After Ellie Stoddard Seibold announced in November 2001 that she was giving $100,000 to Uni High, the Gargoyle's Gerry Shih wrote about the gift. We are republishing his article almost eight years later in conjunction with Friday's art auction, "Uni Celebrates the Arts," featuring more than 20 pieces donated by Ellie upon her death in 2002.

Shoompie, known at Uni and in the community for winning third place at the Battle of the Bands last March, is coming to back to school during lunch Friday to promote their debut album. Check inside for band members' comments on what Shoompie has been doing since their Battle and since five out of six members graduated from Uni in the spring, plus future plans, photos, and album covers.

Thanks to a $200,000 donation from Catherine Chou Gruschow ('94) and George Gruschow ('95), Uni will soon be getting some renovations and additions. Read on for more about the changes, from air conditioning in the North Attic to laptop and iPod Touch labs.

Class of 1994 graduate Catherine Chou Gruschow and her husband, 1995 alum George Gruschow of Allston Trading, LLC, have donated $200,000 to the school. The Chicago-area couple made the gift on Oct. 23 at an alumni reception at the Room 21 Restaurant in Chicago. The school has not yet decided how the money will be used.

Today during lunch, 1998 grad Adrienne Shapiro gave some of her time to talk to current Uni students about health issues, raising health awareness, being active in the community, and pursuing careers in public and medical health. Check inside to learn what the Harvard grad and current Johns Hopkins M.D./Ph.D. student had to say.

Uni graduates from the last five years returned to their alma mater last week to catch up with old friends. The latest edition of the annual alumni pizza party attracted plenty of current seniors and faculty members as well.

The bike ride, in honor of the 1999 Uni graduate's life and in remembrance of his tragic death, will leave Saturday from the Meadowbrook Park pavilion at 9 a.m. Matt died a year ago on Illinois 130 in rural Urbana. While riding his bike, he was hit by a driver who was downloading ringtones. During the past year, Matt's parents, Gloria and Chuck Wilhelm, successfully lobbied Illinois legislators to pass a law requiring driver's education courses to include instruction on the dangers of distracted driving.