November 12, 2024

Titan Tuesdays are packed with valuable information. Depending on your email settings, you may need to click "Display Images" to see the full content of Titan Tuesday. If you ever need to refer back to a previous edition, you can find all the information in our Titan Tuesday Archive.

There's still time to donate auction items! Fill out this form if you are interested in donating. All proceeds from the auction go to the Senior Class Club to help offset the student cost of Prom. Contact Ms. Chloe Mastrocola with any questions.

If a student is going to miss class for any reason, parents or guardians must notify the Attendance Office by emailing attendance@imsa.edu or calling 630.907.5029.

All college visits must be pre-approved by the CAC office. Email your CAC and CC Attendance to get permission.

For any pre-arranged absence longer than three days, you must receive special permission from Dr. White. Email Dr. White at awhite@imsa.edu at least one week in advance to get special permission.

If your student needs a supply of their prescription medication(s) from the Health Office for Thanksgiving break, please email nurse@imsa.edu. Please be sure to include the day you will be picking up your student. Failure to notify the Health Office may result in your student not having enough medication to last the entire break.

Parents/guardians should pick up medication in the Health Office before 3:00 p.m. or in the Hall RC office after 3:00 p.m. Students riding the downstate bus will be given their medications as they board the bus. Please return all medication bottles that are sent home, as we re-use them to send medication to the halls on nights and weekends.

When sending refills back to campus, please complete the medication receipt form and turn it in with the refill. If your student goes home frequently, please remember to keep a supply of medications at home. 

Little Ten All-Conference Girls Volleyball

Amani Harrington '25 was chosen for the 2024 Little Ten All-Conference team for Girls Volleyball. Congratulations to Amani for this outstanding recognition and to the rest of the team for a great season!

Wheaton North Technicolor Tournament

The Speech Team had a successful tournament over the weekend at the Wheaton North Technicolor Tournament. Congratulations to the following students who placed in their events:

• Ellen Hsuan '25 - Finalist in Special Occasion Speaking
• Shihan Cheng '27 - 3rd place in Oratorical Declamation
• Devika Kalavagunta '27 - 4th place Informative Speaking

If you plan to be a manager or player with the Boys' or Girls' Basketball, Boys' Swimming, or Dance Teams and have not attended the previous athletic meetings, you MUST attend this meeting.

This will be the last meeting offered for winter sports, so if you have not attended any previous meeting and fail to come to this meeting, you will NOT be able to participate in winter sports. 

If you arrive late, you will not be admitted to the meeting, so please arrive early. 

If parents and guardians were unable to attend last week's webinar or wish to review the information, please click below to access the recording. The webinar is also available on the CAC webpage under "College Planning Process."

Click here to view your student's CAC assignment.

Upcoming College Deadlines

• December 1: Anticipated FAFSA opening (the CSS Profile already opened on October 1). View a previous Titan Tuesday for helpful FAFSA resources.

IMSA is motivated to provide experiential opportunities through research. For example, last summer, we partnered with numerous state universities to provide over 70 research connections for our Summer Research Experiential Learning Opportunities (SRELO) program. The program was a big hit, and you can read about our students' projects in this booklet.

Next summer, we'd like to expand SRELO to include internships in more industries. Knowing that IMSA students live all over the state, we want to enlist help from parents/guardians. This could be at a tech firm on a project team, working with an insurance company crunching numbers, engaging in environmental conservation, and much more. These can be paid or unpaid in-person, remote, or hybrid internships. You choose the dates, keeping in mind that we're aiming for an experience of roughly 160 hours. The main objective is to provide meaningful career engagement where you can be a role model to another IMSA student. Please fill out this form if you (and your company) can assist our cause.

IMSA Theatre Club Presents the fall play Acting Can Be Murder! Have you ever wanted to be a star? Would you kill for the chance? Would the guilt of a dead body simply drive you insane? Join us to witness secrets unfold! 

November 15

7:30 p.m.

Auditorium

November 16

7:30 p.m.

Auditorium

November 17

3:00 p.m.

Auditorium

Cash only! Tickets are $4 for students and $5 for adults if purchased during the S&E period, or buy them for $1 more at the door. Please contact Julie Dowling or Nandini Budithi with questions.

Donors must be 16 years old and meet the height and weight requirements. Students under 18 need a signed consent form from their parents/guardians. A new consent form is required each time a student donates.  

This quick video walks you through the donation process. 

Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are welcome. Click here to register for an appointment.

Save the date for future blood drives:

• Wednesday, January 8, from 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, March 12, from 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 14, from 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Sophomore

November 13, 2024

6:30 p.m.

Gee Lau, Sophomore Parent Representative, will hold the inaugural PAC meeting for sophomore parents. Email questions to 

sophomore@imsapac.org

Junior

November 12, 2024

7:00 p.m.

Nicole Aranas, Junior Parent Representative, will hold the inaugural PAC meeting for junior parents. Email questions to

JuniorRep@imsapac.org

Senior

November 19, 2024

6:30 p.m.

Darcy Nendza, Senior Parent Representative, will hold the inaugural PAC meeting for senior parents. Email questions to seniorrep@imsapac.org

School Counselor, Emily Cotto and Learning Strategies Coordinator, Amy Keck will share helpful tips on how to support your students while they are living away from home.

Passcode: 954685

BSU is seeking food donations from parents to help make Soul of the Motherland a success. If you can contribute, please sign up using the button below.

Food can be dropped off at the front security desk anytime on Monday, November 18. Please inform security that your donation is for BSU's Soul of the Motherland. If you have questions, please contact Tyler Rush or Benicet Konan.

Thank you for helping us create a wonderful event for the students!

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all of our Veterans for their courage, dedication, and sacrifice.

Thank you to IMSA alumnus Commander Matthew Horr '93 (retired U.S. Navy) for sharing his inspiring experiences with students at the Veterans Day Assembly. Commander Horr also dedicated time to speak with students during their social science classes and met with those interested in attending United States Service Academies or pursuing careers in aerospace engineering.

Thank you to Mr. Manuel Donelson (College and Academic Counselor) for speaking to the students about his experience in the service and how it shaped him, as well as the student performers and color guards.

Upcoming Peer Tutor Review Sessions

Tuesday, November 12 and Tuesday, November 19

5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

IN2

Study with tutors and peers in a cool space! All are welcome! Attendance is taken. 

November 15, 2024

S & E

Mental Health Day Lounge

Are you looking to make more friends at IMSA? The counseling team is hosting an event for you! Participate in fun activities that give you the chance to meet other students and make meaningful connections!

Sophomore LEAD Elective Module

Wednesday, November 13, 2024

8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Sophomores should bring their laptops, a notebook, and a writing utensil to every LEAD session. Please review the syllabus for your elective by Wednesday to familiarize yourself with the attendance policy and upcoming modules. Attendance is mandatory. Any absences should be reported via email to LEAD Program Coordinator Emma Wilson Parker by Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.

Class of 2025

Please remember to be vigilant in logging your service learning hours into Helper Helper and then following up to make sure they are fully approved. As a reminder, students who do not complete the graduation requirement for service learning, as stated here will not receive their final transcripts until they have done so. All hours must be submitted and fully approved (present in PowerSchool).

Last month, the Girls IN2 STEM program wrapped up its fall cohort, uniting over 70 mentors and mentees to explore STEM online and in person. 

The cohort featured various exciting activities, thanks to collaborations with Chasewood Learning and IMSA clubs like the Titan Astronomical Society, Med 4 Minorities, and TALENT. On the final day, mentees proudly presented their projects and gained valuable insights from IMSA’s admissions team.

Do you know any students or mentors interested in joining the Spring Cohort? If so, please fill out the form linked below!

Carissa Chen '25 is one of five youth delegates representing the Greater Chicago area at the United Nations Climate Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan.

As a spokesperson for the Children and Youth Pavilion, she will be advocating for the U.S. National Youth Statement on Climate, which she helped co-author, gaining insight from interviewing world leaders, attending panels, and educating others on climate policy.

Carissa will speak during a webinar geared toward high school students which will be streamed live on Thursday, November 14. Look for more information from Club Terra about where you can watch it on campus.

Managing Social Media Use

Social media can often be a quick distraction that can turn into scrolling for hours. Spending too much time on social media can more than double your risk of feeling depressed or anxious. Here are some tips and tricks you can try to cut back on your social media usage:



• Track your time – It can be easy to lose track of time spent on social media. Start tracking how much time you spend on specific apps, and see where you are spending the most time.
• Set rules and limits – You can set timers or go into your phone and put timers for specific apps on your phone. This can allow you to still use social media reasonably
• Turn off notifications – Notifications can grab your attention and encourage you to open the app. When notifications are not on, it can limit our urge to go on and use the apps, minimizing the distraction.

Devarsh Shah '25 was selected as one of ten national finalists in the Voices for Youth Development Program by the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA). This year-long program focuses on addressing critical issues related to substance abuse prevention and community well-being. Devarsh will participate in CADCA's 2-day key essentials training, attend the annual National Leadership Forum in Maryland, and attend the annual mid-year training in Nashville, TN.

The program will culminate with the development and presentation of his Capstone leadership project, focused on creating solutions to combat drug-related challenges in the Chicago area. Devarsh qualified for this opportunity through HOSA, where he serves as IMSA's senior class Vice President. Congratulations, Devarsh!

IMSA Impact Makers

This week's IMSA Impact Maker is Dr. Lee Eysturlid from IMSA's Social Science Department. Dr. Eysturlid recently attended a 7 Years War Simulation hosted at Hinsdale Central, where he presented the meanings and realities of strategy and tactics of the time to over 150 AP European History students. Dr. Eystrulid was also able to collaborate with other social science teachers to re-interpret ways to teach his Modern Conflict class at IMSA.

On Veterans Day, Dr. Eysturlid also provided IMSA students with the opportunity to learn about modern conflict first-hand by inviting Commander Matthew Horr '93 to speak to social science students about his experiences in the US Navy and STARCOM. Thank you, Dr. Eystrulid for continuing to provide hands-on learning opportunities for social science students at IMSA and beyond!

The AI Center (A-148 by the math study area) is excited to announce DAILY hours staffed by our amazing CS faculty and AI Center student interns. Stop in for CS study, AI/CS mentorship, guest speakers, peer collaboration, and career guidance.

A, C, and D Days

Staffed by CS Faculty for AI Study & Project Help

8:55 a.m. - 11:35 a.m.

12:10 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.



I Days

Staffed by AI Student Interns and IMSA Staff

9:50 a.m. - 2:55 p.m.

B Days

AI Bytes Student Programming

2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

UPCOMING AI BYTES (2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.)

• November 19: AI Bytes Guest Speaker Bruce Dembofsky from Avantor

Group Fitness Classes

There are now two weekly group fitness opportunities for staff and students! No registration is required. Just show up with workout clothes, shoes, and water. If you have any questions, email Counselor/Group Fitness Instructor Alex Pratt at apratt@imsa.edu.

Weight Training

Mondays

1:55 p.m. - 2:35 p.m. (S&E Period)

Multipurpose Room

Group Fitness Class

Wednesdays or I-Days

3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Multipurpose Room

Mark Your Calendars! 

November 23 - Halls Close at Noon

November 25 - 26 - Virtual Engagement Days

November 27 - 30 - Thanksgiving Break

December 1 - Halls Re-open

December 2 - Classes Resume

Click below to view the complete 12-month calendar, along with other helpful information about various bell schedules. Please refer to these calendars for important dates and special class schedules throughout the year.

Notice of Nondiscrimination: IMSA prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns or questions to the Title IX Coordinator.