When Sierra Marcum saw an ad in The News-Gazette for its Readers Writing Contest, she chose to submit a story about her experiences in Limerick, Ireland, in a tiny parking garage in a gigantic van. Little did she think that such a frustrating experience would get her story published and win her a $150 gift certificate. For a closer look at one of Uni's most talented writers, read on.

The Langston Hughes poem "Let America Be America Again" has become one of the most famous products of the Harlem Renaissance. Though written 70 years ago, can anything be more relevant than these lines? "Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death/ The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies,/ We, the people, must redeem/ The land, the mines, the plants, the rivers./ The mountains and the endless plain —/ All, all the stretch of these great green states —/ And make America again!"

Recently Lauren Piester has gone on a reading spree. "Every free moment I've had in the past week (when I wasn't catching up on a little bit of extremely important television) I have spent reading," she writes. "With the summer and its ample reading time coming up, I thought I would take a moment to recommend some of my favorite books/series to you."

Starting today the Gargoyle will present a series of diary entries by four members of this year's Big Show. The annual showcase of student-written and -directed comedy skits is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the North Attic Playhouse. Senior Carl Zielinski starts off the diary today; look for other entries later this week by Andrea Park, Anna Cangellaris, and Anna Gooler.

"The Forbidden Kingdom" unites kung fu superstars Jackie Chan and Jet Li in their first movie together. It also provides a new twist on the Chinese legend of the Monkey King. Do Chan and Li live up to the hype, or is there something left to be desired? The discriminating Danny Ge gives his verdict.

Thirty-five comedy sketches: That's what you'll have to feast on if you go to Big Show '08 this weekend, and we know you will! Rachel Skoza gets the lowdown from directors Anna Cangellaris and Eunice How. Check inside for all the details, including a list of skits to be performed. All the money raised from ticket sales will go toward this year's X-Week charity, UC Books to Prisoners. Bring paperback dictionaries (any language, please!!), and you'll get a $2 discount!

"Hard Problems" is a documentary that focuses on six American high school students, including Uni's Alex Zhai, who make it to the highest level of math competition: the International Mathematical Olympiad. Check inside for Gordon Ruan's review to see what the documentary has to offer, even for those who don't consider themselves math aficionados.

Isaac Radnitzer, Uni's award-winning varsity goalkeeper, will be recognized this summer for being named to the Chicago Fire's Boys Soccer All-State All-Academic Team. Radnitzer was one of only 86 student-athletes to be named to the team. He and his fellow honorees will be invited to a Fire match in late June or early July at Toyota Park, where they will receive special recognition at the game.

After Black Ice, it's time to switch back to something more classical with Maya Angelou. In this beautiful poem, a heart-wrenching Angelou compares a free bird to the plight of a caged bird. She says that a free bird takes its freedom for granted while a caged bird struggles to discover life and freedom.

Prom is less than two weeks away, and Deborah Ladd knows what that means for first-timers — the rush, the pressure, the expectations. Take a deep breath and read on as Deborah shares her advice and puts it all in perspective.

With the school year winding down, Elaine Gu finds it hard to believe that she and her classmates are about to become seniors. "Honestly, I really don’t feel that different from how I felt when I first came to Uni," she writes. "However, once I took a step back and reflected upon who I was and who we were as a class subfreshman and freshman year, I realized that my class and I have both undergone some significant transformations."

Need something exciting to make your day brighter? Look inside because we're featuring artist Black Ice today. He's sure to put a little pep in your step with his ill beats while simultaneously giving you some thoughts to chew on. He's another in a great line of African-American rappers, artists, and poets who are accessible but also provocative. Come back tomorrow for more great African-American poetry.

In the summer of 2002, something referred to as the "plague" destroys every sperm, fetus, and mammal with a Y chromosome, with the apparent exception of struggling magician Yorick and his male capuchin monkey, Ampersand. So begins "Y: The Last Man," a series of graphic novels that Katherine Allen calls riveting and provocative.

Uni's annual Spring Fling was held April 26 at the Wesley Foundation. The freshman-sponsored event featured the debut performance of Tempe Fugi, Uni's very own hip-hop dance crew, started by juniors Kareem Sayegh, Natsuki Nakamura, and Karolina Kalbarczyk. So check out this audio slideshow for a look at what happened at Uni's final all-school dance of the year.

Daniel McNamara is not your usual Uni senior guy. He doesn't play basketball or get excited when "Soulja' Boy" gets played in the lounge. Since he's so quiet, many people don't get the privilege of getting to know his interesting quirks and genuine good-dude personality. So here's your chance to meet Daniel McNamara through the first "Senior Q&A," which will be a part of a series of Q&A's with members of the Uni High Class of 2008.

It's very clear that a large part of the literary canon is made up of work from African-American writers. In keeping with that, this week we will feature poetry written by African-American poets. From the Harlem Renaissance to modern spoken word and rap, blacks in America have had a huge impact on the poetry world. Check out this poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar, one of the early black poets in America.