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  12. <title>Chicago Private Schools &#124; Morgan Park Academy</title>
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  26. <title>Chicago Private Schools &#124; Morgan Park Academy</title>
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  31. <item>
  32. <title>Meet the Class of 2018</title>
  33. <link>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/31/meet-the-class-of-2018/</link>
  34. <comments>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/31/meet-the-class-of-2018/#respond</comments>
  36. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Morgan Park Academy]]></dc:creator>
  37. <pubDate>Thu, 31 May 2018 20:20:31 +0000</pubDate>
  38. <category><![CDATA[College Counseling]]></category>
  39. <category><![CDATA[Student Voice]]></category>
  40. <category><![CDATA[Upper School]]></category>
  41. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/?p=1449</guid>
  42.  
  43. <description><![CDATA[We caught up with several members of the Class of 2018 to get their perspectives on their time at MPA as they get ready for graduation, college, and beyond.]]></description>
  44. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>We caught up with several members of the Class of 2018 to get their perspectives on their time at Morgan Park Academy as they get ready for graduation, college, and beyond.</em></p>
  45. <p><img data-attachment-id="1453" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/31/meet-the-class-of-2018/david/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg" data-orig-size="350,450" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="david" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg?w=233" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg?w=350" class=" size-full wp-image-1453 alignright" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg?w=625" alt="david" width="20%" /><strong>DAVID</strong><br />
  46. New York University<br />
  47. Hometown: Evergreen Park</p>
  48. <p>“There&#8217;s nothing like the community here at MPA. I initially left after eighth grade before returning my sophomore year, because I learned from personal experience that there’s nothing like the bonds you form here with your friends and teachers.”</p>
  49. <hr />
  50. <p><img data-attachment-id="1453" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/31/meet-the-class-of-2018/david/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg" data-orig-size="350,450" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="david" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg?w=233" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg?w=350" class=" size-full wp-image-1453 alignright" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/isis.jpg?w=625" alt="isis" width="20%" /><strong>ISIS</strong><br />
  51. University of Michigan<br />
  52. Hometown: Chicago Ridge</p>
  53. <p>“Basketball was my favorite co-curricular activity. I wouldn’t always look forward to practices, but it was truly my favorite activity because of the families I created over the years and the bond I had with Coach Drahozal. He was always there for me and for the other girls. Basketball was like a second family for me.”</p>
  54. <hr />
  55. <p><img data-attachment-id="1453" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/31/meet-the-class-of-2018/david/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg" data-orig-size="350,450" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="david" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg?w=233" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg?w=350" class=" size-full wp-image-1453 alignright" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/brenden.jpg?w=625" alt="brenden" width="20%" /><strong>BRENDEN</strong><br />
  56. Loyola University Chicago<br />
  57. Hometown: Blue Island</p>
  58. <p>“I’ve been here since preschool, and the biggest thing that the Academy did to help me prepare for college was allow me to explore my interests and explore new activities that I usually wouldn’t do. My experiences I had inside and outside the classroom, from sports to theater to our unforgettable trip to Japan, will carry me into college and beyond.”</p>
  59. <hr />
  60. <p><img data-attachment-id="1453" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/31/meet-the-class-of-2018/david/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg" data-orig-size="350,450" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="david" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg?w=233" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg?w=350" class=" size-full wp-image-1453 alignright" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/kat.jpg?w=625" alt="kat" width="20%" /><strong>KAT</strong><br />
  61. University of Southern California<br />
  62. Hometown: Crown Point, Indiana</p>
  63. <p>“When I transferred to MPA, I was apprehensive about joining a school where many students had known each other for years. But everyone was incredibly kind and welcoming, and I quickly felt like a member of the community as well. Moreover, the teachers that I have had at MPA have been influential role models. They were truly invested in my personal success and advancement and guided me through the challenging college decision-making process.”</p>
  64. <hr />
  65. <p><img data-attachment-id="1453" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/31/meet-the-class-of-2018/david/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg" data-orig-size="350,450" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="david" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg?w=233" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg?w=350" class=" size-full wp-image-1453 alignright" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/theo.jpg?w=625" alt="theo" width="20%" /><strong>THEO</strong><br />
  66. University of Chicago<br />
  67. Hometown: Munster, Indiana</p>
  68. <p>“Four years on the tennis team have been both fun and challenging, and it’s been one of the best social groups I have ever joined. And when I joined theater my junior year, that gave me another group of incredibly friendly and fun people. I’ve spent the past four years of my life at an incredible institution, which makes me feel all the more prepared for the future.”</p>
  69. <hr />
  70. <p><img data-attachment-id="1453" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/31/meet-the-class-of-2018/david/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg" data-orig-size="350,450" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="david" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg?w=233" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg?w=350" class=" size-full wp-image-1453 alignright" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/abby.jpg?w=625" alt="abby" width="20%" /><strong>ABBY</strong><br />
  71. University of Chicago<br />
  72. Hometown: Mount Greenwood</p>
  73. <p>“I’m so grateful to have met such amazing people and made such amazing memories at MPA. From performing in <em>Little Women</em> to laughing and crying with the basketball team, and everything in between, this has been a time to remember.”</p>
  74. <hr />
  75. <p><img data-attachment-id="1453" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/31/meet-the-class-of-2018/david/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg" data-orig-size="350,450" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="david" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg?w=233" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg?w=350" class=" size-full wp-image-1453 alignright" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/dev.jpg?w=625" alt="dev" width="20%" /><strong>DEV</strong><br />
  76. Indiana University<br />
  77. Hometown: Schererville, Indiana</p>
  78. <p>“Our annual Project Week trips were some of my favorite memories. I went on international trips each year and got to experience the rest of the world with my best friends.”</p>
  79. <hr />
  80. <p><img data-attachment-id="1453" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/31/meet-the-class-of-2018/david/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg" data-orig-size="350,450" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="david" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg?w=233" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/david.jpg?w=350" class=" size-full wp-image-1453 alignright" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/yujia.jpg?w=625" alt="yujia" width="20%" /><strong>YUJIA</strong><br />
  81. École Hôtelière de Lausanne<br />
  82. Hometown: Shanghai, China</p>
  83. <p>“My favorite place on campus is Jones Bowl. It is beautiful in winter when covered in snow. In spring, it is even better; my friends and I would sit on the grass and enjoy the sun during our open periods.”</p>
  84. ]]></content:encoded>
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  133. <title>Alumni Speaker: Mike Bechtel &#8217;94</title>
  134. <link>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/alumni-speaker-mike-bechtel-94/</link>
  135. <comments>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/alumni-speaker-mike-bechtel-94/#respond</comments>
  137. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Morgan Park Academy]]></dc:creator>
  138. <pubDate>Thu, 24 May 2018 18:20:08 +0000</pubDate>
  139. <category><![CDATA[Alumni]]></category>
  140. <category><![CDATA[College Counseling]]></category>
  141. <category><![CDATA[Upper School]]></category>
  142. <category><![CDATA[alumni]]></category>
  143. <category><![CDATA[audio]]></category>
  144. <category><![CDATA[college admissions]]></category>
  145. <category><![CDATA[colleges]]></category>
  146. <category><![CDATA[upper school]]></category>
  147. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/?p=1429</guid>
  148.  
  149. <description><![CDATA[Investor and entrepreneur Mike Bechtel '94 spoke to Upper School students about his college decision, his time in school, and how his MPA experience laid the foundation for future success.]]></description>
  150. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Each year, Morgan Park Academy begins graduation season by celebrating seniors&#8217; college choices on National College Decision Day on May 1. </em><em>This year, we were joined by investor and entrepreneur <strong>Mike Bechtel &#8217;94</strong>, who spoke to Upper School students about his college decision, his time in school, and how his MPA experience laid the foundation for future success. </em></p>
  151. <iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F445523304&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&visual=true&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&color=ff5500"></iframe>
  152. <p style="text-align:justify;"><em><img data-attachment-id="1434" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/alumni-speaker-mike-bechtel-94/bechtel-sq2/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/bechtel-sq2.jpg" data-orig-size="843,843" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1527162163&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="Bechtel-sq2" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/bechtel-sq2.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/bechtel-sq2.jpg?w=625" class=" size-full wp-image-1434 alignright" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/bechtel-sq2.jpg?w=625" alt="Bechtel-sq2" width="40%" />A transcript of his remarks:</em></p>
  153. <p>I&#8217;ll tell you, senior year sitting down with the guidance counselor here at the Academy, I felt stuck.</p>
  154. <p>I really felt stuck, because MPA, doing that thing that MPA does — MPA made me well-rounded. Whether you want to or not, you can’t help but come out of Morgan Park Academy being a Renaissance person. And I said, listen, I’m good at math and science, but I like reading and writing. What do I do? And I remember the advice in 1994 — I don’t know if it’s the same today — but at that time, the advice was to start in engineering because it&#8217;s easier to fall out of engineering than into it.</p>
  155. <p><span id="more-1429"></span></p>
  156. <p>So when I got to college [at the University of Notre Dame], I did one semester of engineering and I wasn&#8217;t feeling it. That&#8217;s just me. I had gone from 13-person classes to 300-person classes and I figured, hey, MPA already taught me how to learn; I&#8217;ll get a book and I&#8217;ll figure out Bernoulli&#8217;s principle or something.</p>
  157. <p>So I went in and changed my major period after my first semester. I said you know what? Maybe I&#8217;ll be an attorney. So I picked up a government major and the semester after that I said you know what? I don&#8217;t think I love this either, because I don&#8217;t want to argue for a living. So now I&#8217;m stuck.</p>
  158. <p>So I&#8217;m killing some time — I picked up a minor in economics and philosophy. I&#8217;m philosophizing and I&#8217;m economizing, thinking, what am I going to do? And then I realized I was missing something and what I was missing most — and I didn’t even realize I had it when I was here. I was missing diversity.</p>
  159. <p>Here at Morgan Park Academy, I was part of a United Colors of Benetton group of students where, as a white, male, Irish Catholic, I wasn’t in the majority. I was just Mike. At Notre Dame, I was like a thousand other dudes. I missed the color, literally and figuratively, and the flavor of my diverse MPA experience. So that’s why I picked up my anthropology major, because I value culture. I value different perspectives. I value different experiences and value systems.</p>
  160. <p>And so strutting out of Notre Dame in 1998, I&#8217;m like, OK what am I going to do? I&#8217;ve got this crazy, potluck potpourri of majors. But you know what? I played the hand that I was dealt. Because in 1998, if you could spell “www,” congratulations, you are a technology expert.</p>
  161. <p>I got a job at this company called Accenture, which was really all about helping big companies solve their business problems by sticking in newfangled technologies. All of my coworkers at the time were straight-down-the-middle engineers. [They had learned] none of the communications stuff. No [performing in] “Romeo and Juliet” plays, no “Sound of Music.” No cultural diversity. No diversity of thought.</p>
  162. <p>I realized that what got me in the door was being just technical enough, but what kept me cooking was having all those other shadings in my repertoire. Pretty soon, they put me in charge of innovation at the company, which is to say, my job was to translate the crazy, hare-brained technology ideas coming out of our doctors from China, India, Russia, and the Philippines into boardroom-relevant stuff that [the bosses] think would save them money.</p>
  163. <p>And so, ironically, out of all my studies, anthropology — which was informed by my coming here to MPA — is the skill that I use the most in my work. It’s playing translator between different tribes, between different cultures.</p>
  164. <p>When I think of MPA, I think of the diversity of the curriculum. You guys have learned a little of a lot. Don’t lose that.</p>
  165. <p>Two, I think of the diversity of the student body. Play that to your strengths. You guys have a blessing that most people don’t even realize they’re missing out on.</p>
  166. <p>If I would leave you guys with a little bit of perspective around choosing your college — and I know [some of] you already have, but as you think about it, and double-check it — I would say look at college as an opportunity to accentuate the positives, focus on your strengths. Eliminate your negative, stamp out those fuzzy-wuzzy, ambiguous weaknesses. And don&#8217;t even waste time, don&#8217;t even mess around with [getting stuck] in between.</p>
  167. <p>You guys are through the bulk of your formative education. You&#8217;ve learned where you&#8217;re a rock star. You&#8217;ve learned where you’ve got some work to do. Shore this up, double down on this. Be open-minded, but not so open-minded that your brain falls out.</p>
  168. <p>And then finally, as you think about majors, think about what&#8217;s next.</p>
  169. <p>People are going to tell you follow your passions. OK. I disagree.</p>
  170. <p>People are going to tell you follow what you’re good at. I disagree.</p>
  171. <p>People are going to say follow the money. I disagree.</p>
  172. <p>People are going to say follow your values, follow your heart. Nope.</p>
  173. <p>You have to follow all four. All four at once.</p>
  174. <p>Here’s what I mean, in all sincerity: I’ve been out of school at MPA about 25 years and I’ve seen people get stuck because they’re all in on one of those buckets. The dirty secret is you’ve got to figure them all out.</p>
  175. <p>You’re not going to be happy if you’re a broke poet. You’re not going to be happy if you’re rolling in dough and feeling morally empty. You’re not going to be happy if you’re any of those without the others. And so build yourself a four-dimensional Venn diagram. Use your math skills, your engineering skills. Plot that sucker. But find the intersection. Find the intersection, because that’s what’s going to keep you cooking.</p>
  176. <p>I&#8217;m pumped for each and every one of you. I look forward to watching each of you flourish. Thanks for being part of MPA. It makes me feel strong for being part of MPA.</p>
  177. ]]></content:encoded>
  179. <wfw:commentRss>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/alumni-speaker-mike-bechtel-94/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
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  193. <title>Alumni Speaker: Jason Ervin &#8217;92</title>
  194. <link>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/alumni-speaker-jason-ervin-92/</link>
  195. <comments>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/alumni-speaker-jason-ervin-92/#respond</comments>
  197. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Morgan Park Academy]]></dc:creator>
  198. <pubDate>Thu, 24 May 2018 18:15:58 +0000</pubDate>
  199. <category><![CDATA[Alumni]]></category>
  200. <category><![CDATA[College Counseling]]></category>
  201. <category><![CDATA[Upper School]]></category>
  202. <category><![CDATA[alumni]]></category>
  203. <category><![CDATA[audio]]></category>
  204. <category><![CDATA[college admissions]]></category>
  205. <category><![CDATA[colleges]]></category>
  206. <category><![CDATA[upper school]]></category>
  207. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/?p=1432</guid>
  208.  
  209. <description><![CDATA[Chicago alderman Jason Ervin '92 spoke to Upper School students about how his MPA experience laid the foundation for future success.]]></description>
  210. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Each year, Morgan Park Academy begins graduation season by celebrating seniors&#8217; college choices on National College Decision Day on May 1. </em><em>This year, we were joined by Chicago alderman <strong>Jason Ervin &#8217;92</strong>, who spoke to Upper School students about how his MPA experience laid the foundation for future success. </em></p>
  211. <iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F445523301&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&visual=true&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&color=ff5500"></iframe>
  212. <p><em><img data-attachment-id="1437" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/alumni-speaker-jason-ervin-92/ervin-sq/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/ervin-sq.jpg" data-orig-size="513,512" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="ervin-sq" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/ervin-sq.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/ervin-sq.jpg?w=513" class=" size-full wp-image-1437 alignright" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/ervin-sq.jpg?w=625" alt="ervin-sq" width="40%" />A transcript of his remarks:</em></p>
  213. <p>Diversity in this school was key. I&#8217;m a black kid who grew up on the South Side of Chicago &#8230; and fortunately for me, I was able to come to the Academy. I didn&#8217;t have to go through some of the struggles and challenges a lot of my neighbors had.</p>
  214. <p>This was a diverse student body, a wealth of opportunities to give you the chance to do what you wanted to do. It gave you enough room to really kind of find yourself. I graduated in a class of 36 that looked like the rest of America — actually, that looked like the rest of the world &#8212; and that was very key as I left here to go to college at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale &#8230; [to study] business and accounting.</p>
  215. <p>One thing that I will say is that you all have the excellent opportunity to change your mind about some things, but use this time as you get ready to go to college and as you finish up your high school careers to figure out, what is it that you like to do? What is it that you love? What is it that you’re passionate about? What is it you don&#8217;t like? Who is it you don&#8217;t like?</p>
  216. <p><span id="more-1432"></span></p>
  217. <p>Try to work through those things, because as you leave — I called this the cocoon, because once you leave here, the world outside of here is a lot different than what you found here. One thing that I can definitely remember from the first day that I set foot on a college campus down in Carbondale, Illinois, was that there were 20,000 students and I was used to being in a class of 13 and now I&#8217;m in a lecture hall larger than this theater.</p>
  218. <p>So cherish what you all have here, because when you leave here, you might not see something similar to this until you get to grad school, where you have the smaller class sizes and more intimate relationships with your professors and your classmates. When you leave here, you will be taking English with the grad assistant who has no idea who you are or where you come from.</p>
  219. <p>The final thing that I want to talk about is what MPA has done to prepare me for life going forward.</p>
  220. <p>I&#8217;ve been in three careers since I left the Academy. I started out &#8230; at Arthur Andersen as an accountant, an auditor, when I graduated from college. I left that and started my own business back in 2000, about the time that most of you were born. This firm collapsed under the weight of Enron. &#8230; That taught me [to embrace] the flexibility that things may change. That doesn&#8217;t mean that you have to fail in the change, because we have to be able to adapt to the situations that are going on around us.</p>
  221. <p>So I left Arthur Andersen and started my own business. I was a real estate professional and developer. I did that for a number of years and got tired and bored of that, but the key to all of that was having the knowledge and the ability to think. That’s one thing that this school taught me was how to be a critical thinker, because if you have the ability to navigate and negotiate, you can make whatever path it is that you choose.</p>
  222. <p>Ultimately I ended up becoming an elected official. I&#8217;m one of 50 members of the Chicago City Council. I work with our mayor and, actually, your alderman here in the Beverly community, Alderman Matt O&#8217;Shea. He always asks me and I always talk about the Academy and make sure that everything is going well out here and everything&#8217;s OK, because of all the love that I have for the school and the ability that government has to make lives better for people. That is another value that we learned here at the Academy, to look out for your fellow man or fellow woman.</p>
  223. <p>And with that, I just really want each and every one of you all to have great success. I know that some of you have your first choice, your second choice, or your third choice of schools of where you wanted to attend, but I&#8217;ve always said make your next move your best move. I think that with the knowledge and the skills that you all have acquired here at MPA, I have no doubt that each and every one of you will do that.</p>
  224. <p>Thank you all and God bless you.</p>
  225. ]]></content:encoded>
  227. <wfw:commentRss>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/alumni-speaker-jason-ervin-92/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
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  241. <title>168 Reasons Why We Walk for Water</title>
  242. <link>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/16/168-reasons-why-we-walk-for-water/</link>
  243. <comments>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/16/168-reasons-why-we-walk-for-water/#respond</comments>
  245. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Morgan Park Academy]]></dc:creator>
  246. <pubDate>Wed, 16 May 2018 19:31:08 +0000</pubDate>
  247. <category><![CDATA[Environmental Sustainability]]></category>
  248. <category><![CDATA[Global Studies]]></category>
  249. <category><![CDATA[Service]]></category>
  250. <category><![CDATA[Student Voice]]></category>
  251. <category><![CDATA[Upper School]]></category>
  252. <category><![CDATA[charity drive]]></category>
  253. <category><![CDATA[global studies]]></category>
  254. <category><![CDATA[service]]></category>
  255. <category><![CDATA[student voice]]></category>
  256. <category><![CDATA[upper school]]></category>
  257. <category><![CDATA[water]]></category>
  258. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/?p=1424</guid>
  259.  
  260. <description><![CDATA["By the end of April, we had raised $4,200, which means through our efforts, 168 kids will now have clean water for life."]]></description>
  261. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>By Celeste Kettaneh ’20</strong></p>
  262. <p>All year long, we Americans tend to use water mindlessly.</p>
  263. <p>Whether it be taking a shower or leaving the faucet running, our water-wasting habits are ingrained. Unlike many places in the world, we have the privilege of taking 60-minute showers and over-watering our plants.</p>
  264. <p>While we use our limited supply of &#8220;infinite&#8221; amounts of water, others beyond our borders are suffering from diseases caused by their poor water treatment. In some places, it takes a three-mile journey, sunburned shoulders, and empty plastic gallons for a family to get their daily supply. Our separation in water collection expands beyond miles, literally and metaphorically. While we put on our faucets, others put on their shoes to walk for their water.</p>
  265. <p>As a part of the <a href="https://www.wecharity.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WE Charity</a>, an international charity and education partner based in Canada, schools all around the world were challenged to raise money to change these conditions. They planned to build wells from all the money collected where communities needed it most. The motive was pure: every $25 raised gave one child clean water for the rest of their lives.</p>
  266. <p><span id="more-1424"></span></p>
  267. <p>The idea of walking for water expanded beyond an online fundraising campaign. The campaign wanted to leave a mark on those participating. While raising money through many donations, WE also challenged students to walk a total of 3.7 miles, the average distance a child must walk to collect water in a day.</p>
  268. <p>Astounded by such a cause, the members of Morgan Park Academy’s Service Council wanted to take part. After a couple of conversations with our faculty advisor, Mr. Smith, my co-presidents, Sabrina Rathi and Kat Stanley, and I decided to take part in this project with our Upper School classmates.</p>
  269. <p>Over the course of a month, we managed to raise significant amounts of money in donations from our classmates, families, and friends. By the end of April, we had raised a staggering $4,200, which means through our hard work, 168 kids will now have clean water for life.</p>
  270. <p><img data-attachment-id="1427" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/16/168-reasons-why-we-walk-for-water/20180427_124044-1c/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/20180427_124044-1c.jpg" data-orig-size="1200,904" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="20180427_124044-(1)c" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/20180427_124044-1c.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/20180427_124044-1c.jpg?w=625" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1427" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/20180427_124044-1c.jpg?w=625" alt="20180427_124044-(1)c" width="100%" /></p>
  271. <p>Our fundraising accomplished, it was time for the walk to start. On April 27, with several other schools around the nation, we walked our part for this cause. The entire time we walked, we held up our large sign, saying “Why Do YOU Walk for Water?” with all our member’s answers written. All our answers connect to the central idea that access to clean water is a fundamental human right and that we should fight for this cause all around the world.</p>
  272. <p>We first started from LaSalle Street Station, wearing blue outerwear and face paint. From the station, we walked to Navy Pier, where we had lunch, then to Northerly Island, and then back to the station. In total, we trekked a total of 10 miles, which was 6.3 miles more than the distance asked of us.</p>
  273. <p>As our walk ended, we all realized that the exhaustion we felt was the reality of children in these communities. Our pain, for one day, was shared with those around the world.</p>
  274. <p>I concluded that we, as Americans, are all lucky to live where we are. While we worry about the water temperature or all the hot water used, children in need around the world worry about when they’ll next be able to drink water safely.</p>
  275. <p>I am genuinely thankful that I have the resources I need at the tips of my fingers. Through our walk, I gained 168 perspectives from these 168 children. Being able to take part in such a tremendous cause moved me from my worn-down sneakers to the shoes of the children walking for their essential resource.</p>
  276. <p>I am glad, as well, that I shared this experience with the rest of the Service Council and MPA community. Without the help of those around me, the idea of raising money would have seemed impossible. I realized anything could be possible with the help of those around you.</p>
  277. <p>Whether it may be right next door or halfway across the world, we can make the world a better place — one drop of water at a time.</p>
  278. <hr />
  279. <p><em>Celeste is a sophomore at <a href="http://www.morganparkacademy.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morgan Park Academy</a>.</em></p>
  280. ]]></content:encoded>
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  301. <title>Exploring Computer Science, Design &#038; Engineering in Middle School</title>
  302. <link>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/16/middle-school-technology-computer-science-engineering/</link>
  303. <comments>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/16/middle-school-technology-computer-science-engineering/#respond</comments>
  305. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Morgan Park Academy]]></dc:creator>
  306. <pubDate>Wed, 16 May 2018 13:01:21 +0000</pubDate>
  307. <category><![CDATA[Middle School]]></category>
  308. <category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
  309. <category><![CDATA[middle school]]></category>
  310. <category><![CDATA[STEM]]></category>
  311. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/?p=1415</guid>
  312.  
  313. <description><![CDATA["We strive to challenge those enrolled in this course to think critically about real-world problems while providing the technology and tools for a solution."]]></description>
  314. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This school year, <a href="https://www.morganparkacademy.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morgan Park Academy</a> students enrolled in our Middle School technology course explored computer science through the Python programming language.</p>
  315. <p>We also completed a unit on design and engineering. In this unit, students worked collaboratively through the procedural design process to build a functional pinball machine (pictured below) or contraption. At the start of this project, students researched various resources to use as a reference throughout their design phase. Supplies for this project included recyclables, 3D-printed objects, and LED lights.</p>
  316. <p><img data-attachment-id="1417" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/16/middle-school-technology-computer-science-engineering/pinball/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/pinball-e1526431052200.jpg" data-orig-size="1125,463" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="pinball" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/pinball-e1526431052200.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/pinball-e1526431052200.jpg?w=625" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1417" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/pinball-e1526431052200.jpg?w=625" alt="pinball.jpg" width="100%" /></p>
  317. <p>Next school year, Middle School technology classes will be able to delve deeper into the design and engineering process with the construction of our new maker space, from robotics to 3D printing, laser cutting, woodworking, and more. Students will continue to explore computer science through game and app design.</p>
  318. <p><span id="more-1415"></span></p>
  319. <p>We strive to challenge those enrolled in this course to think critically about real-world problems while providing the technology and tools for a solution, and students are really loving it.</p>
  320. <p>“I was so happy when I heard that the tech and science labs were being remodeled, plus new additions like a woodshop, sewing machines, and more 3D printers,&#8221; said Sheridan, a seventh-grader.</p>
  321. <p>&#8220;I can&#8217;t wait to take tech class to the next level. I feel like I am getting next-level education that is not available at other schools. As much as I love using computers, I would love to do more hands-on projects that will teach me more skills. I loved making pinball machines and vector drawings this year, and with the tools available next year, my classmates and I can create bigger and better projects.&#8221;</p>
  322. <p><img data-attachment-id="1422" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/16/middle-school-technology-computer-science-engineering/ms-computers2/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/ms-computers2.jpg" data-orig-size="1200,882" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;DAVID HONOR&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="MS-computers2" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/ms-computers2.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/ms-computers2.jpg?w=625" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1422" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/ms-computers2.jpg?w=625" alt="MS-computers2" width="100%" /></p>
  323. <p>Added her classmate Nora:</p>
  324. <p>“This year&#8217;s tech class was very educational and fun. I liked when we did more creative things such as vector drawings and the pinball machine. They were both enjoyable and exciting projects, and I was good at them as well. I like the idea of the wood shop and building shop because it is a safe and fun way to learn new things. We will be able to explore new ways to learn about technology.”</p>
  325. <hr />
  326. <p><strong>By Shavonne Terry</strong></p>
  327. <p><em>Ms. Terry teaches technology classes at all levels as our Educational Technology Coordinator.</em></p>
  328. ]]></content:encoded>
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  352. <item>
  353. <title>Standing Up Against Bullying on GLSEN’s Day of Silence</title>
  354. <link>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/02/standing-up-against-bullying-on-glsens-day-of-silence/</link>
  355. <comments>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/02/standing-up-against-bullying-on-glsens-day-of-silence/#respond</comments>
  357. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Morgan Park Academy]]></dc:creator>
  358. <pubDate>Wed, 02 May 2018 21:02:42 +0000</pubDate>
  359. <category><![CDATA[Health & Wellness]]></category>
  360. <category><![CDATA[Middle School]]></category>
  361. <category><![CDATA[MPA Community]]></category>
  362. <category><![CDATA[Service]]></category>
  363. <category><![CDATA[Student Voice]]></category>
  364. <category><![CDATA[Upper School]]></category>
  365. <category><![CDATA[health and wellness]]></category>
  366. <category><![CDATA[LGBTQ]]></category>
  367. <category><![CDATA[middle school]]></category>
  368. <category><![CDATA[service]]></category>
  369. <category><![CDATA[student voice]]></category>
  370. <category><![CDATA[upper school]]></category>
  371. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/?p=1411</guid>
  372.  
  373. <description><![CDATA["We are proud to be part of the majority of MPA Middle and Upper School students who enthusiastically take part in this student-led movement."]]></description>
  374. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>By Amelia Gomez ’22 and Hannah Sipich ’22</strong></p>
  375. <p>Last Friday, students around the world were silent in order to have their voices heard. This is GLSEN’s (<a href="https://www.glsen.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gay, Lesbian &amp; Straight Education Network</a>) Day of Silence. The Day of Silence was first organized in 1996 to bring awareness to the harassment and bullying LGBTQ+ students encounter. Bullying is unacceptable, and no one should be subjected to it anywhere, anytime.</p>
  376. <p>We are proud to be part of the majority of Morgan Park Academy’s Middle and Upper School students who enthusiastically take part in this student-led movement. On this day, we dress in black and do not speak (except during class time). We are silent to remind ourselves and others that even though we want to use our voices and have ourselves heard, we cannot. This is how victims of bullying feel. They are afraid that if they speak out against what is happening to them, they will face more of the same treatment, or worse.</p>
  377. <p><span id="more-1411"></span></p>
  378. <p><img data-attachment-id="1413" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/02/standing-up-against-bullying-on-glsens-day-of-silence/glsen-day-of-silence-2018/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/glsen-day-of-silence-2018.jpg" data-orig-size="1200,1025" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="GLSEN-Day-of-Silence-2018" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/glsen-day-of-silence-2018.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/glsen-day-of-silence-2018.jpg?w=625" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1413" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/glsen-day-of-silence-2018.jpg?w=625" alt="GLSEN-Day-of-Silence-2018" width="100%" /></p>
  379. <p>We are all unique people. Each of us is different but special and it is important for all of us to remember this. No one has the right to define anyone and make them feel like they are outcasts. This is why it is important to show our support. If everyone would just be kinder and do their best to include others, our world would be a much better place.</p>
  380. <p>Day of Silence has a different meaning for everyone. Some want to support the LGBTQ+ community, others are a part of it and want to speak out, others have friends/family who have been bullied, etc. Everyone should be aware of the harassment LGBTQ+ people have to face on a daily basis. Day of Silence is supposed to show that even though they may have silenced others, they cannot silence us.</p>
  381. <p>Everyone has a choice to participate, but seeing so many students joined together to support a specific cause is very moving. It helps others to get through tough times to know that there are people who care in your community and that students aren’t afraid to speak out against bullying.</p>
  382. <hr />
  383. <p><em>Amelia and Hannah are eighth-grade students at <a href="http://www.morganparkacademy.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morgan Park Academy</a>.</em></p>
  384. ]]></content:encoded>
  386. <wfw:commentRss>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/05/02/standing-up-against-bullying-on-glsens-day-of-silence/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  387. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  391. <media:thumbnail url="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/glsen-group-quiet.jpg" />
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  393. <media:title type="html">GLSEN-group-quiet</media:title>
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  404. <item>
  405. <title>Why Family Game Night is More Important Than Ever</title>
  406. <link>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/04/30/why-family-game-night-is-more-important-than-ever/</link>
  407. <comments>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/04/30/why-family-game-night-is-more-important-than-ever/#respond</comments>
  409. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Morgan Park Academy]]></dc:creator>
  410. <pubDate>Mon, 30 Apr 2018 18:21:02 +0000</pubDate>
  411. <category><![CDATA[Lower School]]></category>
  412. <category><![CDATA[early childhood]]></category>
  413. <category><![CDATA[elementary]]></category>
  414. <category><![CDATA[fun and games]]></category>
  415. <category><![CDATA[lower school]]></category>
  416. <category><![CDATA[parenting]]></category>
  417. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/?p=1404</guid>
  418.  
  419. <description><![CDATA["Making time for screen-free activities with children, especially when they are younger, is very important."]]></description>
  420. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Do you enjoy playing board games with your child, or do you shudder with dread at pleas to play Pretty, Pretty Princess or Hungry, Hungry Hippos just one more time? Are you thinking of your to-do list as you agree to one more game? I know I was!</p>
  421. <p>But making time for screen-free activities with children, especially when they are younger, is very important. Games can teach children important skills that are crucial to success in school. Board and card games with dice or number cards foster number sense in young children, and games reinforce social, verbal, math, fine/gross motor, listening, and reading skills for children of all ages.</p>
  422. <p><span id="more-1404"></span></p>
  423. <p>These skills include:</p>
  424. <ul>
  425. <li>Taking turns, waiting patiently, letting others go first</li>
  426. <li>Playing fair, following rules, how to win and lose gracefully</li>
  427. <li>Communicating with others, talking, relaxing, interacting</li>
  428. <li>Counting, number/pattern recognition, acquiring number sense, developing strategy, predicting outcomes</li>
  429. <li>Manipulating game pieces, building, drawing, balancing, eye/hand coordination</li>
  430. </ul>
  431. <p>Memory games are a classroom tool frequently used to help with reinforcement of sight words, numbers/letters, math concepts, color/shape identification, etc. But research shows that memory games also lead to increased cognitive development, comprehensions skills, memory recall, and improved concentration.</p>
  432. <p><img data-attachment-id="1409" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/04/30/why-family-game-night-is-more-important-than-ever/capture/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/capture.jpg" data-orig-size="939,717" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Jim Reedy&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1525094752&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="Capture" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/capture.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/capture.jpg?w=625" class=" size-full wp-image-1409 alignright" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/capture.jpg?w=625" alt="Capture" width="50%" />And guess what? Playing board games is good for your health as an adult, too. Playing with your children leads to laughing, which increases endorphins and your level of happiness. This also helps lower your blood pressure and reduce stress. So what are you waiting for? Gather the kids, sit back, and relax as you spend quality, educational time with your family.</p>
  433. <p>Need some game suggestions? Here are some good ideas:</p>
  434. <p><a href="http://momwifebusylife.com/the-importance-of-family-game-nights-our-top-25-favorite-games/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Our Top 25 Favorite Games</a></p>
  435. <p><a href="https://happyyouhappyfamily.com/preschool-board-games/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">20 Awesome Preschool Board Games That You’ll Love Too</a></p>
  436. <p><a href="https://www.educationaltoys.expert/memory-games/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Top Memory Games for Kids</a></p>
  437. <hr />
  438. <p><strong>By Kari Misulonas</strong></p>
  439. <p><em>Mrs. Misulonas teaches kindergarten and is <a href="https://www.morganparkacademy.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morgan Park Academy</a>’s Early Childhood curriculum leader. She also is Director of Student Support Services.</em></p>
  440. ]]></content:encoded>
  442. <wfw:commentRss>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/04/30/why-family-game-night-is-more-important-than-ever/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  443. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  447. <media:thumbnail url="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gametime.jpg" />
  448. <media:content url="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gametime.jpg" medium="image">
  449. <media:title type="html">gametime</media:title>
  450. </media:content>
  451.  
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  453. <media:title type="html">morganparkacademy</media:title>
  454. </media:content>
  455.  
  456. <media:content url="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/capture.jpg" medium="image">
  457. <media:title type="html">Capture</media:title>
  458. </media:content>
  459. </item>
  460. <item>
  461. <title>My Project Week Trip to Andros Island</title>
  462. <link>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/04/25/my-project-week-trip-to-andros-island/</link>
  463. <comments>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/04/25/my-project-week-trip-to-andros-island/#respond</comments>
  465. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Morgan Park Academy]]></dc:creator>
  466. <pubDate>Wed, 25 Apr 2018 14:03:46 +0000</pubDate>
  467. <category><![CDATA[Environmental Sustainability]]></category>
  468. <category><![CDATA[Global Studies]]></category>
  469. <category><![CDATA[Science]]></category>
  470. <category><![CDATA[STEM]]></category>
  471. <category><![CDATA[Student Voice]]></category>
  472. <category><![CDATA[Upper School]]></category>
  473. <category><![CDATA[biology]]></category>
  474. <category><![CDATA[ecology]]></category>
  475. <category><![CDATA[global]]></category>
  476. <category><![CDATA[global week]]></category>
  477. <category><![CDATA[project week]]></category>
  478. <category><![CDATA[science]]></category>
  479. <category><![CDATA[upper school]]></category>
  480. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/?p=1393</guid>
  481.  
  482. <description><![CDATA["I will never forget our trip to Andros Island. This was an amazing educational experience as well as an adventure to try different things."]]></description>
  483. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><b>By Abbey Haynes ’20</b></p>
  484. <p><i>Editor’s Note: A key part of <a href="https://www.morganparkacademy.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morgan Park Academy</a>’s global curriculum is a week of school-wide global explorations each March, which this year included an Upper School trip to study the ecology and culture of Andros Island in the Bahamas.</i></p>
  485. <p>When you think of the Bahamas, you usually picture gorgeous beaches, palm trees, tourists, and endless sun. Our Project Week trip to Andros Island was all of that and so much more — except for the tourists!</p>
  486. <p>While the capital of Nassau is known for its populated areas, Andros, the largest of the islands, is acclaimed for its friendly residents and an abundance of nature available for scientific research and exploration.</p>
  487. <p><b><i>[<a href="https://morganparkacademy.smugmug.com/Events/Global-Week-2018/Project-Week-Andros-Island/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">See more photos and videos from this trip</a> or <a href="https://www.morganparkacademy.org/page/news-detail?pk=945450" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out stories and photos from other Global Week trips</a>.]</i></b></p>
  488. <p><span id="more-1393"></span></p>
  489. <p><img data-attachment-id="1396" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/04/25/my-project-week-trip-to-andros-island/img_7267x/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/img_7267x.jpg" data-orig-size="1500,1500" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="IMG_7267x" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/img_7267x.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/img_7267x.jpg?w=625" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1396" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/img_7267x.jpg?w=625" alt="IMG_7267x" width="100%" /></p>
  490. <p>After a flight of three and a half hours, we touched down in Nassau and spent the night there. The following day, we took a small charter plane to Andros Island.</p>
  491. <p>The Forfar Field Station is a secluded spot right on the beach and with the main lounge area, dining room, cabins, and dive shop. The people interning at Forfar acted as our camp counselors and tour guides for the week. Of course one of the first things we did there was test out the water and it turned out to be much warmer than expected.</p>
  492. <p>While we were there, we had three boat days and three land days. Every day we brought a lunch cooler and ate, around midday, in between snorkel sites on a different side of the island or much smaller islands. We normally got back to Forfar between 3 and 5 p.m. Dinner was always at 6 p.m., so we had some time to relax, shower, or go to a couple shops down the road.</p>
  493. <p><img data-attachment-id="1397" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/04/25/my-project-week-trip-to-andros-island/img_7322x/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/img_7322x.jpg" data-orig-size="1200,1413" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="IMG_7322x" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/img_7322x.jpg?w=255" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/img_7322x.jpg?w=625" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1397" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/img_7322x.jpg?w=625" alt="IMG_7322x" width="100%" /></p>
  494. <p>During the boat days, we went out on the water to snorkel and learn about marine life on Andros. The first day, we went to an oceanic blue hole and saw schools of fish and even a nurse shark! The coral reefs were beautiful and if you stop swimming and concentrate below you, you can see all of the hidden life. In addition to that, we were able to snorkel at two shipwrecks. One was the debris of a ship that once carried illegal alcohol and the other one was by a blue hole close to the shore.</p>
  495. <p>One of the land days, after a snorkel site, we went to a small island. There we walked the perimeter as taught us about the geological features and types of erosions on different sides of the island. We also learned about the plant life, such as mangroves. Did you know the plant has a “sacrificial” leaf? It holds all of the salt from the water and turns yellow or red.</p>
  496. <p>During land days, we explored the island, learning about the environment and meeting new people. We went to an androsia factory where they hand-dye brightly-colored clothes from Bahamian cotton. They showed us how they design the stamps and carve them from sponges. Then they dip them in wax and stamp it onto the cloth and dye it. The waxed part will not be dyed, therefore creating beautiful patterns of sea life, shells and more.</p>
  497. <p><img data-attachment-id="1398" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/04/25/my-project-week-trip-to-andros-island/img_7428x/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/img_7428x.jpg" data-orig-size="1200,1568" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="IMG_7428x" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/img_7428x.jpg?w=230" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/img_7428x.jpg?w=625" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1398" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/img_7428x.jpg?w=625" alt="IMG_7428x" width="100%" /></p>
  498. <p>On another day, we went to this place made of beachrock and flipped over rocks to look for invertebrates such as crabs. We also did a small act of service which was cleaning a beach.</p>
  499. <p>During the land days, we went to blue holes called Captain Bill, Uncle, and Conch Sound to cool off from the hot sun. One was off the shore and the other two were inland so we jumped 15 and 20 feet into the water. I admit, I was anxious to jump 20 feet into the water but it was worth it! The inland blue holes have a layer of freshwater. As you go down there is a seawater lens and a hydrogen sulfide lens. In the hydrogen sulfide lens, plant and organic matter decay. Below that there is anoxic water.</p>
  500. <p>The food there was great, better than I thought it would be. Forfar gets most of their food from a shipment from the mainland. One night, it was the cook’s day off, so we went to a local family restaurant owned by the cook&#8217;s’ family. If I had to rate the best meals in my life, that night’s dinner has got to be in the top 10 at least. Perhaps it was the joyful atmosphere, surrounded by friends and laughter. Or maybe it was the island itself; it is surprising how quickly I fell in love with it.</p>
  501. <p><img data-attachment-id="1399" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/04/25/my-project-week-trip-to-andros-island/it0405-global/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/it0405-global.jpg" data-orig-size="817,750" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="IT0405-global" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/it0405-global.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/it0405-global.jpg?w=625" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1399" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/it0405-global.jpg?w=625" alt="IT0405-global" width="100%" /></p>
  502. <p>The local residents we met were wonderful. We met some of them on one of our land days to Red Bays. We met woodcarvers, incredible basket weavers, a sponger, musicians, and more along the way. Learning about the culture and people were definitely a highlight of our trip to Andros Island.</p>
  503. <p>After dinner, there would be lectures in the evening for anyone to listen to. I went to three; they were about geology, history and culture, and lastly, invertebrates. All of the lectures were extremely interesting and exposed me to different career options I haven’t thought of before.</p>
  504. <p>I will never forget our trip to Andros Island. Getting up early to watch the sun rise and seeing the stars twinkle in the clear night skies. This was an amazing educational experience as well as an adventure to try different things and escape the usual for 10 days.</p>
  505. <hr />
  506. <p><i>Abbey is a sophomore at <a href="https://www.morganparkacademy.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morgan Park Academy</a>.</i></p>
  507. <p><b><i>Want more from Global Week? <a href="https://www.morganparkacademy.org/page/news-detail?pk=945450" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out stories and photos from our other trips.</a></i></b></p>
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  541. <title>My Week at Heifer Ranch &#038; Global Village</title>
  542. <link>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/04/18/my-week-at-heifer-ranch-global-village/</link>
  543. <comments>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/04/18/my-week-at-heifer-ranch-global-village/#respond</comments>
  545. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Morgan Park Academy]]></dc:creator>
  546. <pubDate>Wed, 18 Apr 2018 18:00:51 +0000</pubDate>
  547. <category><![CDATA[Environmental Sustainability]]></category>
  548. <category><![CDATA[Global Studies]]></category>
  549. <category><![CDATA[Middle School]]></category>
  550. <category><![CDATA[Service]]></category>
  551. <category><![CDATA[Student Voice]]></category>
  552. <category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category>
  553. <category><![CDATA[global]]></category>
  554. <category><![CDATA[global week]]></category>
  555. <category><![CDATA[middle school]]></category>
  556. <category><![CDATA[poverty and hunger]]></category>
  557. <category><![CDATA[service]]></category>
  558. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/?p=1373</guid>
  559.  
  560. <description><![CDATA["If we have the opportunity to change the world, then we should take it. We can talk about these issues as much as we want to, but awareness is not the same as action."]]></description>
  561. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>By Saanvi Malkani ’23</strong></p>
  562. <p><em>Editor’s Note: A key part of Morgan Park Academy’s global curriculum is a week of school-wide global explorations each March, including a seventh-grade trip to the <a href="https://www.heifer.org/what-you-can-do/experience-heifer/usa/heifer-ranch.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heifer Ranch</a> in Arkansas.</em></p>
  563. <p>Sunday we had our near 13-hour bus ride to Perryville, Arkansas. It was a day consumed by our electronic devices, which will not happen again until Friday. The entire time I was anxious and eager to get to the ranch, which was inevitably in the middle of nowhere. The bus drive was slightly boring, but I got to witness the transition from the city to the rural fields. It was nice to escape my bubble in Chicago, in which everything is busy and chaotic, and transition into the serene, calm, and peaceful environment.</p>
  564. <p>Although the bus ride was tiring, it was nice to be able to to rest up knowing what was in store for us tomorrow. I was very excited to finally be able to somewhat understand the things going on in the world and to be “off the grid” for a few days, while some people need to do it their whole lives.</p>
  565. <p><em><strong>[<a href="https://morganparkacademy.smugmug.com/Events/Global-Week-2018/7th-Grade/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">See more photos from this trip</a> or <a href="https://www.morganparkacademy.org/page/news-detail?pk=945450" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out stories and photos from other Global Week trips</a>.]</strong></em></p>
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  567. <p><img data-attachment-id="1378" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/04/18/my-week-at-heifer-ranch-global-village/gw-7b/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7b.jpg" data-orig-size="1500,1500" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="GW-7b" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7b.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7b.jpg?w=625" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1378" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7b.jpg?w=625" alt="GW-7b" width="100%" /></p>
  568. <p>Monday was our first full day at Heifer Ranch, and it was a jam-packed one. First, we did service for a few hours. We painted wood to make the fence for the Guatemala Global Village. We were split in three groups. The first group “harvested” the wood from old pallets, the second used sandpaper and the third painted the wood. This exercise was fun, yet a lot of hard work, but it felt good to help a place that helps the community.</p>
  569. <p>We also spent a great deal of time in nature today. The weather was nice, so we were able to appreciate and enjoy the sun and greenery. <strong>Being away from my phone really allowed me to appreciate the nature around me.</strong> I learned how to live in the moment and cherish the little moments and memories.</p>
  570. <p>Next, during our service activity, we met the turkeys of the farm, named them, and then watched them fight. It was hilarious to see how animals react to our behavior. For example, one of the volunteers told us that if you pet one turkey (Patricia), the other one (Jeffrey) gets jealous, and they start to fight!</p>
  571. <p><img data-attachment-id="1386" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/04/18/my-week-at-heifer-ranch-global-village/gw-7h/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7h.jpg" data-orig-size="1500,1500" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="GW-7h" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7h.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7h.jpg?w=625" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1386" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7h.jpg?w=625" alt="GW-7h" width="100%" /></p>
  572. <p>We also had an educational activity for a few hours after our break. Our group (Group B) did the “Just Dough It” activity today. First, we discussed where our food comes from and learned about the ingredients in a food as simple as bread. We then learned about wheat berries and how they have three different parts, and one of them is used to make white flour.</p>
  573. <p>Subsequently, we started to make the dough for our pizza crust. First, we activated the yeast, then we added oil, flour, salt, sugar, and water to it. We then kneaded the dough and made the sauce while we waited for it to rise. We learned how we get seasoning from herbs like oregano and basil. Then we had to make the cheese. For this, we first milked a goat and then made cheese by separating the curds from the whey. Next we assembled the pizza and while we baked it, we learned about the difference between CSA and industrialized tomatoes and how the processes are completely different.</p>
  574. <p>Overall, <strong>I learned that a lot of work and effort goes into the making of our food</strong> that we don’t appreciate.</p>
  575. <p>Finally, after dinner, I walked outside with my friends for two hours and got to enjoy the somewhat warm weather. We did a loop around the ranch and got to see the sunset over the hills.</p>
  576. <p><img data-attachment-id="1379" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/04/18/my-week-at-heifer-ranch-global-village/gw-7f/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7f.jpg" data-orig-size="1500,973" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="GW-7f" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7f.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7f.jpg?w=625" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1379" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7f.jpg?w=625" alt="GW-7f.jpg" width="100%" /></p>
  577. <p>Tuesday was our third day at Heifer Ranch, and it started off strong with time for us to once again explore the ranch. We then split into our groups and attended our respective activities. Our group walked for around 20 minutes to reach the team building room and once we reached it, we had a blast.</p>
  578. <p>First we did a communication game which taught us about how we are all very different, yet when required, we communicate the same way. Then we learned the five rules: 1. accountability; 2. positivity; 3. respect; 4. commitment; and 5. strength and recognizing your weaknesses. We then had to play a game with components like rock, paper, and scissors, which taught us how to agree upon one idea in a group, compromise, and participate.</p>
  579. <p>Next, we played a jump rope game as a group that was all about strategy. <strong>We also engaged in another game which showed that competition is not always the answer</strong>, where we had to take as many resources as we could, while trying to steal others’ resources. What we didn’t realize was that there was a way for all of us to share the resources. Additionally, we played another game in which we couldn’t make assumptions: solving one big puzzle. There were many “trick questions” within it and we had to utilize leadership and cooperation to solve them.</p>
  580. <p><img data-attachment-id="1384" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/04/18/my-week-at-heifer-ranch-global-village/gw-7c/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7c.jpg" data-orig-size="1500,1500" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="GW-7c" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7c.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7c.jpg?w=625" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1384" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7c.jpg?w=625" alt="GW-7c" width="100%" /></p>
  581. <p>Afterwards, it was time to do service. Lauren, Michaela, Andrew, Aria, and I were chosen to do labor in the garden. We had to weed three beds, then use a board fork to loosen the soil. We then used hoes to create a walkway between the beds which we then leveled out using a rake. Finally, we had to go into the field and collect rocks and weeds.</p>
  582. <p>This was a lot of work, and I was extremely exhausted afterwards. The fact that so many people do this every day for a living is surprising, considering that we got tired after only 3.5 hours! During this process I realized that we take our food for granted, because if no one was willing to do all of this hard work, we would have nothing to eat!</p>
  583. <p>Wednesday was the big day. From the afternoon through the following morning, we would be in the Global Village.</p>
  584. <p>First, we completed an activity in which we covered both standard and quality of living. We discussed our possessions and amenities, both of which showed that we had a high standard of living. Next we discussed our life and how we felt, which showed that it is possible to have a high standard of living and a low quality of life, just as well as a high quality of life and a low standard of living. During this activity I realized how ungrateful we are when we are sad or stressed despite having everything we need and more.</p>
  585. <p>Next we learned how money is distributed around the world. A bigger population does not amount to a lot of money and vice-versa. This also means that <strong>opportunity is not evenly distributed throughout the world</strong>. What you accomplish in life, where you are born, and who you are born to is not up to you. The opportunities you have are usually equal to your standard of living, and seeing as ours is so high, we should be taking all of our opportunities. We have the ability to do something, when so many people can’t.</p>
  586. <p><img data-attachment-id="1380" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/04/18/my-week-at-heifer-ranch-global-village/gw-7e/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7e.jpg" data-orig-size="1500,1125" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="GW-7e" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7e.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7e.jpg?w=625" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1380" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7e.jpg?w=625" alt="GW-7e.jpg" width="100%" /></p>
  587. <p>Then we went out to explore the Global Village. We visited simulations representing Tibet, Guatemala, urban slums, Thailand, Appalachia, Zambia, and a refugee camp. All of these places were so different and varied in size, population, amount of amenities, and resources.</p>
  588. <p>Subsequently, the most nerve-wracking part arrived: We were assigned to our families and houses, but first some people got “special jobs.” I was picked through the lottery to be a parent for the night. I was given a water balloon, which was used to simulate a child. It had to have human contact at all times, and I had to trade some of my resources in order to feed it. Also, if it popped, my whole family would have to mourn in silence while doing nothing for 20 minutes.</p>
  589. <p>Additionally, I was assigned to a family, which included Andrew, Sheri, Ori, Liam, and Mrs. Amberg (a.k.a., Gramberg). We were chosen to reside in the Zambia house, which had an open door that let in cold air, an open window that let in cold air, and concrete floors.</p>
  590. <p>Also, Sheri received a life card. She could be blind, or we could make a decision as a group to have some of our resources taken to “cure” her. We decided to sacrifice the resources, which were our cooking lid and plates, to save Sheri’s eyesight, because in real life if it were me, I would’ve chosen my eyesight over anything else. The resources that we were given ensured that other families would want to trade with us. We had a cooking pot, firewood, a spoon, knife, eight carrots and 10 sweet potatoes, along with two towels. We were very lucky compared to the slums, who only had a minimal amount of rice.</p>
  591. <p><img data-attachment-id="1381" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/04/18/my-week-at-heifer-ranch-global-village/gw-7d/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7d.jpg" data-orig-size="1500,1132" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="GW-7d" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7d.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7d.jpg?w=625" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1381" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7d.jpg?w=625" alt="GW-7d" width="100%" /></p>
  592. <p>We had a good night and proceeded to trade many things. Since we had the most resources, we were able to make a lot of food for dinner, but it was hard to cook without a lid. Considering the fact that we were all beyond hungry, the food was good. I had a little bit in an attempt to save the food for the other villages, but as soon as I fell asleep, I realized how hungry I still was. We had to sleep on the cold, hard concrete and I couldn’t move with a baby next to me, so I woke up cold, sore, and numb at 4 a.m. with the rooster’s call. The fact that we even had a sleeping bag makes me so grateful, because in real life, the cold, hard concrete is reality, there is no additional fuzzy blanket or layers of sweatshirts.</p>
  593. <p>Once I was awake, it was hard to go back to sleep, and soon enough, it was time for breakfast. The slums had the job of cooking oatmeal for everyone and while I was grateful that we even had food, two meager spoonfuls of oatmeal just wasn’t enough to balance the copious amounts of labor we were doing. We then did our chores for the Global Village, and that’s when the feeling of hunger really hit me. I was freezing, dizzy, and empty. I still have no idea how people do this every single day.</p>
  594. <p><strong>I knew that the simulation would soon be over and I would get food, but most people in these positions don’t know that.</strong> They don’t know whether they will get food, money, or resources the next day. That feeling of uncertainty alone makes me squirm. People in horrible living conditions survive on luck: the weather affects their crops, which affects their money, which affects their food supply. Every important thing essentially depends on something that no one can control.</p>
  595. <p>After the simulation was over Thursday morning, we had a chance to reflect and think about this question: If there is enough for all, then why don’t all have enough?</p>
  596. <p>Well, it is because of a lack of action. The underlying causes would be greed, lack of education, and corrupted power, but it all boils down to the fact that all is said, yet nothing is done. If we are given the opportunity to change the world for those who don’t have an opportunity, then we should take it. <strong>We can talk about these issues as much as we want to, but awareness is not the same as action.</strong> We all <em>know</em>, yet none of us <em>do</em>. This is the most important lesson that I took away from the Global Village and this trip in general.</p>
  597. <p><img data-attachment-id="1385" data-permalink="https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/04/18/my-week-at-heifer-ranch-global-village/gw-7g/" data-orig-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7g.jpg" data-orig-size="1500,1125" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="GW-7g" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7g.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7g.jpg?w=625" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1385" src="https://morganparkacademy.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/gw-7g.jpg?w=625" alt="GW-7g" width="100%" /></p>
  598. <hr />
  599. <p><em>Saanvi is a seventh-grade student at <a href="https://www.morganparkacademy.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morgan Park Academy</a>.</em></p>
  600. <p><strong><em>Want more from Global Week? <a href="https://www.morganparkacademy.org/page/news-detail?pk=945450" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out stories and photos from our other trips</a>.</em></strong></p>
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  646. <title>Does Your Child Really Need a Smartphone?</title>
  647. <link>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/03/13/does-your-child-really-need-a-smartphone/</link>
  648. <comments>https://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/2018/03/13/does-your-child-really-need-a-smartphone/#respond</comments>
  650. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Morgan Park Academy]]></dc:creator>
  651. <pubDate>Wed, 14 Mar 2018 03:30:48 +0000</pubDate>
  652. <category><![CDATA[Health & Wellness]]></category>
  653. <category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
  654. <category><![CDATA[health and wellness]]></category>
  655. <category><![CDATA[school counselor]]></category>
  656. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://morganparkacademy.wordpress.com/?p=1368</guid>
  657.  
  658. <description><![CDATA["Does your child really need a smartphone? It could do more harm than good."]]></description>
  659. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Added to the age-old conundrum of when to give your child the car keys for the first time, is a 21st-century parenting question: At what age should a child have his or her own smartphone?</p>
  660. <p>This is a tricky situation. You might be a parent who simply got tired of your child asking to use your phone. Or maybe you caved to pleas of “But all the other kids in my class have one!”</p>
  661. <p>But does your child really need a smartphone? It could do more harm than good.</p>
  662. <p>A student with a smartphone has instant access to other students, 24/7. Those students, in turn, have access to your child. They might all be wonderful, sweet kids, with little negative intent. However, mix undeveloped brains still learning how to appropriately communicate with other human beings, and it can be a recipe for disaster.</p>
  663. <p><span id="more-1368"></span></p>
  664. <p>MPA has digital citizenship and character education technology lessons in its curriculum. Schools, however, can only do so much to negate the ongoing smart phone social dilemmas.</p>
  665. <p>Can you picture yourself as a child — as well behaved as you might have been — with minimal self control, getting mad at someone, and instantly posting your vengeful feelings for the world to see? Or in a moment of attention-seeking, posting something for shock value?</p>
  666. <p>I was a nice kid, but I am relieved that this level of communication was not available to me. Why are we trusting kids today with this responsibility? Why wouldn’t they utilize this tool for its ultimate, often negative potential?</p>
  667. <p>As <a href="https://www.morganparkacademy.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morgan Park Academy’s</a> school counselor, I have experienced this technological misery through many students in my office, when a smartphone has woven itself into the theme of a conflict. On the tame side, a student might innocently type a text in ALL CAPS to a fellow student. And let me tell you, this text can be the topic of conversation and anguish for days.</p>
  668. <p>Worse, a student might have been encouraged to send an inappropriate photo of themselves privately to a friend — and days or months later, it has been viewed by everyone in their grade. “Never my child,” you say. Until it is.</p>
  669. <p>Finally, mental health advocates now say smartphones might be connected to a rise in youth depression, suicide, and ADHD.</p>
  670. <p>If you still insist that your kid needs a phone, merely so that you can get in touch with them, get them a flip phone.</p>
  671. <p><strong>Recommended Reading:</strong></p>
  672. <p><a href="https://www.yourmodernfamily.com/scary-truth-whats-hurting-kids/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Your Modern Family: The Truth About What’s Hurting Our Kids</a></p>
  673. <p><a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/09/170915095228.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Science Daily: Third and Fourth Graders Who Own Cell Phones are More Likely to be Cyberbullied</a></p>
  674. <p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/21/technology/personaltech/whats-the-right-age-to-give-a-child-a-smartphone.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Times: What Age is the Right Age to Give a Child a Smartphone?</a></p>
  675. <p><a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/08/07/542016165/how-smartphones-are-making-kids-unhappy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NPR: Smartphones are Making Our Kids Unhappy</a></p>
  676. <hr />
  677. <p><b>By Jennifer Stec</b></p>
  678. <p><em>Ms. Stec is Morgan Park Academy’s school counselor.</em></p>
  679. ]]></content:encoded>
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