The world is too fascinating to stay in one spot for too long, believes Lauren Weber, who is ranked near the top of her class at Homewood-Flossmoor High School.
Weber, who said she will attend the University of Notre Dame in the fall, is anxious to travel, perhaps even study abroad. Her goals are grand, if not completely defined. She hasn’t yet decided on a major, but law and medicine appeal to her, and whatever she chooses to do, she hopes to leave her mark on the world “in a positive way.”
Weber, who has a 4.0 grade-point average and scored a perfect 36 on the ACT, was recently awarded a $2,000 scholarship from the Chicago Tribune Foundation in part because of an essay she wrote highlighting the absence of political and social themes in popular music.
Generation Y could use the motivation, she argued.
“Music affects people like no other art form, and a compilation album from two of the greatest bands ever could change the world, unite a generation and inspire teens raised on MTV to become involved in the world around them,” she wrote as part of a fictional story about pairing the surviving Beatles with Led Zeppelin to record an album.
Weber, 17, is an avid classic rock fan, but her interests stretch far beyond Abbey Road.
She started a tutoring program at the Glenwood School for Boys and Girls last summer to help underprivileged children. While the students benefited from her academic ability, the experience has opened Weber’s eyes to the challenges facing some children.
“It changed my perspective on the life I have,” she said. “There are things I get upset about in my own life that are so petty. The kids show me to be more accepting, to place myself in other people’s shoes and realize what they are going through. It’s great to spend time with them.”
Patti McDonald, vice president of advancement at the Glenwood School, said Weber’s efforts are remarkable.
“She’s great,” McDonald said. “She’s got that can-do spirit. We’ve wanted to do this for years, and here this kid comes along and gets it done. She brought the idea to us and really launched it, bringing other students with her, which is amazing.”
McDonald said her students adore the program and that it has made a marked improvement in their grades.
In addition to tutoring, Weber has played tennis for years, finding her way to the sport after trying many others, including soccer and swimming. She even tried ballet.
“I love doubles,” she said. “I like having a partner to talk to, someone to rely on. And I love to compete.”
Just as she has tried different sports in search of her favorite, she envisions a similar academic path. She’ll try her hand at many topics before settling on the one she loves the most.
“College is the time when I want to have my views on the world challenged, to be exposed to new ideas from people all around the world,” she said.
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jnapolitano@tribune.com
