Final Reflections

It is now just a little more than a week after returning from Canada, and we wanted to share some of the students' reflections on the last day of the trip, as well as our own:

This trip was amazing! The thought of being able to travel outside of the country is just a blessing in itself! And to do it with some of the smartest and brightest kids on the southside of Chicago, along with two of the most amazing teachers, is just an additional blessing! I had fun from start to finish, and cherished every moment of this experience -- from the long yet exciting rides there to watching the best plays.

On our way to Canada, we got to visit the University of Michigan. It was such a lovely school. The campus life was very appealing, and the resources they offered as far as academics are something I really would find helpful.  I enjoyed the school so much I decided I’m going to apply there.

But once we got to Canada, it didn’t hit me until we walked the town. The elegant restaurants, the beautiful landscapes, and the classical architecture all brought so much life to the trip. The best part by far, though, was watching the plays. While Romeo and Juliet and Measure and Measure were good, Fiddler on the Roof was the best! It brought to the table a message about selfishness while at the same time entertained the audience with such great choreography and song. I even downloaded some songs from the play.

Besides the plays, and the scenery of the Canada, this trip was definitely a learning experience and created life-changing bonds between me and my peers, as well as my teachers. It allowed us to be on a more intimate level with each other. In doing so, we all were able to leave our comfort zones and grow together. In doing so, we all learned how to be more adaptive individuals and become open minded to any situation. And as result, we’ve gained much more awareness of ourselves and have become more mature individuals.

-- Michael

Overall, the trip was pretty awesome because we got a chance to go to another country. I learned the importance of being in a new environment and stepping out of my comfort zone. It can be difficult, but it teaches you that life isn't always going to be comfortable. I also learned how to be social with others outside of my two best friends. Some things that I enjoyed about the trip were the plays, especially Measure for Measure, and having fun with my peers. 

-- Danielle

Overall, I had a pretty great experience on this trip to Canada. I had new experiences and got to explore on my own. I didn't like that our roommates were hidden from us and we didn't get to choose who we bunked with, it would have made everything a lot easier. I also didn't enjoy the little "surprise" of going on a little "tour" of the woods in the middle of the night, but maybe this is because I won't fully understand it until I am off on my own in college. However, I had a fantastic time on this trip and couldn't have asked for better people to spend this adventure with.

-- Asia

In the week since we returned, I headed back to Kansas City and fortunately had the chance to share the experience with some of the friends and family who donated. But I wanted to take a moment and write to all of you readers and contributors. This trip was everything I hoped it would be, but nothing like what I expected. It felt like just about everything that could have gone wrong, did, but having to adapt, and teaching adaptation, ended up being the theme of the trip. 

Before David and I left, we'd spent a long time talking about what we wanted the theme of the trip to be. In each of the three plays, and throughout Shakespeare really, the struggle between the individual and his/her community is provocative and something we'd considered as a society. How does your community shape you? What do you owe your community, if anything? If you leave your community, is it your duty to return or give back? David and I answered these questions from our own experiences, but asked the students to reflect on them as well. 

I'd have to say that as students took their first stabs at considering the individual vs. the community, their ideas were pretty surface level. But as we watched the plays and drew connections between the three, kids were able articulate a pretty complex relationship between themselves and their families, their school, the South Side of Chicago, and American society. Though proud of their development of this idea, I don't actually think this was the most valuable lesson of the trip. 

Admittedly, taking 20 kids out into the woods at night probably sounds a little crazy. It may have been a little crazy. But we were really dedicated to its purpose. For some of you readers, it may seem unimaginable that students had never been in the woods before, but for most, this is true. And I don't think any of them had gone, in small groups, with dinky flashlights, at midnight. We knew for them this would be scary. Even the students with the most bravado walked into those woods shakier than I'd seen them. But the idea was that they'd come out the other side changed. Maybe in a small way, or maybe profoundly, at this point it's hard to tell. But I am confident that every student understood that in the uncomfortable experience, they were meant to depend on each other, use what they know, and encourage themselves with certainty that the end was reachable. 

After the hike, a few students even said how this unnerving experience would directly impact their future. In a somewhat exasperated tone, Danielle said, "The whole point of this was to show us that in college, when we may be out of our comfort zones, we'll know how to get through it, so that we aren't just going to college, but graduating from college." Ha, yes Danielle. That was the whole point. 

I know college won't be a Canadian midnight excursion through the woods. It will, however, be new and different and a lot of times uncomfortable. I believe they will better digest the newness and discomfort because of this experience, and that to me, is its greatest success. 

So thank you. Thank you for reading. Thank you for you financial support, or words of encouragement, or pair of ears when I needed advice. Thanks for helping me do something for these students that I only joked about doing last fall. And most of all, thanks for helping provide this experience for kids who deserve it and are grateful for it. 

--Annie

I always tell my students not to start their essays off with a quotation because I think it's tacky. But this one is too good to pass up. It goes "there is no growth in the comfort zone, and no comfort in the growth zone." It was shared with me not too long ago, and I felt it encompassed my first couple years of teaching beautifully when I first heard it. I did not expect it to encompass this trip as well. As Annie wrote, we went in to the trip with much different intended outcomes than the ones we ended up reaching. However, about thirty seconds after we entered Canada (actually we were still probably straddling the international border) it became clear to all of us that flexibility would be essential to a successful trip. The border patrol got things off to a rocky start, and lots of other hiccups showcased that this was our first time leading a trip. 

Yet, a week on from the trip, I am realizing that this flexibility is just a microcosm of what the past year has been with these kids. You might be thinking this means I have constantly had to be flexible. That's actually not the case. Our students have consistently had to adapt to what we have tried to impart to them. Again, in the words of Danielle at the end of the year: "I enjoyed adapting to your new teaching style." Translation: you are way less organized than all of my other teachers, but I liked learning from you anyway. The quality of these kids I admire most, more than their intelligence, humor, and optimism, is their ability to bounce back and learn from difficult situations quicker than I have ever seen. It was crystallized on this trip with the nature walk, as well as many other frustrations, but it is something that has happened all year. We are so humbled by the trust you put in us through your support, and our students put in us to lead the trip, but we were so confident because we knew they could adapt to almost any situation (even that surprise tour of the woods). 

Ultimately, they did actually end up living out the themes we saw so often in the plays: the tension of commitment to something larger than yourself. It didn't happen through discussion how we thought it would though. The most common thing we heard from students was the connections and bonds they were able to solidify with their peers during this trip (I think pushing out of the comfort zone pulls you closer to those around you). They have created such a strong and supportive community amongst themselves that was beautiful for us to witness. After the nature walk, the most tense part of trip, students came to us to tell us which of their fellow students we would need to talk to more, and were comforting and caring for each other in a way which is rare in high school. I am sure they will all have aspirations to go to a wide variety of colleges next year, but I am confident that they will continue to cultivate and rely on these bonds as they move all over the country for the next chapter of their lives. So often, we talk about the larger communities they are a part of (often in a negative light, and often tinged with a desire to leave those communities all behind) but they have created their own community out of this group. All year, we have talked about communities, but here they made one. We couldn't be prouder of them, or more moved by your generosity to make this experience possible for ourselves and for these great kids.

Thank you so much for your support, and thanks for reading.

-- David

Day Three: Putting it all together

The third, and final full day of our trip began with some free time to explore Stratford. Students got souvenirs, and even serenaded a group of Americans doing a scavenger hunt with an impromptu rendition of "Baby" by Stratford's own Justin Bieber. Take a look at the video below:

After lunch, we went to our final show of the weekend, Measure for Measure. It was the most intimate show we saw, and we enjoyed the humor as well as the poignancy of the play's message regarding the legitimacy of justice.

The gentlemen of Shakespeare Society

For dinner, we at at Felinni's, in their private Olive Room. The pictures below show our family style dining--perfect for synthesizing all three plays.

Twins

After the meal, we spent time toasting to people--either to the whole group or to certain individuals--who had made some sort of contribution to the trip. Students appreciated their ability to do something that very few students have the opportunity to do (i.e. visit another country), and especially to be able to do it with such a wonderful group of friends, that has grown closer and closer throughout the year. We could not be more proud at their ability to step outside of their comfort zones with a genuine sense of enjoyment.

Students prepare for the secret activity.

They demonstrated this in a surprise midnight hiking activity. After buying 10 flashlights and too many cans of OFF, we all went to a park trail up the road from the Shakespeare Inn that surrounds the Shakespeare Pond. The students were separated into five teams of four and sent to the trailhead to begin their very dark and slightly scary journey to the end of the loop. Mr. Schnall, posted at the halfway point, helped guide students to the end of the loop where Ms. Krieg was ready to receive the relieved Shakespeare Society members. During different points of the walk, there would be loud shrieks of fear and bursts of laughter.

When students returned, reactions were initially mixed -- students were upset that their shoes got dirty, or were scared of being in the pitch black wilderness -- but eventually, students began to grasp the purpose of the activity as a final major opportunity to step out of their comfort zones during the trip.

Day Two: Stratford and the Shakespeare Festival

The crew getting weird at our hotel.

Day two included two plays--the centerpiece of the festival, Romeo and Juliet, and the non-Shakespearean musical Fiddler on the Roof. The students loved the change of pace that the musical offered--the energy of the choreography and intensity of the music was a great beginning to our weekend showings. Ariel Harris shares her reflections from the musical and contrasts the Romeo and Juliet version we saw today with the one we saw on Navy Pier last March.

On the second day in Canada, we had the pleasure of going to the Festival Theater to watch two plays: "Fiddler On The Roof" and "Romeo and Juliet.

Elijah and Terrance posing with Bill Shakespeare (notice Nikole's excellent photobomb)

" I greatly enjoyed "Fiddler On The Roof" because it was similar to Shakespeare's plays. They shared themes such as challenging society's norms and how a community can shape a person's character. The play had various components to it: comedy, drama, and even music. 

It was definitely a wonderful learning experience because we got to see how different "Romeo and juliet" was at Navy Pier compared to the one in Stratford. This showed how there are many interpretations of the play, and how even the costumes and the ways the characters were portrayed wasn't the same. I personally preferred the one at Navy Pier because it was more intimate than the one at the Festival Theater. I feel that it was more organic. Although at some points the play in Stratford interacted with the audience, Navy Pier's had a session after the play to meet the actors which made you feel more connected to the entire experience. 

Following the plays, we took time to discuss some of the most salient themes that connected the various plays we are watching this weekend (as well as throughout the year). These include the influence of family and community traditions and values, and are particularly important to the students as they consider the choices they will make about college and their lives as young adults. Will they follow their own ambitions? How will they maintain connections to their families and friends, and what duty do they have to do so? All of these questions sparked personal discussions, which Francisco (not the one from yesterday) elaborates on below:

On our second day at the scenic town of Stratford, Ontario we went to see “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Romeo & Juliet.” The plays were stupendous!!! The actors were so outstanding that they literally made the audience want to get up and be apart of the production. By the end of production we found our selves singing to the catchy song sung throughout the play, “Tradition”. After the Fiddler on the Roof, we, the Shakespeare society, took a scenic rout to a gazebo where we discussed topics like our role in our community after we graduate from college and how we feel this trip will impact our lives. For example, some students felt that Chicago has not done much for them or influenced the people they are, therefore, they feel little responsibility to help the community when they graduate from their future alma maters. On the other hand, other students said that they do feel a responsibility to their communities to further develop the society that helped raise them.

Another full day (including some late night capture the flag and Catchphrase). Having seen two plays, we're looking forward to exploring the city of Stratford tomorrow and pulling the thematic threads we've already discussed through to our last play, Measure for Measure. Thanks to everyone who has kept up-to-date with our adventures. Here's to day three!

Annie and David

Day One: The University of Michigan and the drive

Scenes from Michigan

We are all safe and sound in Stratford, Ontario after a long but exhilarating first day of our trip. We enjoyed a beautiful visit at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor that started with lots to eat at the dining commons, and ended with reflections about what will make our students prepared for an elite school like Michigan, and ruminations on how we could see ourselves on this campus as college students in just over a year. One of our students, Shanique, expounds upon these ideas below:

The University of Michigan was a beautiful campus! I could really picture myself enrolled in that university.  It was open and it had a lot of resources available for their students. For example, they offer a taxi service to ensure your safe return to your dorm at late hours and they also have centers to help people adjust to the college life. One thing I learned was that the lectures the professors give are recorded, which gives the students extra help outside of the classroom setting. I also loved how there are several libraries available on campus. I learned that the University of Michigan has a lot of student run groups and organizations. There is even a group entirely dedicated to napping! What I loved most  about the campus was that it is HUGE. I picture myself next year in a large university and I can definitely picture myself at Michigan. Our tour guide Jon was open and honest with us about everything that his school offers, and the best piece of advice he gave us was to not get hung up on one part of the application because no one qualification guarantees your acceptance. --Shanique Fields

Shanique and the rest of the Shakespeare Society learns about the U of M's history from our tour guide.

Michigan's beautiful library

The following is a reflection from another Shakespeare Society member, Francisco:

So… where to begin? Well for starters, the original vehicles that we had reserved ahead of time were unavailable and we had to settle for 3 SUV’s J. The bright side was that we got $800 off our original price, the downside: we were CRAMPED. Even-though we were cramped we made the best of it. We all laughed, sang, and told ghost stories when the night fell. 

            The delicious buffet at the university made up for missing the info session due to a delay in our vehicle delivery. Also our tour guide, Jon, explained everything that was relevant to what we wanted to know, probably even better than the people in the information session. Besides the long walks in the blazing sun, the campus was breathtaking, and the libraries…there were so many libraries!

            Once we departed from the University of Michigan, three words can describe the rest of the drive: long, goofy, relieving. If all of the detours, delays, etc. hadn’t been enough, we were stopped at the Canadian border for having copies of our birth certificates instead of the originals, even though the Festival directions clearly said copies were acceptable (as Mr. Schnall continuously reminded us). I think Ms. Krieg and Mr. Schnall’s hearts actually stopped when the border police said, “You most likely will have to turn around.” But after our teachers talked to the immigration officers, we got everything taken care of and were back on our way.

            It’s after midnight and no one seems to be tired because everyone is so excited about what awaits us in Canada for the rest of the trip. So this wraps up today’s adventure, and we are anticipating the next adventure tomorrow.

We are exhausted from day one, but are so excited to see our students genuinely enjoying each other's company, as well as learning how to deal with challenges and travel hiccups in an authentic way (maybe a little too authentic). But we know they will be stronger for it, and we can't wait to update you tomorrow about day two.

Go Blue,

Annie and David