gore was often not the focus of the movie. The plot itself was decent with the exception of a few annoyingly predictable segments. The conclusion of the film left the viewer with a sense of completion, but also the eerie question of “what if?” Overall, “The Crazies” is well worth the ridiculously overpriced movie ticket. v
“The Crazies” debuted No. 3 at the box office making $16.1 million.
Video Game Review: Aliens vs Predator
ebellion Developments launched a sequel to the Alien vs. Predator video game series with the release of Aliens vs. Predator on February 16. Many professional gamers believe this game will compete with many of the popular games like Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, Halo and Gears of War. Aliens vs. Predator features three different long and action-packed story modes with the options of playing as the Predator, Alien or a Colonial Marine, along with an online game-play that includes team death-match, survival and more. The Predator, Alien and Marine all have different physical attributes and deadly weapons that make the game interesting when the three species collide. As a Predator, stealth is the key to success in this game. Without an invisible cloaking device, thermal imaging, and the ability to jump from platform to platform, the Predator is hopeless. Yes, the Preda-
tor does possess cool-looking gadgets like the laser cannon, two dual and retractable wrist blades, and land mines, but the Predator stands no chance against a Marine or Alien unless they find a way to fight in a one-on-one match-up. Aliens are the most interesting of the three species, being they basically have no mechanical weapons to use against the Predator and Marine. What the Alien can do is climb on any wall or ceiling, sprint past any Human or Predator, blend in with the dark shadows, and then pounce on its prey. In order to defeat the enemy, the Alien bites heads off, stabs its tail through bodies, and viciously claws and grinds its way to victory. Overall, the Alien is also a stealth-type specie, but is still effective when the prey is grouped in bunches. Surprisingly, the Colonial Marine is not as pathetic as the soldiers are in the Alien and Predator movies. Every marine
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is equipped with a powerful rifle, scorching flamethrower, close-range shotgun and even an enormous gattling gun. In order to play successfully as the Marine, one must be able to spot Predators and Aliens before they tear up their body to shreds. The Marine will lose every close combat encounter in the game, but in any long-range or middle-distance battle, the Marine is almost guaranteed to win a powerful assault rifle. Overall, Aliens vs. Predator is almost a flawless game, with few glitches and hackers one would find in most online game-modes in Call of Duty and Halo. This game easily surpasses any Grand Theft Auto or Unreal Tournament game in the category of violence and gore, so for those who have a light stomach, I do not suggest this game. v
Fun, Cheap Spring Break in St. Louis EJIK A lexia McGhee
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aint Louis Zoo There is so much to see at the Zoo, but hard to do in one visit.
Some of the attractions cost but the free section is the majority of the Zoo. The Zoo train is an another way to tour the zoo, and also relief for tired feet. The zoo is divided into zones. Lakeside Crossing is the place to get snacks and souvenir. Red Rocks is the area to see tigers, lions, antelope, zebra, and giraffes. The Wild has several exhibits from the polar regions all the way to the tropics. Here you can see the great apes, polar bears, penguins, puffins, and chimpanzees. Discovery Corner is more for the younger kids and families with a petting zoo, butterfly garden, and other exhibits. Historic Hill explains the history and change of the zoo over time, and has a many different of animals: sea lions, bird house, monkeys, and lemurs. Then there is River’s Edge where you can see elephants, cheetahs, hippos, rhinos, and giant anteaters. Parents Magazine named Saint Louis Zoo one of the top three Best Zoos for Kids. v
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he City Museum The City Museum offers something for everyone. The first thing you see when you walk in is a slide reaching from the top floor of the three story building all the way down to the ground. Hours can be spent crawling through the several mazes and tunnels going from floor-to-floor. There is even an underground tunnel in the floor where you can look through plexiglass and watch the people walking above. There is also a skate park that includes ramps and ropes where the kids can swing and slide around, but there is no skating allowed. If you get tired of playing inside, be sure to make your way to the outside exhibits too. Outside there are two airplanes that also have tons of mazes, tunnels, and slides to climb around on. Along with all of these climbing frames, there is also an area in the building dedicated to arts and crafts where you can decorate a hat, tie dye a shirt, finger paint, or draw on the chalkboard wall. The City Museum is a $12 experience that could be enjoyed over and over. v
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he Science Center
This free museum is designed to be a highly interactive and hands-on experience that gives lessons on human biology, anatomy, medicine, bridge building, and ecology. The Omnimax Theater, which is connected to the science building, offers many great movies. There is also a Planetarium that consists of real space crafts and some models of air crafts. There are several areas and displays set up around the building used to learn about genetics, sound, earthquakes, tornados, dinosaurs and archaeology. For more hands-on excitement, there is a Build-aBear Workshop on the bottom floor where you can create your own Build-A-Dino. There is a huge indoor bridge walkway that crosses over highway I-64 and allows you to look out at the traffic and even take radar from the bridge. There is no charge to enter the Science Center, although some of the extra activities inside may cost. This is a great destination for a day of fun. v
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On March 13, the streets of downtown St. Louis will be t. Patrick’s Day Parade crowded with thousands of people attending the 41st annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. This event will include several marching bands, floats, clowns, large cartoon-character balloons and over 5,000 marchers. It is one of the top parades in the country, and the largest and most attended event in Downtown St. Louis. The parade begins at noon at 18th and Market streets and will end at Broadway and Market streets. Before the parade, there is a 5-mile run at 9 a.m. that begins at 9th and Market streets and finishes in front of St. Louis Union Station. Runners of all ages and abilities are welcome. After the run, stick around and visit the Runner’s Village near the finish line for prizes, displays and entertainment for the runners. Whether individually or with a group, joining the run is a fun way to be involved and view the parade. v