It may be one of the oldest independent schools in the city, but the Latin School is still launching new programs after nearly 130 years. In May, it opened a neighborhood classroom as part of its five-year-old Uptown Partnership, which connects students with local nonprofits and leaders. For the inaugural event in the new space, Latin and CPS students paired up for a constructive hackathon, during which Alderman Harry Osterman challenged them to build a social app. By the end of the day, students were showing off prototypes.

Of course, there is still plenty of tradition at Latin. Take the sophomore elective Nazi Mind, which is in its 40th year. The course culminates at the Daley Center in a simulation of the Nuremberg trials. “Now we also use [simulation] in our courses on the Russian Revolution and the Middle East,” says the school’s head, Randall Dunn.