may lead to disappointment but remember, it may also
free time (it is considered cool) and even the Head
lead to new opportunities and new thinking.
of School is cheered for performing in a tutu in the
Don’t be afraid.
Dance Showcase. We have a yoga club, a safe space club and a knitting club. Those are cool too. We had a
As Conan also said, “The beauty is that through
Hawaiian “luau” this year in the boathouse—cool! We
disappointment you can gain clarity, and with clarity
jump into the lake at the end of our exams, we spend
comes conviction and true originality.”
five hours on the Bob Armstrong Rink in the middle of the freezing cold winter, we go dog-sledding and
For me this is what Lakefield College School is all about
sleep in quinzees—cool. We nickname our school
—being yourself and being confident about what you
‘Camp Lakefield’ in the spring and love spending days
have to offer—your conviction, your enthusiasm.
at the waterfront with our friends. Cool. We are proud
When you first walked through the red door of LCS one, two, three or more years ago, you were nervous. You would have been asking yourself questions such as, ‘Will I fit in?’ ‘Will I have friends?’ And, ‘Where are my classes?’ From my observations, now having welcomed more than 300 new students to LCS, these questions quickly dissolve. Our students very quickly gain comfort in the surroundings and the homey and caring community we endeavour to create for all. We celebrate being unique, being different and being confident in our differences. It is one of the qualities that really appealed to me about LCS—students in Grade 12 are friends with students in Grade 9 and vice versa. Hockey players are celebrated for being in the spring play, reading a book or playing chess during
to have a terrapin named as our school mascot and look forward to cheering “Run Fast Terrapins” to next year’s cross country track team. We are quirky. We are original. We are different and we like that. We have gained clarity about what makes LCS special and with this clarity, comes conviction and originality. As you walk through the red door for the final time this afternoon, I hope you leave with these words in your minds. Be open minded to opportunities that present themselves. Be open-minded to failure. Be confident in your conviction and most important in your uniqueness. Go through the red door for the final time and knock it out of the park. I look forward to welcoming you back in the future and hearing all about it. My very best wishes to you all.
Grove News Summer/Fall 2015 | iii