Elm Tree Society

Kassandra Almanzar here – nice to meet you! I’m a senior boarding student from Lawrence, Mass. In addition to Elm Tree Society, I’m a co-president of UMOJA, our cultural unity club on campus, a member of the Judiciary Council, and a proctor; I also play JV volleyball and JV lacrosse. My favorite subjects are history, English, and French, which have challenged me and pushed me to learn new things and read some extremely interesting books – sort of like Mountain Day, my favorite LA tradition. Before coming here, I’d never climbed a mountain before, but it’s a lot of fun to get out of my comfort zone and get to the top … The view is worth it!

Hi all – I’m Mark Bedetti, Lawrence Acdemy’s student body vice president and a senior boarding student from Beverly, Mass. My favorite LA tradition takes place at the start of each school year: Mountain Day! I’ve enjoyed my biology and computer science classes during my time on campus, and have gotten involved with a number of on-campus activities: I captain the mountain biking and squash teams, and I’m the leader of the school’s debate team, Makers Club, and Community Service Advisory Board. I’m also part of the Moral Courage Task Force, and am the Field Day committee director, a dorm proctor, and a member of the academics, arts, and athletics (AAA) and prom committees.

Hello! I’m Steph Clark, a junior day student from Sudbury, Mass. My favorite classes at LA are Spanish and English, and my favorite on-campus tradition is Spoon Hunt in the fall. I’m a member of the school’s field hockey, JV girls’ ice hockey, and girls’ lacrosse teams. I’m also a Food Committee co-chair – we meet with the head of the dining hall to discuss student suggestions and ways to improve – and a member of Rise Against Hunger. Welcome to Lawrence Academy!

Hey everyone – I’m Jamie Comeau! I’m a senior boarding student here at LA, but I’m originally from South Kingstown, R.I. During Spirit Week, you can bet I’ll always be participating in Spoon Hunt – It’s my favorite Lawrence Academy tradition. In the classroom, I’ve enjoyed my Gender, Family, and Media class, and Terrorism in the Modern World as well. Sports-wise, I’m involved in field hockey, ice hockey and lacrosse.

Hi there! I’m Nick de Valpine, a junior boarding student from Arlington, Mass. Course-wise, I’m a fan of LA’s Spanish and chemistry classes; outside of the classroom, I’m a member of our lacrosse and skiing teams, and part of the Judiciary Council. Every year, you can be sure I won’t miss out on Spoon Hunt – it’s my favorite Lawrence Academy tradition!

Hi, I’m Maggie Eames! I’m a senior day student at Lawrence Academy, but I’m originally from Andover, Mass. In addition to being an Elm Tree Society member, I’m a peer counselor, a peer tutor for English and writing, and a co-editor of our literary magazine, Consortium; I also play varsity squash, and my favorite subjects are dance and English. Two of the best LA traditions, in my opinion, are “Doc” Hamon’s annual “Doc’s Senior Walk” short story reading and Winterm, our two-week experiential learning program. The Outdoor Adventure and Leadership Winterim program, which I participated in during freshman year, helped me learn to speak up freely, loudly, and passionately; the difference in “freshman year Maggie” and “present-day Maggie” is huge thanks to all of my Winterim experiences.

Hi, I’m Mickey Feeney, a day student from Concord, Mass. At LA, I serve as the student body president, and my favorite subject is English. I am the founder of both the student jazz ensemble, Spartan Swing, and the LA Walk for Hunger team. I also serve as the co-leader of the debate club, play the drums, and am a member of the Cultural Coffeehouse. Lastly, I play squash and will be the captain of the team this year. Being involved on campus has been a huge part of my experience at LA, and I’m eager to lead the student body during my senior year.

Hi, I’m Kerri Murphy, a senior day student from Westford, Mass. Welcome to LA! I love my math classes here at Lawrence Academy, and outside of the classroom, I’m on the varsity volleyball team and am a peer counselor. I’m also involved in our dance program and UMOJA, a multicultural club. Spirit Week and Spoon Hunt are two of my favorite LA traditions, because they always seem to put everyone in good spirits, but I also love our advisory program. Advisory group meetings are a great opportunity to reflect on the week and our classes, and to talk with people you may not see throughout the day.

Hi, I’m Leo Narisawa, a senior boarding student from Tokyo, Japan. I’m currently leading our yearbook club, which puts together the Lawrencian every year; I love feeling like I’m part of a longtime LA tradition and seeing people smile when they look through our hard work at the end of the year. My favorite classes at Lawrence Academy are physics and photography, and my favorite school tradition is Mountain Day, our trip to Windsor Mountain at the start of each year. Everyone seems to make new friends by the end of the trip; I’ve loved getting to meet new faces when I attend as a student leader.

Hi there! I’m Matt Noel, a senior day student from Bolton, Mass. I play soccer, basketball, and lacrosse at LA, and I’ve also gotten involve in our dance program and the annual one-act plays. I love our language classes – English and Spanish specifically. Through Winterim, I’ve had the opportunity to travel to Spain and the Dominican Republic; the two-week experiential learning program is my favorite LA tradition.

Welcome to LA – I’m Veronica Saldanha, and I’m a junior day student originally from Dili, East Timor. My favorite class is LA Singers, because it’s a no-stress way for me to express myself and interact with classmates with similar interests. In addition to LA Singers, I’m also involved in our unity club (UMOJA) and the Environmental Sustainability Committee, and am an International Ambassador, helping fellow international students transition into life at LA. My favorite Lawrence Academy tradition is Mountain Day; it’s the perfect way to begin a new school year, create new friendships, and try something you’ve probably never done before: climbing a mountain!

I’m Mike Templeton – nice to meet you! I’m a senior day student from Groton, Mass., and will lead SABA (Students Against Boring Assemblies) on campus this year; I also run cross country, am involved in our theatre program, and am a member of Lawrencian Chorale. I’ve enjoyed my French, English and history classes during my time at Lawrence Academy, and my favorite campus traditions are the Winterim program and Mountain Day at Windsor Mountain.

Hi all, I’m Kevin Weaver. I’m a junior boarding student from Sudbury, Mass., and my favorite subjects at Lawrence Academy are math and science. I’m involved in our student government and the Faculty Student Senate; sports-wise, I play intramural tennis and am part of the boys’ thirds basketball team. I love participating in Spoon Hunt during Spirit Week every year as well.