#1StudentNWI: La Lumiere senior traditions

#1StudentNWI: La Lumiere senior traditions

What's recently happened?

La Lumiere kicked off the first weekend of September with the annual Parents and Alumni Weekend. Families and alumni were invited to campus to enjoy a weekend of classic La Lumiere traditions, including cheering on sports teams in their final games of the season, a performance from the La Lu Players, mass in the Amphitheater, and watching the Senior Bonfire! 

The weekend highlights the seniors in particular by recognizing their time in La Lumiere athletic. It gives students the opportunity to reflect on their time as a La Lumiere student athlete and reminisce on all the memories that they have made, trailing back to their first year.

At night is when events get more and more interesting. That evening, the whole senior class came together to participate in the Senior Bonfire. A longstanding tradition, the Senior Bonfire gives students the unique opportunity to carry a torch through the woods, circle up at Sullivan Field, and throw their torches together to create a bonfire. With this year's school motto being, “Live The Light,” and “La Lumiere” meaning "light" in French, this tradition is the perfect encapsulation of the school’s values and mission. 

Interim Head of School Dr. Andrew Hoyt enjoyed watching the seniors participate in the well-loved tradition at La Lumiere.

“The Senior Bonfire is a hallowed tradition at La Lumiere, and it symbolizes the way in which our seniors are entrusted to carry the light as leaders in our community—and that our light burns brightest when we are united with one another. It's a powerful image of unity and hope for our school each year," he said.

That is not all that happened in the month of September, either. With the Mid-Autumn Festival, a Chinese celebration that marks the end of the autumn harvest occurring on September 10, international students were able to teach their peers about the holiday and the tradition. Students lit lanterns, ate mooncakes, and watched the full moon from Lake La Lumiere. 

What's Coming Up?

On October 8, La Lumiere is hosting the Fall Open House. The Fall Open House gives prospective students the chance to tour the school, have a Q&A board with current students, and familiarize themselves with what La Lumiere is all about.

Mary Pickens Corsones, Jay Blakely, and Delaney Killeen, along with the rest of the admissions council, are leading the event to ensure that visiting students have the opportunity to be able to visualize themselves as La Lumiere students. They hear about the school’s mission statement and reflect on what their time at La Lu could be like. 

Bookstore Basketball is also having its kickoff in the month of October. Formerly taking place in the spring, Bookstore Basketball is moved to the Fall in order to ensure a full season for players. This will be the first full season since 2019. 

Bookstore Basketball is a 3-v-3 basketball tournament that originated from the University of Notre Dame but has found its way to La Lu in a modified version. Most teams are made up of a teacher, one female student, and one male student. Players will come up with creative team names, dress up in costumes, and compete to win the Bookstore Crown. The event is no joke at La Lu, with an official Bookstore Basketball Instagram page to keep track of highlights, brackets, and victories. It is hilarious to watch and participate in and makes for some of the best high school memories.

Lastly, on October 28, students will pack in the Marsh Gymnasium for Marsh Madness! Marsh Madness commences the start of the basketball and cheerleading season. All four of La Lumiere’s basketball teams are showcased with games and roaring fans along with the cheerleaders' first performance of the year.

Staff spotlight: 

Brian Tonino is the director of advancement as well as an assistant boys basketball coach. As a La Lu alum graduating in the Class of 2012, Tonino is held in a special place in La Lumiere's heart. The small, close knit, welcoming community is something that attracted him to the school both as a student and later when looking for a job. 

Tonino is involved with projects at the school, like The Forum being built this Fall, and helping connect alumni to the school again. He coordinated Parents and Alumni Weekend and is on top of all of the events at La Lu. 

Student spotlight:

Lydia Bailey is a current La Lumiere senior. She previously attended the Lycée Français de Chicago. She came to La Lu as a sophomore in 2020 when COVID-19 was at its peak. It is safe to say that she immediately fell into place. From being the boy’s tennis manager to being Hospitality Prefect, Bailey has taken advantage of every opportunity given to her and embraces each challenge. 

As a senior, Bailey is trying to savor every moment of her senior year. From hanging out with friends on the benches, to walking through the woods with her torch, to cooking foods from Moldova for The Taste of La Lumiere, Bailey has found her place at La Lu. Forever thankful for the friends and experiences she has gained, Bailey is excited to tackle the future with the lessons that La Lu has taught her.