The Wildcat Roar

What’s Your Headphones?

amandawiele — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:43:29 +0000

Back in the day, I can remember bobbing my head to smash hits like N’Sync’s “Bye Bye Bye” and “Oops I Did It Again” by Brittney Spears. It was apparent that the lyrics were playful and the writers had no intent on leading people astray. Today however, the same thing cannot be said.
Music manifests itself through its listeners’ life.
Our musical selections impact us on a spiritual, mental, emotional and sometimes physical level. It would be foolish to deny and refuse to recognize this fact.
Over the past years, it seems as if music has become increasingly vulgar. As the years have gone by, the godliness has dropped dramatically. Some of the music of today is incredibly deceiving and corrupted.
Our generation is heavily influenced by music, and often times our heroes are the overly celebrated musical artists. However, most people are not fully aware of some of the things that our “heroes” do behind the scenes. A lot of these popular artists are leading us astray. We would be surprised if we really knew what actually goes on in their lives behind closed doors, outside of the public eye. Artists such as Jay Z, Rihanna, Kanye West, and Lil Wayne are all occult participants, they are either involved in Illuminati or Freemasonry. The majority of their songs contain subliminal messages that one can not recognize without research.
Research. No one is doing it. This is what is destroying us as a community. You may think you are singing one thing, but in some cases you could be singing something completely different; most likely contradictory to the Christian faith.
As a whole, we have become so naive and too trusting, especially of people we do not know. We assume that everything we listen to is permissible. Often times, this is not the case. We have to put back into practice the useful tool of thinking.
This applies to broader areas than just music. In every aspect of life we must enlighten ourselves to the truth. We can no longer afford to passively allow ourselves to be influenced by anyone else. It would prove wise for us to wake up and start evaluating things. Instead of being swayed by the masses, we should begin to think for ourselves and discover what is beneficial to our lives as well as the things that our detrimental to our lives.
Once we can begin to think for ourselves and research issues that we are not fully and completely sure of, we then can start making better, wiser, and more logical decisions, ultimately turning us into wiser young adults.

Shutter Island

jakegrimes — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:37:20 +0000

The lights dim, a hush falls, and Shutter Island is revealed on the movie screen. Shutter Island has been in the box office since February nineteenth and has been seen by millions of viewers. Originally a novel written by Dennis Lehane, it was adapted into a film and has captured the attention of audiences.
Beginning on a ferry, Leonardo DeCaprio gives a stunning performance that has people questioning what is and what is not reality. DeCaprio is on Shutter Island with his partner trying to find a missing woman who has escaped from the jail/asylum. As he looks for clues he discovers a different way of life, where the doctors create the rules, not the federal government. The help he receives is pointless, and he becomes increasingly frustrated that he is receiving futile answers. He falls into their word games and gets tricked into questioning whether this is all a mind game or reality
As he becomes submerged in the secrets that the island holds he begins to have flashbacks of his earlier life and the atrocities that he has witnessed. People question whether he should really be a federal marshal since he has undergone numerous hardships. As the story continues the topics become darker and more complex. He becomes ill towards the end of the movie causing him to be helpless towards the hands of the staff. As the movie draws to a conclusion the ending undergoes an extreme twist.
Although the movie is almost two and a half hours long, the time slips away and does not cause people to constantly check their watches. If people are looking for a story that is intriguing then this would be the one to see.
The movie is thought provoking and produces questions about sanity and humankind. Would humans rather be emotionless yet essentially “good” or have imprisoned free will and be corrupt.

Going Beyond the Red, Black, and Green

jakegrimes — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:34:10 +0000

Whenever the words charity or global crisis are spoken, for some people Africa and Asia automatically come to mind. Even at Westminster it seems as though every chapel dedicated to a charitable cause is associated with Africa. I can’t count how many chapels I’ve sat through where I’ve had to watch clips of impoverished people from that part of the world.
While I am not trying to diminish the amount of aid that’s needed in that region, I do want to challenge people to see that there is plenty of work to do outside of the insolvent continent. It is undeniably one of the places in the world with the most need for help; however, we as a community and as a country must venture out to other regions with great need.
Sometimes I feel that people use this underserved area as a crutch or an easy way out when it comes to charitable giving so much that it has become a common thread in our society. For example, if a teacher was to ask her class to talk about an issue in the world, I guarantee that Africa would be the first thought in the minds of at least half of the class. It has become so easy to jump on the bandwagon and target this familiar zone.
We become so infatuated with the problems of other countries that are worse off that we overlook the issues brewing in our own backyards. This can be seen in every aspect of our culture such as, celebrities like Madonna and Angelina Jolie adopting children from Asian and African countries. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with adopting children from foreign countries, but it seems that people have become obsessed with the idea and exoticness of adopting foreign children when there are millions of children in America wishing for a nice home and a loving family.
There are enough organizations in St. Louis alone such as, Thrive St. Louis, Ronald Mc Donald’s House, and many others that are seeking willing workers.
We cannot let trends set by the rich and famous or even the popular majority dictate or distort our view of charity or our sincerity in giving. This is a matter of the heart not of popularity and familiarity.
As Christians we are called to help everyone no matter where they’re from and our mission calls us to go beyond the limits of our country; however, we still must be aware of the problems in our own surroundings. We cannot neglect our own epidemics in an effort to help others. We must find the balance between lending a helping hand to all and just focusing on a specific region. Charity does not always have to equal Africa but it should always equal compassion.

Going For More Than Gold

jakegrimes — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:32:23 +0000

As the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver pass, people still feel the spirit of competition and unity across the globe. Each Olympian is blessed with a certain talent that they excel at such as skiing, bobsledding, or skating. However, these Olympians did not have to overcome intellectual and physical disabilities that severely cripple them from childhood. Very few people tuned into the Special Winter Games in Boise, Idaho in February 2009, but these athletes have the qualities of a true champion.
The Special Olympics originated during a summer camp by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, mother of President John F. Kennedy, in June of 1962. The first Summer Games were held in Chicago on Soldier Field during July of 1968. And the games have taken off from there, gaining government funding and support from many volunteers. It also was negatively impacted from society in some movies like The Ringer. Practices and competitions happen 365 days of the year in almost 180 countries.
Overcoming adversity is the first obstacle these athletes have to hurdle. Abdel-Rahman Hassan of Saudi Arabia was born with an intellectual disability and partial paralysis. He wanted to become a swimmer. His dad said it took him a month to hold his breath underwater for more than three seconds and a year to swim more than a meter. Hassan defied the odds and won gold at the Special Summer Games in China in both the 25-meter and 50-meter races. Now the Special Olympics are filled with these types of life changing stories, but it is our job to give the recognition to the athletes that they deserve.
“Special Olympics changed my life and my love of sports and helped me achieve all this unimaginable success,” said Xu Chuang, Special Olympics China Athlete. Interacting with the other athletes opens the door to joy and friendship that some of these people have trouble finding in society.
Hark work and service is required to make these games possible. Volunteer opportunities are available in Saint Louis area to help with local events. Also, donating money to the games helps to continue the tradition on www.specialolympics.org. Even being aware of the athletes and not using derogatory terms in public is a way to help. Participating with mentally challenged people in Special Olympic Unified Sports can make someone’s day.
This is a global event that everyone can contribute to his or her hometown. Sports are a way to connect with other people and achieve self-satisfaction that is difficult to do in other aspects of life. Being involved gives these special athletes a sense of meaning and a way to have fun with their peers.
Volunteering in the state of Missouri is a way to get connected to the Special Olympic program. SOMO (Special Olympics in Missouri) promotes unity in the community and helping special athletes develop physical fitness, find courage, experience joy, and build relationships with other mentally challenged people.
Missouri offers 21 different sports for these athletes and gives the athletes a chance to compete and possibly advance in their sport. In 2009, Missouri sent two athletes to compete in the Winter Games in Idaho. On average 76% of each dollar donated goes to support and grow the Special Olympic program. Currently in the month of March, there will be several basketball and track events for opportunities to volunteer.
The adults and youth that participate experience joy from sports that can be hard to find in their other struggles in society. Although the Special Winter Games went without notice, the athletes worked as hard as the Vancouver Olympic participants to achieve something that many cannot comprehend. Beating all odds with a disability.

Changing Lives With The Use Of Sports

jakegrimes — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:31:32 +0000

A lot of times athletes are interviewed and when asked about their success, they immediately give God all the glory. It has become a sort of cliché. It is these types of quotes that attract large audiences and give religious fans their own favorite athletes. The religion in sports is in line with the purpose of “Athletes in Action.” This sports organization was started to use sport’s popular platform as a tool to evangelize and spread the word of God.
“I watched the championship hockey game for the 2010 olympics. It was a great game. After the game ended, the media interviewed lots of athletes that participated, and not once, did I hear an athlete give God thanks,” said Ken Boesch, Upper School History Teacher. “I remember when Kareem Abdul Jabbar broke the scoring record, and when he was interviewed, he thanked Allah because he is a Muslim.”
Whether they know it or not, the world’s biggest athletes are the role models for children and adults. A lot of people are constantly studying their favorite athlete. They find out their favorite color, favorite foods, favorite music, and can give a brief background of their life. Get a hold of a teenagers laptop or cell phone, and some of them will have a sports star saved as the screen saver. Billboards of these public figures are present everywhere. It is hard to ignore top professional athletes. But time after time again these athletes continue to live their lives as if they are the average citizen.
So many people shape their lives around whatever athletes do. Fans see headlines like “Kobe Bryant Gets Caught Cheating on His Wife,” “Tiger Wood’s High Affair Count,” “Michael Phelps Caught With Marijuana” or “Mark McGuire Admits to Steroid Use.” Society considers professional athletes higher class, but there are middle class citizens who are classier than those sports gods. Unfortunately, they are not in the public eye, which means the average teen will overlook them. Once an athlete steps into a spotlight, they cannot do the same things an average person does.
Those in need of positive guidance look to professional athletes and tend to turn to the worst possible individual to follow. Today, sports conversations amongst the different communities are not about Kurt Warner praying before a game, but instead how cool Michael Vick is for being involved in dog fighting. Fans do not focus heavily on “NBA Cares” commercials, in which they show its work in the community; they are drawn to the recap of a NBA fight in which one of their favorite players was involved. Now, he or she gets more points on the “cool” scale.
According to AIA, “In most cultures the value system highly esteems the performance of the athlete and gives him or her a national platform of influence.
The sports platform is being used as a negative media scapegoat. There are fewer stories on professional athletes doing the right thing, and more attention on issues that do not inspire a corrupt world. According to CNN report 80% to 90% of professional athletes cheat on their spouse. When researching some of the rhetoric of top performers, one will find some of the most ignorant quotes: Some Asian fans angered Jason Kid, professional basketball player, during a game and he responded by saying, “I will shot all you Asians…Do you remember the Vietname War? I’ll kill y’all just like that.” Later, he was fined $15,000 by the NBA. It does not help that media likes to use issues like scandals, murders, and adulteries as one of its marketing tools. One way to change this set back is to build up a greater nation that will look past all of the immorality and mistakes of competitors who are in this popularity contest. Sport’s role models are blamed, but they were not asked to be a 12 year olds “Superman.” The people kids need to follow are the ones that truly care about seeing a nation rise up. Rising up involves viewers stopping themselves from buying into the garbage that the media draws attention too.
Fans from everywhere must begin to evaluate themselves. Frankly, Michael Jordan cannot truly help anyone fix their problems, Muhammad Ali cannot be a father figure for a lonely adolescent, and Manny Ramirez cannot comfort a widow that just lost her husband of thirteen years. Athletes cannot give people a deep inspiration that can transform them within.
AIA cannot change individual athletes hearts, but it can find leaders that are willing to direct fans towards what they need rather than what they want. This working progress is much more than just an organization; it’s a movement. The movement includes all of God’s people living. for something bigger than themselves: The Lord Jesus Christ.
Like most organizations, “Athletes in Action” started small, but now is a global association. Though there are over 6,000 spoken languages, there is one language that everyone understands. That language is sports. In every country, people play different sports whether they are indoor or outdoor. Sports heroes emerge, and they become a role model for certain people. This helps the goal of AIA because they have their public figure, but then it is a matter of finding the heroes that have chosen to live for Christ.

Swim Team Makes Way To State

jakegrimes — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:28:58 +0000

Friday, February 19, 2010, the Westminster Girls Varsity Swim Team made their way to the 2010 MSHAA Girls Swimming and Diving Championship at the St. Peters Rec Plex.
Competing were Ellie Straub, freshman, Rebecca Krause, sophomore, Haley Bergman and Abbie Clark, juniors, and Katherine Fleissner, Shay Weststeyn, and Rebecca Zandstra, seniors.
“We were all so excited to be there. Not just the seniors, but what was the most exciting was to see all the younger girls compete at state and do so well,” said Rebecca Zandstra, senior.
The competition was split up into two days: Friday was the preliminary round and Saturday was the finals. On Saturday only the top 16 swimmers and relay teams returned to compete. This consisted of Zandstra in the 100 Freestyle and the Free Relay team of Zandstra, Fleissner, Weststeyn, and Krause.
Zandstra placed 9th in the 100 Freestyle, and the Free Relay team placed 10th.
“It was really incredible to see younger people who worked so hard do so well. It really is all about working in the off season to do well at state,” said Molly Anderson, senior Captain.
Bergman swims on a club team all year round in order to stay up to beat, as well as Rebecca Zansdstra.
“In order to stay in shape and up to beat, and really to be successful for the next season, it is almost necessary to swim consistently during the off season,” said Bergman.
The Medley Relay team, which consisted of Straub, Clark, Bergman, and Weststeyn, received 31st place in the preliminary round and therefore was not able to move onto the finals. Bergman also placed 24th in the 100 breaststroke and was not able to move on to the Finals.
However, this had no affect on the motivation and determination of the team for next year, accept motivating them to work harder.
“I definitely want to make state again next year and my goal is to place top 16 so I can move on to the finals,” said Bergman.
Regardless of who won or what place was received, the moral of the team was consistently positive and uplifting, allowing for a great team experience no matter the outcome.
“The spirit was amazing. We just have such a close team and no matter what everyone is always so supportive. It was so much fun and everyone on the team really is amazing,” said Bergman.

Undercover Eating Disorders

jakegrimes — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:22:53 +0000

Years ago, Eating Disorders occurred secretly behind closed bathroom stalls, but suddenly they have erupted into the spotlight, affecting not only females but males, as well. It is estimated that over eight million Americans, teens and adults, struggle or have struggled with some type of eating disorder.
But the startling part, however, is not who this disease affects or the amount of people with it, it’s how acceptable and almost encouraged its becoming.
The most recent generations have been blessed with the worldwide web. Where they can connect and talk to just about anyone they want to. Unfortunately, because of the easy access to the Internet, young people, especially girls, have founded sites that encourage hurting themselves and helping others do the same.
“Pro-Ana” and “Pro-Mia” began on social networks, such as Xanga, Myspace and Facebook as close knit advice groups for girls to learn how to make Bulimia and Anorexia a lifestyle. They are typically very glamorized, with ‘appealing’ young women blogging about ways to fast, use laxatives and emetics “safely”, how to reduce the side-effects of an eating disorder’ and hide them from parents and doctors. They speak to one another as if they are truly trying to aid the other and post pictures and body measurements showing their progression.
Their popularity has grown over the years and is continuing to sweep through the web. The sites normally have disclaimers, saying that people who are Anti-Ana are not welcomed and that they do not need someone to tell them what they are doing is destructive. They say it is not their fault, that they can not help themselves but when reached out to most of them withdraw and refuse to seek any type of treatment.
Sites like this are totally and completely legal. Eating disorders have been proven not to be a personal vanity issue but something very rooted in someone’s psychological health and wellness. These sites have many similarities to cyber bullying. Bulimia and anorexia are both very destructive to the mind, body and self-esteem. It has and can result in death if not handled correctly.
Women and young girls are not the only ones who are being drawn into this disease. It’s becoming more and more common for athletes, as well. Some of the most common cases are ballerinas and wrestlers.
Dancers feel the constant pressure of an unrealistic view of how their bodies must look in order to excel at their art. They become obsessed with perfection in their images and develop eating disorders. What’s even more tragic is that unlike in the general population, where someone’s chances of dying with an eating disorder are one in ten, a dancers is one in five.
“Obviously I’ve felt pressure to be thinner but I’ve never felt the need to take it that far. My studio is really a blessing to me because they want us to be healthy and fit, not sick. The girls who have had Eating Disorders seem so unhappy and at some points, to weak to even dance. It’s not worth it. If you’re dance studio is telling you get skinny however you can. Don’t listen. Don’t hurt yourself,” said Hannah Mitchell, freshman and ballerina.
Instructors might see the signs since their bodies are exposed because of leotards and tight fitting clothing but it is often ignored and just thought of as a sad fact of the art or as a sacrifice a serious dancer has to make.
Wrestlers, although in totally different sports, suffer the same fate in many cases. They often let their drive to remain in their weight classes and to be the best send them on crazy diets and binge eating.
“I think the wrestlers mindset is different but I understand that some of the actions are the same. All the dieting they do with the coach here though is very controlled. I think he understands their bodies more than they even do,” Avery Anderson, sophomore and wrestling manager
The problem with many males and this disease is, unlike most, an eating disorder is embarrassing to admit to because it is often times thought about as a “women’s illness’’. It needs to be discussed and warned against just like with females, seeing as males make up ten percent of the eight million with an eating disorder. are doing is destructive. They say it is not their fault, that they can not help themselves but when reached out to most of them withdraw and refuse to seek any type of treatment.
Sites like this are totally and completely legal. Eating disorders have been proven not to be a personal vanity issue but something very rooted in someone’s psychological health and wellness. These sites have many similarities to cyber bullying. Bulimia and anorexia are both very destructive to the mind, body and self-esteem. It has and can result in death if not handled correctly.
Women and young girls are not the only ones who are being drawn into this disease. It’s becoming more and more common for athletes, as well. Some of the most common cases are ballerinas and wrestlers.
Dancers feel the constant pressure of an unrealistic view of how their bodies must look in order to excel at their art. They become obsessed with perfection in their images and develop eating disorders. What’s even more tragic is that unlike in the general population, where someone’s chances of dying with an eating disorder are one in ten, a dancers is one in five.
“Obviously I’ve felt pressure to be thinner but I’ve never felt the need to take it that far. My studio is really a blessing to me because they want us to be healthy and fit, not sick. The girls who have had Eating Disorders seem so unhappy and at some points, to weak to even dance. It’s not worth it. If you’re dance studio is telling you get skinny however you can. Don’t listen. Don’t hurt yourself,” said Hannah Mitchell, freshman and ballerina.
Instructors might see the signs since their bodies are exposed because of leotards and tight fitting clothing but it is often ignored and just thought of as a sad fact of the art or as a sacrifice a serious dancer has to make.
Wrestlers, although in totally different sports, suffer the same fate in many cases. They often let their drive to remain in their weight classes and to be the best send them on crazy diets and binge eating.
“I think the wrestlers mindset is different but I understand that some of the actions are the same. All the dieting they do with the coach here though is very controlled. I think he understands their bodies more than they even do,” Avery Anderson, sophomore and wrestling manager.
There has been guidelines set in the sport that prevent the athlete’s from dropping to much weight at one time but it’s still difficult to monitor.
The problem with many males and this disease is, unlike most, an eating disorder is embarrassing to admit to because it is often times thought about as a “women’s illness’’. It needs to be discussed and warned against just like it is with females, seeing as males make up ten percent of the eight million with an eating disorder.

Parched

jakegrimes — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:18:20 +0000

Imagine rowing across the Atlantic Ocean, over 2500 miles, yet not having access to clean drinking water. This feat would be impossible without the luxury of clean water on hand. Katie Spotz, a twenty-one year old, has partnered with Blue Water Run in order to raise money for safe drinking funds across the world.
One sixth of the world does not have access to clean drinking water, half of the world’s hospital beds are filled with people who are suffering from a type of water related disease, and over 2.2 million people in developing countries die each year because of the lack of sanitation that their water has. People are literally dying just because they do not have clean water.
While an average American uses anywhere from 100 to 175 gallons of water a day, people in developing countries use only about 1.5 gallons a day. And this is not sufficient for a healthy life. These statistics that are found on Blue Water Run’s website are staggering, and it puts into perspective how fortunate Americans are. It may seem like the end of the world when people living in Arizona cannot water their grass everyday; these numbers make those qualms pale in comparison.
Women in Afghanistan, India, Central and South America, and Africa may have to walk six kilometers in order to attain some sort of water, and in addition to this they have to carry that back to their home. This kind of energy is draining and prevents them from having any sort of education and even hinders them in maintaining a proper homestead. The water that they are seeking is not necessarily clean, but it’s a fluid to help nourish their families.
Open sewers, unclean hygiene habits, and lack of attention all contribute to the increasing problem of unclean drinking water. One problem that people suffer from is the lack of a piping system. People’s sewage and waste is essentially dumped into rivers that surround cities causing pollution. Another issue inhabitants of these areas face are due to their elected officials not taking the time to assess the situation. Once their vote is placed, the leaders do not spend the amount of time promised. Compared to education and constructing new buildings, a lack of safe water takes the back seat.
National Geographic has a full website dedicated to the crisis of drinking water and explains that only .007 percent of the planet’s water is available to fuel and feed its 6.8 billion people. What needs to be reintroduced into our society and the entire worlds is how to effectively conserve, manage, and distribute water. Every day people leave the water running while they brush their teeth, get a drink, or wash their hands. Any amount of conservation is severely needed.
In lesser countries the lack of clean water does not only impact humans, but also in addition it impacts the wildlife. In Egypt the water is so polluted that the fish cannot properly survive. Because of this, the Egyptians main food supply is receding, and the only fish that are left cause the people to become ill because of the diseases they are harboring.
It seems futile to conserve water because the visual results of this are non-existent for the average person. By making small changes in a person’s everyday schedule, such as taking shorter showers, can at the least raise awareness of the issue of the lack of clean drinking water. It is not necessary to “go green” in order to make a difference. People of high influence or social status have the ability to raise the concerns, and they have been publicizing what different ways that they will conserve water.
There are a plethora of organizations that are desperately seeking to inform people around the world of ways they can help with the problem. A website that is receiving active participation from communities to help with the cause of providing clean water for villages is Blue Water Run. Its statement says that if someone donates at least thirty dollars this can provide enough water to save one life. Organizations realize that just throwing money at the problem will not solve anything. So instead they give the people equipment and guidance, providing that the villagers are the ones doing most of the hard labor. This does not prove to be a problem, and so they drill wells and gain access to clean water.
In order to stop unnecessary deaths it is vital for people to become aware of the problem concerning unclean drinking water. If people raise awareness, donate money, or even volunteer for organizations the rate of deaths would drop.

Spotlight on Poverty

amandawiele — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:16:23 +0000

When thinking of worthy causes to get involved in, many tend to look towards third world countries. Seeing the innocent faces of impoverished children plays on emotions. Although helping others in such countries is wonderful. Americans have become blind to the broken lives struggling in their own country.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau report in 2008, 40 million people live in poverty, which is over 13% of Americans.
Child poverty costs our nation around 500 billion dollars. Children who grow up in impoverished homes often times become adults who cannot contribute economically to society. However, the hurting people are the focus rather than the potential they have. Everyone can rise above their situation if they are given the opportunity. According to Spotlight on Poverty, an organization fighting to eliminate poverty, reducing poverty is not only a moral imperative; it is vital to our nation’s well-being.
According UNICEF, the existence of children engulfed in poverty within wealthy countries diminishes both equality and opportunity display commonality of values. Therefore, it addresses the industrialize world with an assessment of both its ideals and capacity to mend many of its most difficult social issues.
Spotlight on Poverty is a foundation-led, non-partisan initiative aimed at ensuring that political leaders take significant actions to help rejuvenate The United States. With the cushy life style that a number of Americans have the privilege to enjoy, they do not realize the poverty in their own nation. It focuses also on opening the eyes of Americans to take action and change the nation.
Therefore, Americans are beginning to tap into the issue and take the initiative to help their own people. However, it boils down to the fact that they remain in their comfortable life styles and situations on a day-to-day basis. When everything is seemingly going well the urge to help others simply doesn’t show. It is not always easy to step out of one’s comfort zone. Regardless, nothing in this nation would have ever got done if people were afraid and compromise their happiness.
It becomes difficult to decipher how to help from a Biblical perspective. On one hand, Christians are commanded to give to the less fortunate, yet the Bible states that there will always be people who live in poverty. Nevertheless, Americans can help the situation of the struggling. Wiping out poverty completely is simply not realistic, but making the effort to improve the lives is the ideal goal.
“When I went to Mexico I saw how much people needed our help, regardless if we can completely solve the issue it is what we are called to do” said Lauren DeRousse, junior.
One way Americans are taking a stand is through the global movement called End Poverty 2015. This group of people demand that their government honor their commitments to achieve the MDG’s by 2015. The MDG, Millennium Development Goals, was signed at the 2,000 UN Millennium Summit.
The MDG proved its sense of urgency, in its mission statement, which is, “to free our fellow men, women and children from the abject and dehumanizing conditions of extreme poverty, to which more than a billion of them are currently subjected.”
Locally in St. Louis, people are volunteering their time and money to mend broken lives. Someone Cares Mission, a subsidiary of Christian Service Center, Inc., supplies fresh and nutritious brown-bag lunches, personal hygiene products, and blankets for homeless and impoverished individuals and families five days a week.

Role Models

jakegrimes — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:15:56 +0000

From working in a small grocery store in Iowa to becoming a Super Bowl champion, the last person Kurt Warner thinks about is himself. It’s easy to get caught up in the MVP awards, the postseason records, and the Hall of Fame resume, but his foundation says it all: First Things First.
Through this foundation, Warner emphasizes that all things are possible if faith and family are put first. This formula has held everything together in the Warner family as they have stayed together through the ups and downs of his career. The foundation’s slogan is a passage from Matthew 6:33, which states, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” The focus of the charity is to promote Christian values, share experiences, and provide opportunities to encourage people that all things are possible.
Warner received the Walter Payton Award in 2009 and Bart Starr Award in 2010 which both are awarded to a player who leads in the community and on the field. He has brought Christianity back into athletics ever since yelling “Thank You Jesus” on the night the St. Louis Rams became Super Bowl champions. As Warner exits the NFL and develops his organization, he will be remembered for the impact he left on and off the field as a servant of God and others.
As one man exits the scene, another is in the middle of his career, both hitting home runs and running the Pujols Family Foundation. Albert Pujols developed his organization to live and share their family’s commitment to faith, family, and others. As a young kid in the Dominican Republic, Pujols dreamed of playing in the Major League. Through hard work and dedication he made that possible, but reached the greatest achievement of his life in the spring of 1998. His wife, Deidre, introduced him to Jesus Christ.
Ever since this day, Pujols has been living his life for Christ and started to help kids in need through his personal experiences. The foundation centers around providing hopes for kids with Down syndrome, giving extraordinary experiences to kids with life threatening illnesses, and improving the quality of life for kids in the Dominican Republic. These have cultivated through his own experiences as the Pujols family has a daughter with Down syndrome. Through charity events he has raised money and made many dreams become a reality for youth across America.
Pujols was presented with the Roberto Clemente Award, which he credits as his biggest accomplishment, for helping in the community. Pujols has figured out what most athletes seem to miss, that there is more to life than fame and glory.
Another man that is hard not to mention that exudes a Christian mentality on athletics is Tim Tebow, quarterback from the University of Florida. This past Heisman Award winner recently starred in a very controversial commercial during the Super Bowl that spoke out against abortion. His missionary parents raised him in the Philippians, but before he was born the doctors thought it would be better to abort the child. But his mother refused.
Today, the Tim Tebow foundation utilizes media opportunities to promote Christian ideals and provide special events for less fortunate children. He supports Uncle Dick’s Orphanage in the Philippians that supports abandoned or children without homes. Also, he helps through a program called “A Brighter Day” which helps provide trips to disadvantaged children and struggling families. He raises money through First and 15 in Gainesville, Florida and also encourages people to donate on his website www.timtebowfoundation.org.
Tebow uses his platform as one of college football’s greatest players to speak out to the media on his core beliefs. The foundation is built on this and exists to provide faith, hope, and love to those in their darkest hour. He has shown fire on and off the football field to make a statement and be different in a society that looks down on strong Christian morals.
Looking at these three stars they have little in common to connect them together, but their attitude on the field is an element lost in the bright lights of sports today. These men stand firm in their faith and put on a show for millions of people on the field. The athletes attack world issues and help the people not a fortunate as them.
All of these men exude compassion and humility. Their foundations help make dreams come true and drastically change lives. Sports are a business where this kind of generosity is overlooked, but these men don’t need notoriety to make a difference.