Lake Loop
Vivaan Patel, Ryusei Kato
On Friday and Saturday, we had one of our first family events of the year, Family Weekend! Family Weekend started strong with a 5k fun walk. Parents from all over the world and from the US were able to socialize with each other throughout the weekend.
Family weekend also had a multitude of Heads Cup activities. Led by activities prefect, Avery Tegt, the weekend housed three activities with Moore ultimately staying in the lead. We started with tug-of-war, followed by an uphill sack race that was fun for parents and kids combined. The activities ended with a water balloon toss and with Moore staying on top.
During the Arts showcase, the student writers from the Massasauga presented readings from the past volumes of the magazine, and following the readings was a sneak peek from the La Lu Players for their newest play, “Super Scary”. “Super Scary” will be presented October 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.
Saturday night, Ms. Sarah Berndt provided the school with a plethora of baked goods. Even though Senior Bonfire needed to be postponed due to a fire ban, the seniors still enjoyed a competitive kickball game. Split into two random teams, team “2025” ultimately pulled ahead of team “Seniors” to get the win, 2-1.
Sports
Olivia Ross, Eloise Verdun
The La Lu Boys Soccer team completed an undefeated season! With both a junior varsity and a varsity team this year, they are laying down a strong foundation for future success.
Under the guidance of coaches Chad Tallman and Kevin Effron, the players have displayed remarkable skill, beating teams that they haven’t in years.
The assistant coach, Kevin Effron, says, “Nothing comes easily in soccer and stepping up to every challenge is essential to success. It’s never about an individual player, it is always about working for your team, fans, and community.”
Both of the La Lu boy’s soccer teams strongly value character, and it is shown through the way they support each other both on and off the field. Their dedication to teamwork has contributed significantly to the team’s overall success, making this year one of the best.
The junior varsity team is providing valuable experience for younger players, which will strengthen the varsity team in the years to come. With a mix of skill, determination, and strong leadership from the captains, the La Lu boys soccer teams are ready for an exciting finish to their season.
Girls Volleyball Captains
Senior Macey Hamilton and Junior Isabella Robles are the proud captains of the La Lu 2024-2025 Girl’s Volleyball team. Both have had a love for the sport from a young age, continuing to bring the love to the La Lu court since their freshman years.
Resilience isn’t the only thing that brings the team together: the captains work towards creating a strong family environment for the team. Contributing to that family feeling, there are three Robles sisters on the team. Friendships flow through JV and Varsity without limits and with teamwork and commitment.
“I love getting to see my teammates get excited about playing and getting to help them get better.” says Robles.
Hamilton has put her energy into this team for four years. She has built a foundation and strong structure for the team to learn, grow and create fulfilling friendships.
Excitement for the sport flows through the bumps of the girls, set deep by the commitment of Robles and Hamilton. Their positivity and focus will continue throughout the rest of the season.
Fine Arts Friday: Giddy Up for the Fine Arts Friday Recap!
Eve Hebrard
Fine Arts Friday has been a beloved La Lu tradition since 2015. Started by our current Head of the Art department, Katie Wall, and traditionally held in the FAB, Fine Arts Friday allows students to not only show off their talents, but also invites them to support their friends and classmates.
The first Fine Arts event of the year kicked off on September 13, and the room was packed full of people in cowboy hats. The rodeo-themed FAB boasted balloons, stickers, mini clip-on cowboy hats, and a decked-out snack table. Fine Arts Friday showcased poetry readings, photography, sketches, and its first-ever dance performance. We invited Elliott Hall, the Fine Arts Prefect and host of Fine Arts Friday, to answer a few questions.
Hall’s favorite parts of the event were seeing how many people showed up, how everyone dressed up to match the theme, and Fine Art Friday’s first dance performance. She noted that she enjoys how events like this create a safe space for art to be shared with other members of the La Lu community!
Hall also implemented a signup sheet prior to the event, in the hopes that it would make people feel more comfortable performing, and get more students involved with planning.
Some upcoming themes to look forward to are holiday-themed, but the Art Council is open to suggestions from other students about what they might want to see next.
Culture Corner: Chinese MoonLight Festival
Helena Acosta, Maiyah Lewis
The Moon Festival is a mid autumn Chinese festival that is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month. People come together to enjoy the moon and celebrate a culture that has been a long lasting Chinese tradition.
According to the legend, long ago when China had 10 suns, their extreme temperatures made the people very miserable. A hero named Houyi, came and shot down nine of the ten suns and saved the world.
The Queen’s mother saw this and decided to award him for his bravery with an elixir. Chang’e, Houyi’s wife, drank the elixir by accident and became an immortal, and since immortals can’t stay in the mortal realm, she ascended up into the moon and could only watch the mortal realm from afar. The moon festival is meant to represent the reunion and celebration of families even if they cannot be together in person. People on this day will eat traditional or modern mooncakes and usually play traditional games and activities like To He (Toy figurine) making.
In modern times this festival is popular in many countries across Asia. There are countless traditions surrounding the holiday. Some of these include lantern lighting, seeing family, sharing and making moon cake, and of course looking at the beautiful full moon.
A glimpse into the modern day celebration experience comes from La Lu student Coco Lin. Lin is from a city called Xiamen, China. Lin said that her celebration usually includes a big meal with family under the moon and of course eating moon cakes. She also mentioned that her family plays a traditional dice rolling game called “Bo Bing.”
Lin said, “Over the seas grows the moon bright, we gaze on it far, far apart”. This phrase perfectly encompasses the significance of the festival as a time of reunion and celebration.