This Friday the seniors will embark on their class trip to the Wisconsin Dells for a time of stress-free bonding and fun.

Sophomore Isaac Chambers also finished fourth overall in the recent competition, held by the Champaign County Camera Club and other local sponsors. Almost 250 photographers competed this year.

Those excited Uni students you encountered at the start of this week were most likely the 18 upperclassmen who had just returned from the Habitat for Humanity trip to Clarksdale, Miss. Take a look inside for a sample of what happened last week when Uni students lent their time and energy to a good cause in the Mississippi Delta.

Couldn't get to a game last week? Spend a couple of minutes listening to the Gargoyle's "Week in Uni sports," and we'll bring you up to date on what you missed. Covered in this audiocast: varsity basketball action during the week of Feb. 19 - 23.

Even though an impressive number of Uni students qualify for the American Invitational Mathematics Exam each year, Alex Zhai wonders how many truly take advantage of the learning opportunities inherent in the test.

Uni's annual four-day break from its regular curriculum ended Friday. Here's a look back at some of the classes that were offered.

A true-crime thriller arrives in the theaters, as does Samuel L. Jackson's latest. Tenacious D and Will Ferrell make their appearance on DVD. But the big news in C-U is Saturday's Red Hot Chili Peppers/Gnarls Barkley concert at the Assembly Hall. Erin Hayes explains it all in this week's entertainment guide.

Jessi Sullivan was one of 60 shooters whose runs into the Class A state 3-point shooting contest ended in the preliminaries on Thursday, but the sophomore still managed to enjoy herself in the process.

Mike Renner went on a scoring tear tonight that had to be seen to be believed. Thanks to his torrid shooting in the second half, Uni was able to claim sole possession of the ECIC championship for the third straight year. [UPDATED]

Michael Belmont, who just finished his Uni basketball career, shares his thoughts on last week's overtime win against Judah Christian that cleared the way for the team to clinch a third straight ECIC title.

The latest edition of Uni's annual break from its traditional classes is in full swing. Check inside for a sample of some of the things going on this week, and look for more photos in the coming days.

On Tuesday, Uni's very own United for Uganda ventured onto the U of I campus to host a panel event titled "Invisible: Understanding Child Soldiers and the Conflicts in Northern Uganda," attracting a broad audience.

Five subbies will compete in the state MathCounts final March 3 in Matteson. An eight-person Uni team won the local chapter title Feb. 10 on the U of I campus.

Alex Zhai, a veteran of one International Math Olympiad, began his road to a second IMO by earning a perfect score in the American Mathematics Contest 12. He and eight other Uni students now advance to the American Invitational Mathematics Examination.

Sophomore Jessi Sullivan will represent Uni at the IHSA Class A Three-Point Showdown later this week. She'll compete Thursday at Redbird Arena in Normal, and in the process make a little history.