I'm in London for a few days, visiting one of my best friends, who's just married an Englishman (after 10 years on the North Side and on the North Shore). We were strolling about a gallery space at the National Theatre this afternoon, enjoying "Beauty and Difference: Worlds Apart," an exhibition of children's artwork from around the world, when we came to the U.S. section.
There were only three entries by American art students among the 100 or so artworks, so we were surprised to see a video screen showing footage of the Bean and downtown Chicago. Suddenly, high school students were on the screen, giving messages to Chinese students. My friend and I both leaned in to read the plaque explaining the video presentation, and exclaimed at once, "New Trier!" The work was a series of video diaries created by students at New Trier high school in Winnetka. We stood for awhile watching the high school students passing on messages to their contemporaries in China, both more than a bit pleased to stumble across such a tangible link here in England to our lives back home.
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