A Choir of Angels

Jordan Jones, a fifth-grader at Barbara C. Jordan Elementary School, has been selected to sing with the St. Louis Children’s Choir.

The St. Louis Children’s Choir offers young artists world-class performance opportunities and a choral music experience that emphasizes musical excellence and character education. Approximately 500 singers (ages 6 to 18) from more than 230 schools in Missouri and Illinois share their gifts and talents on stage.



Jordan Jones

 Because of his excellent abilities, the choir director recommended that Jordan audition to sing in the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis new opera “Champion.” Champion was inspired by the true story of Emile Griffith, a world welterweight champion boxer. Jordan won a slot in the production, and is scheduled to sing several times in June.

There are other U. Citians in the choir as well. UCHS sophomore, Andrew White,  was just promoted to a different ensemble. Since he joined the choir, Andrew will have sung in every possible ensemble with the choir, from Music Makers to Chamber Singers.

Andrew has been in the choirs since second grade, and has sung with the choirs regularly at Powell Hall, the Sheldon, the Touhill and other St Louis venues.  He has also toured with the Concert Choir to New York, Nashville and Scotland, singing at Carnegie Hall, the Grand Old Opry, and St Giles Cathedral. 

Andrew says being in the choirs is a great way to make friends from other schools in the area. He also remarked that the standards set by the choir are very high, and students learn how to exhibit professionalism on and off the stage.

The St. Louis Children's Choir is auditioning now for the fall season.

There is also a summer camp for students entering Grades 3-6: http://www.slccsing.org/summer_camp/index.html (no audition necessary for the camp).
 

Brittany Woods Inducts 52 Students into the National Junior Honor Society

Fifty-two Brittany Woods Middle School students were inducted into the National Junior Honor Society May 16, 2013. 

Students were selected based on the characteristics of scholarship, citizenship, character, service and leadership. Each student took the following pledge, "I pledge myself to uphold the high purpose of the society to which I have been selected, striving in every way, by word and deed, to make its ideals the ideals of my life."

The new members of Brittany Woods NJHS 

As part of the application process students are required to write two essays. One essay is the nominee's idea for a service project to serve their fellow students. The second essay communicated how the nominee met the five NJHS characteristics. Nominees also had to submit their history of community service and extracurricular activities.

Congratulations to the following honorees: Layla Agha, Louis Barnes, Elijah Ballard, Christy Bell, Logan Black, Kaya Blount, Aireecye Bonner, Givion Crawford, Bella DeArmitt, Cooper Deitzler, Victoria Dickerson, Lauren Green, Andrew Guest, Noah Greenberg, Madison Henderson, Michael Henderson, Rowan Hoel, Andrew Immer, Alona Jenkins, Dariana Johnson, Caitlyn Kirksey, Victoria Little, Thomas Looby, Cecilia Mattli, Kayla Merrill, Jade Merriwether, Jonah Payne, Calin Peterson, Cheyenne Poland, Olivia Pomranka, Sade Price, I’Aiyana Redden, Rebecca Rico, DeAra Robinson, Nashir Robinson, Cabria Shelton, Ben Shostak, Linsey Sparks, Kaylin Taylor, Teagan Thomas, Phoebe Thoroughman, Briton Toth, Dominic Torno, Imani Walker, Jahiem Watson, Zhong Mei Webb, Leanne Whitney, Jessica-Carol Wilbur, Claudia Zegel, Christa Zhang, Peter Zhang  and Leah Zukosky.

Chapter officers for 2012-13 include President Daniel Pomerantz, Vice President Johanna Hill, Secretary Samantha York, Treasurer Torren Brown and Historian Jamie Conners.

Wu Bakeman serves as the NJHS advisor at Brittany Woods.

A Jolly Good Time

Whether you call it JamBearee or Jamboree, the annual end-of-year Jackson Park carnival is a 25-year plus school tradition.

My daughter at JamBearee, circ. 2004
(yes, that is a real baby camel)

JamBearee has evolved over the years. What used to take place on the blacktop behind the school, now takes place on the front lawn and circle drive.

And thanks to current management (that would be PTO president extraordinaire, Joycelyn Barnes), it practically looks like a professional production.

This year, even rain couldn't delay the start of the carnival. After all, that is what umbrellas are for.

Then the sun came out and dancing ensued.

 

There was face painting and fire trucks, hamburgers and bounce houses.

 

 

 

 

Tons of fun with friends, and the prizes were pretty awesome too.

 

 

 

It may be her last year as an official Jackson Park student, but I have a feeling my daughter will be back to carry on the tradition next year.

 

My daughter's last JamBearee, circ. 2013
(My, how she has grown)

 

Duke TIP State Recognition

Every year, as part of the Duke Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP), Brittany Wood seventh graders have the opportunity to take either the ACT or the SAT test along with all the high school students preparing for college.

Of the seventh graders who chose to take one of the tests this year, Ethan Braeske, Alan, Buckner, Catherine Hoff and David White were named recognized for doing as well or better than 50% of all students who took the ACT nationally.

David White, Catherine Hoff, and Alan Buckner and their families
being recognized by the School Board for their academic excellence.

Students invited to a state ceremony meet at least one of the following criteria:

ACT
ACT English ≥ 20
ACT Math ≥ 20
ACT Reading ≥ 21
ACT Science ≥ 21
* Or with three of the four following scores English = 19, Math = 19, Reading = 20, Science = 20

SAT
SAT Math ≥ 520
SAT Critical Reading ≥ 510
SAT Writing ≥ 500
*Or with two of the three following scores: Math = 510, Critical Reading = 500, Writing = 490
The Duke TIP was founded in 1980 and is dedicated to the cultivation and education of talented youth. Duke TIP's 7th Grade Talent Search identifies academically promising 7th graders based on standardized test scores achieved while attending elementary or middle school. Candidates are then invited to take the SAT® or the ACT® as 7th graders, which allows them greater insight into their academic abilities.

 

Shakespeare in the Gym

Shakespeare in the Park opens May 24 and runs through June 16, 2013. This year the festival is performing 12th Night, one of Shakespeare's most famous plays.

Thanks to the Shakespeare Festival and Jackson Park PTO, the students at JP didn't have to wait until opening night. The PTO brought 12th Night to them.

Shakespeare in Our Schools is the educational tour arm of the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival. The 50-minute touring shows features actors from the festival's award-winning Touring ensemble.

Annually, the touring program reaches over 25,000 students in 125+ schools in Missouri and Illinois and Jackson Park was lucky to be one of those schools. As a parent, I can tell you that seeing this performance provides the foundation for children to understand the full performance when seen in Forest Park.

For other schools that may be interested in future performances, the Shakespeare Festival offers four types of programming: Education Tour, Metro Youth Shakespeare, Camps & Classes and Workshops & Residencies.

For more information please contact:
Christopher Limber, Education
Director at 314.531.9800 x 109 or email climber@sfstl.com
 

      

 

UCHS Latin Students Win Awards at State Convention and in National Latin Exam

Congratulations to the students of the University City High School Latin Club on winning numerous awards, recognitions, and elected offices at the 2013 Missouri Junior Classical League (MOJCL) Convention.  They competed against students from across the state (this year St. Louis was represented by SLUH, MICDS, and UCHS) in a selection of Latin/classics-related activities and competitions over the course of a weekend in April.

Costumes and dramatic interpretation are part of the
fun at the annual MOJCL convention. 

Beginning with a spirited “Romecoming” social event, students spent the weekend demonstrating their skills in oral recitations, photography, art, the creation of original “impromptu art” and “modern myths,” chess, costumes, dramatic interpretation,  and the king of all MOJCL events, the Certamen tournament. 

Certamen, Latin for “competition,” is a quiz bowl–style competition between four-student teams from the various schools in which they answer questions related to Latin and classics studies.  In 2011, the UCHS team were the state Certamen champions, and this year’s team fought valiantly to regain the title but unfortunately lost to SLUH (our friendly Latin rivals) in the exciting semi-finals.

The UCHS Certamen team waits for competition to begin. 

Prior to convention, students take a series of written exams for which they can receive awards.  UCHS typically brings home a bounty of these awards, and 2013 was no different: 

Derivatives, Level 4

1st Place - Ethan Farber

2nd Place - Anna Soifer

5th Place - Grace Deitzler

Derivatives, Level 3

5th Place - Henry Braeske

Grammar, Level 4

1st place - Daniel Politte

History and Culture, Level 4

1st Place - Dan Politte

History and Culture, Level 3

4th Place - Walter Deitzler

Mythology, Level 4

1st Place - Anna Soifer

2nd Place - Ethan Farber

Mythology, Level 3

4th Place - Andrew White

Elections are also held each year at convention, and UCHS students have a long tradition of filling officer positions. This year, junior Deanna Pace was elected 2013-14 Historian, and soon-to-be alumna Grace Deitzler was elected Historian for the Missouri Classical League, the university-level counterpart to MOJCL. 

Deanna Pace gives her campaign speech as outgoing
 MOJCL President UCHS senior Ethan Farber looks on.

The accolades don’t end at convention, however.  Three UCHS  AP Latin students, Dan Politte, Anna Soifer, and Ethan Farber, took the prestigious National Latin Exam (NLE) this year as well.  The exam consists of 40 questions covering topics including grammar, comprehension, derivatives, mythology, historical background, classic literature, and literary devices and is administered according to the level of study the student has completed. As top scorers, Dan and Ethan were awarded gold medals and summa cum laude certificates, and Anna received a magna cum laude certificate for her third-place finish. 

Anna, Ethan, and Dan
UCHS 2013 National Latin Exam participants

To all of our talented and energetic Latin students we say a resounding, Macte virtute! Factum optime!

Surprised to learn that UCity offers Latin? Wondering why anyone would even want to study Latin in this modern age?  Curious about what other great Latin-related things our students are doing? Stay tuned - there is more to come!

UCHS Student Named 2013 National Merit Scholar

University City High School senior Ethan Farber has been selected as a 2013 National Merit Scholarship Winner.

Ethan learned earlier this year that he, along with fellow UCHS senior Anna Soifer, had been chosen as a National Merit Finalist. From an initial field of 1.5 million entrants, narrowed down to 15,000 finalists, about half go on to become scholarship winners. You can read more about Ethan (and Anna) here. 

National Merit Scholarship Winners are chosen based on their abilities, skills, and accomplishments, including academic records, test scores and recommendations from school officials. 

As a winner, Ethan will receive a $2500 scholarship, something which will surely come in handy as he enters Washington University this fall. 

Congratulations Ethan!