Like all good things, St. Louis Sprout & About was created from a simple idea. As a local mother with three children of varying ages, the website's founder found it challenging to not only find an activity that everyone in her family would enjoy, but to find the biggest selection of events on one website. And wouldn't it be helpful to have detailed information and objective reviews about the event? With that in mind, St. Louis Sprout & About set out to be the defining resource for families looking for a comprehensive calendar of events and activities for the St. Louis metro area, complete with staff and member reviews to determine a good fit for your family.

Meet the Sprout & About Staff

Beckie Maislin, Founder and CEO

Sprout & About founder Beckie Maislin and her family have called St. Louis their home for five years. With a background in marketing and advertising in the parenting field and the experience of raising three children, Beckie hopes you enjoy this much needed resource as much as she's enjoyed creating it. Beckie and her family love the City Museum and exploring the many beautiful parks our city offers. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Jessica Pupillo, Editorial Director

A mom of three boys under the age of 4, freelance writer Jessica Pupillo knows the trick to household harmony is keeping her kids busy. Jessica is an award-winning writer, and her work has been published in more than a dozen magazines and newspapers. When she's not working on a deadline, Jessica and her family love going to the Saint Louis Zoo, the Wabash Frisco and Pacific Railroad, and Powder Valley Nature Center. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Jeannie Crosby, Calendar Editor

Denise Bertacchi

Freelance writer Denise Bertacchi is a St. Louis native and full time mom with two boys, ages 11 and 2. She's enjoying showing her toddler all the fun things to do in St. Louis that his big brother has outgrown. During their adventures, she's taking plenty of photos for scrapbooks and blog posts. Bertacchi writes regularly for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Missouri Life and other print or online publications. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

Meredith Boggess

After living and writing in St. Louis for almost 15 years, Meredith Boggess has plenty of good things to share about her adopted hometown. She and her husband recently welcomed their first daughter into their home on The Hill, and, despite the sleepless nights, they are still awash in that new parent glow. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Jennifer Brown

Jeff Konkel

 Jeff Konkel believes the key to raising interesting kids is taking them interesting places and – on occasion – making them try food they would rather avoid. Jeff has written for dozens of print and online publications. He also is an award-winning music and film producer. When he and his wife are not taking their children to far-off lands, they can be found exploring the nooks and crannies of St. Louis. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Shannon Moore

Shannon Moore and her family have lived in a number of different cities throughout the U.S. but calls St. Louis home. With five children between the ages of 20 and 7, she values activities that can span a wide range of ages and interests. She loves reading and is a faithful fan of the library’s summer reading program. A stay-at-home mom for 20 years, Shannon now teaches writing at St. Charles Community College. She is a freelance writer and a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Shannon blogs about childrens' books at www.greatbooksforchildren.com. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Write for St. Louis Sprout & About

St. Louis Sprout & About is always looking for talented, experienced freelance writers to enhance our online publication. We are currently accepting queries for our regular departments:

The Dirt -- The Dirt is a review of an area attraction, event, performance, restaurant or movie. The review must include information pertaining to the family-friendliness of the attraction or event, the quality of activities, organization, helpfulness of the staff and overall thoughts on the entire experience. Writers should be critical and provide specific details about their experience. Writers should include tips for parents that can make their visit more enjoyable. Please submit a few digital photos from your visit to the event or attraction. (300-350 words)

Best Bets -- Best Bets is a list-style feature to help families customize their own outings based on their interests or the season. For example, columns may be based on all sorts of themes and specific activities. The options for this column are endless, but they should be seasonally appropriate. Each column should include 5-10 entries. (400-450 words)

Branching Out -- Branching Out is a travel column that can be about any family-friendly destination in the United States. The column will highlight specific attractions, places to stay and restaurants. International destinations may also be considered. (450-500 words)

Celebrity Sproutings -- In this Q&A column, we ask local celebrities to share their itinerary for an ideal family weekend out. Q&A's may focus on a particular theme (ie. sports activities when interviewing a professional athlete), region or neighborhood. (350-400 words)

These columns are meant to guide parents and begin discussions. Everything published on Sprout is subject to reader comments. St. Louis Sprout & About editorial follows AP Style. Please use a friendly, conversational voice when writing for Sprout.

We welcome queries and submissions, especially from local freelancers. These pitches should be emailed to Editorial Director Jessica Pupillo at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . We may not be able to respond to all pitches, and if you haven't heard from us within a month, it is safe to assume that we have decided to pass.