May Recap and Summer Send-Off

"Breakfast for Dinner" & AP Exams

By the time the first full week of May came around, AP Exam stress was in full swing. Many exams were being had over those first two weeks of May. Coupled with end-of-the-year final projects, tests, projects, and presentations, this was a very high-stress time for the students at IMSA. As such, I decided to use the remainder of our generous parent donations to cook up a “Breakfast for Dinner” for the guys. A special thank you goes to Nick Golinvaux '14, Elliot Krause '14, and Richard Noriega '14 for helping out with the cooking. The menu included 48 scrambled eggs in various batches (plain, cheese, and veggies), 48 pancakes, 32 sausage links, and juice and milk to go with it. The guys loved it and you can be sure there were no leftovers. It was the perfect study snack/break.

The chaos ensues in my kitchen.

2014 Senior Prom

By the end of that week, our Seniors (and some Juniors) were off to Prom. They had an absolutely gorgeous day for the event which included a pre-party of photos and appetizers at the Morton Arboretum, followed by dinner and dancing in the Skydeck of the Sears Tower. A lot of fun was had and it was hard to believe that the year was so close to being done.

Richard Noriega '14 before Prom.

Evan Derse '14 & Mateusz Wojtaszek '14 before Prom. 

Juniors Rajiv Trehan '14 & Leon Wang '14 were asked to be the dates of two Seniors. 

Nick Golinvaux '14 before Prom. 

Seniors Trip to Downtown Chicago

On Saturday, the 17^th, I took our seven seniors on a trip to downtown Chicago. This seniors-only trip was a lot of fun and included a lot of exploring of the Downtown/Millennium Park area. David Lisk ’14 was our dedicated photographer for the day and definitely caught some candid shots of our adventures. (See below) We had the perfect day for it with the weather and I know our guys really enjoyed the chance to get off campus and be in the big city. After a few hours of exploring, we enjoyed a dinner of appetizers, pub food, and desserts at the Elephant & Castle on Wabash, which was just a couple of blocks from Millennium Park. The desserts were easily the biggest hit. No surprise there. 

Just entering Millennium Park. 

Obligatory "Bean" group photo.

Matt, Richard, Elliot, and Evan in front of the Millennium Park Amphitheater.

Roommates Richard Noriega & Elliot Krause.

04D Vertical Quad: David Lisk, Evan Derse, & Mateusz Wojtaszek.

Roommates Brennan Wakey & Nick Golinvaux.

Heading back to the car after a long, but memorable day.

"Get Active!" Wing Dinner

That following day, I held a mandatory meeting for all of our guys that were still on campus. It was a gorgeous day and yet many of them were cooped up in their room studying and generally being stressed out about finals and other homework. At this meeting, I informed them that, thanks to the family of Kyle Parker ’16, we would be having a Wing Dinner of Jimmy Johns that night. The only condition on this Wing Dinner was that we all had to go outside and play for at least 30 minutes. The guys were game and we enjoyed about 45 minutes of volleyball and touch football. They had a blast outside and thoroughly enjoyed the Wing Dinner later that night. Thanks again Parker family!

Some intense elimination-style "Speedball".

Nick Golinvaux '14 tosses the football to Mateusz Wojtaszek '14. 

Kyle Parker '16, Elliot Krause '14, Franklin Ye '16, & Samuel Rousser '16 wait for another match to begin.

Our wing enjoys the rewards of their time outside.

Richard's Birthday Wing Dinner

On our final Monday night together, May  26^th, the family of Richard Noriega ’14 put on an authentic, freshly-cooked Brazilian dinner for our Wing. The food was absolutely delicious and our guys loved having such a treat the night before their final exams began. We sang Richard “Happy Birthday” and thanked the Noriega family for their amazing generosity and care for putting on such a wonderful meal.

A Final Thought

It’s hard to believe that our school year has come to an end. It seems like just yesterday it was August and I was welcoming everyone to the parent meetings.. It has been a very fun and enjoyable year with the guys of 04D Wing. 

To our Seniors: I wish you all amazing and purposeful college careers. 

To our Sophomores and Juniors: I look forward to seeing you again in the Fall. 

Thanks again to each of you for making my 1^st year as an IMSA RC so memorable and meaningful!

April Recap and IMSAlloqium

Campfire & S'mores Night

During the school day on April 9^th, those who had done an SIR project gave a practice presentation in preparation for the upcoming IMSAlloqium. A lot of work went into these independent research endeavors and therefore the practice presentation was a stressful day for many of them. And so, later that night, the Wing took advantage of a beautiful night to start a campfire, play some Frisbee, and make some S’mores after 10-check. It was a big hit and the guys really enjoyed being able to relax and just be kids. 

Michael Wang '15 prepping his S'mores. 

Justin Orr '16, Cam Hudgins '16, Josh Burke '16, Richard Noriega '14, &
Evan Derse '14 enjoying the glow of the fire. 

Daniel Collins '15 & Joshua Rodriguez '16 toasting their marshmallows.

The young men of 1504D Wing.

IMSAlloqium 2014

IMSAlloqium was a day full of our Juniors and Seniors presenting the research that they had been doing for the past year (or two). Many of our guys presented and it was quite evident that they had put in a great deal of work into some high-quality research. It was definitely one of those days that made you appreciate just how talented these students are. It was also a pleasure to see many of you, the parents, that day as you went to see your son present. Below are some photos from the day of those who gave presentations. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the SIR presentation of Daniel Collins '15. He did research on musical sonatas. 

Evan Derse' 14 did an SIR on making air turbines more
energy efficient, while also reducing noise pollution.

David Lisk '14 did an SIR on creating a water filter that
kills bacteria more effectively. 

Ziang (Leon) Wang '15 did an SIR on cost-saving and
environmental benefits of green roofs that collect
rain runoff.

Mateusz Wojtaszek '14 did an SIR on reducing toxic silver runoff
in common water filters and thereby water-borne illnesses.

Wenhan (Michael) Wang '15 did an SIR on stem cell research
and its application towards Parkinson's disease.

Rajiv Trehan '15 did an SIR on the use of fluorescence in order to better identify
and locate cancerous cells and tumors prior to surgery.

All and all, it was a very impressive set of presentations and I'm very proud of the work these talented, young men have done.

Dessert Date

On the 22^nd, we had our final Dinner Date of the year. We did it potluck style and thank you to all the parents who sent their kids back with some truly delicious treats. It was an impressive spread and I know our students enjoyed the chance to get out of the halls, enjoy some desserts, and socialize. This is truly one of those great events where your sons have a chance to just be a teenager. This night was also marked by some impromptu toasting and roasting by one of our well-known Seniors, Nick Golinvaux ’14. 

The spread of desserts, including root beer floats.

Dessert dates are a great opportunity to socialize and have fun!

"Tough Guise" Program

The final major event we had in April was titled “Tough Guise”. I made this event mandatory for our guys because I believe it holds an important message. This event lasted roughly 2.5 hours, was put on by the male RCs, and had over 150 of IMSA’s young men in attendance. Students rotated through 3 breakout sessions that dealt with masculinity & language, what it means to be a guy at IMSA, and the importance of consent and communication in romantic relationships and dealings. All and all, this event provided a great space for our guys to think about and critically discuss what it means to be a young man in our society and how this influences our understandings of sex and consent. It was a very well-regarded program and I have had countless conversations with your sons since then that have included references to what was discussed that night. It clearly got through to them. 

March Recap AKA Clash of the Halls 2014

March was largely dominated by Clash of the Halls--an annual contest between the seven IMSA Halls played out over several competitive events, including Hall Decorations, Hall Movie, Talent Show, and a Drill Team performance. A lot of preparation went into these events and it brought our Wing and the overall Hall closer together. And it was because of that effort that the guys of 04 went on to win Clash this year. This victory was especially sweet because 1507 had won Clash for the last three years in a row. 

Below is a recap of Clash and some of the other activities we did in March. 

"How to Interview Well"

Throughout this school year, I had noticed that our guys were interviewing for various opportunities--jobs, internships, colleges, and leadership opportunities. As someone who has been interviewed and has been the interviewer dozens of times, I figured it would benefit our guys if we did a program on it. And so we did just that on March 4th. The timing also coincided with me having just returned from interviewing many candidates at the job conference where IMSA finds many of its future RCs. As such, I was able to provide some insights into what works and what doesn't during an interview. During this program, a lot of focus was spent on the importance of doing the necessary prep work, looking presentable, overall work culture fit, and being able to illustrate a point by using examples that highlight your strengths. I asked volunteers to answer a prompt as if they were in an interview, and the group followed by providing feedback on how they did. The guys found the information useful and many have sought me out afterwards for further advice or practice as they prepared for one of their own. 

Birthday Wing Dinner

When March 11th rolled around, the 3rd Quarter was rapidly coming to a close and a lot of stress revolved around upcoming essays, projects, and exams. It was, therefore, a welcome break when one of our Seniors, Nick Golinvaux '14 (more commonly known as "Frenchie"), celebrated his 18th Birthday with a Wing Dinner. Nick will be attending Purdue in the Fall. Plenty of pizza was eaten and I know the guys welcomed the tasty break. Many thanks to Nick's parents, Janet and Robert, for making the dinner possible. 

Clash of the Halls 2014

1504 won Clash of the Halls (COTH) this year and the guys celebrated the victory in style. Several events made the week a lively and fun time. 

1. Hall Decorations. With yellow being our color this year, 1504 went for an Egyptian/Sands of Time theme. Nearly each person in 04 lent a hand at some point to help transform the Hall. 

   

   A skit accompanied the Hall Decs.
   Evan Derse '14 & Cameron Hudgins '16 are pictured left. 

2. Hall Movie. On Monday night, each hall was required to screen their 10-minute movie. The 04 movie dealt with what would happen to IMSA if it was no longer a residential campus. Evan Derse '14, Josh Burke '16, and Franklin Ye '16  were heavily involved in this event and helped 04 win 2nd place. 

   

   Evan Derse '14 took the lead on building a camera trolley.
   This allowed for smooth pan shots in the movie.

3. Talent Show. On Tuesday night, 04 put on a performance in the Auditorium that was a mash-up of "Sweater Weather' and "Happy". This included live music (Mateusz Wojtaszek '14, Michael Wang '15), choreographed dance (Evan Derse '14, David Lisk '14, Josh Burke '16, Franklin Ye '16, Cameron Hudgins '16), and vocals (Leon Wang '15). We placed 3rd in this event. A video recap of all the Halls at Talent Show can be found here. (04's performance is featured from :027-37, and :56-1:06.)
4. Pep Rally/Drill Team. COTH came to a close with the Pep Rally on Thursday night. A highlights video can be found here. However, the main event was definitely the Drill Team performances. The 04 team had been practicing their choreographed steps for weeks and it definitely showed. Evan, David, Josh, Franklin, and Cameron were the ones from our Wing who were part of the overall 04 Drill Team. A video of the full performance can be found here, with 04's routine beginning at 41:20. Believe me, you're going to want to watch it. 04 took 1st place in this event and that was enough to put 04 over and win Clash of the Halls 2014. 

1504 Drill Team

February Recap

February went by very quickly. With Clash preparations in full-swing, an Extended Weekend right in the middle, and the continuation of what was one of the coldest winters in recent memory, the guys in D Wing were in all in favor of keeping programs short and in-doors. Below were our two most memorable events. 

Learning to Bake  Program 

On the evening of February 3rd, I hosted students in my apartment kitchen and went over the fundamentals of baking. On our menu that evening were Rice Krispie Treats, as well as White Chocolate Chip/Butterscotch Cookies. For the cookies, special attention was paid to alternative recipes that would make them slightly healthier. For example, instead of using 1 full cup of sugar, we used a package of vanilla pudding mix. This both lowers the sugar count and also increases the freshness of the cookies. Special thanks goes out to Kyle Parker '16, Leon Wang '15, Justin Orr '16, Richard Noriega '14, Jonathan D'Souza, & Elliot Krause '14 for their help with preparing the treats. However, as you can imagine, the smell of freshly baked treats quickly spread through the Wing and so we had many visitors come by and take a treat with them. 

They were a big hit!

Roommates Richard Noriega '14 &
Elliot Krause '14 in the kitchen.

Brennan Wakey's 18th Birthday Wing Dinner 

One of our Seniors, Brennan Wakey '14, turned 18 over the February Extended Weekend. Brennan will be attending NYU in the Fall and plans on majoring in Economics and Japanese. As a lover of Asian cuisine, Brennan naturally chose for the Wing Dinner to feature a wide array of delicious Chinese food. For a Wing that has had several Wing Dinners with pizza as the main course, the Chinese food was definitely a welcome change of pace. A special thanks goes to Brennan's Mom, Cathy, for making the Dinner possible. 

Our guys loved the food. 

January Recap

The second semester got off to a cold but enjoyable start due to Intersession. Our guys learned new things in trips to Italy, Colorado, Chicago, and here at IMSA. The guys were greeted with Welcome Back kits of goodies and study snacks. We also enjoyed a Dominoes Wing Dinner when the windchill had gotten down to -46. It was a perfect excuse not to have to walk to Sodexo in that bone-chilling cold. Below are some of the highlights from January.

Laser Tag Outing 

On the evening of January 8th, twelve of us headed to Luigi's Pizza and Fun Center for an hour of laser tag. Made possible by the generous donations made to our Wing Fund, it was a fun evening of strategy, releasing pent-up energy from being stuck inside in the freezing cold, and chasing each other through a glow-in-the-dark obstacle course. The event was especially memorable for two of the Russian exchange students who were staying in 04 then and came along with our Wing. 

New Year's Goal Planning 

On the 13th, our Wing Guide, Leon Wang '15, led the Wing in identifying their 2014 Goals. A great deal of time was spent emphasizing the importance of making goals that were measurable and realistic. Each member of the Wing was asked to offer a goal they had in mind. A lot of them had to deal with academics, productivity, or their future college plans. Others dealt with reducing hours spent playing video games or increasing their sleep. Finally, the guys were asked to write these out on construction paper, and these were taped up in the Wing, as seen below, so as to be a reminder of their aspirations. 

Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation 

        
On January 20th, IMSA put on a Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation celebration. A memorable event, several student skits and choral showcases were included that were well-liked by students. Several speakers shared thoughts with the campus about the importance of the day and today's relevance of the Civil Rights Movement. IMSA was very fortunate to welcome Civil Rights Leader, Dr. Julian Bond, as our keynote speaker. Heavily involved in the Movement, and personal friend of Martin Luther King, Jr., Dr. Bond shared with the students the actions he took to promote equal rights for African Americans, including his recent 12-year tenure as the President of the NAACP. The remainder of the day was filled with breakout sessions and other events aimed at engaging the importance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s work and that of the Civil Rights Movement.

A photo op with Dr. Julian Bond.

Affirmation Program

The following night, on the 21st, I led the Wing in an affirmation exercise. Each of the Wing member's were asked to sit down in a circle and facing outward. 3-4 of the guys would be asked to be in the middle as I read out a series of statements. They all started with..."Reach out and touch someone who...", and ended with different statements, such as "you think is a leader", or "is a good friend", etc. As each of these statements were read, with roughly 30 in total, the students on the inside of the circle would gently tap the should of those in the circle they felt the statement applied to. This went on in shifts with each of the guys given an opportunity to be in the middle of the circle. Afterward, we discussed the activity. Many expressed how good it felt to know that others thought so positively of them. They also expressed how important it is to try and genuinely compliment another person, from time-to-time. I ended by stressing that in the middle of this dark and cold Winter, we can often feel down or under-appreciated. And therefore, reaching out to others, in this kind of way, can really improve someone's day.