Latin School of Chicago

Like most of you, four years ago, I was consumed by the big high school search. All I could think or talk about – and definitely all my parents could think or talk about – was high school. I remember thinking that my parents had it so easy. As kids growing up in the suburbs, they just went to their neighborhood high schools. No choice. No pressure. But, here in Chicago, we have options. Getting to choose where to spend four of the most transformational years of your life should feel liberating and exhilarating, but to me, sometimes it just felt terrifying. So, let me say, right off the bat, I feel you. For what it's worth, my totally non-scientific approach to evaluating high schools was asking myself in each information session: "Does this school fit the person I am now?" "And will this school push me to grow into the person I want to become?" If I could answer "yes" to both of those questions, then I would know I had found my match. What I remember most about the Latin Open House was the admissions panel. Sitting up on the stage was the captain of Latin's baseball team who talked about transferring to Latin as a sophomore. Like me, he wasn't a "Latin lifer." And like me, sports were a priority. But what made the biggest impression on me were all of the things this guy experienced for the first time at Latin. ough he never sang before, he joined Latin's men's a capella group, the LaTones. While he never particularly loved science, he discovered at Latin he loved medicinal chemistry. And having never worked an hour of community service in his life, he now ran Latin's Best Buddies program. And this guy wasn't an exception. Many people did so many things at Latin – they got better at things they were always good at and dabbled in things they never tried. On that admissions panels was a goalie-slash-trombonist. An actor-slash-coder. A mathlete-slash-editor. And a artist-slash-activist. While each of their Latin experiences was unique, they shared a common thread – Latin gave them the room to be themselves and the runway to become something greater. Right then and there I knew Latin was my match. As it turns out, I was right to choose Latin. As I expected, I was able to pursue my love of soccer and student government right out of the gate – joining the varsity soccer team as a freshman and becoming the freshman grade representative. And, as I hoped, Latin pushed me outside my comfort zone. Here, I wrote my first flash-fiction piece, fell in love with Latin American literature and discovered a passion for economics. During Project Week, I saw six plays in five days, went mountain-climbing in Bolivia, and did yoga suspended in the air in 105-degree heat and total darkness. All of these experiences changed me for the better. As you begin to consider whether Latin is a match for you, let me share a few other things I wish I had known back when I was in your shoes: Whether you come from a small independent or religious school, a big public school, the High Jump program or right next door, you enter Latin together as a class, each freshman on equal footing. Frankly, I was stunned how instantaneously the lines between "lifer" and newcomer broke down during the freshman retreat and how quickly we bonded as a community. I worried it might be hard to integrate into Latin coming from a small Jewish day school. I was wrong. e accessibility of teachers here is no joke. Being in small classes means that you know your teachers and they know you really well. ere are students who meet with their teacher outside class before every quiz or before every paper is due. And others meet with their teachers just to discuss current events or do a deep dive into a topic touched upon in class. I wasn't focused on teacher accessibility when I came to Latin, but it turned out to be one of the most meaningful surprises I found here. I Found my Match The annual Admissions Open House offers prospective middle and upper school families an inside look at the Latin experience. During the welcome program this year, Jonah Schenk '19 remarked upon his decision to choose Latin and the moment he realized Latin was his match. My Story "Your experience here is limited only by your imagination." – Jonah Schenk '19, Senior Prefect 16 AROUND SCHOOL

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