We undertook one of my favorite school traditions this week. Students and teachers made the forty-minute walk to our sister organization – the Quaker senior community at the Admiral at the Lake.
We have come to recognize many of the landmarks on this walk. We pass the Thorndale L station, a hub for our community and a place many of our students and staff use every day. We pass Swift Elementary, a neighboring school that radiates a neighborly and friendly charm, despite its huge size. We pass the beautiful art-deco intersection of Kenmore and Bryn Mawr. We pass the incredible fieldstone Epworth United Methodist Church on Berwyn. Just as our feet are getting tired we land at our destination.
Some of the residents who partnered with us last year were in extreme old age. They told us stories of the horse they had during girlhood. They slipped into German when discussing their children (kinder). I was nervous whether we would see all of our partners from last year, and alas we did not. I will miss them.
The stories we shared this year were lively too. We heard about the South Side during ration times during World War II. We heard about traditions in Catholic girls’ schools in the country many years ago. We heard about the joys of sharing a bedroom with a bunch of rowdy siblings on the farm. Some of us share a bedroom with a rowdy sibling and the experience connects.
I appreciate this school community for a multitude of reasons. Our dedication to reaching out to people in all stages of life is right at the top of the list.
Alex Randhava
Alex Randhava taught middle school at Chicago Friends School from 2017 to 2019.