Interview conducted by Eileen H.
Eileen: Hi, Ella. Welcome to your Seniors of CPS interview. How are you doing today?
Ella: I'm doing great. I am so excited for this. I've been waiting for this for four years.
Eileen: Well, this is your moment! Okay, so we're gonna start out with a rapid-fire round. You ready?
Ella: I'm ready.
Eileen: Gym Deck or Student Commons?
Ella: Oh, Gym Deck.
Eileen: Favorite Trader Joe's snack?
Ella: The Takis.
Eileen: Yeah? Freshman Physics or Asian Worlds?
Ella: Freshman Physics.
Eileen: And favorite department at CPS?
Ella: That's a hard question. That's like asking somebody to pick their favorite child!
Eileen: You can give several.
Ella: Okay, I’m gonna say History Department.
Eileen: Any particular reason?
Ella: I really like the mini fridge that they have… all the sodas!
Eileen: Me too! The Stooping Club mini fridge! I was in there just yesterday, and they had just gotten a huge shipment of Costco Izzes, and I was like, it's true. It's true. The rumors are true! I love them.
Eileen: So now we're going to get into some more long-form questions. You can answer them with more detail if you choose. The first one is, what has been your favorite CPS class, and why?
Ella: Last year, I took a class called Second Opportunity on Earth. It was taught by Dr T., and I got one of my favorite books I've ever read in my whole life out of it. It is called One Hundred Years of Solitude, by Gabriel García Márquez. And reading that book was just a phenomenal experience, and reading it with Dr T and learning how to tap dance and read…
Eileen: What do you think you're known for at CPS?
Ella: Ooh. Well, according to my Senior Superlative, I am known for singing and dancing around campus?
Eileen: Yes, and we 100% love to see it. And what is something that not a lot of people at CPS know about you?
Ella: Oh, that's a good question. I don't think that a lot of people at College Prep know that I am really, really into making friendship bracelets, and I learned how to read the patterns. And there are patterns you can get online to make friendship bracelets. I got sick for a week my sophomore year, and I wanted a hobby, and I was like, Well, what can I do? So I learned how to make friendship bracelets. I'm really big on that.
Eileen: That's so sweet! Common Classroom?
Ella: Totally, Common Classroom, let's do it!
Eileen: Okay. Where do you see yourself in five years? You can take it any which direction.
Ella: I think in five years, I see myself working to become a teacher. That's something that I've always wanted to do. So maybe getting a teacher certification, and who knows, I might wind up back up at College Prep. And I think that could be really great.
Eileen: That would be amazing, and you would be the best teacher. You just give teacher vibes. They would love you! And if you could give advice to your freshman-year self, what would it be?
Ella: If I could give advice to my freshman-year self, I would tell her, “Do not be afraid of trying new things.” I think that is where you will have some of the most fulfilling experiences in high school. So don't be shy; don't be afraid to try new things. Put yourself out there.
Eileen: Yes! And last one, if you could say thank you to one room at CPS, which one would it be and why?
Ella: Oh, if I could say thank you to one room at College Prep, it would be the Music Room because, well, if I'm being completely honest, it has housed a lot of my lost and found water bottles, jackets… a lot of the stuff that I lose winds up in the Music Room. And so I thank it, you know, for holding on to my prized possessions until I remember to come back to them.
Eileen: It's the magical receptacle that houses Ella's goods!
Ella: Exactly, exactly.
Eileen: Okay. So that concludes our Seniors of CPS interview. Thank you so much for coming today. I hope you enjoyed that!
Ella: Thank you. I had so much fun.
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