Feb9th2012

M T H E M O N TA G E

The battle for legalization KAVAHN MANSOURI EDITOR IN CHIEF NICK HERRIN STAFF WRITER

The Show Me Cannabis Regulation (SMCR) group and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) recently took to Missourians in an effort to be recognized on the November 2012 ballot. The group lobbies for a legal medical marijuana program in the state of Missouri.

Last fall, Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan allowed SMCR to start a petition for inclusion on the ballot. The group has until May 6, 2012 to submit at

least 150,000 signatures out of nine districts in Missouri in order to be included on the election ballot.

STLCC-Meramec student Thomas Holloran showed his support by manning a booth in the student center where he collected signatures for the petition and offered information to fellow students.

Story continued on page 2 PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY: KELLY GLUECK AND MIKE ZIEGLER

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February 9, 2012

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2NEWS

February 9, 2012

Student petitions for peer support in marijuana legalization Story continued from page1

Holloran is part of the SMCR. He sits behind a table in the cafeteria collecting signatures in hopes of legalizing medical and recreational marijuana use in Missouri.

“I’ve done research and I think marijuana should be legalized because there are so many economic and health benefits,” Holloran said.

While Holloran is working for the cause, he also is motivated because he believes that by collecting enough signatures for the Show Me Cannabis regulation, the issue can reach the Missouri ballot. He hopes to collect 1,000 signatures by going to different St. Louis college campuses.

“More and more people want to volunteer for the cause and petition, so I think it will be on the ballot,” Holloran said. “Even if it doesn’t get on the Missouri ballot we are still doing a good thing by educating and raising the idea to the government.”

NORML is a nonprofit lobbying organization for the legalization of marijuana. NORML Western Missouri

Campaign Director Amber Langston said that the group has received an “overwhelming” show of support from the community. Langston said that she believes students will be a vital part of the race to 150,000.

“We try to target people everywhere, any public place. In terms of students, I personally believe they will be a part of the backbone that will carry us to the finish line. Connection students for a unified movement is important,” Langston said.

Holloran said he chose to do these events at college campuses because they are one of the best places to get people to sign off on his petition.

“I’ve only done it twice and I’ve got almost 300 signatures,” Holloran said. “Campuses are the best place to do it because the people here are more experienced with the subject.”

Holloran said he had to receive permission from Meramec to have his table.

“I had to go and make a reservation and

tell them what I was doing to make sure I wasn’t doing anything that tricked people,” Holloran said. “They were totally okay with it, it didn’t take long and they weren’t biased about it.”

Langston said NORML has launched an online training program. She said she hopes the policy will open the topic to discussion.

“We’re not here to say if it is [marijuana] a good or bad thing, I’d like to see this policy make Missourians open to have a more honest discussion about it,” Langston said.

According to Holloran, having the government regulate marijuana would fix problems regarding the underage usage of marijuana and unfair pricing.

“Drug dealers don’t ID, and they don’t mind selling it to kids. If the government regulates it, kids won’t get it as easily,” Holloran said.

Missouri lawyer and representative for NORML Dan Viets said that if the petition

acquires enough signatures and passes on the November ballot, Missouri would see a big change in marijuana regulation.

“It would tax and regulate marijuana as we do alcohol, it would allow for people over 21 to possess and grow up to a 10 sq. ft. garden [and] allow retail – which would be taxed,” Viets said. “It would also allow doctors to prescribe medicinal marijuana with parental consent and allow use of low grade marijuana, also known as hemp.”

Holloran said marijuana is a drug that needs to be legalized in Missouri.

“Marijuana should be legalized here because it isn’t harmful,” Holloran said. “Cocaine and heroin are drugs that kill people and destroy families, not Marijuana.”

Langston said that without students the movement is nothing.

“No revolution in the past 50 years has started without students,” Langston said.

In the Jan. 26 issue of The Montage, Alina Key was misidentified as the vice president of Phi Theta Kappa.

Key is a PTK officer.

*

* at the crestwood location for all of your school, team, or holiday function.

Crestwood (314) 822-4909 South County (314) 894-1600 Eureka (636) 938-7090

NEWS February 9, 2012

Obama, Biden to improve college graduate rate over ten years

Education reform is an ‘economic necessity’ KURT OBERRITHER NEWS EDITOR Vice President Joe Biden addressed college journalists across the country to talk about President Barack Obama’s goal for the United States to lead the world in college graduation rates by 2020.

In his Jan. 24 State of the Union address, the President stressed how important it is that states and colleges do their part to make college more affordable.

Biden said it is an “economic necessity” that the country reaches the graduation goal over the next 10 years as college is a prerequisite to building a stable workforce.

“Any country that can out-educate us is going to out-compete us,” Biden said.

“This is about the national interest, it’s about the bargain of the middle class, it’s about the American dream [and] it’s about the dignity of your parents and the opportunity for all of you.”

The administration plans to invest $7 billion more in Perkins loans and reform the distribution of federal campus-based aid, rewarding schools that maintain affordable tuition costs.

This summer, student loan interest rates

are set to double but the President is asking Congress to maintain the current rate for a year; he also wants to make the American Opportunity Tax Credit permanent and double the number of work-study jobs.

“We think that when you graduate, you shouldn’t have to graduate buried in debt,” Biden said. “If you’re at a state university, you graduate [in] four years.

The expectation is that you’re going to get your diploma.”

The plans also include changes to help students make more informed decisions when choosing a college. This “scorecard” will include costs, graduation rates and potential earnings.

Furthermore, the Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said the department would like to improve communication between two and four-year colleges.

Biden said the states will be encouraged to create programs like A+ that provide students a quality, cheap education at a community college.

Biden said he and his wife – who is an English professor at Northern Virginia

Counseling, condoms,

cupcakes

offered Valentine’s Day KELLY GLUECK MANAGING EDITOR

PHOTO COURTESY: FLICKR/WHITE HOUSE

Community College – would not have achieved what they have without a good education and help along the way. He said if community colleges were available during his time he would have taken

advantage of the opportunity.

“The single best kept secret, as my wife would say, in America are our community colleges,” Biden said.

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the STLCC-Meramec Student Activities Council and Meramec Counseling Department will sponsor Healthy Sex and Relationship Day in the Student Center Commons from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 14.

The event will include free cupcakes, protection, HIV testing and the Counseling Department will offer relationship advice.

Counselor Hope Steiner, M. Ed., said relationship abuse is a common concern in young adults and can affect the quality of one’s life.

“I always say that relationships are the stuff life is made out of and if the relationships that you’re in aren’t very healthy, then your life probably won’t be the best it can be,” Steiner said. “In fact, it could be outright dangerous if you’re in an

abusive relationship.”

In addition to relationship advice, the Healthy Sex and Relationship event will offer free HIV-testing and protection through The SPOT, Supporting Positive Opportunities with Teens, as well as pregnancy counseling through Birthright.

Do not forget to try a sexy cupcake, back by popular demand, according to Student Activities Council President Troy Rolen.

“You may learn something, you can get a free sexy cupcake, you can get free testing, of course you don’t have to – maybe get a free condom,” Rolen said. “It’s up to the students and what they want.”

If you are in an unhealthy relationship and need help, the counseling department offers free and confidential services any time. Call (314) 984-7575 for more information.

AA in communications streamlined

Requirements, areas of concentration changed KURT OBERREITHER NEWS EDITOR

The Associates in Communication Arts degree now goes by a different name, but that is not the only change to the degree that has gone unaltered since 1974.

The STLCC Board of Trustees approved the new AA in Communication Arts at the Jan. 26 board meeting and its new curriculum will be included in the fall course catalogues.

The degree now offers five areas of concentration rather than the 12 degree options originally conceived. The Missouri Department of Higher Education singled

out STLCC’s AA in Communications degree as overcomplicated.

“The problem is some of these did not have many graduates, so the state had come back to us and said, ‘You have a degree here that’s only had five graduates in three years. What’s up with that?,’” President George Wasson said.

Before the revision, students could earn multiple degrees by taking an additional one or two courses.

Previously, a number of courses, like literature and foreign language, were

included under the degree creating confusion for advisors and degree approval.

Some required courses were not offered and students had to take substitute courses, according to Acting Dean of Math and Communications Angela Grupas, Ed.D. “Changing the curriculum like that takes a district-wide approach, so we took over two years working with my colleagues to try to find something that is relevant to our departments as they are now,” Grupas said.

“Arts” has been eliminated from the title; it is now called the AA in Communications.

“Really, it’s one degree now,” Grupas said.

“Students will get on their transcript an AA in communication, but on their transcript it will show that they have a theater emphasis or a broadcasting emphasis.”

Grupas said students will be “grandfathered” into the program.

“It better serves our students that want a communications degree,” Grupas said.

“We need to continue to update our curriculum.”

4NEWS

February 9, 2012

Night enrollment takes hit,

classes cut

DANIEL REYNOLDS STAFF WRITER

As of Feb. 3, 2012 STLCC campuses enrollment had dropped 2.8 percent or 795 students across all four campuses.

Meramec made up 3.5 percent of the total drop with 386 students, which resulted in Deans having to cut classes.

“With the dip in enrollment, that’s expected,” said Kim Fitzgerald, enrollment management coordinator. “Departments are being much more strategic about how they plan their classes.”

Acting Vice President of Academic Affairs Vernon Kays said the biggest reasons for the decreased enrollment are the economy and high school graduates.

“The economy is getting a little better around here,” Kays said. “As it gets better we get less enrollment, but the biggest reason is the number of high school graduates has decreased.”

This time last year Meramec had 442 new first time students. As of Feb. 3, the number of new first time students was at

443, the biggest hit the campus has taken is in continuing students according to the school enrollment counts.

The Meramec campus had 10,877 students this time last year. Of those students, 8,053 are students from the previous year. This year it has decreased to 7,709 students from last year.

“We retain about 75 percent of our students from fall to spring, and only about 50 percent from fall to fall,” said Fitzgerald.

“The problem with community college and retention is it’s really hard to measure.”

Some could be finished with their degree, some might have done poorly academically, they might have run out of money, they could have changed jobs, or had daycare problems, Fitzgerald said.

Fitzgerald stated that if a students’ class gets canceled, it falls on her department to get the student in another class that they need as quickly as they can.

AAWCC scholarship available Both men and women are eligible for the American Association for Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC) scholarship worth $750.

Eligible students must have completed a minimum of 12 credits, have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA, be enrolled in the current semester, demonstrate service and present two letters of recommendation.

Board of Trustee candidates chosen Six candidates will vie for two STLCC Board of Trustee seats: Subdistrict 1 and Subdistrict 3, according to an STLCC press release.

Candidates for Subdistrict 1 will serve a six-year term. They include Theodis Brown Sr., chief of the Castlepoint Fire Protection Association; Daryl L. Cothran, assistant director of the St. Louis County Department of Human Services’ Workforce Development division; and Doris A. Graham, Ph.D., retired assistant principal at Ames Visual and Performing Arts Public School in St. Louis.

Subdistrict 1 includes the Hazelwood, Ferguson/Florissant, Riverview Gardens, Jennings, Pattonville, Ritenour, University City, Normandy, Clayton and Ladue school districts.

Bob Burns was appointed by the board

I wanted more out of life.

I was tired of having a dead-end job.

I needed a career change and getting a degree was the best way for me to achieve that goal.

Kristina Fisher ‘10 Bachelor’s in Business Administration

On campus. Online. Or both.

Toll free: (877) 999-9876 www.ccis.edu/iwantmore

4411 Woodson Rd. • St. Louis

Up to two scholarships will be available to each campus. The award will be deposited in the student’s HigherOne account, student account or by check after confirmation of registration this semester.

The deadline for submission is March 30. For more information, contact Susie Herman at 984-7723.

to fill the Subdistrict 3 seat vacated by the resignation of JoAnn Ordinachev in December 2011. Burns is running for the position along with Joan H. McGivney, former Southwestern Bell Corp. employee who owns a company that manufactures and distributes a children’s geography game; and Philip E. Smith, a retired professor and department chair of foreign languages at St. Louis Community College’s Forest Park and Meramec campuses. The winner will serve for the one-year balance of Ordinachev’s term, which expires in 2013.

An election to fill the seat for a full sixyear term will take place in April 2013.

Subdistrict 3 includes southern and southwest portions of St. Louis City and the Maplewood-Richmond Heights, Affton, Bayless, Brentwood, Kirkwood and Webster Groves school districts.

NEWS HOW TO KEEP A

H E A LT H Y H E A R T

IN YOUR 20S

February 9, 2012

Meramec goes red this February Committee plans events to raise awareness KELLY GLUECK MANAGING EDITOR

Heart Disease Prevention Heart disease can develop at any age and can be hereditary based on your family health history.

Eating a Heart Healthy Diet Make better and healthier food choices. Set good heart healthy diet goals.

Be Active Try to maintain an exercise routine, go to the gym, or simply walk regularly.

Watching Your Weight Be conscious about your weight by following healthy eating habits.

Talk to Your Doctor There are heart disease checkups you can follow to help reduce and future risks.

Patricia Henderson, STLCC Manager of Employment and Recruitment woke up on life support with a balloon in her chest. Two days earlier she had undergone bypass surgery because 85 percent of her left coronary artery was blocked.

During the procedure, her artery spasmed and she went into cardiac arrest.

“I was medically dead for one hour while they tried to get me on the machines and the doctor literally had my heart in his hand, pumping it and massaging it until they could get me back on the machine,” Henderson said.

Henderson has been a national spokesperson for the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Go Red campaign since 2008.

On Feb. 17, students, faculty and staff will be wearing red to promote heart disease awareness and healthy lifestyle choices for the AHA’s Go Red campaign. Students can support their cause during Go Red events Feb. 13-17.

“I live every day to its fullest and I’ve made it a goal of mine to share my story with other women because while most individuals think it’s breast cancer, it’s heart disease that is killing more and more women.” Henderson said.

Heart disease, a common concern in males, is the number one killer in the United States for both men and women, according to Dolores Jefferies, member of the Meramec Go Red Committee and open-heart surgery survivor.

“Our goal is to make women aware and every bit of money we collect in these events will go to the American Heart Association,” Jefferies said. “In the past, we’ve been able to raise between $1,300 and $1,600 and we invite everyone to participate.”

Both survivors, Henderson and Jefferies, stressed the importance of taking symptoms seriously. The AHA lists chest discomfort, upper body aches, shortness of breath, dizziness, vomiting and fatigue as the major signs of heart disease.

Henderson said that because women are busy with their day-to-day lives, they often dismiss the common symptoms.

Jay Snaric, biology professor at Meramec said that heart disease affects the blood vessels that serve the heart muscle.

He said that the risk of heart disease is increased by factors such as obesity, lack of exercise, smoking, diabetes, high “bad” cholesterol, or high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels; however, most of these factors can be lowered.

“Although some people have a genetic predisposition that increases their risk of heart disease, most of us can significantly lower our risk by having a [body mass index] under 25, exercising on a regular basis; and eating mostly vegetables and other high fiber foods and lean meats,” Snaric said.

Working out an average of three to five times a week, doctors told Henderson that because of her physical health, she was able to survive two surgeries in 24 hours. She did not have a history of heart disease nor were her numbers unsatisfactory, but because she was aware of the burning in her chest and the fatigue as she left the STLCC Cosand Center, she was able to get the treatment she needed and is able to tell her story today.

“It was the worst situation that anyone could experience, but it was blessing because I’m here to tell women to pay attention to their bodies,” Henderson said. “If I hadn’t, I would not be here and that is why my scar is my lifeline. I’m not ashamed of it.”

The Go Red delivery cart will be serving snacks Feb. 13-17; look for the dark chocolate special on Tuesday. Wednesday there will be information centers promoting healthy habits as well as a “Cooking Light” demonstration by Meramec’s resident Chef Jeff in BA 105 from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Go Red will end the week with auction bidding and lunch in BA 105 from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.; door prizes available while they last.

GRAPHIC BY: ANABEL GONZALEZ

Board responds to Burns’ request

PHOTO BY: MIKE ZIEGLER

STLCC Board of Trustee members sit at tables in the front of the board room during the Jan. 26 meeting held at the Cosand Center. The arrangment of the tables was the result of a comment made by Interim Trustee Bob Burns at the conclusion of the Dec. 15 meeting. He suggested that the board members face the audience rather than sit with their backs to portions of the audience. Trustee Burns thanked the board for considering his suggestion, and Chairwoman Melissa Hattman said they would continue with the new room setup for future meetings.

6OPINIONS

February 9, 2012

The Wife of Campus Life Event planning and why it matters KIMBERLY MORICE SENIOR STAFF WRITER Free food, prizes and a little friendly competition are some of the things that draw students into participating in events held by campus clubs and organizations.

Not too many people fully understand everything that goes into planning events for other students to enjoy; it is a stressful process that can bring up bad feelings between club members, but the end goal is to pull off a successful and enjoyable event.

Most clubs and organizations at STLCC-Meramec have an event they hold every semester that is their specialty; Student Activities Council holds Battle of the Bands every Spring, Music Club began hosting open mics last fall, and student

ambassadors hold dodgeball and speed dating. Planning these events can be a long and stressful process and how the work is dispersed throughout the club can determine whether or not the event will run smoothly.

There are many opportunities for students at Meramec to participate in one of these events. The Student Governance Council organizes club days the second week of each semester, an event which the majority of the campus’ clubs come out to recruit prospective members and promote their upcoming events. Students may have noticed the student ambassadors desperately trying to recruit members

for the disappearing club, which has ten members, all of whom are graduating this spring.

The most stressful part of putting a lot of work into a club which may not be around in six months is just that. As an ambassador, I have put countless hours of work into planning events, giving tours, memorizing facts about the college and its administrators. What makes all of this worth it is that at the end of their time at Meramec, students will have contributed in raising money for different organizations such as the American Red Cross, Susan G. Komen and the Student to Student Book Scholarship.

Students who become involved in campus life can make connections with some truly amazing people. When participating in campus events and campus life, students become part of the school’s history.

Volunteering, even if it is at a community college’s charity event, is something that gives off the feeling of making a difference.

I have definitely felt as if I have helped change lives while involved with campus life; whether it is through the money raised, or the connections made, I know that when I leave this campus and my club, I will be a better person.

America Kicks Ass GOP knows how to be KAVAHN MANSOURI EDITOR IN CHIEF America is fantastic, isn’t it? Nothing beats being reminded how great this country is daily. While waking up in the morning Americans inhale freedom; while eating dinner at night, they taste freedom.

Pretty much everything Americans do has freedom laced in it in some way. But the most important freedom Americans share is the freedom to speak whatever is on their mind, and that folks, is what makes the Grand Old Party so freaking American.

Of all the political parties in America, (Democrats, Whigs, Libertarians, etc.) the GOP knows how to tell it like it is. Straightshooting guys who are not afraid to say what is on their mind because in their mind, they are the only one that has a mind, and when you have that sort of mind, you might as well be the only one with a mind. Not to advocate in any way for the GOP, but people have to admit, these guys got guts.

Every time their mouths open, something amazingly different and interesting comes out.

"Life can be a challenge, life can seem impossible, it's never easy when there is so

much on the line. But you and I can make a difference.”

Former Republican Presidential candidate Herman Cain said that after he announced he would be postponing his campaign to become president. This is a great example of why the GOP is so legit, that quote is from the Pokemon movie…

The Pokemon movie. If there was any doubt that the GOP was legit, all of it has to be gone now. Any man who represents the party and drops knowledge like that is beyond legit, creating a completely different level of legitness.

So flip on the Republic Debate, put on a shirt with your favorite candidate’s name on it and recline on your American flag upholstered couch while an American flag Snuggie keeps you warm and witness the freedom of speech take place. These warriors of the English language and the art of politics will surely quench your thirst for honest, thought-provoking and justified material.

Cory Montero Staff Designer

Off the eaten path New York is full of great things.

Things like Broadway, high fashion and Wall Street. But more important than all of those is the food. New York has some of the greatest food this side of the Atlantic and pizza is one of their staples. Racanelli’s New York Pizzeria does a darn good job of recreating New York style pizza in St. Louis.

New York pizzas are huge. The slices are bigger, the toppings are larger and most people have to fold the slices in half and eat them like a sandwich almost. This way

JESSE HOFFORD OPINIONS EDITOR

of eating it is how it got labeled a “street snack”. New Yorkers would fold them up and eat them as they walked down the street. Pizza lovers will find that they will need to use the same tactic when eating at Racanelli’s. Also like most New York pizzerias, Racanelli’s bakes their pizzas in a brick oven, something not seen very much anymore.

It is also greasier than other pizzas.

Folding it causes all the grease to run out the back near the crust and pools on the diners’ plates. As unhealthy as that sounds it is another way to tell that it’s New York pizza. As said before, the toppings are much bigger. Racanelli’s captures this aspect as well. Their tomato basil pizza is topped with whole slices of tomato and fresh basil. Seating is set up with tables and

chairs inside as well as a few tables set up outside on a sidewalk porch right out front.

Service is fast and friendly but prices could be a little high for some. Two slices and a drink will run you almost 10 bucks and their whole pies start at 12 bucks for a 14 inch pie so it is actually cheaper to just buy a whole pie. Racanelli’s has five locations including Kirkwood, Webster, St. Peters, the Central West End and coming soon to Delmar. The location being described here is the Kirkwood location.

Racanelli’s does a great job of bringing a little slice of New York to St. Louis. Diners will not have to journey to the Big Apple itself to get a taste of the pizza the natives get to enjoy everyday.

OPINIONS

February 9, 2012

Coinflip: Marijuana Legalization For: VICTORIA BARMAK STAFF WRITER What do the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and Virginia’s Racial Integrity Act of 1924 have in common?

Both laws were once part of the American legal and social landscapes, both were once considered perfectly natural; and to most modern men and women those laws are inconceivable.

As our society evolves, we reconsider previously accepted ideas. Other ideas give rise to panic, and are resisted; for example, Cannabis Sativa L. Bud, nuggets, blaze, Mary Jane, rope. No plant has yielded as much controversy and has been as misunderstood as cannabis.

The myths about marijuana and its effects

Cory Montero Staff Designer

are as plentiful as its names. All the myths, although still widely exploited, have been debunked or credibly challenged.

Scientists have proven alcohol and nicotine are far more addictive than marijuana. There is no need to remind anyone that a wealth of data attests to marijuana’s medical benefits.

Despite America’s comparatively severe penalties, the U.S. is already the world’s leading per capita marijuana consumer.

The economic ramifications of the prohibition of marijuana and its subsequent black market economy with its billions of tax-free dollars are evident.

In order to understand the actual nature of marijuana’s prohibition, one must understand it has very little to do with the purported “harm” cannabis does and more with the politics behind it.

Marijuana has not always been illegal.

For example, Cannabis was prescribed by physicians for medicinal purposes in late 19th century. Farmers were encouraged

to grow cannabis in the form of hemp as early as the 17th century.

Other evidence, however, suggests the prohibition of marijuana was nothing more than a xenophobic attempt to control the influx of Mexican workers into the U.S. The migrants, who used marijuana for recreational purposes, were coming into the United States in search of work during the Great Depression and were competing with the white men seeking jobs. Some have also argued the pharmaceutical industry promoted the prohibition of marijuana because it saw marijuana as a competitor.

Why then, despite all the knowledge discrediting the myths and the information available, is marijuana still a taboo?

The answer is simple. Argumentum ad antiquitatem – it has always been this way.

Any orthodoxy or convention is very slow to change. The status quo is always the most comfortable place to be. Hesitancy to legalize marijuana stems from the same

ideas; since it has always been done this way, leave it as is. Everything new is always scary. The problem is marijuana use is nothing new.

Despite opposition, the war on marijuana is futile. Look no further than the Alcohol Prohibition laws, just as with prohibition, people can learn a lesson here: the government’s job is not to coerce and censor, but to inform and promote responsible usage and give help to those who need it.

So what are the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and Virginia’s Racial Integrity Act of 1924? The former stated that all runaway slaves had to be returned to their rightful owners and the latter was an anti-miscegenation law that prohibited interracial marriages. Wrap your minds around those two in our contemporary world.

By the way, once upon a time, tomatoes were illegal and considered deadly poison.

Add that one to the list of things to ponder.

Take into account the Gateway Drug Theory. The theory states that if a person starts using marijuana they will eventually move on to “harder” drugs such as cocaine and heroin. According to http:// marijuanaaddictiontreatment.org, 62 percent of adults who had used marijuana before the age of 15 have used cocaine at some point during their lives. For those who had never used marijuana, that number is 0.6 percent.

Those who use marijuana in youth are more likely to use heroin. That number is 9 percent as compared to 0.1 percent for those who had never used marijuana.

Looking at these figures I would say it is more than just a theory.

More than half of all the people arrested in the United States test positive for illegal drugs in 2007 according to the National Institute of Justice and the U.S. Department of Justice. We all know how drugs affect the mind, when someone gets

hooked, they do whatever they need to in order to get money to buy more drugs. And if there are more people taking advantage of legalized marijuana thus falling victim to the Gateway Drug Theory, there could be a huge increase in drug related crime.

Judging by the statistics and facts above I would have to say that, no, legalizing marijuana would not be in America's best interest. It is an all too scary possibility that this could snowball and have a very negative impact on the lives of many. Far more than it does now.

America has too much going on right now to worry about legalizing marijuana. There is an an election coming up, Middle East tensions are still prevalent and given the statistics above, there is an evident crime and drug problem. Uncle Sam simply has much bigger issues to attend to right now.

Against: JESSE HOFFORD OPINIONS EDITOR First being labeled a poison in 1906, restrictions on marijuana increased until being entirely outlawed in the mid-1900s. The legalization of marijuana has been a subject of debate for decades in the United States. Usage of legalized marijuana boils down to trust and responsibility. Could the people of America be trusted and, perhaps more importantly, be responsible with this renewed freedom?

It is no mystery that marijuana has effects on the brain and body such as feelings of euphoria, increased appetite and muscle relaxation. However, what some may not know is how long term and regular use

affect the mind and body.

According to http://drugabuse.gov, research has shown that, in chronic users, marijuana's adverse impact on learning and memory can last for days or weeks after the acute effects of the drug wear off. As a result, someone who smokes marijuana every day may be functioning at a lower intellectual level all of the time.

Sounds like a great time. That is not the only way marijuana attacks the brain and inhibits its functions.

Over 40 percent of Americans have already used marijuana. Marijuana is also the second most frequently detected psychoactive substance among drivers right behind booze and is associated with impaired driving skills, says http:// crimeinamerica.net. Legalizing it would only drive those numbers up higher because the people who want to buy and use it but were too afraid of getting busted would no longer have anything to fear.

EDITORS Kavahn Mansouri Kelly Glueck Mike Ziegler Hans Steinert Lilly Huxhold Kurt Oberreither Jesse Hofford Tomi Storey Spencer Gleason Kait Thomas Justin Villmer Kelsey Koenig Shannon Philpott

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8 INDEPTH

VALENTINE’S DAY February 9, 2012

survival guide TOMI STOREY INDEPTH EDITOR

tell the other person that you love them give or get a hug make the other person feel important and respected kiss have fun together tell the other person that you care hold hands go for a long bike ride give a special gift be there when a friend is needed spend time together go to a movie make a special tape of love songs talk• openly about your feelings share dreams with each other snuggle up together sit together in the park take a walk together go out to eat have a picnic play a game of frisbee l

UNCONVENTIONAL dates Free Valentine’s Day Concert

Members of the St. Louis Symphony will be performing a free concert for the public on Valentine’s Day at the Piper Palm House in Tower Grove Park. The doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the concert beginning at 7p.m.

Seating is based on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Valentine’s Hike at Shaw Nature Reserve Share the wonder of the outdoors with your valentine by taking a hike at Shaw Nature Reserve. The reserve is hosting a special evening hike at 7p.m. for couples on Feb. 11.

Couples can also enjoy hot chocolate and dessert while getting cozy by the fire. The cost is $29 per person.

Dancing at Casa Loma

Dig up your old dancing shoes and show off your moves at Casa Loma Ballroom Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m. The ballroom will be hosting a Valentine’s celebration featuring the Fabulous Motown Revue with Velvet and Satin.

The cost is $15 per person.

Love at Laumeier Sculpture Park

Spend Valentine’s Day at Laumeier for a fundraising event and enjoy Kakao chocolate, poetry, a sculpture tour, wine and brandy tasting, and so much more. Have kids? Bring them along too for hot cocoa and s’mores!

The event takes place Feb. 11 at Laumeier Sculpture Park from 5-9 p.m. Individual tickets are $35 ($25 for members), children 11 and under are free with adult admission.

PERSONAL holiday

Single? Valentine’s Day is not just about couples, so get out there and celebrate! Instead of dwelling on being single, embrace it. Take a look at this list of things to do for singles!

• • • • •

Go to dinner and a movie with a friend Hit the bar for some drinks Spend time with family Throw a party Go shopping and pamper yourself

CELEBRATE single

Looking to get back into the game? Valentine’s Day is the perfect time for that! Here’s a few special events just for singles.

Love stinks, let’s drink!

St. Louis Transplants presents a special event for singles of any age.

Feb. 14 7 p.m. at Roxanne’s.

12 N Meramec Ave

St. Louis, Mo. 63105

314.721.770

Date and Dash speed-dating

With Date and Dash you can chat with a large pool of people, choose your favorites, and see if they choose you! 21+ Feb. 14 8:30 p.m. at Bailey’s Chocolate Bar.

1915 Park Ave.

St Louis, Mo. 63104

314.241.8100

Looking to stray away from the cliche dinner and a movie? Check out these different ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Adopt a Red Panda

Show your Valentine your soft side by adopting a red panda in their honor. For $40, the zoo will send your sweetie a cuddly stuffed animal, an adoption certificate and a one year membership as a Zoo parent. Adoptions are available up until Feb. 14.

Kitchen Conservatory Classes Cook up some fun with the special person in your life this Valentine’s Day. Choose from different meals to create to match your taste.

The special “Valentine for couples” classes run from now until Valentine’s Day.

INDEPTH

DINNER deals

Februrary 9, 2012

Most restaurants are hopping on the bandwagon with Valentine’s Day specials.

Here’s a few to get you started.

J. Gilbert’s

Offering a special 3-course menu designed for two. Available on Feb. 12 and 13 for $84 and on the 14th for $99. Menu includes salad or soup, char-crusted ahi tuna, filet mignon or seared sea scallops and choice of desserts.

Contact info 17A W County Ctr Des Peres, Mo. 63131 314.965.4600

Maggiano’s

Celebrate Valentine’s Day any day of the month of February at Maggiano’s. From Feb 2-29, enjoy a “month of love meal for two” for $70 per couple. Choose from any appetizer, flatbread or two side salads, two entrees, one dessert and two glasses of wine.

Contact info #2 The Boulevard Richmond Heights, Mo. 63117 314.824.2402

The Melting Pot

For a fun and interactive dining experience, head to the Melting Pot for a special night.

A four-course fondue dinner for two is $130.

The menu includes cheese fondue, salad, main entree and chocolate fondue.

Contact info 294 Lamp and Lantern Vlg. Chesterfield, Mo. 63017 636.207.6358

6683 Delmar Boulevard University City, Mo. 63130 314.725.4141

Red Lobster

Enjoy the four-course seafood feast for $15 per person. Start with a signature soup, salad with unlimited cheddar biscuits, entree and choice of desserts. Visit http://redlobster.com to find your nearest Red Lobster.

White Castle

Reserve a table at your local White Castle to experience their annual transformation from their basic dining room into a full-service set up, including tablecloths, table service, flowers, “charming decorations” and free dessert.

Visit http://whitecastle.com to find your nearest White Castle.

10ART&LIFE February, 9, 2012

Theater Club represented at college theater SARA MURILLO STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Students from the Theater Club of STLCC-Meramec attended the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF), hosted by Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, from Jan. 15 to Jan. 21.

The KCACTF is a regional theater festival in which eight states participate.

Students attending from different universities and colleges are given the opportunity to be part of weeklong workshops, acting competitions, design initiatives and stage management competitions.

KCACTF also offers training with invited producers and theater professionals.

Keith Oliver, Meramec theater club co-sponsor has been a faculty mentor in the festival for another school for five years.

“When you mentor a student it is the time for your professional development,” Oliver said.

“As we have seen, KCACTF not only taught techniques for a professional performance on or backstage, but it also offered students the guidance towards a successful life as artists and theatrical professionals.”

Meramec theater club students have attended the KCACTF for over 25 years. This year four students and their partners were selected out of applicants from the summer of 2011. The selection

judges made their decision based on certain criteria. In order for students to be considered they had to be actively involved in the theater club, have a high performance on stage and have good grades.

Owens, Monica Zidaru, Derek Robertson, Andrew Bayer and Haley Kemper were all in attendance at the KCACTF. The festival started Jan. 15, KCACTF gave the students the option

“It’s an amazing opportunity to share and experience to expand upon the art itself with people that are interested to take the same path as you.”

- Haley Kemper Once the selection process was completed, theater club co-sponsors, Meramec professors Michelle Rebollo and Keith Oliver, worked with the selected students throughout the rest of the year.

Even though the trip lasted only one week, the planning process took longer.

Planning meetings took place on a number of occasions between October and December of 2011.

Lydia Oetker, Caroline Steinkamp, Angelina Lahr, Kate Schmidt, Crystal

@ppslr

to choose their own schedules for the training; competitions or workshops they wanted to participate in. Each of the nine students worked and competed with other students from different universities. Haley Kemper, faculty member of Meramec, vice president of the Theater Club and short plays actress, applied last semester to be part of the KCACTF. Kemper said that it is a great opportunity to learn from other students and theater experts. She worked with

Andrew Bayer, actor from Meramec theater club and semifinalist of the KCACTF with his partner Monica Zudari.

“I was excited to be the college fair coordinator of the festival,” Rebollo said.

Rebollo also confirmed that the amount of benefits and opportunities that the KCACTF gives to the students are very large. Rebollo said attendants can experiment with the networking opportunity thanks to the important producers that are invited every year.

Also the trip could be the door to transferring and summer work. For the students it is not just a trip, but the start of a future for Meramec theater students and students from other universities.

The KCACTF is a great opportunity for Meramec students. Even though they had to go through difficulties such as bad weather and short time for organizing, Haley Kemper said that KCACTF is an important event that is helful for students.

“It’s an amazing opportunity to share and experience to expand upon the art itself with people that are interested to take the same path as you,” Kemper said.

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ART&LIFE February 9, 2012

PHOTO BY: ALEX KENDALL

Meyer sits at his desk in Communications North where many tattered books line his shelves and his Washington University diplomas hang above his desk. His life and career path changed while attending STLCC-Meramec.

From student to professor KIMBERLY MORICE SENIOR STAFF WRITER Almost 21 years ago, a man who had just become a father walked into STLCCMeramec’s advising office. He planned to audit music composition classes, just wanting to learn the skill but not receive the credit.

Enrollment Management Coordinator and former adviser, Kim Fitzgerald, was the first adviser he met with.

“Fitzgerald said, ‘Why do you want to do that? If you’re going to be here, you might as well take it for credit, just in case,’” Eric Meyer, English professor and honors program coordinator, said. “I had a pretty decent job, I didn’t need a college degree, that was my attitude.”

Fitzgerald talked Meyer into taking classes for college credit, not only music classes, but a College Composition I class as well.

“All of this was so reluctant on my part. I had no confidence. It just wasn’t me. I wasn’t smart enough, I wasn’t anything for college.

But I trusted Kim, and I trusted my first Comp. teacher. I just trusted people,” Meyer said. “It was a great experience. Not only that, they talked me into honors, because I qualified based on my placement tests.”

Meyer sits at his desk in Communications North, where many tattered books line his shelves and his Washington University diplomas hang above his desk. His life and career path changed while attending Meramec, something that happens to many students like him.

“It’s obviously been the best thing for me.

I ended up changing careers, I ended up getting three degrees and actually working here at Meramec and running the program that I graduated from. It’s crazy, these things don’t just happen,” Meyer said.

While attending Meramec, Meyer was

pushed by one of his instructors to publish some of his writing, which meant joining the school newspaper.

“My Comp. I teacher thought that my work was really good and I thought that she was really crazy. I hadn’t been in school for nearly ten years, and I said that I can’t be good at what I’m doing,” Meyer said. “She told me about different opportunities, and then she told me about The Montage.”

Meyer became involved at The Montage, developing a close relationship with Rich Michalksi, the former faculty advisor at The Montage and full-time faculty member in the English department for many decades.

“Again, I had no confidence. Then I just slowly got involved. I ended up becoming, I can’t remember if I was page editor, I might have been features editor. Eventually I became managing editor. I worked on the layout design, everything,” Meyer said.

Though he’s not involved with The Montage anymore as a faculty member, he still reads it and says he admires the changes it has gone through since his time on staff.

The Montage has been winning awards in the past few years that it won when he was on staff in the 90s.

“The Montage has changed after [Michalksi] retired and quickly passed away, it had to reinvent itself. It went to a parttime instructor for a while and it did really well. I worked with the communications department to get the Montage back to a fulltime instructor, of course the administration might not like that because it is now much more powerful,” Meyer said. “I think that The Montage is back to where it was, probably better.”

Meyer was eventually offered a job at

Meramec as an English instructor and honors program coordinator.

“Before I even graduated from Saint Louis University with my master’s degree, which was the minimum degree I needed to teach here, I had this job,” Meyer said. “It was very competitive. It wasn’t the good old boy system.”

Since being with the college, Meyer has witnessed many changes throughout the years, good and bad.

“The college has changed in some really great ways. Physically it’s gotten a little better.

We still don’t have space for some students, and we actually had more students in 1991,” Meyer said. “Certain areas of the college are better, certain areas of the college need improvement.”

Since attending the college and having a first-hand student experience, Meyer’s main goal as an instructor is to make sure the current students have a good experience.

“I hope that we don’t lose sight of what students need every day. I think that people, certain administrators, in the past have been very interested in feathers in their caps and career building. It’s not always in the interest in everyday students,” Meyer said.

Meyer’s role as honors program coordinator puts him in situations every day that involves students.

“Through this program I work with students every day. All day long students are in my office talking to me about what I was dreaming about 20 years ago. For me, I’m almost living my youth through every student who walks through the door,” Meyer said.

“It’s rewarding, but it’s draining. I go home tired every night, and then I have to do my own grading and lesson planning because

I’m still primarily an instructor here.”

Meyer says he hopes that the college continues to keep the student’s best interest in mind as they make further changes in years to come.

“I see students every day, so when the college makes a decision that somehow harms them, I just find that strange and that’s not part of my world. They may have some logical reasons for doing things, but I don’t always see that clearly,” Meyer said as he leaned forward in his desk chair, clasping his hands. “I do see how it affects students, and the student and instructor relationships.

Anything that harms faculty that affects students, I’m interested in.”

How Meyer got his start at Meramec reflects how many students start out at the community college. Instructors value and care about their students’ success so much that many times they don’t hesitate to get involved in their college career, which usually pushes students to do their best.

“So many of us have these experiences. It should be the college experience, that you come and you’re not sure of yourself, I mean that’s the 2-year college experience. There are people who go right out of high school who are confident, maybe even cocky, who go off to some nice university that may continue or not, but they’re not growing like we are.

We really grow, and sometimes it’s drastic,” Meyer said.

Meyer’s journey through Meramec is certainly an example of what students can achieve at a community college level. He says that witnessing the change people go through is a very rewarding part of his job.

“We just grow so much here and I love to see that,” Meyer said.

12ART&LIFE February, 9, 2012

To protect and serve JAROD POWELL STAFF WRITER Chief of Police Paul Banta works at his desk, his posture suggesting a genuine self-possession that most professional men merely purport. He’s dressed in khakis and a polo, and he blares classic rock music as he works. He concentrates on his work but with a moderate sense of repose. Across from his desk in a discreet corner hangs a certificate, indicating his title as chief of campus police.

He is an imposing figure; stocky and tall, but with a quiet confidence that, without his cordial demeanor, could make him seem intimidating.

Banta speaks about his work matterof-factly, comfortable in a career he seems born to do, even if it started with a figurative throw of the dice.

Banta started his decades-long career in law enforcement during an irresolute conversation with a career counselor, regarding a prospective program of study.

“I hadn’t planned to go to college and didn’t really have a career choice at this point in time. The career counselor said, ‘What do you want to major in?’ And I didn’t even understand what a major meant, you know—I was a high school kid and I didn’t really plan on doing any of that college education. I figured I’d probably end up being a brick layer or something like that,” Banta said.

“I was like, ‘What do you got?’ So she went down the list and got to law enforcement, and I said, ‘You know, that sounds interesting, I think I’ll do that.’”

Banta ended up taking courses at STLCC-Forest Park, and soon after was offered a job at the local police department.

“I ended up going over there before I got my 2-year degree. Never did get my 2-year degree,” Banta said. He went on to receive a bachelor’s degree from Park University.

Before working at STLCC-Meramec, Banta was a policeman for Des Peres Police Department for 36 years.

“I became a juvenile officer. That assignment was in their detective bureau, and then I moved from juvenile officer to investigator,” Banta said.

“After a few years as an investigator, I got promoted to detective.”

Around the time Banta became a detective he also received a promotion to deputy commander.

“My duties were to run homicide investigations all over the area. I did that for 26 years, as well as being deputy lieutenant of Des Peres at the same time. That’s pretty much where I got my experience from,” Banta said.

Banta says he came to work for Meramec because it was a change of pace.

“I was pushing 60 years old–I guess at

PHOTO BY: NICK ROUSSEAU

Chief of Police Paul Banta works at his desk in the Campus Police office. Banta said that being the Chief of Police at Meramec is a service based job unlike his past jobs.

the time I was 56 years old. I just thought it was time to start slowing down a bit.

I was looking for a job that would meet my needs, but with a different type of challenge,” he said.

Among the differences between being an investigator and chief of campus police is the day-to-day focus, including emergency preparedness and active shooter training.

“Right now we’re getting our

which is an exterior PA that just went into service. We’ve got a pop-up system that we’ve put together for the computer system. We’ve got e-mail delivery that delivers emergency situations to everyone on campus. That’s what we’ve primarily been doing.”

Banta said that it is a very different job description than his former job.

“Here we’re proactive; trying to prevent crime. In my other job, after

“Here we’re proactive; trying to prevent crime. Here, we’re trying to create a safe environment for the students.”

- Paul Banta Chief of Police emergency management straightened out with our notification systems and being prepared for a myriad of emergencies that might take place on a college campus,” Banta said. “We’ve got a brand new notification system,

the crimes were committed I tried to figure out who did them. Here, we’re trying to create a safe environment for the students,” Banta said. “We’re very service-oriented here.”

Banta says that most day-to-day issues

involve things like keys being locked in cars, dead car batteries and turning things into lost and found.

Though the atmosphere at Meramec is calmer, there are still crimes that have to be dealt with.

“Occasionally people get things stolen, so we do reports and follow up on those.

We have domestic disputes on campus,” Banta said. “Often we have to escort people to cars if they’re concerned about the spouse or whoever’s been harassing them or giving them problems in the parking lot. Pretty much the regular stuff that any police department would do, it’s just confined to the 17 acres of this campus.”

Banta says that patrolling a college campus can be compared to patrolling a town.

“Quite frankly, if you look at it like that, you’ve got over 10,000 people here on this 17 acre campus, which is a pretty densely populated community,” he said.

“It’s almost like a small city within a city. So we have all the problems that any other city would have.”

ART&LIFE February, 9, 2012

Veterans honored, welcomed home St. Louis pays tribute to those who served ALEX KENDALL SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGAPHER Jan. 28, St. Louis hosted the Welcome Home Heroes Parade that honored troops who fought in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. St. Louis is the first city to host a parade celebration honoring Iraq veterans since the soldiers left Iraq in December.

The parade began at Kiener Plaza, followed down Market Street, and ended at Union Station with a Veteran’s Resource Center set-up inside the building. Up and down Market Street, attendees waved American flags and held up homemade “welcome home” signs.

In addition to the veterans who walked down the streets, the Welcome Home Hero Parade also features numerous floats, marching bands, lines of motorcycles, the Budweiser Clydesdales and various family and volunteer organizations. An additional organization, the Mayflower moving company, helped collect items for homeless veterans.

The night before, a tribute was held honoring the fallen men and women who died in Iraq and Afghanistan. The tribute began Friday at 9:11 p.m. when people read the names of those who have fallen since the wars’ beginnings. According to KSDK the readings lasted through Saturday morning.

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Kirkwood has it all!

From A to Z. A: Art. The Kirkwood Area Arts Council

sponsors monthly “Art at the Station” artist exhibits at the Kirkwood Train Station. Visit kirkwoodareaarts.org for full details.

B: Books. Kirkwood has its own library.

The Kirkwood Public Library at 140 E. Jefferson. And this summer, KPL will sponsor a “One Book, One Kirkwood” community reading project.

Visit kirkwoodpubliclibrary.org.

C:

Community Center. Ice Skating, Fitness Classes, Theatre (Stages and the Kirkwood Theatre Guild perform here), and TONS of special events (wholesale designer purse sale, rock and gem show, Columbia sportswear sale!). Visit the City’s Website calendar at kirkwoodmo.org.

D:

Downtown: Where do we begin?

Dozens and dozens of unique retail shops, specialty food stores, bakeries, bars, restaurants, and the oldest Farmers’ Market in the state – with live musicevery Saturday. And it’s all WALKABLE!

Photo: Maple Jam Band at Kirkwood Farmers’ Market

And that’s just the beginning: E: Entertainment. F: Farmers’ Market. G: Greentree Festival…

The list goes on!

Swinging toward 2012 season Practices are in full swing for the softball team as they prepare for their inaugural season as the STLCC Archers.

During the process of consolidating athletic teams last year all across STLCC, it was decided that Meramec would host the softball team. Along with becoming accustomed to new uniforms, new teammates and a new head coach’s voice, the 2012 Archers look to bring their talents together.

“I didn’t think [consolidating the teams] was a bad idea, because by combining all the teams, you will be taking the best players out of each school to create better teams for all sports,” Kayla Becktol, freshman outfielder, said.

However, not all of the players were as pleased as Becktol with the athletic department’s decision. In fact, just seven of the 21 freshmen from last year’s individual teams returned to play under the new format, including pitcher Dani Whitehead.

Whitehead, who played for the Meramec Magic last season, garnered first team all-region honors after racking up 50 strikeouts. She briefly transferred last fall.

“I wasn’t very happy when I first found out [about the consolidation] because most of my team was leaving due to the coaching change,” Whitehead said. “I didn’t want to play without them, so I left to play for Kentucky Wesleyan College, an NCAA Division-II school. I missed home, though, so I decided to come home and try Meramec again. I couldn’t stand not playing, so I gave it a shot. I really enjoy it.”

New Archer head coach, Wayne Bryan, who coached the women’s softball team at STLCC-Florissant Valley for 11 seasons, earned Region XVI Coach of the Year honors in 2008 after his team captured the 2008 Region XVI championship.

Bryan believes his group of new recruits will benefit from playing with the small group of returning sophomores, but understands experience will be the key to success.

“Our freshmen, in general, are pretty strong. Adding to that, the sophomores that we have returning are also pretty strong, but there’s still a lot to be said,” Bryan said. “[The freshman are] still wet behind the ears and they still have some learning and growing to do.”

While damp weather has prevented the team from holding regular outdoor practices, freshman recruit Tory Ellis has already started to make an impression on Bryan.

As a senior at Fox High School, Ellis batted .429 with 24 RBI. “Based on what we have right now, we do have a couple student-athletes, freshmen in particular, who could have an impact,” Bryan said. “One would be Tory Ellis.”

Ellis headlines a freshman class that Bryan believes could help the Archers reach the .500 mark. “[We definately have a shot at] winning our region and taking a shot at nationals,” Bryan said. “That’s our hope. That’s the plan. If we continue to work hard, I think we can accomplish that.”

SPORTS February 9, 2012

BRIAN HAENCHEN STAFF

PHOTO BY: DAVID KLOECKENER New STLCC Archer softball head coach, Wayne Bryan, instructs his team during batting practice. Bryan spent the 2011 season coaching the STLCC-Florissant Valley Fury.

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16SPORTS February 9, 2012

Magic on the rink

PHOTO BY: JAKE SI-

PHOTOS BY: ALEX KENAbove right: Meramec Magic roller hockey teammates battle for the puck against the boards during practice on Wednesday, Feb. 1. The Meramec Magic roller hockey team is 7-4-2 overall during the 2011-2012 season and is 7-3-1 against Division I teams. Their next game is at Midwest Sport Hockey Complex on Feb. 10 against the Lindenwood Lions. Bottom right: Eric Dauernheim leads teammates during a practice drill. Dauernheim has 18 goals and 14 assists this season. Above left: A Meramec Magic roller hockey player skates across the rink.

ALEX KENDALL SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER A pair of roller blades, a junior Easton hockey stick, either a ball or a plastic puck, and two “build-it-yourself” nets.

Those were the things kids have grown up with to play hockey in their neighborhood with their friends and neighbors.

As part of the National Collegiate Roller Hockey Association (NCRHA), the Meramec Magic and coach Alex Digirolamo have taken this childhood past time and applied it to the fast-paced sport of roller hockey.

While attending Saint Louis University, Digirolamo returned to his old high school to coach Parkway South High School’s varsity roller hockey team.

He began his career with STLCCMeramec Magic before tryouts began.

“This is my first year. I got a phone call right before tryouts,” Digirolamo said. “I’ve done a few travel teams, then high school and now college.”

A recent college graduate at the age of 23, Digirolamo remains one of the youngest coaches in the league.

“I’m just one of the younger coaches. I just love to give back to the sport,” Digirolamo said. “I love coaching just as much as I’ve loved playing.”

Even at such a young age Digirolamo commands a high level of respect and responsibility from his team.

“With our coach he’s been consistent and keeps us motivated,” Pat Woodling, Meramec Magic roller hockey goalie, said.

“He’s a good guy. For being as young as he is, he’s very knowledgeable.”

Woodling has one assist this year.

The Meramec Magic have a wide range of age and skill on the team. From 19 to 29, the team members’ ages make no difference to the team just as in any other sport, according to Digirolamo.

“The mixture of age makes a really good chemistry with the team,” said Woodling.

With three players returning for their third year and adding at least one new freshman to the team, the Magic have done well with the smaller talent pool at Meramec according to Digirolamo.

“You can look at Mizzou and the number of kids that go there compared to Meramec,” Digrolamo said. “They have a much larger talent pool that they can pull from.”

Digiolamo has led his team to a record of 7-4-2, with four games left in the season.

Three of the four games will be against the Lindenwood Lions, the number one school in their division.

“There will be a lot of goal scoring, a lot of movement,” Digiolamo said. “It is a very exciting game and you’re going to see a lot of skillful players out there. It makes it a very interesting game.”

With a trip to the semi-finals in 2010, and a trip to the finals in 2011, Digiolamo looks for the team to have another chance at a national championship run.

“It’s a great sport to play, and the kids like to get after it,” Digiolamo said. “And we’re looking for another national championship this year.”

PHOTO BY: ALEX KENFirst year head coach, Alex Digirolamo (right) explains the next practice drill to his Magic team during practice on Wednesday, Feb. 1.