Lausanne Collegiate School

Students in 2nd Grade wrapped up their week with an exciting trip down to the lake, where they canoed, engaged in plein air sketching and prepared a healthy snack. This was all part of their first unit of inquiry, Sharing the Planet, which focuses on making healthy choices. Earlier in the week, they kicked things off with a visit from the Wolf River Conservancy. The students learned how pollution enters our rivers through a hands-on demonstration using a watershed model. The week also included a recycling lesson, complete with a recycling truck and crew in the parking lot.

Those smiles say it all! It's a great day to be a Lynx and a great day to be alive! 💙💛

Today, Junior Kindergartners had a fun and informative visit from members of Lausanne's Pom team! As part of their current unit of inquiry, "Who We Are," the JK students learned tips and tricks while exploring the central idea that we are all part of a community and the importance of connecting with others.

Seventh-graders in Kalyn Underwood's Life Science class revisited the world of microscopes as they began their second unit on cells and biochemistry. The students examined slides of cork and various plant and animal tissues, engaging in the same type of microscopic investigation pioneered by English physicist Robert Hooke, one of the first scientists to study living organisms on a microscopic scale.

The class began by reviewing the parts of the microscope, with students color-coding each component to refresh the skills they had learned in previous years.

"I demonstrated proper microscopy techniques using a microscope that displays on my TV," Ms. Underwood explained. "We focused on identifying actual cell structures and avoiding confusion caused by dust, scratches, or other artifacts. Often, students think they've found something, but they need to keep zooming and adjusting focus to reveal the true details."

After the demonstration, students worked with partners to examine slides of cork, plant roots or leaves, and blood samples. As they observed the distinctive grid-like patterns of cells, students discussed how each structure relates to its function. They also recorded their observations and creatively compared the structures they saw to everyday objects—like spider webs, lace, or snakeskin—helping make their discoveries more relatable and memorable.

The Class of 2025 recently gained firsthand experience in various industries across the Midsouth as they entered the professional world for Lausanne's annual Senior Internship Week. This week-long program allowed students to explore potential careers and better understand what it's like to work in their fields of interest.

From Aquaponic Farms to Operating Rooms, read how Lausanne Seniors gained real-world experience through internships here: https://www.lausanneschool.com/news/posts/over-a-hundred-local-organizations-hire-lausanne-seniors-for-a-week

Lausanne faculty and staff are known for their dedication to the students who call their Memphis campus home, and for bringing a global perspective to their classrooms. Many of these teachers also have a passion for helping their peers grow as educators.

Learn about Lausanne’s efforts to expand The Lausanne Way to classrooms around the world: https://www.lausanneschool.com/news/posts/lausanne-learning-furthers-the-lausanne-way-globally

Multiple Sclerosis is something that has always been close to the heart of Levi Dorsey '25, who said he has known and met people diagnosed with the disease.

"I wanted to do something to help them because I truly love helping others," Dorsey said. "And being able to help them while doing something that I love was a perfect calling for me."

With that in mind, Lausanne quarterback and holder TJ Jenkins '26 and kicker Levi Dorsey '25 are dedicating the 2024 football season to raising money for KICK MS.

Levi Dorsey and TJ Jenkins Join Forces To Combat Multiple Sclerosis It started…Lausanne quarterback and holder TJ Jenkins '26 and kicker Levi Dorsey '25 are dedicating the 2024 football season to raising money for KICK MS.The LetsKickMS Foundation is a foundation committed to improving the lives of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients. Nearly two decades ago, Californ...

There's so much to learn from the world and the people around us—sometimes, even a one-year-old has lessons to share! That's precisely what students in Bing Osterman's dance classes discovered during their unit on "Improvisational Dance and Somatic Movement."

The highlight came when one of Ms. Bing's friends stopped by the classroom with her 14-month-old son, Parker. The toddler joined the students on the dance floor, moving freely and without overthinking—simply dancing as the moment inspired him. His carefree dancing inspired the students to explore different shapes and energies in their own movements.

With students studying Improvisational Dance and Somatic Movement, Parker's inspiration came at the perfect time. In this unit, students are learning that quickly adapting to new situations while staying connected to mind and body is one of a dancer's most valuable skills.

"It's a transferable skill," Ms. Bing explained. "Our dancers can take what they learn beyond the classroom and use it in everyday life—whether in conversations, debates, problem-solving, during sports, or navigating challenges. Improvisation and somatic movement help you trust your instincts and decisions, both on and off the dance floor. My students enjoyed exploring this unit, and loved having Parker as their muse the day!"

Congratulations to Ezra Baer '25, Abhi Battini '25, Nicholas Holland '25, Elisa Hurtado '25 and Tanish Sonone '25 for being named semifinalists in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Competition!

The National Merit Scholarship Program is a nonprofit organization that annually awards scholarships to high school seniors. This year, program officials selected around 16,000 semifinalists out of more than 1.3 million students from across 21,000 high schools based on preliminary SAT scores.

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. About 95 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, with approximately half earning the merit scholar title.

To celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival observed in Chinese culture, Upper School Mandarin students proudly walked around campus wearing Hanfu—traditional clothing from dynasties like the Wei-Jin, Tang, Song and Ming. Their Mandarin teacher, Shanshan Guo, provided the garments to enrich the students' learning experience as they explore the festival and its history in class. Also known as the Moon Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival honors the harvest and the full moon. It takes place on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, typically in September or early October when the moon is thought to be at its fullest and brightest.

At Lausanne, students are exposed to world languages and cultures from an early age, with daily instruction in Mandarin and Spanish beginning in Pre-Kindergarten. Throughout their educational journey, they develop strong communication skills in speaking, writing, interpreting and appreciating diverse cultural contexts. By the time they graduate, they have engaged with a range of global perspectives, gaining valuable insights into the deep connections between language, culture and identity. This linguistic and cultural fluency equips them to navigate and contribute meaningfully in an increasingly interconnected world.

The Class of 2026 spent a week in Washington, D.C., for the Junior Class Trip, a long-standing tradition that helps students prepare for one of the biggest decisions they will make in high school: choosing the right college.

During this year's trip, juniors had the opportunity to tour a range of universities, including the large public University of Maryland-College Park, the prestigious Georgetown University, the urban George Washington University, the traditional liberal arts-focused American University and one of the nation's oldest HBCUs, Howard University.

Read more about their experience below:
https://www.lausanneschool.com/news/posts/class-of-2026-takes-on-washington-dc-for-junior-class-trip

Lausanne's Sophomore Week offered the Class of 2027 a week full of impactful experiences as students spent their days engaging in team-building activities on campus and volunteering at nonprofits around Memphis.

Learn more about Sophomore Week below:
https://www.lausanneschool.com/news/posts/sophomore-week-building-leadership-and-community-at-lausanne

The Class of 2028 made it to Clearwater Cove yesterday afternoon for their Freshman Class Trip and the camp adventures have been in full swing since they stepped off the bus! Through this annual experience, ninth-graders have the opportunity to establish stronger connections with their classmates, learn more about Lausanne's Upper School culture and develop lasting relationships with their teachers.

Learn more about the Freshman Class Trip here: https://www.lausanneschool.com/9classtrip

The curtain is going up on our most exciting Lausanne Theater season yet! Mark your calendars, and don’t miss these Lynx Thespians take the stage!

October With Agatha – The Upper School Fall Play(s) (Oct. 17 – 20) – It’s an Agatha Christie Double Feature this fall, with two different Christie plays performed by our Lausanne Upper School Thespians. A Murder On the Nile (Oct. 17 & 19) and A Murder is Announced (Oct. 18 & 20) will have your heart thumping in classic Christie fashion!

Madagascar, Jr. (Dec. 6 & 7) – The Middle School Musical – follow Alex the lion and his best friends Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe and Gloria the hippo as they make their escape — with the help of some prodigious penguins — to explore the world.

Footloose (February 27 – March 2) – The Upper School Musical – When a teenage boy and his mother move from Chicago to the small town of Bomont, he finds himself at odds with the Reverend and a law against holding dances. With the help of the Reverend’s daughter and his country-hick best friend, will the town finally dance again?

Night of Broadway (March 28) - This Broadway-themed talent show is an annual favorite of Lausanne families. Singing, dancing, acting, and instrumental performances from students and faculty of all divisions feature songs from Broadway musical favorites. And we’ve moved the date to later in the year to tie in with another great tradition: the Spaghetti Dinner on a new night called “Dinner and a Show!” Details to follow!

One Acts (April 11 & 12) – Lausanne student directors put together a fun evening of one-act plays featuring Lausanne students.

Seussical KIDS (May 2 & 3) – The Lower School Musical - Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat and all your favorite Dr. Seuss characters spring to life onstage in Seussical KIDS, a fantastical musical extravaganza.

Lynx Performance Ensemble (May 16) – This Middle School musical performance marks the culmination of their year-long class, which celebrates performing arts, dancing, singing and acting, giving students a unique chance to grow as individual performers while embracing the power of collaboration within an ensemble.

Of course, we’ll have dance recitals, band performances and lots more! Break a leg, Lynx!

To kick off the year in Makerspace, our Kindergarten through 3rd-grade students took on the "Not a..." design challenge. Each grade was presented with a different object and tasked with transforming it into something entirely new using materials available in Lindy Roberson's Makerspace Lab. For instance, first graders were given a small box to reimagine creatively. Through this activity, students engaged with the design process, moving from brainstorming and planning to building and refining their creations.

"This experience is helping us develop a maker mindset for the school year ahead," Ms. Roberson shared. "I'm excited to see how their creative potential evolves with each project."

This Labor Day, we honor the hard work and dedication of our incredible faculty and staff members. Thank you for making Lausanne such a wonderful place for our Lynx to learn and grow! 💙💛

Happy 901 Day! Our Lynx kicked off the city-wide celebration on Friday by dressing up in gear that showcased their Memphian pride!

While 901 Day is reserved for September 1, community engagement and making positive contributions to the city we love are essential parts of the Lausanne way every day. Tomorrow, a group of Upper School students and faculty will continue these efforts by participating in the Race for Reconciliation, an annual event that aims to unite Memphis. Learn more about the ways students help serve the 901 at lausanneschool.com/lynxserve

Lausanne 8th graders are turning math into a global art form! As part of a STEAM collaboration project, students In Kyle Gehringer's 8th-grade Math classes worked together to design a set of fully functional clocks, each representing a different time zone and location, with the times (1-12) displayed as mathematical expressions. These clocks will be displayed on the wall outside Mr. Gehringer's classroom, serving as both functional pieces and educational tools.

Read more about their project here: https://www.lausanneschool.com/news/posts/eighth-grade-students-design-math-themed-clocks-with-a-global-perspective

Our Junior Kindergarten students love it when their older Lynx friends come to visit! Last week, a group of upper schoolers dedicated their afternoon to reading to the junior kindergarteners and encouraging them to practice their reading skills. These moments are more than just a fun break—they’re essential to building a strong, connected community at Lausanne, and we're proud of our students' commitment to fostering this environment across grade levels!

A classroom isn't the only place to improve your math skills! Students in KG Walker and Andie Weaver's Math SL/HL classes left their desks for a day to participate in an activity that challenged them to solve systems of equations applied to various scenarios set up around the Upper School halls.

The goal was for students to complete a roundabout circuit by starting at one problem and continuing through all the problems until they ended back where they started. The hands-on activity welcomed a change of pace from their usual routine and a nice mid-day energy boost!

"We love this assignment because it gets students up and moving while improving their skills," Ms. Weaver shared. "It's also very exciting to see the students engaging with each other and helping one another with the problems."

There's a new way to stay informed about Lausanne athletics! Download our Lausanne Lynx Athletics app to stay updated with the latest in Middle and Upper School sports!



https://www.lausanneschool.com/news/posts/lausanne-athletics-launches-new-app-and-website

It was a great home opener last night.

We had it all : an All-School Tailgate, a great football game atmosphere, a state championship ring ceremony and we ended the evening with a 35-6 Lausanne victory.

Thanks to everyone who came out and all of the people that made the night possible!

This summer, Lausanne students Lauren Demery '25 and Nathan Hayes '25 had the extraordinary opportunity to participate in the St. Jude High School Research Immersion Program (HSRI). This eight-week program allows rising seniors from the Memphis-Shelby County area to engage in mentored research projects within various St. Jude laboratories, including chemical biology, psychology, epidemiology and data science.

Students selected have the opportunity to work closely with a research mentor and a science educator, conducting research and reflecting on the broader nature of science and their place within it. The culmination of their hard work is showcased in a community exhibition, where each student presents their research findings through a scientific poster.

Read more about Lauren and Nathan's summer experience here: https://www.lausanneschool.com/news/posts/two-students-spend-summer-in-prestigious-st-jude-immersion-program

Students across Middle School gathered in EPAC yesterday for an annual signing ceremony, where they pledged to uphold the values of knowledge, truth and honor as part of Lausanne's KTH Code.

Committing to the KTH Code has been a long-standing tradition for Lynx students since the 1990s when Lausanne established the honor system to foster an environment of academic integrity and respect in all aspects of life as a Lynx.

Read more about the tradition here: https://www.lausanneschool.com/news/posts/middle-hosts-annual-kth-ceremony

Fourth-grade students in Lower School art teacher Amanda Schulter's class are drawing self-portraits, using mirrors to observe their features carefully and translating what they see on paper.

"The students are practicing facial features and proportions for the outside of their inside-out self-portraits," Ms. Schulter shared. "Students are creating a half outer, half inner representation of themselves consisting of personal symbolism."

This exercise is encouraging the students to explore symmetry, proportion and detail concepts while sharpening their drawing skills and enhancing their self-awareness and confidence as they create personal works of art that reflect their unique identities.

While many of our Lynx alumni have been settling into their dorms over the past few weeks, Lausanne seniors from the Class of 2025 have also been busy preparing for life after graduation.

Most recently, these seniors participated in a College Application Bootcamp, where they received expert advice and strategies for effectively managing the application process from our College Advisors, Whitney Morrison and Laurie Gray.

"The College Application Bootcamp is reserved for our senior students to get ahead in the college admissions process," Ms. Gray shared. "Spending time creating their Common App profiles prepares students for the admissions process before school starts so that they have a solid foundation."

Read more about Lausanne's college advising process here: https://www.lausanneschool.com/news/posts/seniors-prep-for-life-after-graduation

In just the first week of school, our youngest Lynx in PK2 have shown impressive adaptability as they settle into their new learning environment! As new members of the Lausanne community, these learners have quickly embraced their routines with curiosity as they participate in group activities, form new friendships and thrive in their classroom.

"The kids feel comfortable exploring the classroom and are already risk-takers at the playground," shared PK2 teacher Simone Lima. "We can't wait to see their growth throughout the year!"

Thanks to their teachers' supportive and nurturing atmosphere, the students feel safe, confident and ready to learn.

"I am so impressed with our new PK2 class," added PK2 support teacher Maggie White. "From the first day, this group showed up to school with such a healthy curiosity that has already made them great listeners and observers. Each child has gotten along so well with their new friends this week, and I can tell they will all develop a special bond in the weeks to come!"

Over the summer, 11 Upper School students had the opportunity to participate in a two-week immersion trip to Costa Rica. During the trip, the Lynx group explored the country's stunning landscapes, stayed with local "Tico" families, and fully immersed themselves in Costa Rican culture while improving their Spanish skills.

Read more about their trip here: https://www.lausanneschool.com/news/posts/eleven-upper-school-students-take-immersion-trip-to-costa-rica

After our fifth-grade Lynx did a deep dive into Ancient Greece in their Social Studies class with Middle School teacher Kelly Douglas, the students celebrated with a Greek Festival.

The event included competitions such as Morphemes Mania, musical and dance performances and skits featuring what the students had learned about Greek culture and society. It was a great way to wrap up the school year!