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Interview with Lakefield College School Alum, Olivia Johnston
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- Name
Olivia Johnston - Grades (year)
Gr. 9 - Gr. 12 - University (major)
Rennes School of Business (Bachelor in Management with a Specialty in Marketing) - Gender
Female - Enrolment
Day student
Olivia, a Lakefield College School alumna, shared her perspective on the school's strong sense of community, collaborative academics, caring teachers, leadership accessibility, and immersive student life. She reflected on how Lakefield's balance of academics, extracurriculars, and activities beyond the classroom helped her grow while building lasting friendships and connections, and highlighted the strength of the global alumni network that continues to connect graduates long after leaving the school.
Highlights from the interview
What I appreciated the most about Lakefield while I was there was definitely the people that I got to meet and the connections that I built. They really made my experience what it was, and especially how it grew into something even bigger once I graduated. Those connections, I can tell, are going to last so long.
I would describe Lakefield's culture as very much work hard, play hard… Being able to find that balance is something that people really value at Lakefield.
Lakefield has done a really good job of evolving with time and growing, but also maintaining the smaller things that maybe make Lakefield what it is.
Everyone who is in a leadership position is very approachable, and there aren't really these barriers of "I'm the leader, and you're the student" in that type of way, which I think is really good. You really get to build a relationship with the leaders at the school, which I think helps with so many things and makes it really easy to approach them and ask for advice or guidance.
Another thing that I think Lakefield does really well within academics is using the Harkness method, which is a discussion- and collaboration-based teaching method… It really allows, and kind of forces, students to be engaged. It's definitely something that I benefited from in my academics while I was at Lakefield and something I think LCS does really, really well.
The extracurriculars at Lakefield are super important, and it's something that everyone gets involved in… They are amazing, and it is such a benefit to have that programming kind of built in, where the extracurriculars are required.
The teachers at Lakefield are really what make Lakefield what it is. You'll never meet a group of people that are more caring or compassionate and genuinely love what they do. They will go the extra mile to help you, make sure you reach your goals, and make sure you succeed, which is so helpful in high school.
What is unique about student life at Lakefield is how much it extends beyond the classroom. So whether that's with events going on during the week, trips into Lakefield, trips into town, or just hanging out with each other, it really is so much more than just school.
My experience with the alumni community has been amazing. It is crazy to be able to connect with someone who you've never met before, or even someone who is like 20 years older than you, but just the fact that you both share the same experience of going to Lakefield and going through high school there really brings you together.
One of the reasons I would recommend LCS to other families is the people that you're going to meet. Having this global network is something that is so unique, and not a lot of people get to have.
