The Como Crier » Top Stories

Welcome to America

dbaden — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:59:52 +0000

On a frigid December day, the air outside Como Park Senior High School is so cold the trees are shivering, and puffs of air rise above a group of students like steam in a sauna. These students are waiting for the bus that will take them to the Minnesota state Capitol. But this is no normal field trip. Most of the students have never been on a bus before. This is the level one English Language Learner class and many of them have been in the United States less than two years.
They have been preparing for this trip for weeks, learning how to ride the bus, how to get a transfer and, for a special treat, ordering at McDonald’s — in English.
“This is the third year that we’ve made the trip,” said Jeff Caulum, the instructor for the level one ELL students. Mr. Caulum is accompanied by Mr. Aung-See, who acts as a translator for the large number of Karen and Karenni students. Karen and Karenni are two separate cultures from Burma. In recent years there has been a large increase in the number of Karen and Karenni students attending Como.
But the Level 1 ELL class has more than just these two cultures. Somalis, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Hmong, Oromo and Mon represent a full spectrum of ethnicities in this class. Some have never been to a restaurant before, having grown up in refugee camps.
The trip to the Capitol is eye-opening for them, a completely novel experience for this new generation of Americans. They even met a politician up close: Sen. Mary Jo McGuire, DFL-St. Paul, who explained her role at the Capitol and inquired about concerns the students might have. There were no responses until the translator stepped in and rephrased the questions in multiple languages.
After the tour ended, the group walked along University Avenue, heading for the nearby McDonald’s, and the conversation turned to food. Each student was allowed to buy two items from the dollar menu through the school, but could bring extra money if they wanted more food.
Here was where all those weeks of preparation came into play — the puzzling, painstaking task of ordering American fast food with an English-speaking cashier. Everyone passed with flying colors. Soon the initial confusion of ordering food was replaced by excitement when the food arrived. When everyone sat down to eat, the buzz of excited voices coming together for a simple meal expressed the satisfaction felt by everyone.
The meal was cut short by a rush to catch the bus, which they missed by minutes. A second bus arrived soon, with everyone piling in for a crowded ride back.
The bus dropped the group off a little ways from Como, which added a few more blocks to walk and another chance to burn off those calories. Soon everyone was delivered back at Como, all accounted for. Once they got back, smiles broke out all around.
“They all know just how lucky they are,” Mr. Caulum said, referring to their chance to live in America and come to school here at Como Park.

The Story of Christmas

Clarissa Climer — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 03:52:58 +0000

Everyone knows that every December 25th is a time for merriment, happiness and family togetherness. But for Christians, it holds a more powerful meaning. In the Bible it is said that a young woman named Mary, who was engaged to Joseph, a carpenter, and was in fact a virgin (which is why she is well known as the Virgin Mary), was visited by an angel who explained to Mary that she would conceive a son by the power of the Holy Spirit, and that once he was born she shall name him Jesus.
Mary was shocked and confused, since she was a virgin. The angel told her that the baby would be God’s only begotten son. Mary was in awe and believed the angel of God and rejoiced. Mary became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. When Joseph found out she was pregnant he felt disgraced thinking Mary had an affair.
Joseph knew that the child was not his and wanted to break the engagement. But he did not want to cause her any more shame. The Jewish laws at the time said that an adulterer/ adulteress could be sentenced to death by stoning. So Joseph treated her with acts of kindness and goodwill and he kept it quiet.
One night God sent an angel to Joseph to tell him that Mary was telling the truth and that helping her would be God’s will. The angel told Joseph that the baby was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and that they should name him Jesus, and that he would be the Messiah.
The couple had to go to Bethlehem to be counted for the census and when they got there they looked for a place to sleep. The innkeeper said that there wasn’t any vacancy in the inn and they couldn’t stay. Joseph, knowing his wife needed rest, begged for any place to sleep. The innkeeper said that they could stay in the barn on some hay. Soon after they settled down Mary went into labor and soon delivered a healthy son. They remembered the angel, and named him Jesus.
Christmas is celebrated by millions of believers as the birth of Jesus, but his exact birthday is really unknown. They know he was born in the wintertime but that’s pretty much it. The name ‘Christmas’ was made by Christians in the Middle Ages. It literally means “Christ’s Mass and it marks the Christmas Eve midnight service. That is how its name came about. However you choose to celebrate the season, have a Merry Christmas Cougars.

History of Thanksgiving

whageman — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:40:19 +0000

The time is nearly upon us when thanks are given, stomachs are filled, and families are united as a part of the holiday dubbed Thanksgiving.
The origins of this centuries-old practice date all the way back to the united feasting of the Natives of America and the Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth in 1621. However, the tradition as it is known today wasn’t started until 1863 when Abraham Lincoln made it a national holiday. This was in adherence to Mrs. Sarah Josepha Hale who had been lobbying for it’s observance since 1827.
This was the beginning of the annual practice that would take place every 5th Thursday of November before being moved to the 4th Thursday in 1941 by Franklin D. Roosevelt, who happened to be a descendant of a settler from The Fortune, the second ship to land at Plymouth shortly after the Mayflower.
The cuisine served at Thanksgiving has definitely gone through some changes over the centuries. Today’s common dishes seen on our tables are usually turkey, or the occasional ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, a possible roll or two, cranberry sauce and any type of vegetable that can be found. This is quite different from the five deer, several turkeys and other fowl, along with some marine life such as bass, cod, mussels, lobster and the like, with just some vegetation like corn, peas, wheat, and barley that was seen at the original dinner.
This holiday has evolved so much since its early origins that it can be easy to lose sight of what it really was and how it was actually practiced. The original reasoning behind the feast was as a type of peace offering between the two groups of people, but has been turned on it’s head to become a time of stuffing ourselves and watching football or any other television program that has become synonymous with Thanksgiving.
So enjoy Como Park. Eat and be merry, but just don’t forget to appreciate your heritage even if this isn’t the exact meal of the Pilgrims and Native Americans.

Hey Trash, Recycle Your Cougars

cbrown — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:39:31 +0000

Every time you finish a water bottle, two choices present themselves. First, you can just toss it in the trash. Second, you can recycle it! In this day and age, awareness on subjects such as global warming and pollution has created a movement towards “greener” policies and decision-making. Did you know that plastic could stay intact for over 4,000 years if not recycled? This is just one example of how high of an impact everyday objects such as a Gatorade bottle have on the environment. Here are a couple ways to help out the planet Cougars:
Recycle your disposable paper! There are blue recycling bins in each classroom; it only takes a matter of seconds.
Recycle from dusk till dawn, or even after that! Breakfast for many students comes from the school, so instead of taking a plastic bag bring your own.
Re-use. Instead of buying an Aquafina out of the vending machine, bring a bottle from home that you can use over and over again! Every bottle counts.
Feed the Piggies. With the possible return of the pig bins at lunch, this is a simple and effective way to reduce waste and give our four legged friends a big meal.
Just think. There are many times in your day when a smart, eco-friendly choice is a possibility. Everyone can help no matter who they are!
Feed a 9th grader. Offering scraps and other unwanted bits under the table is much appreciated by these voracious hordes and a great way to reduce waste!
These are only a few ways that you can help the environment. Throughout your community, it’s easy to find ways to help organize and/or become a part of the green revolution. Stay eco-friendly Cougars!

“The New 52″ Explained to You

mclausen — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 21:21:43 +0000

Ask any Average Joe on the street about the publisher of DC Comics and you might get a facial tabula rasa. Most of the populace here in the land of the free doesn’t know that DC Comics invented superheroes with BATMAN and SUPERMAN in 1938 in an effort to chronicle the epic essence of the second “Great War.”
If the extent of your knowledge ends at Kryptonite and all the colorful cretins Adam West “POW”ed, or just at Batman and Superman in general, then you know neither the Dark Knight or the Man of Steel, or their universe. But don’t feel too down. It’s a fictional history that was seventy years in the making.
On September 31, 2011 that history was unmade. In an attempt to save the industry that is comic books from society’s abandonment of print, DC has erased everything that ever happened to its superheroes and taken it back to basics. For those interested parties who’ve wanted to get into comics but never knew where to start, this’ll be your best chance until 2084.
The re-launch has been going on for nearly two months now with each of the “52″ titles coming out on a monthly basis, every Wednesday at $2.99. Has “pressing the reset button” opened the door to new readers, or closed one to longtime collectors? DC reports their “best sales in more than 20 years.” Overall, comic book sales have risen over 31% since October of last year.
Our Top Recommended “52″ Picks: BATMAN- Is it any surprise that DC would put their best writer on this one? Scott Snyder aims to change Gotham forever. So far, he’s done it.

SWAMP THING- Some writers deserve a second mention. Snyder will make you take this forty year-old horror story seriously. Also check out heavily tied-in ANIMAL MAN.
JUSTICE LEAGUE – Watch the world’s premiere superheroes clash in an ego war. What can I say about Jim Lee’s pencils? His art alone sells this book.
BATWOMAN – There’s no bat-bias here. W. Haden Blackman and J. H. Williams III create the perfect combination of writing and art. This is the essence of comic books.
GREEN LANTERN- Hal returns to Earth without his ring. He’s hopeless and homeless, due to his most hated enemy having replaced him as guardian of Earth. A realistic take on a superhero losing his powers and realizing his civilian identity is gone.
The reboot has been a giant success so far and it will be fun to watch where it goes from here. Come along for the ride!

Cougar Cafeteria

cbrown — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 22:48:27 +0000

What do you mean there aren’t cookies in the snack bar? That’s right, folks. The days of butter and meatloaf have been replaced with “I-Cant-Believe-Its-Not-Butter” and reconstituted soy gelatin. But look on the bright side. Como Park’s lunchroom has made some changes to better your life and dietary decisions. Here are just a few of the new changes.
No more breaded chicken patties. This student “favorite” has been upgraded to a simple baked chicken breast. With the addition of onions and green bell peppers, this healthy “treat” will be sure to knock your socks off.
More fruits! With the addition of more fruit salads, watermelon, and numerous other choices, the cafeteria staff hopes to provide more of the basic food groups to brighten your culinary experience. The fruit salad and strawberries are recommended treats!
We’re eating local! In an effort to encourage the consumption of local produce, the Saint Paul Public School District hopes to have schools serving locally sourced foods, with the aid of a 5 to 10 cent raise in school lunch prices.
More options! Examples such as the sandwich bar and the taco bar are brandishing new additions such as guacamole, roast beef, the so called “cowboy caviar”, etc. With so many options, how is it possible not to be satisfied?
The Slushie machine, cookies, fruit snacks, many sweet treats are a distant memory, but it’s for your health! Switch up your repetitive lunch choices with these new favorites! Try something new your next time in the cafeteria Cougars!