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Pennington to Lead Student Body PAGE 2 • NEWS PAGE 7 • ARTS PAGE 16 • FEATURES During hybrid learning, Head designer of the Check out reviews of three many teachers have sneaker shop Leaders chicken sandwiches from struggled to find a 1354, alumnus Ellen Ma around Chicago. Find balance where both in- uses her platform to out how factors such as person and distance connect Asian and Black presentation, freshness, learning students remain communities in Chicago crispiness and flavor can engaged in class. through streetwear. make or break the taste. University of Chicago Laboratory High School 1362 East 59th Street, Chicago,U-HIGH Illinois 60637 MIDWAY uhighmidway.com • Volume 97, Number 2 MAY 6, 2021 Editors Pennington to lead student body by AMANDA CASSEL With a relatively low voter EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 2021-22 Student Council turnout this year, do you think sign off This interview took place May 1, Student Council is representative President: Brent Pennington the day after the election, and was of the entire student body? Kennedi Bickham lightly edited for clarity and space. Vice President: Student Council is 23 people year of The extended version is online. Secretary: Peter Stern representing 610 students. There What is your main goal or a Treasurer: Taig Singh is no way in the world that Student couple of your main goals as all- Cultural Union President: Council is going to be able to rep- distance school president. How do you Saul Arnow resent that many people with just plan to put them into action? Cultural Union Vice President: 23 people, which is why I want to by EDITORS-IN-CHIEF My main goal as all-school pres- make sure that Student Council is Katie Baffa Dear Readers, ident is to make it so that Student open to having people who either Fourteen months ago, life Council is capable of accomplish- CLASS OF 2022 didn’t win or just didn’t run at all to changed: from classes to ing a lot and to prove to the rest of President: Zachary Gin come on Student Council and rep- clubs to sports. We experi- the school that Student Council Vice President: Ardith Huner resent that level of just any type of enced many changes to how can do a lot more. idea. Cultural Union: we gather, report and publish The first thing that I want to do There’s no way that I can rep- the U-High Midway. Today, as all-school president is I want Alma Moskowitz, Alina Susani resent every single person, all the for the first time since March to work with the current execu- CLASS OF 2023 students in the student body, and 12, 2020, the Midway will tive board and formulate a general President: Fermi Boonstra there’s no way that even if I were publish its first full printed document or Excel sheet that lists MIDWAY PHOTO BY MALCOLM TAYLOR the rising Senior Class president, Vice President: Graham Robbins edition, continuing a 97-year all the different Student Council NEW LEADERSHIP. Brent I would be able to represent every tradition. “things,” responsibilities, events, Pennington’s goals as all- Cultural Union: single person. I would say that the In a year that was nearly meetings, so that Student Council school president include Akshay Badlani, Maile Nacu best way in order to make sure that completely online, we at the are encouraged to start thinking proving Student Council’s CLASS OF 2024 there is that inclusivity is to open Midway did our best to adapt up Student Council. about the different ways that they ability to solve problems, President: Zoe Nathwani to the ev- can change the school. Many students see Student promoting school spirit and Kaavya Shriram er-changing And then, opening up Student Vice President: Council as a popularity contest circumstanc- Council into something that can increasing communication Cultural Union: or an ineffective organization. es. We pub- be used to greater effect by all and transparency. Adam Cheema, Willow Stern How do you plan on addressing lished an un- students. In freshman year, I was the concerns of these students? precedent- in a club that essentially fund- the second one should be mak- to distance learning? Student Council has a lot more ed amount of raised for other clubs and did re- ing sure that students are being The most important thing that ability to make change than stu- content, five, search on fundraising methods so represented in important changes I can stress is communication dents may imagine. I was able to six or even that it could be shared with other to the school in general. You have and transparency because a lot complete eight separate things this Ella seven days groups. I had originally wanted to a responsibility. I’ve been able to of these decisions are going to be year alone. And when I say things, Beiser a week. We integrate that into Student Council contact people like Ms. Noel and changing on a dime. I can’t prom- it’s important things like connect- posted on and now that I am all school, I’ll try someone from the charter school, ise any specific policy that won’t ing with the charter school, I’m social media and push for that in Student Coun- and they both responded with “of be completely changed by to- starting a sex-ed forum initia- (@uhighmid- cil, so that we can have students course, let’s meet,” and it’s all be- morrow. Because of that, all I can tive organization, I filed bill being way — give who are not on Student Council cause of that fact that I was from say is that what I will try to do passed, a bunch of different things us a follow!) doing things constantly. Lab and I was on the Student throughout the process is make that I was really able to do alone. and expand- In your mind, what effect Council. Because not every sin- sure that students are aware of When it comes to that level of en- ed our au- should Student Council have on gle person at Lab has that ability, meetings, where they can provide gagement, if every single Student dio offerings. the student body? we have a unique responsibility to input, so that students know that Council member was producing We even cre- I’ll say Student Council should make sure that with that power, we these are meetings that are hap- that level of work and was going in ated two new are completely, constantly using it. depth that much, Student Council Amanda have two separate effects. The pening, so that you can give your sections: How do you plan to address the could literally be the most effective Cassel first effect should be general spir- input when it comes to connect- City Life it and happiness promotion. And division in the student body due ing the grades. body at the school. and Health & Wellness. And, during the first week Later start time put up for consideration we returned in person, we by COLIN LESLIE what prompted this.” REPORTER published The initial process of gather- two back-to- In the first weeks of May, the ing information will continue school spe- high school and middle school through the first semester of next will embark on a process to con- school year, according to Dr. Ellis. Nicky cial editions sider adopting a later school start The plan is for Challenge Success Edwards- of the Mid- time, a decision that will require and the advisory teams to recom- Levin way print- ed from our input from all members of the mend the next steps after the first newsroom printer. Lab community, according to As- semester. Despite the volatile condi- sistant Director Carla Ellis. “As I understand it, they’ll talk tions of the year, we are ex- Dr. Ellis and Interim Direc- to people, of course. They’ll look tremely proud of the work we tor David Magill will be reach- at things like transportation have published: in-depth sto- ing out to parents, students, fac- schedules. They’ll look at athlet- ries about substance use, sto- ulty and administrators to join a ic schedules. They’ll look at state ries about the impact of the team dedicated to exploring the requirements for instructional coronavirus on communi- possibility of a later start time. minutes — in addition to gath- ties around the city, break- These team members will work ering information from students, ing news about administra- with representatives from Chal- families, faculty and staff,” Dr. El- tive change. In this paper, you lenge Success, an organization lis said. will find some of the high- that helps schools and families Ninth grader Connor Booth, lights from a year of our staff’s implement policies in school cur- who lives about 45 minutes away exceptional journalism. In ad- riculum and schedule. from Lab, said he would appre- dition to many new stories, While a later start time is a new ciate having extra time to sleep we have included some of our idea in the high school, Dr. El- with a later start time. However, best work from the year to lis said that altering the schedule being on the debate and baseball present to you in the format has been a constant point of con- teams, Connor said pushing the we enjoy most: a print paper. versation at Lab. school day back could cause him It has been an honor and “For a few years now, there have to get home later. privilege to serve as edi- been members of the Lab com- “A lot of times, I’m getting home tors-in-chief for the Midway munity who have asked about a sometime around 7 to 8,” Connor this year.
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