Newsletter of November 1, 2005

Civitas Home Page
New Civitas Participant Handbook Published

The new, improved Participant (Delegate) Handbook for Civitas students and teachers is now available for distribution. The first to receive the booklets were those at last Saturday's high school discussion group.

Comprehensive information on the actual United Nations, the responsibilities of delegates in the Civitas model UNs and other important international topics are contained in the book. Of particular note is that we have more demographic information than ever before in this edition.

Printing copies of this participant handbook for all of our students and teachers would not be possible without the generosity of Ameren UE and its Administrative Assistant for Customer Relations, Marlene Wade. Ameren UE has supported Civitas model U.N. activities for nearly ten years and Ms. Wade has made the process more simple than ever over the past three years. We extend our deepest thanks to you!

Thanks also to Civitas staffer Bobbi Clemons who did most of the work in researching material for the book and in preparing the final copy. As always, her work remains invaluable.

We hope that you look forward to receiving your copy of the book. If you would like expedited delivery, please e-mail us or call us at (314) 367-6480.

Lively High School Discussion Last Saturday!

Civitas high school discussion groups in the Fall of 2005 have been extremely lively and enlightening. While we had a number of subjects that we considered discussing, students preferred to spend most of the two-hour session on the question of capital punishment. Particular attention was paid to cases in which prisoners have "reformed" while on death row. Examples include Stanley "Tookie" Williams in California and Carla Faye Tucker in Texas. Most students were open to abating the death penalty in cases where prisoners had made general reforms while in prison. Others opposed the death penalty all together. While this is somewhat at odds with current American public opinion, it is consistent with popular belief during periods of progressive reform in American history.

Our next discussion will be on Saturday, November 12 at Crossroads School (link to map below) from 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM. In addition to the discussion, we will also provide more vital information about the November 19 Civitas Model U.N.

As always, we will have a splendid mixture of tasty and nutritious foods and beverages!

At the bottom of this article, we have links to the "drafted list of nations" as well as photos and video from recent events.

Map and Directions to Crossroads School

Photos!

Streaming Video!

General Assembly Rosters for 2005-2006

Next Civitas On-Line Conference to be on Thursday, Nov. 10 at 7:00 PM

Utilizing our new capacity to have up to ten people simultaneously engage in an on-line activity, Civitas has begun a series of "on-line" conferences. Our next conference will be on Thursday, November 10, 2005. This is nine days away and nine days before our high school Fall Model U.N. session. We hope to use the on-line conference as a means to help delegates further prepare for their responsibilities in the model U.N.

In this "webinar," we will present a "common screen" for all participants to go over information of mutual interest. At the same time, students and teachers can call into a special '800' phone number so that we can talk with one another and ask questions. If a student or teacher wishes to "take control of the meeting" to make a particular point, he or she will be able to do so.

If you have any questions about this, please e-mail us or call us at (314) 367-6480.
Link to Budget Conferencing

Michael Wilson of Hazelwood Central Goes to Santa Fe to Attend "Global Solutions, Local Connections Conference"

Michael Wilson, a senior at Hazelwood Central High School who joined the Civitas Model United Nations program this Fall (thanks to the persuasiveness of Faculty Advisor Pat Minute), wrote the winning essay for the Citizens for Global Solutions all-expenses paid trip to Santa Fe, NM for an international youth conference. The theme of the conference is "Global Solutions, Local Connections, Making the Global Local, One Activist at a Time." Michael's essay entitles him to attend the conference with all expenses paid!

The conference will be held this Friday - Sunday, November 4 - 6, 2005. Students will hear presentations and join in discussions on a variety of international issues.

One of the guest speakers will be Bill Richardson, governor of New Mexico. Previously he was U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Secretary of Energy, special envoy to North Korea, and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. His name is misleading; he is of Hispanic background. He is considered by many to be a possible Democratic candidate for president in 2008.

We want to thank Dr. Ronald Glossop for passing along information on the conference to us and for heading up the St. Louis chapter of Citizens for Global Solutions.

Click here to read Michael's essay.

Link to Conference Web Page

Middle School Student & Teacher Workshop on November 16

Our annual Fall Middle School Model United Nations program is little more than two weeks away. It will be held on Wednesday, November 16, at the Khorassan Room in the Chase-Park Plaza Hotel. We expect more than 500 students and teachers to be in attendance for this comprehensive workshop and morning of entertainment.

The agenda for the morning includes an interactive power point presentation on the United Nations and our Model UN program, a resolution simulation, and a performance by drummers and dancers from Cote d'Ivoire. We look forward to seeing everyone there!

We hope that all schools have their transportation arrangements in place. If they need assistance, they should contact us as soon as possible.

Should any teacher have any questions about any topics, they can contact:

1. The Civitas office [(314) 367-6480) or [email protected]] or
2. Lisa Granich-Kovarik [(314) 865-4704 or [email protected]].
Middle School Country Selections for 2005-2006

Survey on More Male Teachers in Elementary Schools

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - A University of Missouri professor says elementary school students aren't seeing enough male teachers.

And the National Education Association agrees. It says only nine percent of elementary school teachers in the country are male. Researchers link the shortage to several things, from lower test scores for young boys to the absence of male role models, other than in sports.

To respond, Missouri-Columbia education professor Roy Fox has created Men for Excellence in Elementary Teaching. He says the program will offer financial incentives and mentors to steer more beginning male teachers to the younger grades.

Do you think that there is a shortage of male teachers in elementary schools in the United States?
Survey on Whether There is a Shortage of Male Teachers in Elementary Schools

Previous Survey Results!

Last newsletter's question was:

Survey on Should "Old" Busch Stadium Be Torn Down for a New One?

The demolition of Busch Stadium in St. Louis has begun after 40 years if use. In comparison, the St. Louis Art Museum is functional and more than 100 years old. The Colliseum in Rome, Italy is nearly 2,000 years old and occasionally used for special events.

Do you think that it is premature to abandon and tear down Busch Stadium?

Responses:

1. Yes 12 (80%)

2. No 2 (7%)

3. Not Sure 1 (13%)

COMMENTS ON THE ISSUE

Comments on the Old and New Busch Stadium

Bruce Buckland; Monsanto

It was designed and built for multiple professional sports i.e. soccer, football and baseball. It was therefore sub standard for both football and baseball. The new ballpark is a modern Sportsman's Park which was designed for baseball.

Lisa Henderson; Fox High School, 2008

The stadium has held up for a long time, and I can't see anything wrong with it, except perhaps that it's not new and shiny enough. Do you hear the sarcasm? This stadium can last many more years, and there is no reason to tear it down now. Besides, there are better things to spend all this money.

Michael Mulligan, Jr.; S.L.U.H., 2009

I think that since the primary reason for tearing it down is so that a new stadium can be built with more luxury boxes, the idea of both the city and the team spending millions to tear down Busch and erect the new stadium is ridiculous. Especially with the city helping with the construction we must ask is this what tax dollars go to instead of welfare for the poor? No wonder Social Security and Medicaid have inadequate funding.

Brett DeLaria; S.L.U.H., 2008

We all love the old Busch Stadium, but there is a time to move on at times. I am going to miss that stadium . lots of memories, but from what I understand there was a lot of structural damage which would be expensive to replace, so it was time for a new one. Some will say that the rich just want to expand their boxes, and yes that is partially true, but this new stadium is going to be architecturally beautiful and bring a lot of much needed economic and cultural revival to the city. Plus, I will admit that it is only a building and yes as humans we do get attached to material things, but we need to let go and begin to look for new memories...plus it's the Cardinals who make the memories not the stadium. Old Busch thanks for the memories, and new Busch can't wait for the memories to come!

Janice Furnace; Metro High School, 2009

I think that abandoning the old Busch Stadium and building a new one with fewer seats was an incredibly ill-thought plan. It would have been better to do renovations on the old Busch Stadium.

Anthony Keel; S.L.U.H., 2006

I love Busch Stadium, and I think everyone is with me in saying that we will all hate to see it go. Why do we have to tear down Busch Stadium when Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park, and Wrigley Field have been around for much longer? Like my dad says, "money is the motive." If anyone that is making this decision to tear down the stadium would ask the people, I'm sure they would get an overwhelming response not to. I'll hate to see it go.

Additional Links

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Resolutions (High School U.N.) for 2004-2005
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