Tag: inspiration

Categories
Middle School Traditions

Magical Moments Away From Home

By Kaye Hauschild
Middle School Coordinator, Lakehill Preparatory School

I am excited! Next week, I will share an adventure with my faculty members and our Middle School students. We are traveling – east, west, and south – to give our students an opportunity to have a first-hand walk through natural and historical sites, taking our classrooms on the road. As the students are studying their packing lists, we chaperones are looking forward to the magical moments we are going to share with our classes.

What will those moments look like? There is the thrill of watching fifth graders traverse the ropes course at Mo Ranch with burgeoning confidence, filled with the joy of conquering a challenge.

There is the fun for sixth graders of experiencing life as a Texas pioneer, making rope and weaving cloth, and standing in the places where the heroes of the Texas Revolution fought for freedom.

For seventh graders, there is the sheer magnificence of the hiking from the rim to the base of Palo Duro Canyon and horseback riding in the canyon itself.

And our eighth graders will walk into the past with experiences at the battlefield at Shiloh, in the hallways of Central High in Little Rock, and the Lorraine Motel in Memphis.

For all of us, the memories of these adventures will last long after the trips are back home.

Categories
Service Learning

Hope in Good Hearts

By Jennifer Warder
Upper School Mathematics Teacher, Lakehill Preparatory School
Freshman Class Sponsor

As adults, we often wonder what the future holds when the young people of today will become our leaders. Sometimes what we witness here and now can cause us to be doubtful and even fearful. Thankfully, at Lakehill we have solid, reliable young people in every class who give us hope. Rarely, however, do you find an entire class with hearts like our current Freshman class.

Although we started this year with no one wanting to take a leadership role in the Freshman class, we have since been blessed with four good officers who work well together and a class of students all willing to do their part. During our first class project as part of Lakehill’s annual Holiday Luncheon, every member of the class played an important role in the weeks leading up to the Luncheon and on the day of the actual event.  In addition to our amazing officers, we had other students who stepped up and took on leadership roles. There were also the “thinkers,” who proactively thought out every possible stumbling block we could encounter and took action to prevent issues. On the day of the event, we had the “doers,” who kept the elderly supplied with water and coffee, wrapped silverware for the luncheon, and ran to get help when we encountered issues. Those comfortable with strangers sat and spoke with the elderly, holding their hands, and showing compassion well beyond their years. All were positive; all played to their strengths.  All made their class sponsors incredibly proud.

Freshmen are typically (and understandably) the most immature of the Upper School classes. However, this group has a maturity of spirit that is rare, in addition to positive attitudes that accompany a wit and sense of fun that I cherish.

They have themselves shared with me that they are not the most academic-minded of students.  But, they have a heart for people and a sense of empathy that I find rare for their age.  As teachers, we can work with them on the academic front.  But, we cannot coach them into having a heart for others.  I see a promise in all of our futures because of the incredible hearts of our Freshmen.

 

Categories
Family and Community

A Greater Whole

By Heather Dondis
Director of College Counseling, Lakehill Preparatory School
Lower School Parent

As a working mom of two Lower School students, I feel very comfortable in our school environment.  I remember the headmaster once saying at a meeting with parents that there will be many opportunities to help, fiscally and physically, but you have to pick and choose and contribute where and how you can, if you can.

I have found ways to help out through assisting with parties, driving to field trips, and setting up for seasonal events.  I am fortunate that I have a job that allows me some time away from time to time to do these things, but if I couldn’t participate, I would not feel out of place.  People do what they have to do to make a living and provide for their children.  I am amazed by the number of parent volunteers and their willingness to cooperate in whatever ways they can: moms, dads, grandparents; working and stay-at-home. Major fundraising is not my area of expertise, but I love buying books at the book fair or donating a dollar or two or a canned good here or there to various charities and organizations supported by school groups.  I know that every little bit helps and working together will accomplish greater things than we can imagine.

In just a few short years, I have seen how active the school is – from Kindergarten all the way to the end of high school.  From academics to sports to special interest groups, there truly seems to be something for everyone.

I have seen flyers from the Upper School Spanish Club raising funds for Cystic Fibrosis research which initiated a great discussion with my kids about that disease. I have friends who hired babysitters from the National Honor Society and independently from the high school and they could not have had a more positive experience.  My son still talks about his “Middle School buddy” from a field trip they had in kindergarten to the Environmental Center and he says hi to him from time to time in the halls even now that this student is in high school.  My daughter will probably never stop talking about the classroom aide she had who was a senior aspiring to become an elementary school teacher.

My kids are thrilled each day to see the older kids they recognize in the halls. The familiar faces from the musicals and plays, from athletic events and Tribe meetings give them a sense of belonging to a greater whole. It’s an amazing community of which we all are a part.

 

 

Categories
Spirit Student Perspectives

The Warrior Family

By Carly Chester
Junior, Lakehill Preparatory School 

The junior class having fun at the Holiday Luncheon.

Lakehill Preparatory has a unique system of friendship; our small school allows everyone to know each other’s names and personalities. I love being able to treat all of my peers like individual friends; I spend more time with my fellow students in the day than I get to spend with my family at home.

Waking up and going to school to the same people everyday puts a smile on my face because, we can all depend on each other for security. The typical high school experience is very stressful, dramatic, and awkward, but somehow my peers and I have managed to escape this scary thought.

Lakehill is unlike most schools, everyone gets along very well, and having a peaceful school environment is very important to me. Spending time with the faculty means a lot to the students too because, I always know I can be open and comfortable with my teachers which has bettered my education. Going to school with trustworthy people has helped me grow as a person, I couldn’t be more thankful.

Categories
Seasons

Spring Is In The Air

By Roger L. Perry
Headmaster, Lakehill Preparatory School 

I have driven the same road to Lakehill, literally thousands of times, and yet somehow this morning was different.

The fact that it was snowing – big, beautiful flakes – reminded me that winter had definitely arrived. Those of us who are educators tend to think of the start of the second semester as the beginning of the spring semester, but the only thing that indicated spring about this morning was the thunder and lightning that accompanied the snow!

Even though we are in the depths of winter, I can still anticipate the spring season. Spring represents new growth, everything around us turning green, and the knowledge that summer is not too far away. We know the weather in Texas can change in an instant, so it’s easy for this native Texan to believe that spring is just around the corner, bringing with it all the newness and hope it represents for each of us. I look forward to spring, and enjoy how people – both children and adults – seem to have more energy and vigor and seem more optimistic.

Hopefully, you have received your most recent Milestones magazine where we showcase many of the wonderful people and things that happen at our school. I am excited to join our students and faculty in the successes we will experience this semester. “Going to school” is a way of life for me and I appreciate that you share the lives of your children and family with me. It is an honor to be the Headmaster of Lakehill and to be given the privilege to experience the successes of so many.

Enjoy what will soon be the last days of winter and get ready for the joy of renewal this spring. I look forward to seeing you around the campus!

 

Categories
Family

A Tribute To Family

By Patti Brooks
Lower School Coordinator, Lakehill Preparatory School 

A TRIBUTE TO MY FAMILY
If there was ever a time of year that brings memories of family into focus, it is the holiday season.  The following acrostic poem, pretty much conveys my summary of feelings:
 
F A M I L Y

F=FUN to be around!  FULL of crazy actions that challenge the patience, but make you love them, anyway!

A=AMAZING  tolerance.  They usually know when I need a hug, a smile, or a “kick in the pants”!  

M=MAKING  the MILESTONES in my life more meaningful.  No one wants to celebrate or cry alone, and my family has always been there.

I=INTERESTING people!  They are each such unique INDIVIDUALS that help me see and experience the world through different eyes.

L=LOVING souls.  They take the time to LISTEN to me……what an important validation of my worth.

Y=YOU are the reason for my existence, and the joy in my life each day!!

Lovingly submitted
Patti Brooks
Categories
Service Learning

Service with a Smile

By Kaye Hauschild
Middle School Coordinator, Lakehill Preparatory School 

It all began with a broken leg.  One of my sixth grade students broke her leg right before the beginning of the school year and, after surgery, found out that she could not participate in PE for many weeks to come.  Faced with the prospect of sitting idly on the bleachers, her parents asked me if I could give her the alternative of community service during her PE time each day.  I readily agreed because there are always projects that need an extra hand.

And so it began. During the first few weeks of school, there were more injured students who came to our alternative activity.  Because of broken and badly sprained wrists, knees, and ankles, our group’s number changed, but the purpose did not.  Over the next ten weeks, these students met together at the end of each school day to give an hour of their time to someone else who needed them.

They provided service to our school by creating bulletin boards, posters advertising upcoming events, and locker decorations, as well as helping our teachers and librarian with special projects and routine tasks.  They worked together on service projects for those outside of our school by organizing the materials needed for a “pet rock” project that the entire middle school participated in, making ornaments to send to families living in Interfaith Housing facilities, making samples for various Community Connections projects, encouraging coat collection for Coats for Kids, and conceptualizing and putting the pieces together for the Middle School wreaths for Children’s Medical Center.

Every day was filled with cheerful effort dedicated to our school and to our community.  I am happy to say that all of my wounded Warriors are back on their feet, so our afternoons together have come to an end.  To all of these wonderful volunteers, thank you!  I hope you know that you made a difference.

Categories
Learning and Leading

Dramatic Moments

By Julie Riggs
English Chair K-7, Lakehill Preparatory School 

The first time I ever directed a play with eleven and twelve year-old stars, I was sure it would be my last. The children seemed so unruly and unprepared that I was envisioning total humiliation when the audience arrived. An hour before show-time in a last minute rehearsal, I was losing my voice and my patience as the actors broke character, missed cues, and horsed around. Then something magical happened. The parents took their seats, and the cast became a unified machine, staying in character, responding to cues, and making the audience love them.

On my next attempt, one of my actors was so severely dyslexic that he could not read the script, which was a cutting from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, but he burned with passion to perform. I recorded the whole scene on a cassette and gave him a part with few lines. He became that elven spirit, putting every cell of his body into the role, and his joy was palpable.

I long ago shifted my idea of success from a flawless performance to a fun one, and I have often modified or created a part to suit an actor rather than saying ‘no’ to an eager child. My scripts are unwieldy, my plots improbable, and rehearsals often chaotic. What we do is definitely not theater with a capital T. But the excitement and happiness of a drama club performance, could it be contained, could power the lights on Broadway.

I can’t think of a better reason for doing anything.

 

Categories
Family and Community

The Legacy of A Smile

By Victoria John
Latin and Mathematics Teacher, Lakehill Preparatory School

May you see your children’s children growing on your family tree;

Such a crown of life’s true riches they can be…

Life may bring you fame or fortune,

But your greatest legacy is to plant a strong and fruitful family tree.

Life is a rhapsody of loving; both sad and joyful poetry;

But in your symphony of living the most important melody is family.

I love Lakehill’s traditions. For thirteen years I have felt part of this caring family, as I experience annual celebrations. From our opening picnic, Homecoming, and the Halloween Carnival to Trek for Tech, the Holiday Luncheon, Adventure Week and the Skating Party, my favorite is Grandparents Day. Even before I became a grandmother, I enjoyed this gathering.

My favorite part of Grandparents Day is the end, where we sing the words above from “Family Tree,” written for Lakehill by Jack Noble White. Every student from kindergarten through twelfth grade, every teacher, every administrator and every staff member join voices to celebrate the gift of family. It is a moment that fills me with love and pride for my extended family.

We started a new tradition this year with the creation of Tribes, small groups of students who meet monthly to share activities and build a bond as they create new memories. Cat Huitt and I are tribal leaders of thirteen delightful students in grades one, four, seven, and ten. At our first meeting everyone shared a favorite memory. Seventh grade student Shelby Britton touched my heart with her remembrance of her grandmother.

“My grandmother’s formal name was Lola Mosley, but absolutely no one called her that. No one. Friends, family, acquaintances, and random strangers all called her Nana. I don’t really know how that nickname came about, but I do know that I had to ask my mother her real name. No one called her Lola.

She was a very strong-willed person and was not a ‘girly girl’ in the sense that she could be as tough, if not tougher, than all the guys in my family. You could tell her absolutely anything, and she would not think for a second about judging you. She also had really good advice about pretty much anything you could imagine, especially cooking.

Her home was always open. Whenever I would visit her, there was usually someone there with her, drinking coffee or watching the news. I really can’t remember a time when she didn’t have a coffee mug in her hand or a smile on her face.

My favorite memory of her was when she would tell my cousin and me stories about her past when we spent the night. I remember this one story about how she would drag race in the alley behind the neighborhood theater  The main thing that stood out about this story was that her competition was none other than the town’s policeman. ‘Yes, policeman.’ Needless to say, she was very outgoing or almost always doing something for someone else.

Nana treated me like I was one of the adults. She would never call me the usual childish names like ‘baby’ or the name, ‘Booboo,” which I am called by my family. ‘Ugh.’

She made me feel special. She wouldn’t say I was her favorite grandchild or anything like that, but she had her ways of telling me I meant the world to my family. For some reason, she chose to tell me that. I always knew they loved me, but I couldn’t wrap my brain around how much. That’s probably the best thing she ever did for me.

Nana was an amazingly great influence in my life. When I talk about her, all I can do is laugh. I think that is the best legacy a person can leave.”

Thank you, Shelby, for these heartfelt memories of your Nana. Her legacy will continue as you touch others with your gifts.

At Lakehill’s fifteenth annual Grandparent’s Day on Friday, November 16, from 9:30-11:00 a.m., we celebrate family with the legacy of a smile.

Categories
Learning and Leading

Meaningful Moments

By Katie Becker
Lakehill Preparatory School, Social Studies Chair 

As with most anything in life, in teaching (shockingly) there exist moments of frustration, heartache, and sorrow. However, this is overpowered by the small slices of a teacher’s day that provide pure joy, pride, and – at least for me – a happy tear or two.

I must admit, sometimes my “glass-half-empty” self does surface and I focus on the wrong things. But this week I was thrown back into the positive realm when I was surprised with a handwritten birthday card delivered to the school from a former student. I was floored. As a student at Lakehill, she always made birthday cards for her teachers, but now as a sophomore in college she was taking the time to continue that tradition with me! It was in that moment that I was reminded of the unexpected, rewarding moments of not just teaching, but teaching at Lakehill. When I look, I can find these moments everywhere.

I find a special moment it in the excited questions from my seventh graders about their Tomb Designer’s Challenge–building “Pharaoh Becker” an ancient Egyptian style tomb during our study of ancient civilizations. I see it in the student who brought a relevant newspaper article to class and his recommendation to watch Downton Abbey because he knows I would enjoy it. It’s found in my AP students’ eagerness to indulge my enthusiasm for historical movies when they came with me to see the movie premiere of Spielberg’s Lincoln last week. (I highly recommend it, by the way!) I see it in a senior that self-admittedly struggled to enjoy my history class as an eighth grader as he thrives in AP History this year.

Without a doubt, it is the small, simple moments like these that make it all worthwhile.