The Peace of Wild Things
Scenes from Grad Green
Stream the June 4 Graduation Ceremony
July's ALUMNI REUNION!
Our Small But Mighty Class of '22
May Traditions
New Board Appointments
Still time to Jump In!
Asking "How Can I Learn More?"

Searching for Peace

For a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free. - from The Peace of Wild Things, Wendell Berry

As our school year comes to a close and we prepare for our first Alumni Reunion in more than two years, it is easy to get caught up in deadlines and expectations. I've worked to calm the worry of particulars and finales during these whirlwind days by reflecting on our Leelanau School origin stories. Why are we here? How did we first arrive at The Leelanau School, and what are we taking away?

This is not about mathematical equations, language skills, dissections, or literary discourse. This isn't about living in harmony with suitemates, getting ourselves up for breakfast, or into a good college. Instead, I'm thinking about that larger, human lesson taught every day in subtle ways by our remarkable school community and setting.

How do we live, love, and learn in our current world, imperfect as it is?

I think it's fair to say that many of us, myself included, arrive at Leelanau without this kind of clarity. Yet, in conversations with alumni and current students, I'm learning this uncertainty is often accompanied by a deep longing for something radically new, a spark of something wild, heartfelt, and untapped. A light from within. A peace within reach.

At Leelanau, we are guided by educators who nurture these wild sparks and reassure us that practice, resilience, even failure will shape our understanding and intention. In addition to delicious food, we are fed healthy advice and tools to cope with the realities of our world, and gifted relationships that keep us marching forward toward self-awareness, passion, and purpose. We are blessed by northern Michigan's wild, natural beauty that informs and sustains us.

I invite you to rest in the grace of the world with us in the weeks ahead by reflecting on your journey to Leelanau and the path taken by our current students and graduates. Stream our tradition-filled Graduation ceremony on June 4, or return for July's Alumni Reunion. I hope this wild and wonderful place will continue to offer you inspiration, clarity, peace, and rest.

Warmly,

Kate Olson

Director of Alumni and Development

kolson@leelanau.org

The Peace of Wild Things- Wendell Berry

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

Scenes from Grad Green

Stream Leelanau's Graduation Ceremony

on Saturday, June 4 at 11 AM (ET)

Stream the Leelanau School Graduation Ceremony Here

The Leelanau School

Alumni Reunion

July 8-10, 2022

Reunion Registration Link

Reunion Schedule:

Friday, July 8

Registration | 3 - 9 pm

Happy Hour | 4 - 6 pm

Alumni Picnic | 6 pm (our treat)

Music/Dancing on Grad Green | 7:30 pm

Saturday, July 9

Brunch | 9 - 11 am ($15.00)

Campus Tours | 11 am and 3:30 pm

Reunion Activities | 1 - 4 pm

Happy Hour | 4:30 - 5:30 pm

Banquet/Celebrations | 5:30 pm ($60.00)

Beach Bards Bonfire | School Family | 8 pm

Sunday, July 10

Morning Reflections | Beach 8:30 am

Brunch | 8:30 - 10:30 am ($15.00)

Sleeping Bear Hike | 10:00 am

Housing Options:

Limited campus rentals are available during July's Alumni Reunion. Nightly rates (including breakfast) are as follows:

$125.00 | Shared Bath (sleeps 2)

$187.50 | Private Room (sleeps 2)

$250.00 | Full Suite (sleeps 4)

To Register

Register Online at leelanau.org/reunions

Register via mail. (Envelope included with your invitation)

Register via phone at 231.334.5841

Our Small but Mighty Senior Class!

Ellie Herman

Traverse City, Michigan

American University

Kudos to Ellie Herman named The Leelanau School Student of the Year in the Leelanau Enterprise. Ellie is completing her second year at Leelanau and has demonstrated grace, versatility, and exceptional talent during her time on campus. She offers a listening ear and quiet leadership to her classmates and models excellence in the classroom. Her interests include visual arts, songwriting, hiking, and skiing. Next fall she enters American University's School of Public Affairs to study Political Science.

Alexander Mosselmans

Bettembourg, Luxembourg

Kettering University

Alexander Mosselmans enrolled three years ago as a dual citizen from Luxembourg. He has been recognized with countless awards for personal growth and leadership, academic excellence, athleticism, stewardship, and is Leelanau's 2021-22 Bob and Sukie McNutt Scholar. Alex often volunteers on campus and believes Leelanau helped him develop into a more collaborative and capable person. His interests include computer science, history, biking, rugby, and cross-country. Alex plans to study computer science, engineering, and renewable energy vehicle design at Kettering University.

Seamus Sprague

Lansing, Michigan

Wheaton College (MA)

Completing his third year at The Leelanau School, Seamus Sprague is a respected leader in the classroom and on campus. He is a trusted consensus builder with students and staff, and his awareness, kindness, and humor contribute to the engaging learning environment of our school. Seamus serves on Student Council and is president of Kindel House. He enjoys guitar and songwriting and plans to attend Wheaton College (MA) to pursue Spanish Literature and his musical interests.

Seniors Spencer Spray and Joe Buck graduated at mid-year.

SCHOOL TRADITIONS

OUTDOOR CHALLENGE

SKIPPER PROM

MIGHTY SNAPPY

New Board of Trustee Appointments

Barb Garrow

J.P. Larkin '87

The Leelanau School Board of Trustees welcomes two new members appointed at April's meeting.

BARB GARROW joins Leelanau's Board with over 25 years of professional experience as a Business Strategy & Transformation Consultant. Her global clients have ranged in industry focus from transportation to life sciences to consumer goods to non-profit enterprises. She earned an MBA from Columbia University and London Business School and completed her undergraduate degrees in Marketing and German from Miami University, Ohio. Barb lives near Denver with her husband and three dogs. Daughter Belinda is a Leelanau School alumna and attends the University of Puget Sound, and daughter Caroline is pursuing post-graduate studies at Trinity College Dublin.

J.P. LARKIN '87 believes his real introduction to the world began in the fall of 1983 as a freshman at The Leelanau School. That momentum propelled him to graduate from the Claremont Collages ten years later with two B.A. degrees in Organizational Studies and Organizational Industrial Psychology, a minor in English, and graduate coursework at the Peter Drucker School of Management. J.P. resides in Park City, Utah, with his wife, Karina, and their two children, Eliana and Tobin. His career has focused on working with people in various human resource-oriented positions in industries varying from biomedical, organizational, hospital, luxury hospitality, real estate development, and currently a national food and equipment manufacturing company with a global customer base. J.P. also provides H.R. and business development consulting for several smaller companies.

Additional information can be found at https://leelanau.org/discover.

There is still time to JUMP IN and GIVE!

Your gifts to The Leelanau School help us deliver our promise to current and prospective families - a deliberately small and attentive community of educators ready to meet our students' educational, social, and emotional needs.

Please Jump In as we approach the end of our fiscal year. Your gift today ensures a sturdier tomorrow!

GIVE TODAY

ADMISSION IS OPEN FOR FALL 2022.

“Up until second or third grade, we learn through exploration - but at some point, education becomes ‘work’. The whole vocabulary changes. We’ve done a disservice to tell our kids that high school is a job - a job that they need to get done. That’s not an idea that should really apply to a true learning environment because learning is never done. Instead of focusing on set tasks, we should be encouraging them to ask, ‘how can I learn more?”’ Bruce Hood | Teaching Faculty, Math & Science Department Chair, Science and Ceramics

How can you learn more? Schedule a campus tour or conversation by contacting Catherine Creighton, Director of Admission, at ccreighton@leelanau.org or 231.334.5826.

Questions?
Contact Kate Olson
Director of Alumni and Development
kolson@leelanau.org

231.334.5841

Our mailing address is:
The Leelanau School
One Old Homestead Road
Glen Arbor, MI 49636
leelanau.org

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