Gianna Miller and Tanya Calvin Staff Writers This year, Latin has decided to put an even stronger emphasis on service and giving back to the community. Mr. Cronister and Ms. Bunger have been working especially hard with Chris Jessup, an activist who works under Alderman Cappleman. They hope to build a partnership between Latin and Uptown. Chris spoke to the sophomores on the first day of the retreat about how important it is to give back to the city. After Mr. Cronister introduced Chris with “Man in the Mirror” playing in the background, Chris pointed out how little things, like picking up trash, can affect a community’s approach to bigger things like graffiti and violence. His speech set the perfect tone for two days of hard work. On Thursday, the sophomores went to Clarendon Park to mulch trees and clean up litter. After talking to members of the Chicago Park District the sophomores picked up rakes, put on gloves and got their hands dirty. After hours of hard work and lots of elbow grease, the sophomores got the job done. By the end of the day the class of 2015 bonded and left the community a little bit cleaner. According to Collette Block “It was so great to be able to bond with all of my classmates in a super fun way. So many great memories! It really felt like we actually helped someone and did something for our community.” The next day the grade was spilt into their advisories and sent to different locations, including Cornerstone Community Shelter where students sorted and folded clothes for a free thrift store to service the residents. Others helped clear out the garden at Neumann Family Services to make room for new trees and plants while meeting some of the friendly residents. The push for stronger community involvement at Latin continues through convocation and the service fair. Through these service days Taylor Kmety discovered that,  “just a quick hello can brighten someone’s day. I realized how much a little can do for someone.” Small lessons like these were ones the class of 2015 took away. They learned that even the smallest, selfless deeds can positively impact a community.  ]]>