Features

Over the past month, the Chronicle staff has been working to compile thankful messages in as many languages as we could find spoken at Central. In the spirit of Thanksgiving being just around the corner, we have collected thank you messages from our multilingual peers so that we can all appreciate the diversity at our school. We’ve gotten responses from 13 different languages: How many might you be able to understand?

Je remercie dieu pour la vie, mes amis et la nourriture que nous mangeons chaque jour.

French - Elizabeth Ngo

Feliz por poder aprender mas los idiomas que no sabía hablar.

Spanish - Juan Hobed

എന്റെ കുടുംബവും സുഹൃത്തുക്കളും എന്നോട് കാണിച്ച സ്നേഹത്തിനും കരുതലിനും ഞാൻ നന്ദി പറയുന്നു

Malayalam - Susan Philip

Estoy agradecido por la salud de mi familia.

Spanish - Ivan Ledezma

Ik wil mijn familie en vrienden bedanken omdat ze me altijd steunen. Ze zijn het belangrijkste en beste deel van mijn leven.

Dutch - Maaike Niekerk

Feliz porque voy aprendiendo otro idioma como inglés.

Spanish - Domingo Diego Juan

La clase de Ms. Stone es la mejor de todo.

Q’anjob’al - David Sebastian Juan

வாழ்க்கையில் எனக்கு மிகப்பெரிய ஆதரவாக இருக்கும் என் பெற்றோருக்கு நன்றி

Tamil - Janani Pattabi

Hola le s agradezco por todo la comida a los maestros de la escuela por la educación que nos dan especialmente a la Ms. Stone.

Q'anjob'al - Ramon Francisco

ఈ సంపతృరం సూఖలౌకీ వసూనందూకూ ఆ బగవంతునీకీ చౌలౌ కృతఔృతూలూ

Telugu - Samaira Sandil

Estoy agradecido por todos los maestros que me enseñan y por la escuela que cada dia esta limpia y les agradesco mucho. Atentamente Ernesto.

Q’anjob’al - Ernesto Adrian Lopez Pedro

Sou grata por minha família, por minha melhor amiga Lívia, meu melhor Gatz, por fazer amizade com Giovanna, por todos ao meu redor, por me receber de braços abertos nos Estados Unidos, pela minha vida.

Portuguese - Ana Carolina Brisque

Les agradezco a todos por la educación que nos dan los maestros.

Q’anjob’al - Sebastian Mateo Tomas

La vie est belle mais les humains la rendent difficile.

French - Rinidie Nkosi

Chinsaloji yui chin kuywi.

Q’anjob’al - Magdalena Juan Lorenzo

Le doy gracias a dios por mi vida y por mi familia.

Quiche - Yeferson Perpuac

Chi wa' yuj diosal b'ay wikan

Q’anjob’al - Antonia Cristobal

Yo estoy agradecido por mi salud y la de mi familia y por las cosas que tengo.

Spanish - Cristian Alexander

Chi waj yuj diosal yuj k'uj k'al yuj nab'

Q’anjob’al - Jorge Andres

Я благодарный для мои жизнь, мою семью, для друзья, и просто для этот шанс жить.

Russian - Pavel Yurivich Didenko

Chi hua' yuj Diosal yuj chin cuywi

Q’anjob’al - Diego Antonio

Estoy agradecido con mi mamá y también conmigo mismo porque intento hacer mi propia música.

Spanish - Brayan Ramos

Chi hua' yuj diosal yuj chin cuywi

Q’anjob’al - Saymen Mateo Gaspar

Chi waq yuj diosal bay ix in mama y qax bay na'q in papa yuj chi je walon inglis

Maya - Laura

Yo estoy agradecida por mi familia y mis amigos porque ellos me han ayudado en muchas cosas y estoy bien agradecida por todo.

Spanish - Slomara

شة اشححغ فخ سحثشن شقشلاهؤ شىي فخ لاث ةعسمهة

Arabic - Kaleb Mcshane

Estoy agradecida por otro año de vida con mi familia.

Spanish - Dayanara Mayen

I'm thankful for the ability to have freedom of speech, family and a place to call home.

English - Abreeya Moore

Yo estoy agradecido con mis padres por darme el privilegio de hablar espanol

Spanish - Juan Martinez

Je suis reconnaissant d'être en Amérique. Je suis reconnaissant d'être en bonne santé.

French - Isaac Akilimali

Personally, I despise fall. It becomes so cold that you don't want to go outside (or even get out of bed), it rains way too much, it gets dark at 4:30 p.m., and don’t even get me started on flu season. I know everyone says they love the leaves changing colors, and I agree with you, but once those leaves fall you are left with boring, bare trees, and wet leaves packed onto the ground that gets mud all over you when you finally get the motivation to rake them up. Although there is one good thing about fall, THE FOOD (especially the desserts). Apple and pumpkin pie, ham (turkey is overrated), gravy, cinnamon rolls, pumpkin bread, hot apple cider, and especially my cupcakes. The Best of Fall cupcakes will make you forget about all the worst parts of fall. These are moist, cinnamon cupcakes, with a caramelized apple filling, and a cream cheese frosting that is amazing. Bring these to Thanksgiving and everyone will love you.

Recipe

Ingredients:

Cupcake

• 2 cups flour

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp kosher salt

• 1 tsp nutmeg

• 1 tsp cloves

• ½ tsp allspice

• 1 cup buttermilk

• ½ cup butter

• 2 eggs

• ¼ cup canola oil

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Caramelized Apple Filling

• 2 Apples

• ½ cup brown sugar

• 2 tbsp butter

• 2 tbsp heavy cream

• 2 tsp cinnamon

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 packages of cream cheese (8oz each)

• 8 tbsp butter

• ½ tsp vanilla

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and prepare your cupcake pans.

2. Combine all the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, and set aside.

3. Mix together the wet ingredients, until fully combined.

4. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, and stir until fully combined.

5. Pour the cupcake mixture into the pan and put it in the oven.

6. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until fully cooked.

7. While the cupcakes are baking, cut up your apples into small to medium-sized chunks.

8. Add the apples, butter, sugar, cream, and cinnamon to a pot and cook over medium to low heat until the sugar is fully dissolved and the apples are soft.

9. Once fully cooked, set aside.

10. Next add the softened butter, cream cheese, and vanilla to the mixer and mix on medium speed until smooth.

11. Then slowly add in your powdered sugar.

12. Mix on medium speed until smooth.

13. Set aside.

14. When you take your cupcakes out of the oven let them fully cool before assembling.

15. Once cool, cut a small hole in the center of your cupcake, and add your apple filling.

16. Then frost your cupcakes.

17. Eat. (you should really try them they are amazing)

Here’s proof from Central student taste testers:

Hannah Su: RATING 9/10

“I would make it if I liked to bake, but I would definitely eat if someone made it for me. The cream cheese frosting makes it a ten out of ten. My favorite part is the apple filling.”

Sarah Su: RATING 10/10

“I like it a lot and it's not too sweet. The apples compliment it very well.”

Will O’Gorman: RATING 8/10

“I would eat it again. The apple filling is good. It was a good, sweet treat.”

Fatima Mohamed: RATING 9/10

“It’s really good! It tastes like spices, apples, and cream, it’s really good.” When asked, would you make it yourself? Fatima said, “Yes! I like the cream and cinnamon, they complement each other very well, and I like the inner filling.”

The autumn sky deepened to cerulean as I sat leaning over the icy sidewalk. Color stained my hand as I filled in the intricate mural my neighbor had painted in front of her house. “Back in India,” my neighbor explained, “I would go to the Aunties’ houses in my neighborhood and color in their rangolis for Diwali.” The cool air nipped at my ears as I paused to listen to her. “My mother would never let me paint the ones in front of our house because she knew I would ruin them,” she joked, making me let out a laugh. We worked together side by side as the sky got darker and the flowers and lamps on the concrete bloomed and flickered to life. The two of us stood back, admiring our work. “Thanks for letting me help out Auntie.” She smiled. “Of course. We’ll burst firecrackers when it gets darker out. I’ll text your mother when we plan on starting.” I ran back to my house excited to celebrate my first Diwali in years.

Diwali is considered to be a festival of lights and is one of the major festivals celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists. The celebration symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance and is widely associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity. In some regions, Diwali is connected to Hindu hero Rama returning to his kingdom with his wife and brother after serving 14 years of exile.

Diwali is celebrated in a variety of ways. Some people fully clean their house while others buy their friends and family new clothes and even more exciting, new jewelry. Celebrators create rangolis, intricate patterns made of colored powder or paint in front of their homes and spend the day baking sweets to distribute to their loved ones. Ceremonial worship or puja is often performed throughout the day as well. The main events, of course, are lighting oil candles called diyas and bursting firecrackers (oftentimes in their driveway or backyard).

Due to school and later the pandemic, I haven’t been able to celebrate Diwali for a few years. My family has never done anything grand for the holiday, but we usually prepare food, buy a new dress, light a few candles, and see if there are any firework shows nearby. This year on November 4th, as I was delivering sweets to my neighbors I was invited to help them paint their rangolis and burst fireworks on their driveway with my parents. After 6:00, we joined them in front of their house and had our own little light show. I even got to light a few fireworks myself, which was slightly nerve wracking, but my neighbors helped steady my hand so I could light the fuse. It was a wonderful experience getting to relive some of the festivities of my earlier years and it was a great way for me to get my mind off of school and celebrate my faith and culture with friends and family.

Diwali was especially important this year because Washington D.C celebrated with us. In an official statement from President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, they thank those who celebrate the holiday here in America for “making the traditions part of America’s story” and wished everyone a Happy Diwali before lighting a diya in solidarity. Along with that, New York Congresswoman Carolyn B Maloney has introduced a bill called the Deepavali Day Act to make Diwali a nationally recognized holiday in the United States. Maloney stated that she understood the importance of the festival in the Indian American community, but also that the festival was important for Americans. Maloney explained, “It is truly appropriate that Diwali this year symbolises our nation’s continuing journey out of the darkness of Covid-19 and the terrible effects of the pandemic on our people of our nation.”

So whether you’re a long-time celebrator of Diwali or someone who is just now learning about the holiday I hope you’ll join us next year in celebrations. In my opinion, Diwali, more than anything, is a time to spend with people you care about. Happy Diwali!

Shaffer Bauer is a Senior at Champaign Central high school with many accomplishments. One of these is being an All-State Tenor Saxophone player for Jazz Band. Jazz Band is only one of his many extracurricular activities. He also plays soccer and does ACES. Shaffer enjoys soccer the most because of the friends he’s made and because he’s been playing his whole life.

His plans for the future are going to the U of I to study Nuclear Engineering and pursue clean and renewable energy. In 10 years, he sees himself out of college with a good job. His favorite memories at Central High School are the online year and all the sports in PE. The thing he will miss the most about Central is the social construct of the school through everyone being intertwined with each other through sports and classes. Shaffer said that if he had the opportunity to travel anywhere in the world he would go Sapora, Japan because of the snow and culture. The class he enjoyed most at Central is Marching Band because of socializing with friends.

Three words he thinks would describe him best are “strategic, philosophical and intuitive.” He wants to be remembered as “someone who was involved in many activities, despite the tough classes he took”. Three things that he must do in his lifetime are: visit Japan, skydive, and have 2 houses.

These are all very interesting and exciting goals, and I have high confidence that Shaffer is going to reach them. As a Freshman, I myself am excited to finish high school, but not excited for the journey that comes along with the success. It scares me knowing how much frustration you might feel and how much determination you must work up in order to not just quit. I myself do not plan on dropping out, but I know there are a lot of students everywhere who are. Many choose to leave school simply because it's hard; and I get that it's hard, even though I’m just a Freshman I get that feeling: that overwhelming, annoyed, and angry feeling. That annoyance you feel toward the teacher or your peers, or the assignment that was due last week. That painful feeling you feel from dodgeball in gym class or the headache you got after listening to a 35 minute lecture the teachers expect you to learn in a day. I get that, probably not in the same way you do. Students like Shaffer show how we can push through these daily challenges and persevere to really accomplish something special. Maybe I’ll reconsider my opinion on dropping out in a few years. I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.

After 3 years of balancing school and soccer, senior and varsity soccer player Kyle Johnson is looking forward to having fun at sporting events and playing with his team this year. Recently, Johnson has been voted the #1 player in the sectional, meaning he has also made All-State and All-Midwest. Additionally, community has meant a lot to Johnson while in high school. After having one of his soccer seasons cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Johnson had to navigate many challenges, and in doing so, he recognized the value of his team. Having people who help you not only grow individually, but also lead others has shaped the person Kyle Johnson has become. With the help of his teammates, Kyle’s confidence has grown and now instead of just being a part of his team, he has become one of its leaders as well. Johnson says his team has meant a lot to him and his leadership has evolved from “seeing how the upperclassmen treated me as an underclassmen and being able to show that to the underclassmen.”

Academically, Johnson has always had an interest in science. He says that his favorite courses at Central have been the science courses, and that he hopes to study biology in college. Johnson hopes to use his interest in science and biology to one day work in the medical field.

Seniors are a big deal, so it seems appropriate to get their point of view right? Right. For this spotlight I interviewed Lily Weaver, a senior who enjoys Cross Country & Track. Lily is hoping to study Bioengineering in college. Her favorite class at Central is AP physics. Her favorite memory is practicing for the pole vault, an event in track. 10 years from now she sees herself in the medical career or school. One thing she will miss after graduating college is her teachers. One place she would like to visit is China, because half of her family is from there. She wants to be remembered as a good friend. Three words to describe her are: hardworking, friendly & loyal. Three things she wants to do in her lifetime are: travel, meet new people, and help the world. Lily’s advice to freshmen is: take extracurriculars, have fun, and don’t underestimate yourself!

As a freshman, I think the Senior Spotlights are a great idea because people, including myself, tend to think that seniors have it easy. When they don’t! They still have classes to ace, universities to apply for, and on top of that they are still humans who need to sleep, eat and stay healthy. It is not easy being a senior. I’m a freshman and am stressed out with schoolwork. I can’t imagine what it’s like to have to juggle school, applications, work, personal and social life. I’ve seen so many TV shows over the years, and trust me, NONE of them are completely accurate, as far as I know. It is not that easy. It’s hard for me to imagine what someone’s life is actually like, especially when they aren’t in a book, or from a TV show/movie. Anyway what I’m trying to say is Seniors do not have it easy, no high schooler does, and it's good to get in on their interest. It's always good to get their advice. You never know when you might need it.

The upperclassmen at Central have had the privilege of leaving school premises during their 6th hour lunches, and having a public park at such a close proximity to the building, there is no doubt that many students spend their 50 minutes of freedom there.

The 11th and 12th graders shared the importance of space and peace away from their chaotic and busy school schedules. Junior Erin Patton described West Side Park as a “safe-space” for students to hangout, and similarly Junior Rohan Pluta described the positives of having a “big public space” nearby, where kids can get some fresh air and be out of their seats.

“It’s something I look forward to,” said Junior Brianna Freeburg. “I don’t have a car so I can’t really go anywhere. Just having a place to go that’s nearby…is nice.”

Some students find themselves at the park looking for alone time, while others use it as a place to interact with friends. Rohan Pluta explained, “I just hang by myself and walk the perimeter of the park,” while many others bring their friends along to sit under the trees or on the benches.

Brianna Freeburg recounted an interesting confrontation with a squirrel during one of her past lunch periods. “It was almost coming towards me…I was freaking out and almost running away,” she explained.

Despite this, these students rarely miss the opportunity to connect with nature. All of the upperclassmen that talked about their experiences revealed that they visit West Side “almost every day,” and only stay in for reasons such as inhibiting weather or due assignments.

While the juniors and seniors have such moments to convey, lowerclassmen do not. As open-lunches are reserved for the older group of students, the younger group has relied on their PE classes or even others to take them to the park or outside in general. However, this year at a board meeting it was unofficially instituted that teachers will no longer be permitted to bring their classes to the park, forcing freshmen and sophomores inside the building for around seven and a half hours straight.

Sophomore Fatima Mohamed commented, “I understand that letting the older kids out is a better decision…but with COVID I was expecting for them to let us out more.” Sophomore Aislyn Frye like-mindedly said, “Being inside all day with a mask on is really annoying. It feels suffocating at times…we would usually go to the park during PE since it gives us a chance to be outside.”

However, the school has strong reasoning behind why this new rule came to be. P.E. instructor and Central Coach Guthrie Hood said, “A number of negative incidents occurring during physical education classes at the park and inability to provide a secure learning environment for our students resulted in the Physical Education Department deciding that the potential for negative experiences outweighed the potential benefits of having PE outside.”

Coach Hood also mentioned that construction of a new athletic facility off of Church Street is in progress, and with that secure location the school will “resume outdoor activities as an option for [their] classes.”

Ultimately, all of these students simply wish for more time spent outdoors, and despite the opportunity coming more easily to certain groups, West Side Park is open and welcoming to those students seeking some fresh air during the day.

With the fall season comes fall flavors, and the cafes around Champaign have lots of yummy seasonal drinks and baked goods to enjoy during these autumn months.

To have the best experience, there are things you should and should not do when visiting your local cafe.

You should wear something seasonal. This can include a turtleneck and a wool trench coat. It’s fall - your outfit should reflect that! I also suggest a pair of four inch leather boots.

While the boots might not be for everyone, having good company is. Bring a friend or good book along with you. I suggest books because they are quiet and you’ll never have to pay for their drink because they “forgot their wallet”, but a friend works too.

You should not be loud in a cafe. People are reading or working, and when people come in loudly, it ruins the atmosphere. Talk with a volume appropriate for the library - I promise you whatever you're talking about isn’t that important anyway.

Not only are disruptions unwanted, but not tipping and not wearing a mask is basically a crime. Independent, small cafes are far better than any Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts, and we’d like them to stay in business, so please tip generously - it's common courtesy. Not only is it required by the state of Illinois to wear a mask in public indoor places, but no one wants to contract diseases while standing in line for a coffee. Some cafes, like Avionics, have had to shut down because of positive COVID cases among workers. So do your part to help to help the community and the cafes that help make our town so wonderful.

With this, I’d like to recommend three cafes that are perfect to get fall flavored goods at and to relax in during the fall season. Keep in mind that in the pictures shown, the portions are smaller than what was given. I cut the baked goods so they would fit on the plate and poured small quantities of the drinks into smaller mugs, and I also may have eaten most of it on the way home. Maybe.

The first stop is Pekara, a bakery & bistro located on Prospect and Springfield. Its display case is always full of breads, muffins, cakes, and more. They have both outdoor and indoor dining options. While it's not quite as cozy as some cafes, it's a great environment to work in or have a bite to eat with friends. They have delicious sandwiches and soups, and their fries are to die for. I was hoping to get a fall flavored drink here, but they did not have any. However, not to worry as they had fall flavored treats, like the pumpkin bread! At first it lacked flavor, but the more I ate the better it got. Unlike some pumpkin flavored things, it wasn’t too overpowering or artificial-tasting. It was a tad dry, however this could be because it had been sitting out all morning, and I thought it was a little pricey for the portion. Overall I would give it a 7.5/10.

Next I headed to Hopscotch Bakery & Market, located on John and Pine across from South Side Elementary. They had quite a few options for drinks, but I opted for a classic Golden Pumpkin Spiced Latte. The latte was good, but not extraordinary. They also had an array of pumpkin flavored goods, like pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin cupcakes, and even pumpkin cookies. I chose the sweet potato bread pudding with meringue topping. However, in contrast to the latte, the bread pudding was fabulous. It wasn’t too sweet, but the meringue made up for it. Additionally, the sweet potato was different enough from the pumpkin flavor to be something new, and I was pleasantly surprised. I give the latte a 6/10 and the bread pudding a 10/10.

Calling all bookworms with a sweet tooth, check out The Literary! This fall, The Literary will be opening in Downtown Champaign along with a second location of Hopscotch Bakery + Market inside of it. The store will open at the location of the former Hank’s Table on 122 North Neil Street. The Literary is an independently owned bookstore and wine bar that has partnered with Hopscotch to serve a variety of pastries, coffees, along with an exclusive menu of small plates that will be offered throughout the day, with an emphasis on the evening.

The owner, Jenny Shima stated that the all-in-one store that is The Literary is based on the concept of the third place. “When you’re at home,” Shima explains, “that’s your first place, work is your second place, and people need a third place, a place where they can belong without having to meet any kind of standards. You can come as you are and feel comfortable and engage with other people and materials in ways that are meaningful to you.” The Literary is meant to be a space where people can come together, share ideas and conversation, and build relationships with their community.

Shima’s dream for The Literary is for it to be something that ‘Chambana’ is proud of and for it to be a place that brings something unique and needed for the people who live here. She hopes that her bookstore will be a compliment to the environment and community that’s been created and for people to feel welcome. “I want [The Literary] to be the physical manifestation of a hug.” Shima joked.

The Literary is filled with a variety of books. The whole left side of the store is dedicated to anyone’s fiction needs, as they offer a range of genres from Mystery/Thriller to Young Adult Romance, while the right side contains nonfiction books such as cookbooks, self help books, and biographies. An interesting thing to note is their promotion of local authors, with their books lining various shelves, and according to Lit’s General Manager, Jenny Kim, The Literary plans to have displays containing local authors’s works. Along with that, they’ve been speaking with a few local authors about doing book readings and signings once they’ve gotten their doors open. “We want to help support local authors by giving them the visibility that can be very hard to get from big-box stores.” Shima explains.

If you’re looking for something that isn’t available in store, don’t worry! The Literary allows book requests which they can have ordered and ready for pickup in up to two days. They also plan to sell online through the site bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookshops. You can also support The Literary through libro.fm where 30 percent of the profits from a book purchase could go to the store. In addition to books and tasty treats, the Literary will sell pins, shirts, tote bags, and pieces of jewelry.

The Literary plans on hosting many exciting events. They want to partner with other niche interest groups in town and have events such as ‘knit nights’ and ‘Astronomy on Tap.’

Down the line, The Literary also plans to host book clubs. A member of their staff has worked at a children’s bookstore and has experience cultivating young adult, middle grade, and children audiences. “Obviously there’s nothing concrete yet because we’re just in the opening stages,” Kim states. “But we are hoping to make it a place where teens who love to read can come in and find new favorites or [have discussions] with other people who also love books.” Shima wants to collaborate and support schools as much as possible, as the Literary plans on giving public school teachers a discount when shopping for books. These all could be further areas of interest for Central students. Shima also would love to connect with teen writers in the u4sd community, through possible writing workshops hosted by local authors and writing showcases. “We would love to be a part of anything that the schools want to collaborate on.” Shima said.

Shima hopes to foster a wide and diverse community. “I want all of it,” Shima says. “I want everybody to feel like they can come here, as they are and belong.” The Literary is intended to create a space for support and a very congenial environment. “I really want us to find things that we have in common, more than the things that divide us… We want to be a place where that can happen.” Shima says.

A major factor of The Literary is their collaboration with Hopscotch Bakery + Market, another local business in the Champaign/Urbana area. Located on 802 W John St, Hopscotch specializes in pastries and other baked goods while offering a variety of caffeinated drinks for guests to enjoy. Hopscotch is also offering an exclusive savory menu of small plates featuring dishes like paninis. This may be a place of interest for Central upperclassmen looking for a new restaurant to dine in during open lunch. “Please come!” Shima said. “We’d love to have you guys here for lunch. This is going to be a great place to come and hang out with your friends and have something to eat.”

Shima explained how she reached out to Kaya Speagle, co-owner of Hopscotch Bakery asking to collaborate for The Literary. After sitting down for coffee, Speagle and Shima agreed to work together. “We clicked immediately. Shima explained. “When she walked into this space I’d already gotten the lease, picked out the furniture and all the designs, and it just flowed so perfectly with her brand already that we didn't have to really try at all. It's been one of the great pleasures for me of this experience.” However, this isn’t simply just a second location for Hopscotch. “We are functioning in this space as two arms both on the same body.” Shima stated. So we're creating that vision together using our specific specialties to bring that about. I mean books without coffee? What is that?”

This isn’t Shima’s first business as she had a software startup for several years before this endeavor, with the aim of helping small businesses grow by creating a small service business focused marketplace. She had this business for several years before realizing that what she truly wanted was to interact with people on a face-to-face personal basis. She loved creating experiences for people that don’t take place online. She appreciates how much she learned from that experience when it came to running businesses, especially what mistakes to not make twice. She decided to start the Literary as a response to the pandemic and how long we’ve needed to be in quarantine. “People are hungry for gathering and community.” Shima explained “I wanted to be able to create a place for that and I really feel like Champaign Urbana is such a cool, intelligent, diverse, and just really awesome place for that. We deserve a bookstore selling new books that belong to us, that reflects who we are.”

The staff of The Literary believe strongly in the relationship between community building and small businesses. Shima believed small businesses are a reflection of their place or people who have come together around specific things that a community has asked for. “Every time you have a small business that opens in town it’s because someone who lived here noticed that it was needed.” Shima explained. “No one needs something that no one else needs, we don’t exist in a vacuum. So that creates the network of people who are engaging with other people who build the community.” Shima went on further to talk about how many mega corporations can’t really foster that same network local businesses can. “I mean good grief, Amazon has never once delivered community to my door, it has never once made me feel loved or like this is a place where I belong.” Shima stated. “But if you go to Circles Boutique, if you go to any of the bars downtown, if you go to any places that are owned, run, and dreamt up by your neighbors, that means something huge. The more small businesses we have, the stronger our community becomes.”

The Literary is important to the people who brought it to life for various reasons. For Shima, it’s the putting down of roots. “I’ve moved around a lot.” Shima explained. “I’ve lived in many different places in the Midwest my whole life [and I don’t think I’ve ever lived anywhere longer than seven years. I want this to be home forever. I want to make lifelong friendships here and I want to use this as a catalyst for creating that sense of home.” For Kim, working at the Literary is her dream job. “It’s important to me because I want to keep doing this forever.” “While I didn’t move around as much I’ve never felt the sense of being part of this community, of being grounded in one place. I come from a restaurant background and I really enjoy the fostering of a certain environment, of an experience, and being able to cultivate that for people. But I feel like in many places, it’s difficult to make that into something special of your own that is meaningful rather than a nice night out. I care about the people in this community and I want to be able to foster this environment and make this vision that Jenny has brought about come to life.”

Students at Central High school have a lot going on! On top of schoolwork, sports, clubs, jobs, and other extracurricular activities, some students run their own businesses. Jasmine O’Connor is a senior at Central and runs her business Jasmine’s Jewelry Co., where she sells beautiful handcrafted jewelry. All of the jewelry that she creates is “tarnish-free, high quality, and affordably priced. We have inclusive sizing ranges and each piece of jewelry is made especially for you!” She says.

Jasmine is very creative and says her love for jewelry making started when she was young. “I received a small jewelry kit for my seventh or eighth birthday and I have loved making jewelry ever since. It is so exciting to me how I can conceptualize a jewelry piece in my mind and in the next moment I can produce a tangible and wearable version of the item that I envisioned in my head, just the way that I imagined it!” She says.

Jasmine’s goals for her company are “creating a culture of encouragement and giving back to our community”. Jasmine not only loves making the jewelry, she loves helping people to “feel encouraged, confident, and powerful,” as they wear her pieces. She also personally writes cards of encouragement with every order. She meets her goal of helping the community by donating fifty percent of every other month’s proceeds to various charities. Even as a small business, last June she was able to donate almost seven hundred dollars to the Champaign County Branch of the Black Lives Matter organization.

You can connect with Jasmine’s Jewelry Co on social media @jasminesjewelryco and purchase jewelry through her website www.jasminesjewelryco.com. She is hoping to release fall and winter collections soon, as well as DIY handmade jewelry kits that she has been working on for the past year!

The Prairie Research Institute's Paleontology Department, established in 2017, consists of thousands of one-of-a-kind specimens, including the Milton Sanderson Amber Collection, curated by Sam Heads (first photo). Working with Heads, Jake Tamarri (second photo), an alumnus of Central High School, is an undergrad at the U of I. “Working with Sam and Jared has opened so many doors that were previously closed,” Tamarri said. “I feel so lucky to be here; living in the Midwest, there aren't many opportunities for Paleontology”. Tamarri says “I've wanted to be a paleontologist ever since I was a little kid, that love for dinosaurs just never went away”. Tamarri hopes to finish his Master’s degree in Paleontology and is considering a doctorate. His thesis surrounding the Renova Formation of Montana.

Throughout the summers of 2015, 2016, and 2018, a team from the U of I was sent out to Madison County, Montana, where they excavated fossil plants and insects from the Oligocene era shale. Danielle Ruffato (pictured below), who works with graphics and social media for PRI, doesn't work directly with the Paleontology Department, but hopes to continue examining the botanical fossils of the area. “The Montana digs were some of the best times I've ever had,” she said. Ruffato comes from a background in plant biology and if she returns to the Renova formation project, she would be investigating the past flora of the formations. “One of the challenges I face is time management, balancing work projects and daytime hours in terms of what I want to do in professional development, whether web development, research, or a new project,” says Ruffato.