Jeremy Taulbee from Dave Dinaso’s Traveling World of Reptiles stopped by the Lower School with a few of his friends to give our second, third and fourth graders an up-close look at reptiles and amphibians from around the world.
 

Skyler Schrempp ’01 is a published historical fiction author for young readers. Her first novel, "Three Strike Summer," received rave reviews and was featured on several “best of” lists, including Bank Street College of Education’s Best Children’s Books of the Year, Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best, and Horn Book Fanfare 2022 Booklist. The book was also an official Illinois Reads selection, a winner of the Chicago Public Library’s mock Newbery, a finalist for the Oklahoma Book Awards, and the recipient of a Judy Lopez Memorial Honor for children’s literature.

Reflecting on her time at Latin, Skyler is especially grateful to the teachers who challenged her to think critically. She gave a special shoutout to Mr. Urioste and Mr. Baker for introducing her to some of her all-time favorite books. She also shared that Saul Fript taught her to consider point of view and the concept of the banality of evil; Greg Baker appreciated her for the reader she was; and Ann Hartedgen provided her with a sense of community and helped her access her joy.

Some of her fondest memories came from time spent in the art rooms with Mr. Bough and Mr. Harris, and the photo lab with Ms. Ross—spaces that encouraged creativity no matter one’s interests. She also treasured memories of the green room: the smell of hairspray; the excitement of everyone crammed together hissing “shhh!” at each other, covered in glitter; and the bittersweet tears when a show closed. As she describes it: "utter magic." Skyler’s favorite traditions were the pre-show rituals in the theatre department. She said she won’t spill the details, adding "if you know, you know."

During her time at Latin, she participated in Dance Concert as a freshman and later became involved in theatre during her junior and senior years, thriving in advanced acting alongside her fellow theatre nerds. She also co-founded S.A.A.P., the Student Alliance with Animals and Plants.

Today, Skyler has two daughters, Elowen (4) and Rosie, who is only 2 months old. She returned to campus earlier this year to serve as a featured speaker for our Life After Latin event. 

Latin’s squash team capped off an incredible season by reaching the finals of the U.S. High School Nationals for the first time ever, earning an outstanding second-place finish in their division.

We congratulate the team on this milestone achievement. 

The 2025 Scholarship Dinner was truly a night to remember. We surpassed our fundraising goal for the evening, raising more than $1.8 million for financial aid. We also brought hundreds of people together to honor and celebrate the strength, resilience, compassion, connectedness, and deep dedication to student success that make Latin and our community truly special. 

We want to congratulate our Development Office and the Scholarship Dinner co-chairs—Haritha and Praveen Dukkipati, Larissa and Craig Silberberg, and Mary and Chris Fifield—on the tremendous success of the event, and thank them for their hard work and unwavering commitment to our school. We also want to thank the event's 400 donors, 14 corporate sponsors and over 90 volunteers for their generous support. 

Click here to view photos from the event.