The Ted Groom Memorial Scholarship

Ten Years of Honoring a Legacy

By Daryl Hitchcock, former LAS faculty

Each spring the Ted Groom Memorial Scholarship is awarded to a rising 12th grade student who best exemplifies Ted’s love of the outdoors, spirit of adventure, commitment to service, and enthusiastic pursuit of knowledge.

Ted Groom was a social studies teacher who arrived at LAS in 2004. As we approach the tenth anniversary of his death and the foundation of this scholarship, it seems a timely moment to reflect on Ted’s impact on the LAS community, the creation of the scholarship, and the enduring legacy of his memory the scholarship has ensured.

Ted Groom at LAS

Ted Groom quickly became a fixture in the community when he arrived at LAS. Leysin was Ted’s first experience living in an alpine region and he threw himself enthusiastically into the beautiful environment around him. Already an avid hiker, he quickly became a fearless skier, unafraid to hurtle himself down any slope he could find.

A great lover of history, Ted taught students in his classes how to think and write critically and analytically. As a dorm head (first in Esplanade and later in Belle Époque), he was a fierce advocate for student success, even when the students may not have believed in themselves. In fact, Ted was a champion of any student who had the good fortune to cross his path. But his advocacy came with a caveat: he expected every student to not passively receive his support, but to actively participate fully in their own personal growth.

Ted believed in everyone and was known for encouraging students to achieve things they had not even begun to imagine for themselves. That doesn’t mean he was always easy—Ted was as tough as he was caring. He used his tough love approach with his colleagues and administrators as well, and all of us who knew him were challenged to be better at everything we did.

But ultimately, to know Ted was to love him. Behind his sometimes-gruff exterior, his true colors shone through and there lay the heart of a giant who led the way for a generation of LAS students.

The Ted Groom Memorial Scholarship

Ted died in February of 2013 after a short but valiant fight with a rare form of cancer. In order to ensure that Ted’s memory would endure, the Ted Groom Memorial Scholarship was created.

Originally, our hope was to raise enough funds to keep the scholarship going for five years. But in an outpouring of support, students, alumni, faculty and Ted’s family all gave generously and we quickly exceeded our initial hopes; the scholarship is still given annually today, ten years after its founding.

The recipients of the Ted Groom Memorial Scholarship represent many of the very finest students who have attended LAS over the last decade and each of them contributes to Ted’s enduring legacy through their hard work and contributions to achieve success. He would be very proud of you all, of this I am certain.

Ted Groom Memorial Scholarship Recipients:

2014-2015 – HEORHIY MARCHENKO

2015-2016 – ALLISON FISHER

2016-2017 – WEN QI GAN

2017-2018 – ZAIKANG LIN

2018-2019 – ANNA ESTAÑOL GARCIA

2019-2020 – BENOIT DUBOSSON

2020-2021 – DARIIA PANASENKO

2021-2022 – ELINOR WIRTH

2022-2023 – ADAM SZYSZKA

2022-2023 Ted Groom Memorial Scholarship Recipient Adam Szyszka ’23

By Mike Brinkmeyer,

Athletic Director

As the 2022-2023 recipient, Adam Szyszka ’23 embodies the spirit of the Ted Groom Memorial Scholarship. During his two years at LAS, he has taken advantage of all that the school has to offer and has matured into a leader in many areas of school life.

Adam has a real love for the outdoors and has been very active in both the Alpine Institute and the International Award programs. He earned his Silver International Award in October 2022, and he has attended many trips in which he has been a team player and a skilled leader. An avid skier, he is also one of the first on the mountain and last off every LAS ski afternoon!

A big part of the LAS experience is life in the dormitory, and Adam is a leader in that domain as well. Selected to be a senior proctor in the Belle Époque Central dormitory, Adam helps the dorm staff plan events and run the dorm store.

As a student athlete, Adam has distinguished himself on both the football and volleyball teams. He has worked hard to develop his skills in both sports. His work ethic and positive attitude have impressed his coaches and teammates over the years. Adam leads by example and is always willing to go the extra mile for his team.

Beyond the accomplishments mentioned above, Adam (below, holding the trophy) is a friend to many on campus here at LAS. His adventurous spirit, compassionate nature, and open-mindedness make Adam a real example of what we strive to cultivate in all our students.