Lake Loop
Eloise Verdun
With an abundance of culture and traditions at La Lumiere (La Lu), the holidays are a highlight of life at La Lu. Cultural chapels fill assembly to share cultures and specific holidays. Thanksgiving dinner creates a full and thankful environment, along with sharing our fortune with others with a food drive.
However, Christmas dinner is a valued annual tradition for La Lumiere. With a similar concept to Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner is an opportunity for the community to join together in a more formal setting. Christmas dinner is a way to bring the school together to celebrate cherished holidays, before everybody disburses into break. Held in the field house to keep everyone warm, the sound of laughter and Christmas carols fill the gym with community joy.
In anticipation every year the prefects start a fundraiser. Selling candy canes to the La Lu students throughout the week, the prefects collect the money to buy gifts for the faculty’s kids. Later, a special guest with a big red hat and some little elves, sits in his chair and hands out all of the gifts to all of the kids.
Christmas dinner is also celebrated by all day and boarding students, bringing the community even closer together. While many events have the whole school, the other formal dinner, Thanksgiving dinner, does not have all of the day students, which makes Christmas dinner all the more sacred to the La Lu community.
The ensuing laughter of bringing the whole community together with faculty, boarding students, and day students alike, the field house is loud and full of enjoyment. A closing to the fall semester, Christmas dinner is a beautiful way to celebrate the season with the La Lu family.
Sports
Ryuesi Kato
Mark your calendars and prepare for the return of the La Porte Invitational! From January 9th to 11th, the Historic La Porte Civic Auditorium will transform into a battleground as it returns for its 4th year.
Featuring 11 of the nation’s best teams and over 27 of ESPN’s top-ranked recruits, these three days of consecutive games will be nationally televised. Get ready for high-flying dunks, clutch three-pointers, and unforgettable moments that will leave you on the edge of your seat.
Hosted by La Lu, the Lakers will be taking on the fierce competition. The Varsity National team will be competing in three games, and will be hoping to continue their ever-amazing start to the season that they have had so far. With two top 20 players on the team, Jalen Harleson and Darius Adams, the Lakers are certain to have a triumphant season.
Bring your La Lu spirit to the student section at the auditorium. The theme this year will be Hawaiian, White-Out, and Construction. Join us for the electrifying energy as our players give it their all. The countdown has begun. Don’t miss out on the action!
Model UN
Maiyah Lewis, Tiarah Alexander, Ella Stankewicz
Model United Nations, (Model UN) is a new after school activity at La Lu, run by French teacher Madame Sendziak, and Mr. Kellenberg, the philosophy teacher.
Head Delegate Helena Acosta states, “Model UN is a great opportunity to learn about international cooperation. Especially going to a school like La Lu, I think it is a great opportunity to learn more about international cooperation.”
The Delegates work together and separately, to come up with solutions to real world problems addressed by the UN. Each student receives a country and a committee that will address assigned problems in a conference.
This year, the delegates from La Lu are representing Egypt, Australia, and Belgium at the Notre Dame conference on November 22. The conference spans the length of the whole weekend with the schedule consisting of tours, debates, and social gatherings. Delegates prepared by working on different topics like fast fashion, greenwashing, access to clean and safe water, the health impacts, and effective health services for each of their countries.
They will then use their research to come up with innovative solutions, discuss the solutions with delegates from other schools and attempt to create a resolution. Delegates were required to submit a position paper, a short compilation of research and original solutions, in order to be considered for awards.
The Torch Team
Dear readers,
This semester has been one of growth, learning, and creativity for The Torch Team. Among the writers who have been creating the passion behind our project are seniors Eve Hebard and Evie DeRubbo. Their leadership and writing have been vitally important to The Torch recognition.
Throughout this special section, you will be able to learn a little bit more about the seniors, including the passion and creativity that they bring to not only The Torch, but the La Lumiere community as a whole. Eve and Evie have both chosen to write about each other, writing about the eloquent and insightful culture they bring to The Torch.
We hope you enjoy reading this unique section, curated by two remarkable human beings.
With gratitude,
Avery Tegt, The Torch 2024-2025 Editor-in-Chief
Eve Hebrard
Evie DeRubbo
Eve Hebrard is from Vitoria-gasteiz, Spain. This is Eve’s third and final year at Lalu. Eve has been involved in several activities in the La Lu community; including arts showcases, robotics, and the volleyball team. Eve’s favorite thing about Lalu is how welcoming everyone is. Eve loves art, poetry, and cats! Eve has also done a lot for the Academic Super Bowl team in the past, and has several works in the Massasauga Literary Magazine. Eve plans on becoming an astrophysicist after they finish school.
Evie DeRubbo
Eve Hebrard
Evie DeRubbo is from Valparaiso, IN. Evie, now a senior, has been part of the La Lumiere community for almost 4 years. Through her stay at La Lumiere, Evie has been part of multiple performances for the theater program, The La Lu Players, has submitted plenty of her poems to the literary magazine, and has participated in every art showcase. She’s proven to be an integral part of our art community, but she’s also a member of the tennis team! She loves nature, tea, dogs, books among many other things. Evie wishes to become an author when she finishes her master’s degree in English literature.