REVIEW OF Lakefield College School BY Alum, Olivia Johnston

(5) Overall Experience

My Lakefield experience was memorable and impactful. Throughout my four years at LCS, I grew so much through the experiences I had, like going on an exchange in grade 10. What I like best about Lakefield and my time here was the people and the sense of community; it really is something special and unique to LCS, and now that I have graduated, I cherish it and am better because of it. There isn't much I would change about the school. I think everything is very Lakefield, and each aspect really does make LCS like no other. I think the school prepared me as much as it could for life's next steps. I don't think it completely prepared me, but I also don't think that it needed to, and I learned throughout my experience post-LCS. A prospective student should expect to sometimes feel like they are at summer camp, meet some of the best people, be challenged in new ways, try new things, and learn a lot about themselves if they were to enroll in Lakefield College School.

Looking Back

The thing that stands out most from my time at this school is the sense of community. Not only with other students but with my teachers and all the staff members, the relationships you build are so unique and really mean so much to students and staff. I remember most vividly the spring of my grade 12 year, full on Camp Lakefield, spending every second we could down at the waterfront and really cherishing our last moments. It was one of the more stressful times, obviously, with uni applications having gone in and waiting to hear back, as well as exams, SIC roles, and trying to say yes to all the events, but despite any stress, it really was one of the best times of my life.

Current Perspective

I definitely see the school in a more positive perspective now that I have graduated. Some things I didn't notice when I was a student really did benefit me and were there to help me. I think I always saw the strengths with LCS, but now being a staff I notice that a weakness could be how the staff are sometimes so thinly stretched with all the work they have to do.

Your Advice

I would advise someone considering this school to be prepared for it to almost become their life. Between curriculars, clubs, Saturday class, and events, there is not much time left for other things, but it is possible, and it's not necessarily a bad thing! I wish someone had told me how fast it goes by.

(5) School Leadership

To be completely honest, I don't think I ever gave much thought to the administration when I was a student, but the leadership of my teachers and other staff was phenomenal. I think the administration definitely instilled confidence, and maybe that was the reason why I never really gave it any thought.

(5) Teaching

I think the teaching, and specifically the teachers at LCS, are what make the school so enjoyable. Looking back, and now having experienced teachers at university, it is extremely notable how every single teacher at LCS loves what they do, is passionate about what they do, and genuinely cares about how the students do. It makes a world of difference. For the most part, the dynamic between students and teachers is relatively informal, and it's super easy to build a strong teacher/student relationship.

(5) Academics

I would say LCS was pretty strong academically, especially with the variety of classes and content it offered. I think a weakness was the lack of AP classes for social science/humanities classes like Business and Anthro/Psych/Soc. LCS cultivated a strong academic culture but also had a good balance of fun. I found the student body really cared about their academics, but at the same time, they weren't competitive with each other.

(5) Extracurriculars

I think extracurriculars at LCS were really good, and there was a good mix of sports and arts. At times, since it was mandatory, students would complain about having to always go to extracurricular activities. There were some teams which were more competitive than others, so that gave lots of choice between wanting to just have fun or wanting more.

(5) Students

During my time at LCS, the student body was still generally small, and my graduating class had around 70 students. For the most part, the students had high spirits and lots of energy and school spirit, and it was considered "cool" to be involved and act like you care. Looking back, the general atmosphere of the student body was one of inclusivity, and it really stands out that everyone was friends with everyone. I would say the "typical" student at LCS is someone who is kind, outgoing, and always has a smile on their face. The ethnic background of the students was of a wide range, and it was really special to be in an international environment, but the socio-economic background of the students wasn't as prevalent.

(4.5) School Life

LCS was the best four years of my life, and I always speak so highly of the school and will always recommend it. LCS is the reason for my confidence, curiosity, and where I am today. I was given so many unique opportunities, which allowed me to grow and gain more confidence. I think as students, we didn't realize how good we had it at LCS until we were gone, and looking back, we can see how happy we were. I think it can be tougher for boarding students, as some of them were sent by their parents and didn't have much of a choice in the matter and had a lot less freedom being a boarding student, which can be frustrating at that age.

(5) Community

I would say the community is Lakefield College's biggest asset. The community you are a part of while at school is phenomenal and goes from students to staff. What is even more special is the community to continue to have after graduating. Saying you are from LCS can take you so far and help with future experiences, whether its traveling or for work. As soon as an alumnus hears you're from Lakefield, they immediately are open to help with anything and talk about anything. I think parents are definitely welcome to be involved in the life of the school, but I feel like most do so once their kids have graduated. My experience with the alumni community has been really cool; it's always great to share similarities in our experiences at LCS, even if we are years apart. I have kept up with mostly all my friends from LCS and will reach out to others from time to time, and it's always the best!

(5) School Location

I think for a high school, LCS's location is perfect, it's within walking distance to the smaller village of Lakefield, a 20-minute drive from the main city, Peterborough, and an hour and a half drive from Toronto. For young teens, this is pretty much all you need. It's also perfect because of the location of the campus is right on the water. The nature we have access to is truly incredible and one of a kind.

(4.5) Admissions

A piece of advice I would give to someone planning on applying for admission would be to get excited about the opportunity you are about to open yourself up to. It isn't as scary as it might seem, and the admissions officers are lovely and just want what is best for you.

(5) University placement and counselling

The university counselling program here at LCS was so much more than any of my other friends at other schools had ever even heard of. You can really tell how it is a priority of the school, and once you're in grade 11, it just seems like a normal part of the high school process and even classes. The guidance team was always extremely helpful and went out of their way to resolve issues, and they just wanted to ensure our post-secondary experience was all that we wanted it to be. I do think there isn't much focus on more niche areas to study, and there were so many fields that I didn't even know existed, that I now wish I were aware of.