Apart from academic achievements and college acceptances, senior year at Lake Forest Academy is defined by traditions that create strong memories. The traditions begin the first week back from summer break with the Senior Retreat and come to an end with the Graduation Ceremony. These traditions and all of the events in between are what define students’ final year at LFA.
Every year, the Senior Retreat takes place in Lake Geneva, where students spend the night in a cabin with their classmates. On the lake, seniors participate in small group activities and bonding. Greg Parby pointed to the Senior Retreat during preseason as a standout experience. “I loved the Senior Retreat,” he reflected. “It was cool getting to hang out with people I don’t normally talk to and just form new connections. Plus, being away from school and phones was actually kind of refreshing.” In a world increasingly dominated by screens and schedules, the retreat gave students a rare chance to unplug and focus on building relationships.
Athletics and extracurriculars also honor seniors with a dedicated night that recognizes their achievements and leadership. Maria Retelewski, a track star, cherished track senior night. “Personally, my favorite senior tradition was senior night,” she said. “I was excited to run my best race and just be with the team for one last time. It felt really special.” Additionally, Retelewski’s 4×400 relay team broke the school record on her senior night, which made the night even more special. For student-athletes, senior nights offer both a sense of closure and recognition for years of commitment.
Seniors also participated in lighthearted and competitive traditions such as Senior Splash. Seniors are assigned another senior as a target to eliminate. The game goes through multiple rounds until one person is left. Benjamin Erulkar enjoyed Senior Assassin: “I just liked the competition and how into it everyone got—it was a blast.”
Others favored more laid-back traditions. For example, Conor Gagnon noted Senior Skip Day was his favorite, describing it as a welcome break from routine. “You don’t have to go to class, and it’s just a chill day to hang out with your classmates and make memories,” he said. It’s a tradition that, while unofficial, holds a special place in many students’ hearts as a shared day of freedom and fun before the graduation send-off.
Each year before graduation, the senior class gathers for a senior dinner, also known as Casino Night. Seniors get the chance to gamble (with fake money) and win prizes. For Claire Costello, Casino Night is the event she was most excited for. “I’m excited to be with everyone and see everyone dressed up,” she shared. Casino Night is also the perfect ending to four hard-working years, as it’s a chance for seniors to gather “with no finals and school-related stress,” Costello said.
Of course, one of the most emotional and symbolic traditions of senior year is graduation itself. For Nick Tjardes, it represents a meaningful close to his chapter at LFA. Tjardes explained, “It’s just our class, and it’s one of the last times we’re all together before heading off to college. That makes it really meaningful.”
Together, these traditions help define the senior year experience, not just as a series of events, but as a collection of moments that celebrate friendship, growth and shared memories. For the Class of 2025, these are the memories they will carry with them after walking across the stage at graduation.
