Welcome to V-ROM2020! On behalf of the Rites of May Planning Team and everyone who contributes to and works so hard to make Rites of May a success each year, we want to welcome you! We may be celebrating it a little bit differently this year, but we are still celebrating, and we are doing it together! We are so grateful to all of the families who have contributed this year, and in previous years. It is our community coming together that makes Rites of May such an amazing event!

Start by visiting the Maypole. The Maypole and parade is such an important part of Rites of May. In person, we would join together in the parade and enjoy the Maypole dance. For this year, by clicking on the Maypole, you will see pictures from previous years.

We have 11 booths this year! We are so excited and grateful for the contributions of families, sharing their cultures and traditions. You will find information, crafts, activities, recipes, and pictures. We also have a Wellness Booth and Gratitude Team booth, and don’t forget about the Book Fair! Our thanks to the Lab librarians, as well as the 57th Street Bookstore for creating amazing reading lists.

One of the highlights of ROM is the Global Cafe! It is an opportunity to try food from around the world! This year we asked families to share recipes, as well as links to some of our long time food providers from previous ROMs in case you want to enjoy some take out food at home as a way to support them during this difficult time.

We are also very pleased and proud, on behalf of Lab families, to contribute meals today and through next week, in honor of Rites of May, to the residents at the University of Chicago Medical Center, the Chicago Police Department 002nd District, the Chicago Fire Department Engine 60, the University of Chicago Police Department, the Lab Safety and Security Team, and Allied Universal staff at the University of Chicago. We are grateful to all of them.

Additionally, we would like to ask you to consider making a donation, in lieu of Rites of May wristband fees and tickets for the global cafe, in support of health care workers. Thank you!

Performances are such an important part of Rites of May. They are another opportunity for our community to share with one another whether through dancing, singing, demonstrations of skills and talents and more. Although we cannot do this in person this year, we can all enjoy wonderful videos of school performances.

Although we don’t have the bouncy houses available that make our ROM so much fun for all, we have brought together fun activities for families in the Carnival section. And, if anyone is able to get on a trampoline at some point, please take a few bouncies today for all of us!

Finally, what would Rites of May be without our treasured t-shirt. For many families purchasing a Rites of May t-shirt is a tradition, with one for every year at Lab and representing a child’s journey through the years. Many of us have a collection of Rites of May t-shirts and we are so pleased to be offering one this year. Congratulations to the design competition winner and thank you to everyone who submitted a design—they were all wonderful!

Thank you to everyone for their incredible work on Rites of May and thank all of you—the families of Lab, and our teachers and Lab staff. We are grateful to all of you and so happy and proud to be part of this incredible Lab Community.

Enjoy ROM! And for us, the ROM Planning Team, we are already looking forward to ROM 2021, when we will once again come together and celebrate! And if you have a moment, we would love to hear from you! Send us an email at ritesofmay2020@ucls.uchicago.edu!

Have fun!

Cheryl, Farah, Lynn, Ramya, Tracy, Tracey, Chitra, Sara, Monika, Lauren, Abundio, Lena, Barb