Fifth Annual U City FLL Warm Up at UCHS

On Saturday, September 26th, University City High School was host to the fifth annual University City FIRST LEGO League Warm Up.  This event, sponsored by U. City Robotics, brought together 27 teams and approximately 125 students plus parents and mentors from across the region and as far away as Cape Girardeau.  FIRST LEGO League (FLL) introduces young people, ages 9 to 14, to the fun and excitement of science and technology. Teams, composed of up to ten children, build and program an autonomous robot to score points on a thematic playing field, as well as research and create a presentation centered around creative and innovative solutions to a problem (this year they will seek to solve the world's trash problems) and adhere to set of core values known as gracious professionalism.

The teams came to the Warm Up for an early chance to test drive the robots they are building and programming for the 2015 FLL challenge, TRASH TREK.  While there was no official refereeing or scoring, they had an excellent opportunity to meet and compete with other teams, and to practice for the upcoming November qualifiers (two of which will be held at Brittany Woods Middle School.) The event is also used by FIRST LEGO League of Eastern Missouri to train referees for the upcoming competition season.

FLL teams get the chance to play
this year's robot game in a timed
environment. 

Technical support was on hand to assist teams with design, building, and programming as well as subject expertise for the project presentations required as part of the competition.  The City of University City sent an employee from Waste Management, and Washington University sent six subject experts to help with project research.

Students get expert help on their research projects.

Six of our own district FLL teams, from Jackson Park Elementary, Flynn Park Elementary, and Brittany Woods Middle School, participated in the event.  All district teams were sponsored by Rankin Technical College, who was also a sponsor of the event and provided technical support staff.

Members of the Brittany Woods team make adjustments
to their robot.

Our high school robotics team, the UCHS Robolions - FIRST Robotics Competition team #3397 - brought their competition robot to demonstrate and even allowed some of the kids from FLL to try their hands at driving it.  The Robolions also provided help with set-up the night before, and volunteered at the event in various capacities, including providing programming expertise and support.

UCHS Robolions team members
set up the FLL competition fields.

FIRST  (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded in 1989 to inspire young people's interest in science and technology. In 2015 FIRST programs will reach 400,000 students around the world through four leveled programs for kids K-12.  FIRST kids are significantly more likely to attend college, major in science or engineering, and be outstanding future employees and citizens, For more information, please visit www.usfirst.org.  

UCHS Students on the Go! in Half Marathon

After months of training, a team of University City High School students joined runners from across the nation for the 15th annual  Go! St. Louis Half Marathon on April 12th, 2015.  This year's course took runners across the Eads Bridge into Illinois and then back into downtown via the MLK Bridge, with a loop around the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, finishing up at Soldier's Memorial.

Congratulations to the kids, teachers, and coaches!

From Brittany Woods to the World!

Saint Augustine wrote that "the world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page."  If this is so, then one group of 8th graders from Brittany Woods Middle School are well into their first chapter. Under the direction of French teacher Alexis McGeahy and Latin teacher Madelyn Roth, thirteen students along with parent chaperones had the opportunity to dive deep into the history, culture, food, and beauty of Europe on a once-in-a-lifetime spring break trip.

After fundraising for over a year, the group spent ten busy days exploring London, Paris, Rome and surrounding areas. Highlights included Colosseum, the Pantheon, the ancient Roman city of Pompeii, Vatican City, the Palace of Versailles, the Louvre, Notre Dame, the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, and Westminster Abbey.  One traveler called it, "the most fabulous time of our lives."

Plans are already underway for next year's trip, which will include Paris, Lucerne, Munich and Heidelberg, with stops at Neuschwanstein Castle and Dachau concentration camp. They are still accepting students, and travel arrangements will be through EF Educational Tours.

Thanks to Sarah Holahan and Joycelyn Barnes for the photos.

Be Our Guest: UCHS Presents Beauty and the Beast!

The University City High School theater department will present the annual Spring Musical this weekend (April 10th and 11th, 2015).  This year's production is Beauty and the Beast, and it promises to be a magical spectacle of song and dance, perfect for everyone in the family.  You can come and see our talented students perform on Friday at 7:30 and then again on Saturday at 2:00 and 7:30, in the UCHS Auditorium. 

Tickets are $8, $6 for students, seniors, and kids under 12, and will be sold at the door. 

Here is video from the show:

Thank you to Chris Braeske for the videos.

UCHS Students Receive a Record 48 State-Level Journalism Awards

University City High School journalism students, under the direction of teacher Mary Williams, received a record 48 state-level awards at the Missouri Interscholastic Press Association (MIPA) Scholastic Journalism Day at University of Missouri-Columbia on Wednesday, April 8. In several categories, University City High School was the only school in the state to receive the award. Publications students accepted the awards at the closing ceremony where 1200 state-wide journalism students and advisers were in attendance. Many students were recognized for their reporting on Ferguson (diversity awareness).

2014-15 MIPA State Journalism Awards

Ratings: All Missouri, Superior, Excellent, Honorable Mention

Overall Publications Awards

U-Times Online--utimesonline.com: All Missouri (Christine Politte, web editor)
U-Times Newspaper: Excellent (Alice Mutrux and Lily Lewis-Stump, co-editors)
Dial Yearbook--2014: Superior (Reneise White, editor-in-chief, 2013-14)

All Missouri Awards
Newspaper Individual—Feature Story: Johanna Hill
Newspaper Individual—News Story: Christine Politte
Yearbook Individual—Theme/Concept Copy: Emily Looby (editor-in-chief)
Yearbook Individual—Sports Design: Emily Looby (editor-in-chief)
Yearbook Individual—Sports Design: Emily Looby (editor-in-chief)

Excellent Newspaper Awards
News Story: Christine Politte
Feature Story: Christine Politte
Double Page Design: Christine Politte, Hannah Fuller and Johanna Hill
Single Page Design: Francene Bethune
Feature Story: Alice Mutrux
Feature Story: Johanna Hill
News Story: Francene Bethune
Sports Writing: Francene Bethune
Sports Writing: Lily Lewis-Stump x2

Honorable Mention Newspaper Awards
Feature Story: Brooklyn Bass
Double-Page Design: Christine Politte, Hannah Fuller and Johanna Hill

Superior Yearbook Awards
Academic Reporting: Kayanna Wymbs

Excellent Yearbook Awards
Sports Reporting: Keira Duncan
Student Life Reporting: Keira Duncan

Honorable Mention Yearbook Awards
Overall Theme/Concept: Emily Looby
Organization Design: Emily Looby and Marvin Bullard
Student Life Design: Emily Looby and Kayla Holmes
Student Life Design: Marvin Bullard and Sloan Marion

Superior Diversity Awareness Awards
Individual Newspaper: Christine Politte
Individual Newspaper: Payton Bass
Individual Newspaper: Alice Mutrux
Individual Newspaper: Staff Editorial
Individual Yearbook: Raven Bullard
Individual Yearbook: Joshua Thomas

Excellent Diversity Awareness Awards
Individual Newspaper: Payton Bass
Individual Newspaper: Brooklyn Bass

Honorable Mention Diversity Awareness Awards
Individual Newspaper: Christine Politte

Excellent Photo Journalism Awards
Personality/Portrait: Payton Bass
Organization Photo: Sloan Marion
Sports Action Photo: Kayanna Wymbs
Sports Action Photo: Taneya Parker

Honorable Mention Photo Journalism Awards
Creative and Artistic: Johanna Hill (x2)
Personality Portrait: Johanna Hill
Sports Action Photo: D’Lija Brown:
Sports Action Photo: Kayanna Wymbs
Sports Action Photo: Taneya Parker
Academic Photo: Porcia Rhodes
News Photo: Payton Bass

Photos from the School District of University City

Jackson Park Elementary 'I Have a Dream'

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. we share this beautiful video from 2007, featuring third graders from Jackson Park Elementary School.