Juniors Present on Social Reformation Civic Lab Curriculum

The Civic Lab programming at Parker encourages Upper School students to bring the school’s mission to life by becoming active citizens in society. In 11th grade, Civic Lab focuses specifically on citizen and community activism. Students join groups dedicated to various topics and spend the year learning more about those subject areas through guest speakers, research and work with nonprofits. To culminate their year, each group gives a presentation to share the ideas they learned, the places they visited and ways to continue supporting those in need.

This year’s first presentation was from the environmental justice group. During their field days—school days when groups go into the community and provide service related to their topic—they volunteered with organizations such as Friends of the Forest, Urban Rivers, Working Bikes and Plant Chicago. Through these visits and additional research, the group learned how the environment affects Chicago health disparities and offered solutions, such as more investment in neighborhoods and hospital and rehab programs.

Creating Alliances, which focused on advocating for LGBTQ community rights, visited legal organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union and Lambda Legal, which work directly in LGBTQ rights advocacy. They also visited nonprofits that support young LGBTQ people with shelter and resources, such as the Broadway Youth Center, El Rescate and The Covenant House. These opportunities gave students perspective on the LGBTQ youth experience. 

The Immigration Justice group began their presentation by explaining legal status terms to help frame the meaning of immigration in the current political climate. They discussed their visits to St Paul’s United Church of Christ, which used to house undocumented immigrants, and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, where they learned about activism and immigrants’ rights. They also volunteered at the Pilsen Art and Community House, where they assembled whistle kits to help people alert others to ICE’s (Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s) presence. The group concluded with tips for safe practices while protesting. 

The Food Justice group offered what they learned about food insecurity, food deserts and the impact of recent cuts to SNAP benefits on certain communities, including their own backyard. This group met with Alderman Timmy Knudsen to discuss the existence of food insecurity right here in Lincoln Park. Students attempted to obtain a community refrigerator to help address this issue, but soon realized the significant requirements for maintaining the fridge. The group also visited Urban Growers Collective to harvest vegetables. 

Students for Sensible Drug Policy related the evolution of cannabis policy in the United States, the recent events surrounding suspected drug trafficking in the Caribbean and mass incarceration caused by nonviolent drug charges. This group talked to leaders in the cannabis industry and visited a judge running check-ins with people in recovery programs to help reduce their sentences. 

The final group discussed disability rights, which framed disability as relative to the individuals’ environment. They discovered one example at the Judd Goldman Adaptive Sailing Program, which hosts different boats for different needs. They also worked with Access Living, which offers legal services, youth programs and independent living workshops. Additionally, the group worked with PACTT, which helps people with autism, and shadowed social workers to understand the ways they fill their days helping students of all ages. 

After the presentations, students reflected on what they learned, with one student saying, “I think it’s a really cool thing that we do at Parker. I really learned a lot, especially how lucky we are and what we can do with the privilege that we have.”

Upper School History teacher Andy Bigelow said, “We hope this year is a springboard to a lifetime of activism and that you carry it on as inspiration for your May Term next year.”

Parker’s Civic Lab programming provides students with real experience in understanding their role in society and what it means to be an active citizen—a core tenet of Parker’s mission. Parker thanks the students and teachers for making an impact on the Chicago community!

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