#Hashtag | Mar. 2023
#HASHTAG: AVA SUMMERS
By Dustin O’Regan
ILLUSTRATION BY TOM BACHTELL
New Trier High School senior AVA SUMMERS is excited to join fellow seniors and co-chairs for this month’s Rush Junior Board 2023 Fashion Show, “Walking on a Dream.” Held from 3 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 23, at Sunset Ridge Country Club in Northfield, this is the third special event of the year hosted by the 100-member Rush Junior Board—following the Annual Car Wash and Holiday Tea. Last year, the Rush Junior Board raised more than $100,000 for Rush University Medical Center. Parent Advisors Erin Donaldson and Sara McClain have led the show since the beginning and, according to Summers, “have turned our new creative ideas into a reality.” Fashions from local retailers, including LuxLab, Bunny and Babe, Elena Victoria, and Gigi’s Closette will be modeled by members of the Rush Junior Board, with other members leading the production and event planning. New this year is a fantastic new venue, designed to deliver an elevated, dynamic event all for a great cause. In honor of the event, we asked Summers to share some of her favorite trending books and media in this week’s edition of #hashtag.
To purchase tickets to the event, email Erin Donaldson at [email protected].
#ON MY NIGHTSTAND
Most nights before bed I will finish up work on my computer either for the Rush Junior Board or school, although on the nights I do not, I will read Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl. It is by far the most fascinating book I’ve read for class this year and I find myself thinking about the ideas it proposes long after I put the piece down. It pushes the reader to “find significance in the very act of living” and explains and analyzes the complexity of one’s motivation to find meaning in life. The author articulates that this meaning can change, though will never cease to exist. When reading, one of his arguments stood out to me the most—“One can never be stripped of the power to decide, and therefore even in suffering, one must decide to create meaning out of the pain.” I will continue to be drawn back to this book and its rationale for years to come.
#ON MY MOBILE
My phone is even more important to me than my computer when it comes to working on the fashion show. Communication is key, and constant messaging back and forth between executives, parent advisors, and committees is crucial for making progress. It takes a gritty and driven team to make each fundraiser as successful as possible and I am so grateful for the hard work of our team—Caroline Kinsella and Kate Baur, as well as Parent Advisors Erin Donaldson, Sara McClain, Holly Miller, and Anissa Forman, along with all of our RJB members. They have worked tirelessly to execute each event and I am so honored to work alongside them. Because our team is so close, our group chats are always active, so my phone is practically glued to my side.
#IN MY EARBUDS
The fashion show chairs, Kate, Caroline, and I decided to create a playlist this year for the girls to walk to during the fashion show instead of instrumental background music. Because of this, I have been listening to music day and night, trying to find songs that would engage our audience and could fit our theme. Our current favorites are “The Thrill,” “Take a Walk,” and “Midnight City.” Some artists that are my personal favorites but might not be featured on our playlist are Mac Miller, Mac Demarco, Tame Impala, and The Smiths.
