Spring 2020 SPRING 2020 in This Issue Inin Thethe Hallshalls
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LabLifethe magazine for alumni, parents, and friends of the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools Spring 2020 SPRING 2020 in this issue InIn thethe HallsHalls FEATURES DEPARTMENTS 16 Chasing Vermeer 22 Extended Day 03 In the Halls Drawing in 3D 20 Honoring the Program Allows 04 The Bookshelf Importance of U-High Graduates 10 Sports Highlights Education to Come Full Circle 13 Behind the Scenes 26 From Hyde Park to with Faheem Majeed 14 Connections 2020 LabLife Hollywood 28 Alumni Notes 28 Alumni in Action Kids transform found items into art FROM DIRECTOR I have been deeply impressed by the CHARLIE ABELMANN creativity, energy, and enthusiasm Our remote everyone at Lab has shown in educational preparing for what is a totally new journey way of connecting, working, and teaching. Dear Friends, As I saw written by one lesson plans, and much more. their chief infectious disease university professor, “None of We are committed to being epidemiologist (and a Lab As this publication went to us asked for this!” But here we a true lab school, willing to parent). Her explanation of press, we were only a couple of are. Together, we can do this. try new things, experiment, social distancing went viral weeks into a new experience: Adjusting to a “new normal” collaborate, and create. (pun intended). It seemed On March 30, at the end of is a phrase we are hearing a worth sharing her wisdom even our normally scheduled spring We have all been asked to do lot. As we move to remote more widely: break, Lab’s 2,188 students so much more than we may learning we are cognizant of began their remote educational ever have had to do before. We “...it’s really hard to feel like the characteristics of Lab that journey as COVID-19 required have been asked to do it more you’re saving the world when allow us to successfully meet people across the world to stay alone than ever before and so you’re watching Netflix on your our mission: we are a caring mindedness and community plywood—the kind used to Labbies across at home. Just as you and your have made sure to watch out couch but, if we do this right, community dedicated to involvement. board up businesses on the families did—and likely are still for one another in many ways. nothing happens. Yes. A successful all grades were fostering a powerful connection “The project we did South Side—dyed in various doing—we had to make major We are deeply concerned about shelter in place means that between teacher and learner, with the multicolored sticks vibrant colors with Kool-Aid. invited to share adjustments. Lab families and employees you will feel like it was all for home and school. in Earl Shapiro Hall was “These [boards] are things in Majeed’s work that may find themselves in a nothing. And you would be right. Our students and faculty, like a community exercise,” that are associated with crime I have been deeply impressed place of serious hardship. Our Because “nothing” means that and vision: to millions of others across the explains Majeed, who has his or disinvestment… But by the creativity, energy, and development team has worked nothing happened to your family United States and around own studio practice on the actually, the boards are more use discarded enthusiasm everyone at Lab with the University to set up and that’s what we are going for the world, are trying to South Side and is an adjunct like a chrysalis in that it has shown in preparing for the special Lab Community here.” materials from create meaningful education professor at the University of means that [buildings] are what is a totally new way of Response Fund. You may Most kindergarteners don’t tell experiences and, just as So, thank you for doing your Illinois at Chicago. “I would boarded because there’s a the surrounding connecting, working, and contribute online, ucls. their parents, “We made art importantly, foster the human part and may you and your give the students a prompt, value… they’re safe-keeping teaching. Our teachers have uchicago.edu/giving, or contact with 8-foot long, multicolored neighborhoods interactions that are so critical family be healthy and well. such as, ‘Make something it,” he says. spent hours uploading videos Executive Director Alumni sticks in school today!” But to a young person’s social/ I can walk through.’ Then to create art that on Seesaw, learning how to use Relations and Development With deepest appreciation, Lab isn’t most schools. emotional development. That they’d have to communicate Google Hangouts and Zoom, Damon Cates, dcates@ucls. For the first half of the If you missed Majeed’s ponders concepts personal connection profoundly and work together to make researching best practices in uchicago.edu, to learn more. 2019–20 school year, artist exhibition at the Corvus shapes what it means to be a it happen. such as civic- remote learning, working to Charlie Faheem Majeed joined community of learners. Lastly, I thought I would “I think of this project Gallery, you can catch his flip the classroom experience Lab as the Kistenbroker mindedness share the words of UChicago’s as drawing in 3D. Instead of Planting and Maintaining a in useful ways, shaping flexible Family Artist-in-Residence. very own Dr. Emily Landon, doodling with pencils, they Perennial Garden IV at the and community Labbies across all grades were Hyde Park Art Center from invited to share in Majeed’s use the sticks.” involvement. Majeed’s residency kicked August 2–November 8. LabLife, published twice Editor Design Lab Notes Correspondents Please send comments or Reproduction in whole or work and vision: to use a year, is written for the Catherine Braendel, ’81, Janice Clark Dozens of diligent alumni updated contact information part, without permission of off with the unveiling of his University of Chicago MLA’19 Photography agents to [email protected], the publisher, is prohibited. discarded materials from the Laboratory Schools’ or call 773-702-0578. exhibition, Re-UNITE, at the Contributors Anna Johnson Publisher surrounding neighborhoods community of alumni, parents, Volume 13, Number 2 faculty, and staff. Megan E. Doherty, AM’05, Chris Kirzeder University of Chicago Corvus Gallery on October PhD’10 Jean Lechat Laboratory Schools © 2020 by the University of to create art that ponders Director Chicago Laboratory Schools 4. One striking installation Heather Preston Marc Monaghan 1362 E. 59th Street concepts such as civic- Charles Abelmann Paul Schellinger Kathryn Smidstra Chicago, IL 60637 www.ucls.uchicago.edu is comprised of discarded 02 LabLife Spring 2020 LabLife Spring 2020 03 THE BOOKSHELF In the Halls Recommended Keeping chickens Music Workshop reading at Lab Lauren Snelling, N-2 counselor, At Lab, kids learn by doing. And recommends Crown: An Ode to the Fresh what’s more hands-on than building New Middle School class expands how Cut, by Derrick Barnes a chicken coop? kids engage with the topic LAUREN SNELLING s a counselor brilliant, limitless soul that barbershop and if you’ve to the youngest matters—that desperately never been, you may need members matters. We’ve always to learn some new terms to of our Lab mattered.” fully explore and experience Crown is community, Crown is a love letter to this book the way it deserves a hand-held I like to expose my the black barber shop, a love to be experienced. Crown affirmation full of kindergartners to books that letter to every black boy out pushes past historical and affirm experiences.Crown is there. It is unapologetic in unfair stereotypes and forces validation, high that and more. its beauty and authenticity as you to stretch your mind expectations, Author Derrick Barnes it describes the importance and your perception of what comments that his book, of self-care, community, a black boy can be. adulation, and “focuses on the humanity, and visibility for black and As an added bonus to care. the beautiful, raw, smart, brown boys/men. Crown is a the positivity throughout perceptive, assured humanity hand-held affirmation full of this book, Crown is full of black boys/sons/brothers/ validation, high expectations, of intricate and beautiful nephews/grandsons, and adulation, and care. “You’re a imagery, that evokes the how they see themselves star. A brilliant, blazing star. presence of many great when they highly approve Not the kind that you’ll find black visual artists including of their reflections in the on a sidewalk in Hollywood. Basquiat and Kehinde Wiley. mirror. Deep down inside, Nope. They’re going to have As a they wish that everyone to wear shades when they whole, this In the summer of 2018, With the participation of other different instruments, rather could see what they see: look up to catch your shine.” book is pure Lower School teacher Ginger chick enthusiasts who will than sticking to just one. They spend a lot of time simply a real life, breathing, In reading this book artistic swag. Phillips conducted a Summer be incubating eggs in their Lab program for fourth, fifth, classrooms, the program is listening and responding to compassionate, thoughtful, you are fully immersed into and sixth graders called City ready to move to the coop, what they hear. They also the culture of the black Chicks. With reused materials now installed in the Lab learn about the history of from the Builder’s Exchange garden. the instruments, how they’re made and have historically of Chicago, and other in-kind “The intent is to build been used in different kinds FROM THE SYLLABI donations, they built a chicken enthusiasm and engagement of performances—including coop with the longer-term among the entire Lab At the beginning of the year, the unexpected.