Lake Loop
Ella Stankewicz, Tiarah Alexander
After a snow filled break and unexpected closures on January 20 and 21 due to freezing temperatures, La Lumiere (La Lu) is excited to welcome students and faculty alike back to campus for the second semester of the 2024-2025 school year.
The first semester ended with students finishing their finals before the highly anticipated winter break. After three weeks off campus the Lakers have entered an entirely different year with lots to look forward to.
The spring brings some anticipated traditions during the coming months such as The Taste of La Lumiere and Spring sports.
As the Lakers will return from spring break, the spring sports season will begin. The spring sports offered at La Lu include Boys’ Baseball, Girls’ Tennis, and Boys’ Golf.
The Taste of La Lumiere is one of La Lu’s many traditions that takes place during April, in addition to Prom and the annual Spring Gala. With The Taste, Prom, and the Spring Gala being all in April, the month is sure to be exciting and busy for all Lakers, parents and students alike!
Though the beginning of this semester started out chilly and with a remote learning day, the rest of the semester is full of warmer weather and fun La Lu traditions.
Sports
Avery Tegt
The third annual La Porte Invitational took place January 9-11. As La Lu students were still on winter break, as many as possible showed up to the La Lu games at the Historic La Porte Civic Auditorium. On January 11, the Lakers were able to sell out the Civic Auditorium.
The La Porte Invitational is nationally televised and features both the best teams, and best players in the country. This year featured 11 of the top teams and 20 of the best players.
“Having the opportunity to see varsity national play in La Porte against some of the best teams in the nation is what makes the Civic tournament so cool,” said Junior Christian Lake.
While the result may not have been what the Lakers wanted, they still excelled in front of the student body and many local fans. In the January 11 game, the score was within one point in the fourth quarter.
The activities council also planned three game themes. On the ninth, the Lakers had a white out, giving free La Lu “White Out” shirts to the first 1,000 people. On the tenth, the Lakers chose the game theme of hawaiian, and on the 11, the Lakers had a construction theme.
While the whole tournament may not have had the scoring success that the Lakers had ultimately wished for, the fans showed up and stepped up to create an environment that was memorable for all.
Arts
Evie DeRubbo
La Lumiere’s theater department, The La Lu Players are hard at work, getting ready to put on Alice in Wonderland in February. The show dates are February 15 and the 18-20th. The show times are 2:00 to 3:30 pm on the 15th, from 4:00 to 5:30 on the 18th and 19th, and from 6:30 to 8 on the 20th.
With five months of preparation, the winter season gives “The Players” more time to introduce longer and more elaborate plays than typically seen in the fall season. La Lu productions are an event that no one should miss out on.
Senior, Lyla Cary, who has been a four-year member of the La Lu Players, was asked to give some insight into the show. Some of the best features of the Player’s Alice in Wonderland include hand-painted backgrounds, characterized clocks, and a playing card costume.
Cary mentioned, “I am excited about putting on a well-known play, and that it’s very cool to see everything the Players have worked so hard on come to life.”
Both Lyla and Maddox McCready, another Player, have confidently stated that the production is going to be great.
Mr. Benedict, the head of the theatre program, announced that “The Lalu Players haven’t done a production like Alice in Wonderland in several years, and it seemed time to do something like Alice.” He also mentioned that the “otherworldly nature of the plot makes it a fun production.”
When asked how rehearsal is going, Benedict then added the most challenging part of production is putting on the Player’s own unique version of the play, without replicating Disney versions.
Only a few weeks remain until production, and the Players are working diligently to put on an exciting show for the La Lu community. Make sure to show up and support the arts!
Culture Corner
Liv Owens, Maiyah Lewis
On January 29, Chinese New Year is celebrated. 2025 presents the year of the snake, a renewal and a new start. The children born in the year of the snake are said to hold adaptability, wisdom, creativity, and good luck. The Chinese New Year is often celebrated from the first full moon until the second full moon of the New Year, which can be up to 16 days.
The unique Chinese New Year traditions involve the color red, as you are to wear red on New Year as well as elders pass out red envelopes filled with cash to their grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. Why red? Red is traditionally a color used to scare away evil spirits, and misfortune as well as bringing luck and positivity. The Chinese New Year also comes with a massive parade that is typically filled with red decorations as well as dragons and lion dances.
The traditional foods to eat on Chinese New Year each have special meanings as well. The Chinese New Year cake symbolizes a higher income or position in one’s job. Fish symbolizes increased prosperity and is one of the most common foods eaten during the Chinese New Year. A whole cooked animal such as a whole chicken symbolizes luck and wholeness.
La Lu’s own student, Coco Lin is from Xiamen, China and to her, the Chinese New Year is the meaning of family getting together and her reuniting with her family. Lin’s favorite Chinese New Year tradition is to watch a big show that they do every year in China while eating snacks and homemade food for New Year’s Eve. Lin’s favorite food to eat at the meal celebration is dumplings because of the process of making them.
On New Year’s Day, Lin visits family and friends, and reunites with them. Another special tradition that is celebrated is “Duilian,” which translates to “We hope you live long and can receive wealth.”
According to Lin, “‘Duilian,’ is a traditional banner that is hung on the door to send luck.”
Another New Year celebration that takes place in January is the Vietnamese New Year, Têt on January 29. Têt is the most significant holiday in Vietnam, it marks the beginning of the lunar New Year.
Têt usually falls between late January and mid February, depending on the lunar calendar. Têt is a time for family reunions, honoring ancestors, and preparing for the year ahead. The celebration usually lasts over the span of several days, with the first three days being the most important. On these days, families clean and decorate their homes, cook special foods, and pay respects to their ancestors. It is believed that the way you celebrate Têt can influence the luck and prosperity of the coming year.
Some common foods that are made on Têt are bánh chúng (square sticky rice cakes) and bánh tét (cylindrical sticky rice cakes). These cakes are made with glutinous rice flour, mung beans, and pork, which are symbolic of the Earth and its balance. Têt is known for its public festivity, including colorful parades, dragon dancing, and fireworks. Usually, family members exchange well wishes and gifts, like lì xì, or lucky money. Lucky money is given to children or unmarried people, this practice symbolizes good luck and prosperity for the receiver. The holiday is also marked by wearing new clothes, and is a time for relaxation and enjoyment.
A glimpse into modern day celebration of Tét from one of La Lu students, Dung Dao. Dao is from Hanoi, Vietnam, and said that on Têt, he usually visits other people’s houses, especially his grandparents to receive lucky money. He also mentioned that his favorite food to eat during Têt is a traditional cake called chung cake.
Dao said, “Têt means to me the start of a new year.”
This phrase encompasses what many who celebrate Têt are looking forward to in the upcoming new year.