University of Chicago Laboratory Schools

From the streets of Chicago to the walls of San Francisco—Eduardo Pineda ’73 has spent decades turning public spaces into canvases for community storytelling.

A muralist, educator, and Lab alumnus, Pineda has painted more than fifty murals across California and beyond, helping shape the Mission mural movement and championing public art rooted in immigration, identity, and shared experience. He spent nearly twenty years at California College of the Arts mentoring young artists through collaborative projects that brought students and communities together.

In 2015, the City of Berkeley named May 12 “Eduardo Pineda Day” in his honor.

Read the full story: bit.ly/eduardo-pineda-73

The first day of school will be here before you know it! ☀️📚 Here are four ways to get ready:

✓ Mark your calendar
Save important dates, schedules, and events.

✓ Check your checklist
Complete health requirements, check supply lists, and manage lunch accounts, as applicable.

✓ Get to know your division
Review your child’s division-specific information and resources.

✓ Plan for the first day
Review arrival, dismissal and transportation information.

Find everything you need to get ready for the 2026–2027 school year at ucls.uchicago.edu/back-to-lab.

🌙 Why are astronauts’ footprints still on the Moon? Could people live there forever? Why does the Moon look wounded?

For Deb Del Campo’s fourth graders, questions like these aren’t distractions from science—they’re where science begins.

“I try to honor their questions,” Del Campo says. “Even when we’re focused on specific learning goals, I make time to revisit student wonderings and connect them back to the science.”

Now, after completing a professional development program at NASA’s Space Center Houston, Del Campo is bringing something extraordinary back to these curious Labbies: actual lunar rock and meteorite samples.

Read “From the Moon Itself” in LabLife to learn how curiosity becomes scientific discovery: bit.ly/from-the-moon-itself.

Reimagining who we choose to remember.

Congratulations to Lab alumna Amanda Williams '92, artist and former MacArthur Fellow, on the unveiling of Other Washingtons in Chicago’s Washington Park.

Created by Williams, the installation surrounds the statue of George Washington with nearly 40 flagpoles honoring artists, educators, scientists, inventors and other inspirational figures who share the last name Washington—from local heroes to historic icons such as George Washington Carver.

By expanding the stories associated with the name Washington, the project invites us to consider whose histories are remembered, whose contributions are celebrated and who gets to shape our understanding of legacy.

Other Washingtons is one of the signature commissions of the Chicago Monuments Project, which seeks to confront inequities in Chicago’s monuments and create space for a more expansive understanding of the city’s history.

The installation is now on view at 51st Street and Martin Luther King Drive.

Read more about Amanda Williams and Other Washingtons from WTTW: https://news.wttw.com/2026/08/06/other-washingtons-art-installation-aims-reimagine-who-we-choose-remember

Photo credit: Jon Song Photography

Back to Lab is LIVE. 🎒✨

Your back-to-school guide for the 2026–2027 school year is here! Everything your family needs before September 8—in one place, organized by division.

Bookmark it: ucls.uchicago.edu/back-to-lab. You’ll be glad you did!

See less

Congratulations to rising ninth-grader Nayeli Uminsky whose team just won the U16 Baseball for All National Championship in Rockford. ⚾✨

Baseball For All Nationals is the largest girls baseball tournament in the country. This year's tournament was held at Beyer Stadium, where the Rockford Peaches once played in the original All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

Keep shining, Nayeli! We're so proud of you.

📢 Mark your calendars for Homecoming 2026! All Labbies—from Nursery 3 to Grade 12—are invited to be part of this beloved tradition on Friday, September 25. Bring friends, family, and alumni to Historic Campus for food, games, and a community celebration.

🎉 Gear up with Homecoming spiritwear here: bit.ly/lab-homecoming-2026. Order by September 14 to be sure to have your gear by the big day.