15Sept2011

Campus Security increased surveillance on the STLCC-Meramec campus this semester with the addition of six video cameras.

These cameras have been installed in an effort to protect the students and faculty against any crimes that may be committed against them and their property.

“We’re not trying to invade anyone’s privacy,” Campus Police Chief Paul Banta said. “We’re doing this in an open public setting. It’s for the students’ protection.”

Each camera can be individually controlled by the operator with zoom capabilities to track a license plate from across the parking lot. The cameras allow

the dispatchers to watch over the parking lots and inform the patrol officers of any suspicious or incriminating activities.

Campus security has already assisted in the identification of hit and run drivers in the parking lot by reviewing the video and capturing the license plates, according to Banta.

“Realistically, our campus is a pretty safe place,” Banta said. “We’ve got an honest community here.”

In the wake of the shooting that occurred at Virginia Tech in 2007, Banta said these cameras are one of the steps toward making the campus a safer place. “We’re trying to avoid the situation at Virginia Tech,” Banta said.

WWW.MERAMECMONTAGE.COM

Volume 47 Issue 2September 15, 2011

PAGES 12-13PAGE 11PAGE 4

Meramec student ventures into the art of wicca.

Archers in the outfield

See story on page 16

Campus security increases surveillance Cameras installed around Meramec in an effort to further protect studentsALEX KENDALL STAFF WRITER

Continued on page 16

Alumnus documentarygive a damn accepted into film festival.

Meramec harvests fruits and vegetables for donation.

PHOTO BY: Mike Ziegler

STLCC—Meramec Archer baseball players stand ready at the plate and Cardinal’s on-deck circle during their game against the Lewis & Clark Trailblazers on Sept. 4 in Busch Stadium. The Archers went on to win the game 7-2 in eight innings after reaching the two-hour thirty-minute time limit. This was the second consecutive year beating the Trailblazers at Busch after a 8-7 walk-off hit in the bottom of the 9th in the 2010 game. The win brought head coach Tony Dattoli’s record to 7-1 while coaching at Busch.

PHOTO BY: Alex KendallSTLCC-Meramec police dispatcher Vicki Lungwitz demonstrates one of the new security cameras on campus in the Meramec police station. Six exterior cameras were recently installed around campus.

STLCC-Meramec is implementing a document imaging system along with a new faculty member in hopes to smooth financial aid and the overall enrollment process according to Campus President George Wasson.

As of Sept. 9, 30 percent of students receive Pell grants at Meramec and six percent receive the A plus scholarship.

“It will be a secure document that can be pulled up so you don’t have to have somebody go find your stuff. And hopefully we’ll be able to do more of what they call ‘back-room’ — things you don’t really need to be face-to-face with students,” Wasson said.

Electronic Document imaging will allow financial aid to scan documentation so anybody in financial aid — at any campus — can access. The system will reduce the physical movement between offices on campus and across campuses.

For instance, when students turn in their transcripts -- instead of having to come in -- personnel can make an image of it and then that image can be sent to be evaluated.

“They pull it up and say these are the courses that

are going to transfer. Somebody else can pull it up over in advising and say ‘Okay, these are the courses you need to take.’ Financial aid can pull it up and say, ‘Oh, this is your audit here’s where you are,” Wasson said.

According to the department of education, grant recipients are projected to rise to 9 million in 2012, up from 6 million in 2008.

“We’ve had this large increase already but that’s gone from several years ago where we had like 1700 Pell. So we’ve seen over the last several years a doubling of the Pell recipients here,” Wasson said. “That adds to the lines -- that adds to the processing.”

Michael Smith, manager of the financial aid office, was the assistant director at UMSL prior to the four years he has been manager at Meramec. He said at 4-year universities, the auditing process is more automated.

“The community colleges are very conservative in the way they do financial aid,” Smith said. “Each and every class has to be approved for financial aid, whereas, a university does not.”

Also, Smith said the financial aid office is

“struggling now” with the amount of students this year.

“The college is understaffed — I mean, that’s not a big secret. And considering that, I still think we do a pretty good job across the board,” Smith said.

Wasson said one issue with hiring more financial aid workers is the limited space in the Financial Aid Office.

Currently, there are seven full-time faculty and four part-time faculty in the Financial Aid Office. Financial aid was also approved to appoint a new full-time faculty member; an advertisement for the position is yet to be placed. Between students receiving grants and A plus, each personnel works with over 450 students in the fall semester.

2 Newsmeramecmontage .c

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| September 15, 2011

Financial aid gets changes to remedy long linesKURT OBERREITHER NEWS EDITOR

Lindenwood University Offers

Preparing Students for Life

Call 636-949-4949, visitwww.lindenwood.edu or like us on Facebookat www.facebook.com/LUDayAdmissions.

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National Depression Screening Day

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For more information, call Jason Duchinsky at:

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The Counseling Department at STLCC-Meramec will offer mental health screenings, resources and referrals. We are here to help you.

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A line outside the financial aid office wraps down the hallway on the first floor of Clark Hall as students wait to meet with financial aid personnel during the first weekend of August. The board of trustees approved an increase of one staff member to bring the total number of full-time financial aid staff to eight with four part-time staff.

PHOTO BY: Hans STeinert

“The college is understaffed... And considering that, I still think we do a pretty good job across the board.”

- Michael Smith, Financial Aid

ManagerContinued on page 5

Full time personnel and document imaging employed

NewsSeptember 15, 2011 |

Security: Campus initiates intervention team

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Another program that Meramec put into action is the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT). The team consists of Banta, Jason Duchinsky, Linden Crawford, Linda Nissenbaum and Michael Beach. The BIT handles any concerns regarding the welfare of the students or anyone in the campus community.

Banta said the BIT deals with “anybody that feels there is anybody in the campus community that might be harmful to themselves or others.”

According to Banta, when a person is identified as a threat to the college, the officers will take action to detain them as well as notify the Kirkwood police.

Banta said campus police are not authorized to

carry a weapon, but if the threat is a danger to human life, they will access stored arms and take direct action.

Routine patrols, advanced notification systems, pop-up security computer messages and the call boxes are some of the measures the campus already uses on a daily basis.

Along with technical measures, Banta said he and the campus police force also need the support of the student body.

“The students are our eyes and ears, too,” Banta said. “Everybody’s got ideas, and I’m happy to listen to them.”

Students like Anthony Gooch are beginning to

notice the increased security measures.

“Not that I didn’t feel secure before,“ Gooch said. “Just that now I have a better sense of security.”

As part of his “ten-year plan,” Banta said some future security plans include, interior cameras, dead bolt locks on classroom doors, phones in each classroom and an exterior PA system.

“It’s a nice place; I feel safe here,” student Jason Lay said. “The cameras are a nice addition to school safety.”

Reports can be sent to the BIT Team by filling out an incident report at https://stlcc.edu/forms/incidentreport.html.

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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 ‘10Bachelor’s in Business Administration

Toll free: (877) 999-9876 www.ccis.edu/iwantmore4411 Woodson Rd. • St. Louis

On campus. Online. Or both.

This semester at STLCC-Meramec begins the campus’ first student volunteer maintained community garden.

The garden, located in the nursery behind Science South, near the greenhouse, will be run and operated by student volunteers with staff supervision.

The project, suggested by horticulture club member Tim Potthoff, was designed as an educational community service program.

“It’s an idea proposed for the enrichment of the campus and as an opportunity for students to learn about gardening and to show off their good will,” Potthoff said.

Still in early stages of development, the garden has yet to have a formal budget or sponsor, but has been surviving based on donations and volunteer work from staff members and the horticulture club.

“The idea is that students can grow food crops for the needy that can be sold at the campus or donated to a larger distribution company, such as Gateway Greening, for example,” said Paul Roberts, science teacher and horticulture director.

Gateway Greening is a St. Louis based non-profit organization that works with schools and communities to provide volunteer managed gardens and general community revitalization

through education and charity. They also provide grants to new local community gardens yearly, according to their website.

According to the American Community Gardening Association, community gardens are on the rise. In 2010, 20,000 existed across the U.S.

“As a poor student, I would definitely be interested in a garden like this. I feel like we’ve lost the ability to grow our own food and that it is a skill that I would like to pick up and rediscover for myself, and would like to meet others who would do the same,” student Hassen Bashir said.

Another student, Anthony Austwick, said he wouldn’t be interested in maintaining the garden.

“I think it would be a cool idea, but I wouldn’t use it myself because I’m not a gardener,” student Austwick said. “But I do think that it would add to the campus’ strengths.”

Regardless of whether or not students would choose to participate, Potthoff said the garden will have a positive impact on the campus.

“The land is being tilled and seeds have been ordered for fall crops, so we encourage students to volunteer and show their interest in helping those in need and learn how to really be a gardener,” Roberts said

Students that wish to participate in the community garden are encouraged to take their inquiries either to the horticulture department located in the science west building, or contact Potthoff by going to the Student governance office on the second floor of the student center.

“It’s an idea suggested for the enrichment of the campus and as an opportunity for students to learn about gardening and to show off their good will,” Potthoff said.

Meramec garden produces a fresh option

PHOTO BY: Mike ZieglerThe horticulture garden area behind the greenhouse near the west parking lot, behind Science South will host Meramec’s community garden.

MATT BELL STAFF WRITER

NewsSeptember 15, 2011 |

STLCC-Meramec will offer free classes in sustainable environmental design, available for those who qualify.

In 2009, The Pew Charitable Trusts released a report that found jobs in the clean energy economy grew at a national rate of 9.1 percent between 1997 and 2007. The five courses offered are part of the 16-credit-hour Sustainable Environmental Design Certificate of Specialization. The certificate is pending approval from the Missouri Department of Higher Education.

Courses that are part of the certificate will prepare students for U.S. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’s (LEED) Green Associate Exam.

“This is really a growing field, and it’s almost a necessity in interior design and architecture that you pass the exam,” said Erin LeClerc, interior design program coordinator. Dennis Dill, who instructs the Sustainable Materials and Technologies Built Environment course, said passing the Green Associate Exam proves a higher level of understanding and may help with obtaining employment in the field.

LeClerc said students must be in an education program or have experience in architecture, interior, landscape design or some type of construction field.

“[Students] need to be able to draft floor plans and come up with design solutions, and you need the fundamentals of drafting in order to do that, or an understanding of construction,” LeClerc said.

Courses are each half of a semester long and the certificate can be completed within a year.

“[In my course], we talk about lighting, heating, cooling and fixtures that use little or no water,” Dill said. “Creating views of the outside, natural lighting and ventilation—these are all aspects of sustainable construction.”

The course will teach students about materials and technologies involved in sustainable construction. Such materials would have a high percentage of recycled content and would not release volatile chemicals. They would be made from rapidly renewable materials and the sources would be locally or regionally owned.

“Ideally, they’d be designed and created within a 500 mile radius, and in the Midwest, that is a very easy thing for us to do,” Dill said.

Dill said testing is mostly done online through Blackboard, links and videos.

Furthermore, LeClerc said each class will be free the first two times it is offered. Courses were free this semester, as well as spring 2012.

Two of the five courses offered this semester, Archaeology 102 and Archaeology 125, are filled beyond their original enrollment capacity. LeClerc said the courses filled within a day after the information session held during the summer.

For more information, Erin LeClerc can be reached at 314-984-7156 or [email protected].

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“We can always use the extra help,” said Jessica Harris, full-time student services assistant. “But it would be nice if we could get rid of some of the auditing.”

Wasson said although the wait outside financial aid has shortened, “they’re still processing things down there.”

“Working with students is not hard,” part time Financial Aid Personnel Sarah Steiner said. “It can be stressful. Working with paperwork is tedious.”

Harris said the document imaging system would eliminate some of the students waiting in line without the proper documentation. She said another problem is students looking for information that could have been accessed on Blackboard.

According to Wasson one of the big differences between when he was in college and now is students wouldn’t have waited until the last minute, coming in a week before classes start. He said the fall registration deadline would be in the spring. “Lines aren’t new,” Wasson said.

Wasson said among other things the ultimate goal is to allow students to be able to view a “check list” on Banner Self Service so students can find out where they are in the auditing process.

Financial aid adds one

CLINTON BORROR STAFF WRITER

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Continued from page 1

Move helps to alleviate auditing back-up

6 Opinionsmeramecmontage .c

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|September 15, 2011

With a digital design program on par with a four year university, DATA is often unnoticed by many.

Students outside of the digital design courses and programs supported by DATA would likely know it as the class with the large monitors, dim lighting and expensive Mac-filled rooms.

“The most visible part of our activity is the Center for Visual Technology,” said Michael Burks, Ph.D., manager of DATA. “That consists of two computer classrooms and three computer labs that are all equipped with pretty much the latest in hardware and software.”

DATA is the driving force behind what should be one of Meramec’s highest selling points: providing state-of-the-art facilities unmatched by any St. Louis area college or university.

“For a long time there has been a confusion between what people know as DATA and what people know as CVT,” Burks said.

Burks explained that CVT does not offer the courses or degrees, but the art department offers degrees and staff needed. CVT hosts everything needed for digital design instruction like hardware, software and printers.

Paired with the facilities and support of DATA, Meramec’s art department is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design — of which it is one of the few accredited community college art departments in the country, according to the department web page.

“Our students produce work in two years that is better than or equal to the work done by people in the best four-year art institutes in the country.”

Recently, DATA signed an articulation agreement with the University of Missouri for Interior Design.

“When a student completes the associate degree here, they go right into the Mizzou program as a junior,” said Burks. “We’re working on more of those kinds of agreements.”

Students involved in digital design classes along with mass communication students are probably familiar with the movement toward convergence media.

“[Convergence] is the big buzz word in mass communications,” Burks said.

Courses offered by DATA help prepare students for jobs dealing with converging media, but Burks said he is working toward a formal designation of classes providing convergence media education.

Keeping up with the latest career trends within mass communications and pairing it with state-of-the-art facilities makes DATA an imperative part of Meramec’s value as a higher education facility.

After explaining everything DATA had to offer, Burks had one final point of pride.

“The most important thing is not so much the facilities, software and hardware, but the faculty and what the students do with this software and hardware,” Burks said. “We have superb faculty.”

That paired with the affordability of community colleges makes Meramec one of the “best buys in the area,” said Burks.

Seems like all these big name restaurants are squeezing out the little guys nowadays. Although Spencer’s Grill is one place that hasn’t been squeezed out but in fact has been around for a solid 70 years. Established in 1941 and located at 223 Kirkwood Rd. in Kirkwood, Mo., they have been grilling since Franklin D. Roosevelt was in office.

When you walk in the door you’ll immediately notice how aged and run-down the interior seems to be. Before you turn around and walk out keep in mind this place is old, so the discolored floor and holes in the wall come with the age and are what give this place its character. Seating consists of a bar, booths and small dining area in the rear. Hours are 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. everyday so this is a breakfast and lunch kind of place, which is good because they serve both all day long.

Now on to the food. Service is quick, friendly and one can even watch their order being made if they choose to sit at the bar. Prices on the menu range from under a dollar for a cup of tea to over seven for some of their larger meals. The prices werea bit high but

that may not be much of an issue for some. Their menu is packed with diner favorites like omelets, hot sandwiches, breakfast platters and the ubiquitous hamburger. Their grilled chicken sandwich was a bit lacking in flavor for my taste but that’s just me. The fries are thick and crispy but seemed kind of dry, however toppings on the sandwich were fresh and delicious.

The grilled chicken sandwich should be ordered with all the veggies on it, they add some nice texture. The bacon double cheeseburger is a great choice as well. Another thing you’ll notice is their drinks are big. They are much bigger than most restaurants in their class. Refills will be rare if needed at all.

Over all, Spencer’s Grill offers satisfying diner fare in an environment that some may not particularly like but most certainly has character. Their food is fresh, cooked to order and they have plenty of experience under their belt. Again, prices may be high for some people and they close up at 3 p.m. so get there early or you will miss out.

“Cash rules everything around me. Get the money. Dolla Dolla bill y’all.” –Wu-Tang Clan

The Wu-Tang Clan pretty much sums up everything this column has to say on another great American tradition dubbed “Suing.”

The act of suing is probably as American as it gets. Suing is when one person decides that they want someone else’s money, property, pet Labrador, etc. So they go out and get a lawyer, file some paperwork, go to court, argue for a while and end up with some extra cash to spend. Which they then of course spend that money on sweet monster trucks and assault rifles. (I mean who wouldn’t right?)

Throughout American history, people have been suing the heck out of each other and having a pretty fantastic time doing it. In fact, suing people sounds so fantastic I plan on suing anyone who shoots me a dirty look or crosses me the wrong way for the rest of my life. Sure someone will be losing a small to large amount of money. But that isn’t something that should stop Americans

from unleashing a sword of justice on the naysayers of freedom.

Do not be fooled though, if suing someone is something in your future plans, remember that there is always the possibility of losing. So here are a few tips to make sure winning is inevitable. First of all, show up to every court day sporting American flag pants. Nothing says “Do work” like American flag pants. Remember that a courtroom is a lot like an internet forum, you can interrupt almost anyone at any time by yelling something like “objection” or “too long, did not listen.” Third and most important, bring a badge of some sort to flash at the jury while presenting the case. No one rules against a person with a badge… everyone knows that.

Have no fear; following these steps will lead to a triumphant victory reminiscent of The Revolutionary War. For suing each other is the most American thing Americans can do in America. Next time someone besmirches the great country of America, do not just sit there. Pick up the double-edged axe of justice and freedom and file a lawsuit.

JESSE HOFFORD OPINIONS EDITOR

KAVAHN MANSOURI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MIKE ZIEGLER PHOTO EDITOR

Details on DATA

Suing like a true American America kicks ass

Pridepoints

Spencer’s GrillOff the eaten path

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Editorial views expressed or content contained in this publication are not necessaritly the views of St. Louis Community College, the Board of Trustees or the administration.

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Meramec mending its securityCampus cameras are a start toward security but more is needed

In 1966, the University of Texas massacre occured and resulted in 16 deaths and 32 wounded. The Virginia Tech massacre of 2007 claimed 32 lives and wounded 25. How many lives would be lost and how many would sustain wounds if the same thing happened at STLCC-Meramec? How would students be notified ahead of time? Is security on campus sufficient for such an event?

Kirkwood as a whole is a pretty safe city. The last major violent crime in Kirkwood was the city hall shooting in 2008. As far as crime on the Meramec campus is concerned, there have been only three aggravated assaults, four burglaries and one non-forcible sex offense during the time between 2007 and 2009. While Kirkwood may not be a crime ridden area, that does not mean we as a campus are invincible.

First, take note of what the campus has done to provide better security for students and faculty. This semester they have added six new cameras on campus capable of identifying a license plate from across the parking lot. There are emergency call boxes placed at different locations throughout the campus that one can use to call for help. The call boxes alert campus security of a problem and they then send an officer to aid the student in distress. Campus police also patrol the area 24 hours a day keeping watch for suspicious activity.

One noticeable breach in security is that patrol on foot is sparse. So sparse in fact, that students are getting away with smoking despite the presence of a ban that has been in effect since January. They aren’t concerned about getting citations for smoking because there is no one around to give them. If they can get away with smoking, then what else can they get away with? The lack of foot patrol is something that should be addressed. There is an added risk of a crime taking place at night.

In addition to beefing up foot patrol, an increase in police car patrol would also be beneficial. There are some students who stay on campus late. If they get to their car with a dead battery and the security office has closed, they have to wait for an officer to come around.

Here is another possible scenario: there is an armed suspect walking onto campus from the west side, how would students coming in from the east side know about it? How would they find out about what is happening? If campus security were to implement a text or email notification system then everyone who is in the system would know that it is not safe and they should get inside until the suspect was apprehended. Even the students who are still at home would know not to come to class until it was safe.

Having some sort of alert system for suspicious behavior would also fix the lack of communication between security and the students they are keeping safe. As it stands now, security has a method of communication within itself. That means officers can communicate between each other and the security office. However, there needs to be a way that they can communicate important information to the students and faculty members. How can they know what to do or how to respond if no one is relaying the details of what is going on?

At the very least they could have an emergency response guide. STLCC-Florissant Valley has a PDF file on their website in the campus police section containing a guide as to what to do in a fire, tornado or chemical spill. It even tells students and staff what to do in a bomb threat or if shots are fired. Seeing as how Meramec is the biggest campus by number of students, there should be a response guide for this campus as well as STLCC-Forset Park.

Security at Meramec has gotten better and is in a relatively safe area. That said, crime can and does happen everywhere. It only takes one armed individual to take the life of a student or faculty member and disrupt the sense of safety we have grown accustomed to.

If you have comments or concerns please refer to the contact section online to submit a letter to the editor and for more information see story “Campus security increases surveillance” on page three.

GRAPHIC BY: Lilly Huxhold

8 In-Depthmeramecmontage .c

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KELLY GLUECK MANAGING EDITOR

Illust

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fast food showdown

While deaths from obesity-related illnesses top the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s list of causes of deaths in America, STLCC-Meramec students are left with the choice of consuming healthier products or convenient comfort food.

Meramec Biology professor Jay Snaric said that there is no ‘magic bullet’ to fix obesity and that it is ‘multifactoral’ and ‘complex.’

“Understand that everyone is different. There is no one diet that will work for everyone. People must learn about their own bodies and what works best for them,” Snaric said.

Meramec Wellness and Fitness Concepts professor Kimberly McCall suggested a few simple guidelines to help anyone searching for ways to improve his or her health.

“Try and lean toward smaller portions. The larger the portion size, then the more calories, carbs, sugars, etc., that you intake,” McCall said.

McCall also warned students of the risks of high sodium, saturated fats and sugars that find their way into many of the processed foods students know and love.

Meramec student Ben Greaves sat outside the cafeteria eating a slice of pizza.

“I got pizza because it’s pretty much the only thing I like in there. It just tastes better,” Greaves said.

The cafeteria sells more pizza, chicken tenders and burgers than any other

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McDonald’spopular food item: Big Macnutritional information: calories: 590 total fat: 34g cholesterol: 85mg sodium: 1070mg carbs: 47g protein 24g

McDonald’spopular food item: Hamburgernutritional information: calories: 250 total fat: 9g cholesterol: 25mg sodium: 520mg carbs: 31g protein 12g

Taco Bellpopular food item: Mexican Pizzanutritional information: calories: 540 total fat: 30g cholesterol: 40mg sodium: 950mg carbs: 47g protein 20g

Taco Bellpopular food item: Fresco Soft Taconutritional information: calories: 150 total fat: 3.5g cholesterol: 25mg sodium: 480mg carbs: 18g protein 12g

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of Americans consume fast food every day

of kids in school could recognize an image of Ronald McDonald

In-DepthSeptember 15, 2011 |

GRAPHIC BY: Tomi Storey

fast food showdown

product, according to Chef Roberts of Treat America.

Coordinator of Service Learning and Civic Engagement, Donna Halsband said comfort and on-the-go convenience foods may not be worth it in the long run.

“I know so many students on campus who eat fast food all the time, and it’s going to kill them. It’s not bad right now, but later on it’s really going to ruin their health,” Halsband said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed heart disease, cancers and stroke as the three leading causes of death in 2007 with diabetes at number seven on the list. Homicide was at the bottom of the list at number 15.

“We need to start treating the obesity epidemic with the urgency that it requires. Obesity significantly increases the risk of heart disease, cancer and Type 2 Diabetes,” Snaric said. “Obesity kills more people than smoking. It puts an unbearable strain on our country’s health care. It’s great that our campus is smoke free, but unfortunately, we have a much greater health and financial problem that is not being addressed.”

Some local campuses are pushing for a more self-sufficient and sustainable campus. For example, Saint Louis University’s Health Science building houses a cafeteria with locally and campus-grown produce, as well as meat from locally-produced farms.

While cost and nutritious options on campus may not be as progressive as St. Louis University’s self-sufficient cafeteria, some students and faculty agree that there have been improvements in the selection of foods in the cafeteria. Halsband said the planned community garden on campus (See story on page

4) is one improvement that will give students an opportunity to choose fresh, healthy options.

According to zumba fitness instructor Liz Kelly, there is more to being healthy than dieting. Exercise can also lead to a fit and healthy lifestyle. Meramec’s physical education requirement has the potential to help students explore alternative ways to enjoy fitness.

Kelly is a Kirkwood resident that lost 110 lbs with diet and exercise. She made it to the second round of Fitness Magazine’s Face of Fitness Cover Contest. Through her yearlong transformation, she said she was never a fan of running, but managed to find something for her.

“I think the most important thing is finding something that works for you. I, for one, do not run. I didn’t before and I don’t now. I hate it. For a while I would drag myself to the gym and get on the elliptical or bike and be miserable, but do it because it was good for me and I wanted to get healthy,” Kelly said. “Zumba changed my life. It’s important for people to find things they can also enjoy.”

Health and nutrition do not have to revolve around strenuous exercise and bottomless salad bars. Kelly said that creating a lifestyle is about balance and finding the right fit.

“I think there is something like that out there for everyone. It’s just a matter of trying everything until you find it.” Kelly said. “I was on a downward spiral, that’s for sure. I had to completely change my life and it has been the best thing ever. Seriously, if I can do it, anyone can.”

Panera Bread popular food item: Bacon Turkey Bravonutritional information: calories: 800 total fat: 29g cholesterol: 85mg sodium: 2800mg carbs: 83g protein 52g

Panera Breadpopular food item: Chicken Saladnutritional information: calories: 690 total fat: 26g cholesterol: 60mg sodium: 1200mg carbs: 90g protein 24g

Taco Bellpopular food item: Mexican Pizzanutritional information: calories: 540 total fat: 30g cholesterol: 40mg sodium: 950mg carbs: 47g protein 20g

Subwaypopular food item: Meatball Marinara nutritional information: calories: 580 total fat: 23g cholesterol: 45mg sodium: 1420mg carbs: 70g protein 24g

Subwaypopular food item: Raosted Chickennutritional information: calories: 234 total fat: 5g cholesterol: 25mg sodium: 640mg carbs: 48g protein 23g

50,000$100 billionthere are close toAmericans spend nearly

fast food chains across the U.S.

on fast food each year

Ten diapers, a half-gallon of milk and no money to her name. That is all Debora Sears had when her former husband abandoned Sears and her youngest child. Sears an STLCC-Meramec student and a student worker for the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program (TANF).

Sears has been rebuilding her life since her former husband left town with their eldest daughter in 2009. Sears, a single mother of two daughters, now left to raise one, embarks upon a journey of blood, sweat and tears.

“He sent me an email saying, ‘I have left you. Take care of your half’,” Sears said.

Sears hand gestures are not swift, but slow and fluid as she calmly recaps the dreadful day her ex-husband left her and their 2-year-old daughter.

“He had abandoned us in New York State. He basically took his income and everything…and decided to relocate with another woman. Left us in a foreclosed house,” Sears said.

She had no time to waste; she needed to find the necessary resources to survive.

“You kind of almost have to look above the chaos going on to navigate. Your focus is always on your kid. I had to start all over again. My resources such as my family, reside here in Missouri. I drove from New York to Missouri. That was March of 2009,”Sears said.

Sears packed what she could and relocated to Missouri. She was aided by local community services in New York.

“I arrived in St. Louis on March 14. It was a Saturday. My family was able to house me,” Sears said.

Sears drove nearly 954 miles from New York to

Saint Louis with her 2-year-old daughter who is now 4 years old. Her eldest daughter who lives with the father is now 14 years old.

“It was March 16, 2009. I went to the Family Services Office, registered for food stamps and Medicaid for my daughter. I did not go on TANF yet,” Sears said.

It was in September 2009 Sears sought after a higher education at Meramec and financial assistance.

“When I first came to the office I had my cousin’s with me and Mrs. Durgins-Johnson sat down [and] provided not only information, but how to proceed in getting certain assistance in registering as a student and so forth,” Sears said.

Doris Durgins-Johnson, TANF Student Advocate, has five years of experience with the Division of Family Services (DFS).

“We work for the community college. We are a support service for students who receive, really any kind of government assistance,” Durgins-Johnson said.

“We work for any student who might have any difficulty with their ends meeting or difficulty with their finance. I guess you can kind of say we are like a social worker on campus,” Durgins-Johnson said.

Sears had to wait a semester before attending Meramec, but soon after “everything seemed to start to fall into place,” Sears said.

Durgins-Johnson came up with the idea of Sears working as a volunteer for the TANF office.

“I started as a volunteer, it was to fulfill the core hours specified by the state in order to receive TANF,” Sears said.

Her volunteer service also helped her become “relevant” to the working world again. Sears had been a homemaker for several years.

In the spring of 2010, Sears was eligible for employment with TANF and officially became a Meramec student.

“TANF assist all the students that come into this office with steps to success,” Sears said.

Sears took full advantage of what TANF had to offer. TANF has allowed her to share her story and the knowledge she has gained with other students. She is a single mother with many goals.

Now in the criminal justice program and no longer on TANF, she is expecting to graduate in 2012. While working part-time at TANF and being a full-time mom, she is still fighting to reunite with her eldest daughter.

“It takes a lot of concentration and focus. You have to keep your head up and not be overwhelmed by the situation,” Sears said.

10 Art & Lifemeramecmontage .c

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Visit your UMSL transfer coordinator during Transfer Day on Sept. 21!Talk to UMSL representatives from the Honors College, Business, Arts and Sciences, Fine Arts and Communication, Engineering, Education and Nursing.

We’ll see you in the lobby of the Student Centerfrom 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.!

Stop by on Transfer Day, and we’ll waive the Spring 2012 application fee (a $35 value.)

For more information, call 314-984-7575.

Meramec BW transfer ad-3.5c_Layout 1 9/9/11 10:44 AM Page 1

PHOTO BY: Rachael Freeman

Debrora Sears, right, talks with Doris Durgins-Johnson, TANF Student Advocate for STLCC-Meramec, in the TANF office in the Meramec student center. Sears turned to TANF seeking restoration after her husband left her suddenly in 2009.

Blood, sweat and tearsStudent and TANF volunteer faces challenges with single motherhood

RACHAEL FREEMAN STAFF WRITER

Allstar Weekend

Check out our exclusive video and story about

Allstar Weekend’s journey to startdom,

only at meramecmontage.com

Photo courtesy of http//disney.com

Candles, runes, incense, stones, tarot cards and pendulums. These mystical tools may conjure up an image of something straight out of “Harry Potter”, but for STLCC-Meramec student Kala Mantia, they’re her fundamental link to the metaphysical realm during her self-guided venture into Wicca.

Mantia is beginning her journey based on the book ‘A Year and a Day’ by Timothy Roderick, which serves as a guide to the ancient path of wisdom.

“I was wanting to make my own ritual book, which is what brought me to buy [‘A Year and a Day’],” Mantia said. “This is just more like a study. This isn’t me becoming Wiccan. It interests me.”

Mantia said that Wicca has a strong stigma, associated with Puritan era Witchcraft of America. Witches, as they were called, were said to be evil, satanic worshippers. Those accused of being witches were usually burned on a pyre of cedar. After telling her creative writing class about her intention to do this experiment, Mantia said, “I was frightened that I would not only be judged, but I would be shunned for it.”

Mantia, however, has a different view of this ancient practice.

“Wicca literally means ‘craft of the wise’,” Mantia said. “It is basically very similar to standard Paganism. It’s just the different type of rituals that make them different.”

Mantia, raised Catholic, has decided to devote the 366 days toward her experiment into this alternative religion. Mantia said, like many Millennials, or Generation Y, has had some discrepancies with her faith. A defining characteristic of this current generation is that they have less religious fervor than their parents.

“This generation is very open-minded,” Mantia said. “Our youth, nowadays, don’t get a chance to learn about Paganism.”

Paganism, which arose thousands of years before the birth of Christ, is by definition, simply “country dweller,” and refers to those who lived on the outskirts of the Greek and Roman cities and worshipped the phenomena of the natural world. Wicca is a derivation of Paganism, which centers on the same philosophies.

“It’s mainly having to do with nature and being one with nature. Because nowadays,

everybody shuts off their mind to nature and Wiccans work alongside and worship nature,” Mantia said. “If we didn’t have plants or trees, then we wouldn’t even be here because they give us oxygen. [Wiccans] worship water because it quenches our thirst.”

One of the central aspects of Wicca is the altar. A typical altar consists of candles, incense and a picture of a holy figure and/or spirit animal. Mantia uses her spirit animal, a white wolf, which is the most prominent and sacred of animals in the natural world. The color white represents purity and balance, while the wolf itself is a fierce, yet nurturing, survivor of the wiles of the wild.

Mantia uses sage-scented candles in conjunction with stick incense to set the desired mood.

“I feel very calm and I feel certain in my mind about what’s going to happen and where I’m going,” Mantia said. “I just don’t feel so lost.”

Mantia plans to begin her experiment on October 31.

“I love the cooler temperatures and the falling of the leaves,” Mantia said.

Every day in “A Year and a Day” leads up to specific events. These correspond with equinoxes, solstices and moon cycles. The book describes how to make the tools needed for particular rituals, such as a cornhusk doll during the fall harvest.

“I really want to make a cornhusk doll,” Mantia said. “It’s really cute!”

Mantia plans to incorporate the rituals and plans featured in “A Year and a Day” into her normal life of work, school and homework.

“It’s a very long, drawn-out experiment. I just want to be more stable in my beliefs,” Mantia said. “And I think this will broaden and strengthen my current beliefs. I guess I’m just trying to find myself in all of this.”

Curiosity is what drives Millennials to experiment with alternative religions, but there is always doubt involved in the occult.

“People may say, ‘You just believe in magic and that’s not real’,” Mantia said.

Manti said.Occult Magick, not to be confused with “Harry Potter” magic, is the manifestation of benign desires through prayer and visualization.

“It’s not waving a wand to make a pitcher fly across the room,” Mantia said. “It’s not stewing concoctions.”

For the continuing skeptic, Mantia has words of encouragement.

“It’s worth a try, even if it’s not what you’re into,” Mantia said. “It’s like learning a new talent or skill because that’s what it is. People are so willing to learn about other religions like Christianity, Lutheranism or Muslim. But why are people not so willing to learn about Wicca? Well it’s because we’ve been trained to fear it when there’s nothing really to fear. I mean, it’s just another way of life. That’s all it is.”

Candles along with an alter and other materials used by Kala Mantia for her yearlong study into Wicca are set out on display. Mantia plans to officially start her study on October 31.

Art & LifeSeptember 15, 2011 |

PHOTO BY: Mike Ziegler

‘A Year and a Day’Meramec student Kala Mantia begins a journey on the path to ancient wisdomChris Campbell STAFF WRITER

PHOTO BY: Tyler BurrusKala Mantia discusses her study into wicca on September 12 in her apartment. Mantia’s ‘A year and a Day’ describes the tools needed for daily rituals and goes over specific events on the Pegan calendar.

Dan Parris, owner of Speak Up Productions, wins “Best Documentary Feature” for his film “Give a Damn?” in the 2011 St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase and has been invited to the St. Louis International Film Festival this fall.

“Give a Damn?”, an adventure documentary about extreme poverty, will be screening at STLCC-Meramec on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2011.

Parris attended Meramec from 2003-2006, where he founded Meramec’s Global Justice Club. In 2005, Parris visited the Kibera slum in Nairobi, Kenya. When he returned home, Parris said, his lingering questions about how to help the poor served as fuel for the film.

In the film, Parris, Rob Lehr and Meramec alumnus David Peterka (see http://www.meramecmontage.com/artlife/unfinished-business), travel from St. Louis, Mo, through Europe and onto Africa - hitchhiking, sleeping with the homeless and scavenging dumpsters for food, as they experience life in extreme poverty while exploring for ways to help.

“See, learn, come back and teach others,” Paul Rusesabagina, a Rwandan

Humanitarian whose efforts were the basis of the film “Hotel Rwanda”, said in an interview with Parris.

Their last night in St. Louis was spent on a sofa in a derelict building along the St. Louis riverfront that has been settled by some of the city’s homeless population.

“We just kind of showed up,” Parris said. “We didn’t really know what to expect.”

Parris, Peterka and Lehr met Eddie, a homeless man, whom they hung out with for a couple hours before going to bed. In the morning they woke up and shared coffee with Jeremiah, a former professor now living in the building.

“We found out later that there were just a couple guys on our side [of the building], but on the other side, is there’s a bunch of drunks and drug addicts,” Parris said. “We tried to talk to them, but they wouldn’t talk... they were drunk, methed out and there was pornography everywhere.”

In Geneva, Switzerland, Parris interviewed Norbert Lebale, an economist at the United Nations, but not until the team was nourished with a broth of vegetables scavenged from Geneva’s garbage.

“I didn’t really know the plan,” Parris said. “We were pulling stuff out of the trash and I thought we were just going to eat it, but we ended up cooking it and it was fine... I just trusted [Lehr], he said if we boil it then it will kill any bacteria.”

On their last stop in Europe, the team met a friend of a friend, Veda, an architecture graduate student in Serbia.

“I quickly learned [she] had thoughts of helping the world but was afraid to,” Parris writes.

Together, they visited a slum populated mostly by Ashkali, an ethnic minority, and were introduced to its president.

“We crept into the slum and people were definitely staring us down. We approached the center of the village, asked for the president, and were taken to his makeshift house. He was ecstatic that we had come and gave us an interview for about 45 minutes,” Parris writes.

After they left the slum, Veda was less afraid and thinking of ways to help. It’s about seeing it with your own eyes, Veda said in the film.

“I saw her mind racing,” Parris writes. “It was the same look that I had after visiting Africa for the first time. So many of her prejudices disappeared

‘Give A Damn’ included in film showcaseAlumnus Dan Parris’ documentary included in annual St. Louis International Film FestivalSTEVEN DUNCAN STAFF WRITER

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Art & LifeSeptember 15, 2011 |

during those last few hours, and she was asking herself how she could get involved in that slum.”

On July 31, 2009, the team finally made it to Nairobi, Kenya and met up with Tony Mungai, founder of MTAANI VCT Center, an outreach program that provides free HIV/AIDS testing and counseling services in the Kibera area.

Parris met Mungai on his first trip to the Kibera slum in 2005. According to Parris, it was his conversations with Mungai that helped shape his life’s dream to help the poor. Mungai served as guide, translator and health worker for “Give a Damn?” in Africa. His proceeds from the film helped to open the MTAANI VCT Center.

While filming aerial footage of Kibera just one day after arriving in Nairobi, Parris and Lehr survived a deadly plane crash that killed pilots Frank Toews and Ryan Williams.

“Five seconds prior to impact, Dan and I realized that the worst was happening, we were going down, and the only thing in front of us was a building... then we smashed through power lines. All I remember is an explosion of white, followed by darkness and five seconds of what felt like being football tackled on every side,” Lehr writes.

Both Parris and Lehr returned to the United States to recover from physical and mental injuries. David Peterka and his brother Tim Peterka remained in Africa committed to finishing the film in honor of Toews and Williams.

Parris remained sick in the United States for 9 months after the crash, where he had surgery to remove 10 inches of his intestines. After the surgery, Dan started to put weight back on and by May of 2010 he began editing the film and completed it just in time to enter it into the Sundance Film Festival in September.

Sundance rejected the film, the first in a series of rejections from festivals and grants, according to Parris.

“It was disheartening at times,” Parris said.

But Parris said he sees their story as one of struggle and one of not giving up.

“The more time has gone by, and the more I’ve seen things work out, the less I let disappointing things rock me,” Parris said.

Up until the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase, Parris said it didn’t seem like the film was going anywhere. But after receiving a standing ovation, winning the “Best Documentary” award and getting into the St. Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF), the momentum’s been pushing itself.

“The last few weeks haven’t been that hard,” Parris said. “It’s been very

exciting and there’s a lot of good news.”

Parris hopes that the momentum from the SLIFF will lead to more festivals and, ultimately, a distributor that will bring the film to a larger audience. A tour is planned for the film this fall, including Meramec.

“We hope you figure out what breaks your heart,” Parris said of the film’s goal to an audience at the Tivoli Theatre in University City, Mo. “What makes you come alive? And think about what your talents are that God has given you... and then put those two things together.”

Parris said that he loves filmmaking and he loves giving people purpose.

“One of the biggest things keeping people from making a difference is fear of the unknown,” Parris said.

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Every year STLCC district offers several study abroad programs for students that would like to travel overseas and experience new cultures while obtaining a degree. Students can volunteer to travel across the world to experience a new setting in places like England, Russia, Brazil as well as others.

“Study abroad is an academic program that gives an opportunity to students to study while they travel and [experience] with other cultures being in a different country,” Christopher Sulincevski, International Programs Coordinator and V.C., Academic and Student Office at the Cosand Center, said.

Each study abroad program offers a specific focus subject in each country. These subjects typically range from Culture, History, Photography and many more. Each program allows students to stay 10-20 days (the short-term programs) or for a whole semester.

“Most study abroad programs include everything in the cost except personal items such as souvenirs. Although, there are some that don’t include airfare or one or two meals per day. The cost decision is up to the faculty member

teaching the course,” Dr. Cindy Epperson, STLCC-Meramec Sociology professor, said.

The cost of the short-term programs usually ranges from $2,000-$4,000 per student. Semester abroad programs cost around $7,500 plus air ticket and insurance. The tuition is in addition to the programs cost. Students should check with the Financial Aid Office to determine if they qualify for financial aid or see if Boren Awards for International Study will provide a scholarship for students who want to study languages and cultures abroad.

Most of the programs for study abroad are on a volunteer basis. Depending on the program, students need to obtain a certain GPA and credit hours to qualify for study abroad. If students wondering if they qualify for a study abroad program they should contact Sulincevski, International Programs Coordinator for further instructions and information.

“The first thing [students] do is talk to me,” Sulincevski said. “If they have any questions about the program, I will explain it to them. Then I put them in contact with the faculty who leads the program, that way we will discuss the

logistical side of the program including finances, GPA, hours, then the application part.”

Study abroad programs offer cultural and academic benefits for students. Students receive credit with the course or courses for the completion of the study abroad program. Sulvincevski said going overseas to study gives students a deeper knowledge about their subjects and the culture from the country.

“Depending on what kind of program it is, sometimes [students] stay with host families. [Students] do interact with different cultures by gaining knowledge about history, art, or anything about which country they go to,” Sulincevski said.

Sulincevski said, that students should consider studying abroad because it gives [students] an edge for the work force.

“Students [applying for] a job are not only competing nationally they are competing against the whole world,” Sulincevski said. “With our economy, most employers would like to see potential employees with travel experience with different cultures.”

Venturing across the pondSTLCC offers several study abroad programs to benefit students


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Meramec CampusScience South Lobby

October 10, 20119:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Thinking about employment after graduation?Come out and meet with healthcare providers

currently looking for top-notch candidates.Several organizations within the greater

St. Louis area will be represented.

AMBER DAVIS ASST. ART & LIFE EDITOR

SportsSeptember 15, 2011 |

From Germany to St. LouisNICK HERRIN STAFF WRITERIn 1968, in the town of Erlangen, Germany, about 300 miles north of Italy, a young boy kicked the soccer ball around with his father and grandfather. As a child, Jeurgen Huettner had aspirations to become a great soccer player in Germany. The thought of becoming a soccer coach overseas seemed farfetched. Fast forward 43 years later and Huettner has found his way on the soccer field coaching the Lady Archers for STLCC.

Huettner began practicing soccer when he was 5 years old. Taught to play by his father and grandfather, Huettner continued playing throughout his youth for multiple club teams.

“Oh my gosh, I started playing soccer so long ago,” Huettner said. “When I was 6 years old, I joined a club in Erlangen, and I played there until I was 12, and then between 12 and 18 [I] switched to another club team.”

While growing up in Germany, Huettner met his future wife, Mary Jo. In 1985, the two were married. When it was time for her to move back to the United States, Huettner decided he would follow her back. They have been married for 25 years. Calling the Midwest home, the Huettner’s have two daughters, Joann and Tess.

“When Mary Jo was 24 years old, she wanted to come back to the United States, so I figured she stayed six years with me in Germany, so it was my turn to stay with her for a few years in the United States,” Huettner said. “A few years became 25 plus years, so I’m still here.”

Huettner had previously coached select teams, but he began his high school coaching career at Althoff High School in Belleville, Ill. with the men’s soccer team in 2001.

He began coaching the women’s soccer team in 2005 because high school men and women’s soccer were played in different seasons and he decided to coach both.

In his first year at the helm of the women’s soccer team, Huettner’s Crusaders finished third in the state and followed with a second place finish in 2008 and a state championship in 2010. The 2010 Crusader team went 27-0 and was ranked third in the nation by ESPN.

“With the boys we won a bunch of regionals and some stuff, but with

the girls we won a buttload of regionals,” Huettner said. “In 2010, we won the state championship going 27-0, as the first team to go undefeated on this side of the Missouri and Mississippi river. It was pretty special.”

Huettner began coaching the STLCC-Forest Park Highlanders in 2009, leading the Highlanders to the most wins in the program’s history and coached them to their first women’s soccer Region XVI championship.

In 2010, Huettner’s Highlanders matched the previous year’s victory total, but finished the season with a losing record at 10-11-1.

As for the 2011 season, Huettner hopes to do better than he did last year coaching the Forest Park Highlanders and better than the Meramec Magic, as both teams finished below .500.

“We definitely want to do better than last year, hopefully playing above .500,” Huettner said. “It’s not going to happen overnight, but slowly [over] the next few years we would like to inch ourselves to become an abominable power in the area.”

STLCC currently has a 4-2 record and won their first game as the STLCC Archers at home with a 4-0 win over Allen County Community College on Aug. 26. The win came a day after Huettner celebrated his 50th birthday.

Juergen Huettner’s athletic career brings him half way across the world to coach soccer

PHOTO BY: David Kloeckener

Juergen Huettner coaches the Lady Archers during the home opener against Allen County on Aug. 26. The Archers won 4-0.

KURT OBERREITHER NEWS EDITOR

Forty-seven dreams sharedThe STLCC Archer baseball team plays at Busch Stadium in front of friends and family

When the STLCC Archers took the field shortly after the Cardinals played the Cincinnati Reds and fans of baseball ages 15 and under ran the bases, Busch Stadium was not at full capacity, but what was left were family and friends of the Archers and the Lewis and Clark Trailblazers.

“I’m doing better [than last year] because I know I have to be relaxed. It’s no good to get worried,” Theresa Miller, mother of Archers’ pitcher Ian Miller, said.

This year was the second year the Millers watched their son play at Busch Stadium.

Miller was scheduled to pitch in the ninth inning, but due to a two-hour and thirty-minute time limit, the left-handed pitcher was forced to face one batter earlier than he expected.

“I didn’t get what I expected,” pitcher Ian Miller said when asked about the experience. “It’s all good though—I enjoyed being able to play where the pros play.”

Baseball runs through the Miller family tree. His father played baseball, but never reached the big leagues.

“We’ve been preparing him since he was 3,” Theresa Miller said. “His dad was a righty, and he turned out to be a lefty.”

The butterflies were felt throughout all the family and friends of Archer

players as each of their moments to shine came under the lights at Busch.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, freshman Archer baseball player Drew Moran stepped into the same batter’s box where Cardinal’s third baseman and former Meramec Magic baseball player David Freese had stood just a few hours before, in the bottom of the ninth inning, with the game on the line.

His family and friends were living vicariously through him in that moment, as they sat behind the netting, just to the right of home plate—a few feet away from where Moran stood.

“It’s awesome,” Moran’s girlfriend, Erin Riley, said. “I’m really jealous of him.”

Riley was a pitcher for the Meramec Magic softball team last year.

Moran’s mother, Mary-Anne Moran said she always knew her son could be playing on a big league field as she cheered him on.

She said the Archers have been a good fit for her son so far.

Moran has been playing baseball since the age of 4.

Throughout the stands that had held tens of thousands of Cardinals fans that afternoon, Archer and Trailblazer fans filled the few hundred seats that surround the dugouts and behind home plate.

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PHOTO BY: Mike ZieglerPHOTO BY: Kimberly Morice

TOP: Archer head coach Tony Dattoli (middle) talks to his team of 47 ball players after their 7-2 victory over the Lewis and Clark Trailblazers. Dattoli managed to play all eligable ball players during the game at Busch Stadium. LEFT: Archers’ first base coach Zach Graefser congratulates an Archer batter upon reaching first base after a walk. The Archers drew three walks throughout the eight inning game that was forced to stop due to the two-hour thirty-minute time limit. RIGHT: The historic St. Louis Cardinal organization’s retired numbers on the left field wall, while Archer pitcher Andrew Bader throws from the same mound that Cardinals’ starter Edwin Jackson threw from earlier that day.

rching t BuschSPENCER GLEASON SPORTS EDITOR | Visit meramecmontage.com for gameday video

PHOTO BY: David Kloeckener

When a young ball player picks up a baseball and a mitt, the daydreams begin. Fantasizing about having the game-winning hit, game-winning catch or striking out the last batter to win the World Series, is commonplace in the little leaguer’s mind.

As the athlete ages, only a limited number in the world ever achieve playing a game of baseball on baseball’s sacred ground. For the few that do, however, stepping foot on a major league baseball field makes them appreciate the feeling of a big leaguer.

On Sunday, Sept. 4, just moments after the field was cleared after the St. Louis Cardinals lost in extra innings to the Cincinnati Reds, 3-2, the memories began for the STLCC Archers and the Lewis and Clark Trailblazers, as they took the field and stood

in the same spots as household names such as Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday, and Yadier Molina had stood just moments before. This time Busch Stadium was home to the Archers and Trailblazers.

The Archers’ 7-2 victory came within the two-hour and thirty-minute time limit that the schools had to play a college-style baseball game on a major league field.

The pitchers warmed up on the outfield warning track. The offense played small-ball, stealing bases and manufacturing runs. The Archers sent 18 different pitchers to the mound and rotated three defensive groups; allowing all 47 players to make the most of their time under the lights at Busch.

Although there was not a game-winning hit, a game

winning catch or a strike-out to clinch the game, the moment of playing on a major leagues baseball diamond superseded the victory on the scoreboard.

Old daydreams were given a taste of reality and shared amongst the friends and family in attendance.

Archer head coach Tony Dattoli shared his day with his family-and 47 more ‘sons.’

“It’s probably the most memorable moment of it all,” Dattoli said. “My sons from home, in addition to the boys that put on the uniform, [they] are my sons, as well. For them to have the experience and be able to be out here with them when they’re going through an experience such as this, it means a lot. It always touches my heart to have the opportunity to have them involved.”

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15Sept2011