West Newsmagazine 11-15-17

16 I SCHOOLS I
November 15, 2017
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE
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Wildwood Middle eighth-grade students Maggie Leath, Ashlyn Bret and Nina
Langevin prepare to deliver plants to science classrooms.
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By BONNIE KRUEGER
Local students strive to improve
air quality, attendance at school
At the end of last school year, students
Ashlyn Bret, Maggie Leath and Nina Langevin
generated the idea of furnishing each
science classroom with toxin-absorbing
plants. Their goal was to improve air quality
and increase school attendance.
Their first step was to meet with Principal
Dr. Allison Klouse.
“When I had the chance to sit with them,
hear their research and learn about their
desire to help our school community, I was
honored that they had asked me to help
them make this happen,” said Klouse.
The eighth-grade students then looked to
raise funds and decided to sell homemade
scent jars. They gathered materials such
as baking soda and essential oils to create
their concoctions.
During the school’s orientation, the trio
set up their fundraiser and sold the scent
jars at $4 each.
Bret’s mother, Julie, said, “After paying
for the cost of supplies, they raised $168
to purchase plants and potting soil. They
profited $2.64 per jar.
“I’m very proud of them. These young
ladies worked very well together as a
team and each one demonstrated leadership
skills to build this project. Their plant
selections include the Snake or Mother-in-
Law’s Tongue, Spider and Golden Pothos.”
“They clean specific chemicals out of the
air,” explained Langevin.
Bret added, “And they’re easy to take
care of. They’re very low maintenance and
don’t need much light.”
Earlier this school year, the students
stayed after school to propose the idea to
the school’s science department.
Teachers unanimously voted in favor of
allowing the plants in each science classroom.
The group hopes cleaner air will
mean fewer student absences.
“There is an attendance sheet at the front
of the school, and it’s where everybody can
see it,” said Bret. “We plan to check that
throughout the year and see if we can get it
to 100 percent.”
The girls say they are optimistic that the
live plants will be placed in every classroom
at Wildwood before the end of the
school year. Their work helped them to
complete their Girl Scout Journey ‘Take
Action’ project.
Missouri governor appoints Valley
Park superintendent to MHEC
Gov. Eric Greitens
announced the appointment
of Valley Park
Superintendent Dr. David
Knes to the Midwestern
Higher Education Compact
[MHEC], a 12-state
Dr. Knes
entity designed to provide
greater higher education opportunities
and services in the Midwest.
“I was excited and flattered when the
governor called,” said Knes of his appointment.
“I’m looking forward to serving. My
work has been in pre-K through 12, but my
interest is the success of all students, and
that aligns perfectly with the mission of
MHEC.”
According to its website, MHEC also
“supports initiatives to increase regional
collaboration and achieve outcomes that
could not be realized by institutions and
systems acting independently.” To do so,
the organization relies on the collective
expertise and influence of a 60-member
governing body of legislators, higher education
leaders and governors’ representatives.
Knes has spent a total of 29 years in
education, including 27 years in administration.
He has been the Valley Park superintendent
for 11 years. Before that, he was
the assistant superintendent for the district
for three years. Knes also was an administrator
in the Rockwood School District and
the School District of Clayton at both the
elementary and the secondary level.
Project 21 scholarship offered
The Missouri Gaming Association, the
statewide professional association of the
Missouri casino industry, is inviting high
school seniors to enter the 22nd annual
Project 21 scholarship competition. Two
$1,500 first-prize scholarships and four
$1,000 second-prize scholarships will be
awarded.
The Project 21 scholarship program
encourages students to learn and educate
their peers on the illegality, dangers and
consequences of underage gambling. Students
must write and publish an original
essay or article in the school newspaper, or
create a poster or video. Entries must be
published or displayed at the student’s high
school for at least one full week between
Dec. 1 and Feb. 15.
Entries will be judged for originality,
content, style and educational value. The
article, poster or video must focus on the
issues and ramifications of underage gambling.
“We want students to know it is illegal
for anyone under the age of 21 to gamble
in a Missouri casino,” said Mike Winter,
executive director of the Missouri Gaming
Association. “We also want them to understand
the dangers and consequences to
youth of other types of underage gambling,
such as card games and sports betting.”
The deadline for submitting Project 21
scholarship entries to the Missouri Gaming
Association is March 1. The Project 21
scholarship application is available at
missouricasinos.org or by calling (573)
634-4001. Winners will be announced by
March 31 and scholarships will be awarded
by April 15.
Operation Food Search to hold
Empty Bowls fundraiser
Operation Food Search [OFS], a nonprofit
hunger relief organization, will host
its 19th annual Empty Bowls fundraiser in
the Center Court of Plaza Frontenac located
at 1701 S. Lindbergh Blvd. in Frontenac.
The event is from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday,
Nov. 17 and from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday,
Nov. 18 The empty bowls signify hunger in
the community. All proceeds from the sales
of these handcrafted pottery items benefit
OFS’ hunger relief efforts.
The fundraiser will be held in conjunction
with National Hunger and Homelessness
Awareness Week.
Many local artists and studios have created
bowls and other art items for sale at the
Empty Bowls event including Bob Allen,
Marianne Baer and Bridget McDermott
Flood. Participating St. Louis students and
faculty include Chaminade College Preparatory
School, Christian Brothers College
High, Parkway West High, St. Joseph’s
Academy, St. Louis Community College –
Meramec and Whitfield School.