European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 4, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday january 4, 1993 the stars and stripes Page 9 by Mark Kinkade a staff writer a a a Giessen Germany a lunchtime at Giessen High school is like a scene from one of those High school confidential a at a drive in movie Complete with social butterflies nerds and jocks. Enter Mike rave Hill senior All conference football Center for the school earn. He pushes his 6-foot-2-Inch, 265-Pound Frame through a mass of. Adj no underclassmen trading greetings slapping backs and swapping High fives on his Way to lunch. 7 _. But in one minute of conversation Ravonell shatters the stereotype of football players As big Strong egotistical and dumb As easily As he blows the defense off the line during the football season. A a 7 he Speaks eloquently about the underlying message of John Steinbeck is the grapes of Wrath. And he Suick to note that George to Well a animal farm Isnit about life in a foot Ball fraternity. A to not this dumb. Jock a Ravonell said. Quot i love football but its not my life. I know literature. I can play the saxophone. I can balance a Check  if there is a formula for football linemen rave Nell fits it perfectly. To complement his sizable Frame the 18-year-old son of a career army noncom Trier. Sas Jim Oor Freim variety is music to the ears of athletic and academic Star Mike Ravonell a Giessen High school senior who Hopes to become an electrical Engineer. Missioner officer a cars his hair in a 4-Inch-High Tower and sports a close trimmed Vandyke Beard. He dresses neatly with a touch of Flash and he can Bench press his weight easily. And he is by All accounts the big Man on Campus a team Captain and embodiment of the team spirit. Quot but Rayenell a teachers Are the first to say he is More than a big kid with a nose for football. Quot when i first met Mike a said Gordon Gartner principal of Giessen High school a i thought he might be just another Jock. But after i spoke to him for a few moments i knew he was special. He san example of what Good parents Good teachers and a Strong desire to achieve can  Quot his list of accomplishments off the Gridiron seems to Bear that out. He has been selected As his schools English Honor student for two consecutive years. Me has maintained a 3.70 Grade Point ave rage putting him in the top 10 percent of his class at vol sustained since Middle school. He has a passion for mathematics and a new found love of classic literature. In his spare Lime he plays five musical instruments. He also has two jobs and participates in class events and fund raisers. And his id Cash a fun Date with girl Friend Veronica Muniz is study followed by a movie or television. A a a a a a a a but that Litany of accomplishments in t what sets him apart from other athletes. His father and teachers think his ambition is the difference. A _ Quot Mike realizes he has to to More than one thing a said his father army sgt 1st class Fred rave Hill. A the has  Able to have several positions to fall Back on. A lot of kids done to do that and they end up wasting a lot of their  although some colleges have shown an interest in his football talents Mike Ravonell is hoping to secure an academic scholarship to the University of Texas so he can study electrical engineering. A football scholarship would be an insurance policy if the Money ran out of his College fund or i fac could not get an academic scholarship. A i done to want to put All my eggs in one Basket a he said. A a that a Why i want a double scholarship. I realize that a. Football life can be Over in a Flash. One hit one bad Day and the career is Over. 1 done to want to waste my life on  with half the school year Over Ravonell is readying himself for life after Giessen High a life where he May not be the Star he is now. According to his father the youth is ready. A a a a a a a i think he a Learned How to adapt to and overcome difficult situations a Fred Ravonell said. A the real world May be a Shock for him but hell do  leaving the shelter of the department of defense dependents schools system could be a Shock to Mike rave null but his teachers agreed that his easygoing manner might be his Best asset. A a Mike does no to have an ego though he certainly has the credentials to Back it up said Jill Trier his English teacher. A the also does no to let peer pressure get to him. He does what he thinks is right and that s a rare Quality in schools  Gartner agreed a the has ail easy manner and i often find that when in a having a Downer Day i can talk to Mike for a few minutes and feel better. That a a Talent that will take him places he makes you feel Good about  figurine canters in discovery reveals Domestic horses role in near East Chicago a a nearly 4,300-year-old Clay horse unearthed in Syria last fall by a University of Chicago expedition proves that Domestic horses existed in the area earlier than previously believed an anthropologist says. A this is a very important discovery because lit shows that the Domestic horse was More important in the ancient near East than some scholars have thought a said Juris Zarins an anthropology professor at Southwest Missouri state University in Springfield. Horses were essential to the development of empires said Zarins,1 who studies the role of horses in civilization. Horses moved chariots sped transportation and empowered armies he said. The Clay stallion figurine about 3 inches High and about 2 inches across was dug from a Trench at Tell is Swey hat an archaeological site in the desert about 200 Miles Northeast of Damascus. The figurine probably dates from 2300 ., about 500 years earlier than Domestic horses were thought to have existed in the area said Thomas Holland an archaeologist and researcher with the University a Oriental Institute. Holland led the five person archaeological team. A we can see from the care that was obviously taken in making the horse that the animal was Well regarded a Holland said Friday. The figurine s mane and ears Are folded with strips of Clay. It appears to signify a Domestic horse because of a Hole in its muzzle where a ring would be placed for reins. The ancient Community of Tell is Swey hat was in the upper mesopotamian Region Home of some of the worlds Early empires. Geographically Mesopotamia corresponds largely to modern Iraq. Historians believe Tell is Swey hat was destroyed in an attack about 2200  Expedition member David Schofield a craftsman trom Sheffield England discovered the Clay horse in what is thought to have been a courtyard Holland said. The group also has unearthed rooms that might have been part of an administration building Holland said. Other discoveries include paintings that might have Hung in a Palace and storage jars with one handle. The jars arc identical to one found in a Tomb in Cyprus evidence of a Well developed trading system Holland said researchers Are unsure of the purpose of the Clay stallion hut say it might have been a cult figure to ensure Fertility for Breeding horses Holland said. The figurine is being studied at a museum in Syria. A fire hits army disposal site for chemical arms Honolulu a the army a Inston atoll Plant for chemical Wear i disposal was closed saturday follow a fire in a containment area where a Gistard Gas Shell was being dismantled army spokesman said. -0 one was in the area and there were injuries said John Fairbank a spokes a for the . Army Pacific. Explosive material used to detonate 105 my artillery Shell caught fire As it was being removed Fairbank said. The fire burned itself out Fairbank said. If Mustard Gas had escaped into the area it would have been trapped by air filters Fairbank said. A team of inspectors from the Maryland based . Army chemical Materiel destruction Agency were to arrive on the atoll this week to investigate the fire and assess any damage to the plants Machin Ery he said. The Plant will remain closed until the investigation is completed Fairbank said. The facility began destroying chemical weapons in june 1990. Since then More than 34,000 rockets barrels and artillery shells have been processed and More than 343,700 pounds of Mustard and nerve Gas have been incinerated. Johnston atoll is located 750 Miles Southwest of i Hawaii. 3 educators know score group says Wiesbaden Germany a amps a three teachers in the overseas school system in Germany have been recognized by the music educators National conference professional certification program. Carol falling of Aukamp elementary school in Wiesbaden and Rebecca Braisher and Thomas Donaldson both of Wurzburg elementary school recently were designated nationally registered music educators. The three teachers with the department of defense dependents schools were among 172 educators honoured this year. Of those 158 were named nationally registered music educators and 14 were named nationally certified music educators. The Honoreen came from More than 25 states Europe and Japan. The National conference has More than 62,000 members involved in All aspects of music education from pre school to University Levels. It works to assure that every child will have Access to a Complete Quality music education program. Its certification program promotes excellence in music education by encouraging the professional development and continuing education of music teachers