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
The Student News Site of University of Chicago Laboratory High School

U-High Midway
Clare OConnor

Clare O'Connor, Editor-in-Chief

Clare O'Connor is an editor-in-chief and a member of the Class of 2023. She joined the Midway in the 2019-20 school year as a ninth grader. Outside of journalism, Clare is co-president of the Refugee Club, an Eye to Eye mentor and a student representative on Lab’s All-Schools Council. Outside of school, Clare volunteers at a local refugee support non-profit called FORA. During her time on the Midway staff, multiple of Clare’s stories have been recognized through Best of SNO. Out of everything she has written, Clare’s personal favorite story is a column entitled “Amid controversy, athletes seek inclusion.”

Awards:

2023 Scholastic Press Association of Chicago, community story: superior

2023 Scholastic Press Association of Chicago, special coverage: (with William Tan, Chloë Alexander and Amy Ren), superior

2023 Scholastic Press Association of Chicago, staff editorial: excellent

All content by Clare O'Connor
Unauthorized changing of votes that delayed the Student Council election results have caused a new election which will be held May 1 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Unauthorized vote changes cause new Student Council election May 1

Téa Tamburo, Clare O’Connor, and Chloe Alexander
April 28, 2023
Mother Country Radicals is a podcast about the 1970s far-left organization, the Weather Underground. The show is hosted by the son of two former members and current Lab parent, Zayd Dohrn.

Podcast hosted by Lab parent explores history of revolutionary group

Clare O'Connor, Editor-in-Chief
April 11, 2023
Falling into the manosphere pipeline

Falling into the manosphere pipeline

William Tan, Clare O’Connor, Peter Cox, and Clare McRoberts
February 22, 2023

Dog whistles

Clare O’Connor, Editor-in-Chief
February 22, 2023

Who’s who

Clare O’Connor, Editor-in-Chief
February 22, 2023
Despite being geared towards a younger audience, ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ is surprisingly complex and introspective.

‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ surprises with introspective, nuanced themes

Clare O'Connor, Editor-in-Chief
February 22, 2023
Despite common belief, students and medical professionals say birth control does more than prevent pregnancy.

Birth control: More than pills, periods and pregnancy prevention

Mia Lipson , Clare O'Connor , and Ainsley Williams
February 14, 2023
Editor-in-Chief Clare OConnor says that despite its medical benefits, birth control isnt perceived as medicine.

Birth control as medication must be discussed more openly

Clare O'Connor, Editor-in-Chief
February 14, 2023
U-High Principal Paul Beekmeyer will leave Lab at the end of the 2022-23 school year to serve as head of upper school in a boarding school in Florida.

Principal accepts new job in Florida

Téa Tamburo and Clare O'Connor
February 3, 2023
DEEP BREATHS. Students can practice guided meditations and breathing exercises with the wellness app Insight Timer. The wellness council purchased a schoolwide subscription to the app this year and is hoping students will utilize this resource, and that teachers will incorporate Insight Timer into their classrooms.

Breathe in: School promotes meditation app Insight Timer for student wellness

Clare O'Connor, Editor-in-Chief
January 24, 2023
Aro-ace students navigate an absence of attraction

Aro-ace students navigate an absence of attraction

Clare O'Connor, Editor-in-Chief
January 20, 2023
DEDICATED DESIGNER: In a homemade outfit, Martin Oliver sews his own clothes. Martin acquired the material for the striped shirt from working on costume design and said the garment is one of his favorite pieces he has made recently. The purple velvet featured in his vest was made by cutting up a robe he got at a flea market. Martin said that making clothes has helped him grow confidence.

Students sew for self-expression

Clare O'Connor, Editor-in-Chief
December 6, 2022
SEARCHING SPACES. Senior Lizzie Baker joins a Zoom call in a conference room in the Pritzker Traubert Family Library, one of the few spaces in school where students can find privacy for virtual meetings.

Students struggle to find private spaces at school for virtual meetings

Clare O'Connor, Editor-in-Chief
November 30, 2022
Community service officer Brian Arceneaux stands in front of the Kovler Gym building where he works. Throughout the day he is busy assisting and greeting students and teachers. Mr. Arceneaux was awarded the 2022 Billy Streeter Award for Service Excellence.

Friendly Face: Brian Arceneaux’s friendly character recognized with Billy Streeter Award

Clare O'Connor, Editor-in-Chief
November 11, 2022

Barriers restrict therapy access

Clare O'Connor, Editor-in-Chief
September 29, 2022
Rethinking Therapy: The harder parts of improving mental health

Rethinking Therapy: The harder parts of improving mental health

William Tan, Clare O'Connor, and Chloe Alexander
September 29, 2022
Editor-in-Chief Clare OConner argues that while students might not mean to offend when using the R-word, it still can be extremely harmful.

Students: Saying the R-word hurts others

Clare O'Connor, Editor-in-Chief
September 27, 2022
The U-High Midway will expand its online presence to engage with more readers and the print paper has been redesigned. Nevertheless, the Midway will maintain its standards of accurate, reliable and timely stories that highlight a diverse range of perspectives.

Midway style evolves with revised goals

Clare O'Connor, Téa Tamburo, and William Tan
September 9, 2022
This year, minor adjustments have been made regarding mental health days and workload in the student handbook. One policy outlines that assessments may not be administered two days after school breaks.

New year brings changes

Clare O'Connor, Editor-in-Chief
September 9, 2022
Elaine Robison, a well-known secretary in the high school office, died July 12.

Longtime high school secretary Elaine Robison has died

Clare O'Connor, Editor-in-Chief
July 15, 2022
After an eventful year of coverage, the staff will take a break from publishing over the summer.

Midway to take publishing break over the summer

Clare O'Connor, Téa Tamburo, and William Tan
June 10, 2022
Editor-in-Chief Clare OConnor argues that May Project should be viewed as an opportunity for students to take advantage of being a high schooler for their last days, whether that entails a project of rigor and academic value or not.

The nature of May Project has changed, and that is OK

Clare O'Connor, Editor-in-Chief
May 31, 2022

[Video] Weighed down: Are packs harming our backs?

Amy Ren, Reporter
April 13, 2022

Amid controversy, athletes seek inclusion

Clare O'Connor, Multimedia Editor
April 12, 2022
Can they play? Transgender athletes face barriers to compete

Can they play? Transgender athletes face barriers to compete

Lucia Kouri, Meena Lee, and Clare O'Connor
April 12, 2022
Movies like To Kill a Mockingbird support the integrity of the books they are based off of. The movie is able to condense the books plot while keeping its strong themes.

Best and worst of page to screen: Some film adaptations miss target

Clare O'Connor, Multimedia Editor
February 11, 2022
Please Don’t Destroy Members Ben Marshall, Martin Herlihy and John Higgins were hired by SNL to introduce their Gen Z humor to the show through weekly skits.

‘Please Don’t Destroy’ approachable through ‘Gen Z humor’

Clare O'Connor, Multimedia Editor
February 7, 2022
The Smart Museums “Art, Activation, And Reflection: Black Wall Street Journey” event discussed racial economic disparities and the role of the art world in addressing racial inequality.

Art organizations address inequality

Clare O'Connor, Assistant Editor
January 10, 2022
The Laboratory School administration, students and other community members are working to make the future of Lab a sustainable one.

Doing our part: the Lab community’s role in the climate crisis

Berk Oto, Caroline Hohner, and Clare O'Connor
November 12, 2021

Performative activism can sometimes be helpful

Clare O'Connor, Assistant Editor
November 12, 2021
Social media trends like the wear it big challenge reinforce the idea that only certain body proportions are beautiful or acceptable.

Social media apps increase body dysmorphia

Clare O'Connor, Assistant Editor
November 10, 2021
Six students will attend the National Association of Independent Schools Student Diversity Leadership Conference online Nov. 30 to Dec. 3.

6 students chosen for youth DEI conference

Clare O'Connor, Assistant Editor
October 27, 2021
The way that news moves on from crises and tragedies without every returning back to ongoing human misery is a problem, writes Assistant Editor Clare OConnor.

Rapid news cycles conceal human suffering

Clare O'Connor, Assistant Editor
October 7, 2021
Students realize they are well-equipped to adjust to academic changes and are able to finish work despite unusual circumstances.

School year made students realize their resilience in face of adversity

Noa Appelbaum, Clare O'Connor, Colin Leslie, and Krishita Dutta
June 3, 2021
Youn Yuh-jung stares into the distance with her family on either side.

Semi-autobiographical film ‘Minari’ highlights real-life struggles of Asian American families in the United States

Clare O'Connor, Assistant Editor
May 18, 2021
Online game League of Legends is set up on junior Brandon Bosquettes computers. The esports team recently competed in the first tournament.

Esports team plays in first memorable tournament

Clare O'Connor, Assistant Editor
May 17, 2021
Attendees of the Becoming Racially Aware and Valuing Ethnicity conference will discuss topics including Generation Z pop culture and recent events.

BRAVE conference to facilitate conversations on racial, ethnic identity

Clare O'Connor, Reporter
April 27, 2021
The True Crime genre describes actual crimes in detail, and has grown in popularity in various forms of media, from podcasts to movies and TV shows.

True crime genre grows in popularity

Clare O'Connor, Reporter
April 14, 2021
Social justice workshops this year address topics including body positivity, bias in STEM and privilege.

Virtual social justice workshops to span single day

Clare O'Connor, Reporter
April 9, 2021
The Jewish Students’ Association will present the biannual Holocaust Remembrance Assembly on April 7 through a Zoom webinar. Under the theme “Persecution,” the assembly will feature speaker Doris Fogel, a Holocaust survivor. 

Holocaust Remembrance assembly to open minds to persecution

Clare O'Connor, Reporter
April 1, 2021
Music is a powerful medium for teachers to communicate and connect with their students during a time of separation. “When I see people bobbing their head to a song at the start of class or have a student mention the music in office hours,” english teacher Rachel Nielsen said, “it makes me feel like I still have some of that connection and culture from before all of this.”

Calm, comfort, community: Adults and students discover music of different eras

Clare O'Connor, Reporter
March 4, 2021
Losing social connection is harmful and students need to fight to keep communicating despite new barriers, writes reporter Clare OConnor.

Hybrid, remote students should maintain communication with each other

Clare O'Connor, Reporter
March 3, 2021
While Mr. Biden’s decision to use executive action to carry out immigration reform is designed to protect a large group of vulnerable people, the U.S. government needs to stop relying on executive directives to change immigration policy, writes Clare OConnor.

Executive action is not enough for sustainable immigration reform

Clare O'Connor, Reporter
February 17, 2021
The Netflix original Selena is a positive step toward Mexican American representation.

While softening the struggle, ‘Selena’ tells generation-spanning story

Clare O'Connor, Reporter
February 3, 2021
Streaming content is also incredibly successful. The most popular live streaming service, Twitch, has approximately 15 million users every day.

Students watch, create livestreams for ambition, enjoyment

Amon Gray and Clare O'Connor
December 18, 2020

Students stream for personal ambition, enjoyment

Clare O'Connor, Reporter
December 18, 2020
Even if I close my computer after 20 minutes, never writing a single word, those 20 minutes were well spent because the process of piecing my thoughts together lets me see my feelings with clarity, even if I cant quite put my thoughts into words, writes reporter Clare OConnor.

Everyone can benefit from journaling, documenting daily experiences

Clare O'Connor, Reporter
December 15, 2020
Makerspace coordinator Nathan Aldredge continues to accept submissions for the Makerspace while teaching a computer science design class in the middle school.

Makerspace coordinator teaches middle school computer science during distance learning

Clare O'Connor, Reporter
December 11, 2020
You Be My Ally is supposed to promote viewers to “consider ways in which humanistic thought can animate public life, urban space and the built environment,” according to its website.

‘You Be My Ally’: virtual artwork available on University of Chicago campus

Clare O'Connor, Reporter
November 12, 2020
Sophomores have been encouraged by advisers, teachers, and often family and friends to participate in service despite the lack of requirements. 

Despite lifted requirement, many sophomores engage in service

Clare O'Connor, Reporter
November 3, 2020
To allow for more in-person workshops, Artsfest was pushed to late 2021.

Artsfest pushed to later date to comply with coronavirus-related restrictions

Clare O'Connor, Reporter
October 27, 2020
For many people, the Point provides a feeling of nostalgia that can anchor long-time park visitors to life before the pandemic. The park has become a safe space for Chicago residents, including U-High students, to see friends or take part in organized activities.

Promontory Point provides safe, nostalgic outdoor space to see friends, take part in activities

Clare O'Connor, Reporter
October 9, 2020
Students may apply until the end of October for a position on the BRAVE committee.

BRAVE committee invites new members to join, address diversity, equity and inclusion

Clare O'Connor, Reporter
October 7, 2020
A new harassment and prejudiced behavior reporting system will be released this month to provide a method for members of the Laboratory Schools community to report acts of harassment, discrimination, prejudice or other antagonistic behaviors to the administration.

New bias, discrimination, antagonistic behavior reporting system to launch this month

Clare O'Connor, Reporter
September 23, 2020
Staying at home all this time made people think about societal changes they want to see when we return to normal.

Stuck at home, students reflect on their world views

June 8, 2020
After months of remote learning and then summer break, readjustment to coming back to school in the fall will not be easy.

What life will look like in the post-COVID-19 world

Amon Gray, Lucia Kouri, and Clare O'Connor
June 8, 2020
Animal Crossing originally came out in 2001, but was refreshed and popularized with a new version March 20.

Community, creativity, nostalgia: Refresh of “Animal Crossing” recaptures minds of American teens

Clare O'Connor, Reporter
May 13, 2020
Students speak: The household impact of COVID-19

Students speak: The household impact of COVID-19

Clare O'Connor, Reporter
April 2, 2020
FIRE conference valuable experience, say attendees

FIRE conference valuable experience, say attendees

Clare O'Connor, Reporter
March 4, 2020
New courses to be introduced for new school year

New courses to be introduced for new school year

Clare O'Connor, Reporter
January 22, 2020
EX-ZOO-BERATING. Three visitors stare at pandas in the enclosure. The girl enjoys frequent visits to the zoo with her grandparents.

Zoos are fun, informative, often overlooked

Leland Culver, Berk Oto, and Clare O'Connor
November 22, 2019
Students appointed to Lab wellness councils

Students appointed to Lab wellness councils

Clare O'Connor, Reporter
October 27, 2019
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