The Student News Site of University of Chicago Laboratory High School

U-High Midway
Laura Jarrett, Class of 2003, will speak at the Class of 2025's graduation. Ms. Jarrett is a senior legal correspondent for NBC news.
Speakers, performances selected for graduation June 5
Searching for solutions: Student looks at the AI overview while searching for how to find the derivative of a function on one of the Library’s computers. Many students rely on the overview as well as other AI tools for quick solutions to math problems and inquiries.
Teachers find AI Overview a shortcut for research
From hope to hesitancy, students reacted in many different ways to the election of a new pope.
Vox Pop: Students excited, nervous about new pope
W. Ian Lipkin who graduated U-High in 1970, was awarded the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award. Dr. Lipkin has over 40 years of work in his field.
Immunologist W. Ian Lipkin, Class of 1970, given the Distinguished Alumni Award
Daniel Chang, the 2025-26 all-school president-elect, hopes to make Student Council more efficient.
As president, Chang to prioritize functionality
From May 5-9, sophomores Aya El Bissati and Jairy Felix led a children's book drive, which raised over 120 books.
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Light Dohrn, the Midway's arts & entertainment editor, and Elspeth LaCroix-Birdthistle, who is on the U-Highlights staff and was on the photojournalism team last year, were selected for the Illinois Journalism Education Association's All-State Journalism Team.
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Midway journalists and photojournalists received various awards from the Illinois Journalism Education Association, including Best Overall Publication and Best Hybrid Publication.
U-High journalists, photojournalists receive state awards
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The shadows of policy & power
Driven to serve: Alumni pursue careers in public service
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Addicted to the Algorithm
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10 x 10: Midway 100
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Vice presidential candidate and previous educator Tim Walz addresses his supportive crowd at the 2024 DNC.
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News Editor Declan Smith argues that cursive shouldn't be confined to textbooks, but rather, taught as an artistic skill.
Teach cursive as artistic skill rather than a textbook chore
Audience Engagement Editor Abhay Chandran argues that books should choose a meaningful ending instead of an easy ending.
Write endings that have meaning instead of an easy outcome
The Editorial Board argues that Lab is losing the characteristics and limiting student activities which define student life and make the highschool experience fun.
Lab is losing what makes it fun
Assistant Editor Lila Coyne argues that in a period of petty political arguments, students should engage in collaborative disagreement.
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The Editorial Board argues that elected students must follow through on the promises that they make during campaigning.
Hold your Student Council accountable
Private Stories are a a feature on Snapchat often used by teenagers to document funny moments in their lives and share updates with friends — all with the ability to control how public or private they want these stories to be.
Students turn to Snapchat private stories for real talk, connection
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Junior Sara Park attends an Asian Students’ Association meeting on May 16. ASA has become more than just a club, but rather a community led by faculty members Shirley Volk and Hsing-Huei Huang.
Sponsors who reflect students identity help ASA thrive
After 27 years at U-High, college counselor Patty Kovacs is retiring. Ms. Kovacs and her husband have started an endowment at U-High for non-tuition based needs of juniors and seniors going through the college process.
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Typing carefully as she works on her homework, ninth grader Maeve Krewatch gazes at her screen while sitting in a booth at Te’amo, a popular bubble tea shop that many U-High students enjoy visiting. Maeve is one of many students who enjoys this bubble tea shop as a fun place to study and hang out. “It’s close by, so it’s easy to hang out with friends there after school,” she said. “Overall the atmosphere is really nice.”
Te’amo offers welcoming space for students
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Fetching Hope: Volunteer organization saves vulnerable dogs from abuse
The Public Housing Museum, located at 919 S Ada St., allows visitors to engage with a narrative of public housing that highlights the humanity, resilience and joy of residents. The museum includes a working studio where the stories of public housing residents are recorded and publicly archived; a gift shop owned and operated by current and former public housing residents; gallery and exhibition spaces; a playground; and a recreation room where visitors can enjoy a large collection of records by artists who lived in public housing across the United States.
Public Housing Museum combats stereotypes through storytelling
Released earlier this year, “A Minecraft Movie” follows a team of five as they are thrown into the game’s overworld and learn more about themselves and self-expression.
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‘Twisters’ stirs up thrilling visuals but leaves plot in the dust
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Graceful & Symbolic. At the Center for Indian Performing Arts, an adult Bharatanatyam dance class takes place on April 22 at 7 p.m. The dancers learned a new technique and had to practice it multiple times with footwork and hands separately in order to perfect all of the intricacies of the dance.
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One hundred years after its publication in 1925, "The Great Gatsby" remains relevant, detailing parallel struggles and responses to our current day.
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Ninth grader Kate Stackert plays goalkeeper.
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Sophomore Suna Choi Hortaçsu competes in an indoor track meet.
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Jumping into the air, ninth grader Chris Williams delivers a powerful serve during the boys tennis team’s home game against Fenwick on April 24. As of May 5, the varsity had an undefeated record of 11-0 for the season.
Gallery: Pushing Past the Pain
Varsity soccer co-captain Orly Eggener raises her hands for a high five with her teammates. Sports captainship has allowed multiple students to grow both on and off the field.
Audio: Sports captainship allows student athletes to grow leadership skills
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The results of 2024 Wellness Survey show that Lab has an overall wellness score of 87, in comparison to the national average of 85. Scores overall have increased in some areas such as enjoyment, while remaining stagnant or worsening in other areas.
Wellness survey shows progress, overall mixed results
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Varsity soccer co-captain Orly Eggener raises her hands for a high five with her teammates. Sports captainship has allowed multiple students to grow both on and off the field.
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Jumping into the air, ninth grader Chris Williams delivers a powerful serve during the boys tennis team’s home game against Fenwick on April 24. As of May 5, the varsity had an undefeated record of 11-0 for the season.
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Connections Feb. 18, 2025
The Student News Site of University of Chicago Laboratory High School

U-High Midway
The Student News Site of University of Chicago Laboratory High School

U-High Midway
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U-High journalists, photojournalists receive state awards

Caroline Skelly, Audience Engagement Editor
May 2, 2025
Image provided
Midway journalists and photojournalists received various awards from the Illinois Journalism Education Association, including Best Overall Publication and Best Hybrid Publication.

In both print and online, the U-High Midway has been named among the best in the state and nation. 

The Midway team and individual journalists earned 45 awards in the Illinois Journalism Education Association Newspaper and Digital News Media Contest, including best overall publication and best hybrid publication. The Midway was also one of 13 student news websites to win an Online Pacemaker Award from the National Scholastic Press Association.

The Midway was one of three schools to earn Pacemaker Awards for last year’s print paper as well as this year’s website. This was the Midway’s third Online Pacemaker win in a row.

Midway editor-in-chief Chloë Alexander recognized the staff’s hard work and dedication that led to receiving the Online Pacemaker Award. 

“It really shows the hard work that all of our team members do, and how much dedication we have and how it pays off,” Chloë said. “I’m really proud of everyone because the whole team contributed, from the people who write the stories to the people who are taking the photographs. I think it really just shows how great of a school newspaper we have.”

The IJEA awards recognized individual and team achievements in writing, design, photojournalism, multimedia and social media. The Midway received 45 awards out of 54 entries and competed in the division for schools with 600-1,399 students. The eligibility period was March 16, 2024, to March 15, 2025.

Midway assistant editor Ari Novak received first place in video story for “Exchange students arrive from China; Lunar New Year performance amazes,” which was published in February.

“I was really honored to receive the Illinois Journalism Education Association’s Award for a video I did with my fellow staff member Calder Wong,” Ari said. “He and I put in a lot of time on it in a short deadline, and I think it turned out really well. It was a great way to practice journalistic techniques that I haven’t really gotten to explore before, so it was really nice to see that recognized through this award.”

Best Overall Publication

Best Hybrid Publication

Advertisement

First: Turning Moments Into Stories, Clare McRoberts, Eli Raikhel Jan. 23, 2025

Alternative Storytelling

Second: City Life Slice of the City, Sohana Schneider, Ilana Umanskiy, Feb. 20, 2025

Third: In-Depth Midway 100, Jaya Alenghat, Ari Novak, Lucy Shirrell, Declan Smith, Dec. 19, 2024

Audio Journalism

First: Audio: Dungeons & Dragons fosters creativity, connection, Light Dohrn

Second: Audio: Through self-discovery about identity, students gain independence, Ari Novak

Centerspread Story Package

First: Freedom in the Balance, Chloë Alexander, Light Dohrn, Taariq Ahmed, Edward Park, Sygne Stole

Second: Addicted to the Algorithm, Clare McRoberts, Milo Platz-Walker, Taariq Ahmed, Jaya Alenghat, Skye Freeman, Naomi Benton, Lila Coyne, Sygne Stole

Design

First: Vol. 100, Issue 8, Feb. 20, 2025

Editorial

Second: DEI initiatives are essential, Mia Lipson

Honorable Mention: Battle fake news with literacy, Chloë Alexander

Editorial Cartoon

First: Troubling Tech, Ilana Umanskiy

Feature Story

Third: Skipping breakfast makes students run on empty, Orlie Weitzman, Dec. 18, 2024 

Front-Page Design

Second: Vol. 99, Issue 10, May 30, 2024, Taariq Ahmed

Third: Vol. 100, Issue 3, Oct. 24, 2024, Taariq Ahmed 

Headline

Second: Health School or Fuel, Edward Park, Simon Vaang, Nika Nelson

Third: Features One tough cookie, Jaya Alenghat, Naomi Benton 

Humorous Commentary

Honorable Mention: Flag Forward, Abhay Chandran

Illustration

First: Freedom in the Balance, Sygne Stole

Second: Hollywood High, Asher Dennis

In-Depth News Story

First: AI becomes a tool: ChatGPT tasks expand beyond simple prompts, Light Dohrn

Second: TikTok remains a staple amid security scare, Taariq Ahmed

Multimedia Story Package

Second: Eclipse excitement: Lab community gathers to celebrate unique celestial event, Jaya Alenghat, Taariq Ahmed, Mia Lipson, Nathan Li, Olin Nafziger, Eli Raikhel, Grace LaBelle, Ryan Burke-Stevenson, Ellis Calleri, and Bryce Light

Honorable Mention: Dynamic Duets: Through co-teaching, music faculty improve engagement, experience, Taariq Ahmed, Skye Freeman

News Story

First: Problematic ‘confessions’ shared, Taariq Ahmed

Second: Lab adapts to reality of tighter budget, Taariq Ahmed, Jaya Alenghat, Clare McRoberts

Personality Profile

First: Defying Gravity: Daisy Coleman finds freedom in aerial silks, Mia Lipson

Photo Gallery or Photo Slideshow

First: After 8 days, UChicago pro-Palestine encampment removed on morning of May 7, Jaya Alenghat, Chloe Alexander, Mia Lipson, Olin Nafziger

Second: Exchange students arrive from China; Lunar New Year performance amazes, Bryce Kenny, Olin Nafziger, Orlie Weitzman

Photo — News or Feature

Second: Prom brings Class of 2024 enchanted end-of-year celebration (Photo 3), Daniel Baeza, June 4, 2024

Photo — Sports 

Second: High hopes (soccer players heading ball), Bryce Kenny, Nov. 5, 2024

Honorable Mention: Alex Giles, Simon Vaang

Photo Story

First: Peak Action, Milo Platz-Walker, Simon Vaang, Eli Raikhel, Ryan Burke-Stevenson, Carter Chang, Bryce Light, Daniel Baeza, May 30, 2024

Second: Coaching With Care, Milo Platz-Walker, Lucy Shirrell, Devyn Moubayed, Bryce Kenny, Clara Blucher, Suleiman Sufi, N.C. Gunning, Feb. 20, 2025 

Review

First: Court Theatre’s ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ honors Hansberry’s vision, Light Dohrn

Second: ‘Cunk on Life’ provides both meaning and humor, Abhay Chandran

Social Media

First: Instagram, Naomi Benton, Abhay Chandran, Juliana Daugherty, Caroline Skelly

Single-Page Story Package

First: City Life Cicadapalooza, Jaya Alenghat, May 2, 2024

Second: Opinion 2 Views, Kabir Joshi, May 30, 2024

Sports Feature 

Second: Dancing Duo: Sonali Shaw, Ceci Siegel lead with passion, experience, Skye Freeman

Honorable Mention: Ella Nguyen finds fencing success through hard work, determination, Edward Park

Sports News Story

Third: Adapting to the sideline: seniors coach Lab soccer team, Clare McRoberts, Oct. 23, 2024 

Video Story

First: Exchange students arrive from China; Lunar New Year performance amazes, Ari Novak, Calder Wong

Second: Video: U-High Chamber Collective holds female-forward pop fundraiser, Skye Freeman, Olin Nafziger 

Website

First: uhighmidway.com

 

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