Making Connections
Last summer, we made a promise. After a series of tragedies sent shockwaves through our community, we needed to fight back. We did not promise that there would be no more pain or questions left unanswered. But we did promise to fight, and try to find our way through such a difficult time.
“Finding Our Way,” the theme of the first ever QB student edition in July 2009, highlighted the singular journeys of Barrington area youth, and our attempt to create a steady path for ourselves during such an unstable time.
Much has happened since that student issue of 2009. The creation of the H.E.R.E. in Barrington Coalition, a group of community members, teachers, and students dedicated to spreading awareness of mental health issues and fighting the stigma associated with getting help, has strengthened the promise to forever change our community.
When we were first promoting H.E.R.E. in the late summer and early fall, we stressed that the “culture change” that was needed to make our community a stronger and safer place would not happen overnight. It may take five years, 10 years, even 20, to make Barrington the united town we all need.
And yet I am astonished at what a difference one year has made. Yes, we have had concerts, fundraisers, speakers and drive-in movies, but more important we have seen a student body of more than 3,000 and a town of many more, unite to work for a common cause.
Last September, we joined forces in a community event to “Stomp the Stigma” that discourages people from seeking help in the times of emotional crisis that we all experience. Fortified by that experience, we took it a step further. In November, a group of about 15 students began planning our first all-school fundraiser, known as the “It” Campaign. The idea behind the “It” Campaign was to demonstrate that when students make connections, their smaller actions could make a large and important difference in their community.
Each club and team around the school carried out their own creative event for the “It” Campaign. It was a colorful two weeks in March of tournaments, raffles, and head-shaving, yet in the end we can proudly say that every student in our community played a part in the $12,000 donated to Barrington Youth and Family Services as a result of the “It” Campaign. In just nine school days, we made a huge change in the culture of our school, and that was reflected in the culture of our community.
The process of creating this issue of Quintessential Barrington was very similar. We began with a group of 15 or so student writers, all armed with their own ideas that reflected the interests and concerns of Barrington area youth. From those ideas we pulled out the pieces that we found most important to the community; that is, the stories of students following their passions, and making connections with others in the process. The ways in which students make connections are as varied as their interests. From the popular and ever-expanding youth ministries, to the uniquely sophisticated polo players and even the makeup crew whose creations fuel every high school production, these students are all smaller pieces to a larger mosaic that is the Barrington community.
Our Quintessential Person, Karie Butler, was a unanimous choice by the students who helped to create this issue. Karie is following her passion for education, yet she has taken it one step further by teaching English to underprivileged students in the Dominican Republic. We were all inspired by Karie’s dedication and willingness to take what she loves to do, and use it to make the world a better place for others.
The theme of this issue, “Making Connections,” came as a product of our realization that as we go on our own smaller journeys, we must make connections and unite as a group to make a difference in our community. It is a renewed promise of hope and leadership, coming directly from future generations of the Barrington community – to unite and find our way together.
–Courtney Griffin