Issue link: http://latinschool.uberflip.com/i/1209300
High Jump, a two-year, tuition-free academic enrichment program now celebrating its 30th year, currently serves 380 students per year. With three campuses at Latin, Francis W. Parker and the University of Chicago Lab School, students take classes in math, physical and biological sciences, English, humanities, social sciences, learning and leadership skills and visual and performing arts. They take field trips across the city and to Lorado Taft Field Campus, part of Northern Illinois University. Students begin the program the summer after sixth grade and continue during the seventh grade school year with summer enrichment. During eighth grade, the program supports students in applying to high schools, including Chicago Public Schools, selective enrollment, independent, parochial and boarding schools across the country. They also assist with financial aid and scholarship options. High Jump students participate in 350 hours of academic enrichment each year. "Without High Jump, I wouldn't have known about Latin, and without Latin, I wouldn't have known about Skidmore," he said. McAllister's love of languages is evident; he has studied abroad three times in college (with semesters in London, Paris and Freiburg, Germany) and has visited 10 countries. McAllister will graduate in the spring of 2020 with a double major in international affairs and German, and a minor in French. He has applied for a Fulbright Scholarship. He eventually hopes to become a foreign service officer. Current student Mutin Paw is a junior at Latin and was in Cohort 27. Born in a refugee camp in Thailand to Burmese parents, Paw came to the United States when she was 4 years old. Her early education included English as a Second Language classes. She was hand-picked to apply for High Jump by her middle school guidance counselor. "I looked at High Jump as an opportunity to learn more. I wanted the challenge," she said. Paw appreciates the leadership and time management skills that were honed by the program. One of her favorite classes was Issues & Ideas. "It opened my mind to world issues and a global perspective at a pretty early age," she said. Paw is in the midst of researching colleges and scholarship opportunities and hopes to study international relations or international human rights. Remarkably, even a Latin teacher credits High Jump with jump-starting his teaching career. Edward Mahoney, a math teacher in Latin's upper school, was a former commodities broker turned small business manager. 29 LATIN MAGAZINE ยป WINTER 2020