PAGE 4 • SPORTS Senior golfer Amelia Tan strikes a balance of competitiveness and support for her teammates. She excels on the course individually while serving as the backbone of the girls golf team.
PAGES 6-7 • IN-DEPTH
This deep dive explores the results of a student mock election and poll, in which 91% chose Kamala Harris and 30% said reproductive rights is their top issue, and more about the upcoming election.
As number of choices grows, clubs compete for space and members
by JAYA ALENGHAT Editor-in-Chief
A record number of 97 student clubs are available this school year, providing students with a diverse range of opportunities but also introducing organizational struggles for respective groups.
Lab’s mission statement emphasizes the importance of igniting and nurturing an enduring spirit of scholarship, curiosity, creativity and confidence — something many believe clubs offer.
However, some organizational difficulties that come with offering so many student clubs are too few available spaces to hold club meetings or enough available faculty club advisers.
Senior Noah Hoereth struggled to find a faculty adviser at first when proposing his new club, Lab Common Ground, which aims to find common ground on problems at Lab through its students. He eventually found success after talking with Dean of Students Ana Campos. While Noah appreciates the opportunities clubs provide, he acknowledges the overlap many of them can face.
“I think a lot of clubs can serve the same purpose,” Noah said, “and I think multiple similar clubs are going to be less effective than one big club. Also, more clubs equals more sponsors, and the more clubs there are, it’s gonna get repetitive and clubs are gonna start serving the same goals and purposes.”
More options to choose from can also lead to lower club membership, something Ms. Campos understands. She noted that the number of student clubs has increased exponentially, so she would like to work with
Source: Dean of Students Ana Campos
the student body for the club approval process next year.
“I want to invite and involve students in that conversation,” Ms. Campos said, “because I do think that we might be heading to a point where it’s a little too much, and what is the point or the value of clubs if a whole slew of them, maybe a quarter of them, have a membership of, you know, four students?”
Despite this issue, many students appreciate the spaces clubs provide and have found a sense of belonging within them. While she found club shopping a little overwhelming at first, ninth grader Tal Newman has already joined clubs that are meaningful to her.
Tal said, “It was just picking and choosing those, because things overlap on certain days.”
Tal acknowledged that choosing among 97 clubs in the first few weeks of high school can be difficult. Ms. Campos advised students navigating the club selection process that this discomfort can be overcome by remembering the flexibility of most student clubs.
“As hard as it may feel, if they can push through any kind of slight discomfort or a little bit of anxiousness, if it’s a club that really piqued their interest, go,” Ms. Campos said. “You know, go to that club meeting, try it out. It’s not a commitment. If they don’t
OCTOBER 24, 2024
Volume 100, Number 3
1362 East 59th Street Chicago, Illinois 60637 uhighmidway.com
PAGE 8 • A&E
Students are engaging with a range of teenage portrayals in media, from idealized romances to authentic struggles, providing both exaggerated and relatable narratives for today’s youth.
COUNTING THE CLUBS. Ninth grader Shivan Sachdev reacts to a game during a Finance Club meeting. While some clubs are not experiencing major challenges, others are facing difficulties with maintaining attendance.
like it after two or three times, they don’t have to keep going.”
Like Tal, ninth grader Chris Williams has navigated the club selection process to find clubs that have piqued his interest.
“I feel like I’ve been easily able to find my clubs and have time for the clubs that I want to go to,” Chris said. “I think it’s cool that I’m a part of a community that has so many clubs and so many different options for people.”
While club membership may be an issue, students have been able to find clubs important to them. Ms. Campos said that clubs with lower levels of student participation are still meaningful.
“I want the clubs to be meaningful to kids,” Ms. Campos said. “but not necessarily my definition of meaningful, right? If it’s a space where kids are connecting with each other and having fun, that is 100% worthwhile.”
by LILA COYNE Assistant Editor
Music department faculty members have been coping with an influx of new work following the removal of an important support role due to schoolwide budget cuts announced last spring.
The extraordinary nature of the work necessary to keep the music department running has made the absence of a project assistant a pressing issue, according to music department chair Ryan Hudec. As a result, Principal Martin Woods has been working with the University of Chicago to attain a work study student for the department. This student would work 20 hours a week solely for the music department, compared to the 40 hours a week the department’s former project assistant, Kimberly Banister, spent serving the music, fine arts and world language departments.
Mr. Hudec believes Ms. Banister’s absence has had larger consequences for music because of the personalized instruction necessary
to accommodate each new class of students. The former project assistant used to order music, organize performances and facilitate
communication among all 17 music teachers, from early childhood to high school. The administration made the decision to dissolve this
position because of discrepancies in the use of administrative support across departments, according to Mr. Woods, with some departments not using their resources at all.
“What that signals to the administration is that there are opportunities for faculty members to take on some of those tasks,” Mr. Woods said.
However, the “one-size fits all” nature of these solutions has made adjustments, like the hiring of a work study student, necessary for the music department.
“One-size-fits-all solutions might look good on paper,” Mr. Hudec said, “but they impact people differently.”
It is unclear as of yet whether a work study student will be able to perform the necessary tasks to the same degree as the project assistant. Mr. Hudec said, “You are comparing someone who is doing a full-time job as an adult to a part-time job for a college student, whose priority, as it should be, is their education.”
“
One-size-fits-all solutions might look good on paper, but they impact people differently. Ryan Hudec, music department chair ”
Last week, in a meeting with Mr. Hudec, Mr. Woods and Carla Ellis, associate director of schools, offered possible solutions, which included shifting some of the responsibilities of a project assistant, like greeting guest artists, onto support staff in the high school office. Mr. Hudec’s main concern had been letting those tasks fall to the teachers. He remains dedicated to maintaining a “narrative” for the department that is student-focused.
Mr. Hudec said, “This decision to dissolve the administrative support has just thrown
into
by CAROLINE SKELLY
Audience Engagement Manager
On a recent Wednesday afternoon, in a tight circle of desks, eight students and a teacher are having a lively discussion about the theme of desire in their book. It’s a relaxed setting in N-204 with hot tea being passed around, where students build off each other’s ideas and discuss the novel in an unstructured manner with the teacher rarely interjecting to redirect the conversation.
The English department has introduced this opportunity for students who want to take a more challenging English course.
English Seminar is a new elective geared toward students who are prepared to read and discuss more challenging texts than offered in the traditional English curriculum. The semester- or yearlong seminar meets during Labs B and D and does not count toward the English graduation requirement.
The goals of English Seminar are to help students develop the skills to read longer texts in preparation for college-level seminars, such as critical thinking, analysis and discussion.
“The goal is really, as we said, to create a community for humanities kids to shine,” said Rachel Nielsen, who is teaching the class this year, “and to feel like the very important abilities and skills that you develop as a humanities student — in terms of critical thinking, empathy, deep focus and the breadth and depth of your knowledge — are really val-
“
Whereas typical English classes tend to be pretty structured, this class is really free form and kind of takes whatever shape the people in it form.
— Adam Tapper, junior ”
ued in our in our Lab community.”
The elective differs from a typical English course because it is almost entirely student-led and focuses less on specific activities to build skills but rather enhancing critical reading skills through discussion.
In English Seminar, students also have the opportunity to do an independent project that focuses on something that they are passionate about, such as creative writing or researching a specific topic.
Junior Adam Tapper is choosing to embrace the creative writing side of the course.
“I was kind of looking for a space where I could not only do more with English but also have an ability to do more creative stuff,” Adam said, “because the standard English classes focus on analytical writing and building those skills, and have left creative writing to the side.”
Students have appreciated the less-structured form of the class because it allows them to shape the discussion themselves rather
than a teacher leading it.
“It’s kind of a small-group discussion that’s open, and you can choose to explore any themes you want,” Adam said. “Whereas typical English classes tend to be pretty structured, this class is really free form and kind of takes whatever shape the people in it form.”
The elective’s theme this year is Chicago, so students have been reading short stories about Chicago and have begun the novel “Sis-
ter Carrie” by Theodore Dreiser about a young girl who moves to Chicago and grapples with the American Dream.
As different English teachers teach the elective each year, the theme and overall structure will shift based on what the teacher wants, but the course will continue to prioritize humanities students and the important skills they develop.
“I believe reading is an import-
ant thing,” Ms. Nielsen said. “We wanted to kind of create a space and a community around that.”
In a tight circle of desks students gather every Wednesday afternoon to share their reactions and thoughts on the previous night’s reading.
Laughter fills the space as a student shares their strong dislike for the main character, contributing to the relaxed and welcoming atmosphere of the class.
The Class of 2028 elected Aditya Shukla as president, Kai Lichtenbaum as vice president and Shivan Shachdev as one of two Cultural Union representatives for 202425 in the Oct. 11 ninth grade Student Council elections. Zain Zaidi was elected as Cultural Union representative in an Oct. 16 runoff election following a tie — the first in over a decade — between him and candidate Zeidan Rowe. Aditya said he wants to ensure his class is represented.
“I want to make sure that the freshman voice is heard on the Student Council, even though we’re the youngest,” Aditya said in an interview with the U-High Midway. “I think we deserve to be heard — and I want to plan unique, fun events that are more grade-focused.”
— Light Dohrn
by ARI NOVAK Assistant Editor
In January 2025, Instagram will mandate Teen Accounts for all existing users under age 16 and all new users under age 18. With accounts set to private to promote safety, this new feature will limit what minors can see and interact with.
Meta Platforms Inc., which owns and operates Instagram, posted to its website on Sept. 17 that Teen Accounts are designed to “better support parents, and give them peace of mind that their teens are safe with the right protections in place.”
Sensitive content restrictions aiming to remove videos of violence from teenagers’ feeds and limit who can send them direct messages are also included in this update.
The U-High Midway is one of 34 high school newspapers in the country that are finalists for the prestigious Newspaper Pacemaker Award, and U-High journalists are also Top 10 national finalists for 11 individual awards across the U-High Midway, U-Highlights and photojournalism. This is the sixth year in a row and 17th time in its history that the Midway has been a Pacemaker finalist. U-High is the only 2024 finalist from Illinois. The 11 individual national finalists are the most ever for U-High journalism. Here is the full list:
• Design of the Year, newspaper front page: Mia Lipson
• Design of the Year, newspaper page/spread: Sahana Unni (Class of 2024)
• Design of the Year, newspaper page/spread: Jaya Alenghat
• Digital Story of the Year, photo slideshow: Jaya Alenghat, Taariq Ahmed, Mia Lipson, Nathan Li, Olin Nafziger, Eli Raikhel, Grace LaBelle, Ryan Burke-Stevenson, Ellis Calleri, Bryce Light
• Digital Story of the Year, pho-
For example, the Hidden Words feature filters out offensive words and phrases from teens’ comments and direct message requests. Parents will also have more control over what their children can access on their accounts and have easier monitoring tools.
“Where are people getting their information? Instagram. That is not where I want to look for information,” Lab parent Ansul Asad said. “A lot of adults don’t have the ability to filter through it, let alone kids.”
Sensitive content restrictions will be placed on videos deemed sensitive or potentially harmful to a younger audience, including videos depicting violence, self-harm or eating disorders.
“I think the feature is less effective on Instagram because people don’t post as frequently or as
to slideshow: Olin Nafziger, Jaya Alenghat, Chloe Alexander, Mia Lipson
• Photo of the Year, feature photo: Daniel Baeza
• Photo of the Year, environmental portrait: Eli Raikhel, A community essential: Phillip Raoul
• Photo of the Year, environmental portrait: Eli Raikhel
• Story of the Year, opinion story: Clare McRoberts
• Portfolio of the Year, photojournalist of the year: Olin Nafziger
• Best Use of Social Media: Skye Freeman, Jaya Alenghat, Chloë Alexander, Clare McRoberts
— Sohana Schneider
LabSTART emphasizes balance to ninth graders
Story, transcript, activities, relationships and talents: the five defining characteristics of a high school journey, according to learning coordinator Heavenly Hicks and college counselor Sharon Williams.
Ms. Williams noticed at Lab and at past schools that students were not being present in their lives during high school, so she and her
much,” sophomore Nika Nelson said. “I think it’d be more beneficial on TikTok.”
Teens under 16 will need to receive parental permission before changing any default settings that come with having a Teen Account. Dr. Asad thinks that this update will help her family reduce their usage of the app.
“It’s not just kids. Adults as well just have no concept of what a great time suck it is,” Dr. Asad said. “You know, when you look at your usage and it’s like, yeah, I spent five hours on Instagram today. Really? Did I have five hours to spare?”
Instagram is currently working on technology to find teenagers who lied about their age when signing up on the platform.
Teenagers who entered a fake birthday to seem older might receive this update later.
learning and counseling colleagues created the LabSTART presentation to encourage students to be present throughout their time in high school.
Ms. Hicks said, “What we felt was a concern that students were thinking about the college they wanted to go to but not all of the pieces that it takes to get there, the main one being a whole human and one that enjoys high school.”
As part of the LabSTART programming, a mandatory ninth grade assembly took place on Sept. 17 in Gordon Parks Assembly Hall.
A follow-up assembly for parents was held virtually Sept. 24.
Counselor Aria Choi also contributed to this year’s assembly.
Ms. Choi said LabSTART allows students to find new ways to talk about high school. She said she has received a positive response to the program in the past three years.
Ms. Hicks emphasized the importance of looking beyond grades in high school.
“It’s not just all about transcripts, but it’s also about the relationships you build,” Ms. Hicks said. — Declan Smith
Here are the restrictions coming to Instagram in January 2025:
All new accounts will be defaulted to private
• All new accounts with users registered as minors will be set to private
• Notifications will be stopped between 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
• Users under 16 will need parental persmission to make accounts public
• Direct messages will continue to be disabled for users teens do not follow
Muslim community potluck to be held Oct. 30
A potluck for Muslim families and friends in the Laboratory Schools community will be held on Oct. 30 from 5-7 p.m. in C116.
As the fall counterpart of the spring’s Eid celebration, the gathering is meant to build connections among Muslims in the community in the new school year. Those who would like to attend can RSVP online.
According to Saima Sufi, a parent organizer of the event, this potluck has been led by the Muslim family and friends group for the past few years to strengthen bonds.
“It’s mostly a way to bring people together, meet new families, and for people who haven’t seen each other in a long time,” Ms. Sufi said.
Attendants of all ages can expect to find food made by community members and a chatty atmosphere, she said.
The fall potluck, along with the springtime Eid gathering, are important to Muslim families at U-High, Ms. Sufi said.
This represents the opinion of the U-High Midway editorial board.
During lunchtime at U-High, you won’t find students tightly packed in the cafeteria enjoying their lunches. Instead, you will find them scattered throughout classrooms, engaging in discussions and organizing events for clubs they are passionate about. From debating the latest political issues to playing card games, U-High students have found their place in dozens of student-led clubs, providing a break from an intense workload.
By empowering students to exercise their First Amendment freedoms of expression and assembly through the creation of a wide variety of clubs, Lab is actively promoting a stronger sense of community, connecting students with peers through shared interests, ideas and experiences.
This freedom is important for students’ personal development, teaching that high school is not just about writing essays or mastering new math topics — it’s a way to learn about who you are as a person and which communities you want to belong to. For many students, joining a club is not just another activity for their college application but a way to create meaningful friendships through shared interests.
With so many clubs — nearly 100 this year — students at Lab have easy access to opportunities that allow them to discover and explore interests. And students who are unable to find the right club for them can create one. By requiring only 10 emails of interested peers, students should take advantage of the accessibility of creat-
ing their own clubs. This has been at the center of Lab’s values since its founding and should be seen as a privilege that allows students to shape their own high school experience.
Clubs allow students to pursue interdisciplinary projects, giving them insight into possible future choices and careers. Clubs provide the experience of learning what it takes to work in a collaborative environment outside of their academics, shedding light on how
they work best. However, this system only works when students are willing to take full advantage of the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of their interests. With such a wide range of commitment levels and topics, students can participate in clubs without taking away from their academic experience. For this reason, it is important that students actually choose to take full advantage of what is offered, rather than joining solely for the club’s title or
its reputation — or to pad a résumé or college application. So, whether just starting ninth grade or entering info on a college application, students should look around and take advantage of these clubs. They should consider their hobbies or identities to find organizations that align with their interests. Or create one! Lab has given students the freedom and tools to explore an endless variety of topics, but it’s up to us to make the most of these opportunities.
by KABIR JOSHI Opinion Editor
I have had to fill out a form that asked for my identity recently, and I clicked Asian. Yet every time I clicked, I would cringe as I grouped myself with billions of other people around the world.
I felt that maybe my identity as an Indian American didn’t matter, and that I was just one in 5 billion. For many people who identify as Asian, these little boxes with labels such as white, Black, Hispanic or Asian do not represent them to the extent that they should. The categorization in surveys and censuses underrepresents the complex nature of many different ethnicities and races that take place on the Asian continent.
According to Worldometer, Asians make up 59% of the global population, or 4.8 billion peo-
ple, and consist of six main ethnic groups. Yet when it comes to representing Asians in polls, surveys and applications, all of these ethnic groups are forced together under the title Asian for the purpose of simplifying data collection. Not only does this bring a large category of people into a group that could misrepresent them, it leads to misconceptions about ethnicities.
One example and consequence of this oversimplification is the perpetuation of stereotypes such as the model minority myth. The idea suggests that all Asians are either incredibly high achieving or financially stable. While the myth might seem complementary in nature, it has a consistent tendency to hoist undue stress and expectations upon the shoulders of Asian teenagers, holding them to standards they may not want to conform to.
The stereotype also has negative consequences as it ignores realities that many Asians face on a daily basis, such as poverty. This
misrepresentation leads to further harm to communities that need help but are overshadowed by the idea that Asians are generally financially comfortable. Indirectly, the careless categorization of Asians leads to stereotypes which may appear flattering but perpetuate many further issues and harm to communities.
The broad categorization of Asians leads to misrepresentation of people when it comes to data collection. A person who is Filipino or Russian or Korean each has different experiences, different religions, beliefs and ideas.
When Asians are treated as one large group of people, a monolith of some sort, the representation and ideas of certain small minority groups are diminished due to the connotation of an Asian idea. This leads to smaller minority and ethnic groups facing a lack of representation, leading to little or no change when it comes to issues that affect them.
This is an issue that can be fixed,
is criticized, the U-High Midway seeks to inform, educate and serve the community of University High School. The Midway is developed and managed by students, for students. In every story we write, the Midway should give a voice to the experiences of people at U-High. We will report on the people, activities and thoughts that make our school unique, striving to include the voices we haven’t heard yet.
The broad categorization of Asians leads to misrepresentation of people when it comes to data collection.
though. It’s time for researchers and politicians to accept the complexity of the Asian community and start representing them for who and what they are.
Whether it be giving voice to smaller minority groups through the addition of more options on box checking surveys or working on reducing the label term Asian, these steps will all have an impact on the lives of specific ethnic groups. Embracing this complexity is an uphill battle but one that will lead to a more inclusive society that understands and embraces all human beings.
by MIA LIPSON Managing Editor
As a senior, I am often asked the question, “What are you majoring in?” When I respond with my major of choice, history, I am used to seeing confusion wash over people’s faces.
I am often told how I’m one of the only people they know who is majoring in the humanities. Some are shocked that I would consider pursuing a topic where they struggle to see my future career. Many ask how I will make money as an adult. Their confusion is unsurprising. Across the country, humanities majors are becoming increasingly rare. Though the study of STEM fields is undeniably important, the study of humanities remains equally crucial in educating well-rounded individuals, who can think critically and engage thoughtfully with the world. Humanities provides an aspect of education that promotes insightful analysis and reflection that connect multiple disciplines and ideas.
From 2012 to 2020, the number of humanities degrees awarded dropped nearly 25%, according to The Hechinger Report, a national nonprofit news organization that reports on education. The American Academy of Arts and Sciences found a similar result. In 2020, the number of humanities bachelor’s degrees awarded fell below 200,000 for the first time since 2002. This number has continued to fall. Though these numbers seem to be distant figures in a time where it seems impossible to go a day without hearing a horrifying statistic, they indicate a shocking trend that is only worsening. Humanities are foundational to a functioning society. In politics for example, education in civics is necessary for producing well-educated voters. The loss of the humanities in education impacts everyone and risks the world falling victim to a sea of one-dimensional perspectives. This lack of well-roundedness will lead to a gaping hole in countless people’s knowledge. Without diversity of perspectives, a devastating lack of understanding will emerge. Learning across multiple fields will create engaged global citizens, who can utilize their humanities education to solve today’s problems. At Lab, we are lucky to have a curriculum that inherently fosters well-roundedness. Though they may be frustrating for students who don’t enjoy certain subjects, both humanities and STEM requirements are gifts. Humanities allows students to extract the value in receiving an education full of nuance that will teach them the necessary skills to be informed, thoughtful citizens, even if they don’t see the inherent value of that education themselves. The humanities is a necessary component to being a fully educated person, and the gift of that education should be cherished.
by TAARIQ AHMED News Editor
At the Jacobs Eagles Cup Invitational on Sept. 14, the roar of the crowd surrounded golfer Amelia Tan as she surveyed the 13th hole from the tee. Studying how the green sloped toward the water, the senior strategically aimed just right of the flag. Her swing was spot on, and the ball flew, landed and rolled into the hole.
A special moment, this was not just any shot — but a hole-in-one.
“Never in a million years would I expect it to actually go in,” Amelia said, “but when it hit the green, I knew it was at the perfect place. I knew it was going to end up nicely.”
Amelia has consistently established herself as one of the best female high school golfers in the state, but at the same time, she has also learned to balance her individual drive and competitiveness with an unwavering commitment to her team. Her love for golf began with trips to the local golfing range with her dad, who introduced her to the sport.
By age 10, she was competing individually in tournaments, but her passion for golf accelerated during the pandemic, when she had time to refine her skills.
Useful in moments of pressure, Amelia said competing from an early age allowed her to develop her own mindset.
“Being in the competition circuit for as long as I have has helped me because I know how to deal with just not being there mentally sometimes,” Amelia said. “I’ve learned to be able to play with whatever game I have in me that day.”
Emphasizing the mental aspect of golf, Amelia prefers to lock out distractions and treat the game as nothing more than a round at the training course.
“Being out there for four to five to even six hours makes it hard to keep your focus,” Amelia said. “Some people like to look at their score and the leaderboard constantly, but I don’t necessarily like to do that, because I like to focus on my game, and I know that I should just trust myself.”
Meanwhile, Amelia said playing for U-High’s golf team has given her the opportunity to bond with teammates over the sport.
“I feel like competing with a team gives me an extra factor of motivation,” Amelia said. “Being on the golf team has really given
by CLARE McROBERTS Editor-in-Chief
Seniors Orly Eggener and Lucy Aronson have been key members of school and club soccer teams for several seasons. Now they’re filling a different critical role — this time, from the sidelines as coaches for Lab’s seventh grade boys soccer team.
While they were initially nervous about the challenge of taking on a new role, they’ve enjoyed it and are learning from the coaching experience.
“It was a little bit stressful. Orly and I are definitely qualified from a soccer standpoint, but I think we were like, a little bit worried that they weren’t gonna listen,” Lucy said. “I think we’ve handled it well.”
Assistant Athletic Director Joshua Potter approached Lucy and Orly over the summer about helping the new head coach, Jonathan Gross. They quickly made an impact.
“Coaches Lucy and Orly have found a winning formula, earning the respect of their young players,” Mr. Potter said.
PUTTING PRO. Competing since the age of 10, senior Amelia Tan has established herself as one of the best female high school golfers
has attended the IHSA State Championship four years in a row, attributing her success to her teammates, and the support they have provided.
me special interactions with other golfers.”
Girls golf coach Marco Fajardo said he has noticed how Amelia switches between intense focus and affection for teammates, making her a complete player.
“Her personality is super friendly, and she’s just really humble,”
Mr. Fajardo said, “but of course, she’s super competitive. She can switch on and off like from being all smiles and having fun to then all of a sudden going right into competition mode.”
Teammate Devyn Moubayed said she also admires this “switch flip.”
“We have a joke that’s, like, ‘Don’t talk to Amelia on the course’ because she’s always so focused,” Devyn said, “but after each match, she comes and asks ‘Oh, how’d you do today? How’d you shoot?’ So she’s a leader, not only with the scores that she puts up, but also just how she conducts herself.”
Recalling one match under poor conditions, teammate Anaya Douglas said Amelia boosted team confidence when results were unfavorable.
“I just remember we finished and everyone was in really low spirits,” Anaya said, “but she worked really hard to get us motivated and bring
Their efforts are part of a program launched in 2021 to tap veteran student-athletes to instruct younger players.
“One of the most effective teaching strategies is to have students
teach,” Mr. Potter said. “Teachers use it all the time in the classroom — why not utilize this inside your athletic team?”
As assistant coaches, Orly and Lucy run drills at practices and
us back up, even when I know she herself was a little bit upset with her performance.”
Mr. Fajardo said Amelia’s contributions to the team will leave a lasting impression on the program.
“She is the ultimate team player,” Mr. Fajardo said. “She takes everybody under her wing. She does it every day, through her approach at practice, with how she helps lead all the drills. She’s really the driving force on the girls team in terms of what we aspire to be as a unit.”
Deciding where her passion will take her next, Amelia said she wants to just keep swinging into the future.
“
I learned that individualizing the kids’ style of play could be really helpful. Coaching them made me have serious empathy for my own coaches. It’s a whole lot of work, but I would happily do it all over again.
Orly Eggener, senior
prepare the team for matches.
While the transition was stressful at first, both have learned from the experience.
“I had never coached before this, so it was an adjustment,” Orly said.
“But I feel like I got the hang of it soon enough because of the range of coaches I have had throughout the years. I think I understand how most kids like to be coached.”
The payoff has come not with goals or victories but watching the players improve, Orly and Lu-
8th place as an individual at 2024 state
1 number of times ISL player of the year
3 number of times recieving the U-High Coaches Award by the numbers
cy agreed. Orly recalled one player being a bit confused about his position on the field. She took him aside and gave him tips like waiting for the right time to step into a play.
“When he went back on,” Orly said, “I saw him trying his hardest to do everything I mentioned to him. He played so well in that game.”
The experience of coaching has provided Lucy and Orly with lessons of their own.
“I learned that individualizing the kids’ style of play could be really helpful,” Orly said. “Coaching them made me have serious empathy for my own coaches. It’s a whole lot of work, but I would happily do it all over again.”
The time commitment has been its own challenge, given that both Lucy and Orly are juggling coaching with their own club soccer practices, not to mention the demands of homework and applying to college.
“I would definitely coach again,” Orly said, “but maybe next time not while I’m in this intense of a point in school.”
Wearable health accessories boost well-being, fitness
by KABIR JOSHI
Opinion Editor
160, 150, 140, 130, 110. Sophomore Taara Sadjeh watches her Garmin watch display her heart rate after her run.
Gone are the days of pedometers strapped to your waist, and in are the days of rings that analyze your every movement. Modern wearable fitness technology items — rings, watches, patches, straps, sleep trackers — have become an integral part of many students’ and athletes’ lives.
“I think without my watch I wouldn’t have as accurate of a read as I do about where my fitness is,”
Taara said.
“The tracking helps me categorize the types of runs and how they impact my body.”
Taara isn’t alone.
Over the past two years, wearable fitness technologies have changed a person’s fitness planning from putting in more effort to now analyzing hundreds of data points to optimize a training schedule.
Taara’s watch provides more than just time and distance. She said her Garmin Forerunner 245 is essential to her training, helping her know when she is overtraining or when she needs to get more rest.
While she mainly uses her watch for logging runs and keeping track of time, it also tracks her stress and blood oxygen levels, and provides workout reviews, almost acting as a coach on her wrist.
Over the past four years, companies have pushed to create smaller devices, such as the Oura Ring, weighing as little as 5 grams. The Whoop Strap and Oura Ring emphasize minimalism, eliminating many features that once dominated the scene such as screens and buttons.
These companies are moving toward creating a product that doesn’t interfere with your life through constant notifications.
Whoop’s website states, “A minimalist, screen-free design means you can wear it 24/7.”
Most students don’t know the amount or quality of sleep they get, but junior Grover Henderson
TRACKING TRENDS. Many wearable health devices sync their heath data directly with medical professionals, enabling remote monitoring of health issues and early detection of chronic conditions without frequent in-person visits.
gets sleep data from the thin strap he wears around his wrist, allowing him to adapt his schedule to prioritize sleep.
“It just motivates me to go to sleep every day because you don’t really know how much sleep you’re getting until you start tracking it,”
Grover said.
For 10 years, rings that track the wearer’s health have been a huge talk in the technology industry, but Oura is the first company to have a successful, reliable product that has become popular, bringing a completely different realm. According to Forbes, Oura has sold
more than 2.5 million rings in its 11-year history.
For science teacher Elizabeth Hubin, the Oura ring has helped her improve her life through “gamifying” it.
The statistics are no longer just numbers on a screen but instead a lifestyle that helps her proactively change habits such as sleeping and eating.
“I’ve really enjoyed using the Oura Ring to especially monitor my sleep, and daily activities,” Dr. Hubin said. “The Oura ring app is the first thing I look up when I wake up, and I see how much REM sleep
I have gotten, how deep sleep, and it gives you a daily score.”
The idea of scoring your day also helps users motivate themselves toward working harder.
The simple dopamine release from seeing a streak go up or a score go up causes users to keep the good habits and further improve them.
“It almost gamifies it by giving you a sleep score and a daily score,” Dr. Hubin said.
“It’s kind of silly, but it definitely gives me a little more drive to go to bed a little earlier or change other habits.”
Wearable health technologies are designed for their ability to optimize sleep, fitness or athletic performance through detailed analysis of many aspects of the wearer’s health data. Here are some additional wearable technologies.
• Ava Bracelet
The Ava Bracelet is a fertility tracker designed to help women monitor their menstrual cycles and predict ovulation. As Ava’s website writes, it tracks various physiological parameters such as temperature, pulse, and breathing rate. It is worn at night and syncs with an app to provide real-time insights into the user’s fertility window.
• Bioheart Bioheart is a chest-worn monitor that provides real-time heart monitoring. Unlike most wearables that take periodic readings, Bioheart’s website states that Bioheart offers constant ECG measurements, and for this reason, it allows users to track cardiovascular health more closely. The device also syncs with an app where users can review their heart data and share it with health care providers.
• Hexoskin Smart Shirt
The Hexoskin Smart Shirt is a biometric shirt that tracks vital signs like heart rate, breathing rate and activity levels in real time. Hexoskin’s website states that the shirt provides continuous health monitoring for athletes, researchers or patients needing to monitor heart and respiratory functions over extended periods. The data can be synced with an app for health analysis.
• Muse Headband
The Muse Headband is a brain-sensing wearable that tracks brain activity and helps users improve meditation and mindfulness. Muse’s website states that by providing real-time biofeedback on brainwaves, it helps users through meditation sessions. The headband also syncs with an app to help users monitor stress, focus and relaxation levels and promotes mental well-being.
— Edward Park
by NAOMI BENTON Audience Engagement Editor
After what felt like endless days of congestion this spring, junior Mo Iyi-Ojo decided it was time to visit the doctor. His doctor recommended to him an unfamiliar form of congestion relief: breathing strips.
Breathing strips are sticky patches that stick to each side of the nose, widening the nostrils for easier airflow. The strips are commonly applied to mend colds and relieve stuffy noses as well as promote sleep.
Some people, including some U-High students, have expanded beyond the description on the box, using breathing strips to enhance sports play.
Mo has been using these strips for six months after his doctor’s suggestion. He has applied breathing strips to other aspects of his health as well, especially in soccer and sleep. “I get less congestion, and I breathe so much better through my nose,” Mo said, “and it helps a lot when I’m running because you are supposed to breathe through your nose anyway.”
Mo recommends others to try them due to the amount of help he
received from the strips
“There’s no cons to it really, only pros,” Mo said. Ninth grader Olive Bracken Sáenz has been using breathing strips since the pandemic when her father lent some to her when she had a cold. Olive has since used these strips whenever she is sick, to help her congestion.
“They allow me to breathe better at night, and not have to breathe through my mouth when I’m sick, which is hard,” Olive said. “When I have colds I breathe through my mouth because my nose is so stuffy, and they clear up my nose.”
Olive recommends breathing strips to anyone experiencing a cold, especially as an easy and convenient solution to cold symptoms.
“I feel like they are an efficient way to clear your nose and they don’t cost a lot, and they’re really simple to use,” Olive said. “You just put them on at night, and they make your experience better.”
While Olive now advises others to use them, she was hesitant to try breathing strips, and did not think her experience was going to be as successful as it was.
“I didn’t expect them to work, but they actually did work pret-
ty well. I could almost breathe 10 times better through my nose,” Olive said.
Senior Nyel Khan’s doctor also recommended using breathing strips. Nyel has used them on and off to maintain more restful sleep.
“I think you don’t realize like how good it feels to actually properly breathe through your nose until you try breathing strips or something like that,” Nyel said. “Even when I am not actually sick, it still feels, like, a lot clearer.”
Besides the uses of sleep, sport and congestion relief, Nyel has also seen them promoted on TikTok for sharpening one’s jawline.
“I see all the people in the TikTok shop, who get the paid commission,” he said. “They also say to do mouth taping, and they’re like, ‘Oh, it’s gonna help you get a better jawline and stuff.”
There is no scientific evidence to show that mouth taping improves a jawline or facial features.
Whether people are experiencing endless days of congestion, sleepless nights, or difficulty running, breathing strips are remedies that open up the nostrils and the possibilities of a higher-quality lifestyle.
While navigating the complex landscape of issues in this election season, students balance choices of political perspectives, social justice concerns and the impact of future policies on their lives.
this election.
As students absorb information regarding both candidates through news sources, family members and social media, they grapple with figuring out for themselves who is best
by CHLOË ALEXANDER Editor-in-Chief
The presidential election on the horizon presents students with either their first time vot ing or another ma jor election in their lives. Bal ancing misinformation, vary ing policies on important issues and two visions for the future, a recent sur vey shows U-High stu dents are most concerned about reproductive rights, gun policy, health care and change, and they overwhelmingly prefer the Democratic candidates.
More than 9 in 10 students who participated in the Midway’s mock election, 91.4%, selected Democrats Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. The nonscientific survey used a random sample of 163 students, approximately 25% of the U-High population. Republicans Donald Trump and JD Vance received 6.1% of the total vote with third-party candidates receiving 1.2% each. Reproductive rights was the top issue in the Midway’s survey with more than three-fourths, 77%, saying it is important and one in five students saying it is their top issue. Gun policy (76%), health care (74%), climate change (72%), and equality and discrimination (70%) also came up as important issues in
Satya Dominguez, a junior, voted for Ms. Harris in the mock election but doesn’t agree with her on every position, specifically with Israel and Gaza. Satya has apprehensive support for Ms. Harris’ candidacy.
“I guess it’s lowkey reluctant because I’m not a super fan of her, like, policy with Palestine and all that, you know, supporting Israel,” Satya said, “but I think there’s two options, and you gotta choose one, and she’s a lesser two
Even with her hesitation on some policies, Satya appreciates Ms. Harris’ campaign strategies.
“I really actually like Kamala’s campaign because it’s focused on happiness and joy, and less on the bad,” Satya said.
Libertarian Party candidate Chase Oliver is on the ballot in Indiana but not Illinois. Senior Oliver Wilson chose to vote for Mr. Oliver, although he is not an Indiana resident, because of Mr. Oliver’s free market economic policies compared to the other two candidates. Oliver also wanted to have an effect on the nation’s democracy.
“I think that Kamala will win in this election in Illinois no matter
what,” Oliver said. “I think by voting for a third-party candidate like Chase Oliver, I can at least inspire in a small way a movement toward a third party rather than just submitting a vote for a candidate who’s either going to lose or who I don’t like very much who’s definitely going to win in Illinois.”
For some people, a candidate’s character is the determining factor. Even though she cannot vote in this election, sophomore Hailey Purcell’s parents have taught her to research each candidate and make her own, educated decisions about which candidate to support.
In her own research, Hailey said the most important issue for her
was equality and discrimination because it applies to a lot of other issues in the election. Because of its breadth, Hailey found that it is an accurate radar for finding a candidate whose beliefs and character she aligns with.
“There are so many ways to be discriminative but also so many ways to still be fair,” Hailey said. “How people word things is really important to me. So when Trump says ‘illegal aliens,’ it’s more discriminative.”
While U-High’s mock election showed a clear winner, national polls show a race that is neck and neck with no changes expected by Election Day, Nov. 5.
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
“As a girl, I feel like I want the choice to be able to do whatever I want to do with my body, and it shouldn’t really be dictated by what men in a courtroom have to say.”
— Zoe Alphonse, junior
by LIGHT DOHRN Arts & Entertainment Editor
A national survey of young voters shows that young men are turning away from the left-leaning ideals they once celebrated and toward an image of masculinity that is more rugged and unapologetic — and one that strongly resembles a man’s traditional role in society.
The Harvard Youth Poll, the nation’s most comprehensive look at young Americans’ political opinions and voting trends, shows that 26% of men ages 18-24 say they identify as conservative, while another poll from earlier this year shows women aged 18-30 are now 30% more liberal than men of the same age. These young men are rejecting an image that no longer aligns with their visions of themselves: for example, the derogatory “dyed hair and pro-
cating sophistication or nuanced political views, can suggest weakness or an apologetic, self-loathing stance toward maleness. Junior Cruise Lickerman said that, confronted with this image, young men recoil, say “not I,” and run the opposite way — and that it’s more about an image they want versus one they reject than it is about their political beliefs.
“They don’t want to be associated with that,” Cruise said in reference to this image of a male liberal. “So, they adopt the conservative views of, like, a buff Floridian man wearing a tight muscle T-shirt with six guns in his Ford F150 Raptor, you know, and he’s going hunting later, and that’s what they want to associate with. So, they associate with those political views as well.” Cruise described himself as a “left-leaning centrist,” which, to him, means that he believes in many liberal policies, but “not to the extent that the radical left would.” According to him, very few male students at U-High would say they’re more conservative than that for fear
of judgment or backlash from their peers.
“It would ruin your reputation in the school,” Cruise said. Young men are also frequently exposed to the image of the confident conservative man, an image perpetuated by social media sites often targeting people even younger than those at U-High. Junior Grover Henderson believes platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok provide fitting explanations for the origin of young men’s political beliefs.
“If you go on Instagram or other social media, like, a lot of popular people agree with conservative views. Like Nelk, for example,” Grover said, referring to the right-wing YouTube prankster channel. “In my opinion, that kind of leads the youth stance, especially because there are a lot of conservative athletes and stuff like that.”
For these young men, it is not the political policies that appeal to them but the perception of power, confidence and a clear identity that is shown to them.
credentials for the Democratic National Convention Aug 19-22. This allowed them to interview politians, activists and voters to highlight different angles of the election. Scan the QR code to see all of the Midway’s reporting during and since the convention.
Young voters: The election on Nov. 5 is a critical moment for Generation Z, whose turnout could reshape the future on key issues. Feeling represented: People of color and young women are finding hope and empowerment in Kamala Harris’s historic nomination. Freedom: Democrats framed their convention and campaign around the idea of freedom,
Kamala Harris has made abortion rights a hallmark of her campaign, pledging to sign a Congress-passed bill making abortion a federally-protected right. Ms. Harris, the second woman who is a major-party presidential nominee, has energized the pro-choice movement, aliging it with the key message of Freedom. Ms. Harris is also a strong supporter of access to in vitro fertilization treatments which has recently come under scrutiny in court cases as people believe life starts at fertilization
Donald Trump believes abortion rights should be left up to individual states to decide, modeled by his role in and support for the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Mr. Trump has recently stated that he supports abortion legislation that makes exceptions for rape, incest and instances when the mother’s life is at risk. Mr. Trump also has proposed an unspecified plan to make IVF treatments free for all women who need it, which differs from other people in his political party.
Sources: The White House, CNN, The 19th, ACLU, CNN
To make a difference, students get involved in the election
by
Despite busy schedules, anxiety over the upcoming election or their own eligibility to vote, students are writing postcards, making phone calls and working as junior election judges — and they are determined to defend democracy and make a difference.
Members of the U-High Progressives have worked to write nonpartisan postcards encouraging voters in swing states, like Wisconsin and Michigan, to cast their ballots.
Co-president Lucie Bhatoey-Bertrand emphasized the importance of uniting behind civic engagement.
“As a senior it’s a little bit difficult because it’s a really overwhelming time already and then the election on top of that, it’s hard to be involved,” she said. “But I think moments like that are where we can all come together and do something, even if it’s small, to help participate or to engage civically.”
Co-president Alice Cox said young people should get involved to express their beliefs.
“It’s important that they get involved in the election process, especially when we’re going to become adults in such a time when this election will be critical,” she said. “I think a lot of younger people have specific issues in mind when they’re talking about politics nowadays.”
Students who chose to work as a junior election judge on Nov. 5 will oversee polling stations and assist voters to ensure the election runs smoothly. They’ll begin before polls open at 6 a.m. and work until after the polls close at 7 p.m., earning $230 for the day.
Senior Helena Emerton signed up because she feels a strong responsibility to defend democracy.
FOREIGN WAR
IMMIGRATION
“The candidates’ takes on climate change policy will be extremely influential to the future of the world, as we’re currently living in a period of time in which we still have the opportunity to do something, but that window will pass.”
— Isaac Sutherland, sophomore
Kamala Harris supports the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, especially contributing to the international effort of limiting global temperature increases, and advocates for achieving 100% carbon-neutral electricity by 2035. Ms. Harris proposes significant investment in clean energy infrastructure and jobs. Ms. Harris does not support a ban on fracking, although she previously did when she initially ran for president in 2020.
Donald Trump expresses skepticism of human-caused climate change, especially shown by when as president in 2017 he withdrew the United States from the Paris Agreement. Mr. Trump has also reversed or weakened rules during his presidential term that limited greenhouse gas emissions here in the U.S. Mr. Trump celebrates U.S. fossil fuel production with the belief that oil drilling makes the nation a more competitive energy producer.
Sources: CNN, The New York Times, The Guardian, USA Today
“My family is basically all immigrants, and I grew up in a community with lots of immigrants too. There’s a shared understanding of trying to navigate the difficulties of being undocumented, and trying to come here through a legal process.”
— Santiago Tardio, junior
Kamala Harris pledges to “protect our nation’s sovereignty” and “secure our border,” supporting tougher border policies, such as backing changes to make asylum restrictions longer-lasting. Ms. Harris promises to revive and pass the bipartisan border security bill — which would increase border staffing, expand detention capacity, introduce asylum reforms and more — that failed in Congress.
Donald Trump promises to launch “the largest domestic deportation operation in American history,” which would involve arresting, detaining and deporting millions of illegal immigrants. He would reinstate several border policies from his term, including the Remain in Mexico policy, Title 42 and the so-called “Muslim ban.” Mr. Trump also wants to end birthright citizenship for children born in the United States to undocumented immigrant parents.
Sources: Newsweek, Elcano Royal Institute, NBC, The Guardian, ACLU
“The issue that matters to me the most in the election is the policy on the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. These wars need to be resolved and the people who have suffered need to be provided with support and resources.”
— Arlo Temelko-Post, sophomore
Kamala Harris strongly supports cooperation with the NATO alliance and criticizes Mr. Trump’s threats to abandon it. On the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ms. Harris pledges continued support for Ukraine and condemns Russian aggression. Ms. Harris has consistently expressed support for providing military, economic and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.
On the Israel-Hamas war, Ms. Harris supports Israel’s right to self-defense but is vocal about humanitarian concerns in Gaza.
Donald Trump threatens to leave NATO as he criticizes European allies for not reaching defense spending goals. On Ukraine, Mr. Trump claims he could end the war quickly and opposes additional aid to Ukraine. On Gaza, he expresses strong support for Israel and is skeptical of a two-state solution for the conflict. He has claimed he would also be able to bring this war to a halt quickly.
Sources: Euronews, CBS, Euronews,
“The insurrection on Jan. 6 is shutting out the voices of people and ignoring the vote and kind of crushing the democracy that is central to our country,” she said. “I think that it’s important to me that I’m having this role and making sure that people’s voices are just being heard and that democracy is still intact.” Lucie is also participating as an election judge.
“I think being a high school election judge allows me to participate in democracy in a way that is productive and helpful,” she said. “I’m working with the Republican Party, while I align more with the values of the Democratic Party. So for me, I think that this election and the sacredness of democracy really transcends issues like party politics and partisan politics.”
Some students made phone calls over the summer, including junior Summer Pinc who supported Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris’ campaign. Summer volunteered to alleviate her anxiety about the upcoming election’s unclear outcome.
“I feel like a lot of the time elections affect a lot of the way that the U.S. interacts with outside countries, and I feel like this election is really going to affect the lives of a lot of people, specifically minority groups,” she said. “I feel like now more than ever, it’s really important to protect people’s livelihood and to allow people the freedom to do what they want and protect U.S. democracy.” While participating in different activities, all U-High students seem to be echoing the same message: they can make an impact on the future of democracy. Civic engagement does not begin at the ballot box — it starts with taking action.
by CLARE McROBERTS Editor-in-Chief
“Sex Education” tracks the imaginary lives of teens in a made-up British town over four seasons. “Euphoria” touches on drugs, relationships, social media and high school. In “Never Have I Ever,” a teen who has lost her father navigates life with all its misery and its thrills. And the list goes on and on.
Coming-of-age stories have always been a focus for book authors and movie makers, providing real high schoolers with lots of images of The result, some U-High students say, is a welcome chance to see recognizable depictions of people of their own age group and interests. For others, many depictions seem to lean toward stereotypes or idealized, unrealistic versions of what it’s really like to be in high school.
“While romanticized depictions of high school can be fun to watch, it can sometimes be hard to picture them as events that could actually occur in your own life, which in turn make them feel not relatable and unattainable,” sophomore Nadia Washington said.
In a way, the Hollywood version of what a current teenager’s life is like suggests that everything is more dramatic on a daily basis than anyone’s life could really be.
“I don’t think movies and TV shows accurately depict teenagers but rather depict exaggerated versions of teen stereotypes,” Hana Javed, a senior, said. “I think that they do this so that more people have things to identify with.”
Sadie Ellis, a sophomore and social media manager for the U-High Film Society, described two distinct types of the current comingof-age genre: The romanticized version of high school and the real, sometimes difficult version. She cited the film “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before —” which starts with the premise that the lead character, Lara Jean, has all her secret love letters exposed to their recipients
Midway illustration by Asher Dennis
SCREEN DREAMS. Many movies and TV shows centered around coming-of-age themes have the target audience of real high schoolers; and some make their viewers laugh or feel seen, while others perpetrate
— as an example of the romanticized type.
“It’s a really great, fun movie to watch and it’s awesome — and it is nothing like real life,” Sadie said.
“It’s never like, ‘Oh yeah, I’m going to be Lara Jean.’”
Sadie said that she viewed “Heartstopper,” a series about school, friendships and young love, as an example of the more nuanced, true-to-life type show.
“It is not tied up with a pretty bow,” Sadie said of the series. “It is real, and it is about eating dis-
orders and people who are going through really, really hard things, and they don’t get figured out. They’re just doing their best — which is unlike anything I’ve seen on screen before.”
In Sadie’s opinion, there is room for both genres.
“There is a lot of romanticized media about high school, like this is when you have perfect grades, and you’re going to get into Harvard and you’re going to have the perfect boyfriend and then a best friend, and it’s fun to watch,” she
said. “It’s happy and it’s fun, but it isn’t real, and so when I watch it, I’m happy and I leave feeling satisfied, but I don’t feel like I can relate as much to the characters because it feels like they’re living on screen in a fake world.”
About the other, more realistic type of show, Sadie added, “I also like the option of feeling really related to these characters who are going through the same things and don’t have it figured out and don’t end up together, or the exact way that they thought they were.”
Teen portrayals tend to be exaggerated and prepetuate stereotypes
Some experts on media portrayals of Generation Z say some films and shows tend to present teens in ways that may exaggerate stereotyped perceptions: that teens are always on social media and digital platforms, for instance, or that they are all highly political in their thinking.
Jennifer Green, a senior lecturer in Media & Journalism and Film at Central Washington University and a film reviewer for Common Sense Media, emphasized the difference between portrayals and real teenagers in an interview with the U-High Midway.
She claims that teen portrayals are not always accurate.
“Which came first, right?” Dr. Green asked. “Are people like that, or are the portrayals like that? And are people kind of that similar in your generation all around the world, or is it the media telling us this is how a teenager behaves?”
She says that media influences real life and vice versa.
“It’s this idea of life being lived through a screen, as opposed to life being lived in reality. I don’t think that that’s Gen Z-specific,” Dr. Green said. “I think that’s all of us now, maybe not my parents, maybe not the boomers, but the rest of us, I feel like that’s pretty typical. And yet I also think it’s something that older generations like to kind of point the finger back at younger generations on a lot of topics, but especially on screens.”
— Clare McRoberts
by ORLIE WEITZMAN Assistant Editor
This year’s fall play tells the story of a futuristic world where robots, initially created as laborers for humans, revolt against their creators.“Rossum’s Universal Robots” will take place in Sherry Lansing Theater and run Nov. 14-16 at 7 p.m. Originally written in the 1920s by the Czech playwright Karel Capek, “R.U.R.” was selected as the fall production due to its timely themes of artificial intelligence — an issue that has captured significant interest in the community.
“We’re entering an exciting but scary era of artificial intelligence,” director Matt Boresi said. “We’re wrestling with it on a personal level with things like how we write our research papers, but also on a
Corvus gallery hosts exhibition for faculty artwork, theater performances from an expert
by NAOMI BENTON Audience Engagement Editor
Photographs, ceramics, installations, acrylic paintings, performance pieces and more can be viewed through Nov. 22 at the Corvus Art Gallery in Gordon Parks Arts Hall. The gallery is displaying an exhibition showing the creative work of Lab’s art teachers.
This exhibition gives the Laboratory Schools’ fine arts teachers a chance to foster their artistic talent and showcase their creative work while connecting with
larger level of what technology we are allowing into our lives. This is a play that addresses that.”
Sophomore Eliza Feigenbaum, who plays the role of a human “robot activist” named Helena, also believes the play was chosen for its relevant messages.
“What’s really impressive about this play is how relevant it is to the present day, since it was written over 100 years ago,” Eliza said. “At the end of the play, all the humans are dead because the robots have taken over. I think that’s something we need to think about in terms of AI and developing it further because it could potentially be detrimental to our livelihood.”
Addy Johnson, a junior who plays engineer Fabry in the production, says she enjoys how the
students from elementary through high school.
Ana Romero, U-High art teacher and head of the fine arts department, planned this event and also contributed an acrylic painting of her own that depicts her two sons.
Ms. Romero believes the purpose of this exhibition goes beyond showcasing the teachers’ ability to create art but also to promote art in younger students and encourage them to pursue their interests.
Ms. Romero said she asked the art teachers why they do the work
play combines lighthearted elements with more serious issues.
“It’s humorous but it’s also very interesting,” she said.
Addy also appreciates how “R.U.R.” differs from previous theater productions she has been involved in.
“The play is different from what you would normally expect for a high school production,” she said. “We re-wrote the script and made it more accessible to everyone.”
Mr. Boresi noted that what’s special about “R.U.R.” is there are not one or two main roles.
“The way we have edited the script, it is very much an ensemble piece,” he said. “The rehearsals we’ve had so far have really felt like a bunch of artists working together to tell a story.”
they do and every answer involved people talking about what they used to do when they were kids.
“So if anything,” Ms. Romero said, “I think it can help show and demonstrate that whatever it is that you think and feel you like as a kid, no matter how old you are, keep doing it because you just don’t know where it can take you.”
Through teaching art classes, Ms. Romero finds appreciation for art in each of her students — yet another reason it is relevant for students to appreciate art shows
ACTING OUT AI. U-High's upcoming fall play, “Rossum’s Universal Robots"— which tells the story of a futuristic world — will take place in Sherry Lansing Theater and run Nov. 14-16 at 7 p.m.
such as this.
“It is good to know what attracts you, what you like: food flavors, colors, sound, clothing,” Ms. Romero said. “Kids should come just to add to their own development what sparks their curiosity.”
The exhibition opened Oct. 4 with a performance by three of the Laboratory Schools’ drama educators: Audra Budrys, Ryan Wantland and Lydia Milman-Schmidt.
The performance included three acts from Ms. Budrys, a presentation of previous sets by Mr. Want-
land, and a talk about advocating for parents in art from Ms. Schmidt.
Ms. Budrys said that the intended impact on students is for them to enjoy it and to build community through live events.
“We just want to foster the sense of community around the arts at Lab,” Ms. Budrys said.
Through the arts faculty exhibition, students gain a new perspective on their teachers, who get an opportunity to showcase and build their creative work.
by SKYE FREEMAN
Features Editor
“I was chasing a butterfly and fell in by accident!” yelled Flower, the sweet-yet-naive ghost of a 1960s hippie, when she was rescued from the bottom of a well by her ghost friends. Flower was missing throughout the third season of the CBS TV series “Ghosts,” but the character, played by actress Sheila Carrasco, returned for the fourth season on Oct. 17. Her return was celebrated by the cast and fans alike.
A 2000 U-High graduate, Ms. Carrasco grew up primarily in Chicago’s South Side, her father a Methodist minister and her mother, Joyce Carrasco, a third grade teacher at Lab.
She joined Lab in second grade, and at age 7, an “Annie”-obsessed Sheila performed in a rendition of the movie at a local community theater.
More than three decades later, Ms. Carrasco is loved by fans who’ve followed the show since its premiere in 2021.
Based on the original British series of the same name, “Ghosts” follows a young couple who inherits a rundown country estate, which happens to be filled with ghosts.
Despite her success, Ms. Carrasco’s journey was one of perseverance.
“I did a lot of theater growing up mainly because I just loved it,” Ms. Carrasco said in an interview with the U-High Midway. “I got the bug, and I just really liked being on stage, and I just loved the kind of temporary nature of making a show because it was like working on a great art project with other people, and you get to do it and get to perform and then it’s done and you move on to the next thing. That’s what I still love about it today.”
She participated in a lot of community theater growing up, attended Lab’s summer theater program and learned the fundamentals of acting in middle school theater. Yet high school was different. “I just felt really busy with basketball and also I was intimidated. I was totally intimidated by the theater kids,” she said. “I think
“
That’s so important developmentally, I think, in high school, to push those physical boundaries in a way to express yourself.
— Sheila Carrasco, actress and U-High alumna ”
eventually I just missed doing theater so much that I made myself audition.”
Ms. Carrasco performed in arendition of “Arcadia” for the seasonal Student Experimental Theater and never looked back. She played in fall and spring productions, directed for S.E.T. her senior year, and wrote the 2000 spring musical.
Ms. Carrasco said she learned a lot from high school theater direc-
tor Liucija Ambrosini, despite her intimidating reputation. Ms. Carrasco loved how Mrs. Ambrosini directed.
“It demanded you get outside of yourself and fill out the painting she was trying to paint all the time with her staging, you know, and filling shapes as much as possible,” Ms. Carrasco said. “And that’s so important developmentally, I think, in high school, to push those physical boundaries in a way to express yourself, because it’s easy to become tight and small and suppress emotion.”
Inspired to pursue a theater career, Ms. Carrasco attended the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, where she learned how to self-produce, direct and design sets. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in directing and set design in 2004, and wanting more serious acting training, attended Harvard University for
‘GHOST’ OF U-HIGH. Sheila Carrasco, U-High Class of 2000 graduate, is reprising her role as Flower in the third season of supernatural sitcom “Ghosts” on CBS. She joined Lab in second grade, and at age 7, an “Annie”-obsessed Sheila performed in a rendition of the movie at a local community theater which introduced her to acting. Taught by now-retired U-High theater director Liucija Ambrosini, Ms. Carrasco advises high school students to express themselves freely like she did.
graduate school in 2007.
After obtaining a Master of Fine Arts in 2009, she moved to Los Angeles with her boyfriend at the time, now her husband.
While trying to build her name in Los Angeles, Ms. Carrasco worked many side jobs. She’s been a dog walker, a nanny for four different families, retail manager, tutor, barista and so much more. The variety in job experience came in handy when she started writing comedy.
“It was so much easier when I wrote what I knew and I could write about all these crazy characters I would come into contact with every day that I would fall in love with, like regulars at the coffee shop or, you know, the woman that ran the flower shop I worked at,” Ms. Carrasco said. “Things like that really become material for you.”
When not working her side jobs,
Ms. Carrasco did commercial work and took classes at the Groundlings Theater, a sketch comedy troupe and school where character comedians go to develop their skills. She explored improv, wrote skits and characters for herself and uploaded content to social media. Her hard work paid off, and she booked “Ghosts” during the pandemic. It was a dream come true to Ms. Carrasco, a life-long fan of “The Office” who’d always wanted to be a part of a show that could make its audience laugh.
“[To] just be one of the, like, 10 characters that has a really strong point of view, a couple of jokes an episode, like, I will be so happy,” she said. “And that’s basically what the show is: We’re a real ensemble, we make each other laugh, we do improve every day, we work with the most amazing guest stars. Yeah, like, it’s a dream come true. It really is. I have so much fun.”
by CHLOË ALEXANDER Editor-in-Chief
“I LOVE CHICAGO!”
These words were shouted by Yung Gravy after performing the first song for his set amid the flashing lights and smoke in Radius Chicago on Oct. 10, standing on the stage in a decorated white suit, cowboy hat and silk shirt — and a chunky MILF belt to top it off.
The presentation and performance of the Chicago stop on his tour were entertaining, and the visuals were amusing, yet even with Yung Gravy’s great stage presence and entertaining opening act Carter Vail the concert’s output was chaotic, lackluster and needed work with songs that don’t effectively translate from TikTok to a live performance.The concert opened with DJ Tiiiiiiiiiip, a long-haired man in a cowboy hat who set the mood for the night: light-hearted and fun. From throwing packaged pastries into the crowd to saying “I can’t play copyrighted music” and thus playing Kahoot theme and elevator music for his first 15 minutes onstage while projecting a PowerPoint filled with Chicago jokes and concert “rules,” DJ Tiiiiiiiiiip
was a highlight of the night. Then came the 30-minute set from Carter Vail, another standout. From happy indie rock bops to breakup songs, this short set solidified them as a group to pay attention to. I listened to their recorded songs after the concert, and I believe they sound much better live than in the studio. Then DJ Tiiiiiiiiiip came back out, made some more jokes and played hit songs like “Hot to Go!” by Chappell Roan, “Fein!” by Travis Scott and “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver. After that, DJ Tip put on “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus to usher out the main act: Yung Gravy. Aside from the three songs that I knew from scrolling on TikTok, Yung Gravy’s set featured all new music for me. So I was quite shocked by the overly explicit songs — some of which were unnecessarily so. Then came the “never before seen short film” by Yung Gravy himself — which, at its core, was just a video of very sparsely clothed people. Aside from the content of the performance, for most of his set, Yung Gravy’s pitch modulated from too-loud-to-unders-
Minneapolis native Taylor Madrigal, known by his stage name DJ Tiiiiiiiiiip, generated excitement as the opening act for Yung Gravy’s North American tour. As well as performing at his own events, the DJ/record producer has toured and collaborated with many musical artists including R&B singer Spooky Black and with rappers Bobby Raps and Allan Kingdom. He has over 50,000 followers on Instagram, where his username is @tiiiiiiiiiip.
— Orlie Weitzman opener info
tand to him mumbling into the mic, nearly incomprehensible. Maybe with some more practice and time spent with a crowd, Yung Gravy would give a better performance than his two openers, and maybe with more lyricism and less shock factor, his music would shine and his talent could be seen while he performs. But without it, Yung Gravy fell short on skill level, even with a fun environment.
by SOHANA SCHNEIDER
Assistant Editor
On the nondescript corner of East Hyde Park Boulevard and South Dorchester Avenue lives a hidden gem. A decorated window showcases books with intricate covers and intriguing titles. Inside, chill music plays in an open, sunlit room with sage green walls and shelves lined with books upon books and twinkling fairy lights. Customers chat with the owner and stream in and out of the longsought space, their bags full of books.
Call and Response bookstore, which opened on May 4, aims to normalize the stories of people of color and emphasizes the role of independent bookstores in communities.
Owner Courtney Bledsoe says her own identity and her love of literature have been inspirations when creating a bookstore that works to provide Black authors with a platform. She chose the name “Call and Response” in honor of African diasporic traditions of call and response, where a storyteller tells a story and the audience responds.
“I’ve been really passionate, in particular, about sharing and amplifying literature by Black and other people of color, especially because I think the publishing industry still is not necessarily providing them with the same types of platforms that other authors are getting,” Ms. Bledsoe said, “so I wanted to have a dedicated space for that kind of conversation.”
By focusing on the work of Black, Indigenous and authors of color, voices and cultures that are typically not accurately represented by the media can be uplifted.
“I think it’s also about how we can normalize stories of people of color, right?” Ms. Bledsoe said. “A lot of the time, people find themselves feeling like their stories are kind of pushed off to the margins and not made to feel as important.”
Tamara Rutledge, an author and
PROFOUND PERSPECTIVES.
employee at Call and Response, said that as a kid in the Young Adult section, they would have loved a place like Call and Response, a sentiment they said customers have also shared.
“Looking at the YA section now, I would have lost my mind if I saw
those books when I was a kid. Like, all these Black girls on the cover, going on cool fantasy adventures with dragons,” they said.
Layla Patrick, a seventh grader and a first-time customer at Call and Response, appreciates that the focus of the bookstore are stories
by people of color.
“Because I’m Black, it is nice to see Black owners and the collections that they give, because I feel like at other bookstores or libraries, they don’t have very diverse book sections,” Layla said. “Walking around this one, I see a lot of
by ABHAY CHANDRAN Audience Engagement Editor
Ride-sharing apps Uber and Lyft grant students access to easy, independent transportation, but they may come with safety concerns.
However, with Uber’s new teen accounts, students are able to get from place to place feeling more safe and secure.
An Uber teen account can be created within an Uber family profile for young people who are 1317 years old. These accounts ensure that the teen’s location is always available to their parents, they’re given highly rated drivers, and they have access to safety features such as PIN verification, destinations that can only be changed by the passenger, and an audio recording of the entire ride.
Sophomore Samara Grossman said the many security measures of Uber’s teen accounts help create a nicer environment than when using a regular Uber, and they make her feel more comfortable.
“I definitely think it feels safer just because of all of the extra precautions,” Samara said. “There’s the PIN code you have to enter, there’s the audio recording of the ride, and all of the drivers have to have like 4.8 stars or higher, so I definitely think that the layers of safety make it feel better.”
Despite these precautions, sophomore Zoe Cobb finds that Ubers feel safer with company, with or
Call and Response staff recommendations for high school students:
without a teen account.
“I really only used Uber whenever I was with my parents or someone older, because I never really felt safe doing it by myself,” Zoe said. “It wasn’t until recently that I started using Uber or Uber Teen or really any nonparent driving, and even then, I feel like I usually went with my brother before he went to college or with my friends.”
While these safety concerns are still present for students and parents alike, using additional safety measures in tandem with the features provided by Uber’s teen accounts allows students to have independent rides without feeling unsafe.
“My parents are still definitely concerned,” Zoe said. “They’re definitely still checking in, but there is definitely a feeling that the drivers are vetted by Uber. They aren’t people who randomly signed up.”
Although Ubers may be less convenient than public transportation when heading to and from school, Samara believes the safety that an Uber’s teen account ride provides can be helpful when traveling late at night.
“I have dance after school, so when I have to get back to Hyde Park late at night I take an Uber,” Samara said. “I take public transportation to get to school, but at night the Uber feels safer.”
• “Patron Saints of Nothing” by Randy Ribay
• “Lunar New Year Love Story” by Gene Luen Yang
• “Immortal Dark” by Tigest Girma book recs
Black, Asian, Hispanic stories, and I think that’s really cool.” Chicago has many residents that identify as people of color, but Ms. Bledsoe believes Hyde Park’s community is exceptionally unique. Trivia nights, book clubs, author talks and personal conversations allow the bookstore to connect with its neighborhood, which is 54% people of color, according to the 2020 census.
“Having not only a bookstore here in the city of Chicago, but in an area like Hyde Park that is just really diverse, with Black and Brown people in it, makes this place feel representative to a large group of people,” Ms. Bledsoe said.
Since there are 2,185 independent bookstores in the nation, and only 7% of them are Black-owned, recommendations by people working at the bookstores can give customers what they are looking for.
“Amazon or other big box retailers, a lot of their recommendations for people are driven by algorithms, right?” Ms. Bledsoe said. “So a lot of times people, especially right now, are maybe not necessarily avid readers, but they’re looking to get back into reading. So it’s really nice to be able to help people personally and give recommendations.”
Ytasha Womack, a Black author and a recurring customer at Call and Response, said she likes how Call and Response allows people to shift from the solo-activity of reading to a shared, communal experience.
“At Call and Response, they certainly create a space where people can feel comfortable asking about books,” Ms. Womack said. “That spirit of a bookstore is just really beautiful.”
by CAROLINE SKELLY Audience Engagement Editor
Along with the changing leaves and the chilly weather, the fall season brings in many activities to Chicago.
From festivals to exhibits, here are five activities in the city to try this fall.
Arts in the Dark is an evening parade on Oct. 19 that goes down State Street from Lake Street to West Van Buren Street from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. It celebrates Halloween as an “artist’s holiday.” The parade is free.
Jack’s Pumpkin Patch PopUp is a vibrant fall festival north of downtown Chicago near Goose Island at 1265 W. Le Moyne St. through Nov. 3. Ticket packages start at $30.
Fall Fest at Lincoln Park Zoo is a seasonal attraction on Fridays and Saturdays until Oct. 27. It features activities like pumpkin carving, live entertainment and engaging with animals. Admission is free.
Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns at the Chicago Botanical Garden is a spooky event filled with intricately carved pumpkins that runs Oct. 16-20 and Oct. 23-27, and tickets range from $20-$25. See more at uhighmidway.com.
Whether you want to host a gathering this spooky season or are looking for some fun snacks to make, here are four family-friendly snacks that you or your guests will enjoy.
by JULIANA DAUGHERTY & ARI NOVAK
For a spooky addition to your Halloween spread, try these spider-shaped Oreos.
Time to make: 1-2 minutes per spider
Ingredients:
1. Pack of Oreos
2. Candy corn
3. Pretzel sticks
4. Store-bought frosting
5. M&Ms (optional)
Instructions:
1. For the body, grab an Oreo cookie and carefully separate it into two halves.
2. For the legs, take three to four pretzel sticks and place them onto one of the cookie halves.
3. For the fangs, stick two pieces of candy corn onto the cookie halves, with the tips of the candy corn sticking over the side of the cookie.
4. To reassemble, place the other cookie half on top, pressing the pretzels and candy corn into the Oreo filling, and it is ready to serve.
“This one is salty, it’s chocolate-y. I used M&Ms but you can also use frosting or use the googly eyes that [Juliana] used with the rice krispies,” Ari said regarding the treat.
It’s alive! These adorable monster bars are creepy, cute and fun.
Time to make: 5 minutes per two bars
Ingredients: 1. Rice Krispie bars (store-bought or homemade)
2. White chocolate chips
3. Food dye
4. Edible candy eyes
Instructions:
1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine ¼ cup of white chocolate chips and a half teaspoon of coconut oil, and microwave until melted, about 30-50 sec. Make sure to stir the white chocolate after 20 seconds.
2. Once the white chocolate is melted, add two to three drops of your desired food coloring, and mix.
3. Dip a Rice Krispie treat, coating half of the bar in the colored chocolate.
4. Stick the edible eyes and any other decorative candy onto the bar, then transfer to parchment paper for cooling.
“I thought they were really good. I thought the chocolate and the rice krispies went really well together,” Juliana said about the bars.
for more
Scan the QR code for a video that features four DIY family-friendly Halloween snacks that you can make at home.
Break from the sugar? Here is a simple and healthy treat that still has a Halloween flair.
Time to make: 30 seconds per treat
Ingredients:
1. Mandarin oranges
2. Bananas
3. Chocolate chips
4. Sharpie marker
Instructions:
1. To assemble your pumpkin cuties, grab a Sharpie and the mandarin oranges.
2. On the peel of the orange draw a jack o’lantern eyes and mouth, and you’re done.
1. For the ghost bananas, peel the banana and cut it in half.
2. Add two mini chocolate chips to the top of the banana for the eyes. Then serve.
“For those of you who aren’t into the sugary treats, we also have some banana ghosts. So these took me three seconds or less. All you do is peel a banana and then add some mini chocolate chips,” Juliana said while trying the snacks.
“Healthy and easy,” Ari said about the ghost banana. “It’s the way to go!”
Whether eaten in one sitting or split into goodie bags, this snack is easy to make and delicious.
Time to make: 1 minute
Ingredients:
1. Pretzels
2. Rye chips
3. Bagel chips
4. Chex cereal
5. Mini-breadsticks
6. Candy corn
7. Pumpkin-shaped candy
Instructions:
1. For this Chex Mix, pour all of the ingredients into a large bowl and mix.
2. The fall Chex Mix can be customized to suit your tastes, so use whatever ingredients you’d like.
“The flavor palette’s interesting,” Ari said when trying the snacks. “It’s a little garlicky, paired with some candy corn flavors.”
“If you don’t like candy corn it’s not for you. But all in all, it works,” Juliana said.
“It took genuinely five seconds to make, so for the time commiment, not that bad of a flavor,” Ari added.
Too old to trick-or-treat? Some U-High students say no
by ARI NOVAK Assistant Editor
Trick-or-treating is one of the highlights of the fall season. Children take to the streets in various costumes, clutching orange pails or decorated pillowcases with the hopes of loading them full of candy, while parents stroll behind, usually clutching a jacket or forgotten prop.
Even teenagers whiz by, joking with friends along the street as they, too, bound up to decorated houses.
But teens weaving among tiny ghosts and witches reignites an old argument: Are teens too old to trick-or-treat?
There is no defined age limit for trick-or-treating, and many teens believe there shouldn’t be. After all, dressing up in costume and eating candy is an activity that anyone can enjoy, and when Halloween rolls around, lots of U-High students dress up for the festivities. However, the conversation here is whether older teens should be allowed to trick-or-treat.
Some believe the Halloween experience is diminished for younger children if high schoolers come along, usually under the assump-
I don’t
think the stereotype that all teenagers are going to toilet paper someone’s house is necessarily accurate. Whenever I go trick-ortreating, it’s just been a really fun time, like, just to go and hang out with people.
— Giovanni Nicolai, sophomore ”
tion that older kids will act recklessly. U-High students argue against this reputation, saying that most high school trick-or-treaters do behave responsibly.
“I don’t think the stereotype that all teenagers are going to toilet paper someone’s house is necessarily accurate,” sophomore Giovanni Nicolai said. “Whenever I go trickor-treating, it’s just been a really fun time, like, just to go and hang out with people.”
According to a poll by the Today Show, 16% of adults believe that kids should stop trick-or-treating between 17 and 18 years old, while 19% say that trick-or-treat-
ing should be cut off at 16.
Sophomore Dina Letko does not agree with these suggested age restrictions.
“I don’t think there’s any age that’s too old for trick-or-treating,” Dina said. “I feel like trick-or-treating is intended to be something that’s enjoyed by everyone.”
Senior Theo Hinerfeld thinks that there is an age when someone becomes too old to be trick-ortreating, but high school students have not yet reached that point.
“A lot of teenagers are reckless and could be trying to have fun in a dangerous way, which could be dangerous for younger kids,” Theo acknowledged. “I just think it depends on what context you’re in. I think, maybe as an adult, trick-ortreating is a little weird. But I think dressing up and going out is acceptable at any age.”
Although teenagers tend to get a bad rap when it comes to trickor-treating, not every high school student is looking to cause chaos during the festivities.
“I think it’s really about preference and character,” sophomore Iris Strahelivitz said. “If people are just going to have fun and be normal, then go.”
Sophomore duo turns nail art hobby into innovative, Insta-friendly business
by MIA LIPSON Managing Editor
The rough swipes of a nail file, the delicate application of the first coat of color, the swipe of an airbrush, the careful placement of gems, the curl of a brushstroke, the calculated curing of the polish. The process of doing nails is remarkably lengthy, but sophomores Rania Khan and Mercury Romero repeat it all the time, and with ease. The result is remarkable: gorgeous and unique sets of nails, complete with vibrant hues and eye-catching designs, sparkling gems and intricate butterflies, and always with a sleek finish.
Though time is essential to this process, the most fundamental part of doing nails is skill — something Rania and Mercury have mastered. They’ve taken that skill and poured into their business, Shimmr Nails.
Since they began Shimmr Nails a few months ago, Rania and Mercury have navigated the ins and outs of running a business. Through their immense talent and remarkable artistry, their business has led them to build connections across the Lab community, a result they never anticipated when they began doing each other’s nails.
Now, they have mastered the doing nails as Shimmr, a name with an intentional misspelling to showcase their initials, M and R, side by side, a testament to their partnership and impeccable art.
“At the beginning, we did a lot of practicing on one another. We had a fake hand that we worked with, and we watched a bunch of tutorials,” Rania said. “And then our friends at the start really helped us. They put their trust in us when we were just beginning as a business. They were definitely not our best sets, but we couldn’t have gotten to where we are today without those first few clients.”
Mercury loved getting her nails done, but was tired of spending around $80 on each set. Taking matters into her own hands, she bought a bunch of nail supplies and began to teach herself with social media tutorials how to do nail design.
Of all the design elements and nail shapes to work on, sophomore nail artists Rania Khan and Mercury Romero have found chrome nails and square nails to be two of their favorite designs. — Declan Smith nail types
Source: Shimmr Nails Instagram
Chrome nails: “It’s basically this shiny dust you can put on top of any type of nails, and it kind of just makes it almost holographic, but you can layer it on top of any kind of design,” Rania said.
“When I got nails done, I realized how much money it was for each set,” Mercury said. “I realized that other people were probably dealing with the same thing, especially when you’re in high school, so I just wanted to make it something affordable and fun for people.”
Ninth grader Salma El Bissati appreciated this when she got her nails done by the pair.
“My nails were extremely affordable compared to other salons with Gel-X,” Salma said, referring to a type of soft gel nail extension.
Rania and Mercury do nails at
SET FOR SUCCESS. Sophomore nail artists Rania
They’ve navigated the ins and outs of running their business,
following.
Mercury’s house, and Salma enjoyed the relaxed environment.
“Being done by teenagers like me, they were able to understand what I wanted. It was just like hanging out with friends. We were laughing and having fun the whole time,” Salma said.
“At the beginning, we were really awkward when we would be with these clients, if they weren’t our really close friends,” Rania said. “I think that’s definitely something that the business has taught us, because you have to sit there for two hours with somebody you’ve maybe never talked to in high school before.”
They created an Instagram account, @shimmrnails, to publicize
over
their work, and their client pool expanded. The account now has almost 200 followers and multiple posts featuring the stunning sets.
Junior Elsa Podszus loved her experience with Shimmr Nails and has gotten multiple sets, because of the comfortable and convenient environment.
Elsa said, “Normally, I feel like I need to be super polite and quiet in a nail salon, but I was able to just talk and enjoy my experience.”
Over the summer, Rania and Mercury had their first experience doing nails for older students and recent Lab graduates, many of whom wanted special nails to coordinate with their Lollapalooza and homecoming outfits. They enjoyed
hearing advice from their older clients, especially before their sophomore year.
As they look toward the future, the pair hopes to book more clients for events such as Spring Fling and continue doing what they love as they build friendships across the community.
“It’s just super cool to be able to see someone like upperclassmen in the hallways whose nails I’ve done, be able to see that set and say hi,” Mercury said.
Together they repeat that time-consuming process again and again. To see proof of their effort and talent, one only has to glance at the hands of countless members of the Lab community.
by LUCY SHIRRELL Assistant Editor
Amid the serenity of the library, tiny, intricately folded paper cranes peek their colorful heads out from between the bookshelves. The delicate folds and small, inspirational messages printed across the wings quietly advertise U-High’s newest form of relaxation: origami.
The Origami Club was founded by sophomores Lyla Ruiz de Luzuriaga and James Yu with the goal of relieving stress through the craft. The club meets during lunch on Mondays in the library classroom and has become a space for students to connect and grow their origami skills.
Overwhelmed by the coronavirus pandemic and the difficulties of online learning, Lyla sought a way to relax through origami.
“Sixth grade was the time when we were really online and it helped me. I was really stressed during COVID, so it helped me relieve some of that stress,” she said.
Realizing that her struggles were shared by other students, Lyla realized the U-High community could also benefit from an artbased activity.
“Lab is a very stressful place,” Lyla said. “We’re always worried about extracurriculars and academics, and I wanted to share an-
other way for people to feel that kind of calm by doing art.”
Lyla and Jimmy had observed each other making origami during their shared classes and bonded over their shared Asian identity, leading them to found the club together.
“Both of us would always do origami in class, we both noticed that each other really liked origami and we wanted to share that with other
people,” Lyla said. “Another part of it was our shared cultural experience because it’s connected to AAPI.”
Currently, most Origami Club members are sophomores, but Lyla hopes to expand the club’s reach through advertising, such as the origami cranes displayed in the library. “We advertise for our club with signs around the school,” Lyla said.
“What I like to do is place origami around the school a little bit — it’s that cool thing that everyone can see.”
Sophomore Zach McKnight, a member of the club, had a passion for origami before the club started and attends meetings to reconnect with his interest.
“My goal was to rekindle my love for origami since I haven’t done it in a really long time,” he said. “I think it’s partially because school has gotten more difficult, but with this club I’ll have a lot more time to do it.”
For Zach, the concept of creating something out of nothing ignited his interest in origami.
Similarly, sophomore Giovanni Nicolai was introduced to the club through his friendship with the founders. Watching his close friends create origami inspired him to try as well.
“I’ve known Jimmy for a while and I know he’s really good at origami, so I wanted to know how he does it,” he said.
Despite the bustle and pressure of a typical Monday, the Origami Club members focus on the delicate art of origami, folding paper into crisp creases as their stress fades away, replaced with the quiet satisfaction of creating something beautiful.
by the numbers
Origami is the art of folding paper. It includes styles such as realistic origami, modular origami and minimal origami.
1680
The first year when origami was mentioned in a Japanese poem by Ihara Saikaku.
Source: Enyclopedia Britannica
2,331,631
Origami cranes broke the record for the world’s largest display of cranes in Hong Kong.
Source: Guinness World Records Nov. 11
National Origami Day. It is held in Japan, the culmination of a two-week origami convention. Source: nationaltoday.com