It was Sunday, August 24th 2014. Bonnie Gadapee had planned out the day with her friend, Penny, training for an upcoming Triathlon. They met up at Barney’s, an ice cream shop where Bonnie’s daughter worked. “I remember exactly what I…
Category: Featured
Choose Your Own Adventure: ZOO-F.O. Part 2
I start piling a metal chunks into the compost pail. Woven into the grass, dozens of pieces remain. A large oak tree stands out behind our many rows of apple trees. I drag the segments across the grass, digging up…
Freshman Graduates With Dog Blanket
On Friday, September 14th, as U-32’s students sat in the auditorium for the homecoming pep rally, a quiet ceremony was taking place under the shade of an apple tree behind the school. With only her parents and TA Glenn Houston…
Choose Your Own Adventure: ZOO-F.O. Part 1
This is the first part of a multi-piece story. At the end, vote for what you would like to see happen next! “Mom, are you here?” I call, slamming the front door behind me and kicking off my sneakers.…
“I’m Not Going Back”: Tillie Quattrone’s Freshman Year
June 9th, 2017 was a humid day, threatening rain, and U-32’s graduation was moved indoors to the gym. The crowd chatted with their arms over the backs of chairs, fanning their programs, applauding as the graduates filed through the double…
Student Council Elections: Make Them Work For You
Interviews and Photographs by Anne-Marie Mattagno On May 22nd, 2017, eight hundred students streamed through the doors of U-32. Kids slipped strips of paper into cardboard boxes, casting their votes for the next year’s Student Council. Until voting day,…
The Davin Code: Moment of Silence
On a Monday a short time ago, I sat on one of the library couches, finding a derivative function like any other Calculus student on any other day. The intercom crackled, and the entire library paused. Every student knows the…
Jim Willis: “I’m Having a Blast, Man!”
A busy day in Math White Table: Jim is in his element, lively and animated. Bouncing between tables, he makes sure kids have signed in, teaches math, and offers witty comments. Cody Potwin, drowsy from working until 10pm the night…
Teacher Profiles: Meg Allison, “It’s community that matters most”
In the back of the library, scattered around the couches, 7th graders were reading their homemade picture books to elementary students. One of the hosts for this event was our librarian, Meg Allison, who helped the 7th graders make their…
Words of Respect: Orlando’s Speech
On April 25th, U-32’s atrium was crowded full of students and teachers, gathered to look up at the balcony above the entrance. It was Word of Mouth, the school’s tradition of student performances between classes on special days in the…
Teacher Profile: Adrian Wade, “They Make The Connection On Their Own”
Adrian Wade sits on a bench in the center of her studio, surrounded by her students and the sound of glazed pieces being clinked together. She is explaining the student’s tasks for the day. “You know what to do…
Teacher Profile: Christiana Martin, “It’s easy to talk to students about something you love.”
Christiana Martin sits in a chair at the front of the room, cracking herself up. Her students sit in two rows of chairs, acting out a jury selection. “I’m not sure it had a whole lot of academic value…