Lake Loop
Maiyah Lewis, Eloise Verdun, Evie DeRubbo
On Friday, November 8, La Lu hosted its first coffee house of the year! The event was Gilmore Girls themed, and both snacks and coffee, as well as a craft were provided.
The coffeehouse is one of the events run by the Fine Arts prefect Elliott Hall, and is meant to bring people together. This experience allows people to perform on stage, and get used to being in front of people.
Madame Sendziak performed by reading quotes she got from her students in class, and having the audience guess who said them. Anne Miller performed an original poem she submitted to the Massasauga, and Helena did a poem she wrote for Mr. Buchanan’s English class. Other performers included Anna, who played the flute, Mr. McDaniels, who wowed the crowd with his riddles, and Ilaria launched her career in stand-up comedy with some dad jokes.
In addition, all of the winter sports teams season’s are well underway! All four teams– Varsity National, Varsity Regional, JV, and Girl’s Varsity have all won games and are proving to have successful seasons thus far.
Teacher Talk
Eve Hebrard, Helena Acosta
Dr. Pangborn has taught at La Lu for five years. She works in the English department and teaches a variety of classes including, Literature and Composition, Women Writers, Speculative Fiction, and next semester poetry writing workshop. She is also in charge of The Massasauga, La Lu’s literary magazine.
Before La Lu, Dr. Pangborn studied public relations. However, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do, but knew that she liked writing and journalism. After she graduated, she didn’t love her career options, and public relations didn’t feel very genuine.
Dr Pangborn says, “It wasn’t what I loved”.
She then decided to go back to school to get her masters degree. Dr. Pangborn found her love of teaching while she pursued her masters degree, which required teaching a college class; she decided that was what she wanted to do.
She studied poetry and then she decided to go for a PHD in English. Beyond receiving her bachelor’s degree at central Michigan and masters at Columbia College Chicago, Dr. Pangborn also received a PHD at the University of Louisiana.
Following graduation, Dr. Pangborn set out to find a job and eventually chose La Lu. She did so because her family lives in Michigan and she loves the area and wants to be closer to family. It seemed to be a perfect fit as she was also looking for an independent school. La Lu would bring freedom to teach a more flexible and personalized curriculum.
Eventually as she learned more about the school she came to like it even more, her favorite part of La Lu becoming the traditions.
She remembers her first senior bonfire and being shocked by the enormous blazing bonfire and being scared for the woods around it: “it’s a powerful tradition that’s why I love it.”.
La Lu has rich traditions but the community is just as important, and Dr. Pangborn is a fantastic teacher and a crucial part of it. With all the classes she teaches it is clear that she has a very important impact on La Lu.
Thanksgiving Dinner
Anne Miller, Ella Stankewicz, Ryusei Kato
Thanksgiving is coming up with La Lu students receiving the week of the 25th off to celebrate with family and friends, but before the break starts, the community gets together to celebrate on the 21st. La Lumiere’s annual Thanksgiving dinner is filled with memories and lots of food as day students, boarders, and faculty alike gather to give thanks for everything that they have.
Thanksgiving is on November 28 this year and there is quite a bit of history that goes into this annual holiday. The Thanksgiving feast is modeled after the 1621 harvest shared by English colonists and the Wampanoag people. The meal usually consists of traditional staples such as turkey, potatoes, cranberries, and pumpkin pie shared with friends and family. This meal is sure to create memories whilst reflecting on ones of the past. The holiday serves as an opportunity to give thanks and celebrate the blessings of the past year.
La Lumiere plays its own part in recognizing Thanksgiving traditions. The Moore House is packed with decorations and tables lined with food to create a festive atmosphere. La Lu’s community serves as a second home to many and makes this special holiday even more memorable.
The Taste of La Lumiere
Vivaan Patel, Tiarah Alexander
The Taste of La Lumiere is one of the most significant traditions that occurs at La Lu. “The Taste” happens once a year in the springtime, and is an event where faculty and students get together to make delicious cuisine from their culture for everyone to try.
This year, the hospitality council is aiming for 100 dishes to be made, but of course it would be excellent if the student body could exceed the amount. Not only is “The Taste” for food, but it is also a chance to show off traditional dances and special attire.
Students and faculty are motivated to dress up in their cultural wear, and perform a traditional dance for everyone to see. In addition, students are welcome to say a prayer in their language before anyone can start distributing food. The Taste of La Lu is truly an exhilarating experience and we hope to see you there!
“It is a great experience to have with your friends. You get to learn about people’s cultures and taste their food; it’s overall a fun time!” said sophomore Helena Acosta.