Summer is here! Home to some of the nation’s most popular festivals, it is impossible to be bored in Chicago.
4 ways to summer soiree
May 30, 2024
Spend your summer exploring the city of Chicago with 12 different festival recommendations.
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About the Contributors
Naomi Benton, Audience Engagement Editor
Naomi Benton is in the Class of 2026 and serves as an audience engagement editor. She joined U-High Midway in the 2023-24 school year as a sophomore. Outside of journalism, Naomi participates in clubs such as Jewish Students’ Association and WiSTEM. She is a Maroon Key and plays for the U-High tennis team.
Lila Coyne, Assistant Editor
Lila Coyne is a member of the Class of 2027 and serves as an assistant editor. She began taking journalism in the 2023-24 school year as a ninth grader. Lila is also a member of the debate team. Outside of school, she enjoys reading and listening to Belle and Sebastian.
Sinziana Lazar, Reporter
Sinziana Lazar is a member of the Class of 2027. She began journalism in 2023 as a ninth grader. She plays violin in CYSO and is a member of the Robotics and Model UN teams.
Dina Letko, Reporter
Dina Sadikovic Letko is a member of the Class of 2027. She began journalism in the 2023-24 school year as a ninth grader. Outside of journalism, she loves spending time with her family, reading, and writing. She published her first book around the same time that she joined journalism. She also loves playing outdoors, swimming, and she has been playing tennis since she was six years old. She plays competitively on the school tennis team.
David Li, Reporter
David Li is a member of the Class of 2027 and serves as a reporter. His favorite part of journalism is meeting and working with new people. Outside of journalism, David enjoys playing tennis, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
Ari Novak, Assistant Editor
Ari Novak is a member of the Class of 2027 and serves as an assistant editor. She began writing for the Midway as a ninth grader during the 2023-24 school year. Outside of journalism, she is on the mock trial team. She also enjoys playing the piano, reading the works of Margaret Atwood and listening to The Killers.
Awards:
2024 Illinois Journalism Education Association: First place, audio journalism, Audio: Chicago music school experiences boom in business
Mira Reddy, Reporter
Mira Reddy is a member of the Class of 2027. She took her first journalism class in the 2022-23 school year when she was a ninth grader. She is also on the soccer team and enjoys reading in her spare time.
Victoria Washington, Opinion Editor
Victoria Washington is a member of the Class of 2025 and serves as the Opinion Editor. She joined the journalism team in fall 2021 during her ninth grade year. Her favorite story she's written for the U-High Midway is “Artist raises $2,000 to restore Bronzeville mural.” She enjoys journalism because it provides an opportunity to communicate with others from different departments and see new perspectives. Aside from journalism, she enjoys historical fashion and watching documentaries.
Awards:
2024 Illinois Journalism Education Association: Third place, sports commentary, Like their male counterparts, allow female athletes to display emotion during competitions
2023 Journalism Education Association National Student Media Contests, Boston convention: Honorable mention, commentary writing2023 Illinois Journalism Education Association: Second place, photo gallery or slideshow (with Audrey Matei, Kaden Moubayed, Henry Benton, Patrice Graham, Matthew McGehee, Ishani Hariprasad, Sarah Abdelsalam), Photos: ArtsFest 2023
2023 Illinois Journalism Education Association: First place, alternative storytelling (with Amon Gray, Chloë Alexander, Audrey Matei, Téa Tamburo, Ainsley Williams, Katie Sasamoto-Kurisu), Rising Stars, Jan. 24, 2023
2023 Journalism Education Association National Student Media Contests, San Francisco convention: Honorable mention, news writing