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News
Volume 74, Issue 31
May 21, 2010
V2K makes tentative steps toward Commons renovation
11 students medal in Russian Olympiada
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Conor Gearin Core Staff t. Louis U. High’s Board of Trustees decided Wednesday to begin formal planning for the next stage of the Vision 2000 building renovations of the Student Commons and main offices. An architect will begin drawing up plans over the summer. During the first semester of next school year, President David Laughlin will propose the plans to members of the SLUH community for feedback. Laughlin said that the step to begin drawing up plans is necessary for knowing whether SLUH can finance the construction. “Really, you don’t know what it will cost to do until you formally plan it,” Laughlin said. “The Board agreed to approve moving forward on the formal design—not the actual construction—but to go out and engage an architect, … to really start to come up with some firm design plans—that then we can also work to get some more precise cost estimation.”
In addition to renovating the Student Commons into a dual-purpose cafeteria and commons, the main offices will be moved to the current cafeteria. The resulting vacuum in the main offices’ current location will open up room for clubs and organizations’ offices. So far there are only tentative designs of how to structure the Commons space. Although plans are not firm, designs being discussed include a book and apparel store near the Berthold Avenue entrance, enlarging the Berthold Avenue entrance for use as the main entrance, large windows on the south wall of the Commons to let in more natural light, a locker room for coaches and officials, a mezzanine on the north side of the commons, and a lower ceiling. Laughlin will acquaint the architect with what SLUH organizations want in the renovations. Laughlin has met with Student Council, looked at plans for the new Commons produced by last year’s sophomore geometry classes, and met with organizations such as Mothers Club and Cashbah. Laughlin
said he gave student groups the same opportunities for input as parent organizations like Mothers Club. In the first semester of next year, organizations will have the opportunity to give feedback on the architect’s plans. Laughlin is not sure yet how students will be involved in the feedback process, saying that with over 1,000 students, there is no good way to involve every student in the process. “I’m open to some student involvement, but we’re not going to have 1,000 students meeting with the architect,” he said. “But I think as it gets closer to the actual construction of something, I’ll be more keenly interested in some student feedback.” After the first semester, Laughlin said he is unsure of the timeline for further plans, explaining that the progress of the construction plans depends on SLUH’s ability to finance them, which will not be known until SLUH has a cost estimate. No construction will take place over the summer.
Coldren re- Keefe leaves 43-year legtires after 26 acy as teacher, principal years
Mike Lumetta Anthony Re’, mentioning Keefe’s help with Core Staff speeches, Junior Ring, Advancement Office Andrew Kastner “ ell, someone else is going to have proofreading, and yearbook. Core Staff To his French students, to wake up and go or St. Louis U. High English teacher open the cafeteria in the Keefe stands out for his Patricia Coldren, English was not even morning,” said senior commitment to learning what she wanted to study in college. That Charlie Stoltze of the deover grades and his effort had been Spanish, but she had left college parture of St. Louis U. to help students accomplish to get married. The idea that she would High icon Richard Keefe. that learning. become “As a teacher, I’d say Keefe has filled a variety an English of roles over his 43-year tenhe’s one of the most knowlteacher at ure: French teacher, B-soccer edgeable guys I’ve ever SLUH, one coach, yearbook moderator, met,” said senior Kevin who is re- dean of students, assistant Mueller. “But the thing tiring this principal for academics, Nathat makes him stand out year after tional Honor Society (NHS) is definitely his patience 26 years moderator, and Senior Projwith his students and with of teach- ect co-moderator. But most the learning process.” ing, never of his students remember “Mr. Keefe is one of Richard Keefe crossed her him for smaller things like those guys who’s big on mind. It his commitment to proctoring in the cafeteria having you learn the material. It’s a lot of Pat Coldren was only every morning or his lesson in tying ties, a repetition, and he really strives for you to when she purchased and read the complete staple of the French I curriculum. do your personal best,” said senior Nick works of Shakespeare while her husband “Right now he does kind of the thank- Seckfort. was attending school and she was living less jobs that nobody else does and nobody Junior Tate Macarthy, who said he in Iowa that English sparked her interest. struggles in French, said, “As a teacher, he really gives much thought to,” said senior Seven years after finishing Shakespeare, see KEEFE, 15 and two children later, Coldren said she returned to school to major in English, having been “blown away by Shakespeare.” Coldren started teaching at SLUH in 1984, after teaching two years at University of Missouri – St. Louis. Coldren has Nick Fandos four years. witnessed six presidents and four principals. Features Editor Over those 50 years, Klenklen has been She has taught over 3,000 students, primarelen Klenklen has been at the center called upon to take charge of various odd ily sophomores and seniors, in American of St. Louis U. High for 50 years. She jobs and crucial tasks around the school. Literature, Men and Women in Literature, the Alienated Hero, Initiation (previously has seen principals, presidents, and col- From ordering flowers for the Junior Ring called Coming of Age), Modern Drama, leagues come and go, watched the Backer Ceremony to preparing graduating seniors’ Tragedy, Expository Writing, and African Memorial be built up and torn down, and diplomas each year, Klenklen’s job has grown. American Voices, a class she helped define noted the subtle changes in “The thing about Helen through her experience and expertise with the boys that make this school what it is. But with the end is that she has these jobs that African American literature. nobody knows they even get Beside helping define the African of this school year, Klenklen done,” said art teacher John American Voices class, Coldren has been will give up her seat right in Mueller. “A lot of that might accepted into seminars as part of the Eisen- the middle of things and renot be in her job description, hower Endowment, received grants to study tire from her position as regbut she’s taken it on to get it African American literature, and in 2006 took istrar. Klenklen was hired in done.” a sabbatical to study and retrace the steps Klenklen assists Mueller of the Civil Rights movement. She has also 1960 by Principal Jerry Sheein preparing and serving dinmoderated the Pro-Life club and Amnesty han, S.J., as the secretary to the principal. It wasn’t until ner once a month for St. Peter International. and Paul Shelter for homeless As junior Nick Fandos mentioned in the late ’60s that she moved men in south St. Louis where, his farewell speech in honor of Coldren at to her current role of registrar. Helen Klenklen according to Mueller, she rethe end-of-year liturgy this past Wednesday, For over 40 years, Klenklen SLUH has become a lot more diverse and ac- has recorded the grades and prepared the ceives warm reception for the desserts she cepting due in large part to her influence. This transcript of every student who has attended makes and serves. see COLDREN, 15 SLUH, having an often unfelt effect on his see KLENKLEN, 15
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Drawing by Robert Lux
Photo by Mr. MAtt Sciuto
Klenklen to retire after 50 years at school center H
Photo by Mr. MAtt Sciuto
Zach Rauschenbach Reporter leven St. Louis U. High Russian language students arrived at SLUH Saturday evening to compete in the Olympiada of Spoken Russian. The students had been preparing throughout the week leading up to the event in four categories: personal information, recitation of a Russian poem, cultural aspects of Russia, and the ability to read and summarize a short story in Russian. The contest was conducted completely in Russian. Two judges evaluated the competitors: Irina Yulyanova, a professor from St. Louis University, and Marina Chura, the wife of SLUH Russian teacher Rob Chura. The judges reviewed each competitor individually, listening and asking questions as the students moved through the four categories. Senior Michael Meyer, juniors John Barber and Partrick Quinlan, and sophomores Aaron Smittle, Andrew Woodcock, Jack Mohrmann, and Juan Pablo de Legaretta all earned gold medals. Junior Conor Gearin and freshman Dominic Lamantia earned silvers, while freshman James Wirthlin earned a bronze. Meyer, who was participating in his third Olympiada, has won gold each year. Woodcock received the highest individual score out of all participants in addition to receiving a gold medal. Of his preparation for the event, Woodcock said, “I knew a lot of it already, but the civilization was definitely the category I had to practice for the most. I did a lot of cramming the last couple days.” Quinlan agreed that SLUH’s Russian language curriculum prepared him well to compete in the event. This year the contest was conducted a little differently than in previous years. Previously, SLUH Russian language students competing in the event traveled to Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. A Memphis high school set up the event, and SLUH students competed against Russian students from Memphis. This year, however, the two schools decided to hold individual competitions in which each school would judge their individual students separately and then report their scores to each other. When asked about the new format, Chura said, “Chances are good we will have an opportunity to host it again at SLUH.” Due to the lack of competition from the Memphis students, Chura invited local high schools John Burroughs and Soldan, which both have Russian programs, to participate in the event. Both schools declined. “(The Olympiada) took up less time than last year, but the road trip to Memphis was always really, really fun,” Meyer said of the new format of the competition. The format for next year’s competition is undecided. Both schools will consider the option of travelling or once again competing individually among their own students. Doubling up on his Russian awards for the year, Meyer also earned a gold in the second round of the American Council of Teachers of Russian essay contest, which was held earlier this year. Students from around the country submitted essays to the contest, and 58 from the advanced division were chosen to move on to the second round. Second round essays were sent to the Pushkin State Institute in Moscow, where professors at the school graded them. The theme for this year’s contest was “Something that is important to me,” and juniors and seniors from SLUH competed in the event. Meyer was one of 28 gold medalists in the second round.