Issue II

The Parker Weekly The Parker Weekly, Page 1

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Class Day

Volume CVII, Issue 11

THE VOTES ARE IN!

2018 SPRING SPORTS

Results of the 2018 Student Government Election

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Season Ends in State Championship for Senior Jack McNabola

By Julia Marks

n Friday May 18, during U-Lunch-and then again for runoff voting on May 21--chairs and desks with privacygranting dividers lined various hallways: Parker’s voting booths. Students approached the desks, and with dull #2 pencils placed checkmarks next to names of their fellow students. Most students voted, and a few scrambled to make it to the desks minutes before class, quickly checking off names.

All elections are distinct, but this year’s was historic. For the first time since at least the 1980s, according to Andy Kaplan, Parker archivist and historian and former English teacher, the student body elected a female African American President.

After the May 21 run-offs, Annette Njei, a rising senior, was elected Student Body president for the 2018-2019 school year.

“I think it shows Parker’s progress, but I guess for me it shows that I can be a voice to those who may go to Student Government and may not see a person who looks like them, and be able to connect,” Njei said.

“I’m happy that I’m that person for whoever that may be, whether it be a minority, or a woman, being able to see me up there and say I can do that.” As Njei spoke, her obvious excitement spread across her face in the form of a smile.

Njei’s election prompted current junior and newly elected Director of Committee Affairs (DCA) Chad White to reflect. “I also don’t know how many African American people have run, and I’m curious if that also says something,” White said. “Why aren’t more African American people running for president at this school?”

Rozelle Nesbitt, a male African American, was president during the 19611962 school year.

Njei served as Inclusion Coordinator on cabinet this year. “I think that me being Inclusion Coordinator this year and actually passing it and making it an established position on cabinet and in the constitution really shows that there are voices all around the community that are silenced,” Njei said.

“The silenced voices do have a voice, and the voices are echoing, and I’m going to be that voice for them.”

While the election results were extraordinary, sophomore and newly elected Senate Head Lindsay Carlin found the process easy and peaceful. “The candidates were really respectful of one another, I

Continued on page five

June 7, 2018

By Grace Chang

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Retiring teachers Michelle Hirsch, Christine Beh, and Sunnie Hikawa dance together at the Retirement Morning Ex. Photo by Jenna Mansueto.

“SHE’S GOT A GIFT FOR TEACHING”

Three Parker Teachers Say Goodbye After 100 Years

By Maya Plotnick

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n May 21 students filed into the auditorium for this year’s Retirement Morning Ex. Bright lights shone on the stage per usual, but on this day the lights revealed a vast array of not only students but alumni and faculty members, about 80 strong in total, sitting side by side.

Behind the podium, a row of chairs held three speakers: Lower and Intermediate School Director of Studies Barbara Hunt, Upper School math teacher Chris Riff, and Lower and Intermediate School music teacher Kingsley Tang. Respectively, each honored one of the three retiring faculty members: Lower School drama teacher Christine Beh, Upper School math teacher Michelle Hirsch, and Co-Chair of the Music Department and Upper School music teacher Sunnie Hikawa.

After a few minutes passed, Principal Dan Frank walked up to the podium to open the MX. Collectively, he noted, the three teachers have spent almost a century at the school.

The next 40 minutes were filled with speeches, tears, songs, and even some dancing. At the end of a medley from the musical “Hair,” sung by New Chorale, Special Chorus, and around 50 Grape Jam alumni, the entire audience gave a standing ovation to the three retirees. Amidst the applause, Hikawa brought her two grandchildren onto the stage, both dressed in purple.

Outside of the MX, each retiree reflected on her years at Parker. “In some respects, the school has changed a lot, and

in some respects, the school hasn’t changed at all,” Hikawa said. “What is a big constant is the students. They’re interesting, unique individuals, and inspire me to do as good a job as I can do.”

Hirsch remembered leaving her job twice before returning for an extended period of time. She initially left due to difficulties with a former math department head. “I first came to Parker in ‘81, so I have seen a lot of changes in the school--when I came, there was no middle school,” she said. “All the math teachers taught sixth through twelfth grade… I learned a real lot about teaching.”

Beh said, “Most people remember me around Halloween, when I did all the stories… just getting to know my colleagues and friends that I’ve made here for life…

I’m remembering that a lot.”

Why retire this year?

“I just felt tired this year,” Hirsch said.

“I had open heart surgery two years ago, and I felt better-- not the year I came back, but the year after that. It’s the parking and the traffic and the driving… the older I get, the harder that schedule is to maintain. It’s just stressful.”

For Hikawa retirement was delayed. “I had considered retiring several years ago,” she said. “Then we got some new members in our department, and I felt like a new breath of life… Mr. Denien in particular pushed me to be the best I can be. I have so much fun doing my job.”

Middle School Chorus Director Rob Denien credits Hikawa for the school’s

Continued on page 11

enior Jack McNabola finished his last year at Parker a state champion, with a first-place win in the 3200 meter (roughly 2 miles) and a fourth-place finish in the 1600 meter (1 mile) in the Track and Field IHSA 1A State Finals.

The road to state was a tough one. Losing the Cross Country State Championship in the fall was to McNabola “a hard thing to deal with,” so he knew there were aspects of his approach that needed to be fixed—mostly with his race strategy and his training methods. But with his winter basketball season in full stride, he now had the additional burden of juggling two very different sports.

“Some days would consist of running half marathons in the morning, and then later in the day, playing an entire basketball game,” McNabola said. “The basketball coach hated it, but it’s what I needed to do if I wanted to be the fastest in the state.”

McNabola will be joining the Fightin’ Irish at Notre Dame in the fall to continue his academic and athletic careers. For him the college recruitment process was “really fun.” McNabola was offered scholarships from about 10 different NCAA Division I schools, along with walk-on opportunities to a number of others. Before making his final decision, he narrowed down his choices to Dartmouth, Notre Dame, and Illinois.

Track and field coaches Jeremy Aniciete, Brett Laoruangroch, and Caleb Flack began the season with Indoor Track and Field. Both McNabola and junior captain Audrey Shadle qualified for the indoor state meet, and McNabola finished third.

In addition to a successful State run, McNabola broke a new school record of 9:14 in the 3200 meters, despite falling mid race. Flack says a personal highlight of his “was going out for Mexican food as a team after the sectional meet,” a moment in the season he felt had “a lot of fun conversation and positive reflections on the season.”

In the boys’ ISL Sectionals, senior and captain Axel Burlin got third in the two mile, and McNabola got first in both the mile and the two mile.

The boys’ baseball team was 6-13 this season, which ended with a close, heartbreaking Regionals loss. The team was tied 0-0 against Holy Trinity for several innings, and then finally earned three runs.

Continued on page eight

The Parker Weekly, Page 2

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“The Weekly” is supported by an endowment created in memory of Brad Davis ‘98 “Weekly” Staff ‘96-’98, “Weekly” Editor-in-Chief ‘97-’98 Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Online Editor News Editor Features Editor Opinions Editor Photo Editor Outreach Coordinator Podcast Director Alderman Liaison Culture Critic Columnist Columnist Columnist Columnist Illustrator Photographer Copy Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Videographer

staff

Grace Buono Jessi Lieb Josh Marks Cameron Miller Sammy Kagan Maya Sanghvi Sophia Saker Grace Chang Jenna Mansueto Pilar Grover Noah Jennings Maya Plotnick Molly Weinberg Jett Bronstein Emma Butler-VanderLinden Felicia Miller Alex Ori Kaitlyn Stansbury Sarah-Jayne Austin Stephen Brainerd Avani Kalra Oliver Marks Sophie O’Keefe Jared Saef

The Editorial Board of “The Parker Weekly” consists of the Editors-in-Chief, Managing Editor, News Editor, Features Editor, Opinions Editor, and Online Editor.

writers Jett Bronstein ‘18 Grace Buono ‘18 Jessi Lieb ‘18 Josh Marks ‘18 Cameron Miller ‘18 Maya Plotnick ‘18 Maya Sanghvi ‘18 Molly Weinberg ‘18 Grace Chang ‘19 Felicia Miller ‘19 Galia Newberger ‘19 Lindsay Carlin ‘20 Natalie Daskal ‘20 Nicole Feitler ‘20 Avani Kalra ‘20

Oliver Marks ‘20 Alex Ori ‘20 Celia Rattner ‘20 Ian Shayne ‘20 Paige Shayne ‘20 Ava Stepan ‘20 Molly Taylor ‘20 Alex Feitler ‘21 Zach Joseph ‘21 Julia Marks ‘21 Ava Ori ‘21 Lilly Satterfield ‘21 Leila Sheridan ‘21 Nick Skok ‘21

contributing faculty Faculty Advisor

Inside This Issue

Matt Laufer

Letter From The Editors

Hey Parker!

It’s hard to believe it’s already Issue 11, this is our final Class Day, and we’re graduating on Saturday, but we couldn’t be more proud of our last issue. The three of us have published our own final journalistic pieces in this issue, so we’d love it if you checked those out and of course read through all the other great content we’ve included.

We want to thank everyone on staff for their hard work all year, and we wish them the best in the future with “The Weekly.”

As many already know, “The Weekly” is going through a transitional period next year, and we hope the paper continues to thrive, report on the community, and question the school and the people in power. We trust that Sammy, Avani, and Sophia (next year’s Editors-in-Chief) will uphold “The Weekly”’s values and maintain the newspaper as a consistent source of information in the school and an outlet for student expression.

Thanks for reading all year, and have a great summer!

Best, Grace, Jessi, and Josh

Quote of “The Weekly” “P.S. I think I’m having birthing pains.”

– Jessi Lieb

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Letters To The Editors

The Parker Weekly, Page 3

IN RESPONSE TO EIGHT YEARS AS FACULTY ADVISOR TO “THE PARKER WEEKLY’ Dear Mr. Laufer,

We’ve always wanted to write a “Letter to the Editors,” and--this being our last issue ever--now seems like as good a time as any. For the past four years we’ve spent more hours in your room than probably anywhere else in the school. From freshman year English class (where Jessi and Josh never spoke to Grace), from Thursday morning meeting to emergency debriefings, you’re always there with your overflowing planner scribbled with your famous margin slayer pen. The Friday after class day last year when we sat down with you for the first time to discuss how we wanted to shape this paper, we had legitimately no idea what we were in for. Lucky for us, we get to leave after a year.

This is your last issue and we know that “The Weekly” would not be the same without you. Your commitment to the pursuit of student journalism and your patience for editing over forty pages of lengthy articles every month are more than we could ever have asked for. Even when we show up exhausted from layout, ditch the meetings all together (Jessi), or show up late (Josh) you’re ready to go at all times. You even sit back and watch the old married couple (Jessi and Josh) fight over BBQ and everything under the sun.

While there are plenty of fun moments, we also know that every time we want to publish a risky article or receive negative feedback on an issue, you get hit the hardest. “The Weekly” won’t be the same without you next year, that we know for sure, but we also know that your commitment to the values we hold the closest won’t go away. You’re willing to stand up to powerful people that no one else in the school is willing to face.

We wanted to take this opportunity to thank you. We can never express how grateful we are. We know putting things in without your review has led to some problems that nobody has time to deal with, and we’re sorry! Thanks for an amazing year and for always supporting our work.

Love, Jessi, Josh, and Grace P.S. Sorry about all the melodrama and cliches above--we know you’d hate it.

Have something to say about what was published in this issue of “The Weekly”? Email next year’s Managing Editor at gchang@fwparker.org and write a Letter-to-the-Editors to be published in our next issue!

The Parker Weekly, Page 4

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News

POETRY THROUGH QUESTIONS

Former Teacher Sam Mock Shares What It’s Like Writing His Own

By Grace Buono “I ask my father about love,” former Upper School English teacher Sam Mock writes in his poem “Summer Shadow Lamina.” “He says it’s like when magnets aren’t meant to touch, the air turns into jelly, seduced into a body.”

On Wednesday, May 16, Upper School English teacher Matt Laufer’s Poetry class felt more like a reunion than a typical lesson.

Mock, who taught members of the class of 2018, among others, during their freshman year while Upper School English teacher Bonnie Seebold was on leave, returned to share poetry advice.

Seated amidst the piles of papers and books cluttering the large classroom table, Mock occasionally looked up from answering questions to the small glass window of the classroom door to find former students waving at him.

Prior to his visit, the 17 students in the class were assigned three poems by Mock to read. “I thought it was cool reading someone very contemporary, as in he’s still alive and writing right now,” senior Isobel Bender said. “I found it very lyrical and modern, and it was unique.”

Not unlike many of the students in the class, Mock first discovered poetry in middle school. “From there in college,” Mock said, “I fell into a work program at UVA with some wonderful poets there.”After attending UVA, Mock earned his Master in Fine Arts (MFA) from the University of Michigan.

Currently Mock works at AHEAD, a consulting company in the Chicagoland area, as a Marketing Manager.

“At the end of those two years, you’re supposed to have basically a book length

work ready to publish or send out,” Mock said in reference to his graduate program.

“A lot of people on the fiction side, that’s

any other way,’ and you don’t want that.”

Writers can get themselves into ruts, but Mock believes there is a way out. “You

Former Parker English teacher Sam Mock discuses his newest poem with senior Jalen Benjamin.

Photo by Grace Buono.

the money makers--the people on the fiction side actually get their books turned into movies. Poets don’t get movies made out of our works. But I continued to write, and I’ve gotten some of my works published.

The works you all read today have been published.”

Through all the writing Mock was assigned as part of his MFA, he learned how he worked best as a poet. “Deadlines help,” Mock said, cautioning that relying on the same patterns can be problematic. “It’s dangerous, it’s a slippery slope--you get to a point where you think, ‘Oh, there can’t be

eventually get out of that, and you find other paths or things, other questions,” he said. “Of course the first draft of that will be abismal because you’re blind to tone, you’re not familiar with this stuff.” Even now, after years of practice, Mock still feels like his best work only begins to emerge after sitting down to focus for an hour or two.

Just like with finding the time or place that a poet feels most comfortable writing in, different types of poems also become more familiar to work with. Mock tries writes poems from a perspective other than his own. “As I wrote more and more,” Mock

said, “there’s a direct correlation with the more I write, the more I write from different perspectives.”

For students in the Poetry class, this task of writing from a lens other than a personal one can be difficult. “I feel like I’m lying when I write from another perspective and don’t necessarily specify or tell the reader,” senior Margo Fuchs said. “It’s like maybe you should write what you know.

Otherwise it feels less authentic.”

As a middle ground, Mock suggested writing with a mix. “Yes, it’s from my perspective, but there are then creative liberties, and this is maybe another whole other class period, but sometimes things that are truer than truth in literature,” Mock said, speaking specifically about his “Summer Shadow Lamina,” a piece about a flood, the destruction that follows, and a relationship with his father. “I borrow and sort of peddle in that business.” While some of the poem is based in truth, Mock said, much of it isn’t.

For example: in it the speaker mentions having a brother, and Mock doesn’t have a brother.

Mock also presented a work in progress–a poem from the perspective of Vincent Van Gogh’s brother, Theo Van Gogh, who went progressively more insane after the death of his brother up until he was institutionalized. The siblings wrote letters back and forth to each other, and Mock decided to try to capture the story of these letters in verse.

“It’s really interesting to me because it’s such a prominent figure that has someone that was that close to him that has something

Continued on page 12

KEDZIE CENTER RECEIVES 2018 BERKOWITZ AWARD Student Committee Chooses Mental-Health Organization for $10K Grant

By Galia Newberger During Morning Ex on Friday, May 11, the Susan F. Berkowitz Award for Outstanding Service to Children committee announced their annual $10,000 grant winner. The winning organization, the Kedzie Center, is a mental-health and suicide prevention center in North River that students on the Berkowitz committee selected after a year-long process.

During the MX, grades 6-12 were addressed by the Kedzie center’s executive director, Angela Sedeño, PhD. Lower and intermediate schoolers were not present due to the sensitivity of Sedeño’s presentation about youth suicide. Sedeño noted that the Kedzie center, which serves 20 elementary schools and four high schools in North River, is planning to use the grant from Parker to expand further.

“We are honored to have received the Berkowitz Award,” Sedeño said. “It has special meaning because it was awarded

by students who are concerned about youth suicide.”

The Kedzie center opened in 2010 and “was founded… by a group of mental health professionals and advocates who were concerned about an increasing shortage of accessible, quality community mental health services in Chicago,” according to Kedziecenter.org.

“Our plan is to use the funds to pay a clinical supervisor who will coordinate school-based services in our area,” Sedeño said. “We were inspired to routinely incorporate suicide awareness and prevention in our school workshops.”

The Berkowitz Award, established in 2000, grants funds to “organizations who, on a day-to-day basis, demonstrate imagination and dedication, and who provide children and/or adolescents with the strength, selfconfidence and resources needed to sustain healthy learning and development, and to

achieve future success,” wrote group advisor and Assistant Principal Ruth Jurgensen.

Students sign up to be on the Berkowitz committee, for which they attend meetings every other Friday, supervised

by Jurgensen. The two-dozen strong team of freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors decide on an overarching theme that involves Chicago youth at the beginning of each year.

This functions as an “umbrella topic,” as described by junior and first-year committee member Sydney Garelick. The committee chooses the topic by proposing a larger list of options which are then voted on in subsequent meetings. “Some things were too broad,” Garelick said, “so we voted them off.” Eventually, the committee decided on mental health and suicide prevention.

N e x t , o rg a n i z a t i o n s w h o s e missions fell within the umbrella topic identified themselves through a grant-

proposal process. “There are a number of nonprofits around the city of Chicago that we network with,” Jurgensen said. “We then get proposals back from those organizations who feel that they fit well within the theme.

Then they answer a series of questions, like how they plan to use the money and interact with Chicago youth.”

The organizations came to Parker during lunch periods to pitch to the committee about why they should be chosen. The Berkowitz committee then deliberated and voted. Junior and committee member Amaya Contractor said, “We wanted something that would be relatable to the Parker community.”

The Kedzie center, which relies primarily on grants for funding, will be able to expand its programming to more schools because of the Berkowitz award.

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The Parker Weekly, Page 5

STUDENT GOVERNMENT GROWS Susan Elliott Joins as Third Faculty Advisor

By Alex Feitler As the year winds down, Student Government election season has come to a close, and with a host of newly elected student leaders, a new faculty advisor has been added. Susan Elliott, Upper School history teacher, will become another Student Government faculty advisor and will play an integral role next year.

According to Upper School History Jeanne Barr, for the first time in Student Government’s history, there will be three faculty advisors: two returning advisers, in Barr and Upper School Dean Chris Bielizna, and Elliott. This position was added “in consideration of workload and the ability for us to spread our efforts in terms of working with the various committees,” Bielizna said.

Given that Bielizna is not a faculty member, Upper School Division Head Justin Brandon had been looking for someone on the faculty to join Barr for a while, according to Barr.

This is a change from what Student Government has been like in the past. Elliott said, “Traditionally Student Government has had two faculty advisors but because of changes in personnel over the last four years, it has fallen through the cracks.”

Elliot believes that Student Government plays a pivotal role in incorporating the student voice into the Parker community,

“Student Government is one of the strongest aspects of the curriculum at Parker,” she

questions and wants for guidance, so having more folks in adult leadership roles will

Upper School history teacher and new Student Government advisor Susan Elliott sits at her desk in her classroom. Photo by Grace Buono.

said, “and I think it is working really well.”

Adding another faculty adviser should benefit Student Government. “There are a lot of mechanical pieces,” Bielizna said, “and all those kind of details, and every student who is a member of Student Government wants to be engaged and actually doing things, and that engenders

help with that.”

Adding a new faculty advisor will allow for Student Government to receive even more support from the faculty. Elliott said, “By bringing me onboard, it shows the school’s commitment to creating a real democracy here at Parker.”

The addition of this new position was to

SINGING IN SUPPORT Grape Jam Performs at NewFounders Awards

By Lilly Satterfield Having taken the stage on May 30 to begin The New Founders Awards Dinner, Grape Jam performed Alabama’s “Angels Among Us,” a song written to honor heroic people who stand up for others. The song fit the theme of the night’s event, which honored students from around the country for their work against gun violence.

“Dine and dare with the leaders who are working together to turn the House blue in 2018,” reads the NewFounders Awards Dinner eventbrite page.

A group of “young leaders looking to bridge the gap between the old guard and the new,” NewFounders believes in “unity through problem solving,” according to the group’s website.

The NewFounders Awards Dinner, which took place at Savage Smyth on Chicago’s Near North Side, was hosted by a committee of nine Chicago activists, including Parker history teacher Kevin Conlon, Alderman Michele Smith, and Parker parents Lucy Moog and Anne Wedner, who asked Parker’s Grape Jam to perform.

The purpose of the event was to raise money for the change-making groups trying to win back the House of Representatives

for democrats in the 2018 election, as well as to honor activists in the community, including the student activists behind the March for Our Lives, Ambassador Bruce Heyman and his wife Vicki Heyman, cofounders of Uncharted, an organization that focuses on political activism, and Commissioner Bridget Gainer, the founder of Cause the Effect Chicago, an organization that encourages women to be active in their community.

Prior to the event Wedner asked Parker’s Upper School choir teacher and department chair Sunnie Hikawa to bring Grape Jam to perform. Wedner’s daughter, Martha, is a member of Grape Jam. Although in support of this event and the politics behind it, Hikawa let her students know that it was an optional performance. She said, “I did not want anyone to participate who did not feel like they support this.”

After contacting each member and their families, Hikawa learned that one student would not be attending with the group. “I am sorry that it is political,” Hikawa said, “and not everyone is participating.”

Parker sophomore Arie King opted out. “It was very easy to just say, ‘No, I do

not want to go,’” King said. “I really have mixed feelings about it because I also think it is always a good opportunity to experience something new and learn from it. It’s a big movement, and the government, from what I have heard, is using the kids that have been affected by school shootings to play on the people’s emotions to get people to vote for then. I think this is very manipulative, and I do not believe in what they are doing.”

Freshman Bella Charfoos joined the group on stage. “I think that because the song we performed was not politically charged, it was okay,” Charfoos said. “We were more there showing our support to the anti-gun violence movement.”

When Wedner asked Hikawa to perform, she asked that the group sing “Angels Among Us” specifically because it was written in response to one of the first school shootings in America, which took place in 1988 at an elementary school in Winnetka, Illinois that Wedner’s daughter, Martha, attended years later.

“I actually sang this song when I was in elementary school in Winnetka,” Martha said. “I feel it was not political in nature, so I thought it was very appropriate for this event.”

satisfy a need. “I think there is a recognition of need for this position,” Bielizna said.

The Student Government advisor role is a large task, and “Mr. Bielizna in his role as dean of students often gets pulled away,” Barr said. “There is enough going on in terms of the day to day, week to week and month to month, that we need someone who is able to be really on it.”

There won’t be many changes to the structure of Student Government with this new addition. “My plans are just to support what has already been created in Student Government,” Elliott said, “because it currently functions very well.”

The faculty advisor needs to be nimble, according to Bielizna. “A lot of the work is responding to new situations in the moment and momentarily deciding with immediacy,” Bielizna said. “We do not know what students will propose for amendments to the Constitution, but as they move forward, we want to be responsive to what they are proposing. It is being in a position to do that as effectively as possible.”

Barr is interested to see how this new addition plays out. “I am looking forward to this new addition,” she said. “Elliott is a confident and strong person, so I think she will be a nice fit for this.”

SG ELECTION Continued from page one

thought,” Carlin said. “There was not any dirty campaigning. I thought everything went really smoothly, as far as I could tell.”

During the election season, candidates ran for four cabinet positions: President, DCA, Treasurer, and (unopposed) Senate Heads. Additionally, candidates ran to become Committee Heads. Some positions had candidates running unopposed, but that did not mean there was a lack of interest.

Upper School history teacher and Student Government Faculty Sponsor Jeanne Barr said, “Once again we see a real outpour of interest among the student body in terms of shaping their school, and that’s I think a real testimony to the power of progressive education.”

White was nervous. “I was more nervous about the first result than the runoff results,” he said. “I was just super nervous.

I had put a lot of work into it. And then, for me to get the email that I had made it onto the runoffs was very encouraging and reassuring for me.”

So as campaign posters come down, and the hallways are cleared of evidence of election season, it is time for the brand new elected members to take on Student Government. “I’m thrilled,” Barr said. “It’s a great group of kids.”

The Parker Weekly, Page 6

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SIOBHAN ALLEN TO LEAVE PARKER IS/MS Dean of Student Life to Beacon Academy

By Ian Shayne Intermediate and Middle School Dean of Student Life Siobhan Allen is leaving Parker at the end of the academic year after receiving the position of Dean of Students at Beacon Academy, a Montessori-based high school with an International Baccalaureate (IB) program in downtown Evanston.

Because of Beacon’s relative infancy (the school opened in 2014), Allen will serve as the school’s first Dean of Students—a position nearly equivalent to her current position at Parker. Allen will be replaced by history teacher Tray White from Augusta, Georgia.

Intermediate and Middle School Division Head John Novick selected Allen’s replacement. “We were really careful,” Novick said. “Ms. Allen is incredible, so if you’re going to replace someone incredible, you need to take your time.”

Novick carefully considered each applicant to find a suitable replacement for Allen, who—having been at Parker since 2006—feels like the transition is bittersweet.

“Right now it feels very surreal,” Allen said.

“I feel like I owe this place a lot because it’s given me so much.”

Allen will use the skills she acquired at Parker to bolster the quality of student life at Beacon. “Besides just clubs, activities, working with their athletic director,” Allen said of her role, “it’s really honing in on

how do they define themselves as a place assumed at Parker has provided her with the where they can hold each other accountable ability to form bonds with the students— and say this is part of the Beacon identity.” which was appealing to Beacon because In order to achieve the school’s vision, they wanted to establish a position in which Allen will utilize the knowledge she forming relationships is imperative. amassed working with students in Parker’s “How do you create a dean role that’s intermediate and middle schools. “Here, not just so discipline-focused that also has I’ve really learned how to ask the reason a relationship component to students?” why,” Allen said about her time at Parker. Allen said, referring to the questions Beacon “Working on gradual change for more considered in their process of establishing impactful change is a skill I’ve really the position of Dean of Students. “The learned.” reputations “I think at the same time it’s of deans have Allen’s accumulation important to challenge yourself been that you of knowledge at go there to see what’s out there because I only Parker began in for discipline.

2006 when she still believe personally that I’m a That doesn’t began serving necessarily lifelong learner.” as the Assistant build for Soccer Coach for both the boys’ and girls’ relationships. They’ve heard about our varsity teams. Two years later, Allen roles—Mr. Bielizna and mine—at Parker.” commenced her service as Intermediate and Several students at Parker spoke to Middle School Coordinator—a position she enjoying their relationships with Allen. held for six years—prior to serving as the “She’s very good at giving advice,” IS/MS Dean of Student Life. sophomore Lauryn Rauschenberg, a Throughout her years as a full-time goalkeeper on the girls’ soccer team, said. member of the Parker faculty, Allen coached “If I have a problem, she very easily finds several Parker sports teams—including a solution. She’s also very motherly in girls’ basketball and boys’ and girls’ that she’s very comforting, and she knows soccer—and served as an advisor to a exactly what to say in any situation.” handful of advisories in the middle school.

When Rauschenberger felt discouraged The variety of roles that Allen has during soccer season this spring, Allen

helped her regain her self-confidence. “I didn’t feel like I belonged on the team, or that I was wanted or needed on the team,” Rauschenberger said. “She reassured me that I very much was. She showed me a scrapbook that she had of soccer and showed me other past keepers and stuff about them that she sees in me.”

Rauschenberger is not the only recipient of Allen’s kindness and willingness to go out of her way to help the student body. On May 23, Beacon required Allen to attend a session to plan for the following school year.

“She had an appointment at 10:00 and was going to be there most of the day,” Novick said. “She lives a long way from Parker.

She drove here to meet with her advisory for 15 minutes, and then she went back to Evanston.”

As a result of the relationships she has formed with students like her advisees and Rauschenberger, Allen is slightly glum about leaving Parker.

“I did not know or necessarily want to leave Parker,” she said. “I think at the same time it’s important to challenge yourself to see what’s out there because I still believe personally that I’m a lifelong learner. When offered the position, I felt like I could contribute to their community.

It was a place for me to grow and challenge my skills.”

GLOBAL AWAKENING IN THE GYM Parker Hosts Annual International Food Fest

By Nicole Feitler The sound of cheerful music filled the hallways leading up to the Draft Gym. Inside, Grape Jam sang, opening the event.

Students, teachers, and parents filled the room. A strong aroma of food emanated from the long table on the right side of the gym, which featured dishes from Korea, Greece, Mexico, and other countries.

Parker’s 14th annual International Food Fest, which took place Friday, May 18, was spearheaded by French teachers Lorin Pritikin and Cynthia Marker and cohosted by Parker’s American Field Service Committee and French club.

Music teacher Sunnie Hikawa also played a role. Pritikin said, “She helped kick off the first annual with Grape Jam and has been doing it every since.”

The idea came from Pritikin, whose children attended Chicago public schools that had international food fests. “I was like, ‘Wow this is so cool,’ and I went every year with them, and they had a very diverse population of students,” Pritikin said. “One year, I thought, ‘We at Parker have a lot of cultural diversity, and having an opportunity for students to bring not only food that may have to do with their culture but also possibly their favorite foods would

be great.’”

This year’s Fest was a bit different

the food for nut-free food as well as some gluten-free options.” Pritikin and Marker

Senior Mini Rujjanavet smiles at this year’s International Food Fest. Photo by Sarah-Jayne Austin.

from those of past years in that the food was prepared by Parker’s Executive Chef Zac Maness and Quest. “The school has encouraged more mindfulness and inclusion when it comes to allergies in the school,” Pritikin said, “which is why Quest prepared

created the menu with Quest and made sure to incorporate a wide range of cultures.

One of the AFS heads this year, sophomore Maddie Friedman, explained the planning that went into the Fest this year.“There was a lot less planning this

year in terms of the students because we didn’t have to hand out sheets to different restaurants and try to get them to donate,” Friedman said. “It was a lot easier to use Quest but also took up a lot of our budget.”

“The main purpose of the event is to take pride in either your own culture, to be exposed to new cultures, or to celebrate cultures that you like a lot,” Pritikin said. “We do this through food but also entertainment.”

Those who attended the event were able to eat while watching different kinds of entertainment, primarily musical. The 2018 International Food Fest was also a celebration of AFS student Mini Rujjanavet, who is from Thailand, as well as her host family.

“The food was really good, and I loved how many different types of foods there were,” Rujjanavet said. “Everyone seemed to be having a great time as well.”

Sometimes AFS students from other schools around Chicago shadow classes during the day and attend the event at night.

This year an AFS student from Italy was able to shadow a Cultures I class and then attend the event.

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News

FROM CHICAGO TO CALIFORNIA Piercy Leaves Parker after Seven Years of Teaching

By Zach Joseph Outside the fourth floor art office there’s a bulletin board featuring seven photos of art teachers, each creatively edited. On the bottom row, in the middle, you’ll see a black and white photo of a man staring at the camera with a calm expression--with what appears to be plaster on his face, hair, and beard.

This man is Art and Photography teacher Kiley Piercy, and today, June 9, is his second to last day at Parker.

Piercy, who has taught at Parker for seven years, including fourth and fifth grade Woodworking, sixth and seventh grade Photography, and Upper School Photography, is leaving Parker for the Brentwood School in Los Angeles, where he will teach Photo 1-4 and an AP Photo/2D Design class.

“My wife has family out in California,” Piercy said, “but I told her, ‘Hey, if I can find a school very similar to Parker, because I love Parker so much, then I’m totally down to investigate out west.”

Piercy found Parker indirectly. “My background is in photography,” he said, “and I needed observation hours, and I found Parker, and I was like, ‘Oh, I can do my observations’ because it was right around the corner from where I lived, and I came here to do observation hours, and then there was a Photo department, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I can actually teach Photo as well.’”

The hours Piercy needed were requirements for his Masters in Art Education at Depaul University in Chicago.

Piercy was passionate about

photography, but he did not want to be a freelance photographer. “You’re always having to market for yourself, working with art directors, and traveling a lot with late days,” Piercy said. “It’s not a very stable career, and it’s a competitive business here in Chicago.”

Piercy will be missed by Upper School Visual Arts and Graphic Design teacher Travis Chandler, who has known Piercy for all of Chandler’s six years at Parker.

They’ve become close. “Geographically, incredibly close,” Chandler said. “He’s the room next door--we’ve been good buddies.” The two have not collaborated on any photo projects or on a class, but they do occasionally pop into each other’s classroom to say hello.

Piercy loves kindling passion in his students. “I think just introducing the students to something that hopefully they will enjoy,” he said. “And for those students who might not be great at painting or drawing or other mediums, or maybe they’re just an average student, if I’m introducing them to photography and they enjoy it and they love it, and it’s something they become passionate about, that’s what I love about being a teacher.”

Sophomore Jenna Ehrhart had Piercy as a teacher for her first two years of high school, and has learned a lot from him.

“Before entering Mr. Piercy’s Photo 1 class, I did not consider myself a photographer by any means and took pictures solely on my phone,” Ehrhart said. “Mr. Piercy has taught me everything I know from numerous

Kiley Piercy in his classroom. Photo by Zach Joseph.

camera functions to how to edit photos to make them reach their highest potential.”

Chandler has observed and appreciated Piercy’s teaching style over the years. “I know that he’s a very caring and effective teacher,” Chandler said. “The pieces that his class have produced are wonderful, and I think he’s got a great talent for helping students.”

Ehrhart also enjoys Piercy’s teaching style. “Mr. Piercy takes his job seriously yet always has a smile on his face,” Ehrhart said. “He is not only responsible for teaching camera functions and grading projects, but he decorates the walls around the school with his students’ work for everyone to

admire.”

Chandler was recently made aware of Piercy’s departure. “I just found out a couple weeks ago,” Chandler said. “I think I found out just before everybody else did--and of course was as sad as anybody.”

Piercy, too, is sad to be leaving the Parker community, including the students he has seen grow up over the past seven years.

“They’re so self-motivated, super positive, hard-working,” he said. “They always blow me away with their creativity.”

Piercy is looking forward to “new opportunities” and “to grow as a teacher,

Continued on page eight

PUSHING THE MISSION AHEAD

Rika Yoshida To Assume Role of Board President

By Grace Buono

“For one thing I’ll tell, from the first moment I walked into Parker, I could feel a sense of mission that was just palpable,” Rika Yoshida, Parker parent of junior Jenna Mansueto, freshman Daniel Mansueto, and seventh grader Johnny Mansueto, current second Vice President to the Board, said. “It felt to me that everybody in this school--the faculty, the students, the administration-were really going in the same direction, going for the same thing, and really focused on the Parker mission. I find that kind of atmosphere really uplifting and energizing, and I wanted to be a part of that.”

Following the end of a three-year term served by former Parker parent Brett Gledhill, Yoshida has begun work as the next President of the Parker board starting in the next school year.

Yoshida joined the Board in 2011 and has since served many roles, including as a member of the Facilities Committee; the Trustee Committee, which handles membership to the board; and the Executive Committee, which consists of the President, Vice Presidents, Treasurer, Secretary, and

any other members at large appointed by the President; as well as serving at separate times as both the First and Second Vice President.

“When the Trustee Committee, the President, and Principal Frank consider who would fit the role of President, they look for someone who invites engagement and carries a lot of trust,” Gledhill said. “A person the board wants to hear from, who represents a positive light, as a leader - good at listening, at encouraging debate, and at hearing the themes of a discussion.”

For Yoshida it’s been a natural progression. “Like many parents, I have volunteered at the school, but when the opportunity came for me to join the board, I really couldn’t turn it down,” Yoshida said. “It’s such a great organization to be a part of, and when you join the board of an organization you get a different birds eye view of it than you do as a volunteer in the classroom or as someone with kids in the school.”

Gledhill approached Yoshida about her future on the board a few years ago, and

since then, the two have worked closely to prepare Yoshida for the position. “At the beginning of last year we made it a little more formal, and I was voted in as First Vice President,” Yoshida said. “That position is not necessarily always held by the next Chair of the board, but in this case we used it in that way. He helped update me on some of the things on the board that I wouldn’t have known about just because I wasn’t on those committee or working with those groups.

He really mentored me in a very nice way to take the position now.”

During this process, Gledhill saw that Yoshida possessed the characteristics necessary to be a successful President. “The Trustee Committee and the board see Rika as a great listener, someone who is very compassionate about Parker’s mission, and overall acts as an inclusive leader who brings in and welcomes input from many different directions,” Gledhill said. “She then thoughtfully works in partnership with others to offer suggestions and provide the best direction, in order to help form a consensus. I know she will partner with

and support Principal Frank and ensure the board completes its responsibilities.”

Over the course of her time on the board, Yoshida came to feel like there are misconceptions of the role the organization has in the school. “I guess I should back up a little bit and talk about what the board does, which I think is sometimes misunderstood,” Yoshida said. “The board has a very broad oversight function of the school, overseeing the long term strategic plan. Our eyes are on the ball five, ten, fifteen, 20 years out.

That’s one thing we do. Another thing the board does is it serves as an advisory or sounding board for the head of school, Dr. Frank, and the administration as they should see the need.”

Gledhill also feels it’s important to really understand what the role of the board actually is. “It is important to distinguish for people how different operating the school is versus being a member of the board,” Gledhill said. “One of the biggest challenges of a school board, whose members tend to be parents of students, is that naturally a lot

Continued on page 12

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Sports

GAMES AREN’T ALWAYS FUN

Parker Spring Athletic Teams Face Increase of Games and Decrease of Recovery

By Natalie Daskal

“I’m dead,” sophomore Alex Ori said as she limped into Head Athletic Trainer Valentina Garcia’s office on Thursday May 10. “I can’t feel my ankle, my back is sore, and my legs are super tight.”

Ori is not the only student athlete on a lunch-time visit to “Val’s office.” Seven others are in line to be stretched, diagnosed, and given exercises. All seven are set to start in a contest for a varsity team in just a few hours--for the third time in four days.

This spring, the Parker athletic teams had atypical schedules, according to Parker Athletic Director Bobby Starks, and it was not just one team that had this experience.

“We usually aim for about two to three games a week for teams,” Starks said, “but this spring most teams have four or five games a week.”

This season the lack of consistency in the schedule can be attributed to a few factors. “Well, this season it has been tough with the schedule for a few reasons,” said Starks. “First off, the weather was so bad in the early spring the we had to move so many games around to the end of the season. We also have just had a tougher time communicating with other schools, but that also related back to the weather, everyone is having a tough time.”

The rain, and below freezing temperatures forced all schools to rearrange their schedules, it wasn’t only Parker who ended up with a crammed schedule this

PIERCY’S DEPARTURE Continued from page seven new challenges.”

As Piercy leaves Parker, his contributions will remain. “We talk about the old days in the Art Department sometimes,” Chandler said, “and we’ve always enjoyed very much what he’s brought to the photography program here, and thought it’s just been a wonderful change.”

One of Piercy’s contributions is a socially conscious photo project in which students have to find a cause and create it on a poster board.

Ehrhart recalled a different Piercy project. “My ultimate favorite was the ‘Then and Now Project,’” she said. “Finding old photos, sharing them with the class, then recreating them was simply awesome.”

Piercy’s job in California will differ slightly from his job at Parker. “Here at Parker I teach cross-divisional,” he said.

“At Brentwood I will just be teaching upper school Photography.”

Piercy will miss Parker, but he is looking forward to the future. “I’ve been here for seven years, and I’ve loved all seven years,” he said, “but now I’m kind of ready for a new chapter in my life.”

spring.

In the final three weeks of the spring season, the girls soccer, boys baseball, boys tennis, and girls softball teams averaged three games every four days. On top of practices.

“At the end of the year, we had this

“On our ocasional off-days, we never had field space,” Ori said. “I think we had two practices on the field in the last month of the season.”

There was a ripple effect--since the Upper School teams had so many games, the Middle School teams could only play at Parker on a few occasions.

“You know it was tough, we wanted the middle school teams to have as many home games as they could, but it did take away from our upper school teams practice time at our home field,” said Starks. The tight schedule hurt everyone involved, no one had ample Freshman Amelia Hoerr gets in position during the girls’ soccer regional on the field time for Parker turf on May 11. Photo courtesy of Jon Rauschenberger. both games and two-week period where we have six games practices. in seven days, and the next week was five For a team or athlete to improve, games in seven days,” James Cuevas, a they need to practice, and they need to Parker sophomore and member of the keep their bodies in peak condition. To be baseball team, said. “And it was just bad. “conditioned” or “in shape” for a game We were all super-tired, so we started losing. means a few things. It’s not only being able I got behind on my homework and started to run a six-minute mile, or to do 100 push going to bed super late.” The scheduling hurt ups––many can train hard and accomplish several aspects of the student-athletes’ lives. those things. But to show up on a field or

court in peak shape is a product of training, recovery time, and mental state.

Having proper recovery time and being in the correct mental state, moreover, go hand in hand. “Two days is typically a good recovery time for student athletes,” Garcia said. “As teenagers, student-athletes already have so much on their mind with school, which can put extra stress on their mental state if it is already compromised by a lack of recovery.”

Mental state has been discussed by athletes for decades. As Yogi Berra famously said, “The game is 90% mental and the other half physical.”

“Not being in a positive mental state also alters your physical state,” Garcia said, “as you can’t put 100% into focusing on sport, another reason why injury comes with lack of recovery.”

If athletes do not have field time to practice, they will not get better. Garcia said, “A team cannot be successful without practice and recovery time.”

This may be why this spring didn’t see more plaques brought back to Parker, according to Cuevas. “It affected us both mentally and physically,” Cuevas said.

“Physically, we were just sore, but mentally we just had so many things to balance. We would have gone further in the playoffs if we had better scheduling with more recovery time.”

SPRING SPORTS Continued from page one

They held on for an inning, and then Holy our second half, however. We possessed the to the game.”

Trinity rose with a five-run rally. Parker put entire half, and although we didn’t score The game started out rough, and it up two home runs, and the two teams went and didn’t redeem ourselves, we proved to looked like without a score, the game would into the 7th inning at 7-5, Parker. But Holy ourselves that we were the better team on end in the 5th inning. But with two outs, Trinity came back, scoring a run off a Parker the pitch.” and no runs yet scored by Parker, all of a error, making it 7-6. Most heartbreaking This season the boys’ tennis team sudden the team came back and brought the of all--Parker lost on a walkoff hit in the looked to improve upon their 2017 8-6 score to 9-13. bottom of the 7th inning. record. With half of last year’s roster Slaymaker felt the team “had a great “I was really excited for it, and so graduating, varsity coach Jon Hall-Bryant comeback, and it was a really good way to was the whole team,” captain and senior called it “a tough task.” He said, “the young end the season.”

Alex Chapman said. “We were complete team responded well and finished with a The schedule wasn’t easy on the team. underdogs. The game was very “Overall the season was somewhat “This season certainly had its ups chaotic because in the beginning of entertaining. It was a mix of emotions--we were winning, then the season we had no games, and at and downs. We came in looking for we were losing, then tied, then redemption from last year against a very the end we had at least four games a winning again. They won on a Slaymaker said. “For periods beatable team, and we weren’t fully there week,” walkoff in the last inning, and it of time we were either practicing for the first half, and we paid the price.” weeks or playing super jam-packed sucked. It was so sad. People were crying. Everyone gave everything games, which really does not help how they had, and we just came up short.”

10-5 record.” a team functions.”

The girls’ soccer team finished 9-10-1, According to Bryant, this was the first But Slaymaker has plans for the with a rousing 7-0 Regionals victory against season with double digit wins in three years. future. “Our plans for next year is more Noble Street Charter School. The team The team finished 3rd in conference, with batting in practice because we didn’t get then lost in Sectionals against IC Catholic a 4-2 conference record. Bryant went on to much this year,” she said. “We also had Prep, 0-3. add, “With the early success of this young a rough schedule this year due to weather “This season certainly had its ups and team, the future looks bright.” and cancellations. So the last week of the downs,” captain Abby Smith said. “We Girls’ softball were 5-9, and ended season, we ended up having a game every came in looking for redemption from last their season with a Regionals loss against day and barely any practice, so next year year against a very beatable team, and we Latin at Westmont. According to captain we really want to be able to practice before weren’t fully there the first half, and we paid Elisabye Slaymaker, “The whole team was our games.” the price. We were all incredibly proud of really excited and pumped up on the way

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Features

PHAEDRUS ART GALLERY DEBUT A Tricky First

By Ava Ori For the first time ever, the Phaedrus committee sponsored their very own student art gallery on Thursday, May 31 by the fourth floor windows. And as with any first-time event, there were troubles along the way. But that didn’t stop the gallery from featuring prints, t-shirt designs, and fashion drawings.

Phaedrus is an art magazine at Parker devoted to sharing student artwork. This year the committee was led by seniors Talia Garg and Kaitlin Stansbury, and junior Jessie Cordwell.

The gallery’s creator, Cordwell, made this event happen for a number of reasons.

Cordwell said, “There are many pieces our students make, like sculptures and film, that we just can’t show off with the magazine.”

The event didn’t come easy. The gallery was scheduled for April 24, but on the 25th, the student body got an email from the committee stating that the gallery had been postponed.

There were three loose ends. As the event was getting closer and closer, Cordwell was getting emails from a majority of the artists telling her that their art wasn’t going to be done in time. Also, her budgeting source, Upper School Dean of Student Affairs, Christian Belizna, didn’t answer her emails asking him for money for the event.

The money Cordwell was seeking was for food. “I really want this to be official,”

Cordwell said. “So the money Belizna hopefully will give for food is important to make this a real event.”

In addition to these two problems, there

from the tech office.

Between April 24 and the new date, May 31, Cordwell and the artists got a lot done. First, Cordwell found Bielizna in

Junior Christian Navas in front of the first-ever Phaedrus art gallery on the fourth floor.

Photo by Ava Ori.

were three films that were registered, two by sophomore Arie King, and one by freshman Nathalie San Fratello. Both films required iPads that Cordwell couldn’t secure in time

person and confirmed the pizza money.

Then she met up with the eight artists, some of whom were exhibiting up to three pieces, and asked about their readiness.

They came up with the 31st.

Finally, she got the iPads and iPad stands from Tech Chair, Peter Evans.

The submitters recognize Cordwell’s efforts to show off all art forms at Parker.

“I am excited to share my work in at the Gallery,” San Fratello said, “because I think it will be more appreciated in person.”

When finding participants to bring in work for the gallery, Cordwell noticed that a new group of artists had been attracted.

She got three films, one of which was made by someone who previously didn’t submit to Phaedrus and now felt willing and able.

Cordwell said, “Even having that one person be able to show themself off made me happy.”

The participants agree. “There are artists in our school whose art can only be experienced in person,” freshman Mikeal Watkins said, “and without giving those students an outlet to show their work, the representation is incomplete.”

Cordwell’s project to expand the presence of Phaedrus was worth it to her.

“This is just one of Phaedrus’s many new attempts to make our work more seen, like stickers and a bulletin board,” she said. “We just really want Phaedrus to be more known to the student body.”

117-YEAR OLD TRADITION

Parker Has Incorporated Bagpipes Since 1901

By Nick Skok June can be bittersweet at Parker. For the seniors especially, they aren’t coming back, at least as students, so Parker honors them with, among other rituals, two bagpipe players, Jaime McCorry and a varying partner, marching around the field in kilts playing Parker’s alma mater.

This tradition dates all the way back to 1901, when Parker was founded. Back then, and until 1942, the last day of school ceremony was called “Field Day.” The day was filled with many more activities than the current Class Day, such as fifth grade girls dancing around a Maypole and each grade performing a tumbling stunt to honor the senior class. Each stunt was from a different culture. The first graders were Native-Americans, the fourth graders were Greeks, and the list of cultures for each grade goes on.

In 1942, however, that day became Class Day, and the tumbling turned into a Big Brothers and Big Sisters day, in which seniors spent all day with the younger children. Despite the shift, both events kept

the ceremonial bagpipes, which play on The problem with trying to find the through the afternoon while students and exact reason behind why the bagpipes parents picnic on the field. started is that anyone who was alive to know 7th grade English teacher Kate Tabor why they started is no longer around. “There did a research project a few years ago to try isn’t really a definitive ‘Oh, this is why we to find the reason behind the beginning of use bagpipes,’” Tabor said. “I think it just the tradition. “Lots of the original faculty became something they used and stuck.” were either Scots or Irish and had bagpipes Frank believes there is a special in their culture,” Tabor said. “That was significance in the bagpipes that kept them something playing “It must be something about the majesty each year they just included.” and the sound and the pride of seeing the since 1901.

O v e r bagpipe players stand up straight. And this “I think the 110 years popularity later, many big, loud, engaging, resonant sound that o f i t a n d captures people’s imagination.” students are the ways still unsure in which how it came about. Out of 102 high school students and teachers and parents liked it,” students, 93 don’t know why the bagpipes Frank said. “We very deliberately continued are a tradition at Parker. Principal Daniel the tradition of having them playing.”

Frank believes students should know why Regardless of how they started, it’s Parker’s traditions are the way they are. “It been some time since then, and now it’s would be really great to offer a moment to more the tradition that draws the students educate everybody,” Frank said. “It adds joy and faculty as opposed to the sound. “I don’t and quality to a school event.” think it’s about the sound or about what

they’re wearing,” freshman Leila Sheridan, who has been at Parker since JK, said. “It’s about the whole ethics of having bagpipes open the school year and close the school year. They welcome the seniors.”

Freshman Denise Roman, who was new last year and has only heard the ceremonial bagpipes on Class Day once, was a little bit thrown off by the sound. “It was cool but a little weird,” Roman said. “I never heard anything like it before. It was a totally new experience for me, but I enjoyed it.”

McCorry has been playing these events at Parker since she was a teenager in the mid 1970s. A few years ago Parker gave her an honorary diploma because she had been playing for so long.

The bagpipes, which can also be heard at Homecoming, hit the right note, for Frank.

“It must be something about the majesty and the sound and the pride of seeing the bagpipe players stand up straight,” Frank said. “And this big, loud, engaging, resonant sound that captures people’s imagination.”

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Features

#METOOFWP

Sexual Misconduct at Parker “Right off the bat, before freshman year even started, I was at field hockey preseason, and the senior boys used to pick a freshman girl they thought was the hottest and claim her as theirs,” a female Parker senior said.

“So they chose me.”

As declarations of #MeToo take the national media by storm, the Parker community has not seen the same movement inside its own walls, not seen public accusations and reckonings. But just as places all over the globe are coping with instances of harassment and assault, the culture of partying and toxic masculinity at Parker, as with other high schools, has led to a space that is not always safe in terms of sexual encounters.

“I had just gotten Facebook freshman year, and I posted a photo of my face as my first profile picture,” the senior continued.

“It was very exciting--I was very happy about it. And they commented on it. About 50 comments--all claiming me as ‘theirs.’

Very creepy. And I was so scared. This was before I knew how to handle my anxiety. I was so scared--I felt nauseous for weeks.”

Upper School counselor Binita Donohue would like to see more attention placed on sexual misconduct. “Obviously we have a policy--no one, child or adult, should be at the receiving end of sexual harassment,” Donohue said. “But we just did this big survey that indicated what seems to me as a pretty big gender gap between what males experience and what people

By Jessi Lieb and Maya Sanghvi

Some female students do not feel safe sharing their stories of harassment with the school.

Photo by Grace Buono.

who are not male experience. Clearly that’s something we have to address and look at.”

This survey, conducted in 2017 by DEI consultant Dr. Derrick Gay, was a climate assessment that more than 300 high school students filled out.

While the survey indicated a gap in experiences, women at Parker appear to be uncomfortable speaking out without the shield of anonymity. Some community members feel that the social environment at Parker encourages women to keep their stories hidden. “I don’t know that a woman here would feel as comfortable standing up and knowing that she had women at her back,” Upper School English teacher Cory Zeller said. “There’s not a clarity about what the reaction would be. If you’re going to

call out the boys, are you going to lose your social status and not get invited to parties?

If you call out the boys, what are the social repercussions for you?”

Others say that it’s not the risk of social isolation or lack of female-to-female support but the lack of male denunciation of assault that keeps them silent. An anonymous freshman girl explained that she was assaulted outside of school by an older boy this school year. “It’s so weird to me that they’re still friends with someone who would do that,” she said, referencing the boys that are still friends with her assailant.

“I decided not to tell the school just because I didn’t want to have to deal with all that.

But all of the guys didn’t do anything. It’s not that they support it, but they don’t stand

up against it.”

The Parker senior who spoke about her freshman-year harrassment, like the freshman girl, also decided not to report her experience to the school, but for a different reason. “The administration is the worst,” she said. “I would never feel safe talking to anyone. Not just the administration-teachers, anything.”

Assistant principal Ruth Jurgensen said that she had never heard about the anonymous senior’s incident of being harassed freshman year. “No one I know had any knowledge of this,” Jurgensen said.

“That’s really awful. We have a very distinct harassment policy. That’s terrible.”

Some boys in the high school place responsibility on the administration to actively disrupt sexual misconduct. “I think the administration and faculty do nothing about it,” a senior boy who wished to remain anonymous said. “Especially when it happens in the hallways.”

Donohue suggested that teachers do not have the education to intervene when it comes to sexual harassment. “The one other area that I think we need to do more of is teacher training,” Donohue said. “That is not something we do. Specifically for teachers to know--when something gets hot in a classroom, how do we talk about it.”

No new actions have been taken to combat sexual misconduct at the school this year, according to Jurgensen, but she hopes

Continued on page 22

EVOLVING TRADITIONS

Lower School Continues to Evaluate Cultural Appropriation in Curricula

By Josh Marks

Ten years ago, Woodland People’s Day at Parker was a third grade event, a culmination of the grade’s study of Native Americans and Native American culture.

Eight-to-nine-year-olds dressed up in sheets brightly decorated with Crayola marker, generously applied “tribal” face paint to themselves and to each other, sang songs such as “Grinding Corn,” and participated in Native American-themed activities, such as archery, firestarting, storytelling in a wigwam, and dreamcatcher-making.

Since then Woodland People’s Day changed to Woodland Activity Day, which lacks the Native American role-playing of its predecessor. “It’s really more about how people lived and made their way in the world,” Lower School head Kimeri Swanson-Beck said. “We’ve really cut out a lot of the dressing up because it’s actually offensive. That was created because children learn by playing, but as adults, we have to not enforce the playing of a different culture.”

Lower and Intermediate School traditions such as Woodland People’s Day have existed for years, though many have undergone recent modifications to “adapt to the times,” according to first grade teacher

Members of the current class of 2018 pose in yukatas following their Japanese Theater in Kathy Wild’s second grade class. Photo courtesy of Liz Cicchelli.

Bev “Greenie” Greenberg.

The Egyptian Museum, a capstone tradition for the fourth grade’s study of Ancient Egypt, was altered three years ago. Students used to research a particular aspect of Ancient Egyptian culture--like mummification or mathematics--and present in a science fair-style gallery wearing typical Ancient Egyptian clothing: tunics for girls and shirtless for boys, with distinct eye makeup and decorated neck collars.

Fourth graders currently present their

research projects in a similar fashion--but now dressed as museum docents.

For some who have experienced these traditions, it’s hard to see them change.

“I get it, but at the same time, that’s not cultural appropriation because the Ancient Egyptians don’t exist anymore,” senior and 14-year Parker student Jai Choudhary said. “I think the school has the right to be sensitive, but I think they take it too far sometimes.”

According to Swanson-Beck,

reevaluating Parker traditions can be difficult, especially because they’ve existed for so long. “We have to look at our traditions and think, ‘Why was this created, and how is it serving kids?’” Swanson-Beck said. “And if it’s no longer serving that purpose--even if it was our favorite thing to do--we’re probably going to change it.”

These kinds of changes to Lower School curricula and traditions began around eight years ago, when consultant Enid Lee came to Parker to “identify stereotypes perpetuated by the curriculum,” according to Swanson-Beck. Pushes to make curricula more inclusive were headed by former Lower School head Mary Ann Manley as well.

Other traditions have been changed for reasons other than cultural appropriateness.

The Mexican Fiesta, a culmination of the first grade’s study of the country of Mexico, included food, singing songs in Spanish, dancing, and playing instruments while dressed in traditional Mexican clothing bought from Mexico.

“When we had the Mexican Fiesta, it was all about singing and dancing and

Continued on page 12

The Parker Weekly, Page 11

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Features

MUSLIM AT PARKER

The Experience of Third Grade Teacher Nadia Pardesi

By Avani Kalra

As illuminated recently in a survey mom does, she told us,” Satterfield said. conducted by Dr. Peter Gay, 0% of the “Her sister did not want to wear it because student body presently identifies as she isn’t as religious, but Ms. Pardesi is Muslim. Still, Islam is the fastest growing more religious. She told us she wears it to religion in the world, with 1.8 billion feel more connected to her religion and to followers globally––about 24% of the world her community. I really enjoyed learning population, according to the Pew Research about another religion because I only know Center. There are about 3.3 million Muslims about one other one, Judaism. I liked how in the US, which stands at about 1% of the she shared with our class.” population.

Pardesi does not feel that her experience Throughout an MX titled “Islam 101,” is reflective of that of a Muslim student at presented by 3rd grade teacher Nadia Parker. “I am a mother, and my two JK Pardesi and 7th grade history teacher and kids go to school here,” Pardesi said. “This department co-chair Anthony Shaker, is something they’ve already brought up.

Pardesi focused on her experience of They’ve mentioned a lot how there aren’t being Muslim in America at a time when that many Muslims. My daughter came Islamophobia is rampant throughout the home one day and asked me if there were country. As discovered by a study conducted any other Muslim girls in JK, and I said, by the Washington Post in 2006, 46% of ‘No, just you,’ and she started counting.

Americans hold a perception of Islam as She asked me if there was one in SK, one a hateful religion that condones violence. in first grade, in second grade... and so on.

Pardesi has directly encountered this And I really had to rack my brains to think type of bias. “We’ve gotten stares, we’ve of anyone.” been screamed at, cursed out with two little Young children feel more comfortable kids at our sides,” she said of her family. when surrounded by people they can relate “Fortunately, though, I’ve never had to to. “For her, at age four, she was already experience physical violence. And I hope thinking, ‘Who else is like me?’ and she I never will.” could only think of one other girl. That’s Pardesi, through her MX and other hard. It’s rough to feel like nobody is like efforts, intends you. She’s trying to to educate “We’ve gotten stares, we’ve figure out who she the student can identify with been screamed at, cursed body about and coming up short. h e r r e l i g i o n , out, with two little kids at our As a parent, that is and more concerning. You don’t sides.” specifically the want your kid to be the misconceptions surrounding it. “Because first, the only, to feel alone.” of the media, and the events after 9/11, The aspect of Pardesi’s appearance raising awareness is incredibly important,” that reveals her religion is the headscarf she said. “We went from being Muslim, to she wears around her head. For Pardesi, ‘There’s something wrong with you, you’re the hijab is a symbol of culture and family. scary, you’re dangerous, you’re a terrorist.’ “The day I started wearing my hijab was It has gotten progressively worse and a my senior year graduation day,” Pardesi lot scarier, especially after the election of said. “I shocked my entire graduating class Donald Trump.” when I showed up to graduation wearing Islamophobia is the irrational fear it. I made the decision my sophomore year of, aversion to, or discrimination against that I wanted to wear it when I got older, Islam or people who practice Islam. Pardesi but I wanted to mentally prepare myself believes that this irrational fear stems from a before because I knew treatment was going lack of understanding of the religion. to change. I knew it was going to be a huge “So I thought, ‘Why not just tell people, responsibility.” what is Islam?’” Pardesi said. “We are According to ArabsinAmerica.edu, the extremely similar to other Abrahamic faiths. hijab is a symbol of modesty for many who I’ve done similar presentations at Latin, at wear it. “Hijab” is an arabic word meaning Catherine Cook, and the overwhelming “cover,” and although it is most commonly response I have gotten is, ‘Oh, that’s it? That worn by women, Muslim men also often seems so similar. I didn’t realize you guys wear a head covering as a means of believed in Jesus,’ or ‘I didn’t know you showing modesty. In other, especially more guys were considered an Abrahamic faith,’ conservative sects of a number of religions, or even ‘I feel like we share so much more including Christianity and Judaism, scarves in common now!’ Understanding creates so are a common cultural practice signaling a much irreplaceable connection and really is commitment to modesty or piety. the root of the problem.”

“I wanted to be identified as Muslim, At Parker Pardesi has not experienced and that’s why I wear it,” Pardesi said. “I any hateful language or acts in her time wanted to fit with the culture, and have that teaching third grade. spiritual connection that comes with it. My According to her former student, Max sister does not wear a headscarf. My mom Satterfield, Pardesi enjoyed sharing her wears it a different way than I do. There is religion with her class. “Ms. Pardesi wears no right way to wear it. Everyone comes to the hijab, but her sister doesn’t, and her their spirituality in a different way, and it is

their decision to do so.”

Because of her decision to wear a hijab, Pardesi feels that she is seen first and foremost as Muslim. Although she recognizes her hijab is the first thing someone looking at her may see, it is not her only defining feature. “People always compliment me on my headscarf, instead of my shoes or my shirt, which is fine, but it’s how people look at me and label me,” she said. “People see me as Muslim and then they decide they have to be culturally

sensitive, and they compliment it. It’s just another part of my outfit. The goal is for people to see me beyond it.”

Pardesi’s efforts to bring awareness about Islam have been successful. “I’ve had people say to me, ‘Before I met you, I had such bad ideas about women who wear headscarves, and now I realize you’re just like the rest of us.’ The warm feedback and the reactions I get are amazing. I can actually see myself making a change.”

RETIRING TEACHERS Continued from page one

warmth. “I’d say that Ms. Hikawa has made Parker feel very much like home for me,” he said. “She was a huge influence on my growth as a chorus teacher the four years I’ve been here. In addition to our time in the classroom together, I’ll always cherish all the fun we had on the various adventures we’ve been on together... from the yearly Six Flags trip to Cookies weekend in Italy and everything in between.”

As for Beh? “This was the first year I really thought about it,” Beh said. “I could’ve retired a while ago, but I still loved it. It wasn’t an easy decision for me.”

As for post-retirement plans, they all have a vague idea of what they’d like to do in their newfound free time.

“One of the obvious ones is travel,” Beh said. “I love to read, I love to garden, and I’m interested in theater. I used to do a lot of voiceovers. I’m thinking maybe of doing that again.”

Hikawa has similar plans. “I might like to get back into performing--I did a lot of movies and commercials, so maybe I’d try and start auditioning for things,” she said.

“First of all, I’m going to recharge and rest, and maybe clean my house. I’ve already got plans to travel--we’ve rented out all the places that we have.”

Hirsch plans to keep busy too. “I’d like to work with dogs,” she said. “I love dogs.

Dogs are just easier than people and more appreciative. One of the other reasons I’m retiring--I love theater, but I can never go cause I’m too tired… Maybe work on the next presidential campaign. The next year is a transition year, so I don’t wanna pack it too tight.”

Hirsch was hired as a consultant in the math department for the 2018-19 school year to continue working on a couple of courses she developed and to ease the transition.

Sven Carlsson, Middle and Upper School Director of Studies, reflected on his friendship with Hirsch. “There are two ways in which I’m similar to Ms. Hirsch,” Carlsson said. “One is caring about how people treat people. The other would be love of pets… one of the biggest measures of a person’s heart is their ability to love furry

creatures.” He thought about it some more and added, “As a person, I’ve learned from her to be more passionate about justice. I’ve learned to get more upset at wrong things.”

At the Retirement MX, Tang spoke about Hikawa in the form of a letter to her grandchild, senior kindergarten student Atreyu Ribaudo-Hikawa. Tang read, “Even though she’s retiring as a teacher, she still has important work to do as an alum, a Parker parent, and most importantly, as a Parker grandparent--supporting you and your time at Parker.”

After the MX, Isobel Bender ‘18 spoke about Beh. “I credit my early confidence on stage and excitement for acting to Ms. Beh’s amazing drama class in lower school,” Bender said, “and in high school I always looked forward to the halloween MXs where I got to hear the same fun stories I loved when I was young!”

Also outside of the MX, the retiring educators spoke about the impact they hope to have on the Parker community.

“I want to have the memory of the students,” Hikawa said. “I want to live on in students’ memories. To inspire kids to appreciate music.”

Hirsch wants to be remembered as a seeker. “I’ve always fought for what I believe is right for this place,” Hirsch said. “Sometimes, people believe I’m too vocal… I hope kids got from me...a sense of thinking and enjoying the process, and not necessarily looking for answers.”

Beh wants to be known for her passion for theater and for her empathy. “Well, number one is my love of drama,” she said.

“Not only that… but also learning how to understand other people.”

It wasn’t lost on Bender that Parker must say goodbye to three strong women.

“This year, I feel we have three extremely powerful and inspirational women retiring from Parker,” she said. “Each one has influenced my path here at school in one way or another.”

For her part, Beh is grateful. “Parker has been such a wonderful school,” Beh said. “I’ve been so lucky.”

The Parker Weekly, Page 12

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Features

LOWER SCHOOL TRADITIONS Continued from page 10

celebrating the culture through song and inappropriate. “Because if you go to Japan, dance,” Greenberg said. “It was not about people do wear them at festivals and ethnic stereotypes.” celebrations,” Davidson said. “We have to The Fiesta was dropped when current tell the kids that it’s a cultural and historical Lower School Spanish teacher Daniel thing--and it’s still there. It’s still part of the Baltierra started at Parker in 2008 and culture.” introduced a more comprehensive Lower Swanson-Beck believes there’s School Spanish program. According to a difference between dressing up for Greenberg, the Fiesta occurred too close to Woodland People’s day and wearing the the end of the year and required a significant Japanese yukatas. “It’s not really dressing up amount of work. The curriculum was also like people the same way,” Swanson-Beck changing to include Baltierra, who was said. “They wear yukatas, but they never taking over the try to be Japanese study of Mexico.

“Our country and our desire people. The goal is to H a d t h e to be more respectful of what be respectful and to Mexican Fiesta see what it might be other people bring to the continued to like to wear that kind this day, though, United States from their own of clothing, but never G r e e n b e r g ethnicities and cultures makes try to be that person.” believes it According to us more mindful of what we would’ve been Davidson, consultant do with younger children.” Dr. Derrick Gay, who stopped or at least modified. “We are will be working with all more aware,” Greenberg said. “Our the Lower School next year, attended one country and our desire to be more respectful of the Japanese Theater performances this of what other people bring to the United year. “It will be interesting to see what he States from their own ethnicities and took away from it,” Davidson said. “I think cultures makes us more mindful of what we it’s worth defending, and we better be able do with younger children.” to defend it, or we can’t teach it.”

Some traditions are currently being Wi t h t r a d i t i o n s t h a t d o n ’t evaluated. The second grade curriculum, involve historically marginalized and for example, which focuses on the study of underrepresented cultures but still involve Japan, includes the Tea Room and Japanese dressing up and portraying a person--like the Theater traditions. third grade’s Pioneer School Day, the fourth Pairs of students get to spend a day grade’s Greek Play, and the fifth grade’s in a Japanese “tea room” constructed in Medieval Fair--the school is considering the back corner of the classrooms behind how to proceed. shoji doors, playing Japanese games and Greenberg emphasized the importance eating a Japanese lunch. Each class puts on of adapting traditions. “I don’t think we their own Japanese Theater too, in which should apologize for what we experienced second graders perform a Japanese play, in the times we were in,” Greenberg said. sing Japanese songs, and recite haikus. For “When it worked then, times were different. both events, students are dressed in yukatas, It’s not a bad thing to let go of a tradition, a type of kimono. and it’s not a bad thing to modify a tradition.

Second grade teacher Cathy Davidson It’s about what’s appropriate for the kids in thinks the wearing of yukatas is not the time they’re living now.”

SAM MOCK POETRY Continued from page four

equally as dramatic, more heartbreaking,” Mock said. “I’m trying to shed a light on it.

But also explore those other themes.”

In the Poetry class, students often grappled with the significance of poetry as a genre. “Are you ever writing or reading poetry and think, ‘This is just bullshit?’” senior Maya Sanghvi asked. “You know, when you read poetry, and people are just making these grand big points about life and love and whatever, and it just feels so overbearing? Maybe just fake?”

Mock was familiar with the sensation.

“I personally don’t connect as much to poetry that fixes itself as an answer,” he said. “The fuel that I use to write poetry is questions, but I’m not writing poetry to

answer those questions. I’m writing to open them up wider, to expand them, to pose them to new lenses and to try and add new layers. I also think those are the really more interesting ones. If something is posing itself as the answer, and ‘This is the way this is,’ I don’t know if you have as much to discuss.”

To avoid what Mock refers to as “a poem that feels like it’s important or a poem that supposedly has the answers,” he relies on avoiding trying to meet a need regarding what his poems should sound like. “You’re trying to sound a certain way,” he said. “I still have poems like that when I go back, and and I read stuff I wrote in graduate school, and that’s there. I was really trying to have this voice that I thought I needed to

NEW BOARD PRESIDENT Continued from page seven

of the board members are very interested in what’s happening day-to-day in the school, and yet that’s not the role of a board member. Instead of being worried about the day to day operations of the school. The board helps to ensure that over the mid to long-term the school meets and lives into its stated mission.”

One of the reasons the board can provide insight to the administrators is due to the members who make up the group.“It’s made up of a very different people with a lot of different backgrounds and expertises,” Yoshida said, “It’s a really great pool of information and intelligence that the administration has to draw on for various things.”

Gledhill also sees the importance of drawing from one’s own experiences in discussion. “Try to use in discussion, like always, any experience you have to try and make things better and shape things,” Gledhill said. “Certainly in anecdotes of, say, managing things, you pull on your experience often, whether it’s a specific incident or whether it’s all the collection of incidents that help frame your judgement.”

It’s the group of people on the board that Yoshida has learned the most from. “I think it’s just working with the immensely talented, passionate, people who are on the board,” Yoshida said. “I’ve met a lot of people I probably wouldn’t have met otherwise and have learned about a lot of things I would never have had a window into. I now have this great group of folks to call and ask for advice and opinion from.

It’s always illuminating to talk to them. I really enjoy that.”

Other than the adults on the board, an important group for Yoshida is comprised of the student representatives who attend meetings. This year’s student reps were freshman Lilly Satterfield, sophomore Wilson Cedillo, juniors Zach Lending and Jack Maling, and senior Simone Turner.

“The more people we have who have a slightly different views of various issues, the better our decision making,” Yoshida said. “They’re very important in that sense.

All of us left school a long time ago, so it’s so valuable to have the viewpoint of people who are experiencing Parker now.”

“We show up at every meeting and we talk about what our grade has been doing and what we’re looking forward to as a

great. We also sit there and listen to what the board is discussing,” freshman Lilly Satterfield who was a board representative from the 2017-2018 school year.

Satterfield can see the characteristics of a board President in Yoshida. “She walks up to me at the beginning and end of the meetings and says ‘Great job talking, it’s nice to see you,’” Satterfield said. She believes that a president should, “Definitely be someone who is organized and motivated and just excited to be there.”

Though Gledhill’s three years as President has come to a close, he will remain on the Executive Committee. The bylaws of the board do not require that a former President remain on the board, but Gledhill was asked to stay on for some time.

“President and trustee turnover is important for an organization to stay healthy and moving ahead,” Gledhill said. “Specifically, succession acts both to keep advancing the discussion, and to find fresh, and innovative perspectives, important pillars to the longevity of the Board, as a whole. I think three just made sense to me, given other boards I have experienced.”

Gledhill will miss the work he did specifically with Principal Dan Frank. “I will miss having a lot of interaction with Principal Frank,” Gledhill said. “I think he is a tremendous person given the school’s mission. He is the peripatetic leader of the school. He is there greeting people in the morning, there at meetings across the evenings, and there at every turn of the strategy and leadership of the organization.

The mission is embodied by Principal Frank, both in how he lives and treats the world and what he hopes for in every student’s development. I’ll miss having as much interaction with Principal Frank as the President does. That was my favorite part of the role, partnering with him.”

For right now, Yoshida can’t yet pinpoint specific goals she has for her time as president. “It’s hard for me to say I have a goal for year one, year two, or how ever many years I should serve,” Yoshida said.

“To me it’s really about--certainly at the beginning of my term--trying to create an atmosphere, and set the tone and parameters for conversations to take place with the board and with the administration that will advance the long-term goals of the school.”

sound like. Sometimes the best thing to do is to, for a moment, don’t read anything. Just cleanse the pallet.”

Mock referred back to “Summer Shadow Lamina” once more, specifically the form of the poem. “That’s why ‘Summer Shadow Lamina’ was written in a ton of prose,” Mock said. “I cleansed my poetic pallet because I was like, ‘My tone sucks.

It sounds inauthentic. It sounds like I’m trying to sound like someone else.’ I needed to cleanse my palate, and this new tone came out.”

As the end of E-period was marked with the sound of music, most students stuffed papers back in their bags and continued on their way. Bender stayed back to continue

the conversation with Mock. “I loved when he came and presented to the class,” Bender later said. “I thought it was really cool to hear from someone who takes their art or their profession seriously, and I think sometimes as poetry students we get a little distanced from the deep poetic art. It’s just cool to hear him talk really beautifully about what he does.”

Hearing Mock was interesting not only in the moment for Bender. “I took notes, and I still look at those notes if I need inspiration,” Bender said. “I would have loved if we talked to more poets because I thought it was that useful.”

Check us out at: weekly.fwparker.org

WRIGLEY REHAB

Immersions

The Parker Weekly, Page 13

Famous Chicago Ballpark Receives a Makeover

By Celia Rattner A standout stadium for its crimson marquee, ivy-covered outfield, handoperated scoreboard, and original green frame, Wrigley Field has been dubbed by many the “cathedral of baseball.” Wrigley’s home team, the Cubs were infamous for maintaining a 108 year championship drought--the longest in North American pro-sports history--until their World Series win in the fall of 2016. Since then, a number of ambitious developments have popped up around the stadium.

During games, the corner of Addison and Clark swarms with eager fans snapping selfies under the marquee and alongside the statue of former Cubs player Ernie Banks.

Blue “W” flags draped on storefronts billow in the wind, and the smell of peanuts fills the air.

On off days, workmen in neon construction vests toil at reconstructing Wrigleyville buildings into modern hangouts for baseball fans and young bar-goers. Some welcome the rehabilitation with open arms, while others are skeptical.

The Cubs’ renovations began almost immediately after the 2016 win. In April of 2017, the Cubs owners, the Ricketts family, unveiled The Park at Wrigley, recently renamed Gallagher Way. Gallagher Way serves as an interactive plaza where both fans and passers-by can relax year round.

Outside of the ballpark on game days, Gallagher Way’s field is crowded with Cubs aficionados sporting blue and white jerseys.

Families lounge around the lawn, enjoying picnics and watching the game displayed on a giant screen across the way.

During the offseason, Gallagher Way transforms into a winter wonderland complete with its own makeshift Christkindlmarket and skating rink.

Just north of the lawn are the Cubs’ office buildings. On the ground floor, fans file in and out of a sleek, new Starbucks and a Jeni’s Ice Cream, cheerfully purchasing

snacks before and after games.

This coming summer, the spotlight will be on the Hotel Zachary, which opened in early April. Named after the architect of the original ballpark, Zachary Taylor

by rebranding the franchise,” sophomore and longtime fan Alex Ori said. “It’s lost its familiarity and its connection with fans.”

Wrigley is not the first stadium to usher in rapid changes post-championship.

Wrigley’s famous marquee displays a game’s outcome after the Cubs defeat the Milwaukee Brewers 3-0.

Photo by Celia Rattner.

Davis, the boutique hotel boasts luxury accommodations and a number of new eateries open to the public. A bakery, a barbeque joint, bars, a Big Star Taco, and a McDonalds, among other cuisine options, will be found at the 173-room hotel.

Many of those living around the ballpark are pleased with the hotel’s installation. “It’ll be so nice to have the Hotel Zachary with all those restaurants that we can walk to,” Tommy Sheridan, Parker parent and Wrigleyville resident, said. “Once they add the movie theaters and bowling alley, it’s going to be amazing.”

Not everybody is pleased. “Sure, Wrigley needed some revamping in terms of the field itself, but it was so iconic for being local, and we totally lost that feeling

In 2005, Chicago’s other baseball team, the White Sox, won the World Series after a drought of nearly 90 years, and subsequently, U.S. Cellular Field, the home of the White Sox, received years of renovations costing $85 million, according to Forbes. In 2016, the stadium was renamed Guaranteed Rate Field, which was met with protest from some Sox fans.

The Boston Red Sox experienced a similar phenomenon following their 2004 World Series title after a near century without a championship.

According to “The Boston Business Journal,” Fenway Park, the oldest ballpark in the country, added $285 million in restorations and extensions. This included expanded concession and merchandising

stands, seating, and bathroom facilities.

The Ricketts family has spent close to $1 billion--most of it privately funded--in efforts to revamp the Wrigley experience, including $750 million on a five-year plan to upgrade the ballpark, according to “The Chicago Tribune.”

In a statement Tom Ricketts made to a fan during an event for the Special Olympics’ 50th anniversary, he said, “This is my and my family’s legacy: to make this a better neighborhood, a better place to live, and a better place to be on game days.”

Some critics see the Ricketts’ developments differently. “Tom Ricketts has taken over,” Ebony Kenny, a Parker Quest employee who also works Wrigley concession stands, said. “It’s not Wrigleyville anymore--it’s Rickettsville. He bought everything. Change is good, but they’re doing a little too much change at one time.”

Ori agrees. “I had this relationship with the Cubs that they were my team because Wrigley was just a stadium with a McDonalds and a Taco Bell down the street,” Ori said. “But after the championship, their persona changed, and they were this ‘unbeatable team.’”

Others view the additions as necessary.

“Wrigley Field was an old ballpark,” Sheridan said. “It needed to be renovated.

We needed to build these venues and entertainment facilities because you want people to come and stay in the neighborhood, not just come to Cubs games.”

Like those of other baseball teams, the Cubs management has no plans of stopping their refashioning.

A 148-apartment complex is currently being built, complete with a Shake Shack, bowling alley, movie theater, roofdeck pool, and other amenities. Further west on Addison, plans are underway to add a shopping outlet and gym in place of the Taco Bell.

LETTER FROM NEXT YEAR’S EDITORS Happy Summer, Parker!

Congrats on making it through another fantastic school year. After twelve jampacked issues, we’re incredibly proud of the progress “The Parker Weekly” has made this past year and look forward to continuing such development as we guide the paper through its 108th Volume as your 2018-2019 Editors-in-Chief.

The three of us––Sammy, Avani, and Sophia––are beyond excited to deliver a year’s worth of engaging journalism, spanning news, features, opinions, and, most importantly, Parker Memes.

For the upcoming school year, we’ve introduced Online Co-Editors to manage a staff of Brief Writers and Videographers, so as to ensure that our website is updated

regularly as “The Weekly” continues to experiment with new media and digital journalism.

We’ve also reinstated our photo staff for the purpose of sustaining “The Weekly”’s high standard of media-based journalism, and established the position of Political Liaison. The Political Liaisons will serve to advance our reporting on local and international politics while maintaining our meetings with 43rd Ward Alderman Michele Smith.

We’re overjoyed to begin our work with a new faculty advisor by our side. Kate Tabor has years of journalistic experience, and we’re confident that our collaboration with such a talented and well-informed advisor will further the evolution of “The

Weekly” as it continues to grow alongside our Parker family.

Our team for 2018-19 school year is composed of a wildly talented group of journalists, each and every one of whom is committed to producing an amazing paper, emblematic of the informed readership and high level of community discourse to which we aspire.

Even if you’re not an official member of our staff, we encourage all community members to contribute their voices to “The Weekly” in the upcoming school year!

Here’s to a great year, Sammy Kagan, Avani Kalra, and Sophia Saker

The Parker Weekly, Page 14

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A DAY AT CRISP

Immersions

Seoul Sassy Reigns Supreme

By Cameron Miller Crisp, located on Broadway just between Oakdale and Wellington Avenues, has something of a cult following among Parker students who enjoy Korean fried chicken, vegetable bowls, and steak bowls.

In the Parker community, the counterservice joint is perhaps most known for its sweet and tangy sauces that it throws generously onto its chicken wings.

According to Crisp General Manager Calvin Buckner, most customers opt for the Seoul Sassy sauce. Not coincidentally, 70% of Parker seniors who were surveyed overwhelmingly preferred Seoul Sassy to other sauces offered such as Crisp BBQ or Bud’s Buffalo.

“I think customers like the unique flavor of Seoul Sassy,” Buckner said. “You can get barbecue sauce or buffalo anywhere, and while those sauces are still great here, people really come for the Seoul Sassy.”

One recent Crisp customer agreed. “I can’t get Seoul Sassy anywhere else, and honestly, it’s pretty addicting,” Jane Cata said. “I would definitely say that I come here for this sauce.”

Jane, a 24 year old living in the city in her first job, fits the bill for the main demographic of customer at Crisp. As I glanced around the small space in which wafted the mouth-watering aromas of fried chicken and rice, I noticed that the majority of customers were between the ages of 19 and 30.

The demographic is what it is because

Crisp, a Korean resaraunt, is located on Broadway, just a 21 minute walk from Parker.

Photo by Cameron Miller.

of the mix of both fast and quality food that Crisp offers. Buckner mentioned that Crisp receives orders to be delivered to Parker at least once a week and even referenced a longtime Parker faculty member.

“When Ms. Cookie worked at Parker, she used to order from us at least once a week,” Buckner said of former Parker Assistant to the School Head and Development Relationship Coordinator Karen “Cookie” Hardaway. “She is such a nice lady, and even now the staff is so

appreciative to our delivery people and our business.”

According to Buckner, all sauces at Crisp are homemade and come from Korean recipes brought to the United States by the restaurant’s owner, Jay Lee, and that’s what sets Crisp apart from other Chicken purveyors. Additionally, Crisp offers the whole chicken wing which, according to Buckner, is extremely hard to find in the city.

As for the food itself, Buckner noted that the most common items ordered are

either a 10 piece chicken wing or the Seoul Steak Bowl. Parker seniors who were surveyed preferred the boneless chicken tenders (16) to the chicken wings (10) with a few students opting for the Seoul Steak Bowl (3).

“The boneless tenders are clearly the best,” senior Olivia Levine said, “because you don’t have to worry about the bones.”

Buckner prefers to create his own dishes. “I usually make my own wrap,” Buckner said. “I’ll grab some veggies and throw it together with our chicken breast, definitely with some Seoul Sassy.”

But the chicken items offered at Crisp are undoubtedly the most popular. “I feel bad for the chickens, man,” Buckner said.

“We go through more than 1,000 pounds of chicken each week.”

According to Crisp employee Adam Rickett, the restaurant’s busiest times are from 7 P.M. until close on weekdays and basically all day on the weekends. Crisp will fulfill 600 orders on any given Saturday and 200 from 7 P.M. until close on weekdays.

“We really appreciate the regulars who come in as often as they do--whether that be three times a week or once every two weeks,” Buckner said. “And we especially love having Parker kids order during the day because it gives us a really great network that we know we’ll have as long as our food is as good as you all expect.”

PEACE OF THE HOUSE

iGrow Chicago Expands on Chicago’s Peace House

By Avani Kalra “I’ve been coming to the Peace House since when I was three,” ten-year-old Taiwon Clarke, a fourth grader at O’Toole Elementary who lives next-door to the Peace Campus, said. “It has helped my family out so much. I come mostly every day. Every weekend, every weekday. I learned my ABCs here. I learned how to write my name.

I learned how to read, and color inside-thelines here. I love it here.”

The Peace Campus, which houses the Peace House, the Peace Garden, and the Basketball Half-Court, is located on the corner of 64th and Honore. Decorated with signs made by children in the area, and peace-promoting “put the guns down” posters, the Peace Campus’ colorful high fences surround about three lots on this block, which is comprised mostly of boarded up homes.

Peace House was created in 2012 in an attempt to inspire its neighbors to take back Englewood. “Before the creation of the Peace House, police were receiving 10-15 calls from this block per day,” Co-Executive Director Erin Vogel said. “Now,it’s one of the safest blocks in the surrounding area.”

Founder and President of the Peace

House Robbin Carroll got the idea for the house at a talk by Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee. A man stood up in the crowd that day and announced he would donate any amount of money to Gbowee’s cause. Gbowee declined the money. “We in Liberia have heard about your problems in Chicago,” he said. “You go find your own corner and fix it.” Then and there, Carroll decided to find her own corner and make it her project.

A week later, Carroll showed up on the corner of 64th and and Honore with a bag of Subway sandwiches in order to appeal to residents of the area, and approached a group of young men, one of whom is now Co-Executive Director of the Peace House Quentin Mables.

“She walked up to me and said, ‘I’m thinking of buying this house and having the community fix it up to make it a kind of community center,’” Mables said. “‘Do you want to take back your community?’ I picked up a trash bag and started picking up trash. The key in all of this is that Robbin didn’t pass any judgement. I’m a black man with tattoos, and that was amazing to see.

We have to stand on these values of non-

judgement.”

That day, Mables and Carroll, among others, began transforming the house on the corner of 64th and Honore into the dynamic, brightly colored, hub of energy it is today.

The Peace House—and surrounding campus—is open on weekdays, and occasionally on weekends. To serve the community, the house contains an open kitchen and pantry with donated food items, free hygiene products, and a free washer/ dryer. The house supports all members of the area, with special programs for senior citizens and children. After-school programs, hosted every day for kids, include team-building exercises, one-onone tutoring, and educational exercises.

In addition, in the summer months Peace House offers a completely free summer camp run by volunteers of all ages.

The Peace Campus aims to offer not a “safe” space but a “brave” one full of learning, opportunity, and resources. “It’s important to point out that ‘safe space’ is such a buzz word,” Vogel said. “It’s easy to claim your school, your campus, etc. to be a safe space, but the fact is we can’t guarantee safety. Not here, not at your own school, I

can’t guarantee your safety anywhere. ‘Safe space’ is kind of irrelevant, especially here where bullets have no name. This is a bullet hole. We leave that unpatched for a reason.

To remind us where we still are. What we can offer here is a brave space. A space of love, and non-judgement.”

The bullet hole, clearly visible between the computer desk and a bookshelf, can be found in the kids’ after-school studying area.

The concept of non-judgement is extremely important at the Peace House, as many of its everyday visitors are considered in need of a set of open ears. The house also works to promote non-judgement and clarity throughout the city, especially with regard to the neighborhood.

Many perceptions about Englewood throughout Chicago do not seem to have changed, according to Mables. “When we came to Parker, one of the young ladies said, ‘My parents won’t let me go to Englewood because it’s dangerous,’” Mables said. “I was like, ‘What do you mean?’ And she said, ‘It’s like guys just be standing on the street corners flashing guns and drugs.’ That

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Immersions

A DAY AT GREEN CITY Lincoln Park’s Farmers’ Market

By Molly Taylor After travelling in Europe and being blown away by the food from its markets, Chef Abby Mandel realized the importance of bringing high quality, fresh produce back to Chicago. She pitched her idea to any farmer who would listen, found a space in an alley behind the Chicago Theater in the Loop, and orchestrated her first of many Green City farmers’ markets with six vendors in the spring of 1998.

19 years later, as early as 6:00 am on May 5, farmers begin propping up white tents on the grassy stretch between Clark and Stockton Drive, just four blocks south of Parker. While arranging their fresh-cut flowers, jams, and tomatoes for display, they catch up with their “neighbors” before they’ll be too busy--after all, many haven’t seen each other since fall.

By 6:45, the preparation is done. The vendors are ready, most having years of experience to nail down the assembly of their booths, and visitors start trickling in, kicking off Green City Market’s outdoor season at 7:00.

This year marks the tenth anniversary since Mandel’s death. Since its humble beginning, Green City has evolved into Chicago’s largest farmers’ market, keeping its founder’s vision alive.

The Lincoln Park location, which opened in 2002, operates every Wednesday and Saturday from May to October, with an indoor market at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum during the winter. Green City has expanded to hold a Saturday outdoor market in the West Loop, and a Thursday one at Gallagher Way, next to

Kids try microgreens from Nichol’s Farm at Green City’s Club Sprouts tent, a part of the Market’s education initiative, on a recent Saturday. Photo by Molly Taylor.

Wrigley Field.

Over the course of the next six hours, more than 40 different teams of farmers, chefs, family, and friends sell fruit, vegetables, baked goods, and dairy products to customers who range from families with young kids to seniors to Parker science teacher John Paul Iaconianni, a regular.

Visitors stroll the aisles between booths and picnic in the adjacent open area, while a band called The Winchesters livens the atmosphere with folk-rock songs on the sunny day.

“This is by far the nicest opening day, and I’ve been doing this for 10, maybe 15, years,” Troy Ong, an owner of Garden

Offerings & Petals Farm, said. “The perfect weather, a great crowd.” The tall Huntley resident, dressed in a gray Nike tee, explains that his mother-in-law started growing flowers 25 years ago, and the project developed into the family-run farm that it is now.

On Ong’s table, there are a handful of bouquets--his assorted orange, red, and yellow tulips have proven to be popular. By 10:45, he’s nearly sold out.

“I’d be lying if I said part of the reason I love Green City isn’t the experience,” Iaconianni said. “It’s great being outside, walking around with a bunch of people, and I take my dog, too. Also, the selection

is impressively varied and with hard-to-find goods you wouldn’t necessarily see in a standard food store. I don’t go in planning what to get--I sort of buy it and and then figure out what I want to make with it after the fact. ” At 11:00, Chef Paul Virant, of Hinsdale restaurant Vie and Vistro, is close to finishing up his ramp green salsa demonstration for a 40-person crowd in the center of the Market. As his slices, he explains that ramps, a species of wild onion, originated in the Appalachians but was also prevalent here, and that’s why the city was named Chicago--it literally translates to “stinky onion” in Algonquian. Beside Virant, his middle school age son, Zane, zests a lemon.

When the salsa’s done, Virant’s audience--about half seated in white plastic chairs, the rest standing in the back--clumps around his station to taste a sample.

The chef demos are a part of Green City’s larger education initiative, which is largely targeted to youth. Green City facilitates a Club Sprouts program at each market, which provides kids the opportunity to try in-season market items, engage in food-themed arts and crafts, and make recipes using fresh ingredients. Since 2005, it’s helped run the Edible Gardens at the Lincoln Park Zoo, a 5,000 square foot vegetable garden where adults and children alike can gain hands-on farming experience, and it teaches cooking and gardening courses at the Manierre Elementary School and DePaul College Prep.

“We know that it is really important

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FROM FAST FOOD TO FINE FARE The Foy Brothers’ Journey To NightHawk AM

By Oliver Marks

Nestled in between Starbucks and Simply It, near the corner of Lincoln and Belden, sits NightHawk AM, an all-day breakfast restaurant that exudes warmth and comfort. When you enter through the glass door, the smell of butter and salt immediately hits. You can hear the sizzling of the flat top grill as you watch your order being made. Along with the sound of food atop the grill, brothers and owners of NightHawk AM Colin and George Foy can be heard talking to one another in a way that further amplifies the homestyle atmosphere.

Inside the space is decorated with contrasting colors and materials. Interior brick walls surround the space along with a cartoon skeleton etched on the walls and faint lettering from vanilla extract company “Arnett’s Extracts,” which has been there since 1900. “We started breaking through the drywall while renovating,” Colin said.

“We figured we’d either hit brick or end up in the Starbucks next door.”

The floor is lined with old ads for Spam, Tang, Kellogg’s, Nutella, and various other breakfast foods. The countertop facing

Lincoln is lined with ads for Cocoa Puffs, Fruity Pebbles, and many other cereals. “We wanted the restaurant to have a distinctive style,” George said, “and I believe we achieved that.”

The restaurant features an open kitchen that allows customers to watch as their food is made and, occasionally, as George cracks and whisks six-dozen eggs in an absurdly large bowl for later use in another dish.

Aside from the colorful floor and brick walls, NightHawk AM’s food sets it apart from other breakfast restaurants.

NightHawk AM serves breakfast items all day alongside a variety of unique drinks including “Cereal Milk Covfefe,” a coffee made with housemade cereal milk—and alluding to Donald Trump’s infamous “covfefe” tweet—and “Cup O’ Coffee,” served in a custom-made cup resembling an instant noodles cup.

One of the most distinctive items on the menu is the three flavors of edible cookie dough: “Yabba Dabba Dough,” made with Fruity Pebbles cereal milk cookie dough and lime zest; “Just Jacked,” made with apple

pie cookie dough, Apple Jacks, cinnamon sugar, and topped with whipped cream; and “Cookie Monster,” a chocolate chip cookie dough with cookie crisps and blue M&M’s.

“I was walking to Chipotle when I passed NightHawk AM and noticed the cool interior and unusual menu,” sophomore Micah Derringer said. “I decided to give it a try, and I loved it. I’ve been back many times since.”

The restaurant’s unconventional menu and unique space attracts customers walking by, or scrolling through social media. “We are visiting Chicago for the food, and we found NightHawk AM through social media,” Jack Le, a man from Shanghai, China visiting with his girlfriend, said. “We decided to come for the unconventional menu and the one of a kind interior design.”

Even though NightHawk AM gets orders out quick, it does not sacrifice quality.

Each day much preparation goes into preparing food prior to order. “We make all of our sauces in-store, we make the biscuits ourselves, we braise our own beef cheeks, we roll our own beef patties, and so on,”

Colin said. “It’s not a scratch kitchen, but it’s pretty close.” This preparation prior to ordering allows NightHawk AM’s good quality food to reach the customer in a timely manner.

Each dish is made to order. While George does the cooking, Colin greets customers and takes orders over various delivery services, emailing their business partners in Venice, California about plans.

The two brothers acquired the space back in 2015 when it was a fast food restaurant. “We bought Fat Sandwich Company because we liked the space,” Colin said. “We knew we would renovate and change the restaurant. I wouldn’t eat anything off of that menu--it was all frozen and fried.” (The menu featured 27 items that began with “Fat,” including the “Fat Cowboy” and the “Fat Mess.”)

The brothers ran Fat Sandwich Company for a year while waiting to get plans for their renovation. Once they were ready to renovate, they became Campus Dogs and Deli, and after coming into contact

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Immersions

COLLECTIVO COFFEE

One Year in, Colectivo Coffee is a Lincoln Park Staple

By Lindsay Carlin

The smell of coffee beans greets my nose as I walk through the doorway into a tight plastic shelter at Colectivo Coffee, 2530 N. Clark.

There’s no door to the makeshift structure, which is probably seven or eight square feet. The chill leaves my body as soon as I step under the temporary roof and hold the door open for the person behind me.

A pastry case displays aesthetically-stacked scones, croissants, and muffins from Milwaukeebased Troubadour Bakery, and only two out of thirteen seats in the compact indoor space are empty. Vibrant hues of blue and orange advertise Rwandan coffee, Letterbox tea, Italian sodas, and smoothies to patrons lined up into the unusually cold, wet late-May weather--45 degrees and sprinkling.

Six baristas and a manager flit around behind the busy counter, pouring coconut milk, adding sweeteners, and filling tissue paper-lined metal baskets with soups, sandwiches, and chips.

“Alex, I have your Rwanda pour-over at the bar,” one says, placing the drink on the counter.

Alex, a tall twenty-something with close-cropped blond hair, claims his drink, laptop in hand, and goes outside to a bright green metal table to continue working.

Two minutes later I walk through the back of the small indoor café and out the usually-open double doors, piping-hot mug of coffee in hand.

Steam wafts from the near-jet-black drink and joins the cacophony of voices drowning out the peppy music playing throughout the space.

Patrons at this time, 10:30 a.m. on a Sunday, are mostly white, millenial women attired in jeans or leggings and a light spring jacket, though there are a few men and families interspersed throughout the wooden tables. Many customers are working--the typical setup at any given table is a coffee, a pastry, and a laptop or book-but some catch up with friends or debate with their families. Customers seated in this area are protected by a plastic tarp that extends around the entire rectangular section, and the air is warm thanks to the heat lamps on the ceiling.

Opened in May 2017, the Lincoln Park Colectivo Coffee was the first to be opened in Chicago. According to the website, the chain’s name was inspired by colorful, artistic public transportation buses in Latin America, called “colectivos.” Originally based out of Milwaukee, the 18-café chain boasts hand-roasted beans, collaboration with co-ops and farmers, and made-from-scratch food. The beans themselves are sourced from nine countries spanning four continents--Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Indonesia, Malawi,

Coffee is both different and similar. It’s hot now, the first true summer day Chicago has seen all year. The plastic sheet is gone, leaving only a black awning with bright blue-andgreen letters bearing the café’s name. The airconditioned indoors provides refuge from the sweltering combination of heat and humidity.

The heat lamps in the partially-covered section are no longer in use, but there are three burntorange umbrellas sheltering the exposed metal tables from the sun. The smell of coffee is less prominent, but the conversation persists as cars,

Passers-by will notice Collectivo’s extensive outdoor space with unique architecture that customers enjoy as soon as the weather turns warm. Photo by Zoë Gardner.

Mexico, and Rwanda.

In addition to its artisan options, according to manager Maelen Kloskey, who, after working at Ground Round and Quaker Steak and Lube in Wisconsin has worked at Colectivo Lincoln Park since its debut, the team shares a unique camaraderie. “I would say the atmosphere and the café staff itself has better teamwork than I had at any other customer-service job,” Kloskey said.

“The team just works super well here, everyone’s super friendly, and it makes the shifts run so much smoother.”

One week later, the scene at Colectivo

trucks, and buses whiz by on Clark Street.

“Summer is our busiest time of the year,” Kloskey said. “Winter is a little slower, and the Lincoln Park café is a little slower than normal cafés because most of our restaurant is outside, with the big patio.”

Indeed, the patio, which last week was nearly empty, is bustling with diners enjoying their food, people working, headphones in and music on, and baristas sporting casual uniforms: a blue t-shirt that says “coffee” in black letters with a black star, a green t-shirt with a pink skull, or a red t-shirt that says “Colectivo” in blue script,

with black jeans or leggings and a black apron.

Colectivo customer Jordan Gross frequently sits at the fire pit in the back of the patio with a coffee and book--today it’s a bottled cold brew and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Americanah.” “I love the feeling of this place,” Gross said. “I moved here five months ago, during the winter, so the patio wasn’t open--I would just get a hot coffee and then leave. Now I like to stay and enjoy the weather. Sometimes on the weekends I spend the entire day here without realizing it.”

Despite Colectivo’s success in its first year of business, the green awning across the street is noticeable to everyone at the café, patrons and baristas alike. The Starbucks at 2525 ½ N. Clark opens an hour before Colectivo does each morning and offers many of the same amenities that Colectivo does: food, free WiFi, and outdoor seating, as well as far more indoor space. The chain has built up a dedicated following since its 1971 founding, and several Parker students prefer it over Colectivo, including junior SarahJayne Austin.

“I’ve been going there longer,” Austin said.

“I go and do homework there every single day after school. I’d say that the main reasons I like Starbucks better are because I know the people there more, the drinks there are actually cheaper than the ones at Colectivo, although the people who go to Colectivo say otherwise, and I would say that I’m not a big coffee person, so I’m not really choosing my coffee shop based on the quality of the coffee. And then the other thing is that during the school year, it’s more often cold, and I think Colectivo is a lot less fun when it’s wrapped up in a bubble.”

Kloskey doesn’t see Starbucks having a significant impact on business at Colectivo. “I think we affect them more than they affect us,” Kloskey said. “I’ve definitely had people who come in here and say that they like our coffee better than Starbucks, multiple times.”

THE MONTESSORI METHOD It’s Hard to Explain

By Ava Stepan Walking into an old building with the word “Montessoaring” slapped across aging stone in large red and white font, I feel a sense of nostalgia. Taking the stairs two by two, I open the glass door standing between the rest of the world and a tiny haven called Near North Montessori (NNMS), on the corner of Division and Clever, neatly tucked into Wicker Park.

I walk down a short hallway of metal lockers—each one adorned with locker tags decorated with the name of a child written in cursive, and an image representative of Amendments in the constitution. Once I see Amendment XXVII, I realize I’ve reached my final destination: April’s 3-6 class.

As a part of their philosophy, Montessori classrooms do not separate classes based on age.

In fact, each classroom is comprised of an equal number of students from three different ages.

Words that would typically describe your grade level, “kindergarten” and “fourth grade,” are not a part of the vocabulary at NNMS. “Pre-K” and “kindergarten” are combined by age more loosely into “3-6” classes. First graders through Third graders are considered “6-9ers.” Fourth through sixth grade is “9-12,” and junior high is referred to as “12-14.”

“Thinking back on it now, it was such a different experience,” junior and former NNMS student Chad White said. “I loved how all the grades were mixed together, which set this foundation of community and collaboration.”

Arranging classrooms in this way allows for older students to guide and mentor younger students. The founder of the Montessori philosophy, Maria Montessori, said, “The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, ‘The children are now working as if

I do not exist.’”

A small sign on the wall next to the entrance reads, “Help me do it myself,” which is telling in the environment I find myself submerged in. The floor is occupied almost entirely by red and blue rugs, each smaller than the size of a beach towel.

Contrary to Parker’s kindergarten classrooms, the largest table seats only two children. At the age of three years old, when most schools are teaching fingerpainting, Montessori students are expected to manage themselves autonomously. “At Near North, I really enjoyed the independence I had,” White said. “Early on within the classrooms we chose exactly what we wanted to do. Until seventh grade, the vast majority of our time was unconstructed, and it was up to us to be productive. During 3-6, we would do what we wanted. School was fun, for real. It was a place I wanted to be.”

April Jean Baptiste, a teacher, greets me with a smile. She wears a long-sleeved pink shirt and army pants, with her hair smoothed into a ponytail. Instantly, I am intoxicated by the scent of bananas. I make my way further into the classroom to see, just as I had expected, two girls in red-striped aprons baking banana bread. They acknowledge my presence with a slight wave, but they remain focused on the task at hand.

The children are used to observers. Parents, teachers, and strangers spend frequent mornings examining classrooms, engrossed and fascinated with each peculiar tradition and “abnormality” in the curriculum.

I make my way over to the designated visitor’s chair. A four-year-old boy, sitting at a table adjacent to my chair, looks at me. It occurs to me that I am foreign to him, but nonetheless,

Continued on page 17

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PEACE HOUSE

Immersions

The Parker Weekly, Page 17

Continued from page 14

perception is not okay. It’s not like that.

You don’t just drive to Englewood and go on a treasure hunt to find a gun.”

The Peace House was brought to Parker’s attention by the middle school’s Social Justice League. After touring the Peace House and inviting some of its students to Parker, the Social Justice League brought representatives from the house, including co-directors Erin Vogel and Quentin Mables, and popular Bar/Bat Mitzvah D.J. Kareem Wells, to Parker for an MX this past spring.

“Their focus is really cool, and we felt that the work they’re doing and the story they’re telling is amazing and of interest to many Parker students,” eighth grader and member of the league Alex Carlin said. “So we thought an MX was perfect.”

Violence is not a foreign concept to many of the Peace House’s children. “It is true that 100 percent of our students have heard gunshots, 25 percent of them have seen someone shot, and 33 percent have seen a dead body, according to a survey at last year’s summer camp,” Vogel said. “This amount of trauma--this is something no community should ever have to deal with.”

Many members of the community are now getting involved with the current movement for gun reform. “It’s incredibly frustrating to see so much national attention

being brought to the issue of gun violence heal trauma. It is an incredible tool to help after a shooting in a white city,” Vogel heal trauma. And that’s why we did it. We said. “When white mothers are crying on do what the community wants, and what it TV, that’s what’s getting national attention. needs.”

Which is fine, because now we can take this While visiting the Peace Campus, narrative and run with it. And that’s what members of Parker ’s Social Justice we’re doing.”

Committee took part in a free community The Peace House begins and ends every yoga class. “It was amazing to see and meet day with all so many of the t h o s e o n “Mindfulness is one of the only things local members the campus t h e you can do to help heal trauma. It is o f gathered community an incredible tool to help heal trauma. t h e r e , ” in front of And that’s why we did it. We do what the s o p h o m o r e the living r o o m ’ s community wants, and what it needs.” Abri Berg said. b r i g h t “ M s . Vo g e l yellow wall, decorated with student artwork, started the session by having us go around poems, and newspaper clippings. Students, and say how we were feeling. I said I was parents, volunteers, and every other member feeling stressed, and by the end, that feeling of the community touch their thumbs to their of stress had totally left my body. It was forefingers, their middle fingers, their ring crazy to see how meaningful yoga could be.” fingers, and eventually their pinky fingers Mindfulness and breathing are not the while chanting, “Put the guns down”—one only tools used by volunteers and mentors to word with each touch of a finger. help those recovering from trauma continue Programs that run through the Peace to live healthy, productive lives. According House put a special emphasis on meditation to Vogel, many adults just need a way to and breathing as a rehabilitation tactic for clear their head to deter them from pursuing the community. violence.

“Our kids are growing up with trauma, “The house next door at any given time and that’s why yoga and mindfulness are can have up to fifteen people living in it,” imperative, Vogel said. “Mindfulness is Vogel said. “A woman next door told me one of the only things you can do to help after beating the drum for an hour, every

ounce of anger left her body. That is power.

What we do—it’s so simple. It’s not hard to do this. I mean, the job is challenging, because of all the external factors. But it’s not hard to heal. We can help you heal. Just beat a drum, not a human.”

The Peace House, since its creation, has seen far-reaching impact outside of its block and neighborhood. “People are talking about us across the city,” Vogel said. “Police are talking about us across the city. That’s nuts. Police are talking about the work we’re doing because they know we stop violence before it even happens. Like I shared with you guys, someone had told me they wanted to shoot, took a deep, mindful breath, and decided not to pull the trigger. We give people these tools to make decisions that actually help prevent violence before we even get there.”

Parker students can play a role in changing understanding of Chicago’s neighborhoods. “You need to take back to your communities that Englewood’s not scary,” Vogel said. “There are families here. There are children here. It’s not scary.

What is scary is the lack of opportunity and resources. That is scary. But the people here, I’ve never felt more of a community than I do right here. I know our neighbors. I love our neighbors. We’re creating.”

THE MONTESSORI METHOD Continued from page 16

he reaches his hand out to greet me.

“My name is Ronin,” he says.

“Hi, I’m Ava,” I respond.

“It is very nice to meet you, Ava.” I’m taken aback. I have never conversed with a four-year-old in such a way. “Would you like to observe my work?” I nod.

As I look around the room, I see children wandering, but never aimlessly.

They move about the room in efforts to find work that will interest them. “Montessori really teaches you how to manage your time and gives you a lot of freedom to be creative and use your imagination,” freshman and former student at NNMS Olivia Hanley said. “I think in a lot of ways, Parker is very similar to Montessori. I loved the freedom they gave to us. All of the teachers trusted me and gave me opportunities to do things on my own.”

April assists a three-year-old girl with a purple skirt and matching bow distinguish bodies of water as her work of choice.

“Ar-chi-pel-a-go,” she sounds out, while filling a clay model with water. A boy working to reconstruct the world map using continent-shaped puzzle pieces seems perplexed. He walks up to April, taps her on the shoulder, and waits patiently until she is available.

At NNMS, you’ll never hear the words “Ms.,” “Mrs.,” or “Mr.” uttered from a student younger than 12 years old. In junior high, you begin to refer to your teachers in a

formal matter, but from ages 3-12, teachers are only called by their first names. This simple act, although unusual, is done to promote mutual respect between teacher and student. According to Maria Montessori,

from ‘traditional’ education,” White said.

“I think they both talk about how important community is within the school.”

Forget finger painting or childish animal noises. Montessori activities train fine motor

A security guard at Near North Montessori School opens the gate for a last minute drop-off on a recent morning. Photo by Grace Buono. there is as a result of this practice an understanding between both individuals that their contributions are equally valued, and that neither person is more important than the other.

“I think Parker is really similar to Near North in that they both try to stay away

skills with real-life work. Students can be found polishing metal, scrubbing windows, and dusting shelves. The classroom mimics a city that is constantly in motion.

“I loved the fact that we didn’t do a lot of pure academic things in 3-6,” White said. “It created an environment where I

wanted to learn. I was curious and excited throughout the day.”

Next I approach a boy in a yellow smock polishing a silver metal frog. I ask him, “What are you doing?”

“I’m doing my work,” he responds as if it were obvious. “This is what we do to keep our things how they are supposed to be.”

Next to the boy is a girl with pigtails and a blue dress spelling out words in cursive. It is then that it occurs to me. As I look around, almost every sign and label is written in cursive.

Cursive handwriting, and handwriting in general, is no longer a teaching priority in many public schools across the United States. For example, Chicago Public Schools do not require cursive instruction.

Traditionally the subject was taught in third grade, but Montessori children continue this practice at much younger ages. Children learn to write in cursive starting at three years old by dipping their fingers in water before tracing sandpaper letters as their introduction to the cursive alphabet. This method prepares the hand to write before you even allow the child to use a pencil.

As the morning draws to an end, and I bid my farewells to April and the 3-6ers, I make my way back to 330 W. Webster.

When my peers ask me where I’ve been, I describe the atypical experience at NNMS. They don’t understand.

The Parker Weekly, Page 18

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The Opinion Pages

POLITICAL CARTOON

By Kait Stansbury

NIGHTHAWK Continued from page 15 with the J. Fall Group, a hospitality group based in Los Angeles, and executing further renovations, they became NightHawk AM in November of 2017.

Nighthawk AM is a companion restaurant of NightHawk Breakfast Bar in Los Angeles. “Our eldest sister went to school with Henry Costa, who subsequently moved to Venice, California and opened up NightHawk Breakfast Bar,” Colin said.

“He’s from Philadelphia and was interested in opening up something closer to home, so we got to talking, and we decided to bring his concept here to Chicago.”

Although the restaurants share an executive chef, Wes Lieberher, and the theme of all-day breakfast, the menus are not the same. “They have a full service bar there that they use to make cocktails with their cereal milk, whereas we use our cereal milks for coffee,” Colin said. “We also serve cookie dough, which sets us apart from not only NightHawk Breakfast Bar, but also most other restaurants.”

Since 2015, when Colin and George bought Fat Sandwich Company, they have achieved their goal of serving “food that they would eat.”

POLL-ING STRINGS IN OUR ELECTION Student Government Elections Should Not Be Polled

By Paige Shayne “Did you see the poll?”

My brother Ian asked me this question across the dinner table the night the SG Election poll went out. My heart lurched, and I paused, setting down my fork.

“What poll?”

I saw Ian’s face change. I had no idea what he was talking about, but I knew he didn’t want me to find out. He sputtered an explanation of the SG Election Poll Results, a poll that a few other students put together after asking select students who they would vote for if the election were to take place right then and there.

I asked about the SIRB Poll, and after several failed attempts to tell me he hadn’t seen it, Ian told me who was leading with the percentage of votes.

Then he told me where I was, and I burst out crying.

I didn’t know whether I was so upset because I was losing, or because Ian had denied what he knew of the results, but I knew that I didn’t want anyone else to see the poll.

Unfortunately, the entire high school had access to it.

According to an ‘apology’ email from the pollsters sent two days after the polls went public, the intent of the poll was

to “generate interesting discussion and conversation.” How can the Upper School discuss amongst each other, I wonder, the results of a poll that left ten already stressed students worried about their positions in the race? How can we have a conversation about the results, when simply bringing it up reminds those without the highest percent where they stand?

Parker is a small school. Everybody knows each other, so the results of the polls feel particularly personal. Parker is so intimate that everyone can connect the names with faces and speculate as to why their peer, their friend, their teammate, received so few votes.

Regardless of the school size, however, there are people behind every poll. Students spend so much time and energy running for a position they care about, and bad polling results can only hurt the candidates and minimize their efforts.

There is a reason polling data for the official Student Government Election is never broadcast to the high school, and there is a reason students have never been allowed to poll each other in the past.

How can Parker encourage students to run for positions, when running only sets them up to expose their possible failures?

There is something valuable about students putting themselves out of their comfort zones and risking a loss to do something they are passionate about, and this poll shuts them down.

Why does it matter who is ahead in the polls weeks before Democrafest, speeches, debates, and elections? Why does it ever matter who is getting more votes than whom, and why should that information be open to the entire high school?

And I can say that in no way was seeing the poll helpful and an opportunity for me to refine my platform or my campaign; if it had been, maybe the candidates polling lower would have turned out on top.

I wish I could express my hopefulness that election polling will not continue in the future, but I can’t. For all I know, the students who conducted the polls don’t understand why it needed to be taken down, and their only regret is the polls’ inability to account for bias.

Bias was not the only problem.

Yes, the poll interviewed a small number of students--116, to be exact--and was unable to account for bias, and yes, the pollsters should have notified the candidates before sending out the results, but this was not the main problem.

While the poll failed to correctly predict the winners of the DCA election, the SIRB election, and the Presidential election, it did predict the losers.

Jack Maling was polling first place and won Treasurer; Felicia Miller and Annette Njei were polling as the top two for President, and a runoff decided the winner; Ava Stepan and Aaron Stone polled highest for SIRB and--unsurprisingly--a runoff between the two decide their fate, as well.

I have no doubt that such polls have the ability to impact election results, and I have no doubt that this one did.

With the exception of DCA, the poll did predict the top two polling candidates correctly, leaving the other two to be stuck in the “they won’t win anyway” position.

The poll is now unavailable to the public, but I will never forget the feeling of my heart dropping or the look on Ian’s face when he realized he couldn’t hide the results from me any longer.

The humiliation, public exposure, and lack of understanding were the problems, and I hope that for any student who chooses to run in the future, their campaign will not be negated by a poll.

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The Opinion Pages

The Parker Weekly, Page 19

MAKE GOOD CHOICES!

Advice From A Graduating Senior To High Schoolers

By Maya Sanghvi It’s been a little less than four years since I attended the new-to-high-school pre-orientation Bridge Program in the summer of 2014, walking the halls of Parker as a student for the first time.

Since then, I’ve learned some facts, read some books, made some friends, lost some friends, done a lot of things I regret, and a lot of things I don’t. But the entire experience would be for naught if I couldn’t share some sage advice with current high schoolers.

The first thing I’d say about high school at Parker is that it’s small. Before I came to Parker, my grade at my old school had eight kids, but somehow Parker feels smaller. The way that everyone seems to know your entire biography at Parker is startling. After about a month of classes and seeing people in the hallways, you’ll probably know just about everyone that you will know for the rest of your high school career.

And great as this can be sometimes--it’s lovely to lie on the floor of the hallway because you know everyone well enough, or to walk into a room absent of strangers--it also means that you shouldn’t tell anyone anything that you are not comfortable with your entire grade knowing. Nothing interesting stays secret for long. I’m not saying you shouldn’t trust your friends and confide in them, but be smart about sharing information.

Take classes that you wouldn’t normally. I don’t mean take Advanced Calculus if you aren’t on that track, but make an effort to try new things.

For instance, this year I decided to take a poetry elective, despite hating poetry. The course gave me a different perspective and changed the way I think in a lot of ways.

There are a bunch of classes that you’ll have to take during your Parker career--U.S. History, Physics, World Literature--but there are also some courses that you might never take just

because you think you’re not a poetry person.

It’s sort of cheesy advice, but really try to step outside your comfort zone because you’ll pass up on some really cool opportunities if you don’t.

Get to know the adults in this building, and your advisor especially. The faculty and staff are what make Parker Parker. Your teachers have seen so much crap in their lives, and if you make time to lunch with them or hang out during Conference, they will impart so much wisdom,

a million times, but don’t let college stress take your focus off of school work. Universities look at your senior year grades and put a lot of weight on your first quarter marks, so keep studying.

While we’re on the topic of college, there are some things you’re going to do just to put on your application. Honestly, I kind of support that.

Random extracurriculars for the sake of doing extracurriculars can be super fun. I would say do everything you can because getting involved

Cartoon by Kait Stansbury.

and share a wealth of funny stories.

When you reach junior year, there will be like a week or so in the spring, as ACT scores and campus visits become important, when all anyone can talk about is college. This will be the start of your classmates’ becoming the most annoying and intrusive they will ever be. If you can manage to remind yourself, try to bring other topics into conversation.

Don’t tell people your ACT score. Just don’t do it. It’s not a reflection of anything other than how many times you went to Academic Approach. College Counseling will tell you this

in random clubs and activities and sports defined my senior year. I joined the golf team and learned that I am super bad at golf. I joined Model UN and went to Mexico City. I would not have traded either opportunity for the world.

Especially because Parker is so small, and it’s very hard to avoid specific people, disregarding other people’s opinions of you is near impossible. It feels like everyone is judging you constantly, and honestly lots of people probably are judging you because it’s high school, and everyone is just as insecure and wanting friends as you are. Just try to make

your own choices without thinking about anyone else. I think this is very true in the context of sticking up for things you believe in--don’t let your friends use slurs just because you’re scared calling them out will make them annoyed with you.

Having said that, don’t fall into the trap of senior year where you get into really petty fights with your friends because subconsciously you know you have to say goodbye soon, and it’s easier to say goodbye when you’re angry.

It’s much more important to have friends senior year than to try to ease the pain of leaving them.

Make sure you spend some time with your family every week. Have fun on the weekends with your friends, but always tell your parents about your day and watch a movie with your sister because in four, three, two, or one years, you’re not going to see them every day, and you’ll miss them a lot.

The final piece of advice I would like to impart is that high school, in the grand scheme of things, is trivial.

It feels like everything, I know. I’m graduating in two days, and it still kind of feels like everything to me. But a lesson I learned much too late is that every little thing that keeps you up at night--all your friends are hanging out, and you can’t go...if you’d just remembered the word for “efforts” in Spanish, you would have gotten an A...you accidentally snapped at your friend, and you so didn’t mean it--is erased eventually.

I’m not saying you should go around doing whatever to whomever as if it doesn’t matter, because, believe me, your actions have consequences, but once you’ve made your bed, learn how to lie in it.

Have fun, kids, and make this place your home.

FARMERS’ MARKET Continued from page 15

to get students and children to understand and be connected to their food,” Green City’s Executive Director Melissa Flynn said. “Not only do they eat healthier, but then they have a greater knowledge of how to nourish themselves moving forward. We need to raise the next generation of eaters who care about sustainable food.”

Sustainability--as Flynn puts it, “leaving the land better than you found it”--is central to the Market’s mission. All vendors are required by Green City to be certified by an outside organization that recognizes farms for earth-responsible practices, like humane treatment of animals and environmental stewardship. According to Flynn, Green City is different from other farmers’ markets in its priority of sustainability.

Quest’s values align closely with Green City’s, and Parker even orders apples and other produce from Market vendor Seedling Farm, based in South Haven, Michigan. “Sustainability is important to us because we’re such a large student body, and our carbon footprint is pretty massive,” Executive Chef Zac Maness said. “As much as we can cut down on that, the better off

we’ll all be.”

Craig Siegelin, who owns Hoosier Mama Pie Company with his wife, Paula Haney, and has been a vendor at the Market since 2007, appreciates its emphasis on sustainability. “Green City Market has connected us with farmers and helped us communicate our goals to people because their mission goes with ours so well,” Siegelin said, referencing his commitment to using local ingredients. “It’s been great having relationships with other farmers. We see them every week.”

To make their pies, the Hoosier Mama duo buy fruit from Ellis Farms and Seedling, and vegetables from Leaning Shed and Green Acres, other Green City vendors. At 11:30, Siegelin describes to a customer the distinct tastes of his peach, maple pecan, and apple honey dried cherry flavors.

Sophomore Iz Brouzis, who’s visited Green City frequently with her mom over the past few years, appreciates the farmerto-buyer interaction. “It’s nice to go to the market and know the farmer and the farm that your produce comes from,” Bruozis said, “rather than going to a grocery

store and thinking, ‘I don’t know where anything’s from.’”

“The power of food to unite people is amazing,” Flynn said. “It is more than just a market. It’s an opportunity to learn, to nourish yourself, but it’s an opportunity to gather as a community.”

For the last few years, the annual ninth grade trip to Green City on a Wednesday in late May or June has served as a bonding experience for the class. “We go, and the kids get to see natural produce and enjoy a treat, and it’s a celebration of how far they’ve come after a year in the high school,” Freshman Gradehead Cory Zeller said. “Some people get flowers, some people get baked goods. In walking over there, in poking around, in sitting down on the lawn, or playing music with the guy who brings instruments there, there’s something for everyone.”

At 12:45, as closing time draws near, Tracy Vowell, of Three Sisters Farms from Kankakee, IL, debriefs the day with one of her “neighbors,” Debbie Dorfman, a Chicagoan who helps out at the Ellis Farms stand.

“We like just being silly,” Dorfman said. “Sometime we giggle about how foodignorant people are--it’s really interesting and sad at the same time how people don’t realize that things have seasons, or how plants grow. We try to change that here. A big part of the interactions is also getting to know who people are and what they do in the off-season because not all the farmers are only farmers--for example, Tracy’s also an artist.”

By 1:15, vendors have started to disassemble their booths. Matt Hoffman, from Matt’s Urban Garden, moves his pots of flowers from display to rack. A volunteer from Lakeview Pantry approaches him, introducing herself as the “Lakeview Pantry Girl,” and hands him a cardboard box.

According to Flynn, Green City vendors donate unsold goods to the Panty at the end of each market day and last year together contributed over $50,000 worth.

As Hoffman places leafy green plants in the box, the Lakeview Pantry Girl compliments them. He fills it, and before she walks away, he tells her, “See you next week.”

The Parker Weekly, Page 20

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The Opinion Pages

WHERE DID ALL THE TRUST GO? Why Too Much Sensitivity Over Senior Events Is Contradictory

By Grace Buono Growing up, we look forward to senior year. Turn on the TV, and there are a million movies about seniors finding freedom, young love, and endless partying all while never paying much attention to the parents they come home to. It’s “10 Things I Hate About You,” “High School Musical,” and “The Spectacular Now,” which are all beyond cheesy but endlessly entertaining.

And while senior year in many ways can actually feel like that, it can take a while.

First semester is long and filled with way too many essays, and you learn how to do more waiting that you would like. So when May rolls around, and weather starts to get nice, you’re ready for everything the movies seem to promise.

For the past month, our grade room has been about planning. When is ditch day?

Do you want college t-shirt day to happen?

What will the prank be? What kind of class gift should we leave behind? Who are you walking with for graduation? Have you ordered your cap and gown yet?

Whether you cannot wait to run out after getting your diploma, or you want time to stop, there’s no denying that the final month at Parker is an exciting one.

I can’t speak to the experiences of seniors in years prior, but it often feels like the school isn’t, and doesn’t want to be, on the same page as its seniors. After over a year of the crazed college process, we’re

told that maybe college t-shirt day shouldn’t happen. Hammocks for the class gifts are deemed dangerous, and our only option becomes donating to a fund with no clear end-purchase. Finally a prank is approved only to be shut down the day of for its alleged promotion of drugs and alcohol. But hey!

They threw us an ice cream social.

At Parker we toss around the word censorship way too much-in many senses, I think the word has lost its actual meaning for the student body. I’m not writing a piece about how the administration has censored the seniors one too many times.

I think the school has become too sensitive.

Parker prides itself on being politically correct, and while that certainly fosters a comfortable learning environment, can we go too far? Take college t-shirt day.

The evening before the celebration, I was submitting yet another vote on whether or not we could all show up wearing our shirts the next morning. It took conversations with teachers, talking in graderoom, and way too many Google Forms for a decision to

be made.

The day is not about the name recognition of the schools. Quite honestly, it’s a celebration of the process being over and a chance to celebrate the finals weeks we have together. We take photos then call it a day.

When I talk to people from outside of school, they all laugh that our ditch day and prank are preapproved by the administrator.

Yeah, it’s kind of funny... up until it feels like the school doesn’t really want the events to happen at all.

Every idea we wanted for the senior prank was shut down. How about turning the school into a roller rink? Sure, but you can only skate in the parking lot, and we can’t provide skates. Okay, so what about switching schedules with Latin? It’s too complicated to sort out student IDs (since when do high schoolers actually sign in and out at Parker?).

Finally we can have a darty in the hallway! It’s all approved and ready to go: from conference through lunch, we’ll have tables in the hallway, music, “water-pong,” solo cups, and root beer. During my F-period

I urge the school not to continue down the path-- once you start, it’s too hard to stop.

Be cautious while still allowing students to prove they can in fact have fun while still being respectful.

math class, before the music has even begun to play, marking the end of class, we hear news that the prank is being shut down.

The administration didn’t realize the prank would be “promoting the use of alcohol.”

Making my way to the third and fourth floors, our prank had been moved into the upper school office and the dean’s office.

It comes to a point where you wonder if the school even wants us to have a prank or a college t-shirt day in the first place. And if that’s the case, they should come out and say it rather than sending mixed messages.

But if that’s the case, why?

I understand the school wanting to make sure that nothing gets out of hand, but we’ve been told our whole lives that seniors are trusted to be good examples. If we’re not trusted to do so, then how can we ever show the school that we are in fact organized, capable, and responsible?

I urge the school not to continue down this path--once you start, it’s too hard to stop. Be cautious while still allowing students to prove seniors can in fact have fun while still being respectful. If that isn’t the case, then by all means step in.

Don’t get me wrong, this semester has been tons of fun, but the school has entered a period of sensitivity-overload. The school needs to reconsider how they follow through on the messages they send to students.

AN EASIER ACCLIMATION TO SCHOOL Why Teachers Should Assign Summer Homework

By Leila Sheridan As I sit in Mrs. Zeller’s English class, I experience what started out to be a normal day. My classmates were discussing their opinions on that day’s reading, and there was calm in the room. But the calm was quickly interrupted by those around me groaning.

Mrs. Zeller had just announced our summer reading assignment, and almost everyone in the room looked around in confusion. Just from their expressions, it was clear that most of my classmates were disturbed by the fact that they would have to complete an assignment over the summer.

I was one of the few people who did not react with frustration. I did not agree with my peers that summer reading is bad. I was actually kind of happy that she was going to assign us work.

I understand that summer is relaxing and should be a time to somewhat disconnect from schoolwork. However, if one completely distances oneself from schoolwork, the process of going back to school becomes much harder.

I have gone summers without working on anything school-related, and when early September came back around, I was easily overwhelmed. I struggled to catch up to those who hadn’t lost their work ethic

Cartoon by Kait Stansbury

because they had read over the summer or worked in another way. It took multiple weeks to acclimate to reading assignments because I was simply not used to that type of work. I had given myself too much of a break from school, which came back to hurt me, and I know I am not the only one who had this experience.

I have also gone summers where I completed school-like assignments, which ultimately made the transition back into school smooth. Going into eighth grade, I had prepared the whole summer for the MAP

and selective enrollment tests, tests which are required by Chicago Public Schools in order to get into one of the selective enrollment schools. Although the work I was doing to prepare was not administered

by Parker, I was still completing reading assignments alongside math packets and worksheets. Because over the summer I had been continuing a work ethic, which I had grown throughout seventh grade, my entrance into the eighth grade curriculum was manageable and as close to stress-free as school can get.

By being assigned a summer reading, students are forced to exercise their brains and continue the reading skills they’ve built up throughout the school year. Without being assigned a reading, I know many of my peers and I would not be motivated to pick up a book when we could be doing other things like watching Netflix, hanging out with friends, or swimming.

Students who already read on their own time over the summer won’t be affected by summer reading because it is something they would have done anyways. But for those who aren’t avid readers, a teacher’s push is always helpful and in the long-run beneficial. Teachers aren’t assigning work to please themselves--they are doing it because they genuinely think we will gain skills and knowledge, or in this case, preserve our skills and knowledge.

Reading is not the only common summer assignment. Math packets are popular amongst middle school teachers.

But as students move into high school, they start to see those packets less and less.

When I was in middle school, I loved doing those packets because it got me prepared for the school year. But last

Continued on page 22

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The Opinion Pages

CHI TOWN, SUMMER IN THE CITY The Best Summer Activities

By Molly Weinberg

Cartoon by Kait Stansbury

Summer is finally upon us! I love Chicago summers more than anything, and there is so much to do in the city beyond Lollapalooza.

Millenium Park is a fantastic place in which to spend summer nights. With a free music and movie series held every summer, there is never a dull moment. The bands that perform for the music series are likely groups you’ve never heard of, but it’s the perfect setting for a picnic with friends and family. Movie screenings, which are free and held every Tuesday night at 6:30, and which project on a 40-foot LED screen, kick off on June 5 with “Hairspray.” The night starts with a screening of a “ChicagoMade Short,” a locally-produced short film to celebrate and showcase talented Chicagoans.

Pro tip: Get there early and bring picnic blankets, chairs, and food. People really go all-out and take up a lot of space, so if you want to spread out, get there 45 minutes early.

If you’re a morning person and want to get your beach bod in shape, the Park also offers a variety of work-out classes on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 7:30 to 8:15 and Saturday mornings from 7:00 to 11:00, starting June 2 and going through September 1. All classes are 45 minutes and begin at 7:00 with pilates, followed by yoga at 8:00, strength training at 9:00, and ending with Zumba at 10:00. The first workout is the same day as the Chicago Gospel Music Festival, so workouts will be set to Gospel music. Information for all events held at Millenium Park is available on the City of Chicago’s events calendar.

Street festivals, another fantastic way to spend summer days, will be happening all over the city. Renegade Craft Fair is one of my favorite art festivals. Started in Chicago in 2003, it has since spread to cities around the country. The fair is held on Division in Wicker Park between Damen and Ashland on September 8 and 9 and at Gallagher Way,

near Wrigley Field, on June 17.

Jewelry booths are in the spotlight at the fair, and I always get compliments on the pieces I’ve purchased there. A few years ago, I got a ring that looks like a fork (from a small stand that sells jewelry made out of silverware), a bracelet made from car recycled tires, and a locally screen-printed t-shirt.

The Randolph Street Market is another fantastic shopping destination. Located at 1341 W. Randolph St, this upscale flea market is filled with amazing antique finds and lots of food, too. This is actually a yearround festival, but it moves to an outdoor location once the weather gets warmer. The market opens at 10:00 and closes at 5:00 on June 23-24, July 28-29, August 25-26, and September 29-30. You will need a ticket to get in, but with a valid student ID, it is only $5!

There is nothing better than having a great meal outside with friends, and there is no shortage of great restaurants with outdoor seating in the city. With two locations in Logan Square and Ravenswood, Bang Bang Pie and Biscuit feels part-coffee shop, partbakery, making the perfect summer brunch destination. The menu includes, as the name suggests, decadent slices of pie with different fillings on rotation, sandwiches made on the most amazing biscuits, and Stumptown iced coffee on tap.

My favorite things on the menu are chicken pot pie, the avocado biscuit sandwich, and a slice of the honey pie, but if you ask me, you can’t make a bad choice!

Parson’s Chicken and Fish in Logan Square has a great atmosphere and food to match. They do offer brunch, but fried chicken dinner is the main event here. The outdoor seating area is filled with picnic tables under red and white striped umbrellas, and it’s tons of fun. The wait can be long, but it’s worth it. And if you loved Bang Bang Pie, you’re in luck because you can get a

The Parker Weekly, Page 21

EDITORIAL

Why We Need To Start Having Real Conversations About Sexual Harassment By “The Parker Weekly” If you haven’t already, go read the article “#MeTooFWP” on page ten. Read it because you need to hear from students that walk down our hallways every day, so you understand the factual basis behind this editorial.

Like just about every school, Parker has problems with sexual harassment. It’s likely that most girls, at one point or another, whether inside of Parker or out, have been in an uncomfortable sexual situation that shouldn’t have occured. And it comes as no surprise that we rarely have conversations about those moments.

Luckily today, no one can avoid the #MeToo movement that went viral over social media in 2017 when Alyssa Milano tweeted the phrase in support of her friend Rose McGowan’s allegations against Harvey Weinstein. The hashtag first began in 2006 with activist Tarana Burke, who was named one of Time Magazine’s people of the year as a silence breaker. #MeToo is a movement that encourages women to stand in solidarity with each other as more and more women come forward with their own experiences of sexual harassment.

In many ways, # M e T o o has started conversations that otherwise were brushed under the rug. Just as the public has begun to start talking about the number of women who face harassment, so too should Parker.

Other than the Gender Dialogues that the class of 2018 participated in when Cookies were canceled in the 201415 school year, the high school has not sufficiently created, or attempted to create, a space in which students can share their thoughts on sexual harassment at Parker. It’s wrong that the school allows the majority of the high school to leave Parker without having had these conversations.

Students in the high school don’t know what consent really means. Other than the occasional cartoon video in a health class that talks about consent in very abstract terms, students are left to themselves to determine their own definitions.

Unfortunately, most students are not going to sit around one day after school studying what consent is. If we’re not taught and given space to have conversation on the

significance of consent, students will simply choose not to think about it.

Consent is more than just a yes or a no answer. It’s complicated. It can mean different things to different people. The school needs to teach this to students from a young age and continue those lessons through high school.

As with any movement, #MeToo has its problems. The hashtag is often thrown around too casually. It’s important to differentiate harassment from assault and both from situations that are neither.

At Parker, the silencing of girls in classrooms is a problem but not a matter of sexual harassment. While gender discrimination is still a problem, calling something harassment that is not diminishes those who come forward with the courage to tell their stories.

That being said, all students at Parker need to respect the important stories of their peers. Too often people say that a female student who sexualizes herself in a social media post or in the clothes she wears to school is “asking for it.”

Whether said by male or female students, this kind of rhetoric only perpetuates rape culture.

No person is every asking for any kind of harassment. If a male student ever finds himself in a situation in which he thinks a female is in fact “asking for it,” he should have the dignity and respect to back away from the situation.

The school needs to take the initiative to teach these values more concertedly to its students. There’s a reason that many female students feel uncomfortable sharing their stories with faculty members.

And it is not too complicated to start.

The students are sitting here with opinions and ideas for how we can starting talking.

So just listen. Stop brushing it under the rug, talking about harassment in abstract terms, and waiting until the problem escalates to an unmanageable degree.

This is not to say that Parker is unlike any other high school, or that the school has done nothing, but those are not reasons for status quo. Parker has the needed resources and the students who would take the initiative, so let’s not resist.

slice after dinner.

If you’re in search of a classic burger, look no further than Small Cheval at 732 N. Milwaukee Ave. The simple menu consists of burgers, fries, and shakes. The patio has rows of communal tables. There is almost never a wait, making it a perfect last-minute

destination.

Chicago is a great place to spend the summer, and there is so much to do here.

This list barely scratches the surface of what you can do in the city. With a little creativity, and a lot of delicious meals, this summer will be the best one yet!

Consent is more than just a yes or a no answer. The school needs to teach this to students from a young age and continue those lessons through high school.

The Parker Weekly, Page 22

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The Opinion Pages

BRONSTEIN’S BANTER

SUMMER HW Continued from page 20

On Power and Social Climate

By Jett Bronstein

As I finish my last week as a Parker tolerate conservative viewpoints for an award the student with an undeserved higher student, I begin to reminisce about the entire semester or year? People who base grade or simply lower their standards so institution I have attended for 14 years. It is their views upon beliefs and not facts will that the same incident does not happen in still quite shocking that after next Thursday not add anything of substance to a classroom the future.

I will have officially ended my academic discussion and will only strengthen students’ This results not only in rewarding career here. As I get closer to this date, I confirmation biases. mediocrity but also in inadequately ponder the Parker mission statement and Additionally, since an overwhelming preparing some students for college. the principles of progressive education--and number of conservatives are white, With regards to the social climate at whether I have been adequately molded into prioritizing political diversity would Parker, the amount of influence athletics an individual who satisfies that criteria. probably hinder Parker from achieving a have on dynamics outside of the classroom With regards to the institution is concerning. I remember in middle It is absurd how much power itself, I believe that Parker has supplied school that the most accessible way parents have over their children’s me with the tools to properly take on to expand one’s social network was the role and responsibility of being an academics. I don’t know how a student to join a sports team, even if you alum. While I laud Parker for its unique sports. I’d say this probably can grow academically when there is a hated educational environment, there are also happens in high school. If you certain aspects of Parker that should parent who could override a teacher’s do not join a sports team, you are put assessment of that student. be modified. at a great disadvantage socially and For most of my high school years, prevented from entering the “main” though this school has emphasized its more racially diverse student body. social scene. I think it is ridiculous that commitment to diversity of all sorts, I On a different note, it is absurd how people whose “sport” is something more think that Parker’s loyalty to alumni when much power parents have over their mental and less physical aren’t looked up it comes to admitting new students trumps children’s academics. to as much as athletes. all other qualifications and qualities.

I don’t know how a student can grow To be clear, if I were to point out things As for political diversity, I don’t quite academically when there is a parent who I’ve enjoyed about Parker, I wouldn’t understand why so many people think it’s could override a teacher’s assessment of be able to stop writing. So thank you for such a pressing issue. If a student can’t that student. Thus, because a teacher does reading this final column and possibly others watch a conservative news channel for more not want to aggravate a confrontation with a throughout the year. I greatly appreciate it. than 30 minutes, how will they be able to parent over a child’s grade, they will either

#METOOFWP Continued from page 10

to make changes in the coming years. “We have been in conversation to make sure that faculty and staff are reminded of what the policies are,” Jurgensen said. “As you can imagine, when MeToo was happening, there was a trickle-down effect. You have Hollywood, then you have corporations and businesses, then it’ll go to universities and all the harassment that happens there, and then independent schools will be next. ” The senior boy and several others, including Zeller, said that part of the problem is that there has been a lack of education of students around sexual misconduct. “The student body lacks a concrete definition of what assault and harassment mean,” the senior boy said, “and that creates a lot of issues.”

Sexual assault is often used as an umbrella term, Zeller said, and the student body needs to be educated about all kinds of harassment and assault, from microaggressions to physical aggressions.

The freshman year required health class addresses rape culture, Donohue said.

It also gives definitions of consent and sexual harassment, runs through scenarios of possible sexual misconduct, and screens a movie about two women who have been sexually assaulted.

In the required Senior Seminar health class, seniors spend about three classes devoted to talking about their own experiences with sexual harassment at the school. But consent education, Donohue

said, should start at a much earlier age.

The sexual misconduct problem is not unique to Parker. Jones College Prep High School senior and former Parker student Grace Adee made observations similar to those of current Parker students about her own school. “I haven’t found it to be overwhelming, but you do hear comments that are inappropriate,” Adee said, in regards to sexual harassment at Jones. “You hear the talk that’s just between guys. In terms of parties, I’ve definitely heard of instances of rape occurring, and instances of encounters that were just uncomfortable for one or more parties.”

While sexual harassment and assault might not be Parker-specific problems, Zeller has observed her students’ actions in class and noticed that boys and girls in Parker’s high school have a hard time being just friends.

“I am unpleasantly realizing that even in my senior classes, males and females sit separately, which indicates to me that this is not a culture that promotes healthy malefemale relationships,” Zeller said. “Does it say something about the culture? Are guys and girls encouraged to be friends, or the minute you’re friends, do guys get crap from other boys saying, ‘Are you trynna?’ That’s a phrase that I learned this year. It makes it almost impossible for a boy to just talk to a girl without getting harassed by other boys about trying to ‘hit that.’ That would impede male-female friendships.”

Adee said that her friend groups at Jones are mixed-gender and absent of sexual tension, though she acknowledged that being a JK through twelfth grade school might have influenced the friend landscape at Parker. “This is just me speculating, but thinking about how at Parker you’re with the same group of people from when you’re really young, and those friend groups really stick,” she said, “so maybe if you’re friends with just your gender when you’re young, that follows through to high school.”

Lack of genuine friendships between guys and girls is just one instance of unhealthy interactions between males and females at the school. The Parker senior who spoke about her preseason experience four years ago still faces treatment similar to that of her freshman year. “I’m still afraid sometimes,” she said. “I’ve had younger boys come up to me, thinking I’m too drunk at a party, and they touch me. I’d say at least three or four times a party. It still happens a lot.”

Three other female students in the high school interviewed for this article related instances of being inappropriately touched at parties or otherwise outside of school.

The country at large is in a moment of reckoning in regards to sexual misconduct, and many have proposed different solutions.

Some in the Parker community have said that the solution is education and conversation about the issue from a younger age. “By age four, children can certainly understand

summer I did not do any math work, and I felt a noticable difference getting back into the groove of math class. It was harder for me to recall past knowledge. This was not something I struggled with before, and I strongly believe it is because I had done math packets prior.

Language is another subject for which I strongly feel summer review would be beneficial. Every language class builds directly off the previous year’s class. So by reviewing over the summer, students would not forget simple things like how to say certain words and how to conjugate correctly.

Although I definitely find it beneficial for teachers to assign math, English, and language work over the summer, I am not sure summer work would be as effective for other subjects such as science and history.

Science is a different topic each year, so I don’t think reviewing freshman biology would help with assimilation into sophomore chemistry. The same idea is also true for history. Every year of history

By being assigned a summer reading, students are forced to exercise their brains and continue the reading skills they’ve built up throughout the school year. is a different topic, and although some may build off each other, the bulk of the class will be new information.

Even though math, English, and language also cover different topics each year, the same basic skills are required and applied to all further classes.

Since grades are locked in by the end of the semester, teachers can’t technically require summer work, but they can suggest it. In Mrs. Zeller’s case, although she cannot grade her students on their completion of the assignment, there is still incentive to complete it. In the fall, we will regather as D period Zeller English to discuss our summer book, and if someone failed to read a book, they will simply be embarrassed and uncomfortable in the meeting.

After all, our teachers want to help us as students. Teachers don’t make us do work without purpose--they assign us work so we’ll preserve and gain knowledge.

Although to many, it may seem like summer work is a burden, I believe when it’s time for school to come around this fall, we will all be grateful that we exercised our brains. that concept of hurting each other and how to respond,” Donohue said. “When children are curious, you don’t want to send them the message that it’s not okay to talk about this.

What you’re communicating is that this is a taboo topic, and there should be nothing taboo about sexual harassment. The act should be taboo, but not talking about it.”

Check us out at: weekly.fwparker.org

The Opinion Pages

The Parker Weekly, Page 23

WRITE LIKE A GIRL Behind The Lyrics

By Felicia Miller When I was younger, a lot of the books I read were about boys. Certainly, I also read a lot of novels centered around women (think Laura Ingalls Wilder), but a good chunk of my bookshelf was dedicated to boyhood adventures. It was an odd imbalance when I look back on it: most of the fantasy and adventure novels focused on boys, while most of the historical fiction was about girls.

Perhaps that imbalance is why, in the fifth grade, I remember talking to a male classmate and agreeing that “boy books are just better.” I don’t think we were both raging sexists at the age of eleven--rather, I think we were each acknowledging something more complex than we could recognize.

We had noticed that children’s books about boys and children’s books about girls often covered different themes. The books about boys were focused on adventure. They were about sneaking around, being a rebel, and taking risks. The girls books were more in the realm of realistic, often historical, fiction--talking about relationships, school, and things of that nature.

Even when the books weren’t fiction, they retained this quality. I owned a copy of “The Dangerous Book for Girls,” but frequently snuck into my brothers room and stole the “The Dangerous Book for Boys” off his bookshelf and leafed through its pages. Both books had essentially the same title, and yet different content.

They contained a lot of very similar activities, and yet somehow they were still gendered. When I was more interested in reading about how to craft the perfect paper airplane than how to fold an origami swan, I had to turn to the boy’s book.

It was a personal preference, not connected to my gender, and yet the books had gendered it for me.

It’s not that there was a disparity in quality between the boys and girls novels.

There was a disparity in topic. And so, for girls like me, who desired a story about fighting monsters and wielding weapons just as much as I wanted a story about best friends, I lacked female characters to read about, which is what led me to say, “Boy books are just better.”

I took pieces of evidence and put the puzzle together wrong. I had connected “Books about boys have adventure” and “I like to read about adventure” to create “I like to read books about boys,” rather than “Authors write adventure books about boys instead of girls.”

We’ve come a long way since I was in fifth grade, with the rising popularity of books like “The Hunger Games” and “Divergent,” but we have farther to go.

When books like “The Dangerous Book for Boys” contain separate content from “The Dangerous Book for Girls,” we do more than just unnecessarily gender things--we make people feel out of place.

I felt like I was breaking some rule by looking through my brother’s book. I would do it in secret, stealing it when no one was around and quickly reading a couple pages before shoving it back on the shelf and running away.

I was never told not to read “The Dangerous Book for Boys,” and my parents certainly would not have objected or even cared at all. It was not a rule that was

explicitly imposed, in other words, but it was subtly pushed onto me.

I didn’t know where the rule “Don’t read a book for boys” came from. All I knew was that I had to follow it. And so I felt like the content of the book was somehow off limits too--I never made that paper airplane or attempted to tie that complicated knot.

These children’s books didn’t just gender themselves, they gendered the world that they existed itn. They made knot tying and hair braiding into gendered activities when they had not been that way to me before. They sorted the world into boy’s and girl’s things, and so built walls around what I could and couldn’t do. They made me feel out of place for wanting to fold paper one way instead of another. And so, if we want to abolish the idea of gender roles, we need to start with the children’s books we read to the next generation.

And so, if we want to abolish the idea of gender roles, we need to start with the children’s books we give to the next generation.

Please, let that not be the case.

Let’s try not to outgrow these “chapters” as we would Nike sneakers, discarding them in the trash or handing them down to our little sisters. Nor should we be overly focused on all the chapters of our future selves yet unwritten.

Instead, take your chapters with you.

They end up being pretty reliable tools for experiences in the future.

I guess my perfect example would be what I’m doing right this moment.

Writing t h i s .

Around d i n n e r tables and in car rides, I’m continually reminded by my family that this is my last column. I’m reminded about the inevitable ending of my experience as columnist, but also the simultaneous beginning of something new.

Of course the thought of not writing about the things that interest me is saddening, but I know in some way, shape or form, I’ll always be a columnist. I will hopefully find different ways in the future to express myself in ways I learned this year writing this column. In that sense, the experience never ends. Just like some part of you guys

will always be seniors. Or eighth graders.

Or 49 year olds.

The “chapters” that we so commonly reference are more like layers. The misconception is that we prune off the chapters in our lives once we turn a certain age. We watch the etherealness of childhood wilt away from us as we pack our school bags full of MacBooks and anxieties.

Your childhood isn’t just reserved for the first 60 pages of your life. And your “ah-ha moments” and your sense of “what it’s all about” aren’t reserved for the last pages. Let these entities be mobile and fluid layers. Let them stay with you. Don’t leave them behind.

You’ll probably find yourself in moments when you’re 50 and feeling more like a kid than when you did at 7. At least that’s what I hope.

As you’re continuously reminded of the stages that are coming to a close, keep in mind that complicated things like youth and childhood aren’t things. They are more like feelings, emotional states I can’t quite put to paper. Most importantly, they’ll always be with you--and can be recognized and resurrected no matter your age or circumstance.

And no longer do I look at my last sentence to my last column as an ending, but rather as just another ellipsis helping me bridge the gap toward whatever may come...

THE TAO OF PARKER Dear Class of 2018… (Or Anyone, For That Matter)

By Alex Ori It’s June. The air has regained the warm embrace it gives you as you step out of school after a long, air-conditioned day. Birds are back to singing, their songs floating through open car windows. The Cubs are back in season.

For me, June has always carried with it a familiar nostalgia. We seem to all be in an exciting limbo at this time of year. It seems to me you’re either looking back on the journeys you’ve just completed, or you’re looking forward to the next ones you’re about to embark on.

Probably the most obvious example of this is you, the seniors, desperately holding on to the last remnants of high school as you approach the so-called “bookend” of your childhood: graduation. Very soon, you’ll be throwing caps in the air, celebrating with distant relatives you haven’t seen in years, and experiencing all the other customary punctuations that come with all things ending and beginning.

And that brings me to my point today.

Currently in every stuffy auditorium across the nation, principals, valedictorians, and celebrities are telling students that they are about to “turn the page onto the next chapter in their lives.”

If you’ve gotten the hang of my columns by now, you’ll know where I’m going with this. I’m here to dispute that.

I believe one of the greatest mistakes of mankind (besides, you know, instant coffee and Facebook) is the perception

we’ve created that compares the course of our lives to that of books. We tend to group our years neatly into so-called “chapters.”

Don’t we know by now that life is far too dynamic and complex to be organized into a format so structured?

Comparing our lives to books means that once we finish a chapter, we can’t go back. After all, we’ve “outgrown” it. We processed the information and moved on.

How binding is that?

Sure, one might argue that these times can always be revisited on quiet summer nights, as we leaf through our favorite chapters forever titled “The Good Old Days.”

But if this were the case, these visitation hours would be limited. The Good Old Days shouldn’t ever be behind you, but rather carried throughout your present and future endeavours. The Good Old Days aren’t stationary. To be honest, I’m not sure that the Good Old Days are even a time period at all.

Maybe you think that receiving your diploma this weekend is like a trade-off.

You must give up your childhood, must close a metaphorical “chapter” in order to pass “Go” and collect your $200.

I believe one of the greatest mistakes of mankind is the perception we’ve created that compares the course of our lives to that of books. We tend to group our years neatly into so called “chapters.”

The Parker Weekly, Page 24

Check us out at: weekly.fwparker.org

The Backpage

Class of 2018 Plans for Next Year and Beyond!

Andrews, Grace ........ University of Southern California, CA

Jennings, Noah ........ Wake Forest University, NC

Ashworth, Alexandra ........ Southern Methodist University, TX

Koerner, Nicole ........ Tulane University, LA

Bali, Dhruv ........ University of Southern California, CA

Landau, Caitlin ........ Quinnipiac University, CT

Barry-Thimote, Nailah ........ Knox College, IL

Lansburgh, Zachary ........ University of Wisconsin - Madison, WI

Batdorff, Anna ........ The George Washington University, DC

Levine, Olivia ........ Duke University, NC

Bedows, Mitchell ........ New York University, NY

Lieb, Jessica ........ Emory University, GA

Belaval, Loren ........ Columbia College Chicago, IL

Lopez, Octavio ........ Harvard University, MA

Bender, Isobel ........ University of Oxford, England

Manilow, Noah ........ Lynn University, FL

Benjamin, Jalen ........ Georgetown University, DC

Marks, Joshua ........ University of Pennsylvania, PA

Bernhardt, Jeanine ........ Skidmore College, NY

Martinez, Genesis ........ University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL

Blickstein, Raymond ........ University of Miami, FL

Mayoras, Olivia ........ American University, DC

Boone, Brianna ........ Washington University in St. Louis, MO

McNabola, John ........ University of Notre Dame, IN

Bravo, Liliana ........ University of Miami, FL

Merrick, Brittany ........ New York University, NY

Braye, Natalie ........ New York University, NY

Miller, Cameron ........ University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Bronstein, Jett ........ Pomona College, CA

Munger, Andrew ........ University of Wisconsin - Madison, WI

Buono, Grace ........ Middlebury College, VT

O’Brien, Myles ........ University of Miami, FL

Burlin, Axel ........ Dartmouth College, NH

O’Keefe, Sophie ........ University of Chicago, IL

Cerda, Amalia ........ University of Wisconsin - Madison, WI

Ohringer, Sidonia ........ Brandeis University, MA

Chapman, Alex ........ Bard College, NY

Oliff, Camryn ........ University of Wisconsin - Madison, WI

Choudhary, Jai ........ Northwestern University, IL

Olson, Gabriel ........ Pepperdine University, CA

Cordwell, John ........ United States Air Force Academy, CO

Philip, Grace ........ Pitzer College, CA

Cortez, Nicholas ........ Middlebury College, VT

Plotnick, Maya ........ Swarthmore College, PA

Davidson, Jolie ........ Tufts University, MA

Polsky, Edward ........ Yale University, CT

Delbusto, Bianca ........ Colgate University, NY

Rantala, Charles ........ Indiana University at Bloomington, IN

Ellis, Marlena ........ Wesleyan University, CT

Roman, Priscilla ........ Skidmore College, NY

Escalante, Victoria ........ Princeton University, NJ

Rothman, David ........ Occidental College, CA

Esparza, Karoli ........ Bennington College, VT

Rujjanavet, Mini ........ Attending another year of high school in Thailand,

Fabiyi, Morenike ........ Bard College, NY

Farrug, Magda ........ University of Denver, CO

Saker, Sebastian ........ Dartmouth College, NH

Florsheim, Kaden ........ Stanford University, CA

Sanghvi, Maya ........ Yale University, CT

Friedman, Cameron ........ University of Chicago, IL

Shapiro, Jordan ........ University of Wisconsin - Madison, WI

Fuchs, Margaret ........ University of Wisconsin - Madison, WI

Sickle, Daniel ........ Cornell University, NY

Gardner, Zoe ........ Smith College, MA

Skok, Ryan ........ University of Southern California, CA

Garg, Talia ........ New York University, NY

Son, Steven ........ University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Goyal, Abhinav ........ Georgia Institute of Technology, GA

Stansbury, Kaitlyn ........ Washington University in St. Louis, MO

Heltzer, George ........ Indiana University at Bloomington, IN

Turner, Jezebel ........ Wesleyan University, CT

Hernandez, Natalia ........ Kenyon College, OH

Turner, Simone ........ University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Heyman, Chase ........ Colorado College, CO

Wagner, Chloe ........ The George Washington University, DC

Hirsch, Zachary ........ University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Wedner, Sylvia Martha ........ Wesleyan University, CT

Hoerr, Malcolm ........ Wake Forest University, NC

Weinberg, Molly ........ The New School, NY

Holloway, Emerson ........ Oberlin College, OH

Wood, Felix ........ An Australian college

then applying to Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok

Hunt, Sojourner ........ Emory University, GA

54 schools, 21 states, 4 countries, 83 adventures, 1 model home