News

The junior class recently welcomed a pair of speakers from Extinction Rebellion as the 14th Annual Thoreau Speakers

Parker poets wouldn’t let something like frigid temperatures keep them from gathering to celebrate the joy of poetry! And so, braving the weather, faculty, students and parents/guardians gathered in the Kovler Family Library for a night of poems, popcorn and hot cocoa.

Third grade students learned all about Frank Lloyd Wright and his unique American architecture during their Integrated Learning and Information Sciences time in the Kovler Family Library

We have co-SAC Student Athletes of the Week this week: Seniors Spencer Dunbar and Miles Johnson

On Saturday, December 7, all four of Parker’s Middle School FIRST LEGO League teams competed at the League Qualifying Tournament, hosted at Parker for the second consecutive year

Upper School history students recently visited the Haitian American Museum of Chicago

Second grade writers recently completed a project that encouraged them to express their creativity and writing skills in fun and relevant ways

The Student Athletic Council Heads are excited to announce the SAC Student-Athletes of the Week: Varsity Scholastic Bowl Team

Students in 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades taking Lower School Art classes have been hard at work this semester

Parker welcomed the community to the 3rd semiannual Parker Signing Day Ceremony, this year for senior Gemma Franco, who officially committed to continue her field hockey career at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire

Families from the class of 2028 painted a range of festive scenes on windows throughout campus to welcome the winter holidays and brighten up the school

Junior Hudson Davis took the Morning Ex stage to discuss his wonderful experience with Maine Coast Semester at Chewonki

Scholastic Bowl Team A was recognized by the NAQT as the “HS Team of the Week”

Junior Xavier Irons has been cast in Goodman's production of A Christmas Carol

The Parker community is welcome to join the school for the upcoming Winter Choral Concert

Students displayed their musical talents when the Parker Rockers and Colonel Choir shared the stage for a Morning Ex

The Fall 2024 issue of The Live Creature is available online!

Parker is very happy to announce that the Scholastics Bowl A team won the championship at the IHSSBCA kickoff tournament at Homewood Flossmoor High School this weekend

Upper School Advanced Algebra II students have created a variety of art works currently on display in the Harris Center Atrium

Dr. Rama Ranganathan visited campus as this year’s Robert A. Pritzker Visiting Scientist•Inventor•Engineer in Residence to reveal more about the fascinating natural machines inside of us all

First grade students recently orchestrated a community-wide election to determine which character was best at fostering a love of reading

The Weekly staff has been working incredibly hard these past few weeks to bring you this third issue!

On Monday, the Parker Party Co-Chairs hosted a Holiday Plate Decorating Party that raised more than $3,000 in support of financial assistance

Recently, 10th grade Civic Lab hosted Father Corey Brost, executive director of Viator House of Hospitality

The Student Athletic Council Heads are excited to announce the SAC Student-Athletes of the Week: seniors Jasper Chazen and Shalen Chawla

Sophomores in Gigi Mathews’ Chemistry 1 course strapped on their safety goggles, turned on the Bunsen burners and organized their test tubes for a special lab studying physical and chemical changes

ILIS faculty members Annette Lesak and Seth Bacon collaborated with US English teacher Mike Mahany's Writers Studio class on AI-illustrated picture books

Inspired by the concept of visual unity in art (bringing disparate elements together to create a whole), members of Parker’s Art Department created a collage to emphasize the differences that may exist while continuing to work towards being a unified community

AFS student Aafiya Kazani shared about her home country and how she is adjusting to life in Chicago at a special Morning Ex

Parker’s very own Stacy Buehler is back with more music, and this time, she has her whole family involved

Fifth grade students explored engineering, collaboration and construction as they built mini-forts using natural materials in anticipation of the Lorado Taft Trip

Dr. David Keith, a professor of geophysical sciences and founding faculty director of the Climate Systems Engineering Initiative at the University of Chicago, met with students in the Climate Science and Environmental Justice class

Students in Brittney Washington’s 2nd grade class conducted a mock election and made some special decisions based on the ballots

Senior Maya Khare used a recent Morning Ex to share her discovery of life coaching and learning to reframe struggle and failure into a more positive way of thinking

The Student Athletic Council Heads are excited to announce the SAC Student-Athlete of the Week: junior Ava Farhat

Students in the Upper School Fabrication and Microcontrollers engineering class tried their hands at soldering

Students in the Lower and Intermediate Schools marked the Halloween season with a parade though campus and celebration in the cafeteria

Students in the class of 2026 recently had the opportunity to open letters they had written on the day of the 2020 election

Last week we enjoyed the revival of our Upper School Belgian exchange, dating back more than 10 years, with the Institut du Sacré-Coeur (ISC) in Barvaux, a private school an hour outside of Liège

Student members of the Parker Democrats Club orchestrated a phone-banking opportunity for peers interested in supporting the recent election

More than 50 Upper School students were part of democracy in action when they reported to the polls throughout the city this past Election Day to serve as student judges through the Mikva Challenge

The Student Athletic Council Heads are excited to announce the SAC Student-Athlete of the Week: sophomore Levi Jacobson

Take Action Global, a nonprofit organization focused on climate action for all, connected Upper School Climate Science and Environmental Justice students with Delhi Public School, Lava Nagpur students to discuss climate solutions. Senior Program Strategist Lindsay Zilly joined students in person to discuss Take Action Global’s goals: to educate students and educators about the importance of climate change action

A pair of science teachers teamed up to demonstrate the scientific principles at play when one lies on a bed of nails

Upper School students in the WiSTEM (Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) club and their faculty advisor, Science teacher Leslie Webster, welcomed Professor Maureen Coleman from University of Chicago to campus last week for a discussion

The US hosted its second annual Suicide Prevention Walk to raise awareness and erase the stigma surrounding suicide

The 1st and 4th grade students gathered for an experience in mathematics using handfuls of cubes as learning tools

Students in 6th Grade Spanish classes have recently put their knowledge of culture and their creatitivty to work

Seniors in the Elections 2024 class are no strangers to visitors at this point in the semester, however, they received a special treat recently when Illinois State District 12 Representative Margaret Croke visited campus

Parker extends a big thank-you to all the visitors who attended the recent Grandparent Breakfast at County Fair and the Grandparent Dinner and a Movie event

Students welcomed Diwali with a Morning Ex led by members of the Upper School South Asian Student Alliance

Seniors Annabel McIntosh and Julia Josephson explained the election process and candidates’ views on important issues to MS students this week

The US Performing Arts Department shared the classic children’s book Charlotte’s Web recently

Architect, Life Trustee and parent emeritus Chip von Weise visited the Upper School Climate Science and Environmental Justice class to discuss the sustainable construction and additional features of Parker’s upcoming expansion project

Upper School members of the Asian Alliance affinity group came together during a recent weekend for a text-banking event to encourage voter participation in Chicago

Students in the Lower and Intermediate Schools welcomed children’s book author and travel enthusiast Leah Henderson for a full day of sharing, reading and writing

The Upper School Architecture and Photography classes took an exciting field trip to downtown Chicago, immersing themselves in the city

Lower School students got an introduction to basketball skills when DePaul’s mascot DIBS joined them in class

After reading the first two chapters in Bite by Bite: American History Through Feasts, Foods, and Side Dishes, under Quest Food Management Food Service Director Chef Zac Maness’ leadership, 8th graders made tortillas and connected to the rich history of corn in the Americas

Students from all three Junior Kindergarten classes have been visiting Quest Food Management Food Service Director Chef Zac Maness to discuss a special fall classic: apples

Senior Audrey Tai has spent the past two summers collaborating with a DePaul professor on the design of a new course and producing a research paper in the process

The Student Athletic Council Heads are excited to announce the SAC Student-Athlete of the Week: senior Teo Kiep

The Organization of Latin American Students affinity group recently took to the Heller Auditorium stage to lead a Hispanic Heritage Month Morning Ex for the community

During their Integrated Learning and Information Science class times, Junior Kindergarten students have been reading books about fall and learning all about the season

Matt McMurray ’08 discussed his work as the Chief of Staff for Rep. Robin Kelly with seniors in Elections 2024

Since County Fair’s inception in 1902, this fall celebration has been an opportunity for students to make products, organize activities and share them with the community

The Golf program made history this year by advancing for the first time to the Sectional and State tournaments

The Student Athletic Council Heads are excited to announce the SAC Student-Athlete of the Week: junior Nia Nashashibi

Parker faculty members Christine Hoffman and Sean Miranda received the University of Chicago’s Outstanding Educator Award

Juan Rangel recently spent time with seniors in Andy Bigelow’s Elections 2024 class to share more about his work with The Urban Center

French language students in 7th and 8th grades learned about crepes and culture in a class gathering

Illinois State Climatologist Dr. Trent Ford returned to Parker to speak to students about our climate

Cook County State’s Attorney Republican candidate Bob Fioretti recently Zoomed with Upper School students in Andy Bigelow’s Elections 2024 class

Fourth grade students built excitment for County Fair by sharing with SK this week

Students in 7th and 8th grades assembled to build community and share novel experiences when they met in interest groups for the first time this year

Enjoy a range of photos from homecoming weekend.

Students in 7th grade are cross-training as actors, directors and lighting designers as part of their monologue work in drama class

Sophomores welcomed City Government and Politics Reporter Tessa Weinberg and Data Reporter Amy Qin from WBEZ to speak as part of the Civic Lab program

Student Athlete of The Week Logan Gupta led the Colonels to their first ever Sectionals by shooting a team best 77 at Regionals

Students in Upper School History teacher Andy Bigelow’s Elections 2024 course explained the ins and outs of the upcoming election at Morning Ex

A 10-year-old table tennis player shared his personal story of triumph via the Israel ParaSport Center at the first Jewish Student Connection meeting of the year

A mixed group of community members recently joined together to share their voices at the inaugural rehearsal of Parker’s Adult Community Choir

Parker welcomed When We All Vote Executive Director Beth Lynk to campus on Monday for a day of discussion, civics and introspection as part of the Stenn Family Civics Education Initiative

Mandarin students made mooncakes in anticipation of the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival celebration

Senior Annabel McIntosh flexed her democratic muscles for her country this election season as a volunteer at the Democratic National Convention

The Student Athletic Council Heads are excited to announce the SAC Student-Athlete of the Week: freshman Addie Williams

Every four years, seniors at Parker have a unique opportunity to learn about our democracy through the lens of a vitally important topic: elections

Student artists have been immersed in a wide range of self-directed projects in Kay Silva’s 5th grade art classes

As part of their “City as Community” Civic Lab work, 10th grade students attended a panel discussion featuring Parker employees sharing their migration stories

A trio of administrators shared insights on creating an equitable and inclusive enrollment process with admission professionals at the annual Enrollment Management Association conference in Boston

From Wednesday, September 11 to Friday, September 13, the class of 2027 kicked off the beginning of their sophomore year with a retreat at Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center in Carbondale, Illinois

The Student Athletic Council Heads are excited to announce the SAC Student-Athlete of the Week: freshman Alejandro Mickelson

This past week, to build excitement for a weekend of Colonels athletics, students participated in Miami Nights Spirit Week

Fifth grade students marked Hispanic Heritage Month with an interdisciplinary study of the indigenous Mesoamerican culture of the Aztec Empire

Three Parker students were recently recognized for their writing talent as recipients of Gwendolyn Brooks Youth Poetry Awards

Students in Kay Silva’s Upper School Art Studio class layered spray paint, stencils and their prior artistic experience and ingenuity to create 2D pieces to help them ease back into the studio after a summer of creative endeavors

Since the school’s founding in 1901, Parker has begun each academic year with the Corinthians Morning Ex, and the tradition continued this year

This year’s Student Athletic Council Heads, seniors Lincoln Hamid and Audrey Smith, are excited to announce the first SAC Student-Athlete of the Week: junior Penny Wood

Junior Logan Gupta recently defied the odds and did something that has odds of 12,500 to 1 of occurring

Fourth grade K-Walkers reported to Webster Avenue this week to escort their friends in the Lower School to the playground and classrooms each morning

Since senior Audrey Smith was two years old, she has been skating around rinks and leaned into that love when she began playing ice hockey at age four. She has been pursuing and honing that passion ever since

Math Department Co-Chair Steve Tyler met up with alum Eda Altunbas ’23 and her family as part of a trip to Turkiye this summer

Parker people, whether students, faculty or staff, enjoy a variety of pursuits and interests that take them beyond the school’s walls. Physical Education teacher Tyler Heidtke’s passion is rugby

New Director of Athletics Nick Kocsis began the fall season with an interactive, thought-provoking meeting with Middle and Upper School coaches

Since 1901, Morning Ex has been an important part of school life at Parker. Students assemble on days 3, 6 and 7 of our 8-day schedule for a 40-minute program to share ideas and learning opportunities

Senior students had one last opportunity to connect with their younger siblings before the close of the academic year

The Parker community gathered one last time this academic year for the annual Class Day celebration of the senior class

Senior mathematicians solved AP calculus problems using sidewalk chalk in Jo Anderson Drive on a recent afternoon

Principal Dan Frank formally knighted and welcomed students to the “Kingdom of Fifthenham” as part of this year’s 5th Grade Dubbing Ceremony

The Development Department hosted the last of the Parker Fund Participation Challenge Winner events for the 4th grade class last week

Parker’s Physical Education Department joined teachers, students in 1st through 3rd grades and their Big Siblings for the annual Field Day

Senior Harry Lowitz shared the fruits of his yearlong Independent Study connecting and comparing the 1968 Chicago Democratic National Convention and the upcoming 2024 DNC at a recent teach-in

From building websites to pool tables, seniors capped their final year at Parker with exciting and informative projects as part of May Term. The class of 2024 spent the last two weeks of their final semester diving deep into passion projects connected to civic resonance and Parker’s mission

Fifth grade students have learned how to embellish their possessions courtesy of Quest Food Service team member Kendra Rush

Students in my Biology 1-Advanced course have been working closely with the Lincoln Park Zoo and the Urban Wildlife Institute during the school year

Students in 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade Art and Science classes recently shared a common interest around the 2024 Cicada Immersion and collaborated to study insects and cicadas

The Upper School Mandarin class and Asian Alliance students went on an enriching field trip to Chicago's vibrant Chinatown

A group of Middle School students recently took to the courtyard to test their mathematical mettle as part of an after-school arithmetic scavenger hunt

Parker’s Project Invent team traveled to California recently to present the invention they've been working on for the entirety of the school year

Senior Grant Koh invited the community to a lunchtime presentation where he discussed what he has been studying during his year-long Independent Study with both Upper School Math teacher Chris Riff and Science teacher Xiao Zhang

SK students spent time in ILIS classes learning about bubbles and designed their very own bubble wands! The goal of this project was for SKers to learn about how bubbles are formed, how they hold their shape, what they are made from and about the physics that govern bubble creation. Students were also introduced to 3D design and creation during their bubble exploration

Lower and Intermediate School students recently attended a Morning Ex featuring The Actors Gymnasium, a circus school and theater company dedicated to expanding human and theatrical potential through the vital forms of circus arts by pushing the limits of physical, emotional and creative expression

Students of color schoolwide joined together for an afternoon of snacks, smiles and gym-filled fun at the Students of Color Affinity Social

Parker honored faculty and staff members at this year’s Employee Celebration Morning Ex. Seven employees commemorated their 20-year anniversaries, while longtime Middle School Drama teacher Ed Garza culminated his 25-year Parker career with retirement

National Alliance on Mental Illness Illinois’ Emily Fagan spoke on Ending the Silence to kick off Mental Health Awareness Month

The Sophomore Civic Lab Pilot Program ended its first year by working to abate clothing insecurity through a clothing drive

A US Cookies class welcomed activist and Take Back the Night Executive Director Katie Koestner to speak 

Parker hosted a second Signing Day Ceremony for senior student-athletes Sam Forst and Josh Ijiwola this past week, who signed agreements to continue their athletic careers in college

The Berkowitz Student Committee held their annual Morning Ex to announce the selection of Gabriel’s Light to receive a grant for their work preventing youth suicide through education, cyber safety and kindness campaigns

Senior Alberto Rojas is taking a closer look at electronic waste as part of his May Term project, and all can contribute to his efforts

The Development Office hosted another successful Lower School Grandparents and Special Friends Day last week

US Spanish V welcomed Virginia Morales de Navarrete to speak firsthand on the Cuban Revolution

Middle School students recently shared original podcasts developed in collaboration with their JK counterparts

Student vocalists in the Middle and Upper Schools displayed their talents for the community at the Spring Choir Concert

On Tuesday, April 30, members of The Parker Weekly staff took a trip to NBC Studios downtown for a tour of the newsroom and to observe the 5 p.m. news

A group of Middle School students orchestrated a bake sale on campus to help raise funds for refugees who have recently settled in Chicago

This week, Parker’s oldest students in Upper School advanced language courses came together to share with each other and celebrate their journey in language comprehension as their time at the school draws to a close

Fourth grade students delighted the community with their creativity, energy and scholarship as part of this year’s Greek Play

Parker’s youngest students spent a day enjoying stories read by their peers’ parents and guardians as part of JK Read Day

The Upper School “Creating Historical Documentaries” course, co-taught by Visual Arts and Graphic Design teacher Travis Chandler and History teacher Dan Greenstone, has a track record of producing truly amazing content that has been recognized both inside and outside Parker’s walls. And this trend continued as three student directors had their film accepted and shown at a student film festival

Throughout the school year, 3rd graders have been making connections with their study of Chicago in ILIS class. The final project of the year connected Chicago history, innovation, cardboard and a lot of fun

Upper School students campaigning for Student Government offices next year appealed to their peers for support as part of Parker’s annual Democrafest

This year’s Jeanne Harris Hansell Endowed Poet Gabrielle Calvocoressi spent last Friday sharing their poetry and creative process with Parker students

Throughout the school year, Languages and Cultural Studies Department Co-Chair Cynthia Marker’s French IV seniors have been enjoying monthly visits to Tisha Johnson's JK. Activities so far this year have included songs, arts and crafts and the creation of senior-JK buddy groups

On Monday, Parker welcomed Dr. Katie Cronin and Dr. Seth Magle from the Lincoln Park Zoo to speak to the community as the 17th Annual Robert A. Pritzker Visiting Scientist•Inventor•Engineer in Residence. They discussed animal welfare and conservation and their work at the exhibits in the zoo, the streets of Chicago and beyond

Last weekend, Parker’s Upper School Scholastic Bowl team competed in the NAQT Small Schools National Championship Tournament

Student instrumentalists in the Middle and Upper Schools shared their talents with the community in their annual Spring Concert

Juniors in English teacher Alicia Abood’s American Literature class wrapped up a fun project to mark the end of their study of the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The community gathered for a special Morning Ex on Monday when the Muslim Students Association delivered an educational experience about the history, significance and practice of Eid al-Fitr

This spring, Senior Kindergarteners designed and coded their own video games using the ScratchJr coding app

The Upper School Students of Color Affinity group kicked off the 2024 April Recess with a field trip entitled Cross-Cultural Exploration

Parker Upper School Art students recently orchestrated an after-school event combining visual art and spoken word poetry to showcase young creators at Parker

The Kindergarten Atrium welcomed a new guest on loan from the Field Museum

Upper School student musicians treated the community with their talents as part of a recent Chamber Music Morning Ex

As part of the geographic focus on the Caribbean in Spanish III, 10th graders took a field trip to the “Paseo Boricua” in Humboldt Park

Second grade students shared newfound knowledge about The Philippines, South Korea and Japan as part of a recent culminating curriculum celebration

Freshman Josephine McCloskey represented Parker at the Kasparov Chess Foundation All-Girls National Championships during April Recess

Upper School students in the Chemistry of Cooking class learned the art of tempering chocolate thanks to a visit from confectioner Sarah (Levy) Imberman ’99 and her partner

Will Caldwell from the Ta’leef Collective recently visited the school to talk about the American Muslim experience

The US Asian Affinity Club has been hard at work for a full year to bring a special Morning Ex on bystander intervention from Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Chicago Director of Development Sangini Brahmbhatt 

French IV seniors shared original French fairy tales with their friends in Tisha Johnson’s JK class 

Dance teacher Flo Walker-Harris’ Pulse Theater Company Chicago was recently recognized with a Jeff Award for Best Short Run Ensemble in the non-Equity category this year

Upper School slam poets shared the activities of the Poetry Slam club, their process as writers and their recent accomplishments at a Morning Ex

The 3rd grade came together to take the Morning Ex audience on a tour of Chicago. Working in groups, the students presented what they learned about various aspects of the city through a simulated tour for out-of-town guests

In recognition of Women’s History Month, Parker parent and board member Gennell Jefferson met with Parker’s Women’s Affinity Group (WAG)

Parker is very proud to announce that the Illinois High School Association Sportsmanship Advisory Committee has selected another Parker student to join them. Freshman Miriam Johnson will follow in the footsteps of Sammi Coleman ’22 and senior Benjamin Kagan to become the third consecutive Parker student to serve a two-year term on the SAC

Two of Parker’s finest Upper School Track and Field student-athletes, sophomore Dal Harrell and senior Sam Forst, competed at Illinois Top Times, hosted by Illinois Wesleyan in Bloomington, Illinois, on Friday, March 22

Chicago’s very own Anna DeShawn kicked off Pride Week with a Morning Ex to share more about Chicago’s queer Black history

Upper School Math teacher Robert Wilson and 1st grade teacher Greenie organized a joint lesson to develop students’ knowledge of math concepts through hands-on experiences

Parker’s youngest students got familiar with the sights and sounds of the Kontras Quartet when they came to the school for a special concert

Upper School Science teacher Ryan Zaremba was among the thought leaders participating in a recent webinar focusing on clean energy

On Wednesday, Parker’s Lower School gathered for a special Pride Morning Ex organized by the Lower School faculty and staff

Parker’s junior class welcomed Chicago Japanese American Historical Society President Jean Mishima to speak on campus. Mishima, who was introduced to Parker through Yuki Solomon, mother of junior Judah, spoke about her experience as a Japanese internment camp survivor and as a Japanese American

Parker athletics fans can watch regular season Girls' Soccer games on our turf field on the National Federation of State High Schools Network

Inquiry, exploration, discovery and problem solving were on display as part of our annual Science Fair and STEM week events

The Independent School League has recognized several winter student-athletes with all-conference postseason honors

Fourth grade Shop students recently paired up with Senior Kindergarteners to share their original jigsaw puzzle creations and build community

Parker’s Upper School Scholastic Bowl team hosted a regional tournament on Monday, March 4, to begin its 2024 IHSA State Series campaign. Coming off three consecutive Class A regional championships and one sectional championship, this is the program's first year competing against large schools in class AA

Nine Upper School poets recently participated in Rooted & Radical, the world’s largest youth poetry festival

Six Upper School students shared their experiences from the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Student Diversity Leadership Conference at Morning Ex this week

Parker students have been dedicated to honoring Black History Month and sharing work from their classes. Culminating this effort was a pair of Black History Morning Exes that brought together the community

Chicago’s very own WGN News recently featured sophomore Ava Lin on their Spotlight Chicago segment for her participation in the Windy City Open Squash Tournament

Parker is proud to announce that the IHSA has accepted senior Riya Jain to the 31st All-State Academic Team

A group of Upper School students spent February Recess engaged in a science trip exploring the areas around Panama and Costa Rica

Parker welcomed author and illustrator Dr. Karen Su to a special Morning Ex with 3rd, 4th and 5th grade last week. Su currently serves as the Global Asian Studies (GLAS) director of undergraduate studies at the University of Illinois Chicago and was also the founding director of the Asian American Resource and Cultural Center. She is also a published children’s book author and illustrator who won the 2022 Many Voices Prize from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Illinois

Parker’s Black Student Union planned and executed a historic and successful social event this past Saturday, bringing together 275 students from 13 schools across the Chicago area

Middle and Upper School students participated in a Chinese New Year celebration facilitated by Mandarin teacher Gina (Lanjing) Dong

The Development Office has hosted three engagement events for community groups in recent weeks

Representatives from the League of Women Voters of Chicago recently visited campus to register eligible students for the upcoming election season

Senior Paul Callahan was named a league All Star on the Chicago Central Hockey Team at a recent game

A pair of teachers recently combined forces in sharing a periodic table of Black History in the Suzanne Crown Goodman Science Wing

The Asian Alliance and Multi Racial Affinity Group brought the celebration of Lunar New Year to the Heller Auditorium stage last week

Chicago historian Shermann “Dilla” Thomas shared his message of positivity and Chicago history at Morning Ex

Parker PM team member Anzetta Cherry ’15 has installed a new bulletin board outside the Parker PM room to remind those who pass by to love themselves unconditionally and find love and beauty in all things around them

Upper School French teacher Cynthia Marker delivered a talk on infusing her French classes with pop music to help teach current events

All are welcome on Saturday to hear former Peace Corps Ukraine’s Country Director Michael Ketover as he delivers the keynote address at Parker’s Model UN conference this year

As part of their Civic Lab, a trio of juniors volunteered at the annual gala/chief fundraiser for EQIL—Equality Illinois

Parker’s Girls and Boys Varsity Basketball teams recently collaborated to help those in need have a better chance for a home

Both the rookie and veteran FTC (terrestrial) Robotics teams put on a thrilling show last Saturday at the Chicago League Qualifier Parker hosted

Architect, alum and current parent Noah Luken ’93 brought his expertise to fellow classmate and Upper School Visual Arts and Graphic Design teacher Travis Chandler’s ’93 Architecture class

In its inaugural season of competition, the Upper School Chess team has had multiple victories, qualifying for the state finals in Peoria

Parker’s Robotics First Tech Challenge teams discussed their progress this season showed off their latest and greatest robots at Morning Ex this week. The upperclassman team, named 3507, is currently in first place, while the freshman team, 9410, is in third place in the Chicago Metro League standings

Students who participated in Project Invent this year and last year presented their purpose, process and final products at Morning Ex last week. Project Invent is a first-semester class that pairs students with a community partner for whom the students must use their design thinking and engineering skills to create a product that would help improve the community partner’s life

Drama students in the 1st and 4th grades recently completed their puppet study and shared performances with their peers

Senior Genia Jefferson recently conducted an Independent Study researching the disparities within public housing and the history of public housing in Chicago

Enjoy these six original films produced by Upper Schoolers as final projects in their Creating Historical Documentaries class

Upper School Engineering students completed a final assessment requiring them to employ a wide range of skills they learned throughout the fall semester

In recognition of his hard work and dedication, civic leader, philanthropist and dedicated volunteer John G. Levi received the Seymour Preston Award at a special reception at the CASE-NAIS Independent School Conference in Austin, Texas

Maurice Hazan visted Parker to share his language-learning system QTALK with the Middle and Upper School

On Sunday, January 21, 2nd grade student Arturo Velez accepted an invitation and competed at the 2024 Ocean Breeze Youth Freedom Games/USA Track & Field National Competition in New York City

As a culminating activity in Alicia Abood’s senior Poetry elective, students invite parents/guardians and the community to attend a live poetry reading showcasing their passion and growth as poets throughout the semester

As part of his Independent Study, senior Krish Malhotra presented on his semester-long analysis of U.S. economic policy shifts during economic crises

Sophomore stagecraft creator Chase Wayland recently tapped into his Robotics team experience to help devise a novel solution for the Spring Musical

Recently, students in Upper School Computer Science teacher Brianna Ifft’s class took part in the final project, CP2: Web Dev, and highlighted all they have learned this semeste

Virtue Restaurant Chef de Cuisine Damarr Brown talked about his professional journey as a Black chef in Chicago and his experiences on the TV program Top Chef in a public event at the school

This week, Lower and Intermediate School students honored the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a Morning Ex about service

Parker’s youngest students gain confidence and knowledge in the arts through the exploration and practice of different materials and styles in art and contemporary artists who use them

Seniors Thewfic Anwar and Riya Jain are refining a device they created as the dynamic duo powering Parker’s Project Invent team this year

It is often said that the best way to learn something is to teach it to someone else. And seniors in Leslie Webster’s Chemistry II: Advanced Topics class showcased the veracity of this phrase during a special lab day

Earlier this week, 8th grade students met with Jacques Rivera, a man who was wrongfully incarcerated for more than 20 years, and heard his story. Students are reaching the end of reading Just Mercy in their English classes, and this was an opportunity to listen to and engage with someone whose experience was similar to those in the book by Bryan Stevenson

Senior Hanna Bilgin combined her love of words with her Turkish and Swedish background for her Independent Study, “English, Translation and Immigration”

At the annual American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language Conference, Lower School Spanish teacher Valentina Correa, or Profe Valentina, as her students know her, shared her expertise as a Lower School Spanish teacher who gets her students up and moving in the classroom

Freshman Zoe Polsky was recognized for her piece “Chandler and Greenstone Make a Documentary”

Before December Recess, Upper School students in Bridget Lesinski’s Anatomy class enjoyed a special guest visit from physician Dr. Rahul Kumar Khare

Middle School Spanish students collaborated with US Mandarin students to learn more about the Lunar New Year

Fifth graders have spent time in ILIS designing, collaborating, building and coding to create interactive video games for 1st grade students that weaved in social-emotional learning (SEL)

Parker is pleased to announce that Parker ended its inaugural season in the Chicago Chess Conference in second place