At Uni High, we strive to foster an environment where everyone, inclusive of race, color, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, political beliefs, ability, language, and religion, will feel welcome, visible, and heard.

The Winter Orchestra Concert is Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the South Attic.

The Makerspace Technicians are putting on an engineering challenge event.  Any time between now and Friday Feb. 7, build a tower out of wood or spaghetti.  On the afternoon of Feb. 10 (a non-school Monday),  test your tower to see if it can withstand an earthquake on a shake table provided by the university.
Contact Mr. Kiesel for materials, build space if you need it, and more!

Do you love to bake? Do you love to eat yummy baked goods?  Either way, you should come to the Sprabitat Bake-Off in Uni Gym on Tuesday, Jan. 28 at Lunch! 
• Bakers: Sign up using this webform and bring your food on Tuesday for a chance to win prizes and glory!
.• Tasters: Come on Jan. 30 with $3 and get to taste lots of yummy food and vote on the winner
This is a PTSA-sponsored fundraiser, and all proceeds will be donated to Fuller Center for Housing in Clarksdale, MS.

On Friday, Jan. 31, Uni’s Muslim Students Association will be hosting an informational event in honor of Islam Awareness Week (Jan. 24 - Feb. 2)! We will be providing falafel and chicken wraps from Shawarma Joint and discussing various aspects of Islam. If you’re interested in attending, fill out this form by 1/27: https://forms.gle/HMehcMF6H9c5d18z7. The first 25 responses are guaranteed a spot and a free Shawarma Joint wrap!

We will be hosting Uni's 4th annual Black History Month Open Mic in the Uni Library on Tuesday, Feb. 4 from 3:15 - 4:15 p.m.  Share a short reading by a favorite Black writer, artist, or thinker, or just enjoy the event as an audience member. Sign up here if you'd like to share something. There will be mini bundt cakes for students and staff who sign up to attend.

Students for a Better World (S4BW) is hosting our annual Hearts in Bloom during lunch on Feb. 6, 7, and 12 in the first-floor hallway. Anyone can buy a rose wrapped in paper and ribbon for a special someone (or for friends!) These bouquets will cost $3 for one and $5 for two. Cash only, please! All money will be donated to LA Wildlife Recovery Fund. Please contact heidilw2@illinois.edu if you are interested in helping the club make the bouquets or if you have any questions! 

This week is your last chance to submit art to our Black History Month poster contest, and we need more submissions! We invite student artists to help Uni celebrate Black History Month this February by submitting original art at https://forms.gle/ZxJkNzZimdCR2Rdi9, where you can also find more information about contest guidelines. Three winning submissions will be selected, and the artists will receive prizes of $50.

This year, Uni will have a booth at CU's Read Across America celebration on Saturday, March 8. We're seeking clubs who are willing to volunteer for a one-hour shift to read picture books to kids at the event. Club sponsors will need to be present as chaperones for participating clubs during their shift. If your club is interested in volunteering for this event, please complete this form: https://forms.gle/p8aLuTmLMxzH7VeX9. See link for additional details.

On Monday, Apr. 14 Uni High will be holding a day-long outreach event at Booker T. Washington STEM Academy. We're seeking proposals for 40-minute activities for grades K-5 related to water, Earth Day, or the scientist St. Elmo Brady. Activities may be proposed by Uni faculty, students (on behalf of a club or independently), or parents. Activity proposals do not need to be STEM-focused. To learn more or submit a proposal, please visit https://forms.gle/3cHghdZhPMjGAsm67.

The results are in from this year's Uni-wide Poetry Out Loud contest! Callie Standerfer won first place and Lana Cooper won second place. Jade Li was the runner up.
Callie and Lana will advance to the regional Poetry Out Loud contest at the Champaign Public Library on Thursday, Feb. 13, at 5:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend to cheer them on.
Congratulations, Callie and Lana!

Uni High Basketball:  
Monday Jan. 27 is girls Senior night!  Come out to support those dedicated players against Judah Christian. Varsity tip off is at 6 p.m..   
Friday Jan. 31 is 'Throwback Night' for boys varsity basketball, where the team will play in previous uniforms against Arthur.  JV at 6 p.m.; Varsity to follow.   
Indoor track has started but you can still sign up.   
Girls soccer and Boys tennis begin March 3.  To sign up please call the school office 217-333-8270.  

The Uni High Gargoyle has news, opinions, video and a poll for you to learn more and share your thoughts on the phone policy that starts today!  You can add comments to any story or take the phone policy opinion poll!

A reminder that the trial period for Uni's In-Class Phone Policy begins today. As we have shared with students in recent Q&As, the purpose of the phone policy is to promote student focus in class and support student social-emotional wellbeing and growth. Our goal is to have phones stored/stowed and silent from the start of class to the end of class, aside from exceptions outlined in the policy. We will be seeking input as the semester goes on, and that input will shape the policy moving forward. 

If you missed the message on good Uni kitchen citizenship from Brock Bush, a member of Uni's IT team, please read it. Students, be sure to cover your food when you heat it in a Uni kitchen microwave, and if your food spills or spatters, clean it up. Wash dishes that you dirty, wipe up spills that you cause, and throw away your garbage. We all share the kitchen, and we all need to work together to keep it clean. Thank you!

Uni's latest oral history project is available for listening! This two-part podcast series, recorded with Illinois Public Media, explores the experiences of Central Illinois community members with ties to the former Soviet Union and other Eastern Bloc countries. Through this project, students learned about life under communism and Cold War fears. Stream online at Illinois Youth Media. Student producers: Diza Baryshnikov, Krishna Jaswal, and Maya Viswanathan ('24). Interviews conducted by the class of 2027. 

Girls at Uni may now apply for the Barbara Lazarus Award, through the Barbara Lazarus ’63 Memorial Fund.
The Barbara Lazarus ’63 Memorial Fund exists to encourage, facilitate and support girls at Uni in the study of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
Click here for additional information and to access the application.
Questions: Contact Bridget Hughes, bsheen2@illinois.edu
Deadline for submissions is March 1, 2025 at 5 p.m.

ISBE has changed its mandated spring tests from the PSAT/SAT to the PreACT/ACT. Please note the following dates and information:
Main testing day: March 31 at the Illini Union. 
• This will be INCLUDE Subbies, 9th/10th and 11th grade.
• Seniors are scheduled for a volunteer day.
• Accommodated testing times and locations will be emailed individually
Subbie testing day #2: April 7 in Uni gym 
Make-up testing day: April 8 in Uni gym  
We will send out more detailed information including arrival times closer to the testing dates. 

The Illinois State Flag Commission invites Illinois residents to vote for the next state flag! You can vote for:
• One of the Illinois Flag Commission's Top 10 flag designs
• Retaining the existing state flag
• Or reinstating Illinois' 1918 centennial flag or 1968 sesquicentennial flag.
You can vote for one flag once every 24-hour period. If you have multiple favorite submissions, you may select a different flag each day.