DOER PROFILE ROCHELLESC f W R City: Berkley Kudos: Computer Whiz Rochelle Schwerin, a junior at Berkley High School and the Oakland Schools Technical Center in Royal Oak, headed to. Lansing in April to take the grueling four-hour test for the technical computer application skills competition. She brought home the gold — first place — and participated in the national contest June 25 in. Kansas City, Mo. How did you get interested in com- puters? "I've been work- ing on computers since sixth grade, but only recently got into wanting to be a computer programmer. Now I'd like to get my master's in it." What was the test like and how many people did you compete against? "Fifteen people came from all around Michigan — three from Oakland Technical Center Southeast — and we competed in Lansing. We had to do things like fix Microsoft Word problems and trans- fer them to a PDF file, reconstruct whole PowerPoint presentations and make a graph in Excel." What do you like about-working with computers? "I like the technical part of it. I'm amazed at how the computer, a device in front of me, con- nects me to the whole world. I can find out about anything, from news to music. I mostly look up news and sports on the computer." What, do you do for fun? "I love to play basketball. I'm 5 feet 9 inches and play for the varsity team at Berkley High." Is computer programming hard for you? "If you put your mind to it, you can do any- thing. That's my mentality when I go into things like the technical field." ❑ — Sharon Zuckerman, staff writer REPORT A DOER.... Know a Doer — someone of any age doing interest- ing, meaningful things in their life outside of their job? Share suggestions with Keri Guten Cohen, story development editor, at (248) 351-5144 or e-mail: What's New At The Zoo? GEORGE CANTOR Reality Check never saw animals in the wild. The phrase "to see the elephant" came into common usage in the 19th century as a way to express the wonder of a he Detroit Zoo has young person's first exposure to the vast world pulled off one of the beyond his own hometown. great visual tricks of all In its day, the Detroit Zoo was regarded as a time. It has made its model because many exhibits did not have bars elephants disappear. and its animals were seen in a "natural" setting. I Zoo Director Ron Kogan says it still recall my first visit when the sight of an GEORGE is not humane to keep these large uncaged rhinoceros scared the bejabbers out of CANTOR creatures, who roam over a vast me because I didn't know that it was separated Reality territory in the wild, confined to from us by a deep, hidden pit. Check such a small area. So they have But maybe its day is past. After all, we now been sent off to a preserve and have the Animal Channel. will rove in pre- So if zoos are obsolete, which seems to be sumed bliss. the ultimate meaning of the disap- Kogan's decision is con- pearing elephants, what should troversial. Judging from the city of Detroit do with 'letters published in local this large piece of land it newspapers, animal Iv" owns in Oakland County? rights activists, most of One word. - whom do not live in Condominiums. Michigan, think it is a What better way to brilliant plan while expand the city's tax base local residents, who than putting up homes in a actually visit the zoo, hot residential area like are not happy. Royal Oak-Huntington I can see the activists' Woods? You could also point, although I am not wild about include the adjoining city- people who throw paint on fur coats and protest owned Rackham Golf Course. any medical research, however beneficial, involv- Why, Detroit would be back over a million ing animals. population easy. There's probably some deed Animals should be treated with kindness and restrictions involved here, but I'm sure the city's care, and this ethic extends even to those we plan crackerjack legal department could get around to have for dinner. those in a hurry. The two suburbs involved might But Kogan's decision begs the larger question. not be too happy, either. But this could be a Aren't all zoos inhumane by their very nature? If windfall for the hard-pressed Royal Oak School his logic is extended, shouldn't his own job be District. More condos mean more kids, after all. abolished? There will be those regressive souls who will The phrase "pacing like a caged tiger" has mourn the passing of the zoo. But they must entered the language as a cliche. Obviously, the understand that we have evolved to a higher level big cats aren't happy about being there. So if you of consciousness and that stuff in Genesis about wave goodbye to the elephants, why not to the having dominion over the birds and beasts isn't lions and tigers and bears, oh my? to be taken seriously anymore. Zoos were organized as a source of entertain- Besides, there's big bucks in condos. They're ment and education for an urban population that worth their weight in ivory. [11 T George Cantor's e-mail address is gcantor@thejewishnews.com Shabbat Candlelighting "When I was born, my mommy started lighting another Shabbos candle for me because I am so special to her. Soon, I will be 3 and I will light my own." — Me _ nucha Polter, 2, Bloomfield Hills Candlelighting Candlelighting Friday, July 9, 8:53 p.m. Friday, July 16, 8:49 p.m. Shabbat Ends Saturday, July 10, 10:03 p.m. Shabbat Ends Saturday, July 17, 9:57 p.m. kcohen@thejewishnews.corn To submit a candlelighting inessage,. call Miriam Amzalak of tbe Lubavitch Women's Organization at (248) 548-6771 or e-mail: miriamamzalakl@juno.com 7/ 9 2004