LA Media Mashup

There’s something special about this year’s class of senior lifers. There are 12 of them, call them the Dynamic Dozen if you will, and it was a pleasure to spend a few hours on a Saturday afternoon with these accomplished and impressive LA students and their families at the Lifer Luncheon in the Oakwood Room. 

As a 1983 LA alumnus who has worked at his alma mater for the past 15 years, I clearly value connection. I have watched these lifers grow up at WardlaLAartridge, having begun my employment here the same year in which Sydney Geissler ’24 entered the school in Pre-K. Eleven other lifers began their LA careers soon after in JK, Kindergarten and first grade, and this group and their families have built an incredible bond over the past decade plus. I have taken thousands of photographs of these students over the years and witnessed their growth as students, athletes, artists, performers and young adults. 

It was clear from the synergy in the room at the Lifer Luncheon that these families have treasured their LA experience and connection to each other. They perused old yearbooks and shared stories and memories. They laughed and became emotional while watching a slideshow of images and videos from their children participating in concerts, trips, Field Day, Earth Day and many other wonderful LA traditions. Going through archive videos and photos, I was thrilled to find a performance from the Lower School Winter Concert in 2013, when they were first graders who enthusiastically performed Blitzen Boogie. 

Perhaps what distinguishes this year’s lifers the most from previous years is the commitment and legacy of their families. Many of this year’s lifers are the last in a line of two, three or four siblings to attend the school. The 12 families represented by this year’s lifers have graduated a whopping total of 29 students from the school. Hannah Yin ’24 is the youngest of four siblings to attend LA, following in the footsteps of older brothers Brandon ’15, Jason ’18 and William ’20. When Anushka Dalal ’24 accepts her diploma at the 141st Commencement Ceremony on June 14, she will culminate more than two decades of family education at the school after brothers Aditya ’14 and Akash ’16 graduated previously. Naomi Valcourt ’24 and Simrah Razvi ’24 are also the youngest of three siblings to graduate from LA, following siblings Nadia ’21 and Nate ’22, and Yousaf ’14 and Anna ’21, respectively. 

Other lifers who are the last to graduate from their families include Samina Aziz ’24, Charlie Silver ’24 and Nidhin Kumar ’24. Fellow lifers Vineel Bandla ’24, Diya Patel ’24, Sanya Sidhu ’24 and Zara Zaidi ’24 still have siblings at LA. 

There will always be students and families who come and go, but this year’s lifers have spent 12-15 years at LA and their parents have invested in our school and entrusted their children to us. This commitment is noteworthy and something worth celebrating. I have enjoyed watching these students blossom into impressive and confident young adults ready to lead in succeed in a world of global interconnection. I look forward to remaining connected with these graduates and their families for many years to come.

Theater productions are typically judged by the execution of their performances. The recent LA Upper School musical Mean Girls absolutely nailed it with solid acting, outstanding vocals, excellent orchestral music and lively, entertaining dances. Months of hard work produced a fabulous show that impressed audiences throughout a memorable weekend run.

There have been many wonderful musicals and plays staged at LA over the years but there was something special about this one that goes beyond the stage and control room. More than half of the senior class was involved in this production, including 27 who gathered for a massive group photo with roses after Sunday’s finale and two others from the Scenic Production and Design Class who provided artistic support. As the curtain closed on Sunday afternoon’s performance, it marked the final performing arts collaboration for a proud and dedicated group of seniors, including seven lifers who have attended LA for at least 12 years.

The connections in the Class of 2024 run deep, and not only among the students. Many parents of these students have been friends for more than a decade. They’ve been watching their kids sing, perform and make speeches since Lower School. During this school year, several have attended senior speeches for students who are not their own children. These folks are connected. Although beaming with pride, many expressed nostalgic sadness watching their children collaborate on the Berry Performing Arts Center stage for the last time. 

Although I never performed in a LA theatrical production in my scholastic days many years ago, I always enjoyed the plays and musicals. I continue to be amazed and impressed at how thespians are able to remember all of their lines and all the little details that make a scene work. My interest in the school musicals was elevated when my wife, alumna Macada McMullen Brandl ’87, was the choreographer in the 1990s and then again for a brief stint about a decade ago. Being married to a key production team member also taught me how much time and dedication is required from so many people to execute a musical. The term “team effort” is somewhat overused, but in this case it applies.

And what a team we had this year! Senior leadership was evident on the stage and behind the scenes – 12 crew members, two musicians, two artists and 13 performers. One of my lingering recollections from the final day of many LA productions continues to be the combined exhale of “we did it” with the sad realization for the seniors and their parents that “it’s over.” That feeling was particularly evident this year as more than half of the senior class and its lifer population bid a fond farewell to the LA stage. 

I’m all about looking ahead to the future with great anticipation and optimism. When you work in education, there’s always something exciting on the horizon and at WardlaLAartridge, we have a calendar chock full of big events in the next six months. I also enjoy reflecting on the past and celebrating accomplishments and milestones. When I recently celebrated my 59th birthday, I came up with a list of my “Best 59 Days Ever” – no worries, I won’t bore readers with the details, but among those that made the list were my graduation from LA, my wedding day, and the births of my three children. 

Every year, we run a countdown of the Top 10 Stories of the Year on our social media channels during the Winter Break. Since some members of our community decide to unplug a bit during the break and others are not social media followers, I like to dedicate my first blog of the new year to sharing the list.

Since it’s still January, I will wish you all a Happy New Year filled with health, happiness and prosperity as we look ahead to 2024. Let’s take one more look back at the LA Top 10 Stories of 2023:

No. 10 – Students Showcase Creativity at INDIE Film and Arts Festival

No. 9 – LA Students Win Odyssey of the Mind State Title 

No. 8 – LA Athletes Sign National Letters of Intent – Two WardlaLAartridge athletes signed Division 1 letters of intent to continue their athletic careers at the NCAA level in ceremonies held at LA early in 2023. Angelina Vargas ’23 has continued her impressive soccer career at Brown University and Maiti O’Connor ’23 has kept making a splash as an accomplished diver at Rider University. 

https://www.whschool.org/about-wh/school-news/news-posts/~board/news/post/angelina-vargas-23-signs-commitment-to-brown-university

https://www.whschool.org/about-wh/school-news/news-posts/~board/news/post/maiti-oconnor-23-commits-to-rider-university

No. 7 – LA Girls Win Third Straight Central Jersey Golf Title

No. 6 – Senior Buddies Tradition Returns to LA 

No. 5 – Class of 2023 Graduates at Commencement Ceremony 

No. 4 – Genetics Research Scholars Visit Princeton University 

No. 3 – LA Ranked No. 1 in Middlesex County Again 

No. 2 – LA Celebrates 140th Anniversary 

No. 1 – Dr. Corinna Crafton Installed as new Head of School