Focus on Model UN this Sat.
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Our focus this coming Saturday, November 1, will be on preparation for the November 22 high school model U.N. It has been said that "resolutions are the 'mother's milk' of model UNs;" we need proposals that will inspire enlightening and lively discussion. Remember that the typical resolution is about a page to a page and one-half; has a preamble and operative clauses. You can get all the information you need from your hard copy of our Delegate Handbook or from the on-line version available by clicking here. By the way, we will be joined by eight students from Hickman Mills High School in Kansas City. We'll also have time for general discussion; it will be only three days before the election. Will there be a surprise between now and then, or between Saturday and Election Day? What concerns, if any, do you have about the candidate of your choice winning the election? The session is at Crossroads College Preparatory School (map) from time is 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM. After the session, some students will be going to a workshop at St. Louis University with Dr. Kenneth Warren in preparation for Election Verification Exit Polling from 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM. We welcome you to join us for lunch at our expense in between the two activities. Thanks to Mike Braeuninger from the American Red Cross for attending last Saturday's session and providing valuable information on international humanitarian law. For more photos from last Saturday's session, click here.
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Civitas To Work on Election Verification
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Election Verification Exit Polling .... you may have never heard of this before, but you've heard of election fraud. This is a case of the defense trying to keep up with the offense; can honest citizens and public officials take sufficient steps to ensure that the Nov. 4 presidential election is as honest as possible. Civitas is working with Professor Kenneth Warren of St. Louis University in the relatively new science of election verification polling. This is a type of polling which measures the likelihood that polling places are accurately reporting results from their precinct(s). Students will work 6 1/2 hour shifts on election day to monitor the election. There is an essential training session this Saturday, Nov. 1, from 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM at St. Louis University. For those students who come to Saturday morning's discussion and model UN workshop, we will literally offer a free lunch and then we can head to S.L.U. for the training. We have students from Webster Groves High School (thank you, Julie Burchett); from Parkway West (thank you, Kristen Collins) and from Lindbergh High School (thank you, Ronni Zagora). We will report the fruits of a labor in the November 6 newsletter. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@civitas-stl.com or (314) 367-6480.
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Eric Greitens and "Hotel Rwanda"
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Eric Greitens writes inscription for Parkway West junior On Friday evening, October 24 (UN Day), Civitas students had the opportunity to view the movie Hotel Rwanda about the terrible period of genocide in Africa in the mid 1990s. They were fortunate also to have Eric Greitens relate personal experiences from his humanitarian work in Rwanda. Before and after the film, Eric discussed the history of Rwanda from colonialism to the days and months leading up to the Genocide. He included information about Paul Rusesabagina, the actual hotel manager, experiences at the Hotel Mille Collines. Thanks to the all the students who were there; from Nerinx Hall: Anna Berlinger, Mari Craven, Brittany McNeil, Carolina Gahn, Katie Lakin, Sarah Livergood and Rachel Meyer; from Parkway West: Liz Cooke and Kaela Nichols; from University City: Luke Babich; and Vianney: John King. Their questions ranged from Eric's thoughts on the current situation in Darfur to how he became so involved in humanitarian issues after growing up in St. Louis. Eric was kind enough to inscribe and autograph copies of his new book Strength and Compassion for Civitas students. It is available for other students now for $20.00. For more photos from Friday night's event, click here. Eric will have a larger book signing at the Missouri History Museum on Friday, November 7, at 6:00 PM. Paul Rusesabagina who wrote the foreward to the book, will be there and speaking as well. You can access more information on this event by clicking here.
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Civ Students Hear Journalist Carl Bernstein
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Carl Bernstein is one of America's foremost journalists; along with fellow Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward he was key to breaking the Watergate story during the Nixon Administration. Bernstein spoke at Washington U. last Thursday on the topic of "Public Ethics: The responsibilities of Elected Officials." His presentation was from 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM followed by a "A Legislator's Response" with Missouri state senators Jeff Smith and Scott Rupp. Seven students from Civitas attended the presentation: from Webster Groves High School: Claire Gavin, Ginger Gordon, Luke Helle, Amara Kearney, Julia McIntosh, and Emma Short and from Rosati-Kain High School: Genevieve Buthod. Among the things that Mr. Bernstein said that it was his opinion that during Watergate the legislative and judicial branches were much more responsible in investigating malfeasance that they have been with all the Bush improprieties. He spoke of how the role of reporters (as opposed to columnists) is to let the “find the most verifiable version of the truth” and let the facts speak for themselves. If he had one word of advice to journalists, it is “listen.” He feels that far too many reporters ask questions looking for a particular answer and get confused when it’s something other than what they expected. And if he had one “word” of advice to the next president, he would say “fix it;” people want things to work and are frustrated with government’s and other entities’ recent inability to effectively and efficiently address problems.
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Global Gateway Program on 60 Minutes
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Journalist Stephanie Hanes speaks with students at St. Joseph's Academy in April, 2007 The first Pulitzer Center Global Gateway project was eighteen months ago to the day, in April, 2007. Journalist Stephanie Hanes reported on the remarkable efforts of philanthropist Greg Carr to restore the war-ravaged Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique. Her story in the Smithsonian Magazine and other venues put this important story on the international radar screen. This past Sunday, 60 Minutes reported and the Gorongosa. You can view Scott Pelley's report by clicking here.
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Independent Film on Financial Troubles |
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Even before the current financial troubles hit, an Independent Film was made warning: "Wake up, America! W're on the brink of a financial meltdown. I.O.U.S.A. boldly examines the rapidly growing national debt and its consequences for the United Sates and its citizens. A panel discussion follows. The film "I.O.U.S.A. - One Nation. Under Stress. In Debt." will be shown at the Missouri History Museum and Lindell & DeBaliviere (map) on Tuesday evening, November 18 at 7:00 PM. A panel discussion will follow. We invite any members of our community to see this early showing of the movie.
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Upcoming Civitas Events
(Actual events in bold -- always subject to change when change occurs!) Black: High School Blue: Middle School
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| Date | Time | Place | Activity | | | | | | Fri.,
10/31/2008 | Early Evening | Varies | UNICEF Trick or Treating | Sat.,
11/01/2008 | 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM | Crossroads (map) | Civitas Discussion #6 & Model UN Prep Session | Sat..
11/01/2008 | 1:00 PM -
2:30 PM. | St. Louis U. | Prep Session for Election Verification Exit Polling | Tues.,
11/04/2008 | 6:00 AM -
7:00 PM (shifts) | Varies | Election Verification Exit Polling | Fri.,
11/07/2008 | T.B.A. | Missouri History Museum (map) | Eric Greitens Book Signing | Sat.,
11/08/2008 | 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM | Crossroads (map) | Civitas Discussion #7 & Model UN Prep Session | Tues.,
Nov. 18, 2008 | 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM | Missouri History Museum (map) | Independent Film: I.O.U.S.A.
One Nation. Under Stress. In Debt | Wed.
11/19/2008 | 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM | Chase-Park Plaza (map) | Middle School MUN Student & Teacher Workshop | Sat.,
11/22/2008 | 9:00 AM - 2:30 PM | Spazio's of Westport (map) | High School Model U.N. | Sat.,
12/06/2008 | 9:00 AM -
11:00 AM | T.B.A. | Civitas Discussion #8 | Sat.,
12/13/2008 | 9:00 AM -
11:00 AM | Crossroads (map) | Civitas Discussion #9 |
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Our next newsletter
will be on
Thursday, Nov. 6
rather than
Election Day.
We will announce
a special new event
in that newsletter. Civitas Associates
10845 Olive Blvd.
Suite #155
Saint Louis, Missouri 63141
Phone: (314) 367-6480
Fax: (314) 367-7742
info@civitas-stl.com
www.kidswhothink.org
Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2008
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What's Civitas? See video below: |
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Our thanks to all the students who came to our 2008 Country Draft. This is in preparation for our Saturday, November 22 session at Spazio's in Westport (map) from 9:00 AM - 2:30 PM. Here is a list of countries that were drafted as of early Tuesday morning, Oct. 7: | Bishop DuBourg Collinsville - Afghanistan
- Kenya
- Vietnam
Lindbergh Maplewood-Richmond Heights - Italy
- Luxembourg
- Mexico
- United Kingdom
Metro Nerinx Hall - Colombia
- France
- Kuwait
- Turkey
Rosati-Kain St. Joseph's Academy - Brazil
- Costa Rica
- Georgia
- Libya
S.L.U.H. - China
- Cote D'Ivoire
- Japan
- Switzerland
University City - Burundi
- Russian Federation
Webster Groves - Ireland
- Jamaica
- North Korea
- South Africa
- Spain
- St. Kitts
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Ukraine
| As you can tell, a number of countries still remain for drafting. We will allocate them on a "first request - first serve basis." To request a country or if you have any questions, e-mail us at info@civitas-stl.com or call (314) 367-6480.
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