Day of Silence

Students and staff members observed an annual event in which they showed their support for LGBT rights by going through the school day without speaking.

This act symbolizes how individuals in the LGBTQ community have been silenced from expressing themselves.

The day brings attention to the anti-LGBT name calling, bullying, and harassment in schools.

For one day, straight and gay teachers, students and faculty take part in this shared experience to support a group that is silenced everyday.

Participants had the option of buying a shirt to indicate their support, but not remain silent, or buy a shirt that indicates participation.

The Day of Silence was started by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) in 1996.

It’s now a nationally recognized tradition that thousands of educational institutions throughout the country participate in.

Ecuador Earthquake Kills 77

On April 16th, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Ecuador’s capital of Quito and other neighboring cities. At least 673 people were killed and 16,000 were injured. Tied with the earthquake in Sumatra, Indonesia on March 2nd, the two disasters were the strongest earthquakes of 2016. Earthquake tremors were felt in nearby countries of Colombia and Peru. After the quake, a tsunami warning was issued in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Fiji, Panama, and Peru. The earthquake was the worst natural disaster to hit Ecuador since 1949, when the Ambato quake hit the Tungurahua Province. A state of emergency was declared following the quake, and 10,000 military officers were deployed to assist in rescue missions

Life of Pablo

Kanye West released Life of Pablo featuring his song “Famous,” in which he makes explicit references to singer Taylor Swift.

The song sparked outrage among listeners finding the lyrics misogynistic. It later spun into yet another conflict between Swift and Kanye about whether or not Swift was made aware of the song’s content prior to its release.

Dance Day held in April rather than December due to new finals schedule

The Winnetka campus hosted its annual Dance Day several months after its typical December date because of early finals in the 2015-16 school year. As usual, the show ran each period throughout the school day, allowing classes to come and watch. It featured performances from New Trier dance classes, culture clubs, and independent groups. The event was run by the students and dance teachers.