A Vanguard Visit to The Museum of Science and Industry!

Markos’s Health class and the Heldmann/Felfle Science class ventured over to the MSI on Wednesday, November 25th, for a day of “educational fun”.

… Yeah, I said it. Really, though, the group had a blast going to the Museum; especially the brand new exhibit.

“You! (The Experience)” arrived at the MSI on October 8th, and it is a hit! Explaining how your self-care affects the way your body functions, the 15,000 square-foot exhibit explores personal health and well-being. The exhibit features cutting-edge technology never before seen in a museum setting, and hosts an incredible amount of visual references; for the young and old to gawk at, of course.

Chris Pehm gladly (and graphically) explained his very memorable experience.
“Don’t dissect pregnant women,” Chris remarked. “I saw a pregnant woman that was cut into slices, so I got to see her insides. She was dead, of course, and it was to show her anatomy, but it still was really gross,” Chris explained.

The pregnant woman was just one of many visual exhibits the museum showcases. Others included things such as an organ-stretched corpse or a series of fetuses in the gestation cycle (Pregnancy). Though the “You!” exhibit isn’t suited for the faint-of-heart, or those with weak stomachs, not all of the features are disturbing. As a matter of fact, a good number of them were very hands-on.

“Mindball was the BEST,” Mr. Heldmann said. Mindball was just one of the many activities that were available to students, all of which were mind-blowing. “Get in the Action” involved trying a few moves with a virtual basketball coach, while another activity allowed you to send your pulse to beat along with MSI's 13 foot “Giant Heart”. Yet another feature actually aged your face and voice by 30 years! The new favorite, though, was definitely Mindball. It’s an interesting game in which the more relaxed player wins, and it seems like a great way of seeing who’s stressed.

Right from the get-go, nothing but good words were spoken about the “You! (The Experience)” exhibit, and it’s easy to imagine why. Being less of a typical museum exhibit and more like an amusement park attraction, students were glad to have been part of the trip. This totally sounds like an advertisement, but this is all for your benefit. Oh, and if you’re wondering, yes, the exhibit is permanent, so there’s no rush, but it's STILL strongly suggested that you check it out.



Kevin Bazarek, Reporter
image courtesy of http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/you/for-teachers/

"All Hail, Macbeth, That Shalt, Be King Hereafter!"

On November 12, 2009 twelve eager students and three of Vanguard's fine staff, Ms. DeMeo, Ms, O'Neill, and Dr. Koralik stepped out to experience one of Shakespeare's most exciting plays; Macbeth.(I was one of the lucky twelve who got to participate in this enriching event.) The play took place at Dominican University in River Forest.

The outing started off with De Meo driving the students around to see all the lovely architecture in the surrounding neighborhood. Along the way, we hit a couple of speed bumps, or piles of leaves which made the ride even more adventurous. The ride came to a close when Koralik told everyone to get off the bus and into the theater. When inside, the theater was packed with a bunch of students and staff from other schools just waiting to get their Shake sphere on.

After sitting in the dark and a hundred puffs of smoke going up into the air on stage, the play finally took off with a "bang." The play was filled with action. Characters in the play got shot, stabbed, and there was even a drug deal at the beginning. It also had a modern twist to a production that took place in the 1600's. The play is was about a regicide and its aftermath.

Overall, the play was pretty spiffy. I was never bored. I was a little confused from the heavy dialogue but i was always at the edge of my seat. The rest of my Macbeth go seers agreed that the play was indeed a hit. "I thought it was very well planned out; the actors did really good, and the plot was exciting" stated Julia Magnani.

"I liked the play because it was modern; It incorporated everyday issues" said Armando Garcia. When the play was over students and staff filled their bellies with some tasty food from an Elmwood Park Institution, Russell's Barbecque. It was a quaint place to eat. It had a lot of history from its olden style interior and exterior to its juke box standing against the wall. The food was great too. I used to work at Russell's so it was nice to taste their juicy chicken tenders again and savor their signature barbecque sauce.

If you didn't get to go, tough break. The group of kids that went on this outing were chosen specifically by the teachers. This group included avid readers that appreciate Shakespeare's works. Better get reading! Koralik said that he felt that this field trip was important because Shakespeare is timeless and we don't read much Shakespeare here at Vanguard. After seeing this play it did make me want to read some of Shakespeare's other works, it would be good to open up my mind to other types of literature. As I'm sure many others will agree, seeing Macbeth is an experience i will never forget.


Nikki Harper, Editor In Chief
Photo courtesy of Ms. O'neill