lalumni

La Lumiere School Celebrated it’s 45th Commencement

lalumni — Wed, 30 May 2012 19:37:03 +0000

Tom Rosshirt, La Lumiere alumnus, presidential speechwriter and political advisor, addressed the graduating class of 2012 this morning during the 45th Commencement
Ceremony held on campus in the Marsch Gymnasium. Rosshirt grew up in the Midwest and graduated from the University of Notre Dame, where he majored in philosophy. He then attended Harvard University, where he earned a Master’s Degree and began doctoral studies in human development. Rosshirt served in the Clinton White House as Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and Foreign Policy Speechwriter. Prior to writing for the President, he served as foreign policy spokesman for Vice President Al Gore. La Lumiere School’s motto is Character and Scholarship and Faith. Rosshirt’s address focused on character and community. Character is at the core of everything distinctive about La Lumiere. We didn’t have classes in character at La Lumiere. We absorbed it from the teachers, the way they talked to us, the stories they told, the lessons they taught, the way they looked at us, and of course, the comments they wrote on our report cards. We learned character from our classmates. They taught me from the first day how things are done here. I still look up to them. These are the kinds of guys my parents wanted me going to school with from the beginning. I want to tell the La Lumiere parents here today that my mom and dad always said that sending me to La Lumiere was one of the best decisions they ever made. I called my dad last week to double check – he said: “in my top five, up there with marrying your mother.”

Here at La Lumiere, I learned that a big part of character means you treat others with respect, even if you don’t agree with them. It means you don’t separate yourself from
those you think are different from you – or become intolerant of them, or laugh at them. I learned here that you can’t have community without character. Unfortunately, much of the world is not doing very well in these measures of character right now, and we’re facing special challenges of community here in America. A few years ago, a former colleague of mine named Bill Bishop wrote a book called The Big Sort. President Clinton thinks this is one of the most important recent books on America. Bishop points out that, beginning in the 1960s, we in the United States have started sorting ourselves into separate communities – choosing neighborhoods, churches, civic groups, workplaces according to whether people think the same way we do on matters of politics. And when we separate ourselves into groups of people who all think like we do, we start demonizing people on the other side. When this happens, the sense of community begins to suffer, and the country’s institutions start to break down. It’s already begun, and it’s getting worse. When this happens, the sense of community begins to suffer, and the country’s institutions start to break down. It’s already begun, and it’s getting worse. So when you leave for the wider world, take with you what you learned here. The best way to change society is to refuse to let society change you. Never become a member of,a group that defines itself by its distaste for someone else. You wouldn’t do it here. You shouldn’t do it there. If you get involved in politics, as I did, great. Fight hard for what you believe in. Just try to stay cool – and don’t forget, no matter how much you dislike someone’s point of view, it’s his country too. This isn’t new for you. It’s living the values you learned here. Values you and I share. In a few minutes, we will share something more. We will never be students here again. That still makes me sad. Some of the best days of my life were spent here. I’ve spent a long time wondering why that was, and now I think I know: It’s because here at La Lumiere – my teachers and coaches and classmates knew me well, and liked me anyway. And I liked them back. It wasn’t just one or two friends. It was more than that. It was a network of deep friendships built on affection and respect. That is what itmeans to have a community. It’s the single greatest source of human happiness. And once you taste it, you don’t ever forget it.

So when you leave for the wider world, take with you what you learned here. The best way to change society is to refuse to let society change you. Never become a member of a group that defines itself by its distaste for someone else. You wouldn’t do it here. You shouldn’t do it there. Following Rosshirt, Zachary J. Wisniewski, Head Prefect and member of the Class of 2012, took the stage and addressed the gathering. The two La Lumiere graduates, though thirty-five years apart in age, chose to speak on the same topic. “It’s been embedded in our minds after constant repetition over our years at La Lumiere: Character, Scholarship, Faith. It’s the motto the school runs on, and the motto that we must keep in mind after we graduate.” The following awards were given during the ceremonies for distinguished achievement:
Alan R. Hannan “Unsung Hero Award” Rebecca Kristine Stueck, Michigan City
Jingxin Xu, China
James R. Moore Scholar Athlete Award Alana Raeann Murray, Michigan City
Zachary James Wisniewski, La Porte
Senior Award for Service to Younger Students William Robert Holdsworth, Naperville, IL
Senior Award for Stellar Academic Performance Shubhra Madhukar Murarka, La Porte
The “One of Us Award” Anulé Theresa Ndukwu, Chesterton
(Nominated by Fellow Classmates)
Trustees Award for Leadership Based on Character Zachary James Wisniewski, La Porte
Headmaster’s Award for Growth and Distinction William Kniesley Kesling, La Porte
Matthew Brian Tucker, Chesterton
Aaron Stephen Emmanuel, Canada
The Alumni Memorial Award – The Person Who
Best Portrays the La Lumiere Ideal John Frederick Lake, Jr., La Porte

La Lumiere Senior Shubhra Murarka Named Indiana Academic All-Star

lalumni — Wed, 30 May 2012 19:32:45 +0000

La Lumiere School is thrilled to announce Shubhra Murarka, a Senior, is among the forty high school seniors from throughout Indiana named 2012 Indianapolis Star Indiana Academic All-Stars. The students were honored at a luncheon Wednesday, April 11, at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in Indianapolis. The students were selected from a field of 224 outstanding nominees from the state’s accredited schools.
All-Star distinction recognizes seniors who excel in the classroom first and foremost, but who also are actively involved in their schools and communities, and take on leadership roles in those activities. The program is produced by The Indianapolis Star and the Indiana Association of School Principals.
Each nominated student submits an essay recognizing his or her most influential educator. Murarka identified Mr. Ken Andert, her Physics and Calculus teacher, as the greatest influence on her high school career.
The Indianapolis Star Indiana Academic All-Stars program salutes academic excellence in the same manner that student athletes traditionally are honored. By providing a showcase for academically talented seniors, the sponsoring organizations hope to accomplish the following objectives:

Give academic achievement the prestige it deserves;
Motivate students to recognize the value of academic excellence;
Provide students with an incentive for academic achievement; and
Promote a positive image of Indiana’s young people.

Each accredited public and private high school may nominate one senior for consideration as an Indianapolis Star Indiana Academic All-Star. From these nominees, a selection committee chose the Regional Winners (representing five regions in Indiana) and the 40 All-Stars.
Selection of the school’s nominee is based upon the following considerations:

A mathematical formula that combines the SAT or ACT composite score and the seven-semester grade-point average; and
Academic achievements and honors, academic courses and academic extracurricular activities.
Other extracurricular activities, community service and leadership qualities.

The same formula and considerations are then used to select the 40 All-Stars.

Kevin Spingler, Head of La Lumiere School’s Environmental Science Program, Earns Prestigious Fellowship

lalumni — Wed, 30 May 2012 19:18:10 +0000

May 8, 2012 La Porte, Ind. – Kevin Spingler, Head of La Lumiere School’s Environmental Science Program, has earned a prestigious Maury Project Fellowship from the American Meteorological Society (AMS), a selective professional development workshop. The 2-week program to be held this summer at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and is designed to promote the scientific literacy of young people in the physical foundations of oceanography. This fellowship will provide Spingler with an opportunity to augment his knowledge-base, and will continue to advance La Lumiere School’s Environmental Science Program, which he developed.
The Maury Project is directed towards improving teacher effectiveness in generating interest and understandings in science, technology, and mathematics among precollege students. The project is named after Matthew Fontaine Maury (1806-1873), considered by many as the founder of the science of oceanography. The AMS has a long-term interest in precollege ocean education. It serves the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences, and publishes oceanographic research journals.
Major components of the Maury Project include (a) the identification and training of a cadre of master oceanographic education resource teachers who will assist the AMS in training other precollege teachers on oceanographic topics, and (b) the development and implementation of scientifically accurate and pedagogically sound instructional resource materials for teachers.

Annual Fund

lalumni — Tue, 15 May 2012 18:15:12 +0000

La Lumiere School Earns Top Ten Finish in National Academic Decathlon Championship

lalumni — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:16:35 +0000

La Lumiere School’s State Championship Academic
Decathlon team placed tenth out of eighteen teams competing in the small school division at the
United States Academic Decathlon National Competition held this spring. This is the second
year in a row that La Lumiere has earned the right to compete at the National Level. In March, the
team earned a 2nd place finish in the Indiana State competition.
Students compete in the Academic Decathlon in three divisions determined by GPA; Honors
Division, Scholastic Division and Varsity Division.
John Lake, a senior from La Porte, earned a Bronze medal in the Essay in the Honors Division and
Hyeonji (Ginny) Lee, a senior from Seoul,
South Korea, earned a Silver in Mathematics and a Silver in Science in the Honors Division.
With an enrollment of just over 200, La Lumiere School competed and won against schools 6 to 10
times its size.

2012 Annual Alumni Golf Outing

lalumni — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:00:39 +0000

Chicago Alumni Event

lalumni — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:07:23 +0000

Ticket includes beer & wine with heavy hors d’oeuvres provided by Blue Plate Catering. For planning purposes, we ask that you purchase tickets on-line ASAP but no later than June 15. If you have questions, please contact Susie Yemc at 219.326.7450 or syemc@lalumiere.org.

We hope to see alumni, alumni parents, current parents and other friends of La Lumiere School in attendance.

Click below to purchase tickets for the June 20 event:

Alumni
Young Alumni (graduating years 2004-2008)

Camp Invention

lalumni — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:05:07 +0000

July 16 – 20, 2012
9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Children entering grades 1 – 6

For more information or to register
Click Here

2012 Basketball Camp

lalumni — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:03:03 +0000

Basketball Skill Development Camp

Boys and Girls Ages 8-13

June 18-21, 8:30am – 3:00pm

La Lumiere School Gymnasium

6801 W. Wilhelm Rd.

La Porte, IN

Cost: $65, daily lunch and t-shirt included

Lakers to Play on National Stage

lalumni — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 20:41:25 +0000

Lakers to Play on National Stage

La Lumiere will compete in the fourth annual ESPN Rise National High School Invitational at Georgetown Prep in Bethesda, MD, March 29-31. Catch the action on ESPN, or go to www.nhsihoops.com to purchase tickets.