Review
The Magazine of Lake Forest Academy and Ferry Hall
Head of School
Tom Johnson
Main Editors
Greg Greenwell P’25, ’29
Emmy Schwerdt
Alex Stevenson
Design
Margaret Galeano
Photography
David Atas
Ruth Keyso
George Pfoertner
Emmy Schwerdt
Alex Stevenson
Contributors
Beth Bentley
Courtney Ciampi
Greg Greenwell P’25, ’29
Tom Johnson
Ruth Keyso
Rita Schulien MacAyeal ’87
Christine Ryder P’15, ’17 Emmy Schwerdt
Printing
Vogue Printers
Admission Of fi ce 847-615-3267 admission@lfanet.org
Alumni Engagement Of fi ce 847-615-3268 advancement@lfanet.org
Marketing & Communications Of fi ce 847-615-3284 comms@lfanet.org
Parent Relations Of fi ce 847-615-3238 advancement@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 Engagement Of fi ce, 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, and the content is current as of June 20, 2025. 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. ©2025, 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.
ALUMNI PROFILE
One year at LFA for Mike Leonard ’66 (pictured with Jane Pauley) set up a lifetime of experiences around the world.
YOUNG ALUMNI EVENTS
Creating lasting connections between alumni and students.
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.
2025-26 Board of Trustees
Jessica P. Douglas ’96 Chair
John Marlatt ’65
Vice Chair
Eric Brown ’98
Treasurer
Karen Fink P’22, ’23
Secretary
Jim C. Cowart ’69
Member At Large
Elizabeth Alicea ’98
Todd E. Altounian ’86
Bruce W. Anderson ’70, P’97, LT’13
Molly Pearson ’04
Katie Frekko P’21, ’24, ’27
David Gupta ’81
Gloria W. Harper P’93
Tom Hodgkins ’85
Suzanne Isenberg ’83
Duane C. Jackson ’01
Ned Jessen P’01, ’05, LT’08
Scott W. Kaeser ’96
Allan M. Kaplan ’72, P’03, LT’04
Edward Kovas P’21
Margeaux McReynolds ’02
Scott Meloun ’77
Dr. Bancroft O’Quinn, Jr. ’72
Leslie Rosen P’25, ’25, ’27, ’27
Emily Sammon ’91
Frederick Waddell ’01
Thomas S. Wood ’78, P’23, ’24
Xiong Yin P’23
Lake Forest Academy Names Tom Johnson Head of School
Following a global search, Lake Forest Academy’s Board of Trustees and the Head of School Search Committee are excited to announce the appointment of Tom Johnson as the 32nd Head of School. Johnson served as Interim Head of School during the 2024-25 academic year and brings nearly three decades of experience at boarding/day schools as a student, faculty member, and administrator including the last eight years at LFA.
“On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the Head of School Search Committee we are thrilled to welcome Tom Johnson as our next Head of School,” said LFA Board of Trustees Chair Jessica Douglas ’96. “Throughout this highly-competitive search process led by our consultants Carney Sandoe & Associates, Tom’s plan and vision for the future of the Academy stood above the rest of the field. The input and feedback from across the LFA community proved to be invaluable and we are grateful for the participation from our faculty, staff, parents, alumni, and parents of alumni during this process.”
Since 2017, Johnson has served as LFA’s Dean of Faculty before assuming the Interim Head of School role prior to the start of the 2024-25 academic year. He has also taught in the History and Social Sciences department, served as a residential faculty member, and coached girls basketball and boys swimming. Prior to LFA, he spent 17 years at The Hill School in Philadelphia first as Director of Student Activities and then Dean of Faculty while also teaching a variety of courses as an Instructor of History.
“I came to Lake Forest Academy in 2017 because I was attracted to the talented student body, the dedicated faculty and staff, the global makeup of the school, and the close community that exists here,” said Johnson. “My affection for LFA has grown
with each successive year, and I am proud to call this school home for me and my family. LFA has built an outstanding reputation in the boarding school world, and it has been a great privilege to get to know the school’s alumni and families, and hear each of their stories of how the school has transformed their lives. I am honored to lead the school into its next phase as a hallmark of global education, and extremely grateful for this opportunity.”
Johnson is a 2000 graduate of Princeton University and earned his graduate degree in Educational Leadership from Villanova University in 2005. Prior to Princeton, he gained his first boarding school experience as a student at Deerfield Academy.
A diverse nine-member search committee was created to lead the process supported by one of the leading search consultants in the educational field, Carney Sandoe & Associates. The committee was made up of seven trustees as well as two invaluable members
representing LFA’s faculty, administration, and staff.
The Committee consisted of the following members:
• Bruce Anderson ’70: HOS Search Committee Co-Chair, Trustee, Past Parent
• Tameka Carter-Richardson: LFA Modern & Classical Languages and Global Concentration Teacher
• Jessica Douglas ’96: Trustee (Board Chair)
• Ned Jessen P’01, ’05: Trustee, Past Parent
• Ted Kovas P’21: Trustee, Past Parent
• John Marlatt ’65: Trustee (Vice Chair)
• Margeaux McReynolds ’02: HOS Search Committee Co-Chair, Trustee
• Leslie Rosen P’25, ’25, ’27, ’27: Trustee, Current Parent
• Ben Wetherbee: LFA Associate Dean of College Counseling
Head of School Letter
Dear LFA Community,
Hello, and warm greetings from Lake Forest Academy. While many in the LFA community have gotten to know me over the past eight years, I wanted to introduce myself to those who I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting. My boarding school career began in 1992 when I attended Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts as a four-year boarding student. My years at Deerfield were transformative for me as a student, an athlete, a leader in the student body, and in developing my passion for boarding school education. Following Deerfield, I attended Princeton University where I majored in Politics, and participated in intercollegiate athletics in water polo, basketball, and football. Deerfield and Princeton surrounded me with talented, interesting people from around the world.
Upon graduation, I began teaching at The Hill School just outside of Philadelphia, Pa., where I started as the Director of Student Activities and taught Economics in addition to coaching water polo and basketball. While there, I earned my Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Villanova University. I also met my wife, Leigh Morrison, who was a Religious Studies Teacher who focused primarily on teaching World Religions. During the middle of my time at The Hill School I transitioned into full-time classroom teaching, focusing on World History and U.S. History. In 2011, I was appointed by the Head of School as the Dean of Faculty, a role in which I served for my final six years at The Hill School, while also teaching AP Economics. Our daughter, Harper, was born in 2012 and has spent her entire childhood on boarding school campuses.
In 2017, I was hired by Head of School John Strudwick P’13, ’15, ’18 to become LFA’s Dean of Faculty. I was drawn to Lake Forest Academy because of its global makeup and worldview, its talented and dedicated faculty and staff, and its impressive student body. I proudly served as Dean of Faculty from 2017-2024, a role in which I managed faculty workload and assignments, hiring and retention efforts, campus housing, professional development, oversaw academic department chairs, and worked hard to bring in talented and diverse faculty to LFA to support our student experience. I have also taught in the History and Social Sciences department, coached girls basketball and boys swimming, and served as a residential faculty member. Leigh began at LFA in the summer of 2023 as a Learning Resource Specialist and Harper is heading into eighth grade at Deer Path Middle School this fall.
I began my term as Interim Head of School in July 2024, and have worked hard over the past year to learn this new role and engage with all members of the LFA constituency. I believe strongly in the experience that LFA offers to young people, and am proud to carry on that great tradition. In accepting the Head of School role, I am excited to make some structural changes to our administration to best serve the school. With much of my time needing to be spent engaging with parents, alumni, and other members of the LFA constituency, I plan to make an external hire for an Associate Head of School that will be responsible for managing the day-to-day internal operations of the student experience. In this position, I am looking for an experienced school leader that can work in partnership with me, build consensus, and strengthen the systems that we have in place at LFA. While we will post this position this summer, we will be patient to make sure that we identify a great candidate for this role.
In my first year as Head of School, I am looking forward to supporting our talented teachers, engaging meaningfully with our students, and getting out to meet even more members of our community. Keep your eyes out for our 2025-2026 events calendar as we would love to see you at one or more of our events this year.
Sincerely,
Tom Johnson Head of School
Celebrating the Class of 2025
A Bittersweet Farewell to a Remarkable Group
Asun-splashed afternoon in the Formal Gardens provided a memorable graduation for the Lake Forest Academy’s Class of 2025 that honored 117 graduates and the newest members of LFA’s alumni community.
“If there’s one thing I’ve truly come to understand during our time here is the value of community. Our class has a way of showing up for one another and working together that has made me feel part of a strong, tight knit family that supports and uplifts each other,” said senior class president Greg Parbey ’25. “Surround yourself with a strong community, smile often, and never be afraid to speak your truth. The world needs your joy and your passion and your voice. We’ve already proven that we can accomplish it together. Now go out there and show that we can do it apart (from each other).”
LFA’s faculty and staff led the traditional processional out of the doors of Reid Hall and into the Formal Gardens, followed by the graduates to the tune of “Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1.”
After a welcome from Interim Head of School Tom Johnson, the graduation address was delivered by former Head of School and Mathematics Teacher Chris
Tennyson P’27, followed by Parbey, who both provided advice for the Academy’s newest group of alums. As the class advisors, Assistant Dean of College Counseling Keily Pacheco and English Teacher David Scarisbrick announced individual graduates, who were presented their diplomas by Board of Trustees Chair Jessica Douglas ’96
“This senior class is a remarkable group and it has been a pleasure getting to know all of you over the past four years,” said Johnson. “You have made a conscious effort to care for each other and to look out for each other and these traits have built a strong community culture here at LFA.”
Johnson posed the question of “What does it mean to be globally minded?” and emphasized how these graduates have experienced so much already with travels around the world and on a daily basis with LFA’s close-knit community that features students from around the globe.
“You are important to the world right because you are bridge builders,” continued Johnson. “As you head to college and out into the world, I encourage you to be a bridge builder and I feel a great sense of comfort knowing that you can do it.”
“As you find your footing and land hopefully safely and happily, I challenge you to shift the mindset from what’s in it for me to what’s in it for us,” added Tennyson. “In a time when individual gain is often put well above the collective
good, you have the power and the responsibility to lead differently. True progress comes not when we seek only our own success, but when we lift others as we rise. So whether it’s in your workplace, your community, or even in everyday conversations, choose to be the one who asks how your actions can serve something greater than yourself. That shift, I promise, can change not just your life but the world around you.”
Congratulations to the 117 graduates in the Class of 2025 who are set to travel to 21 different states, Washington, D.C., and four countries to attend college at 75 different institutions. LFA will be represented across the United States and around the world in Canada, Italy, Netherlands, and Scotland.
Class of 2025 Matriculation
Amsterdam University College
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Arizona State University
Tempe, Ariz.
Augustana College
Rock Island, Ill.
Barnard College
New York, N.Y.
Bates College (2)
Lewiston, Maine
Bocconi University
Milan, Italy
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Boston University (2) Boston, Mass.
Brandeis University Waltham, Mass.
Canisius University Buffalo, N.Y.
Case Western Reserve University (2) Cleveland, Ohio
Chapman University Orange, Calif.
College of Charleston Charleston, S.C.
College of the Holy Cross Worcester, Mass.
Columbia University
New York, N.Y.
Cornell University
Ithaca, N.Y.
Dartmouth College Hanover, N.H.
Denison University
Granville, Ohio
Emory University
Atlanta, Ga.
Felician University
Rutherford, N.J.
George Washington University (2) Washington, D.C.
Georgetown University
Washington, D.C.
Harvard University
Cambridge, Mass.
Illinois State University
Normal, Ill.
Indiana University (3)
Bloomington, Ind.
Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, Md.
Lafayette College Easton, Pa.
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, Ill.
Lehigh University (2) Bethlehem, Pa.
Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, Calif.
Loyola University Chicago Chicago, Ill.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2) Cambridge, Mass.
Miami University Oxford, Ohio
Minerva University
San Francisco, Calif.
Muhlenberg College Allentown, Pa.
New York University (5)
New York, N.Y.
Northeastern University (5) Boston, Mass.
Northwestern University (4) Evanston, Ill.
Parsons School of Design
New York, N.Y.
Penn State University
University Park, Pa.
Pitzer College
Claremont, Calif.
Purdue University (2)
West Lafayette, Ind.
Queen’s University Kingston, Ont.
Rhodes College
Memphis, Tenn.
Rutgers University
New Brunswick, N.J.
St. John Fisher University Rochester, N.Y.
School of the Art Institute of Chicago Chicago, Ill.
Southern Methodist University (2) Dallas, Texas
Stonehill College Easton, Mass.
Syracuse University Syracuse, N.Y.
Texas Christian University Fort Worth, Texas
Tufts University Medford, Mass.
Tulane University
New Orleans, La.
University of Alberta Edmonton, Alta.
University of British Columbia Vancouver, B.C.
University of California, Davis (3) Davis, Calif.
University of California, Irvine Irvine, Calif.
University of California,
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, Calif.
University of Chicago Chicago, Ill.
University of Illinois Chicago (2) Chicago, Ill.
University of Illinois
Urbana-Champaign (6)
Urbana-Champaign, Ill.
University of Miami
Coral Gables, Fla.
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Mich.
University of Missouri
Columbia, Mo.
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Ind.
University of Pennsylvania (2) Philadelphia, Pa.
University of Richmond Richmond, Va.
University of St. Andrews (2)
St. Andrews, Scotland
University of Southern California (5)
Los Angeles, Calif.
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tenn.
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Villanova University
Villanova, Pa.
Washington University in St. Louis (3)
St. Louis, Mo.
Western University
London, Ont.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, Mass. *all
2024-2025 Academic Departmental Honors
The final All-School Meeting of the 2024-25 academic year featued 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, Mathematics, Modern and Classic Languages, and Science.
English
Senior English Award: Senikha Shimshir ’25 and Yiwen Lu ’25
Golden Pen Award: Dayla Rosen ’25 and Saige Chaseley ’25
Niswender Prize: Austin Ewing ’26
Spectator Award: Chloe Jhin ’25
ELL Award: Harua Inoue ’28
Fine and Performing Arts
McCormick Fine Arts Award for Outstanding Achievement in Drama: Samuel Hendricks ’26
McCormick Fine Arts Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Music: Davin Lee ’26
McCormick Fine Arts Prize for Outstanding Achievement in the Visual Arts: Evan Varones ’25 and Ginny Chang ’25
Everett E. Grace Music Prize: So Yuen Ju ’25
Pridmore Award: Elyse Zhang ’25 and Kate Delia ’25
Taylor Award: Benjamin Erulkar ’25 and Anna Wan ’25
Theater Tech Award: Katie Martin ’25 and Lola Tobin ’25
Fine and Performing Arts Department Award: Terryn Wilson ’25 and Claire Costello ’25
Global
Global Department Award: Enos Zaah ’25
Science
Louch Award: Bao Le ’25
History and Social Science
World History Prize: Nishant Narayanan ’27 and Clare Vaughn ’27
Overdorf History Prize: Samuel Hendricks ’26
Raymond Delaplaine Burnet Prize in Economics: Senikha Shimshir ’25
Nelson Award: Madison Rosen ’25
Mathematics
Mathematics Department Award: Sahasrad Sathish ’26 and Selah Omura ’26
Ainsworth Award: Yiwen Lu ’25
Computer Science Award: Nicole Ni ’25
Modern and Classical Languages
Lynn B. Kulieke Award: Yiwen Lu ’25
E. J. Barry Award: Madison Rosen ’25
Stephen C. Ryder Award: Verity Cutaia ’25 and Jack Graham ’25
Chinese Award: Joon Lee ’25
Latin Award: Esther Park ’26 and Samuel Hendricks ’26
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 29, 2025 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:
Saige Chaseley
Joey Chen
Kate Delia
Robert Ding
Ava Froberg
Jack Graham
Teddy He
Aaron Ing
Paulius Karvelis
Lukacs Khorzad
Juno Kim
Bao Le
Joon Lee
Yiwen Lu
Katie Martin
Christine Nguyen
Nicole Ni
Yusef Primus
Alice Ren
Dayla Rosen
Faculty Awards
Alumni Award for Teaching Excellence
The recipients of the 2025 Alumni Award for Teaching Excellence are Mathematics and Computer Science teacher
Dieter Villegas ’18 and History and Social Sciences teacher
Sam Wold
Laima Salcius P’98 Faculty Award
The recipient of the 2025 Laima Salcius P’98 Faculty Award is Science teacher
Stephanie Ramirez
Madison Rosen
Ysola Sanchez
Senikha Shimshir
Emma Swanson
Lola Tobin
Benjamin Xu
Elyse Zhang
A small percentage of students are considered each year for membership during their junior year as well and those students are as follows:
Daniel Choi
Clare Gartz
Charley Gopin
Jahstone Martin
Jackson Pick
Logan Pick
Move-Up Day Awards
American Legion Award
Yiwen Lu ’25
Service Above Self Award
Emma Swanson ’25
The Aurelian Book Prize
Dayla Rosen ’25
Alexander Award
Enos Zaah ’25
Mary Freeland Award
Xitlali Ocote-Arellano ’25
Butler Award
Emma Swanson ’25
Hixon Award
Ysola Sanchez ’25
Horace S. Vaile Award
Yiwen Lu ’25
Wetzel Award
Lily Botero ’25
Virginia Phillips
Speidel Award
Ysola Sanchez ’25
Jonathan Fremd Award
Kobi Dallison ’28
McLaughlin Prize
Noah Goldfayn ’27
Sahasrad Sathish
Angel Wu
Queenie Wu
Selina Ye
Alexandra Zhu
Jewell J. Jackson, Jr. Award
Jeff Zavelsky ’26
Benjamin D. Waldie, Sr. Award
Saige Chaseley ’25
Faculty Award
Madison Rosen ’25
Abigail Shanley-Roberts Spirit Award
Samuel Hendricks ’26
House Cup Winner
Welch
Athletics Honors
Varsity MVPs and Awards
The Caxys gathered at the LFA Athletic Center on May 29 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.
2024-2025 Athletic Awards
Fall Varsity MVPs/Awards
Boys Cross Country:
Teddy Berghammer ’25
Girls Cross Country: Maria Retelewski ’25
Girls Field Hockey: Maxine Hekster ’25
Boys Golf: Fitz Knight ’27
Girls Golf: Bela Bock ’25
Boys Soccer: Yusef Primus ’25
Girls Swimming: Bao Le ’25
Girls Tennis: Sophia DeLise ’26
Girls Volleyball: Lilla Szilvássy ’25
Winter Varsity MVPs/Awards
Boys Basketball: Ar nas Simaitis ’25
Girls Basketball: Lilla Szilvássy ’25
Co-ed Cheer/Dance: Jasiek Bugaj ’26
Boys Hockey: Brody Bierbaum ’27
Girls Hockey: Andrea Fer nandez ’25
Boys Prep Hockey: Josh Lachapelle ’25
Stuart Award: Alexandra Fer nandez ’25 and Aaron Ing ’25
Co-ed Squash: Hamza Jafri ’26
Boys Swimming: Daniel Choi ’26
Spring Varsity MVPs/Awards
Girls Badminton: Jolin Guo ’25
Baseball: Landon Fraser ’25
Boys Lacrosse: Charlie Ferdman ’25
Girls Lacrosse: Lucy Kirmser ’25
Girls Soccer: Kate Larson ’28
Softball: Alexandra Fer nandez ’25
Boys Tennis: Carson Emery ’25
Boys Track & Field: Roman McLaurine ’26
Girls Track & Field: Kate Delia ’25
Boys and Girls Senior Track & Field Award: Maddie Goldman ’25 and Maria Retelewski ’25
Boys Volleyball: Nolan Greenwell ’25
Athletes of the Year
Freshman Boy: Kobi Dallison ’28
Freshman Girl: Akshara Ginjupalli ’28
Sophomore Boy: Anton Gesink ’27
Sophomore Girl: Amie Brito ’27
Junior Boy: Brenden Johnson ’26
Junior Girl: Lindsay Farbman ’26
Senior Boy: Brett Leslie ’25
Senior Girl: Kate Delia ’25
Sandra Bolz Memorial Fan Award: Luisa Fer nandez P’25, ’25, ’25
William “Bill” Dolbee Award: Mike Hall
David O. MacKenzie ’50 Award (Male): Landon Fraser ’25
David O. MacKenzie ’50 Award (Female): Kate Delia ’25
In the Spotlight
LFA Talent Show Wows the Crowd
Following the athletics awards, the LFA community moved from the LFA Athletic Center 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. Tuana Cavusoglu ’25 and her string instrument accompaniment performing “At Last” (above) was the winner of the talent show and performed at Move-Up Day.
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. The following faculty and staff were recognized at the end of year luncheon on June 4. 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.
NANCY BATEMAN P’08 Donor Records Manager
DAVID SCARISBRICK English Teacher
TENNYSON P’27
DAN FAIA Mathematics Teacher
GARRY SLOAN P’19, ’21 Dean of Advancement, Major Gifts Officer
JEFF BATEMAN P’08 Mathematics Teacher
GILLIAN TEICHMAN Fine and Performing Arts Teacher
GLINDA HALL English Teacher
MIKE HALL Mathematics Teacher
MATHIAS KERR Science Teacher
CHRIS
Head of School, Mathematics Teacher
MAGGIE TENNYSON P’27 Mathematics Teacher
ERICA WOOD Science Teacher
JENNI GOREY Athletic Trainer
Lake Forest Academy
Experience With Us
Gala 2025 Supports LFA’s Experiential Education Opportunities
On April 26 at the JC Cowart Student Center, the community came together to raise more than $350,000 to support Experiential Education at Lake Forest Academy. Support for Gala 2025: Experience With Us came from community members around the world. The Academy is grateful for the commitment to fostering a culture which encourages students to engage directly with the world around them. Experiential education builds critical thinking, collaboration, and adaptability. The support from the LFA community at Gala 2025 expands these transformative opportunities for all students with growing grade-level retreats, empowering experiential-learning clubs, enriching curricular field trips with real-world learning, and increasing access to student travel for global exploration and service.
LFA also extends special thanks to this year’s parent Gala co-chairs Julie Brandt and Tim Lange P’25, ’28 and Sara and Brian Lewis P’28, and alumni co-chairs Daisy Wood Tolles ’05, and Eliza Walters Johnson ’07 and Mark Johnson ’07
The funds raised will create an immediate and tangible impact. To put some perspective to the numbers:
• $50,000 funds an entire international trip for 10 or more students, including flights, lodging, and once-in-a-lifetime cultural and service experiences
• $25,000 fully covers the cost of a weekendlong transformative senior class retreat to cement lifelong friendships and bonds
• $10,000 covers an entire year of competition expenses for Science Olympiad, or all travel/lodging costs for Model UN or Future Business Leaders of America competitions
• $5,000 provides substantial financial aid to a student who wishes to attend an
experiential trip, but who may not be able to afford the full cost
• $2,500 funds the purchase of materials by the Robotics team to continually improve their competition robot
• $500 fully covers expenses for a oneday field trip, taking advantage of LFA’s proximity to Chicago and Milwaukee
Thank you to everyone who contributed to improving access to the one-of-a-kind educational experiences that make LFA special. The experiential opportunities made possible by this year’s Gala will live in the memories of our students for a lifetime.
Gala co-chairs from left: Daisy (Wood) ’05 and Jamie Tolles, Eliza Walters Johnson ’07 and Mark Johnson ’07, Julie Brandt and Tim Lange P’25, ’28, Sara and Brian Lewis P’28, and Leigh Morrison and Interim Head of School Tom Johnson
(standing from left) Anokhi Bock ’95, P’25, ’28, Lei (Grace) Wang P’26, ’28, Lisa Chang P’28, Diana Qiu P’28, Cindy Bai P’26, (seated from left) Luke Chang P’28, David Huang P’28, Kevin Yang P’26
Simi and Sameer ’91 Chhabria P’26, Suzy and Jon Cobin P’26, Howard Greer P’24, ’26, Dean of Admission Carolyn Gorowski, Todd Martin ’98 and Jenae Brooks ’00, P’28, ’28
Colby Friedeman ’06 viewing robot built by LFA’s student robotics team
Kara Harchuck Schmitz P’28
Lynn and Ned Jessen P’01, ’05
From Debate to Pickleball
Student Clubs at LFA and Ferry Hall Throughout The Years
By Rita MacAyeal ’87 Director of the Library and Archivist
Student clubs at Lake Forest Academy are tremendously popular and engage many students in events and activities throughout the school year. This past fall, the LFA Club Fair featured nearly 80 clubs allowing students to delve into academic subjects and global issues, engage in creative or artistic endeavors, explore identity affiliations, partake in service learning, or simply enjoy fun activities and social events.
In the early years at LFA and Ferry Hall, student clubs were mainly literary, musical, or religious in nature. In 1863, LFA students formed a debate club called the Philologian Society and the next year established the Alpha Lambda Upsilon Literary Society. Ferry Hall students formed a literary society as well in 1881. In keeping with the founders’
Presbyterian roots, LFA established a chapter of the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in 1881, while Ferry Hall established the Ferry Hall Missionary Society in its earliest years and a chapter of the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) in 1886. Since LFA did not offer music or drama as part of the school curriculum, performing arts emerged initially as clubs: In 1892, LFA organized the first student orchestra and a glee club, and in 1915 LFA formed its first dramatic club, called The Gargoyle Club.
Although today they are part of the academic curriculum, The Spectator newspaper and the Caxy yearbook began as extracurricular activities. While there had been a few sporadically published early school newspapers, the first issue of The Spectator was published in 1906 followed by the first Caxy yearbook in 1910. At Ferry Hall, the first combination school newspaper and
literary magazine called The Almanack was established in 1907, and the first Ferry Tales yearbook was published in 1911.
Over the years, the number and types of clubs have varied depending on student interest and/or historic eras. Some clubs were unique to their times, such as the 1940s-era “Ferry Hall Schools at War Committee” that helped raise money for the war effort by selling war stamps and bonds. Other clubs have been formed in response to topics and issues that have arisen throughout the years. The wide variety of school clubs available at LFA today reflects the diverse range of personal interests among students. With clubs such as Model UN, Robotics Club, Future Business Leaders of America, 3D Technical Design Club, Interact, UNIDOS, Sustainability Club, and so many more, students have a myriad of opportunities to explore and develop their interests outside of the classroom.
1895: Ferry Hall Guitar and Mandolin Club
1933-34: LFA Art Club
1910: Ferry Hall Poetry Club
1933: LFA Debate Club
1955: Ferry Hall Sewing Club
1973: Ferry Hall Dance Club
2017: LFA Archives Club members browsing old student scrapbooks
1968: LFA Glee Club performs in Glore Memorial Gymnasium
1970-71: The “Spectator” staff (LFA newspaper)
2015-16: LFA Robotics competition
1964: “Ferry Tales” yearbook staff at work
Lake Forest Academy
AROUND CAMPUS
LFA’s First Residential Community Dinner
Boarding students and faculty from LFA’s five dorms celebrated the academic year coming to a close at the first Residential Community Dinner in May. Highlights included the “passing of the torch” to the 2025-26 proctors and naming this year’s Dorm Cup MVPs and the Boarder Spirit Award. Marshall Field House came out victorious as the 2024-25 Dorm Cup Champions.
Chinese Language Students Excel at Regional, National Contests
Eight LFA students won awards this spring after participating in the 21st National Chinese Language Association of Secondary-Elementary Schools (CLASS) Essay Contest. The contest took place in the fall 2024 semester, and the LFA students who participated represented a variety of grade levels and are members of different levels of Chinese classes offered at LFA.
The students recognized included:
• Victoria Kim ’25: Silver Award (G12, Heritage)
• Kaylee Park ’25: Silver Award (G12, Regular)
• Bela Bock ’25: Bronze Award (G12, Regular)
• Bao Le ’25: Bronze Award (G12, Regular)
• Chloe Kim ’26: Silver Award (G11, Regular)
• Sari Cheung ’26: Bronze Award (G11, Heritage)
• Kevin Liu ’26: Bronze Award (G11, Heritage)
• Riya Kapoor ’28: Bronze Award (G9, Regular)
Additionally, three students participated in the final round of the 2025 Midwest Chinese Speech Contest, held at Walter Payton College Prep on May 31.
Liu, Kapoor, and Kyra Quinn ’27 were selected to advance on to the final ound after excellent performances in their respective talent shows and speeches.
Caxys Have a “Great” Time at Prom 2025
Prom 2025 saw Caxys enjoying a The Great Gatsbythemed Prom on Saturday, May 10. Following pre-prom photos and treats on campus, attendees traveled to Loft 21 in Lincolnshire for a dance-filled evening and were treated to a post-prom gathering in the JC Cowart Student Center upon returning to campus.
Caxys Give Back on Service Learning Day
Organized by the Stuart Center for Global Leadership, and assisted by LFA’s service club Interact, this year’s Service Learning Day provided opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to participate in service-based projects both on and off campus. There was plenty of work to be done - from environmental cleanup to food packaging, musical performances to making beds, and so much more. As part of a special All-School Meeting in conjunction with Service Learning Day, the LFA community also heard from author Camille Dungy (left), a visiting Bird Artist Series guest. Dungy spoke about her novel Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden, discussing the ways nature and community can be a source of hope, self-awareness, and purpose.
Traditions on Display for Multicultural Day
LFA’s global community was on full display for this year’s Multicultural Day on March 12. To kick off celebrations the night before, the community gathered for the International Talent Show. Multicultural Day began with keynote speaker Zeke Wells (left), who spoke and took questions on broadening your sense of connection through travel and community. Students, faculty, and staff then enjoyed workshop sessions and the international exhibition fair. The day concluded with a performance by Tuvergen, a Mongolian folk-fusion band.
Around the World for Spring Break
LFA students had the chance to immerse themselves in all that experiential travel has to offer as they embarked on trips around the world for Spring Break. This year, a variety of trips, both curricular and co-curricular, were led to The Bahamas, Belize, Greece, Martinique, Peru, and Puerto Rico. These journeys provided hands-on experiences in history, culture, service, and environmental sustainability.
Please visit the campus news section at www.lakeforestacademy.org or see photos from events throughout each school year at www.lakeforestacademy.smugmug.com
PUERTO RICO
GREECE
MARTINIQUE
BAHAMAS
Students Earn Honors at NATS Auditions
In April, 13 LFA voice students traveled to Roosevelt University to participate in the Chicago Chapter High School and College Student Auditions for the National Association of Teachers of Signing (NATS). Caxys competed in three musical categories: Classical, Musical Theater, and Contemporary Music (Pop/Rock). Of the 13 representing LFA, six picked up honors. In the Musical Theater category, Patrick Wang ’27 earned first place in the tenor/bass category for sophomores and juniors, while Maya Schmitz ’28 was second in the soprano/alto category for freshmen. LFA had four honorees in Contemporary Music (Pop/Rock); with So Yeun Ju ’25 in first place, Saige Chaseley ’25 in second place, and Tuana Cavusoglu ’25 in third place for High School Category A; Terryn Wilson ’25 picked up second place in the High School Category B group.
Fine & Performing Arts
Experiential Education Takes Orchestra to NYC
LFA’s orchestra enjoyed a jam-packed four days in New York City in March. The trip took the Caxys to two musicals – Operation Mincemeat and Hadestown – as well as a performance by the New York Philharmonic. The group was also able to participate in a workshop with conductor Tanatchaya (Tanya) Chanphanitpornkit and visit sites around Manhattan throughout the trip.
Humor and Heart on Display for Winter Musical
LFA’s winter musical “The Prom” saw a four-performance run in The Cressey Center for the Arts in February. Winner of the Drama Desk Award for Best Musical, “The Prom” expertly captured all of the humor and heart of a classic musical comedy, while providing the LFA community with a resonating experience that navigated themes of love and acceptance.
Esteemed A Cappella Group Hosts Vocal Master Class
As an exciting send-off for spring break, LFA was excited to welcome Yale University’s esteemed a cappella group the Whiffenpoofs to campus for a vocal student master class. The session included individualized small group coaching and time for a Q&A. The groups then came together to perform a special number for the LFA community, followed by the Whiffenpoofs performing a selection of pieces from their repertoire.
Visual Arts Students Garner Array of Accolades
During the months of March and April, LFA students participated in and received honors from several different visual art competitions and exhibitions. Locally, students had artwork on display in downtown Lake Forest’s Market Square as a part of Deer Path Art League’s Emerging Artist Exhibit. Students also participated regionally in the Illinois High School Art ExhibitionLFA’s four participants had their artwork in the juried exhibition that provides opportunities for top recognition awards and college scholarships. Most notably, four Caxys were recognized by the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the country’s longest-running and most prestigious scholarship and recognition program for creative students grades seven through 12. Liam Lee ’27 was awarded a National Silver Medal and Regional Gold Key in Glass, Evie Ro ’28 earned a Regional Gold Key in Digital Art, Elyse Zhang ’25 picked up a Regional Gold Key and Honorable Mention in Painting, and Owen Adrianopoli ’27 received a Regional Honorable Mention in Glass.
Winter & Spring Athletics Highlights
College Athletic Commitments
Angel Allen ’25 - Menlo College (Calif.) women’s basketball
Bela Bock ’25 - Stonehill College (Mass.) women’s golf
Audrey Danz ’25 - Rhodes College (Tenn.) field hocke
Kate Delia ’25 - Washington University in St. Louis women’s track and fiel
Andrea Fer nandez ’25St. John Fisher University (N.Y.) women’s ice hockey
Paulius Karvelis ’25MIT men’s basketball
Lucy Kirmser ’25 - Muhlenberg College (Pa.) women’s lacrosse
Mekael Mian ’25 - Western University (Ont.) men’s basketball
Lilla Szilvássy ’25Felician University (N.J.) women’s basketball
Junior Hockey Commitments
Brett Leslie ’25 - Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
Mikko Rippon ’25 - Westchester Wolves (NCDC)
Conor Gagnon ’25 - Hawkesbury Hawks (CCHL)
Josh Lachepelle ’25 - Janesville Jets (NAHL)
Aaron Ing ’25 - Lake Tahoe Lakers (USPHL)
Balint Lobenwein ’25 - St. Croix Seawolves (NCDC)
The winter and spring seasons for Lake Forest Academy continued the success and competitiveness that was established by the fall sports. In addition to the victories and honors, a number of students announced their college athletics and junior hockey commitments following the conclusion of their seasons. Below are some notables and highlights from the winter and spring seasons at LFA.
BASEBALL players Owen Adrianopoli ’27 and Landon Fraser ’25 were both named All-Independent School League (ISL) as each was selected to the second team.
LFA’s BOYS BASKETBALL team went undefeated at home in its first season in the LFA Athletic Center while compiling a 25-6 record overall. Levi Tallós ’26 earned AllTournament Team honors at the Lakes MLK Invitational after the Caxys went 2-1 in the event. LFA concluded the season by winning the LFA Invitational with a win over Bosco Institute. The Caxys trailed by eight points in the fourth quarter before rallying to claim the one-point decision.
The GIRLS BASKETBALL team finished the season with 24 wins that included a sevengame winning streak to finish the season. The Caxys won the Round Lake MLK Tournament in January with Lyla Fuery ’28 earning tournament MVP honors. The tournament title was the second of the season for the girls basketball team after winning the Cougar Classic Thanksgiving Tournament in November at Vernon Hills.
Members of the BOYS PREP ICE HOCKEY team were honored by the Midwest Prep Hockey League (MPHL) following the conclusion of the season. Eliot Labbe ’26, Josh Lachapelle ’25, Brett
Leslie ’25, and Balint Lobenwein ’25 were named 2025 MPHL Top Prospects. LFA finished the season with 31 wins and advanced to the championship game of the MPHL Playoffs before falling, 3-2, against Rothesay Netherwood School.
The SOFTBALL team’s collection of ISL honors included Zoe Watkins ’28 on the first team and Alexandra Fer nandez ’25 on the second team while the Caxys earned the Team Sportsmanship Award and coaches Chapin Grumhaus ’18 and Joan Karstrom ’18 were named Coaching Staff of the Year.
The BOYS TENNIS team finished second in the ISL Championships with all thee doubles squads and the two singles competitors finishing second individuall . The doubles teams included Jaxon Kelly ’25 and Hudson Kwasteniet ’28 at No. 1, Kyle Paswater ’26 and Anton Gesink ’27 at No. 2, and Robert Ding ’25 and Nishant Narayan ’27 at No. 3 doubles. Hunter Jones ’28 played No. 1 singles and Carson Emery ’25 was at the No. 2 singles position.
LFA’s GIRLS VARSITY ICE HOCKEY team qualified for the Meto Girls Hockey League (MGHL) playoffs after finishing thid in the Founders Division. Following the conclusion of the regular season, the MGHL announced the league’s Academic Honor Roll. LFA was represented on the honor roll by 13 students. The honorees include Lily Botero ’25, Zoe Canonne ’25, Saige Chaseley ’25, Lucy Cooper ’28, Audrey Danz ’25, Kate Delia ’25, Kayleigh Dunford ’28, Adriana Fer nandez ’25, Andrea Fer nandez ’25, Amelia Sexton ’25, Madeleine Stastny ’26, Claire Wyngarden ’25, and Jessica Xu ’27
Three Caxys were named All-ISL from the GIRLS SOCCER team as Kate Larson ’28 was a first team selection while Amie Brito ’27 and Riley White ’28 were selected to the second team.
The BOYS SWIMMING team was highlighted by a first-place finish fo Zach Youn ’26 at the ISL Championship meet in the 100-yard freestyle. In addition to Youn’s win, he also collected a pair of runner-up finishes in the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard breaststroke. Other individuals with second-place finishes included Albert Hou ’28 in the 50-yard freestyle, Ryan Le ’27 in the 100-yard butterfl, and Peter Schanzenbach ’25 in the 200yard individual medley. Youn, Hou, Schanzenbach, and Le combined to
place second in the 200-yard medley relay and the 400-yard freestyle relay. In the 200-yard freestyle relay, Le, Schanzenbach, Austin Ewing ’26, and Youn also finished in second place
LFA’s TRACK & FIELD teams hosted the ISL Track & Field Championships with the girls team placing second and the boys team finishing fourth overall. Individual champions included Michael An ’26 in the long jump, Kate Delia ’25 in the 200, 400, and 800-meter events, and the girls 4x400 relay team of Abbey Welsh ’28, Maria Retelewski ’25, Kyra Quinn ’27, and Delia.
The new LFA Athletic Center featured the CO-ED SQUASH team competing on campus for the first time in pogram history. The Caxys took advantage of the new facility with its second straight title at the Chicagoland Squash Conference team championship. The Caxys faced off against the Latin School of Chicago in the final and won in commanding fashion with a 9-0 sweep. Overall, the Caxys finished the season with a 10-4 record. Individually, Hamza Jafri ’26 won the 5.0 division in the Chicagoland Squash Conference individual championships and Parker Pollak ’26 won the 4.0 division. Jafri is ranked among the country’s top 75 U19 players and the No. 3-ranked player in the state of Illinois in the boys U19 rankings by U.S. Squash.
Four ISL Titles Conclude Delia’s Record-Setting Season
Throughout the outdoor track and field season, LFA’s Kate Delia ’25 rewrote the school record book while also claiming multiple titles at the Lake County Invitational and the ISL Championship meets.
In the span of eight days to conclude the outdoor campaign, she won the 400 and 800-meter races at the Lake County Invitational at Vernon Hills before winning four races with the 200, 400, 800-meter events in addition to being a part of the first-place 4x400-meter relay squad at the ISL Championships at LFA. Delia was the only Caxy competing at the Lake County meet on May 1 and her pair of first place finishes to total 20 team point placed LFA in a tie for 14th place in team standings with Highland Park. The team total also put LFA ahead of Vernon Hills, Grayslake North, Mundelein, and Grant. She won the 400 in a time of 57.94 and took the title in the 800 in 2:17.02.
At the ISL meet on May 8, Delia finished first in the 200 with a time of 25.83, first in th 400 in 58.58, and first in the 800 in 2:22.05. She ran the anchor leg in the 4x400 relay that won in a time of 4:21.38. Delia was joined in the 4x400 by Abbey Welsh ’28, Maria Retelewski ’25, and Kyra Quinn ’27
In the midst of all of the first-place medals, Delia firmly established her name among the best runners in program history as she now holds school records in the 200m dash, 400m dash, 800m run, and the 4x400m relay. Her winning time at the Lake County Invitational in the 400 and the time of 2:14.46 at the Distance Night in Palatine on April 26 in the 800 are new marks while she set new program bests with the first-place finishes at the ISL meet in th 200 and 4x400 relay.
One Year at LFA for Mike Leonard ’66 Set Up A Lifetime of Experiences Around the World
By Greg Greenwell P’25, ’29 Director of Marketing and Communications
At a banquet hall in late January, the past and present of Lake Forest Academy coincided as part of the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Among the 12 honorees for the 2024 induction class were two members of the LFA hockey family from different eras that bookend the program’s history.
Head coach Darrin Madeley P’11, ’14 was honored in the coaches category while Mike Leonard ’66 was inducted as a player into the hall of fame. Madeley has built the LFA prep program over the last two decades while Leonard’s one year at LFA set him on a path for the rest of life that includes hockey and reporting from around the world as a television journalist.
Looking back, Leonard credits the one year at Lake Forest Academy as the catalyst that led him to report on news from around the globe over his 32-year broadcast career with NBC News.
“It all coelesed in one year and on one campus,” said Leonard. “Who knows what kind of profound effect a school will
have on one person’s future. I realized that without my year at LFA, I wouldn’t have been able to do the job at NBC and everything else I’ve done in my life. I’m really super appreciative of it.”
Growing up wasn’t easy for Leonard as dyslexia provided challenges for his academic experience. After four years at Loyola Academy, Leonard found LFA as he explored options to play ice hockey at the collegiate level. He knew he had to not only improve himself on the ice, he
“It all coelesed in one year and on one campus. Who knows what kind of profound effect a school will have on one person’s future. I realized that without my year at LFA, I wouldn’t have been able to do the job at NBC and everything else I’ve done in my life. I’m really super appreciative of it.”
had to work just as hard off the ice in the classroom and among his peers.
“I was not a good student. I was dyslexic and didn’t have a lot of resources and college options were not very good to play hockey,” said Leonard. “One of the coaches at the Wilmette program I played in knew that LFA had a hockey team. My dad mentioned using a gap year to go there and I could play for my Chicago AllStar team and LFA at the same time. We had a good team and only lost one game
— Mike Leonard ’66
No. 26 on the LFA hockey team.
Senior year at Providence College.
that year. The extra ice time really made me a better player.
“Academically, even though I still struggled, I could not hide at LFA with the small classes. It drew me out in ways I would try to escape previously academically. Having to say something and talk in class was something big for me. I left LFA feeling more confident, stronger, and braver. It set me up for the rest of my life.”
Not only did Leonard gain confidence, strength, and bravery in the classroom or at a morning meeting, he also grew on the ice as he strived to play at the next level. Recognized as the first player from the Chicago area to play NCAA Division I hockey of the modern era of college hockey, he took his talents east to play at Providence College.
“On the ice I could see things developing. I knew if I learned to skate, I could be a fast skater. I learned how to work hard and maybe it tapped into my nature,” said Leonard. “In retrospect, more than perseverance it was an air of confidence. I could see results immediately in the work I put in by myself in getting to be a better skater. By the time I got to Providence, once I got on the ice, I knew I belonged. That wouldn’t have happened had I not gone to LFA. Not just the skating, but the support from the coaches and teachers in my classes.”
Following his collegiate career at Providence where he played in 69 games from 1967-70 under NHL Hall
of Famer Lou Lamoriello, Leonard was invited to training camp for the Phoenix Roadrunners in the Western Hockey League. While he didn’t make the final roster with the Roadrunners, he turned to broadcasting as the team’s radio/TV analyst and also served as a practice player for the team.
This opportunity opened the door to a television career that spanned three decades and over 1,000 stories from around the world as a network correspondent for NBC News. Looking
back, Leonard realizes that hockey and LFA opened these doors both on and off the ice.
“That’s the spirit of LFA with kids doing things that make them uncomfortable,” he continued. “I would’ve never volunteered to read the school announcements or answer a question in class. I feel that LFA was so pivotal for me. I was able to learn that once I understood my limitations I could really find a way to get past them and be better. I learned the value of work. I certainly came out of that one year with fewer doubts and more hopes.”
NBC: 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea
NBC: In Dublin with Al Roker and Meredith Vieira
NBC: clockwise: interview with Nolan Ryan; at the Golden Globes with Leonardo DiCaprio; interviewing Beyonce; filming at a temple in Chin
Florida Alumni and Friends Receptions
Alumni in Florida hosted three events in February hosted by life trustees and trustees in Ponte Vedra Beach, Naples, and North Palm Beach.
Ponte Vedra Beach
Feb. 11
Alumni and friends gather at the home of Life Trustees Tom ’53 and Bondy Hodgkins P’82, ’85, GP’19 for an annual reception with Interim Head of School Tom Johnson and Sr. Director of Alumni Engagement & Philanthropy Ruth Keyso. Seated, l to r: LFA Life Trustee Tom Hodgkins ’53, P’82, ’85, GP’19 and Dick Siragusa ’53; standing, l to r: Tyler Dann, David and Mimi Calfee P’02, ’05, Karla Gillette GP’12, ’16, George Spiel P’82, ’84, LFA Life Trustee Bondy Hodgkins P’82, ’85, GP’19, Susie Spiel P’82, ’84, Teddi Siragusa, LFA Trustee Tom Hodgkins ’85, P’19, Jean Royster Smiley ’56, Interim Head of School Tom Johnson, and Sally Dann
Naples
Feb. 18
Alumni and Friends Reception at the Wilderness Club in Naples hosted by Trustee Scott Meloun ’77. Front row, l to r: Director of Individual Philanthropy Beth Bentley, Ann Suiter P’05, ’11, Trustee Bruce Anderson ’70, P’97, Carla Kappmeyer Sherwin ’70, Nancy Racine, Melinda Hinners Waldie, Susan Springer; back row, l to r: Steve Suiter ’68, P’05, ’11, Bill Racine ’62, Interim Head of School Tom Johnson, Dean of Advancement Garry Sloan P’19, ’21, Michael Daugherty ’75, Michael Springer ’71, and Trustee Scott Meloun ’77, our Naples host.
North Palm Beach
Feb. 19
Alumni & Friends Reception hosted by Elissa and Trustee Ted Kovas P’21 at a private club in North Palm Beach. L to r: Jennifer Dunne P’12, ’14, Lisa Tobin P’18, ’20, Sue and Trustee Bruce Anderson ’70, P’97, Interim Head of School Tom Johnson, event host Elissa Kovas P’21, Elizabeth and Vito Senese P’12, ’15, Trustee and event host Ted Kovas P’21, Director of Individual Philanthropy Beth Bentley, Mike Sitterly ’65, P’95, Sid Gorter P’06, ’09, Life Trustee Lauren Gorter P’06, ’09, and Dean of Advancement Garry Sloan P’19, ’21
San Francisco Happy Hour
March 6
Alumni gather in San Francisco for a Young Alumni happy hour at El Techo on March 6 with Dean of Advancement Garry Sloan P’19, ’21 and economics and entrepreneurship teacher Matt Vaughn P’27. Many thanks to Reiss Jensen ’17, who helped rally the Bay Area crowd!
Peter Peng, Kiki Hood ’19, Alex Zhou ’20, Carolyn Lu ’20, Max Wetzel ’17, Laky Li ’17, Skylar Chen ’16 and Kristina Stanford ’08
New York Dinner
April 8
LFA hosted a formal dinner for alumni donors in New York on April 8, at Scarpetta in the James Hotel NoMad. This was an opportunity to introduce alumni to Interim Head of School Tom Johnson and to share news from campus.
Clockwise from bottom left: AAB member Angel Zhang ’13, Rich Young ’04, Sean Bryan ’89, Jordan Gershman, Carolyn Gillette ’12, Jordan Grossman ’97, Alfred Schulz ’01, Tyler Colman ’89, Jonathan Schulz ’96, Dean of Advancement Garry Sloan P’19, ’21, Interim Head of School Tom Johnson, Scott Kennedy ’11
Engagement and Philanthropy Ruth
NYC Happy Hour
April 9
On April 9, LFA held a happy hour for area young alumni at Bobo in West Village. It was a fun night with a lively and impressive crowd of Caxys!
, AAB member Natasha Patel Kennedy ’11, Randy Bongarten ’67, Trustee Elizabeth Alicea ’98, Sr. Director of Alumni
Keyso, Becca Fagan McCarthy ’99, and Craig McCarthy
Steven Zakuta ’17 and Julia Spillane
Front, l to r: Ellie Han ’17, Sr. Director of Alumni Engagement and Philanthropy Ruth Keyso, Katie Zhou ’16; back, l to r: Maggie Meyer ’16, Eukyung Hong ’19, Oliver Yuan ’17, Xavier Hu ’17, David Sun ’19
Dean of Advancement Garry Sloan P’19, ’21, Sandy Meers ’09 and his wife, Jennifer Dominguez, and Dr. Ron Sutton ’08
Alumni Speakers
Thank you to the many alumni who visited classes during the spring semester and shared their knowledge and advice with our students.
Economics Lesson
LFA alumnus, trustee, and life trustee Jim Cowart ’69 visited LFA’s economics classes on Jan. 30. Jim led an engaging dialogue with students on key topics in both micro- and macroeconomics, exploring tariffs, supply and demand, exchange rates, and the labor market. One of the first computer science graduates fom Pomona College, Jim later earned his MBA from Harvard and worked on Wall Street. A longtime investor and managing partner at Auriga Partners, Jim holds extensive knowledge and experience in the fields of corporate transactions and financia management. He lives in Laguna Niguel, Calif.
Health and Wellness as a Business
In April alumna Becca Fagan McCarthy ’99 joined Matt Vaughn’s P’27 entrepreneurship class to talk with students about her professional experiences. Becca launched more than a dozen businesses in the past two decades and operated a handful of high-growth enterprises and brands in health and wellness.
Students were especially interested in her current startup, Evolv, and asked thoughtful, intelligent questions about the challenges of launching a supplement/cpg company. Becca shared advice about startup financing and the pros and cons of raising funds from friends and family, venture capital, and private equity. In addition, she explored go-to market strategy with the students and helped them refine their thinking aound the businesses they are launching as part of the class.
Be Your Own Boss
Jake Elperin ’04 visited the entrepreneurship classes at LFA on Feb. 7 and shared insights as a business leader. Jake co-founded Everest Transportation Systems, a freight brokerage, in 2015 and sold the company in 2021. He remains CEO. Jake highlighted the challenge of being his own boss. He values the freedom, while acknowledging the responsibility for his employees and the business. He encourages aspiring business leaders to view setbacks as opportunities; and to embrace mistakes as part of the learning process. Jake earned his undergraduate degree in business from Lake Forest College and his MBA from Roosevelt University.
The Ups and Downs of Entrepreneurship
Andrew Silver ’08 spoke with students in the entrepreneurship class at LFA on Feb. 5. Andrew is former CEO and Founder of MoLo Solutions, a trucking logistics company, which he sold to ArcBest in 2021. He currently hosts a podcast called “The Freight Pod.” Andrew shared with the students the story of his career arc and the personal and professional struggles he encountered. His message of resilience, introspection, and personal reflection esonated with the students. He spoke with passion about building his company to 600 employees and the lessons he learned about leadership along the way. In addition, he embraced introspection and encouraged Caxys to be honest, open, and vulnerable in their interactions with others; to take accountability for their actions in their personal and professional lives; to believe in themselves; and to accept failure as an opportunity for growth. Andrew is a member of YPO (Young Presidents’ Organization) Chicago Chapter.
The Power of Networking
Sandra Shaw ’17 joined LFA’s student-led Networking Club via Zoom on Jan. 31 to discuss finance. A graduate of anderbilt University, where she studied applied mathematics and competed on the rowing team, Sandra is a Business Manager for Capital One in Dallas, Texas. During her talk, she emphasized the power of networking and the value of seeking out people and programs that can shape one’s career. She highlighted the importance of having a problem-solving mindset and strong communication skills. She advised students to get to know and relate to their colleagues. Sandra demystified the industry with examples of what a caeer in her field entails
YOUNG ALUMNI EVENTS
Young Alumni Lunch
Jan. 8
LFA celebrated its annual Young Alumni Lunch in the Garden Room in Reid Hall on Jan. 8, with nearly 90 alumni, faculty, and staff in attendance. The gathering was a wonderful opportunity to hear about our Caxys’ college experiences while reminiscing about their years at LFA. After the lunch, many alumni toured the new LFA Athletic Center at the north end of campus and visited with their former teachers and classmates.
Adriana Bahena ’22, Akindele Aboyade-Cole ’22, Miranda Her nandez ’23, Ariana Rashid ’23
Field Trip to Hear from the Experts
Two additional area alumni are regular guest speakers in the entrepreneurship classroom and speak with students annually: Cecilia Lanyon ’06 and Charlie Waddell ’03. Cecilia owns The Gallery and The Peanut Gallery in Lake Forest. Charlie is Founding Partner at Faircourt Partners LLC, a fiduciary advisor in the etirement plan space. In April, Matt Vaughn P’27 accompanied his students on a field trip to downtown Lake Forest where they enjoyed conversation with both Cecilia and Charlie in a real-world business setting, followed by lunch at The Peanut Gallery.
Josh Rothstein Young Alumni-Student Networking Night (YANN)
Feb. 27
It was a night to remember! A campus-wide power outage could not dull enthusiasm for the annual Josh Rothstein Young Alumni-Student Networking Night. Nearly 80 students in grades 9-12 gathered in a candle-lit Reid Hall on Feb. 27 to chat with LFA young alumni about college and careers. Thank you to this year’s roster of impressive professionals:
Tommy Clarke ’14, Chris Karamanos ’14, Lilian Chung ’16, Luke Grumhaus ’16, Sampson Hao ’17 Osher ’17, Chapin Grumhaus ’18, Alex Jackson ’19 and Rich Park ’20
Now in its 11th year, this popular gathering is a terrific value-add to our students’ education and helps promote lasting connections among our alumni.
Emily Schroeder ’22, Theresa Fu ’24, Chandravi Soni ’24
Software engineer and 2024 Vanderbilt grad Rich Park ’20 talks about his role at Splunk in Chicago. Vanderbilt grad Luke Grumhaus’16 discusses his professional experiences in the worlds of private equity and investment banking.
AAB members pose for a photo after a Saturday morning discussion with members of the Board of Trustees. Standing, l to r: Board Chair Jessica Douglas ’96, Dr. Chris Sullivan ’96, Jeff Konker ’66, Jaime Hermosillo ’07, Ariana Bhatia ’12, Angel Zhang ’13, Peter Corsiglia ’17, Mark Karstrom ’80, P’18, Rob Klein ’06, Trustee Margeaux McReynolds ’02; on screen: Dr. Jeff Parker ’81, Terry Hall ’67, Gail Gadberry ’85, P’14, Runchu Ma ’15, Allison Stankowicz ’12, Elisa Gutierrez ’06, Josh Brass ’10
AAB Returns to LFA for Annual Meeting
Alumni Advisory Board (AAB) members returned to campus in March 2025 for their annual two-day meeting. This year the board welcomed three new members: Dr. Chris Sullivan ’96 of Roanoke, Va.; Rob Klein ’06 of Barrington, Ill.; and Angel Xiaowen Zhang ’13 of New York, N.Y.
During the Friday morning of board weekend, several members attended the all-school morning meeting in The Cressey Center for the Arts, sat in on classes, and toured campus before being joined by a group of students for lunch in the JC Cowart Student Center. The formal meeting followed, with a session on experiential education with Dean of Students and science teacher Jennifer Rundles; a state of the school address with Interim Head of School Tom Johnson; and tours of the new LFA Athletic Center and the renovated classroom spaces in The Cressey Center for the Arts. The evening ended with a cocktail demonstration hosted by general manager of LFA’s catering team, Christine Gaither, and dinner with local members of the LFA Board of Trustees in Reid Hall. On Saturday morning, AAB members engaged in conversation with trustees Jessica Douglas ’96 (Board Chair) and Margeaux McReynolds ’02
The AAB comprises 32 alumni from the LFA and Ferry Hall classes of 1966 through 2017. AAB members serve as ambassadors for the Academy and assist the school on a variety of initiatives, including serving as a sounding board for the Head of School. This year’s twoday meeting was followed by an online gathering of Black Alumni Advisory Board (BAAC) members, in conversation with Tom Johnson.
To learn more about the AAB, visit: lfanet.org/alumni/ alumni-advisory-board
Fine & Performing Arts Department Chair Jason Koenig P’26 shows off the improvements to The Cressey Center for the Arts, the focus of Gala 2024 fundraising. Pictured with Koenig are Jaime Hermosillo ’07 (left), Dr. Chris Sullivan ’96, and Jeff Konker ’66
It’s not all business at the annual meeting! Here, Angel Zhang ’13 and Terry Hall ’67 perfect their cocktail-making skills before dinner in Reid Hall
College Dinner Series
The College Dinner Series tradition remains a highlight of the alumni events calendar. During the winter and spring 2025, the Alumni Office hosted events with our college Caxys in ashington, D.C., North Carolina, and New York City. The dinners are a terrific way to stay in touch with our most ecent alumni and keep them engaged with the Academy.
Washington, D.C.
Jan. 28
Director of Individual Philanthropy Beth Bentley (left) and Sr. Director of Alumni Engagement and Philanthropy Ruth Keyso meet up with Dima Zaiets ’18 (GWU alumnus, Georgetown MBA) and Vivi Torres Quintanilla ’21 (GWU) for dinner in Washington, D.C.
Elon University
Feb. 26
P’27
Wake Forest University
Feb. 25
l to r: Kirstin Palasz ’22, Kelsey Rosales ’22, Charlie Griffiths ’24, Leo Gerstman ’24, Russell Stewart ’24, Matt Vaughn P’27, Sophie Berto ’22, Mazin Awada ’23, and Sami Awada ’24
Duke University
Feb. 27
Matt Vaughn P’27 with Jackson George ’21 (left) and Stewart Thompson ’22
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Feb. 28
Matt Vaughn P’27 and Jim Nguyen ’24
New York
April 11
Clockwise from bottom left: Chichi Otti ’23 (NYU), Ruth Keyso, Richard Zhang ’23 (NYU), Lam Nguyen ’23 (NYU), Jerry Ren ’24 (Brown University), Conor Fryer ’21 (Union College).
Matt Vaughn
with Enrique Rocha ’21 (left), Jackson Levin ’21, and Teddy Buhl ’21
1953
Tom and Bondy Hodgkins, former President and Principal at LFA (1986-96) were honored by Teach For America (TFA) at a service in Jacksonville, Fla., on the morning of Feb. 11, 2025, for their longtime service and devotion to the teaching profession. Tom and Bondy are loyal supporters of TFA’s Sponsor-A-Teacher program, starting in Chicago and continuing when they moved to the Jacksonville area. Their advocacy and support of the teaching profession has made a lasting impression on the teachers they have sponsored and on the many students who benefitted fom their instruction.
1965
Phil and Barb Hediger von der Heydt ’66 passed along the sad news that classmate Steve Zimmerly passed away on Dec. 24, 2024, with his family, Chris and Janie Zimmerly, by his side in Gulf Breeze, Fla. Born on Sept. 14, 1946, in Peoria, Ill., Steve was the only son of Leonard Christian and Florence Knupp Zimmerly. He attended Lake Forest Academy and graduated in 1965. Steve was married to Virginia A. Zimmerly for over 55 years. They met at Purdue University, where Steve was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Steve graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture. After serving as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy on Guam, Steve earned an MBA degree from the Darden School at the University of Virginia and became a lifelong supporter. After a stint in the corporate world with General Foods, Frito Lay and Citibank, Steve joined the Dallas Marketing Group before forming Zimmerly and Company, Inc. (ZINC) with Jenny, managing their marketing services business together for more than 25 years.
1966
Buff Courter and Jeff Konker submit the following notes from classmates: Courter’s novel, “Searching for Babbo”, will be published in the summer of 2025. It is the first novel of “The Champagne Legend” trilogy. Jon Fremd maintains his physical therapist career, having logged over a million miles on the road between facilities. Michael Hall is teaching his grandchildren to write and, of course, skate! Scott Lennox reported that he’s enjoying his grandchildren. Doug Read continues to ski the slopes and skate on frozen California pondswith his hockey stick, just in case. Richard Lang and his wife, Judith, are making their nationally acclaimed art on ecological recovery. Konker is reading “War and Peace” with a University of Chicago group and traveling between Chicago and Denver to enjoy his grandchildren. He’s working on improving his photography and maintaining an upright posture.
1970
Barb Curtis presented a solo show of her artwork at the NVision Art Gallery in Niles, Ill., in January 2025. The title of the exhibit is Swimming for Serenity. Barb is a painter living in Urbana, Ill.
1973
Randy Rogoski visited campus in February 2025 and remarked how impressed he was with the new Athletic Center and the many fine buildings on campus. “What a success for the school to draw students from throughout North America and around the world.”
1974
Jeffrey Welsh writes: I regret to inform the LFA community that Bryan Welsh ’77 passed away after an extended illness on Oct. 10, 2024, in the Philippines, where he made his home for the last 15 years. Bryan graduated with honors in Psychology in 1984 from Southern Illinois University. He most recently taught English as a second language at Jocson College in Angeles City, Pampanga, Philippines. Bryan also taught online classes to Japanese students from his base at Jocson College at the time of his passing. Prior to this, Bryan lived in Allison Park, Pa. where he worked for several years as a stock trader for
personal clients. Directly after college, he worked in Santa Cruz, Calif., as a technician in sleep study research directed by Stanford University. He had been briefly married with no childen. Bryan grew up in Lake Bluff, Ill., and had attended LFA as a day student.
1978
Mark Childers won the Chicago Athletic Association’s senior golf club championship in 2024. The event was played at Sunset Ridge Country Club. In addition, he will be attending his 23rd Major League Baseball All-Star game in July when he visits Truist Park in Atlanta to attend the 95th playing of the MLB All-Star Game.
1986
Dave Ashdown is proud to share that he has put out a little paperback to benefit the 7th Generation Fund Indigenous Peoples called ‘Lyrics from the Heartland’ by dASHDOWN.
1988
Former LFA roommates Shawn Noroozi and Sungsoo Shin have stayed connected over the years and met up in Tokyo in January 2025, during the Lunar New Year holiday, to sightsee, eat great food, and enjoy the spring-like weather. They had an amazing time reliving memories from LFA.
1990
Alexis Moor Eidson successfully completed the FIRE maneuver (Financial Independence Retire Early) to close the chapter on her corporate career as a strategy executive in financial services. She spends her time passionately serving as the Board Vice Chair of San Antonio PetsAlive, spending quality time with her mom in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and with her sister, alumna Lindsay Moor ’94, in Houston. Her sister gifted her with the opportunity to strive to be the best Auntie ever to her two daughters,
IN MEMORIAM
Willa and Izzy. She stays in touch with a couple of close alumni friends from her class year and appreciates Texas winters as compared to school memories of walking against the wind from the Glore Memorial Gym parking lot to classes in the ice and snow in dress code.
2017
Hunter Wolff started a new job in September 2024 at Condé Nast in New York City. He is the Designer of Special Projects & Innovation,
working on events, experiences (physical and digital), and technology for internal brands (Vogue, GQ, Vanity Fair, etc.) as well as external brands (Nike, Adidas, Citi Bank, Samsung, and more.) The position combines his backgrounds in media and architecture, as well as his interests in fashion, entertainment, and technology. Hunter earned his bachelor’s degree from NYU in Media, Culture, and Communication and pursued a master’s degree in Architecture at Columbia University.
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 January 1 and May 31, 2025.
1941
Mary Jo Savery Hall
May 10, 2013
1944
Barbara Meincke Howes
Jan. 16, 2025
1946
Mary Jane “Janie” Webster Battersby
July 19, 2011
Elizabeth “Betty” Dunham Doversberger
Oct. 16, 2024
Jean Anderson McIntyre
Aug. 28, 2024
1947
Margaret J. Barie Loveland
July 28, 2024
John Madden
Feb. 1, 2025
1948
DeWitt F. Bowman P’74
Jan. 20, 2025
Barbara McClure Welkos
July 23, 2024
1949
Karl H. Velde
Oct. 2, 2024
Joan L. Gaston Smith Waitt
Oct. 18, 2024
1950
Shirley B. Pattengill Hamilton
Dec. 20, 2024
Donald L. Solomon
Feb. 13, 2024
1951
Nancy Ann Riddle
Dec. 22, 2014
1952
Martha L. Thomas Barthel
Jan. 2, 2025
Stephen “Steve” P. Bartholf
Jan. 8, 2025
Richard P. “Dick” Hechler
July 9, 2024
1954
Susanne E. Williams Price
Aug. 18, 2022
Michael E. Ragen
March 22, 2025
Mary Widdis Wilson
March 6, 2025
1955
Carol Thompson Bair
April 29, 2020
1956
Cynthia Smith Brashear
Feb. 6, 2019
Richard S. Holmes
Feb. 28, 2025
Thomas B. Lief
Sept. 23, 2018
1957
Elaine Bricker Galatz
Oct. 19, 2021
Launce William Lavis
Oct. 13, 2021
Charles “Charlie” P. Touton
May 24, 2023
Suzette Cathey Turner
July 3, 2023
1958
D. Jeffrey (Jeff) Blumenthal
March 14, 2025
1960
Ruth LeVan Bison
Jan. 30, 2025
Franklin Rutherford Crawford
Dec. 31, 2024
Arthur “Art” T. Voss
May 5, 2025
1961
Fred August Nachman III
Feb. 8, 2025
Louis “Brown” Sanders
Feb. 15, 2025
1965
Stephen Jacob Zimmerly
Dec. 24, 2024
1970
Robert M. Jaffe
May 29, 1996
1974
Robert Reuss
Jan. 27, 2025
1977
Bryan W. Welsh
Oct. 10, 2024
1987
Mitchell Waters
Jan. 4, 2025
The Transformational Power of Planned Giving at LFA Weinbrenner House
Anyone familiar with LFA’s campus knows Weinbrenner House, which has housed dozens of Academy faculty since opening in 2011. What you might not know is that this important facility was made possible by a planned gift.
Thanks to a $1.3 million estate gift from Paul W. Weinbrenner ’39, it was possible to fully transform the former Durand House into modern faculty housing—not only allowing faculty to feel more connected to the LFA community but also
FOR MORE INFORMATION on planned giving opportunites, please visit lfanet.giftplans.org or contact a member of the advancement office
Beth Bentley, Director of Individual Philanthropy e: bbentley@lfanet.org
p: (847) 615-3204
Ruth Keyso Director of Individual Philanthropy e: rkeyso@lfanet.org
p: (847) 615-3268
giving students the assurance that their teachers are close at hand. As one Academy official said during the building renovations: “This bequest demonstrates the transformational value planned gifts can have at LFA.”
Interim Dean of Faculty and Mathematics Teacher Paul Makovec and his wife, Bree, concur. When they were newly arrived at LFA from San Francisco, Weinbrenner House became their new home and their anchor to a new community.
“We moved into Weinbrenner the minute it was completed,” Paul says. “It was an amazing place for my family to start our lives in the Midwest. It’s more valuable than you realize to prioritize the time, effort, and funding towards supporting quality faculty housing.”
Those who knew Paul Weinbrenner, a decorated World War II veteran and successful businessman who described LFA as the greatest learning experience of his life, know how pleased he would be to see the impact his gift has had. For other alumni considering their own legacy plans, his gift serves as an inspirational example of the transformational power of planned giving for Lake Forest Academy.
The Academy Fund provides foundational support ensuring students become the best version of themselves, grounded in excellence of character, scholarship, citizenship and responsibility.
When you make a contribution to the Academy Fund, our entire community benefits from your generosity. Your gift honors what Lake Forest Academy has meant to you and your family, while fueling the school’s unwavering pursuit of excellence - for today’s students and for generations to come.
Your support of the Academy Fund is an investment in our community that empowers every student to achieve excellence.
Give to the Academy Fund today: give.lfanet.org
Save These Dates on Your 2025 Calendar
Join us to celebrate the Lake Forest Academy and Ferry Hall community and support the Academy’s students and faculty. Watch your mailboxes and inboxes for more information about these events.
H Family Weekend Friday-Saturday, Sept. 26-27 lfanet.org/familyweekend
H Reunion 2025 Friday-Saturday, Oct. 17-18 lfanet.org/reunion
H Admission Fall Open House Sunday, Oct. 25 lfanet.org/admission