neXt: The next generation, covered now

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GOING FOR 'GREASE'

Zach Reeves and Paige Kinder performed Wednesday during tryouts for Central High School's production of "Grease" at Central Junior High School.

Rehearsals start next week for production. The popular musical, which features star-crossed summer lovers amid a pack of ultra-cool 1950s greasers and their Pink Lady gals, will run from March 6 to March 8 at Central Junior High School auditorium. For ticket information, call the high school at 335-8228.

Quitman McBride III looked over a musical score during auditions for "Grease."

Central High students rehearsed a scene before auditioning Wednesday night.

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Students make, sell T-shirts to help Jackson family

In the wake of a December tragedy that took the life of 16-year-old Michael Jeffers, his friends and schoolmates have banded together and promised to "remember."

The classmates designed commemorative T-shirts with the word "Remember" in Michael's handwriting, which they got from some old homework when Michael had tried to help a friend remember a math equation and wrote the word on the notes, Paula Mayfield said.

They have sold 266 shirts so far and more will be printed next week. The shirts sell for $10 and all the profits go to the Moshiri family, said Mayfield, who has been handling contributions to the family since the Dec. 3 shooting when police say Mir Shahin Moshiri shot his stepson Michael, his mother Katherine Moshiri, and his two sisters Madison, 4, and Meghan, 2. Madison died instantly, and so did Mir Shahin, who turned the gun on himself. Michael died the next day and Meghan remains in serious condition at a St. Louis hospital.

One of Michael's friends started a group on Facebook to keep friends updated on Michael's status. The posts on the Facebook group went from prayers and hopeful messages to mourning comments of all kinds.

Shock resonated throughout Michael's friends. One poster wrote, "Why him? Seriously. He was the nicest kid ever."

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, lists several ways to help Michael's classmates and peers through the grieving process.

The first thing to know is that people grieve in different ways, according to the organization. No two people grieve exactly alike, so it's OK if one classmate can't stop crying and another classmate hasn't cried at all. It doesn't mean that one is grieving and the other isn't.

Carolyn Thomas has worked at the Community Counseling Center in Cape Girardeau for 14 years. Her specialty is treating children.

Talking to someone is key, Thomas said. This could be parents, family, friends, or someone at church. She also said teenagers are just as emotionally fragile as younger children. What seems like frustration and anger on the surface is usually a sign of depression.

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network said that if, over time, responses and feelings about the death get worse instead of better, it may be time to seek out professional help.

If you find yourself withdrawing from all activities with family and friends, or if all you can think and talk about is death and grief, then this is a sign that you need to talk to a professional.

For more information about grief, grieving and how to find professional help, go to www.nctsnet.org.

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Check it

www.phonezoo.com

It requires registration, but once you have a password you can create ringtones, download other people's creations and just laugh at the crazier alert tones. Addicted to Halo? There's a tone for that.

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neXt up

Friday

• New movies:

"The Bucket List": Rated PG-13, 1 hr 37 mins, Cape West Cine

"First Sunday": Rated PG-13, 1 hr 38 mins, Cape West Cine

"In the Name of the King": Rated PG-13, 2 hr 30 mins, Cape West Cine

"Kite Runner": Rated PG-13, 2 hr 7 mins, Cape West Cine

"Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A Veggietales Movie": Rated G, Town Plaza Cinema

Sunday

• Sneak preview: "27 Dresses," Rated PG, at 2 p.m. at Cape West Cine

NEXT WEEK

• CDs

Natasha Bedingfield, "N.B."

Anya Marina, "Miss Halfway"

Kra, "Creatures"

Quarterback, "Trampled Under Foot"

• DVDs

"Mr. Woodcock": PG-13, Tuesday

"Good Luck Chuck": R, Tuesday

"The Ten": R, Tuesday

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Who's neXt

GRADUATIONS

• Jessica Marshall of Jackson graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University on Dec. 15 with a bachelor of science degree in business information systems.

HONORS

• Three Cape Girardeau Central High School graduates have been selected as officers in the Beta Beta Beta Biological Honors Society at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Steve Miinch has been selected president, Jamie Dement as secretary and Zac Hudson as treasurer.
• Steve Miinch, son of Steve and Patti Miinch, has made the dean's list for the fall 2007 semester at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
• Jordan Casper of Jackson maintained a 4.0 GPA for the fall 2007 semester at Mineral Area College. The following students maintained a 3.25-3.99 GPA: Jordan Zaruba of Cape Girardeau; Dustin Owens and Sara Paisley of Jackson; Ruth Gibson of Leopold, Mo.; Tora Jordan of Marble Hill, Mo.; and Tiffany Myers, Camie Roberts and Jessica Seyer of Oak Ridge.

SCHOOL NEWS

• St. Augustine School in Kelso, Mo. will hold its annual trivia night at 6 p.m. Feb. 16. Cost is $10. Call Brian Ziegler at 264-3050 to reserve a table. St. Augustine will hold a euchre tournament, with a $10 donation at the door, at 6 p.m. Jan. 19.
• The Tilsit 4-H club will meet at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Tilsit Fire Station.
• Shawnee Community College will host a live chat on its Web site, www.shawneecc.edu, from 9 to 10 p.m. Wednesday on the topic of financial aid. A Community Planning for Economic Growth Workshop will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Jan. 23 at the college. Call 618-745-6307 to register. The college is offering a free "Build Your Own Business" course with pre-registration. The class will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays from Feb. 19 to April 29. Call 618-634-3309 to register.

-- From staff reports