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Tuesday, November 24, 2009 |
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Nearly 800 students and teachers gathered at the Khorassan Room in the Chase-Park Plaza Hotel last Wednesday for a workshop on how both the United Nations and our model United Nations work. Lisa Granich-Kovarik presented a PowerPoint with key points on both. Later we had an interactive budget simulation in which student prioritized humanitarian needs for the disenfranchised around the world.
The program ended with an energetic performance by the African dance and rhythm ensemble Creative Pandemonium. The group thoroughly engaged and invited several dozen on stage to join them in the performance.
Special thanks to the Saigh Foundation for helping to fund the program and also to the Chase-Park Plaza and Swank Audio-Video for providing outstanding facilities and services.
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High School Model U.N. Takes Action on Afghani Poppy Harvest |
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Nearly sixty students gathered on Saturday to deliberate global problems in the annual Civitas Model U.N. Among actions taken were measures to have the Afghani poppy harvest purchased in its entirety by a collaborative including the United Nations and private pharmaceutical companies. Action was also discussed regarding the Cosa Nostra in Sicily and their impact on international drug trade.
Gloria Bilchik fashioned a crisis involving a "loose nuke" stolen from Pakistan, but it wasn't clear whether the Taliban possessed it, India had stolen it, or Iran had pilfered it under the disguise of the Taliban or al Qaeda. Delegates broke into four groups and brainstormed solutions. In an effort to protect themselves against taking action without sufficient clear information, they agreed to take no action until more was known (i.e. the clock ran out).
Thanks to all delegates and to Alberici Enterprises for allowing us to use the main meeting room in their LEED Certified Platinum building and to Emily Korsch for giving a tour of the facilities. Clearly the fresh air and natural light in the building kept everyone energetic and alert.
Additional thanks to four teachers who brought students and enhanced the experience in a number of ways: Julie Burchett (Webster Groves), Jane Garvin (St. Joseph's Academy), Karen Johnson (Nerinx Hall), and Rachel Ward (Maplewood-Richmond Heights).
You can access photos from the day by clicking here and a short video by clicking here. |
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Next Civitas Friday Night Movie: "Hotel Rwanda" |
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On Friday, December 4, we will be showing the movie "Hotel Rwanda" for three reasons:
- It's plain and simple a terrific movie.
- Our annual February conference will be on genocide, and this is an outstanding docu-drama about the carnage in Rwanda in the mid-1990s.
- The following afternoon (Dec. 5) we will be collaborating with Eric Greitens's The Mission Continues to have a conversation between students and veterans.
The movie will be at the Civitas office (map) from 6:00 PM - 9:30 PM. We'll have pizza and cookies in the beginning and a discussion about the film at its conclusion.
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Black: High School Blue: Middle School Date | Time | Place | Activity |
Fri.,
12/04 | 6:00 PM -
9:30 PM | Civitas office
(map) | Movie: Hotel Rwanda |
Sat.
12/05 | 1:00 PM -3:00 PM | | Discussion Group #6 with Veterans from The Mission Continues |
Sat.,
12/19 | 9:00 AM -
11:00 AM | | Discussion Group #7 | | | | |
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