Newsletter of March 30, 2004

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Middle School UN Fine Success; Next Session on Wednesday

Last week's Middle School U.N. session was a success, as students from Holman, Bunche, Pattonville Heights, and Saeger collaborated on four strong resolutions. Jamaica and U.K. presented a resolution on "Illicit Drug Reduction" that was narrowly defeated by the General Assembly members. The students worked hard to fine-tune a Haiti resolution on "Rebuilding Haiti", and passed it after several amendments. Japan's resolution on "HIV/AIDS in Africa" passed nearly unanimously after many amendment suggestions by other countries. Ukraine, France, and Spain were also successful in passing a resolution on "Safety of Nuclear Power Plants".

This week, Long Middle, Queen of All Saints, St. Gabriel, and St. Mary Magdalen will meet for the March 31st U.N. session. All Middle School U.N. sessions are held from 9:00 AM until 12:00 NOON at the Creve Coeur Government Center (see link to map below).

Resolution Results from March 24, 2004
2004 Middle School UN Resolutions can be found by clicking this link.
Map to Creve Coeur Government Center

Successful High School Discussion Last Saturday
For the second time this year, high school students gathered at Crossroads School with the intention on having a frivolous model U.N. For the second time, they failed. Each time, students have wanted to discuss serious topics. Last Saturday students joined in conversation about everything from the war in Iraq, the media, inequities in schools in St. Louis, the problems of downtown St. Louis, and a host of other issues. This is a real tribute to this year's students; their commitment to studying global and local issues rather than playing with frivolous ideas.

Our next high school discussion group will be on Saturday, April 10, from 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM at Crossroads School.
Map & Directions to Crossroads School

Reminder on U.N. Conference in Washington, DC

College students, & high-school seniors and juniors--
We invite you to enter a contest to participate in a
national conference in Washington D.C.

"UNITED NATIONS, DIVIDED WORLD:
THE PROSPECTS FOR U.N. REFORM"

JUNE 9 -11, 2004

______________________________________________________________________________________

STAY AT A HOTEL NEAR THE NATION'S CAPITOL.

ATTEND PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS ON:
HOW 9/11 AND IRAQ HAVE CHANGED THE WORLD
WHAT THE U.N. MUST DO TO BECOME MORE EFFECTIVE
THE U.S. ROLE IN REFORMING THE U.N.
IMPLEMENTING THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT

JOIN IN LOBBYING CONGRESS FOR GLOBAL SOLUTIONS;
PARTICIPATE IN THE FIRST ANNUAL MEETING OF THE
NEWLY FORMED CITIZENS FOR GLOBAL SOLUTIONS
__________________________________________________________________________

Citizens for Global Solutions of Greater St. Louis will provide transportation, registration, meals, & lodging at the Capitol Hill Suites Hotel for a college student or a high-school junior or senior to attend this national Global Solutions convention.
The conference begins at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 9, so you should be able to leave St. Louis that afternoon. It ends late afternoon Friday, June 11, so you could be back by that night. Getting to & from the St. Louis airport is your responsibility.
If you want to be a contestant for this subsidized trip, write a 3-5 page typed essay (double-spaced) consisting of two parts. In the first part tell us about your background and why you would be a good person for us to send to this meeting. In the second part share with us your thinking about the problems our world community faces and how we might deal with them more effectively.
____________________________________________________________________

In exchange for this subsidy C/GS of St. Louis expects you to give us a brief written report about the conference & what you learned from it. (This helps us raise money for next time.)

Send your essay to:
Ronald J. Glossop, 8894 Berkay Avenue, Jennings, MO 63136-5004
or by e-mail to: email to Ron Glossop at [email protected].
Be sure to include your home address and telephone number.

For more information, call (314) 869-2303.

Deadline: May 4, 2004. Winner will be notified by May 6, 2004.

U.N.A. Sponsors Speaker on U.N. & Iraq
On Tuesday, April 20 the Mary T. Hall Seminar focusing on the role of the U.N. in Iraq and sponsored by the UNA-STL and featuring Jeff Laurenti as after-dinner speaker will be held. The United Nations Association Chapter of Greater St. Louis hopes Civitas students would want to attend. More information will follow.

Tuesday, April 20, 2004, 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Central Reform Congregation
5020 Waterman Avenue; St. Louis, MO 63108
with Jeffrey Laurenti, Senior Advisor, United Nations Foundation

The seminar is free and open to the public. Dinner $30 paid in advance to UNA/Stl., 438 No. Skinker Blvd. 63130. Special rates for students. Phone: (314) 727-2929

What do you think?

This week's poll is:
Gasoline prices in the United States just reached an all-time high of $1.77 per gallon. They are expected to rise even further in the summer. One way to lower prices in the short run would be to release for consumers some of the six-month supply of petroleum reserved for emergencies. Would you support dipping into the emergency pool of gasoline and lowering prices, or keeping prices high while preserving the emergency pool?

Link to Survey on Summer Gasoline Prices
Link to Poll on Civitas Intranet Site

Previous Survey Results (New)

Last week's question was:

Do you think that there is too much emphasis on drinking and wild partying on college spring breaks?

Responses:

1. Yes 61% (11)

2. No 28% (5)

3. Not Sure 11% (2)

Total: 17
Additional Comments

Bryan Carlin;SLUH, 2006
The way I see Spring Break is that it is a time to relax and do what you want and what do new college students want to do but drink without having to hide it so its just one big celebration of freedom and fun with differently named equivalents in about every European country. Oktober Fest in Germany is the same thing only you have younger people there since they don't really have a legal drinking age seeing as a lot of the parents bring their babies up on beer. So pretty much what I am trying to say is that�s all it really is one big party celebrating the end of winter for most non Christians and for Christians before the time of hardship in the Lenten season so I see no reason why they can't advocate a thing most people like to do.

Bronwyn Ritchie; Lindbergh High School, 2005
Hola! Springizzle Breakizzle! If you wanna talk about emphasis on drinking and girls gone wild funage I wouldn't just look to that week of freedom from college life, but right at home in our high schools. No doubt, America's future likes to scamper away from responsibilities and into the arms of places with lower drinking ages, but is it even an issue among college students? Sure there is an emphasis on the partay, but that's okay when it's legal. It's those nutty prostatots you've got to worry about, the high school kids that have vodka hidden in shampoo bottles and expensive underwear behind their school uniforms. Also....It's all MTV's fault.

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