Today marks the start of Black History Month, and sophomore Deven Sainte-Rose hopes fellow students not only take away a better understanding of the importance of Black history — he also hopes to expand the school community’s involvement and engagement with Black students.
“Black History Month is important because it’s necessary to highlight and celebrate Black history and culture, but I feel another important goal is to promote inclusivity,” says Sainte-Rose, who is also a member of the Black Association of Stevenson Students (BASS) club. “People may think our club is mainly for Black students, but it’s not true.”
To better engage more of our school community, BASS Club has partnered with other student organizations to create a series of events throughout the month. They include a screening of the Academy Award-nominated film “Hidden Figures” and an interactive activity and discussion about lesser-known Black visionaries. BASS has also partnered with Diversity Council on an expansive showcase focused on Black culture and a dance performance.
To read more about Sainte-Rose, please visit Facebook or Instagram.
Bullseyes For A Good Cause: Sponsor An Archer In The St. Jude’s Fundraiser
The Stevenson Archery Team will be shooting at a home tournament in the Fieldhouse on Wednesday, Feb. 9 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. as a fundraiser for The St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Each archer will obtain sponsors who will pledge a monetary amount per bullseye, which will later be collected after the tournament is completed through an online donation. See any member of the Archery Team or email jcaballero@d125.org for more details.
Planning Ahead: Upcoming Testing Days Are Non-Attendance Days For Some Grades
For your planning purposes, please check your personal calendars for April. There are a couple of required in-school testing days coming up, and on those days, students in select grades will not be required to attend school. Here is the schedule:
- April 13: No clases for Seniors and Sophomores
** Juniors will be taking the SAT (a requirement for graduation) and freshmen will be required to take the PSAT.
- April 26: No classes for Seniors and Juniors
** Sophomores will be taking the PSAT. Freshmen are expected to come to school for a Student Services program.
NOTE: Any juniors who miss the April 13 SAT will be asked to come in on April 26 for a makeup exam. And students who have certain accommodations may test over multiple dates. For more information about upcoming testing dates, please visit the PSAT-SAT-ACT page on the Stevenson website. Contact shs_testing@d125.org with questions.
Don’t Forget: Badminton Information Meeting Coming Up Next Week
There will be an informational meeting at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow in Room 2104 for athletes interested in trying out for the girls badminton team this spring. If you are unable to attend, tryout information can be found on the athletics page of the Stevenson website or in this Google document.
Athletic Results
Girls Ice Hockey: The Scouts Affiliate Girls Hockey Program, which plays in the Metro League Founder’s Division, came from behind to win 6-4 against the Burlington West Grizzlies on Senior Night Monday at Lake Forest College. Stevenson senior Alicia Sharun (pictured right) scored the second goal for the Scouts, giving the team momentum to come from behind and take the game. The Scouts are a combination team drawing players from six high schools: Lake Forest, Stevenson, Libertyville, Highland Park, Deerfield and Woodlands Academy. The team won Illinois State High School Championships in 2011 and 2013 and has more recently been to the Founders Cup Championships in 2017, 2019 and 2020. Sharun is one of four players from Stevenson on the team, and the only Stevenson senior.
Epic Outages Of Edtech Tools Show K-12 Schools Are Vulnerable To Cyberattacks
A recent cyberattack that affected the biggest school district in the country is a reminder of an increase in cybersecurity incidents at schools across the U.S. As such attacks become more common, schools may need to do more to build their ability to prevent attacks and to hold private vendors to high standards, experts say.
What Do Teachers And Students Think About New ABC Show ‘Abbott Elementary’?
Education Week reporter Ileana Najarro recently interviewed the creator and star of “Abbott Elementary,” Quinta Brunson, about the new award-winning ABC show set in a fictional West Philadelphia public school. Brunson, whose mother taught in Philadelphia, aims to “[capture] the nuances of the teaching profession, the significance of Black teachers and predominantly Black schools like Abbott, and the hope that the show can garner more support for real teachers across the country.”
The Week Ahead
Mark your calendars for these events and see the Stevenson Calendar for details on these and future programs.
Feb. 1: Black History Month Begins
Feb. 1: PPA Meeting
Feb. 1: BPO Meeting
Feb. 5: Practice SAT: Juniors
Feb. 7-11: Odyssey Week
Feb. 7: SPA Meeting
Feb. 7: Choral Guild Meeting
Stevenson Daily Digest 
