Review
The Magazine of Lake Forest Academy and Ferry Hall
2023-24 Head of School
Chris Tennyson P’27
Main Editors
Greg Greenwell P’25
Emmy Schwerdt
Alex Stevenson
Magazine Layout & Design
Margaret Galeano
Photography
David Atas
Ruth Keyso
George Pfoertner
Emmy Schwerdt
Alex Stevenson
Steve Woltmann
Contributors
Greg Greenwell P’25
Tom Johnson
Ruth Keyso
Rita Schulien MacAyeal ’87
Christine Ryder P’15, ’17
Emmy Schwerdt
Garry Sloan P’19, ’21
Chris Tennyson P’27
Printing
John S. Swift Co., Inc.
Admission Office
847-615-3267
admission@lfanet.org
Alumni Engagement Office
847-615-3268 rkeyso@lfanet.org
Marketing & Communications Office 847-615-3284 comms@lfanet.org
Parent Relations Office
847-615-3238 leighann.jacobson@lfanet.org
The Review is published two times a year by the Office of Marketing & Communications at: Lake Forest Academy 1500 W. Kennedy Road Lake Forest, IL 60045 Telephone: 847-615-3210
POSTMASTER: please send change of address notices to Alumni Office, Lake Forest Academy, 1500 W. Kennedy Road, Lake Forest, Illinois 60045-1047.
All the words and photos contained herein were written or taken by the editor, unless otherwise noted. Opinions expressed in the Review are those of the authors. No material may be legally reproduced without the written consent of the editor and Lake Forest Academy. ©2024, Lake Forest Academy, Lake Forest, Illinois. All rights reserved. Lake Forest Academy supports and adheres to a long-standing policy of admitting students of any race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.
4
CLASS OF 2024
Despite rainy conditions on graduation day, the weather couldn’t dampen the excitement and enthusiasm for the senior class.
END OF YEAR AWARDS AND EVENTS
The Academy recognized and celebrated the accomplishments from the 2023-24 school year.
12
The annual Multicultural Day celebrated LFA’s diversity with workshops and the International Exhibition as well as a performance by Chicago Capoeira Brasil. 6-9
MULTICULTURAL DAY
MAMMA MIA!
Cressey
2023-24
Board of Trustees
Jessica P. Douglas ’96
Chair
Charles T. Cooper ’96, P’28
Vice Chair
Ahmed Farag P’22, ’24
Treasurer
Richard L. Zhao ’04, LT’20
Secretary
Jim C. Cowart ’69
Member At Large
Todd E. Altounian ’86
Bruce W. Anderson ’70, P’97, LT’13
Eric Brown ’98
Molly Pearson Campbell ’04
J. Patrick Corsiglia P’15, ’17, ’20
Karin Fink P’22, ’23, ’27
Katie Frekko P’21, ’24, ’27
Haji L. Glover ’92
David Gupta ’81
Gloria W. Harper P’93
Suzanne Isenberg ’83
Duane C. Jackson ’01
Ned Jessen P’01, ’05, GP’28, LT’08
Scott W. Kaeser ’96
Allan M. Kaplan ’72, P’03, LT’04
Edward Kovas P’21
Margeaux McReynolds ’02
Scott Meloun ’77
Bancroft O’Quinn, Jr. ’72
Kristin Rey ’83
Emily Sammon ’91
Marianne Silver P’15, ’16, ’21
Thomas S. Wood ’78, P’23, ’24
Xiong Yin P’23
Mission Statement
Lake Forest Academy strives to embody in its practices and to cultivate in its students excellence of character, scholarship, citizenship, and responsibility.
CHARACTER encompasses respect for others and their beliefs, dedication to honesty in every sphere of life, realization of moral clarity and conviction, and pursuit of virtue and value in life.
SCHOLARSHIP encompasses acquisition of knowledge, development of critical thinking, enthusiasm for discovery and learning, and exercise of a powerful imagination.
CITIZENSHIP encompasses appreciation of diversity and multiculturalism, involvement in the LFA community, participation in service to others, and commitment to global awareness and understanding.
RESPONSIBILITY encompasses development of self-reliance, ability to seek guidance, dedication to cooperation and teamwork, and action based upon informed decisions.
The boys prep ice hockey team battled their opponents and the elements in a picture-perfect evening of snowfall during an outdoor game at the Winter Club of Lake Forest in February.
Head of School Transition
In early July, the Board of Trustees announced a transition with the Head of School at Lake Forest Academy. Below is a message from Interim Head of School Tom Johnson who will serve in this position during the search for the next Head of School following the departure of Chris Tennyson P’27.
Dear Members of the LFA Community,
I hope this issue of The Review finds you well and your summer has been refreshing and enjoyable. The summer has seen a period of change here at Lake Forest Academy and while change can be difficult and unsettling, the community that we are all a part of is ready to continue the LFA mission.
While our physical campus has been transformed over the past quarter century, at the heart of the Academy is our people; students join our LFA community from throughout the Chicago area, the country, and 40 different countries from around the world. Additionally, faculty and staff with world class experience commit themselves to creating an environment where students can be successful being their authentic selves from families and guardians who value the character, scholarship, citizenship and responsibility that LFA delivers to each student through our mission.
The Academy is a caring community where everyone is seen, heard, and respected. We gather together as a school multiple times a week to build and share cultures and experiences. Students are routinely encouraged to try something new, whether that is a sport, a new language, participating in our well developed arts program, or maybe joining one of our robust academic teams. Lake Forest Academy is a place for students to discover who they are and what they care about. During these critical four years of high school, our faculty are there to guide, serve and celebrate our students in all of their pursuits. Our students graduate from the Academy understanding that they will need to lead to create the change they want to see in the world.
LFA is a place where students and faculty collaborate together to do great things, but also do small things greatly.
Sincerely,
Tom Johnson Interim Head of School
The Class of 2024
Lake Forest Academy’s Newest Alums
Asteady rain throughout the day on Saturday, June 1 forced graduation ceremonies under the tent in the Formal Gardens, but it didn’t dampen the enthusiasm as Lake Forest Academy celebrated the Class of 2024. The senior class flawlessly embraced and adapted to the change as this group of students did throughout their high school careers with unprecedented challenges and obstacles. In the end, these 115 Caxys reached their next milemarker with pride and excitement.
“Today marks a significant milestone in the journey of our lives. We stand on the precipice of momentous change. The summit of a four-year long mission. Now we begin our ascent up the next mountain
in our lives - ready to start the climbing,” commented senior class president Yaseen Primus ’24 during his remarks to the standing-room only audience.
LFA’s faculty and staff led the traditional processional out the doors of Reid Hall and into the tent in the Formal Gardens, followed by the graduates to the tune of “Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1.” After a welcome from Head of School Chris Tennyson P’27, Class of 2024 parents Robyn Morgenstern and Sami Rosenblatt P’24, ’25 presented the Book of Gratitude to Dean of Faculty Tom Johnson. This year’s graduation address was delivered by History and Social Science Teacher Eric Hillebrand, followed by Primus, who both provided
Class President Yaseen Primus ’24
advice for the Academy’s newest group of alums. As the class advisors, Science Teacher Stephanie Ramirez Krych and Dean of Advancement Garry Sloan P’19, ’21 announced individual graduates, who were presented their diplomas by Board of Trustees Chair Jessica Douglas ’96
The afternoon concluded with closing remarks from Tennyson. Entering the end of the school year, the campus anticipated a cadence of sound from periodical cicadas emerging for the first time since 2007 as part of a 17-year cycle. While the rain kept the cicadas quiet, the steady rhythm of raindrops on the tent provided a new metaphor for Tennyson as he asked the graduates to think about ways LFA has stimulated their senses of hearing, sight, and smell and what they will remember 17 years from now.
On hearing, Tennyson asked how these auditory cues might generate a memory of classmates cheering a goal while packed behind the glass on the end of the hockey rink, applause following a performance or talent show, a morning meeting announcement celebrating an achievement, the Bowditch Bell ringing with a team returning to campus after a victory, or the last three words of the alma mater… “Dear old LFA!”
Regarding sights and smells, Tennyson referenced the sights of the changing of seasons on campus, the Formal Gardens at its best at the start of each school year for the All-School Handshake, or the first time each graduate took in the campus on
Academy Drive. For smells, maybe it’s the smell of brunch that will unlock a memory of LFA or a scent of the many student fundraisers in Senior Square.
He concluded with “It’s been an honor having seen you begin to achieve your potential within our halls, on the stage, and across our fields. As Mr. Hillebrand spoke about, we know that you will make your future homes special and hope that
you will seek out places that remind you of the Academy and are made special by its people and relationships. On behalf of LFA, I wish you all the best. Come back and visit often and congratulations again!”
Eric Hillebrand
Members of the senior class leadership place the Class of 2024 paver in the patio at Alumni Circle near the Bowditch Bell. l to r: Jeevan Bhatia, Nalani Hill, Yaseen Primus, Colin Gupta, Jerry Ren.
Class of 2024 Matriculation
Arizona State University (2) Tempe, Ariz.
Babson College (4) Babson Park, Mass.
Bates College Lewiston, Maine
Boston College (3) Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Boston University (2) Boston, Mass.
Brandeis University Waltham, Mass.
Brown University Providence, R.I.
California Institute of Technology Pasadena, Calif.
Carnegie Mellon University (2) Pittsburgh, Pa.
Colorado College Colorado Springs, Colo.
Dartmouth College Hanover, N.H.
Davidson College (2) Davidson, N.C.
Drexel University Philadelphia, Pa.
Emerson College Boston, Mass.
Emory University Atlanta, Ga.
George Washington University Washington, D.C.
Georgetown University Washington, D.C.
Harvey Mudd College Claremont, Calif.
Haverford College Haverford, Pa.
Indiana University Bloomington (2) Bloomington, Ind.
Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, Md.
Lafayette College Easton, Pa.
Lake Superior State University Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
Lehigh University Bethlehem, Pa.
Loyola University Chicago Chicago, Ill.
Marquette University Milwaukee, Wis.
McGill University Montréal, Québec, Canada
Michigan State University East Lansing, Mich.
Mount Holyoke College South Hadley, Mass.
New York University (3) New York, N.Y.
Northeastern University (3) Boston, Mass.
Northwestern University (4) Evanston, Ill.
Point Loma Nazarene University San Diego, Calif.
Purdue University (4) West Lafayette, Ind.
Troy, N.Y.
Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, N.Y.
Rollins College Winter Park, Fla.
Syracuse University Syracuse, N.Y.
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art New York, N.Y.
Tufts University (2) Medford, Mass.
Union College Schenectady, N.Y.
University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, Calif.
University of California, Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, Calif.
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid Madrid, Spain
University of Denver Denver, Colo.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (10) Urbana-Champaign, Ill.
University of Melbourne Melbourne, Australia
University of Miami Coral Gables, Fla.
University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Mich.
University of Minnesota Twin Cities (2) Minneapolis, Minn.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, N.C.
University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, N.C.
University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pa.
University of Richmond Richmond, Va.
University of Southern California (2) Los Angeles, Calif.
University of Wisconsin-Madison (2) Madison, Wis.
Upper Iowa University Fayette, Iowa
Vanderbilt University (2) Nashville, Tenn.
Villanova University (2) Villanova, Pa.
Wake Forest University (4) Winston-Salem, N.C.
Washington University in St. Louis (2) St. Louis, Mo.
Wheeling University Wheeling, W. Va.
Williams College Williamstown, Mass.
Yale University
New Haven, Conn.
*all information current as of May 24, 2024
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
2023-2024 Academic Departmental Honors
The final All-School Meeting of the 2023-24 academic year featured Lake Forest Academy’s departmental awards ceremony at The Cressey Center for the Arts. The event recognized outstanding achievements in English, Fine and Performing Arts, Global, History and Social Science, Library and Media, Mathematics, Modern and Classic Languages, and Science.
English
Senior English Award: Amber Nguyen ’24 & Daniya Nussipbek ’24
Golden Pen Award: Claire Ireland ’24
Niswender Prize: Katie Martin ’25
The Spectator Award: Theresa Fu ’24 & Jason Xing ’24
The ELL Award: Jessica Xu ’27
Global Global Department Award: Henry Gold ’24
Science Louch Award: Daniya Nussipbek ’24
History and Social Science
World History Prize: Jahstone Martin ’26
Overdorf History Prize: Madison Rosen ’25
Raymond Delaplaine Burnet Prize in Economics: Harry Luo ’24
Nelson Award: Noah Cedergren ’24
Library and Media
Library Media Award: Evelyn King ’24
Fine and Performing Arts
The McCormick Fine Arts Awards for Outstanding Achievement are given in honor of Nettie
who attended Ferry Hall from 1872-1874.
McCormick Fine Arts Award for Outstanding Achievement in Drama: Teagan Hubbard ’24
McCormick Fine Arts Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Music: Tanya Ganesh ’24
McCormick Fine Arts Prize for Outstanding Achievement in the Visual Arts: Dariana Yu ’24
Everett E. Grace Music Prize: Kate Graham ’24 & Liam Paisley ’24
Pridmore Award: Charlie Griffiths ’24 & Thales Gao ’24
Taylor Award: Elva Zong ’24
Theater Tech Award: Ernest Shao ’24
Fine and Performing Arts Department Award: Evelyn King ’24 & Noah Cedergren ’24
Mathematics
Mathematics Department Award: Yiwen Lu ’25 & Sahasrad Sathish ’26
Modern and Classical Languages
Lynn B. Kulieke Award: Kendall Scales ’24
E. J. Barry Award: Noah Cedergren ’24
Stephen C. Ryder Award: Evelyn King ’24
Chinese Award: Jamie Pruett ’24
Latin Award: Kinzie Reed ’24
Ainsworth Award: Jerry Ren ’24 Computer Science Award: Toby Nelson ’24
L. McCormick,
Forest
Honors for Excellence
Cum Laude and Move-Up Day Awards
Cum Laude
The Cum Laude Society is the secondary school equivalent of Phi Beta Kappa, and membership in the Lake Forest Academy chapter is one of the highest academic honors the Academy can bestow on its students. The Cum Laude induction ceremony took place at a luncheon on May 30, 2024 in Reid Hall. Based on their exceptional scholarship during their tenure at LFA, the Cum Laude Committee was honored to induct the following seniors into the Lake Forest Academy chapter:
Noah Cedergren
Gahhee Chae
Sidney Do
Chloe Doan
Luke Feltzin
Theresa Fu
Henry Gold
Kate Graham
Claire Ireland
Evelyn King
Cindy Lin
Ishani Mahajan
Toby Nelson
Jim Nguyen
Amber Nguyen
Isaac Park
Jamie Pruett
Jerry Ren
Faculty Awards
Alumni Award for Teaching Excellence
The recipients of the 2024 Alumni Award for Teaching Excellence are Mathematics
Teacher Emily Hansen and English Department Chair
Denise Foster
Laima Salcius P’98 Faculty Award
The recipient of the 2024 Laima Salcius P’98 Faculty Award is Director of the Library and Archivist Rita MacAyeal ’87
William Sun
Nicholas Tsui
Jasmine Vo
Anna Wu
Jonathan Xiao
Jason Xing
Steven Zhang
Elva Zong
Move-Up Day Awards
Daughters of the American Revolution Award
Henry Gold ’24
American Legion Award
Noah Cedergren ’24
Service Above Self Award
Daniya Nussipbek ’24
The Aurelian Book Prize
Cindy Lin ’24
Alexander Award
Noah Cedergren ’24
Mary Freeland Award
Daniya Nussipbek ’24
Butler Award
Krish Desai ’24
A small percentage of students are considered each year for membership during their junior year as well and those students are as follows:
Robert Ding
Jack Graham
Teddy He
Yiwen Lu
Katie Martin
Hixon Award
Daisy Zhang ’24
Horace S. Vaile Award
Jerry Ren ’24
Wetzel Award
Gabi Stewart ’24
Virginia Phillips Speidel Award
Carla Accogli ’24
Jonathan Fremd Award
Aubrey Ewing ’27
McLaughlin Prize
Roman McLaurine ’26
Jewell J. Jackson, Jr. Award
Lily Botero ’25
Yusef Primus
Dayla Rosen
Madison Rosen
Benjamin Xu
Benjamin D. Waldie, Sr. Award
Gabi Stewart ’24
Faculty Award
Toby Nelson ’24
Abigail Shanley-Roberts Spirit Award
Santi Delgado ’25
Yiwen Lu ’25
House Cup Winner Sargent
Athletics Honors
Varsity MVPs and Awards
The Caxys gathered in the Formal Gardens on May 30 for the annual athletics awards ceremony as part of the end of year celebrations. The LFA athletics department honored varsity team MVPs as well as athlete of the year awards for each class, and specialty awards.
2023-2024 Athletic Awards
Fall Varsity MVPs/Awards
Girls Cross Country: Andrea Fernandez ’25
Boys Cross Country: Noah Cedergren ’24
Girls Volleyball: Kendall Scales ’24
Boys Soccer: Matthew Kupczyk ’24
Girls Field Hockey: Audrey Danz ’25
Boys Golf: Christian Martinez ’25
Girls Golf: Almira Tepe ’25
Girls Tennis: Vicky Mesropyan ’24
Girls Swimming: Tuana Turhan ’24
Winter Varsity MVPs/Awards
Boys Basketball: Rron Radoniqi ’24
Girls Basketball: Emilia Sierra ’24
Coed Cheer/Dance: Gahhee Chae ’24
Girls Hockey: Alexandra Fernandez ’25
Boys Prep Hockey: Trevor Stewart ’24
Stuart Award: John Greer ’24 and Evan Stastny ’24
Boys Squash: Astin Choi ’27
Boys Swimming: Zach Youn ’26
Spring Varsity MVPs/Awards
Girls Badminton: Bao Le ’25
Boys Tennis: Quinn Knight ’24
Baseball: Gavin Berlin ’24
Girls Soccer: Carla Accogli ’24
Boys Volleyball: Noah Cedergren ’24
Girls Track & Field: Kate Delia ’25
Boys Track & Field: Matthew Sexton ’24
Boys and Girls Senior Track & Field Award: Kendall Scales ’24 and Colin Gupta ’24
Boys Lacrosse: David Keene ’24
Girls Lacrosse: Natalie Frekko ’24
Athletes of the Year
Freshman Boy: Tej Johnson ’27
Freshman Girl: Beatrice Franklin ’27
Sophomore Boy: Josh Lachapelle ’26
Sophomore Girl: Lindsay Farbman ’26
Junior Boy: Landon Fraser ’25
Junior Girl: Kate Delia ’25
Senior Boy: Trevor Stewart ’24
Senior Girl: Camryn Farbman ’24
Sandra Bolz Memorial Fan Award: Sara Sexton P’24, ’25
William “Bill” Dolbee Award: Sam Wold
David O. MacKenzie ’50 Award (Male): Justin Ahern ’24
David O. MacKenzie ’50 Award (Female): Natalie Frekko ’24
Talent Show
Following the athletics awards, the LFA community moved from the tent in the Formal Gardens to The Cressey Center for the Arts for the annual end of year talent show. The talent show is a campus favorite as students, faculty, and staff take the stage in a variety of entertaining performances.
The Art of the Imaginable
Annual Gala Supports LFA’s Fine and Performing Arts Initiatives
On April 27, the LFA community came together to raise more than $800,000 to support the student experience in the fine and performing arts. Host Alex Goode ’05 entertained the audience throughout the evening while Head of School Chris Tennyson P’27 and Fine and Performing Arts Chair Jason Koenig P’26 along with the Gala Co-Chairs spoke to the importance of the event and support for the arts at LFA. In addition to the fundraising during the event, the cast of LFA’s winter musical performed a compilation of the greatest hits from “Mamma Mia!” that brought the audience to its feet in applause.
A global wave of support for Gala 2024: The Art of the Imaginable will provide support to fostering a culture of creativity, innovation, and artistic excellence for LFA students. The Academy extends special thanks to this year’s Gala co-chairs Trustee Suzanne Isenberg ’83, Stu and Leslie Rosen P’25, ’25, ’27, ’27, and Julie Brandt and Timothy Lange P’25, ’28
The funds raised will be used for a variety of purposes to support the arts including:
• Expand studio art classrooms to increase course enrollment for students, accommodate new professional grade equipment, improve workspace efficiency and increase time on instruction
• Repurpose the existing darkroom into a digital studio space with modern technologies including cameras, tablets, and supporting software
• Renovate the 2D studio space into a digital design studio with up to 16 new computer stations supporting digital graphic design, electronic music and more
• Enhance production technology in the theater of The Cressey Center for the Arts with a new communications system and lighting console, and an upgraded wireless network
Gala 2024 Co-Chairs from left to right: Lange and Brandt, Isenberg, Tennyson, and the Rosens.
• Improve acoustic quality in the orchestra room with resonate flooring and diffusion panels to control sound absorption and reverberation; create soundproof practice rooms; and install a humidity control system to protect instrument integrity
• Enhance access to visiting artists, studio supplies, performances, workshops and other opportunities to expand and build on the highest caliber artistic curriculum for students through an arts enhancement fund
Thank you to everyone who contributed to shaping the future of arts education at LFA. The school’s commitment to the student arts experience and the benefit it has in preparing students for college and their professional careers is ongoing.
The effects of Gala 2024 were immediately felt by LFA students as performers at the End of Year Talent Show on May 30 utilized new guitars that were purchased with proceeds from the event.
Lake Forest Academy
Multicultural Day
Beloved Traditions
In the week leading up to Spring Break, LFA celebrated its community’s diversity with two beloved traditions: the International Talent Show on Tuesday, March 12 and Multicultural Day on Wednesday, March 13. Students, faculty, and staff kicked off Multicultural Day by learning about intercultural intelligence and inclusion from keynote speaker Cindu Thomas-George, followed by breakout workshops and professional development sessions. Community members then had the chance to showcase their cultural traditions, music, and food at the exhibition fair, and the day ended with an interactive performance by Chicago Capoeira Brasil.
Students Making a Difference Service Learning Day
LFA hosted its annual Service Learning Day on Thursday, April 18, as students, faculty, and staff participated in service learning activities both on campus and in surrounding Lake and Cook counties. Organized by the Stuart Center for Global Leadership, Service Learning Day takes place every spring as an opportunity to encourage community-wide involvement in service learning, a fundamental tenet of the LFA experience.
To kick-off this year’s event, the LFA community gathered in The Cressey Center for the Arts on Wednesday, April 17 for a special extended Morning Meeting, which featured guest speaker Madeleine Pattis ’14 (right). Pattis is a 2018 graduate of Swarthmore College and just earned
dual master’s degrees in public policy and social work from the University of Chicago. She has both volunteer and professional experience working with organizations that are primarily involved with social work and the service field. She spoke to the community about her work and provided advice on how to best approach and learn from service work.
On campus, Caxys helped with the removal of invasive buckthorn, organized and prepared the Faculty Gardens for planting, and decorated cards for hospitalized children in the Chicagoland area. Off campus, projects included environmental clean-up, packing and organizing food for distribution, and partnering with a variety of local non-profit organizations.
Lake Forest Academy
Summer Celebration Tour
LFA’s Global Reach Expands
Afew days after graduation ceremonies, Chris and Maggie Tennyson P’27 along with Andrew Poska and Adam Gerber P’21, ’24 traveled to Asia with a return of Lake Forest Academy’s Summer Celebration Tour. The annual event took the contingent across the Pacific Ocean for the first time in nearly five years as they visited with past, current, and future students and families in Vancouver, Canada before stops in Seoul, Ho Chi Minh City, Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Beijing. This tour and the personal connections it creates and fosters allows the Academy to continue to expand its global reach. Over 250 people attended the receptions during the stops in Korea, Vietnam, and China.
Vancouver, June 6-7
Seoul, June 7-9
June 11-13
Shanghai, June 13-15
Ho Chi Minh City, June 9-11
Beijing, June 15-17
Shenzhen,
Many Thanks! Departing Faculty and Staff
Lake Forest Academy would like to thank the following faculty and staff for their service and commitment to our community. We wish much success to this group of colleagues and are grateful for the impact they left on LFA. Please join us in thanking them as they move on to retirement or another opportunity.
MATT BORESI
Director of Theater
Since 2017, Mr. Boresi led the theater program working with the Fine and Performing Arts department to enhance LFA’s presence on stage with our fall plays and winter musicals. Twice during his tenure, LFA was featured at the Illinois State Theater Festival. Starting in August, he will be leading the theater program at University of Chicago Laboratory Schools.
RACHAEL JOSEPHSEN
Director of Advancement Events
and Special Projects
Mrs. Josephsen arrived at LFA in 2019 and significantly contributed to building stronger connections between the school and the alumni and parent community through her leadership with events throughout the year. Her creativity and efforts in Advancement events can be directly linked to increased event attendance, sponsorships and fundraising. She will be taking on new challenges this summer in the corporate events space at Discover.
DAVE KASISCHKE
Database Administrator
After 17 years of working behind the scenes in LFA’s IT department, Mr. Kasischke is ready to enjoy retirement. He has worked in a variety of roles in IT and led the migration to LFA’s current Veracross system. Working odd hours both on campus and from home keeping everyone online was just one of the many duties that he handled and went unnoticed to allow the Academy to run smoothly.
EMILY KALIS
Assistant Dean of Students: Residential Life and Campus Life, Senior Assistant Dean of Admission
Ms. Kalis joined the Office of Admission in 2018 and served LFA in multiple ways during her time at the Academy. In addition to her primary role in admission, she also was integral in the LFA student experience as she held roles as a dorm parent, Dorm Head of Marshall Field, and more recently as the Assistant Dean of Students for Residential and Community Life while also coaching multiple sports and as yearbook co-advisor. Ms. Kalis will be joining The Lawrenceville School this summer as an Associate Dean of Admission.
MICHELE VACA
ELL and English Teacher
Mrs. Vaca arrived at LFA in 2009 as one of two teachers in the ESL Program that prepared students to transition into the LFA academic world. She also developed the English Language Learners Program which allows students to participate more fully in courses at the Academy. After working with LFA’s students for the past 15 years, she is transitioning to create more time to care for her family.
Math Team Earns Second Straight State Title
Lake Forest Academy’s math team traveled to Illinois State University in April to compete in the ICTM State Math Contest. After LFA’s 27-member team placed first in regionals in February, the Caxys continued their success and, for the second year in a row, earned a first place finish and the state championship for Division 2A!
LFA placed within the top 10 schools in every team event out of a competing 47 teams. The Caxys posted a score of 825 to put them ahead of second-place Morton with a score of 754. The ICTM State Math Contest 2024 championship is the third for LFA, as the Caxys also claimed the top spot for Division 2A in 2018 and 2023. Division 2A is one of four divisions in the contest and covers schools with enrollment between 400 and 1,099.
Science Olympiad Shines at State Tournament
Lake Forest Academy’s Science Olympiad team traveled to the University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign in April, where they competed in the Illinois Science Olympiad State Tournament and earned a second place finish within their competition division!
Each team competing at the state level is placed into a seed based on the team’s ranking from regionals, the team’s previous two years overall rankings at the state level, and a Seeding Committee. LFA took second place within the A seed, competing against the top 25 schools in the state of Illinois to be ranked within that seed.
Top-six finishes in each event earn points: LFA finished within the top-six in 17 out of 23 main events and in all five of the trial events. The students on LFA’s team had been working since August to prepare their projects for both the regional and state tournaments.
LFA Choir Hits the Big Apple
The LFA choir traveled to New York City in March as a part of the program’s biennial travel offering. The group spent a jam-packed four days in the city, where they enjoyed highlights such as participating in multiple performances and workshops, a live viewing of the Today Show, attending shows on Broadway and at the Metropolitan Opera House, meeting up with some LFA alumni, and exploring the city.
Olivia Poska Named Newest Endowed Chair
With her official installation taking place in June, Fine & Performing Arts and English Teacher Olivia Poska has been named as the new A. John Huss Jr. ’58 and Ruth S. Huss Chair in Humanities.
At LFA, Poska currently teaches AP Art History and English 11 and has coached a number of sports, including girls soccer, girls swimming, and boys volleyball. She resides with her family on campus in Ferry Hall, where she serves as the Dorm Head. In the summer of 2023, she was awarded a Mints Grant and traveled to Mexico City, where she spent time exploring art and architecture to better incorporate it into her curriculum. She also traveled to China with the Academy in 2018.
Poska takes over the position from the outgoing chair, Global Department Chair and Fine & Performing Arts Teacher Yue Chen In her time as chair, Chen participated in a number of professional development
Caxys Give Back on a Global Scale
In June, six LFA students and two faculty chaperones participated in a two-week long session of the Falmouth Heritage Renewal Program (FHR) in Falmouth, Jamaica.
The mission of FHR is to accurately preserve and restore the historic buildings of Falmouth, while also working to improve the lives of its residents through community service and preserve Jamaica’s cultural heritage. The program primarily focuses on preservation through architectural drawings, and the LFA group attended with the goal of learning drawing techniques and to add to the archive of historical drawings. The group also toured historic sites throughout Falmouth and the Montego Bay area.
This is the first year LFA has participated and LFA was marked as the first high school to attend the program. Students were required to apply in advance and were selected for attendance. LFA’s eight participants were sponsored by the Grace E. Groner Foundation, which, along with FHR, is run by LFA alumnus Bill Marlatt ’61 and his wife, Kay
experiences, primarily centered on the Global Department. Under her leadership, the Global Department led its first curricular
trip to Costa Rica during the 2024 Spring Break. She also began a doctoral degree in global educational leadership at DePaul University.
The A. John Huss Jr. ’58 and Ruth S. Huss Chair in Humanities was established in 2004 by Life Trustee A. John Huss Jr. ’58 and his wife, Ruth, who are among the Academy’s most loyal and generous donors.
The endowed chair positions support compensation and contribute to faculty member professional development activities. Examples of discretionary fund usage include endowed chairs being able to attend conferences, engage in travel, bring guest speakers to campus, pursue advanced degrees, and support academic and student life at LFA. Recipients of these esteemed named positions are acknowledged for mastery of their subject matter, commitment to students, and dedication to the teaching profession.
JAMnesty Rocks Out for a Good Cause
LFA’s Amnesty International club hosted their second annual JAMnesty event in May, raising an impressive total of almost $12,000 to aid in refugee relief around the world. Attendees could participate in a raffle for prizes, while other LFA clubs set up tables with information about how their clubs connected to this year’s cause and sold food and other handmade items in support of the fundraiser. Amnesty International club leaders shared information with the audience before performers hit the stage and entertained the crowd at the Silver Family Green.
Caxys Bring Home FBLA State Awards
Thirty students represented LFA at the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Illinois State Leadership Conference in April. Competing against over 1,500 students from all over the state of Illinois, 15 LFA students earned a top 10 finish and seven qualified to compete in the FBLA national competition over the summer. The national qualifiers included Cyrena Yang ’26, Haricharan Yarlagadda ’27, David Nguyen ’27, Chelsea Lu ’26, Jack Graham ’25, Joseph Satriano ’25, and Queenie Wu ’26
Spring Break Travel
Caxys traveled around the world during Lake Forest Academy’s 2024 Spring Break. Students, faculty, and staff took part in trips to Berlin, Prague, and Munich; Costa Rica; Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy; Miami and Southeast Florida; Olympic National Park; Spain and Morocco; Taiwan; and the United Kingdom. Student travel at LFA is led by the Stuart Center for Global Leadership and consists of curricular and co-curricular trips. By offering experiential student travel programs, LFA gives its globally-minded students the opportunity to practice global leadership skills by engaging with new communities and cultures. By exploring diverse perspectives, cultures, and challenges, students are able to deepen their understanding and learn how to respond compassionately and responsibly to local, regional, and global issues.
From the top: Olympic National Park, Scotland, Croatia, Taiwan, Costa Rica, Miami and Spain.
Fine & Performing Arts
Mamma Mia!
LFA’s winter musical brought the hit production “Mamma Mia!” to The Cressey Center for the Arts in February. The show saw a four-night run, transforming the stage into a lively Greek taverna as the songs of ABBA inspired audience members to dance and sing along. The cast and crew also created a special condensed matinee version of the show, which was performed for students from A.J. Katzenmaier Academy as a part of LFA’s partnership with North Chicago Community Partners through the Stuart Center for Global Leadership.
Choir & Orchestra
LFA’s Choir and Orchestra hosted their combined winter concert on stage in The Cressey Center for the Arts in December, along with individual performances in March and April.
All-School Meeting: Choir & Soloists
In addition to two solo concerts taking place throughout the spring semester, several soloists had the opportunity to perform in The Cressey Center for the Arts during an April All-School Meeting. Students performed a variety of vocal and instrumental numbers, and the choir entertained with a selection of ensemble pieces.
Visual Arts
Recent LFA graduate Jonathan Xiao ’24 was selected out of 1,700 student work submissions for the statewide student art show this fall. The Illinois Art Education Association (IAEA) 2024-25 annual conference will feature Xiao’s piece and all of the honorees as the statewide student art show features only four pieces per grade. Following the conference in October, the IAEA conducts a statewide tour of the artwork. The framed pieces will travel to locations throughout Illinois during the 2024-25 school year.
Winter & Spring Athletics Highlights
College Athletic Commitments
Natalie Frekko ’24 - Haverford College (women’s lacrosse)
John Greer ’24 - Lawrence University (men’s ice hockey)
Phillip Kavu ’24 - Davidson College (men’s basketball)
Niki Momcilovic ’24 - Upper Iowa University (men’s soccer)
Matthew Sexton ’24 - Rollins College (sailing)
Emilia Sierra ’24 - Wheeling University (women’s basketball)
Evan Stastny ’24 - Lake Superior State* (men’s ice hockey)
Tuana Turhan ’24 - Babson College (women’s swimming)
*joining program in 2026-27
Professional Soccer Signee
Franco Sovero ’24 - Gulf United FC (UAE First Division)
Junior Hockey Commitments
Justin Ahern ’24 - Hawkesbury Hawks (CCHL)
Milo Daniel ’24 - Boston Jr. Rangers (EHL)
John Greer ’24 - Valley Jr. Warriors (EHL)
Noah Houle ’24 - New Jersey Rockets (NCDC)
Seamus Keohane ’24 - TBD
Adrian Proulx ’24 - TBD
Evan Stastny ’24 - Alberni Valley Bulldogs (BCHL)
Trevor Stewart ’24 - New Jersey Rockets (NCDC)
The winter and spring seasons for Lake Forest Academy continued the success and competitiveness that was established by the fall sports. A number of students announced their college athletics and junior hockey commitments while Franco Sovero ’24 will begin his professional soccer career in Dubai later this summer. Below are some notables and highlights from the winter and spring seasons at LFA.
Baseball players Gavin Berlin ’24 and Landon Fraser ’25 were both named All-Independent School League (ISL) as each was selected to the second team.
The girls basketball team finished the season with 19 wins that included a 12-game winning streak to finish the season. The Caxys were led by Emilia Sierra ’24 who was named the Independent School League (ISL) Player of the Year. LFA also earned the ISL’s Team Sportsmanship Award and Sierra was joined on the postseason honors list by All-ISL selections Lindsay Farbman ’26, Selin Goekce ’24, and Lilla Szilvássy ’25.
Members of the boys prep ice hockey team were honored by the Midwest Prep Hockey League (MPHL) following the conclusion of the season.
Justin Ahern ’24, Noah Houle ’24, Evan Stastny ’24, and Trevor Stewart ’24 were named to the MPHL All-Star Team while Josh Lachapelle ’26 was a MPHL Honorable Mention selection.
LFA’s girls ice hockey program was recognized by the Metro Girls Hockey League with selections to the MGHL All-Star Game and the league’s Academic Honor Roll.
Kate Delia ’25, Adriana
Fernandez ’25, Alexandra Fernandez ’25, and Andrea Fernandez ’25 played in the All-Star Game in late December while LFA was represented on the honor roll by Lily Botero ’25, Zoe Canonne ’25, Minha Chung ’26, Kate Delia ’25, Sophie Fei ’24, Adriana Fernandez ’25, Tanya Ganesh ’24, Amelia Sexton ’25, Jessica Xu ’27, and Angela Zhang ’24
Two Caxys were named All-ISL from the girls soccer team as Carla Accogli ’24 was a second team selection and Adriana Fernandez ’25 earned honorable mention honors.
The co-ed squash team won both the regular season and tournament titles in the Chicagoland Squash Conference and finished with an 11-2 record against local and regional competition. With the conference success, the Caxys traveled to Philadelphia for the 2024 U.S. High School Squash Championships in late February where they competed against some of the nation’s top programs. Individually, Hamza Jafri ’26 is ranked among the country’s top 50 players and is the No. 1-ranked player in the state of Illinois in the boys U17 rankings by U.S. Squash.
The boys swimming team broke multiple records during the season led by Zach Youn ’26 with three individual marks and as part of four new relay records. All three relay records were broken in the first meet of the season on Dec. 1. In the 200 medley relay, the team of Youn, John David Gallagher ’24, Ryan Le ’27, and Matthew Sexton ’24 finished in a time of 1:47.09 to break the old record of 1:49.14. The quartet of Henry Gold ’24, Le, Youn, and Sexton set new records in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays. The new 200 time of 1:34.11 bested the previous mark of 1:38.24 while the previous record in the 400 of 3:39.25 was eclipsed in a time of 3:37.50. The 400 freestyle relay record barely lasted two months as the quartet of Gold, Nicholas Tsui ’24, Le, and Youn posted a second school record of the season in the event with a time of 3:35.37 on Feb. 3. Individually, Youn set new records in the 100 freestyle with a time of 50.26 on Jan. 11, 200 freestyle on Feb. 3 in a time of 1:49.36, and the 100 butterfly in a time of 56.45 on Feb. 6.
New records were also set during the track and field season as the girls 4x200meter relay squad featuring Maddie Goldman ’25, Grace Lombardo ’24, Kendall Scales ’24, and Kate Delia ’25 set a new school mark with a time of 1:54.14. The previous record of 1:55.98 was set 21 years ago. LFA hosted the ISL Track & Field Championships with the girls team placing fourth and the boys team finishing fifth overall. Sari Cheung ’26 won the long jump to lead the Caxys while numerous other athletes finished in the top three in their respective events. Matthew Sexton ’24 finished second in the 300m hurdles while Kate Delia ’25 placed second in the 400m dash and third in the 800m run. Cheung took third in the triple jump to go along with her long jump title with William Sun ’24 placing third in the discus, Gabi Stewart ’24 third in the shot put and Kendall Scales ’24 third in the 100m hurdles.
LFA Senior Signs
Professional Soccer Contract
Lake Forest Academy’s newest professional athlete travels to Dubai to begin his soccer career. In a festive ceremony on campus this spring, Franco Sovero ’24 made his professional soccer signing official with Gulf United FC. Gulf United FC plays in the UAE First Division League which is the second tier of football league competition in the United Arab Emirates and Sovero will join the club starting in August.
with 440 points from 214 goals and 226 assists in his NHL career.
DeBrincat Makes Second NHL All-Star Game Appearance
Detroit right winger and former Caxy Alex DeBrincat ’16 made his second appearance in the NHL All-Star Game as the National Hockey League’s brightest stars descended on Toronto for the game on Feb. 3. DeBrincat made his All-Star Game debut in 2022 while playing for the Chicago Blackhawks.
After playing at Lake Forest Academy, DeBrincat joined the Erie Otters in the Ontario Hockey League for three seasons before making his NHL debut with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2017. During his time with the Blackhawks, he made his first All-Star Game appearance while also becoming the second-youngest player in franchise history to score at least 40 goals in a season.
In July 2022, DeBrincat was traded to the Ottawa Senators where he played in 81 games during the 2022-23 season. After just one season with the Senators, DeBrincat returned home to Michigan when he was traded to the Red Wings in July 2023.
DeBrincat finished the 2023-24 season with 67 points on 27 goals and 40 assists over 82 games for Detroit. The Red Wings just missed the playoffs as they tied Washington by finishing the regular season with 91 points, but the Capitals held the tiebreaker for the final playoff spot with more regulation wins during the season.
Boys Soccer Head Coach Paul Makovec and Sovero.
DeBrincat has totaled 532 games
From the Archives
COMMENCEMENT
With the Class of 2024 marking the 167th graduation in the history of Lake Forest Academy, let’s take a look back at previous graduation ceremonies over the years at Ferry Hall and LFA. Graduation ceremonies have been held in a variety of locations over the years in and around the Lake Forest community.
Ferry Hall graduating Class of 1905 exits the First Presbyterian Church in Lake Forest.
The Ferry Hall Class of 1920 graduation.
The 1937 Ferry Hall graduation.
Reception following the graduation ceremony in 1937 at Lake Forest Academy.
A Lake Forest Academy graduation ceremony from the 1920s on the old campus.
A socially distanced graduation ceremony for the Lake Forest Academy Class of 2021.
LFA’s first graduation at the current campus in Reid Hall in 1948. Ferry Hall’s 1958 graduation in the Chapel.
LFA’s last graduation ceremony in 1974 before merger with Ferry Hall.
The final graduation ceremony at Ferry Hall in 1974 before merger with LFA.
The Class of 1982 graduated in Glore Memorial Gymnasium.
LFA faculty in their graduation regalia at a graduation ceremony in the 1990s.
The Class of 1996 celebrates graduation in Glore Memorial Gymasium.
The 2009 graduates enter the Formal Gardens for graduation ceremonies.
The Class of 2015 lined up in Reid Hall behind the Ferry Hall banner for procession into graduation.
Lake Forest Academy
Texas Alumni Gatherings
Jan. 22 and 24, 2024
Head of School Chris Tennyson P’27 and Dean of Advancement Garry Sloan traveled to Texas, gathering for dinner with Austin-area alumni, before meeting with Dallas-based alumni at the home of LFA alumna Lexi (Garschagen) Moore ’91 and her husband, Ken.
Trio of Florida Receptions
Feb. 13-15, 2024
Head of School Chris Tennyson P’27, along with Dean of Advancement Garry Sloan P’19, ’21 and Senior Director of Alumni Engagement & Philanthropy Ruth Keyso, traveled to Florida and attended the annual LFA and Ferry Hall alumni/ae reception in Ponte Vedra Beach at the home of Jean Royster Smiley ’56. The trio then went on to meet with alumni/ ae, parents, and trustees at receptions in North Palm Beach and Naples.
Women of Color Empowered Alumnae Panel
Feb. 27, 2024
Students in the Women of Color Empowered affinity group hosted an inaugural alumnae panel in LFA’s Little Theater on Feb. 27. This year’s alumnae panelists were Felicia Edwards Houston ’90, Alisha Bhutani Patel ’96, Willow Walker ’03, and Liz Peinado ’08. With the theme of “A Celebration of Unity and Power”, each panelist shared personal anecdotes about their time at LFA and life into adulthood and talked about overcoming obstacles and finding your own definition of success. They then answered questions from the audience about perseverance, authenticity, and how to be a supportive role model and community member.
Dallas Austin
Ponte Vedra Beach
North Palm Beach Naples
Josh Rothstein Young
Alumni-
Student Networking Night
Feb. 29, 2024
Marking its 10th anniversary, the networking night for students and young alumni was held at the Academy on Feb. 29. More than 80 LFA students were in attendance at the event, where they spent the evening meeting and hearing from 10 young alumni professionals. This event is a great opportunity for LFA students to forge lasting connections with alumni. Josh Rothstein ’05 was struck by a car and passed away during his sophomore year at LFA, and the networking night, named in his memory, honors his entrepreneurial spirit.
Ferry Hall Alumnae Luncheon
May 16, 2024
On May 16, a group of nearly two dozen Ferry Hall alumnae and friends, LFA staff, and Ferry Hall Prefect Gabi Stewart ’24 gathered in Chicago for a lunch hosted by alumna Lyssa Mashek Piette ’68
LFA Alumni Return to the Classroom
Several LFA alumni returned to the classroom throughout the year, sharing their experiences and advice with students in LFA’s entrepreneurship and journalism classes.
Students in entrepreneurship class, taught by Matt Vaughn P’27, had the chance to hear from alumni pursuing entrepreneurial and business endeavors. Each speaker shared individual stories about their personal and professional journeys since their time at LFA, as well as insight on the rewards and challenges of building a business. The following alumni joined the class as a guest speaker, either in person or via Zoom, in the spring semester:
• Johnna Gross ’03, CEO of Copperpeace
• Cecilia Lanyon ’06, co-founder of the Cotton Duck Hospitality Group
• Henry Cowie ’08, CFO of Swag Golf
• Andrew Silver ’08, founder and CEO of MoLo
• Brandon ’15 and Parker ’19 Amoroso, co-founders of Scalis
• Adam Wisco ’17, founder of Biggabed
Meanwhile, journalism students were joined by sports journalist Dick Quagliano ’75, who spoke about his longtime career in writing and his work as a local sports reporter, which started at LFA. Quagliano was recently honored in the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
The AP economics class enjoyed a visit from Trustee Jim Cowart ’69 as he spoke about his background and experiences of working in private capital.
Matt Vaughn P’27, Henry Cowie ’08
Matt Vaughn P’27, Andrew Silver ’08, Chris Tennyson P’27
Dick Quagliano ’75
Parker Amoroso ’19, Matt Vaughn P’27, Brandon Amoroso ’15
College Dinner Series
Indiana University
March 1-2, 2024
LFA Math Department Chair Paul Makovec and entrepreneurship teacher Matt Vaughn P’27 enjoy two events with several Caxysturned-Hoosiers. On March 1, (clockwise from left): JJ Alexos ’23, Emily Meyer ’14 (MBA student), and Alexandra Buric ’22 join them for dinner. On March 2, (clockwise from left) Maria Johnson ’21, Bella Martinez ’21, and Joanne Kang ’21 meet up with the two for breakfast.
Philadelphia
March 26, 2024
Caxys attending Villanova University, Haverford College, and University of Pennsylvania gather to enjoy dinner together. Clockwise from bottom left: Yutan Jin ’22, Michael Lentskevich ’20, Hongyi “Ailey” Fang ’18, Andrew Zengeler ’22, Senior Director of Alumni Engagement & Philanthropy Ruth Keyso, Hadley Fagan ’21, Shujing “Maggie” Zhou ’19, and Hannah Liu ’21
Washington University
Feb. 29, 2024
Current and former LFA faculty catch up with Caxys currently enrolled at the University of Washington in St. Louis. Clockwise from bottom left: Alejandro Quiroz ’23, Mariana Quiroz ’22, LFA Modern and Classical Languages Department Chair Marianela Gonzalez, Ben Kolontyrskiy ’22, Bradley Ma ’23, Brooke Farrell ’22, former LFA science teacher Debbie Witmer, Sophie Waimon ’20, and Gigi Taillon ’21
Trinity College Dublin
March 26, 2024
Dean of Advancement Garry Sloan P’19, ’21 takes the College Dinner Series abroad, as he visits Dublin, Ireland and meets up with Garrison Sloan ’21 and Lily Ainsley ’22
1947
Litta “Willie” Williams Sanderson writes that she is now in assisted living near her son and his family (her three grandchildren are grown and on their own). She is in a nice place, but misses her lovely place in Rossmoor with all of its activities and amenities. This old age thing is for the birds! Litta’s youngest granddaughter is now a second-grade teacher in Southern California and loves it. Litta enjoys her granddaughter’s great stories and the photos of her class. She says it’s wonderful to see her grandchildren as young adults; she is proud of all of them, and of her own three children. Litta is in touch with Mary “Lefty” Dailey ’46, who is also in assisted living in Sheridan, Wyo. To those in her class who are still around, she says, “Keep on truckin’!”
1950
Chuck MacNab writes: This is a photo taken of my “security guard” after I retired from 35 years of flying as a captain with TWA. These pups were outstanding in checking the aircraft prior to departure before loading the passengers. The photo was taken (several years ago) in Barcelona, Spain, as I went through on my way.
1963
Al Louer writes to report that he moved to Kennett Square, Pa., and that he is planning to marry Wendy Cooper. He and Wendy have been friends for 50 years, and stayed in touch throughout Al’s 42-year marriage to his late wife, Tessa. Wendy has held curatorial positions at
2000
Tina Massey ’00 on the Ladder of Kotor in Kotor, Montenegro.
Aaron Sierra ’00 in a chapel in Kotor, Montenegro taking a photo of a donkey.
Aaron Sierra writes that he spent November 2023 bouncing around the Balkans: Montenegro, Croatia, and Bosnia. He had been encouraged to visit Montenegro by a flight student while he was living in British Columbia pursuing a commercial helicopter license in the second half of 2022. It turned out that LFA classmate Tina Massey lives in Bosnia near the borders of Montenegro and Croatia. Aaron met up with Tina in the picturesque city where she teaches and mentors high school students at a small, upstart boarding school for Chinese nationals. He writes that it was nice to see her for an extended time. Seeing the tight-knit relationships among the faculty, staff, students, and neighbors reminded him of his time as a boarding student at LFA. In August 2023, Aaron complemented his Canadian pilot license with an American commercial certificate. He currently designs electronics for commercialization and still lives in Madison, Wis.
the Brooklyn Museum, The Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Colonial Williamsburg, and the Baltimore Museum of Art. Wendy retired as a senior curator at the Henry Francis DuPont Winterthur Museum in Delaware, where she was curator of furniture for the most comprehensive collection of American decorative arts. As two former museum types, they have many friends and much else in common.
1966
Louise Hamilton Short retired in late 2023. Her daughter, Katie, lives in Tulsa with her husband and works for Charles Schwab; her son, Ryan, lives in London and serves on the Board of Governors of the London Business School. He has also taken over managing many of her former clients. Louise traveled to London in May 2024 to attend her grandson’s sixth birthday. She also went to Venice for a cruise down the Dalmatian Coast and ended up in Greece. She looks forward to enjoying retirement!
1978
Mark Childers will be attending his 22nd MLB All-Star game this summer when he attends the 94th All-Star game in Arlington, Texas, home of the 2023 World Series Champion Texas Rangers on Tuesday, July 16, 2024.
1979
Suzanne Rowe writes that Rachael Sokolowski and Jennifer Cohen Shneiderman visited her in Lake Oswego, Ore., in June 2023. They had a fabulous time enjoying a great hike and delicious food.
(l to r): Rachael Sokolowski ’79, Jennifer Cohen Shneiderman ’79, Suzanne Rowe ’79.
1990
Jason Delane Lee is the co-CEO of the Lagralane Group, a film finance and development company, and is also a founding member and artistic associate at Lower Depth Theatre, a non-profit theater arts organization, both based out of Los Angeles. Jason writes: “For Lagralane, one of our recent short films, Lisa Cole’s “Bienvenidos a Los Ángeles,” was 2024 Oscar shortlisted - meaning it was one of the final 15 short films chosen for its category
(continued
1990
Jason Delane Lee (continued) this year. While we didn’t secure one of the five Oscar noms for its category, we are extremely proud of the acknowledgement. Our film finance and narrative development portfolio now consists of EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony) winning projects as well as up-to-the-date Oscar-caliber work. This, combined with our work in the theater with our non-profit, Lower Depth, shows me and my team’s commitment to Story in these multi-media spaces.” For Lower Depth, Jason began 2024 by initiating and performing in a staged reading of Lolita Chakrabarti’s play “HYMN” at A Noise Within theater in Pasadena and has several other projects “in various stages of development” for 2024 and beyond. Jason lives in Studio City, Calif., with his wife, Yvonne, and their three kids, Grace, Maya, and Maximo.
2000
Dennericka Brooks was recently named Managing Director at Legal Aid Chicago. She has been working at Legal Aid for 16 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Grinnell College and a law degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, where she also serves as parttime faculty. Dennericka is also a lecturer in law at the University of Chicago School of Law and a faculty member for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy.
2001
Dr. Hussein Musa, a board-certified physician in Anesthesiology, Pain Medicine, and Addiction Medicine, writes that he recently founded The Kingdom Healthcare System, a faith-based healthcare organization. It has grown from a humble clinic to a movement reshaping healthcare. Hussein has grown this venture from community health fairs to a free clinic on San Antonio’s South Side. Hussein shares his gratitude to LFA for igniting in him a desire to serve the community. “It was through the kind-hearted generosity and financial backing of the alumni and LFA that my brother and I were blessed with the opportunity to attend such an exceptional school. This experience has instilled in me a deep sense of giving back. The investment LFA made in my life is now a beacon of hope, empowering me to bring transformative change to healthcare in medically underserved communities.” Hussein invites you to learn more about Kingdom Healthcare System at: https://www.kingdom-hcs.org/.
2003
Jonathan Hu moved to London where he works in the financial industry at Canary Wharf.
2005
Julian Haines, his brother, Justin ’07, and classmate Scott Minarcik ’07, along with former work pals from Coyote Logistics, Joel Gard and Shawn McCloud, visited the LFA campus and ice rink during Thanksgiving break.
Molly Nitka and Bruce Osborn were married on Aug. 26, 2023, in Park City, Utah, at the home of the bride’s parents, Hilary and Ben Nitka P’00, ’05. Molly’s sister, Katie ’00, was the matron of honor. The couple live in Denver with their dog, Tater.
2007
Megan Gallagher Gosselin and her husband, Shaun, welcomed baby Tucker in October 2023. Tucker joined his three older sisters and is surely spoiled by them. He is quite a smiley baby!
2012
Spencer Friske qualified for the USA Olympic Team Trials for the marathon, which was held in Orlando, Fla., in February 2024.
2007
Jaime Hermosillo got married on March 16, 2024 to Rosalia Lugo at St. Mary of the Angels Church in Chicago. The wedding was attended by fellow Caxys Hope Gomez-Peck ’09, Daziah Merideth ’07, and Ron Sutton ’08
Scott Fuller and his wife, Naomi, celebrated their one year wedding anniversary in June 2024. The couple lives in San Diego.
(l to r): Hope Gomez-Peck ’09, Jamie Hermosillo ’07, Daziah Merideth ’07, Ron Sutton ’08.
(l to r): Scott Minarcik ’07, Justin Haines ’07, Joel Gard, Julian Haines ’05, Shawn McCloud.
2013
Tyszka and
were married in Chicago on Nov. 4, 2023.
Alli Hostetler married Brett Dolan on June 11, 2023, at an Italian-inspired vineyard in Sonoma, Calif. Among the family and friends in attendance: LFA alumnae Dani Mendoza ’13, maid of honor, and Chinara Hill ’14, bridesmaid.
2017
Nick Lin sang his first Messiah as a soloist with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra on Dec. 8, 9, and 10 at the Bradley Symphony Center. Nick is a graduate of Northwestern University’s voice and opera program. He would like to thank LFA faculty members Tim and Peg Plambeck P’21, ’23 for helping him cultivate his love for music.
Alumni Advisory Board member Peter Corsiglia addressed newly inducted members of LFA's Cum Laude Society on May 30 during a ceremony in Reid Hall. A former Cum Laude Society inductee and the recipient of multiple academic awards during his time as a student at LFA, Corsiglia shared advice with today's students about navigating college and finding meaning and success both in and out of the classroom.
2019
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduate student and assistant captain MJ Alexander helped the women’s ice hockey team to a 6-1 win over Assumption with three assists at a home game on Nov. 25, 2023. She played in 116 career games for the Engineers with 12 assists.
Carrington Newsome was accepted into dental school at Southern Illinois University. She is a 2023 graduate of Wake Forest University.
2020
Caxys Anna Schilling and Alex Zhou graduated from Duke University in May 2024. Anna majored in public policy and will be working in the executive search space at Russell Reynolds in Dallas. Alex studied computer science and public policy and has accepted a consulting role at Bain & Co. in San Francisco.
2021
Lizzie Dozois is the president of the Northwestern University club crew team. In late May, she was the coxswain for the women’s varsity 8 boat that won the bronze medal at the American Collegiate Rowing Association (ACRA) National Championships in Oak Ridge, Tenn. This was the highest-ever ACRA finish for the Northwestern club crew team.
2023
On Feb. 5, Cameron Fink spoke to students at Lake Forest Country Day School about entrepreneurship and the beauty of making mistakes and learning to pivot. He also mentored Upper School Design Challenge Students. Cam is a self-taught programmer and co-founder, along with classmate Ned Koh, of Elda, a platform that accelerates clinical research operations using AI. Lake Forest Academy
Izabela
Zachary Taylor
Caxys in the wedding party included Kalina Gajda and Dani Mendoza (third and fourth from left).
History teacher Chris Dozois ’84, P’17, ’21 used funds from the Dr. John and Mrs. Loring Strudwick Endowed Chair and traveled to southwestern Colorado to study Native American archeological sites in June. The highlight for Dozois was exploring the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park and Chimney Rock National Monument.
Academic Office Manager/AP Coordinator Leslie Gomez graduated from the University of Southern California with a master’s degree in social work on May 10, 2024.
Science teacher Kevin Hagen and his wife, Kari, announce the birth of their daughter, Linnea, in January. Linnea joins big brothers Owen and William. In other news, Kevin led students on his AP Environmental Science curricular spring break trip to Olympic National Park in Washington.
Math teacher Ardelle Hagar P’21, ’24 will travel to Japan this summer on a Mints Grant to study mathematics through the tradition of sangaku pilgrimage. Until the early 20th century, many temples throughout Japan kept the tradition of sangaku, Japanese temple geometry, by hanging math problems on beautifully illustrated tablets in the temple grounds for visitors to solve. There are approximately 200 original tablets remaining; some of these are still preserved in the original temple complexes. Ardelle will trace a path through a number of temples and museums that house original sangaku, solving as many as she can along the way. Many of the problems are geometric in nature, but some also use topics no longer taught at the high school or university level. Some are problems she could use with LFA students, and some take years to solve. A version of calculus that developed independently during Japan’s period of isolation is also represented in the sangaku. Many of the problems require creativity or unusual ways of solving, all skills our math students could use. Personally, the walk would offer time for reflection and time dedicated to solving unusual math problems. It would be the beginning of a goal Ardelle first started considering when she lived in Japan, and it would allow her to study the Japanese language again.
LFA English teacher and Director of Journalism Mandy Krause was hired this spring as a Teaching Fellow for Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE). This summer, she will be
While on a LFA spring break trip to the United Kingdom, English teacher
Lydia Wells and LFA Archivist and Library Director
Rita Schulien MacAyeal ’87 were able to meet up with alumnus Montgomery Gold ’23 in Scotland.
LFA visual art instructor Lauren Fowler is now represented by the Corning Museum of Glass. Her work is featured by the museum this summer. At LFA, Fowler teaches Glass, Ceramics 1, 2D Studio, and Advanced Studio. She is an internationally recognized artist whose work is in many private and public collections. She has worked on projects for The Walt Disney Company, Toledo Museum of Art, Hilton Worldwide, OwensIllinois, and many others. Fowler is now represented by the Corning Museum of Glass, Sandra Ainsley Gallery in Toronto, and the Toledo Museum of Art.
teaching, facilitating, leading sections, curricular planning, holding office hours, offering feedback, and grading for the required class “How People Learn” (HPL), a course that all incoming graduate students must take when entering HGSE, regardless of what program they’re in or whether they’ll be on-campus or remote. This position requires community building and supporting students transitioning into graduate school at Harvard, including but not limited to BIPOC, neuro-diverse, international, and underrepresented populations.
Math department chair and holder of the Ainsworth Chair in Mathematics Paul Makovec attended NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) in Washington, D.C., in October 2023. He and colleague Dr. Mike Hall are writing the curriculum for AP Precalculus; this is the first year this course (and the AP exam) are being offered nationwide. During spring break Paul traveled to Japan and visited two schools to learn about math curricula. He also learned about similarities and differences in how math courses are traditionally taught in Tokyo relative to traditional American schools. He also traveled to Southern California, where he visited two boarding schools and examined course sequencing, placement, and assessment.
School nurse Shavon Conkle P’26 had a baby boy in November 2023, Jaden.
Lydia Wells (left) and Rita Schulien MacAyeal ’87 with Montgomery Gold ’23.
The Academy has learned about the passing of the following alumni/ae. May they rest in peace. This listing includes those alumni/ ae whose notices of death were received between Nov. 1, 2023 and May 31, 2024.
1938
Barbara Glew Haythorn Oct. 23, 2023
1940
Rachel MacHatton Carlton
Jan. 18, 2024
Mary Smith Wingate Jan. 11, 2017
1943
Louise Young Wilson Oct. 22, 2023
1944
Harriet Bissell Haspell Feb. 23, 2024
Jane L. Stafford Gordon Jan. 23, 2015
1945
Connie Morell Curtis Feb. 6, 2016
1946
Robert “Bob” Morris Jones May 1, 2024
1947
John E. “Jack” Lohnes Feb. 21, 2023
Rose Byrne Madden Jan. 16, 2024
Dr. William R. “Bill” Myers Oct. 6, 2022
Hiram M. Nowlan Nov. 14, 2023
1949
Kenneth S. Anderson
Sept. 21, 2021
Martin B. “Augie” August Jan. 6, 2015
Frances Wakeman Parker Nov. 7, 2023
Donna Louise Jeck Robinson April 28, 2018
Mitchell F. Smith Sept. 23, 2023
1950
Jessica Mark Bennett
Jan. 7, 2021
Michael O. Dean Feb. 3, 2019
James S. Lewis Aug. 13, 2023
H. Curtis White March 20, 2021
1951
Roberta “Bobbie” McKay Bruecker Jan. 10, 2023
Judith Anne Flansburg Burton March 28, 2024
John R. Howland, Jr. May 2, 2024
Thomas H. Oliver Aug. 31, 2023
1952
Carol Crissey Hill London May 20, 2021
Cherry Sadler Wagner Feb. 1, 2023
1954
John L. Haas Aug. 30, 2023
Donald C. Trieschmann March 7, 2024
1956
Raymond Woo-Hyung Kim April 8, 2024
1957
Jeanette “Jenny” Cullinane Kinsella March 19, 2024
Saundra Gordon Neiman March 5, 2021
1958
Luisa Vos Andrae Dec. 17, 2023
1959
Penn B. Cobb
Jan. 30, 2024
1960
Lynn Hellyer Mathias
April 25, 2024
JoAnne Hoellerich Siebel
Jan. 8, 2024
1961
Dean L. Conrad
March 24, 2024
Kenneth R. Hanson Nov. 28, 2023
1962
Suzanne Elizabeth Schnacke
May 13, 2024
John Stravinsky Nov. 1, 2023
1966
Elizabeth “Betty” Smith Boston Dec. 2, 2023
1967
Donald R. “Chip” Bell Dec.18, 2023
Karl John Peterson Jan. 3, 2024
1969
Katharine “Kate” Kramer Cava Oct.15, 2020
Virginia Pierce Izbicki Dec. 6, 2023
1970
Robert “Doc” Adelman March 24, 2024
Katherine R. “Kathy” Vissman Nov. 17, 2023
1978
David J. Allabastro Feb. 12, 2024
1980
Carol Beran Ueltschi Nov. 11, 2017
1994
Shani T. Mott
March 12, 2024
Former Faculty
Alisha Betancourt Mullen
May 6, 2024
Caxy Legacy Challenge
Closes December 31, 2024
Lake Forest Academy will conclude the Caxy Legacy Challenge (CLC) on Dec. 31, 2024. Time is winding down, though donors may still take advantage of the CLC through the end of this year with more than $80,000 still available in the challenge pool. New estate gift commitments or existing commitments not previously documented with the school are eligible, including commitments from wills, living trusts, and charitable trusts. Commitments of $50,000 or more unlock 10% of the gift’s face value to a maximum of $10,000. Challenge pool funds may be directed to an existing endowment fund of the donor’s choosing.
Launched in December 2021 as part of LFA’s Inspire & Invest Initiative, the CLC was made possible by gifts from alumna Sheri Kersch Schultz ’72 of Seattle and alumnus David Gupta ’81 of Chicago.
“The CLC was intended to provide individuals with an opportunity to see an immediate impact from a gift benefiting LFA through their estate,” said LFA Dean of Advancement Garry Sloan P’19, ’21. "It strengthens our ability to provide student scholarships, support
faculty development, and enhance our educational programs.”
To date, the CLC has accounted for 14 new estate gifts valued at more than $12 million, highlighting the immense impact of this initiative on LFA’s future. These generous commitments will significantly contribute to the school’s long-term sustainability and enable LFA to continue providing exceptional educational opportunities.
The CLC represents continued investment in LFA's endowment, which is now valued at more than $66 million. Endowment growth in recent years has been strong, but a school of LFA’s size, operational breadth, and program expanse needs a substantially larger endowment to remain competitive with
other independent schools. Growing the endowment to three times the operating budget of $29 million will position LFA well for its future, offering deserving students with financial need access to scholarships while attracting and retaining first-rate faculty.
CLC commitments must be documented via an LFA Bequest Intention Notification (BIN) form and/or a copy of the page of the donor’s will, living trust, or charitable trust pertaining to the gift benefiting LFA. Additionally, all CLC participants will gain membership to the Richards & Tremain Society— a recognition organization for members of the Lake Forest Academy/Ferry Hall community who have included the school in their estate plans.
To document your gift and claim your CLC challenge funds by Dec. 31, 2024, contact: Beth Bentley Director of Individual Philanthropy e: bbentley@lfanet.org p: (847) 615-3204
Athletic Center Expansion
Since June 2023, construction of the athletic center expansion has transformed the athletic footprint of Lake Forest Academy. The 45,000-square-foot project remains on schedule to open at the start of the 2024-25 school year with the finishing touches being completed this summer. This facility will double the indoor space for athletics, fitness, and recreation for the LFA community.
Gifts to the athletic center expansion project are still being accepted. For information about naming opportunities, please contact Dean of Advancement Garry Sloan P’19, ’21 at gsloan@lfanet.org or 847-615-3287.
