Faces of LFA

“The relationship between faculty and the students definitely goes beyond the classroom. LFA's small class sizes allow teachers to get to know their students and many will attend sporting and other school events. The presence of an advisory and advisor allows students to have a member of faculty that they can go to and also a group of students to talk to. So, yes, your teachers will definitely know you at LFA.”

“LFA was a true college preparatory high school. I came to LFA as a junior and many of my English and history classes were held in round table style, often using the socratic method and focusing on analysis and discussion. Being a boarding student [also] prepared me for the independence, self-motivation and focus that is required in college.”

“Ferry Hall completely prepared me for college. My grammar class with Mrs. Nelson paved the way for my understanding of English grammar. And I developed a love of music history and theory from Mrs. Portnoy. [And] my English class with MaryAlice Bird taught me to think for myself even if my views were different from the norm.”

“Talking about LFA traditions, Move Up Day has to be my favorite one to participate in. For me, Move Up Day symbolizes a day where I would look back at my past achievements and celebrate the start of a fresh new academic year.”

“Never did I expect a high school to really be as diverse, passionate, and focused as the words I read on the website. It was surprisingly surreal.”

“My favorite memory of LFA has to be whenever I had the opportunity to be on stage, either singing with the choir or performing in a musical. LFA helped me to discover my love of the arts. I also cherish the relationships that I formed with my peers and teachers. I still keep in touch with many people. LFA changed my life and the trajectory of where I am today.”

“For seniors in 1959, the school arranged an evening series of speakers. Most clearly, I remember the brilliant Bill Veeck. He owned the Chicago White Sox, who would go to the World Series that year. He was said to devour one book a day. Before supper, Veeck went to our baseball practice. After the meal, in the library, he was the entertaining self that Chicagoans knew so well.”

“I specialize in new work and telling stories in new ways, so when I work on stage and in the classroom at LFA, I want to bring contemporary theatre styles and techniques to young actors. At LFA we've been able to experiment with environmental theater, site-specific theatre, promenade-style theatre, ensemble-driven shows, actor-motivated sets, stage combat, original work, stage/film hybrids, student design, and more. We've got a student-centered focus in the Theatre department at LFA that helps a learner develop into a thought leader and a multi-tool player.”

“Physics was one of my favorite classes as it took a subject that I'd always found difficult and approached it with a fun and easily accessible curriculum. The integration of different labs and examples of the application of physics into our daily lives helped me apply myself to the work better, which helped further my interest in engineering entering college.”

“I love the community that living on campus offers. From inter-dorm activities (hide and seek, cops and robbers, trivia nights, caroling, etc) to simply having girls nights with my friends, boarding life truly gives you a second family. I also love the movie nights we have on weekends and the van trips the school offers to Old Orchard Mall, axe-throwing, ski trips, Six Flags, and more.”

“I loved my time at LFA and have truly fond memories of the amazing people and beautiful campus. Some of my best friends to this day are people I met at LFA. What a gift it was to be surrounded by bright and interesting young people from diverse backgrounds. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to attend.”

“Although dorm parents are technically teachers and faculty members, they are more like guardians I can trust personally. Knowing that my dorm parents are nearly accessible 24 hours for seven days a week for any problems ranging from academics to personal life is a very reassuring fact that allows me to build trust with my dorm parents.”

“Throughout college, I was able to take on roles such as being a teaching assistant, leading software development teams, and consulting for businesses because of the leadership skills I was exposed to at LFA. Now in my early career, I am able to distinguish myself by leveraging my leadership skills to demonstrate initiative and lead cross-functional software development teams. I am so grateful for the opportunities I had at LFA to learn and practice these core skills.”

“I love being able to do all the things I want to all at the same time; take hard but interesting classes, being part of teams and having fun in games and practices, and doing clubs that expand on the growth of my favorite hobbies.”

“My favorite classes at LFA were the two independent study courses I took with Mr. Dozois. For the first one, we researched the American justice system. I shadowed a district judge, met with the Lake County State’s Attorney and interviewed a police officer. I am so grateful that he took the time to cultivate such amazing learning experiences — one that prompted me to intern with the Cook County Public Defender’s Office during college.”

“You meet your closest friends playing whatever sport you do along with memories and conversations that you will never forget. Nothing can beat the bus drives with your team, sometimes they’re a lot more fun than the game itself.”

“My favorite memories of LFA are all the traditions that get passed on from year to year. Traditions such as All School Handshake, House Cup, ringing the bell after an athletic win, and senior year activities are some that I will never forget. These traditions not only bring the diverse community together but also encourages a strong school spirit.”

“There are countless things I enjoy about being a day student at a boarding school. One thing I have often found very helpful is that many of the teachers here live on campus which makes it very easy to find time to meet or seek help from them if needed. I also appreciate that because LFA is a boarding school, it has an exceptionally strong feeling of community.”