Lakeview Academy's cast and crew of "The Addams Family" won the GISA-AAA State One-Act Play championship last week. In addition, Abby McMahan, Case Beverly, and Amelia Corbin won three of the five awardsfor Outstanding Performers (Best Actors). Leyla Ozcelik and William Hake were chosen as All-Star Cast Members. This is Lakeview's seventh state one-act play championship (2024, 2021, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013) and its second championship for "The Addams Family" (2014).
Lakeview Academy has earned Gold recognition on the 2024 AP School Honor Roll from the College Board for outstanding results in the school’s advanced placement (AP) program.
The AP® School Honor Roll recognizes schools whose AP programs are delivering results for students while broadening access. Schools can earn this recognition annually based on criteria that reflect a commitment to increasing college-going culture, providing opportunities for students to earn college credit, and maximizing college readiness.
Lakeview’s gold designation is based on 79% of Lakeview’s class of 2024 taking one AP (advanced placement) course before graduating (missing Platinum status by only one percentage point, 80%), 60% of the class earning college credit based on an AP exam score of 3+, and 42% of the class taking a total of 5+ AP courses in high school with at least one taken in ninth or tenth grade. Lakeview Academy was the only school in Hall County that earned Gold status.
Lakeview Academy's cast and crew of "The Addams Family took 1st Place at the GISA Region 1-AAA One-Act Play competition. Other awards included:
Best Technical Execution
All-Star Cast Members: Abby McMahan and Amelia Corbin
Best Featured Performer: Anabelle Baxter
Best Supporting Actress: Abigail Baker
Best Actor: William Hake
Get your tickets to see the REGION CHAMPIONS perform THIS WEEK on November 6, 7, and 9 at 7:00 pm. A matinee show is on Sunday, November 10th, at 3 pm. Tickets are $20 if purchased in advance and $25 at the door. Tickets are $20 if purchased in advance and $25 at the door.
Brenau Downtown Center | 301 Main Street NW, Gainesville, GA 30501
If you are an alumni or parent who was part of the state champions Addams Family cast and crew in 2014, please email Cece Conrath for details about an alumni reunion on Sunday, the 10th, to see the show.
Adam Bradley was named the Rotary Student of the Month and was recognized at yesterday's October Rotary luncheon. Students are selected based on academic achievement, good citizenship, and school/community involvement. He was accompanied by Lakeview's Head of School, John Simpson, Lower School Director Mary Steensma, 5th-grade teachers April Furber and Tina Thomas, and Adam's parents and grandfather.
Sam Simonton '17 captured the Women's Skeet Championship at the 2024 ISSF (International Shooting Sport Federation) World Cup Final, which took place in New Delhi, India, on October 17, 2024. This prestigious tournament features only athletes ranked among the top 10 in their respective events. Sam has participated in four World Cup Finals throughout her career, earning a bronze medal in 2022 and achieving her first gold medal in 2024. She has also been an alternate for the Olympic teams at the Paris 2024 and Tokyo 2020 Games. Looking ahead, she aims to secure a spot in the Los Angeles 2028 Games. Sam was part of Lakeview's inaugural clay target team and was the state champion for several years.
Congratulations to Mei-Mei Shen, Lakeview Academy's 2024 Homecoming Queen. Mei-Mei was crowned by the 2023 HOCO Queen, Annie Nivens. Also on the Homecoming Court were seniors Emma Johnson and Anna Claire Mitchell; juniors Sadie Leek and Avery Marshall; sophomores Kendall Mathis and Kilie Peterson; and freshmen Miriam Haddad and Jayci Purdy.
The middle school girls' cross country team finished their season by placing first at the Kent Kramer Classic at Athens Christian. Kate Chittaro won the race, beating the second-place finisher by 47 seconds! Hailey Wallace finished third, Rhodes Williams fourth, Jansyn Purdy eighth, and Zevah Seitz 15th.
For the boys, Davis Dubnik finished 3rd overall and Grant Roberts 16th.
Lakeview Academy's middle school girls cross country team finished second at the Hall County Middle School Cross Country Championships, competing against eight county and one city school. Individually, Kate Chittaro placed 2nd, Hailey Wallace 9th, Rhodes Williams 11th, Jansyn Purdy 22nd, and Zevah Seitz 23rd.
The Boy's team finished 5th; individually Davis Dubnik finished 6th, Evan Wallace 8th, and Lucas Chittaro 11th.
Lakeview Academy's boys middle school cross country team dominated and won the GIAA AAA State Championship this weekend. Davis Dubnik placed 2nd, Evan Wallace 3rd, Lucas Chittaro 4th, Grant Roberts 8th, and Lorenzo Rojas-Alban 10th. Their combined scores beat the next-best team by 23 points.
Kate Chittaro is also a state champion, having won the girls' race and set a course record. The girls' team took home 2nd Place, with Hailey Wallace finishing 5th and Rhodes Williams 6th.
At Tuesday's Unicoi meet, Kate Chittaro medaled, finishing 2nd. Lakeview's girls' middle school team finished 7th out of 16 teams at Unicoi today, which is quite a feat considering they were the smallest school competing. The boys' team finished 10th out of 17 teams. Evan Wallace (11th) and Davis Dubnik (12th) led the team, both just missing earning a top 10 medal.
Beginning in the 2025-26 school year, Lakeview Academy will open a brand-new program designed to support the specific learning needs of students with dyslexia or other mild language-based learning differences. Led by program director Kelly Fields, Ed.S., The Keystone Program will offer its students specialized, multi-sensory instruction in language arts and math while also allowing students to benefit from the robust enrichment and social opportunities of a more traditional school setting.
According to The International Dyslexia Association, nearly seven percent of the school-aged population in the United States receives some form of accommodation for language-based learning differences. However, as high as 20 percent of the overall population experiences one or more of the symptoms of dyslexia, including challenges with reading, writing, or mixing up words. Learning differences like dyslexia can impact some of the brightest and most creative learners, who often excel in fields such as physics, engineering, architecture, math, and art.
“The kids in The Keystone Program are first and foremost Lakeview students,” said Program Director Kelly Fields, “they are incredibly bright but due to their learning differences, have not had the opportunity to demonstrate their intelligence within the limitations of the traditional classroom setting. Our goal is to meet students where they are as learners and provide them the tools to be confident in the classroom.” The Keystone Program at Lakeview Academy is grounded in this belief that providing students with the appropriate support during their formative years will not only lead to positive academic growth but will help students build the self-confidence necessary to thrive as teenagers and young adults.
Lakeview Academy’s Assistant Head of School, Dr. Wade Hanse, said of the program, “We are being incredibly intentional with our implementation of this project. We want Keystone to be a world-class program for Lakeview Academy, the Gainesville community, and all of Northeast Georgia. We are leaving no stone unturned. From the academic approach to the classroom design, we want to provide the absolute best learning experience for students.”
As a part of the school’s intentional implementation, Lakeview Academy is piloting The Keystone Program with a small group of elementary students for the 2024-25 school year. Mrs. Fields said of the pilot, “Our focus at Keystone is student-first. The pilot program is an incredibly valuable opportunity for our team to fine-tune our approach so our students can experience the academic success they have not yet had the chance to elsewhere.”
Even though The Keystone Program is only early in its pilot phase, it is already significantly impacting its students. “We cannot say enough about what Keystone has meant to our family,” said the parents of a current pilot student. “Last year, our child would be so frustrated reading that they would literally be in tears, which, as a parent absolutely kills you inside. Now, he is excited to go to school. He wants to come home and read. It’s not just been the academics. In all areas, he is just a much more confident child.”
On September 19, Lakeview Academy hosted several area medical professionals, including pediatric psychologists, occupational therapists, and pediatricians, for a special Keystone open house and program preview. Dr. Hanse said, “If Keystone is going to be successful for the students we serve, we absolutely must build relationships in the community. We have incredible resources in the Greater Hall-Gainesville area, and the onus is on us to leverage and learn from those resources to benefit our young learners.”
Beginning in October 2024, Lakeview Academy will formally open enrollment for The Keystone Program for the 2025-26 school year for students in Grades 1 through 5.
Specific highlights of The Keystone Program include:
Class sizes of no more than 5-6 students in ELA and math.
Ninety minutes of daily small group reading and writing led by an Orton-Gillingham trained educator.
Sixty minutes of daily small group math led by a Level 1 trained Multi-Sensory Math educator.
Thirty minutes of movement class twice a week, designed and led by an occupational therapist (in addition to regular PE class).
Integration with grade-level peers for lunch, recess, enrichment classes, field trips, and all special events.
In the coming years, Lakeview plans to add middle school students to The Keystone Program with a specific emphasis on developing literacy, comprehension, and executive functioning.
Lakeview is excited about the opportunity the Keystone Program will provide the surrounding community. Lakeview’s Head of School, John Simpson, declared, “The Keystone Program has been a dream of mine for some time. I truly believe that this program is something that this community needs, and I am just excited that we are now better able to serve students and meet their needs.”
For anyone interested in learning more, Lakeview invites you to visit the newly added Dyslexia Support section of their website (www.lakeviewacademy.com/keystone).
At the recent Horizon Christian cross country meet, Lakeview's middle school girls' team finished first out of six teams. Kate Chittaro won the race, beating the second-place runner by over a minute. Hailey Wallace (9th place) and Rhodes Williams (10th) each medaled.
In the boys' race, Davis Dubnik came in second overall, Evan Wallace fifth, and Lucas Chittaro eighth, giving the boys three top-10 medalists.
In Georgia, 284 students auditioned for the 2024-25 All-State Theatre Cast & Crew, and Lakeview's William Hake, Abby McMahan, Parker White (performers), and Hayden Silcox (assistant stage manager) were selected. They will perform at Georgia ThesCon ‘25; Anabelle Baxter and Lydia Abell will be state student representatives.
Five Lakeview seniors, Sebby Castillo, William Hake, Emma Johnson, Leyla Ozcelik, and Mackay Vinton, were selected to participate in the Youth Leadership Hall Class of 2025 and recently participated in orientation at the Gainesville Civic Center. Leadership Hall (YLH) is a competitive leadership development program for high school juniors and seniors from around Hall County that seeks to build individual leadership skills, foster positive group dynamics, and increase civic and community involvement. The Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce selects students based on an application, essay, and interview process for academic merit and leadership potential.
At the North Georgia Cross Country Championships this past weekend, freshman Jayci Purdy medaled with a time of 22:32:32 in the varsity girls' race. Senior Jackson Newton (21:31:54) led the Lions in the boys' race. He, along with Hayden Silcox (21:39:17), James Dubnik (21:39:44), and Eric Davis (25:43:60), each set new personal records.
Lakeview Academy is proud to announce the historic achievement of our students on the 2024 AP exams. The scores, released by the College Board on July 8, highlight the exceptional dedication of Lakeview’s educators and the determination and aptitude of the school’s students.
In 12 of the 17 Advanced Placement (AP) courses offered at Lakeview, 100% of the students earned a passing score. Furthermore, the efforts of 73% of Lakeview’s test takers made them eligible for college credit, a laudable outcome for their demonstrated academic excellence. The table below compares Lakeview’s results relative to the global AP pass rate.
6th grader Kate Chittaro finished 1st at today's Lanier Christian Invitational cross country race, and the girls' team finished second out of seven teams. Lakeview's top scorers were Hailey Wallace, 13th; Rhodes Williams, 14th; Mackenzie Miles, 20th; and Jansyn Purdy, 21st.
7th grader Davis Dubnik was Lakeview's top middle school boy runner and finished 10th overall. The boys had five runners today and finished 9th as a team. 8th graders Evan Wallace and Lucas Chittaro ran with the varsity boys and finished as our top two runners from Lakeview in that race.
Four Lakeview Clay Target Team members competed in the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) National Championship in Marengo, Ohio. It is a week-long event with over 4000 young shooters from all over the US, each shooting over 1000 targets. Athletes compete across skeet, trap, and sporting clays. Jakob Duke tied 1st in skeet, topping 566 others at the senior varsity level. At the JV level, Andrew Booker tied for 2nd in sporting clays, tied for 1st in double skeet, and bested 77 others. Teams are also scored according to the high school they attend. These four shooters gave Lakeview an 8th-place finish out of 376 high school teams in skeet and 7th in sporting clays.
Lakeview Academy is pleased to announce the expansion of its dual-enrollment program through a partnership with Brenau University. A Brenau adjunct professor will teach college-level English on the Lakeview campus for qualified students beginning in the 2024-2025 school year.
The adjunct professor is a well-known Lakeview teacher, Marsha McFall, who now teaches part-time at Lakeview and was hired by Brenau based on her level of education and teaching credentials. She will teach Brenau’s English 101 and 102 on the Lakeview campus.
“We are pleased to expand our dual enrollment program through this partnership with Brenau University,” said John Simpson, Lakeview Head of School. “On-campus teaching represents a significant step forward in the school’s commitment to providing the best educational opportunities for our students.”
Brenau President Dr. David Barnett says the partnership will be beneficial to Brenau and Lakeview.
“Brenau University appreciates this opportunity to partner with Lakeview Academy to provide on-campus, in-person dual enrollment courses,” said Dr. David Barnett, Brenau President. “Lakeview plays an important role in our community’s educational offerings and this partnership, I believe, will prove beneficial to Brenau and Lakeview.”
Kelsey Marcero, Lakeview’s college counselor, says that having a professor on campus for in-person college-level classes is a testament to Lakeview’s commitment to providing individualized academic opportunities for our students.
“While some students may take an online course through dual enrollment, others prefer in-person class-based learning. “We aim to provide the best learning environment for each student,” said Marcero.
Lakeview’s college counseling office takes a personalized approach, aiming to guide students and their families in selecting the best college home.
“We consider each student's aspirations and circumstances, whether they plan to attend a local college or a prestigious university. We also help students understand if college courses through dual enrollment will transfer to their desired college or if they can rely on the college credits they receive through Lakeview’s broad selection of AP classes. Ultimately, our goal is to set up our students for success in college, no matter their path,” said Marcero.
Lakeview students currently enroll in dual enrollment online classes through a variety of institutions. The University of North Georgia and Georgia Southern both offer robust online courses that are likely to transfer.
Marcero said that acceptance of transfer courses is always a case-by-case basis at each college or university.
“We try to line up each individual student with the right program for them personally. We do typically take advantage of the online options since they offer scheduling flexibility,” said Marcero.
“Our goal at Lakeview is to customize the level of difficulty for each student to find that magical balance where they are simultaneously challenged and successful,” said Marcero.
We are coming to the end of another Lakeview school year and can truly celebrate the accomplishments and talents of our students.
Let me share some of these accomplishments with you as well as a few announcements:
Congratulations to the class of 2024, which has been offered $3,721,668 in non-Hope scholarships! The 51 seniors will enroll in 26 different colleges and universities in 9 states. They earned admittance to an impressive 66 colleges in 22 states.
Here’s an impressive statistic: 21 out of the 51 seniors in this year’s class have been a part of a state championship team or individually won a state championship during their high school career. This includes all athletics, fine arts, literary, and robotics’ trip to the world competition. Congratulations!
Lakeview’s robotics program was one of 10 in the country recognized by FIRST® for our dedication to fostering innovation and technological literacy. Additionally, the eSports team finished second in the Eastern Region finals competing against over 100 teams from Canada to Florida.
The Imagine Capital Campaign was a success and construction of the new fine arts center will begin in early June with completion scheduled for August 2025. Thank you to the almost 200 donors who made this campaign a success.
NEWS FLASH: Funds have been raised to renovate the lower school gym, including air conditioning and heat, electronic goals, LED lighting, and a refurbished floor. The improvements will take place during the construction of the fine arts building.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Dr. Wade Hanse has been named Assistant Head of School for Academics. Wade has been an important addition to Lakeview since joining the staff as director of curriculum alignment in 2021. He led the school to a successful SAIS reaccreditation this spring and has been a collaborative voice for the expansion of STEM opportunities across all divisions. Beth McElwee, who has served as Assistant Head of School for Academics for the last two years, will continue to teach in the upper school math department and will assist me as Special Counsel to the Head of School. I’m grateful for these two educators and the leadership they provide.
I want to thank Hope Harrison, LPA President, for her service over the past two years. Hope has done a great job, and I am grateful for her and all the LPA volunteers. We’re excited to welcome Sarah Creel, who will take over this role in the upcoming school year.
As mentioned above, construction will be underway shortly on the new fine arts building. Be aware if you are on campus this summer, parking in the back where the buses park will be closed. We will do our best to keep inconveniences to a minimum.
Having started a new tradition this school year, the Lion Family program, I’m so thankful for my entire Lion family, all of you – parents, teachers, students, coaches – who make Lakeview the wonderful school it is. All families need rest, so in the next three months, I pray you will get rest and come back energized and ready for the 24-25 school year.
The seniors in Lakeview Academy's class of 2024 will enroll in 26 different colleges in 9 states. They earned admittance to an impressive 66 colleges in 22 states and the class was offered over $3.72 million in non-Hope scholarships. They are shown wearing the shirts of the colleges they will attend in the fall.
Mario Fernandez Patino was named to the GIAA-AAA All-State Boys Soccer Team. He was previously named the District 4-AAA Boys Player of the Year.
On the girls' team, Eden Gonzalez, Sadie Leek, and Annie Nivens made the GIAA-AAA All-State Girls Soccer Team. Earlier in the month Sadie Leek was selected asthe District 4-AAA Girls Player of the Year.
The GIAA District 4-AAA Baseball All-Region Team was recently announced. Juniors Ricky Brown, Brock Graham, Collin Waldrop, and Jaden Walton were all selected. They helped the Lions baseball team advance to the state playoffs for a second consecutive year.
Lakeview Academy has been honored by FIRST® in its Inspire the Future Recognition Program. Lakeview is one of only ten schools nationwide to receive this prestigious recognition in its inaugural year. This recognition reinforces the school's dedication to fostering innovation and technological literacy among its students. It is a testament to the school’s unwavering commitment to introducing technology and robotics to students early and throughout their development. "Project-based, hands-on FIRST programs introduce students to engineering and coding in engaging, inclusive, and creative learning environments, where students work collaboratively to solve themed robotics challenges." (https://www.firstinspires.org/)
From Kindergarten to Upper School, Lakeview Academy provides a comprehensive innovation and technology curriculum, integrating robotics programs such as FIRST® LEGO® League and FIRST® Tech Challenge. The school's competitive teams have consistently excelled, with numerous accolades, awards, and even a World Championship appearance by the varsity FIRST® Tech Challenge team in 2023. This year, the Mario Kart eSports team capped off an outstanding season by clinching 2nd place in the highly competitive PlayVS Easter Region against over 100 teams from Canada to Florida.
Lakeview Academy once again received an annual score of 100 from Bright From the Start. Bright from the Start is a program from Georgia's Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) that aims to improve the quality of Georgia's early care and education system.
The GIAA District 4-AAA Boys and Girls Soccer Region Players of the Year were both Lakeview athletes. Mario Fernandez Patino was named Boys Player of the Year and Sadie Leek the Girls Player of the Year.
In addition, Jack Bornhorst, Mario Fernandez Patino, Bryan Ramsey, and Palmer White were named to the All-Region boys team. Amelia Corbin, Eden Gonzalez, Addi Graham, Sadie Leek, and Annie Nivens made the All-Region girls team.
JT Bunch, Nate St. Pierre, and Tanner Stephens were recently named to the GIAA District 4-AAA All-Region Boys Golf Team. Tanner Stephens was previously also the runner-up in the 2024 Hall County Championship.
The Imagine Capital Campaign to fund a new fine arts instructional center at Lakeview Academy has reached a school high of $6.6 million, and construction will begin at the close of this school year. This incredible achievement would not have been possible without the generous support of almost 200 donors! Thank you!
We will celebrate with a brief ceremony on Wednesday, May 15 at 8:30 a.m. outside the lower school gym. Every member of the Lakeview family is invited to attend!
The new two-story facility will house all of Lakeview’s outstanding fine arts programs and include expansive practice space for drama and music. The youngest to the oldest Lakeview student will have class in this building as well as students taking private music lessons. Best news of all, this will be done without the school incurring long-term debt. Construction by Carroll Daniel Construction will take one year.
The 13,000-square-foot building will be built on the footprint of the existing fine arts annex, which will be torn down. The partnership with Brenau University will continue with most of Lakeview’s various drama and music productions staged at the Charles D. Walters Theatre in the Brenau Downtown Center.
View the building’s renderings, and notice the enlarged outdoor area that will be perfect for student gatherings, performances, and art displays, and will replace the existing deck outside the lower school gym.
We are so grateful to all our supporters – each gift makes a difference. We hope to see many of you on May 15!
Heather Beverly (Lower School), Kaitlin Jameson (Middle School), and Chassie Corbin (Upper School) were awarded the Beth Grindle Excellence in Teaching Award during the May Day program. The annual award is voted on by each division's faculty and recognizes those who are active in professional development, are deemed to be excellent teachers, and have cooperative and contributing spirits toward their colleagues, as exemplified by former Lakeview staff member Beth Grindle.
Congratulations to Jess Perry for being selected as Lakeview Academy's 2024 May Queen. She was escorted by Hank Brock and was crowned by last year's queen, Anniston Smathers, during Friday's May Day program. The May Court also included Malachi Anaya, McRee Booth, Jack Bornhorst, Hank Brock, Joshua Davis, Riley Dupont, Emmie Finley, Vanessa Gay, Addie Gilmer, Makena Ginn, William Harrison, Ashlyn Henderson, Emilia Horton, Oliver Johnson, Charlie Kirchner, Sam Kirchner, Adam Lauzon, Madi Loggins, Madelon Martin, Genevieve Matus, Kathryn McWhorter, Annie Nivens, Shelby Nottingham, Helen Park, Mario Patino, Charlie Peck, Abby Perry, Caroline Pope, Bryan Ramsey, Annesley Redeker, Maggie Rogers, Topher Schadel, Harrison Slattery, Tanner Stephens, Grey Vetter, Noah Vetter, Hattie White, Luka Wolf, and Evan Yaskulka.
Congratulations to the Lady Lions on their soccer playoff 7-5 win over Holy Spirit Prep on Friday. The team advances for the first time to the Final Four. The game will be played at 5 pm on Wednesday, May 8, at Westminster Schools of Augusta.
Lakeview's eSports Mario Kart team had an incredible season this year! They finished their regular season undefeated and advanced to the Eastern Region Finals. They won each playoff match, advancing to the final championship match, and finished the year in 2nd Place in a region with over 100 teams from Canada to Florida. GO LIONS!
Straight off her region championship win for track and field's girls shot put competition, Emmie Finley won the state championship shot put at the GIAA-AAA state meet for the second year in a row with a personal record of 36. She also finished 2nd in discus at state and region. Wade Haynes finished 3rd at state in the 300 hurdles following being region runner-up in the 400M dash and placed 3rd at region in the 300m hurdles.
In addition, the following students also qualified and competed at state:
Emilia Horton was the region runner-up in the 110 hurdles.
Kyari Burch qualified for state in the 300 hurdles.
A remarkable 10% of Lakeview Academy’s class of 2024 signed letters of intent to play collegiate sports, a testament to their exceptional talent and dedication.
Kivanna Bagone (a member of the girls basketball state champion team) will play basketball at Piedmont College.
TJ Blackwell and Tristan Buffington will play for Andrew College's new football program.
Jakob Duke (skeet state champion) will play for Clemson sporting clays.
Emmie Finley (2023 state shot put champion) will be on Western Carolina's track and field team.
At the signings, athletic director Deuce Roark said, "We are fortunate to not only send great athletes to play on the collegiate level, but they are also great young people who will represent Lakeview well at their prospective colleges."
Two of Lakeview's three eSports teams advanced to Eastern Region playoffs: Mario Kart and Valorant. The Mario Kart team was undefeated and finished 1st in regular season play in the PlayVS Eastern Region! The Eastern Region comprises teams along the eastern part of North America from Georgia to Ontario, Canada. Playoffs run through early May.
In addition,
Lakeview's Mario Kart team has been selected as a national finalist for PlayVS ESports Team of the Year! You can help them win Team of the Year by voting once a day through May 24, 2024, at https://playvs.com/playvs-awards.
Winners will be announced during the LIVE PlayVS Cup Finals on June 5th & 6th.
Lakeview's Bora Ozcelik and Hank Brock were honored by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) as outstanding students of American History. Each year, DAR chapters select local American history students in 8th and 12th grades. Along with high academic standards, students chosen must foster the spirit of American patriotism and loyal support of the country and constitutional government with a demonstrated ability to relate this to current events
Emma Giffin placed 4th at last week's region tennis tournament at the Sandy Springs Tennis Center. This is the second year Emma has advanced to the state competition.
Lakeview's varsity boys golf team won the region tournament in Monroe with Tanner Stephens leading with a round of 72. This is the second year in a row that Lakeview has won the region championship. Lakeview's top scorers (Tanner, Nate St. Pierre-78, J.F. Bunch-79, and Jack Kempker-85) along with Kai Furber (92) gave Lakeview a 314, 20 strokes better than the second-place team, George Walton. Bethlehem Christian and Loganville Christian also competed. The Lions advance to the GIAA Class 3A state meet later this month in Thomasville.
All-Region Team members include J.T. Bunch, Tanner Stephens, and Nate St. Pierre
At the 16th Masters in Teaching Awards ceremony at Brenau University, Lakeview upper school teacher, Chassie Corbin, was named a Masters in Teaching for 2024. Mrs. Corbin teaches biology and physics, and in the four years she has taught at Lakeview, all of her AP biology students have passed the AP Biology exam. Last year, her AP biology students had a mean score of 4.3. At the same time, the mean score for Georgia students was 3.2 and the mean global score was 3.04. Mrs. Corbin is the faculty sponsor for the Upper School Student Council. She has worked hard to bring more fun to Lakeview in various ways- candygrams, Upper School Field Day, lunch games, and creative decorations for Homecoming.
The Masters in Teaching Award is an annual event that celebrates local educators. The award is a partnership between Featherbone Communiversity and Brenau and is part of a series of awards to recognize local talent and leadership.
Emmie Finley placed 3rd in Shot Put and 4th in the Discus Throw at the recent Hall County track and field meet. She will compete later this week at the region championships. Last year in 2023, Emmie was the GIAA-AAA state shot put champion.
Sebby Castillo, William Hake, Emma Johnson, Leyla Ozcelik, and MacKay Vinton were selected by the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce to participate in the Youth Leadership Hall program for the 2024-2025 school year. Youth Leadership Hall (YLH) is a competitive leadership development program for high school juniors and seniors from around Hall County that seeks to build individual leadership skills, foster positive group dynamics, and increase civic and community involvement. Students are selected based on an application, essay, and interview process for academic merit and leadership potential.
Veteran teacher, coach, and administrator Scott Justus has been named Middle School Director at Lakeview Academy, announced John Simpson, Lakeview head of school.
“Scott Justus brings over 26 years of experience from two different public school systems to Lakeview,” said Simpson. “I am confident that his experience, plus knowledge of the community will be valuable to the continued growth of Lakeview Academy.”
Justus is currently assistant superintendent of schools in White County and will assume the Middle School Director position being vacated by Darlene Snyder at the close of the school year.
“Darlene has served Lakeview for almost 20 years, and I am indebted to her for her service to the children and families of Lakeview,” said Simpson.
Prior to working in the White County School System, Justus was the principal of West Hall High School. During his 12 years at West Hall, he was also assistant principal, facilities manager, school information system coordinator, and athletic director.
His experience also includes teaching at Chestatee High School and North Hall High School and coaching (baseball and football) at Chestatee and North Hall High School.
Justus earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgia Southwestern College and State University and a master’s of education from North Georgia College and State University. His education and leadership specialist degree is from Lincoln Memorial University.
Justus and his wife, Dawn, are the parents of two children, Hudson and Layton.
On March 21, 2024, Lakeview's eSports Mario Kart team played the #1 ranked team in the PlayVS Eastern Region, which consists of teams throughout the East Coast, and won. They are undefeated heading into week six of their 8-week season and are ranked 2nd. The playoffs are on April 16.
Lakeview's eSports team members are more than just video game players. They spend time learning which karts work best with which characters for the greatest advantage. They know the tricks of the trade and the shortcuts for every track. (96 tracks in all!) But most of all, they work as a team, communicating throughout each race to stay ahead of the competition.
Team members include Callan Blehm, Adam Lauzon, Anna Lauzon, Aedan Gillespie, and Wyatt Elliott.
Lakeview Academy's Into the Woods cast, crew, and production team received the 2024 Standing Ovation Award from the Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards/Shuler Awards. This award acknowledges schools that demonstrate innovative and creative ways to make their programs welcoming spaces for all students within their community and is designed to spotlight schools that go above and beyond to offer inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible programming to all students. Lakeview's performing arts students were selected for their promotion of anti-bullying and suicide prevention initiatives.
Hank Brock and Leyla Ozcelik were selected to perform as part of the elite Shuler Ensemble and Hayden Silcox will be backstage as part of the exclusive STAR Council of Technicians at the televised broadcast of the Shuler Hensley Awards on April 18th.
In addition, Lakeview received two Honorable Mentions in Sound (Sebby Castillo, Kaitlin Jameson, Jason Harper, and Jamey Hoge) and Technical Execution (Hannah Lynden, Kenzi Peterson, Hayden Silcox, Cece Conrath, and Jason Harper).
At the GIAA State Literary competition last week, new state champions were crowned: Hank Brock and Parker White (Literary Duo Interp), Abigail Baker (Literary Humorous Interp), and Kathryn McWhorter, Emilia Horton, and Abby McMahan (Literary Trio). In addition, Bella Caplan was state runner-up (Dramatic Interp), Kathryn McWhorter took 4th place (Treble Solo), and Lakeview Academy placed second as the overall team.
Deuce Roark has built a legacy at Lakeview Academy. And now the school will enshrine that legacy in a facility worthy of the highest praise.
On March 19 at 5:30 pm, Lakeview will dedicate its remodeled baseball field in Roark’s name. The ceremony will take place before the Lions face Riverside Preparatory Academy at 6 p.m. in Gainesville. After 25 years of coaching, which includes a state championship, Roark and his Lions will enjoy a home field that is now among the best in the state. Hotdog Ninja will be on hand with 250 free hotdogs sponsored by the Lakeview Athletic Club.
Anna Lauzon's "Swing" was selected for the Public Art Committee for Vision 2030, Free Range Award. In addition to a $250 cash prize, the artwork will be reproduced in an 8-foot format to be installed in the community somewhere during the next year.
Based on Natalie Butler's AP portfolio, she was awarded a Brenau University $20,000 ($5,000 per year over 4 years) scholarship.
These works will be on view at Quinlan Visual Arts Center until April 13th.
Last year's Hall Co. champion and Lakeview senior, Tanner Stephens, finished 2nd overall in this year's Hall County Tournament. Tanner shot a 34 (-2) Day 1 and followed it up with a 35 (-1) Day 2 to shoot 69 overall. The top three finishers tied for the tournament, forcing the first playoff in seven years. Tanner was also named to the All-Tournament team. Junior Jack Kempker and Freshman JT Bunch both had nice rounds too, scoring 79 and 80 respectively. Lakeview finished 4th Place overall.
Natalie Butler's mixed media artwork, "End and Beginning Dream," won the Gold Key Scholastic Art and Writing Awards hosted by SCAD for the Georgia region. Her artwork will be considered at the national level competition. Honorable Mentions included Vanessa Gay for "Flowers" - Acrylic and Luka Wolf for his two pieces, "Garden" - Acrylic and "Bridge" - Acrylic.
Abby McMahan placed 1st and Abigail Baker placed 2nd at the the Georgia Music Educators Association's Festival. They both performed at the Winners' Recital in Gainesville in mid-March.
Benjie Wood, the varsity boys basketball coach, was named GIAA Class 3A Boys State Coach of the Year after his team won the state championship and finished the season 26-5.
Ken Huffman, the varsity girls basketball coach, was named GIAA Class 3A Girls State Coach of the Year after his team won the state championship and finished the season 27-1 and were 8-0 in the region.
Emyrie Combs, Taliah Gaither, and Dynesty Putmanwere named to the GIAA Class 3-A All-State Girls Basketball Team, and Mehki Barber, Justyce Sadler, and Tayden Ware made the GIAA Class 3-A All-State Boys Basketball Team. Both teams won their respective state championships
Lakeview Academy made school history with both the boys and girls winning the GIAA Class 3A state basketball championships at the Frank G. Lumpkin Center in Columbus. The boys (25-5) defeated Heritage-Newnan in overtime, 53-44, securing their first-ever state title trophy.
Lakeview forced Heritage Academy into 25 turnovers and Mehki Barber made a game-high 24 points, 8 in overtime, Tayden Ware had a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds with five blocked shots, Brock Graham had 7, Eli Mayfield 4, Justyce Sadler 3, Keelan Harper and Josiah Thompson both scored 2, and Kyari Burch had 1 point. The Lakeview Academy boys outscored Heritage-Newnan 11-2 in overtime for the win.
Lakeview Academy made school history with both the boys and girls winning the GIAA Class 3A state basketball championships at the Frank G. Lumpkin Center in Columbus. The girls came into the game in first place (27-1) and defeated Deerfield-Windsor 54-45, clinching their first state title in the program's history.
Dynesty Putman had a game-high 25 points and six rebounds. Emyrie Combs scored 12 points and nine boards, Taliah Gaither scored nine points and had 12 rebounds and four steals, and Taylor Clark scored 6. For more game details, go to AccessWDUN or the Gainesville Times.
A schoolwide champions' parade will be held in front of the school on Tuesday, March 5 at 9:50 am. All are welcome to attend.
Lakeview Academy once again clinched the GISA Region 4-AAA Literary championship. It was the second year in a row the school won the GISA region championship after winning it 17 times since 2002 in GHSA. Placing first in the region in individual categories and adding to the team's overall score were:
Bella Caplan (Dramatic Interp) Brock and Parker White (Duo Interp) Abigail Baker (Humorous Interp) Hayden Silcox (Impromptu Speaking) Hank Brock (Lower Voice Solo) Scarlett Duncan (Piano) Abigail Baker, Case Beverly, Zoe Castillo, and William Hake (Quartet) Jessica Perry (Rhetorical Essay) Luka Wolf (Spelling) Kathryn McWhorter (Treble Voice Solo) Kathryn McWhorter, Emilia Horton, and Abby McMahan (Trio)
Congratulations to our girls’ and boys’ basketball teams for their wins at the GIAA AAA Elite Eight basketball tournament that advances both teams to the Final Four tournament Wednesday at Georgia College and State University. This is a huge accomplishment for our basketball program, and players and coaches both deserve credit and thanks for these big wins. I look forward to what happens this Wednesday. It was a great weekend to be a Lion!
The annual Lakeview auction is March 9, and I hope you have made plans to attend this fundraiser which is a great event for parents, grandparents, alumni, and friends. Come prepared to bid and buy! Many thanks to our volunteer auction chairs – Ashley McGraw, Maggie Griffin, Shelby Silcox, Staci Vinton -- and DeAnna Browne, Lakeview’s director of annual giving and marketing. Auction details.
On Thursday at 9:40 a.m. we will bring back the schoolwide International Assembly, a celebration of our diverse enrollment. Thirty-two countries will be represented in songs, dances, and a student fashion show with traditional clothing from around the world. Members of the Lakeview band and orchestra will perform, and there will be a sampling of international breakfast foods in the WAC Lobby for parents and faculty/staff to enjoy. All parents and guests are invited to attend!
It’s that time when we begin making plans for the upcoming school year. Your child’s re-enrollment contract(s) are in the Lion Portal and need your immediate attention to secure your child’s spot for next year. If you have any questions about your contract, please contact Jennifer Camarco at
If you have not heard the news, we have plans to build a Lakeview Arts Center that will accommodate instructional and practice space for ALL arts programs for ALL students. Performances will continue to be staged at the Downtown Center theater. We are tremendously excited about this much-needed addition to our campus and ask that you make a gift of any size to the Imagine Capital Campaign. Learn more about the building and make a gift. Questions? Please send them to Imagine@lakeviewacademy.org.
I am so grateful for our talented students and excellent teachers who come every day and make a difference in their lives and in the lives of others. Thank you!
In the state playoffs this past weekend, Lakeview's boys and girls varsity basketball teams won their Elite 8 games. The girls won big over Brookwood 76-43, (read more), and the boys beat John Milledge Academy 52-34, (read more). Both teams advance to the Final 4 on Wednesday, February 28 at Georgia College and State University. The boys play at 4:30 and the girls play at 6:00 pm. This is the second time since 2017 both teams made the Final 4 (read more). GO LIONS!
Scarlet Duncan, Emilia Horton, and Kathryn McWhorter were selected to sing in the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA) All-State Chorus last weekend in Athens. The top 7th-12th grade students in the state are selected through an audition process completed over several months.
The Lions swept the GIAA District 4A/3A Basketball Championships at George Walton on Friday with the girls beating George Walton 45-35 and the boys winning over Loganville Christian 68-65.
Taliah Gaither was named Region Player of the Year for the second year in a row and Taylor Clark, Emyrie Combs, Dynesty Putnam, Mehki Barber, Justyce Sadler, and Tayden Ware were named to the All-Region Basketball Teams.
Lakeview 6th graders Lily Ann Hester, Brie Johnson, Aiden Penland, and Eliza Wilson were selected and participated in the Statewide 6th Grade Honor Choir recently at the University of Georgia campus in Tifton, GA.
During the recent regular season home game against George Walton Academy, Taliah Gaither finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds, scoring her 1,000th high school career point. This season, Taliah was also named the Lanierland Tournament MVP, and last season she was the Region Basketball Player of the Year and made the All-State Basketball Team.
Lakeview Academy's Troupe 3630 was on center stage at ThesCon 2024. Joining 6,000 attendees from across the state, Lakeview's group Thespy, (comprised of Kathryn McWhorter, Abby McMahan, Leyla Ozcelik, William Hake, Abigail Baker, Parker White, Anabelle Baxter, Hannah Cobb, Bella Caplan, Alyssa Gay, Hannah Baker, Case Beverly, and Lydia Abell), was selected to be one of only ten Showcase Performances in the closing ceremonies and was the closing Thespy on the main stage in front of over 2,500 people. In addition, Abigail Baker, Leyla Ozcelik, William Hake, and Parker White were selected to open and close the conference as members of the All-State Theatre cast. Abby McMahan and William Hake auditioned as juniors for over 50 colleges and universities nationwide and received multiple callbacks. And finally, Troupe 3630 was recognized for the 12th straight year as a Gold Honor Troupe- the highest recognition a troupe can achieve.
For 24 years, Lakeview's athletic director and varsity baseball coach, Deuce Roark, created a legacy of leadership. He not only taught his players how to throw a ball, but he also taught them how to be men of character with a strong work ethic. The Lions Baseball Field has been renamed Roark Field in recognition of the commitment that Coach Roark and his family made in building the Lakeview baseball program. An official naming ceremony will be held later this spring.
The GIAA State Meet was on January 27th at Georgia Tech. At the meet, Personal Records (PRs) were set by: Lydia Abell (50 and 100 Free); Hank Brock (50 Free and 100 Back); Sadie Leek (100 Free); Jessica Perry (100 Free); Topher Schadel (100 Free) and the Boys 200 Relay Team (Topher Schadel, Riley Dupont, William Harrison, and Hank Brock). In the GIAA Junior Varsity Championships, PRs were set by: Griffin Johnson (50 Free, 100 Free, and 50 Back); Evan Wallace (50 Free and 50 Breast), and Samson Weishaupt (50 Free and 50 Breast). Scott Rivenbark and Macie Sotomayor also qualified for and raced at the meet.
At the Robotics Regional League tournament, the varsity team, Team 5898, won the Motivate Award which recognizes a team for their outreach efforts, getting more people involved, and increasing awareness of FIRST robotics. The JV team, Team 18443, was the runner-up for the Innovate Award. Both teams' seasons concluded at the meet.
The Hall County Championships were held on January 20th at Frances Meadows Aquatic Center.
Sadie Leek - 5th place, 100-yard Freestyle
Griffin Johnson - 5th place, 50-yard Backstroke and 8th place, 50-yard Freestyle
Hank Brock - 7th place, 100-yard Backstroke
For their performances at the meet, several other qualified for the GIAA State Meet on January 27th at Georgia Tech: William Harrison, Jessica Perry, Hank Brock, Riley Dupont; Scott Rivenbark; Topher Schadel; Sadie Leek; Macie Sotomayor; Lydia Abell; Griffin Johnson; Evan Wallace, and Samson Weishaupt.
Scott Rivenbark is Lakeview Academy's 2023-24 STAR Student. Scott chose Joe Kudyba, one of the teachers for his many computer classes at Lakeview and who is also his robotics coach, as his STAR Teacher. The STAR program honors high school seniors with the top SAT scores in their school and the teachers they choose as having been most instrumental in their lives.
Natalie Butler's artwork, "Lost," was selected for the All-State Art Symposium, a statewide art competition sponsored by Columbus State University. This year, only 50 artworks were selected from the entire state. The artworks will be displayed at the university between February 26 through March 2.
Henry Westmoreland (6th grade) was crowned Lakeview's spelling bee champion last week. He is no stranger to the spelling bee competition as he was last year's alternate. This year's alternate is Brady Taylor (7th grade). Both will advance to Round 1 of the GISA Spelling Bee in February.
In addition, the classroom spelling champions who also competed in the spelling bee were: (4th Grade) Bishop Dye and Liam Kelman, (5th Grade) Sawyer Noah and Maggie Stewart, (6th Grade) Hudson Harper, (7th Grade) Samson Weishaupt, and (8th Grade) Carter Causey and DJ Poole.
Lakeview Academy is a private, coeducational day school for students in preschool through 12th grade, located in Gainesville, GA minutes off I-985/Hwy 365.