Althoff Catholic High School - Crusader Yearbook (Belleville, IL)

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Students attend Boys Girls State last summer During the summer of my junior year I had the pleasure of attending Boys ' State, an American Legion-sponsored pro¬ gram dealing with the values of democracy and citizenship. It was held from June 7-14 at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. Father Gummersheimer sponsored four of us from Althoff, Tony Roth, Ken Rutter, Ken Wetstein, and me. Those first couple of days were filled with activity. Besides basic orientation, we were divided into counties and then further, into cities. We organized teams for every imaginable sport and learned about essays we could write and contests we could enter. Our goal was to win the title of M odel Coun¬ try. Everything counted towards that goal. In addition to this, we went to classes daily and learned about topics ranging from the judicial system to the electoral pro¬ cess. These classes were very informative, and they im¬ pressed upon me the importance that the individual makes, even in a country of so many million. We ended every night with a general assembly which usually featured a guest speaker. City elections were held the third day, and I was elected City Treasurer. My job was to attend city meetings and naturally keep an expense account. The meetings involved using par¬ liamentary procedure which we had learned in class. It was a challenge to say the least. Later in the week county elections were held. I didn ' t run for anything in my county. I did find, however, that Tony Roth had been elected to the Senate and later became its presi¬ dent. At assemblies our speakers included Roland Burriss, the Comptroller, and Jim Edgar, the Secretary of State. I also learned that my county was second in the point standings. As the week drew to an end, we held state elections and swore in our officials. We met Gov. Thompson, and I now know why they call him Big Jim. The man is huge. I wrote this killer essay on the first amendment which won absolutely nothing. (I think it was because I spelled constitution wrong.) Also, my county ended up winning in points and being named model county. And so our stay at Boys ' State ended. We packed our bags, took pictures, and exchanged addresses. It was a time to remember. And though we may never meet again, I ' m sure one of us will grow up and help lead this land, and because of our experiences from that week, we ' ll be there too, right behind him. —Ray Martinez lllini Girls ' State (I.G.S.) is a program that was established in 1940 and is sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary, the Department of Illinois. It is designed for high school junior girls to participate in a mock government. While at lllini Girls ' State the 562 participating girls were divided up into 22 cities, and these cities were grouped into 6 counties. lllini Girls ' State is definitely a learning process. The citizens learn from doing. They vote, campaign, and take an active role in their mock government which leads to a greater awareness of our own American democratic government. Fr. Gary Gummersheimer is a great supporter of the lllini Girls ' State program and was proud to be able to send five repre¬ sentatives from Althoff to the 46th Session of lllini Girls ' State. The following were citizens of IGS, Beth Jordan, Molly A. Polka, Maria Santos, Melanie Schranz, and Melissa Somraty. Maria Santos and Melanie Schranz were voted in as Aider- men of their cities, and Molly Polka was awarded the Out¬ standing Citizen award for her city. Although the program has been going strong for 47 years with few complaints concerning lllini Girls ' State, the biggest complaint that came from the citizens or the 562 girls was that they were not allowed to talk to boys during the week. At the present time no bills have yet been passed to change that law. Maybe the lllini Girls ' State Senate will, in the future, change that ruling. The many who attended IGS all agreed that the moving speeches and attendance by Illinois Governor James Thomp¬ son was the highlight of the week. Also in attendance to deliver speeches at IGS were Secretary of State Jim Edgar, Illinois Attorney General Neil Hartigan, and Charleston Mayor Murry Choate. Melanie Schranz Casey received first-hand look at government Althoff graduate, Janet Casey, was a United Stated Page during the spring semester of 1986. Sponsored by representa¬ tive Congressman Melvin Price (D), Casey lived in Washing¬ ton, D C. from January until June. She reported to work on January 27 and worked at least 40 hours a week until June 13. Aside from work, Janet also attended classes with the other pages. We had our own special school for pages on the top floor of the Library of Congress, boasts Casey. Everyday Janet attended four classes, the first one beginning at 6:45 a.m. It was very tough to go to school for 3 Vi hours, work for 8 hours, and then go back to the dorm and study just so you can get up and do it all over again. Janet lived in a United States House Office Building with about 90 other pages. Two of the floors had been converted to a small dorm designed specifically for the pages. The building, Annex 1, is conveniently located only 2 blocks away from the Capitol. A page, as Janet would describe it, is someone who does all the little, but very important, things for congressmen. Pages ' duties include answering phones, receiving and delivering messages, delivering flags that had been flown over the Cap¬ itol, and delivering notices for special meetings. When asked what she has learned, Janet responded, I have learned more about character, our government ' s policies, and the whole system upon which our government exists than I could ever begin to express. Janet Casey 19

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Lehrter Attends IL Citizenship Experience The Illinois Citizenship Experience (ICE) is sponsored by var¬ ious teachers, school administrators, and politicians through¬ out the state. These men and women initiated ICE to help high school juniors and seniors become more knowledgeable and aware of their local and state government and to become better citizens. The group welcomed many speakers throughout the week. These men and women came to the Springfield Holidome in the mornings and shared with us their expertise about diverse topics such as power in politics, the role of elected officials, and the media. They also shared their personal opinions on Governor Thompson, his proposed budget, and whatever else they wanted to talk about. We heard many conflicting opinions and arguments which served to broaden our views about politics and policies. Moreover, we observed how much our elected and appointed officials care and enjoy their work. Each afternoon the crew of fifty students and seven staff members would crowd on an old bus and visit the highlights of Springfield. We visited the Department of Law Enforcement and became friends with a few State Policemen, just in case one of us might meet one of them again in the future. In addition, the group toured the Willard Ice Building (the De¬ partment of Revenue) the Department of Agriculture, the Capitol Building, Sangamon State University, and the Gover¬ nor ' s Mansion. We spoke with officials such as Robert Lein- inger, the Executive Assistant to the State Superintendent of Education, Roland Burris, the State Comptroller, and a few of us even got to meet our local representative and senator. Unfortunately, both of mine, Mr. Hale and Mrs. Young, were attending meetings. But I did accidentally meet with a senator from Chicago and get to talk with him about some issues. I enjoyed every minute of the entire week, from writing and lobbying my own bill, to having water gun fights with the other students. I met many important (and not so important) men and women and became great friends with fifty other people who are my own age and who share my own interests. Those six days were exhausting and hectic, but proved to be an invaluable and unforgettable experience. — Sally Lehrter Freedom Conference Attended In late February, Mrs. Rose Mansfield and I received awards from the area ' s district branch of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. For her years of involvement in and pro¬ motion of the VFW ' s Voice of Democra¬ cy program, Mrs. Mansfield received a beautiful plaque adorned with the Statue of Liberty. Voice of Democracy is a program in which high school students write a patri¬ otic speech and record it all at a local radio station. This year, largely as a result of my contin¬ ued involvement in the program, I was designated district Student of the Year and was presented with an official VFW flight jacket. For four days in mid-April, I was invited to attend the American Legion Auxiliary ' s National Youth Leadership Conference held at Freedoms Foundation, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. In addition to visit¬ ing historic Philadelphia, we toured Valley Forge National Historic Park, where I am shown in the picture sitting in the door¬ way of a reconstructed hut used by Washington ' s men during their winter en¬ campment. — John Lehman Summer Filled With New Ideas Last summer was a very busy one for me. June 6-8 I was a counselor at the Illinois HOBY Youth Conference because I represented Illinois at the HOBY International Conference last summer in Los Angeles. June 15-21 I went to Girls ' State, held at Eastern University. June 22-28 I went to Washington, D C. for a program called Washington Work¬ shops, held at Virginia Marymount University. I visited Price ' s and Si¬ mon ' s offices several times, and I got to have an extensive conver¬ sation with Mr. Mike Mansfield, Price ' s executive aide. About 250 of us listened to speakers on Cap¬ itol Hill everyday, and held a model Congress at night. I sat in on a Sen¬ ate hearing concerning the role that astronauts should play in making executive decisions, and I met a few of the astronauts. We visited the Pentagon, where I fell asleep during a talk given by a Gener¬ al, and the Forrestal Building where a Special Assistant to the President talked to us — to get in here, we were frisked. Because of the terrorism threat, security in D.C. was notably tighter. We held a joint session of Congress in order to present our bills to the model congress, using parliamentary procedure, that is not only complicated, but also you need a degree in diplomacy to use it. I might add that the best information comes not from tour guides, but from taxi drivers. In July I participated in the Midwest Yearbook Conference, along with Lori Cavataio and Maria Santos. We learned how to put together a yearbook. I ' ll let you decide if we did it right or not. In August I spent two of the best weeks of my life the Thomas More Collegiate Summer Program in New Hampshire. Twelve of us studied Philosophy, Political Science, Apologetics, and Literature. We got to be very close, and we learned a lot about ourselves and things we had never thought of before. Just as importantly, I learned to value a liberal arts education, and I vowed that I would never stop questioning the world around me. — Molly Polka

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Always in grand style, America celebrates We the People — 200 1 In September, 1986, we celebrated the bicentennial of America ' s Constitution. Through all the festivities of We the People-200 , such as the recreation of the Grand Federal Procession in Phila¬ delphia, and various other celebrations held across the country, we became aware of how effective and important our Constitution has become. This 200- year old document, which has lasted longer than any other written constitu¬ tion, represents not only the basis for our freedom and justice in this democra¬ cy, but also it symbolizes our patriotism and strong belief in this great country of ours. It is with this strength that we re¬ main steadfast in our convictions when¬ ever our country ' s ideals are chal¬ lenged. Like the Statue of Liberty, this bicentennial celebration both reminded and taught us how fortunate we are to live and prosper in a land where individ¬ uality, civil rights, and justice reign su¬ preme. Originating from the convention at Philadelphia ' s Independence Hall, the Constitution became the solution to the problems facing America after its inde¬ pendence from Great Britain, and still remains as such today. Because of the failure of the Articles of Confederation, the country ' s first form of government, prominent leaders, such as Benjamin 1. Bill of Rights engraved on monument in Valley Forge, PA 2 Room where Constitution was signed. Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton, ral¬ lied forth to solve the nation ' s difficul¬ ties under a ratified set of laws. After the delegates resolved their differences through compromise, and a majority of the states approved of the document, the Constitution became a basis for our democratic system, which includes the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. It also distrib¬ uted the power between the federal government and the state legislatures to insure political harmony, so that we the people could retain our full rights and privileges as American citizens. As when it brought us out of political and social chaos following our indepen¬ dence after the Revolutionary War, the Constitution remains as a source of or¬ der and justice through the ideal beliefs it stands for. All throughout history, the Constitution has saved the nation from various forms of injustice. When created, the Consti¬ tution first insured the personal free¬ doms and rights of the citizens it was formulated to protect and aid. This in itself signifies that this government was made for the people, and by the people as we see fit. Through time, the Consti¬ tution helped extinguish the fires of rac¬ ism and sexism through the abolition of slavery and through the suffrage of blacks and women. Though not infalli¬ ble, the Constitution has withstood the passage of time through its revision of laws found in the amendments. This ex¬ plains why this politically sacred docu¬ ment remains alive and ever-changing as the people it affects, making it savior in those times of privation. As a citizen of the United States, I can¬ not help but feel great pride and awe at the tremendous effectiveness the Con¬ stitution has shown through its 200 year history. By becoming more aware of this potent document, I come to understand why the U.S. is held as such a haven of ideal freedom in the justice it thrives upon. As a student, the Constitution creates an atmosphere of duty I feel I should repay to the country through the system which educates me scholastical¬ ly. By absorbing as much information as I can, I prepare myself as a future mem¬ ber of the society based on the guide¬ lines of the Constitution. I realize that not many people, especially when in high school, consider the Constitution and the effects it brings into our every¬ day lives, but as we grow older and enter into the business or political world, we come to appreciate the important and imperative role it does play. In a period where communism has shown its own incapabilities to govern its people, such as in the Philippines and in the reforming government of Russia, the Constitution stands out as a symbol or promise and hope for the future of not only America, but also the world. As we reflect upon all the events which filled our lives this past year, let us not forget what made our country into the living, ever-changing land filled with the innovation, care, hope, and freedom based on the system found in the Con¬ stitution. As we continue to grow and prosper into the futures we have started for ourselves, likewise, the Constitution will continue to develop so as to protect us in whatever profession we choose. When we establish ourselves in society, shaping and perfecting the world around us, we also will revise and en¬ force the Constitution for all the future generations to come, so that they too can keep America a leader among na¬ tions. I hope we never lose that liberty. Even though the celebration has ended, let us always remember the Bicentennial of the Constitution, for it will always re¬ main as a sign of our government which thrives upon the justice made for us — we the people . — Peter Holtgrave 20