It’s not easy to hear Chris Herren tell his life's complex story. A high school and college basketball superstar, Herren was drafted into the NBA in 1999 and ended up playing for his hometown Boston Celtics. His hardwood stats are impressive, but it’s his off-the-court journey that will truly earn your respect. A recovering alcohol and drug addict, Herren - now an author, motivational speaker, and wellness advocate - was the keynote speaker in the Kirby Arts Center on Jan. 15 for Lawrenceville’s Wellness Week.

Michaela M. Chipman will join The Lawrenceville School as its new Meng Family Dean of Campus Wellbeing on July 1, 2025.

Lawrenceville is beginning 2025 with a week dedicated entirely to student wellness. From January 9-16, the School will offer a range of activities, interspersed with regular classes, designed to help Lawrentians enhance their physical and mental wellbeing. Expanding on previous initiatives, Wellness Week aims to provide the community with opportunities to explore, learn about, and practice habits that promote holistic health.

By Sam Vachris ‘27/Big Red Sports Network Reporter

While Lawrenceville students return home for winter break, the boys’ varsity ice hockey team will stay on campus and compete in the 76th annual Lawrenceville Invitational Hockey Tournament. This three-day, eight-team tournament is one of the most prestigious and oldest independent preparatory tournaments featuring teams from the United States and Canada.

Earlier this week, Fourth Former Miranda De Olden got to be front and center seeing her advocacy work in action. De Olden was personally invited by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy to attend the signing of the New Jersey Freedom to Read Act into law.

Michelle Kasmarek encourages her students to embrace the creepy side of creativity. With their art, that is.

By Sophie Lui ‘27/The Lawrence

On the evening of November 6, Lawrentians presented their research at the Fall Academic showcase at the Kirby Math and Science Center and Woods Memorial Hall.

The Lawrenceville School recently donated $80,000 to the Lawrence Township Education Foundation (LTEF), representing nearly a third of the LTEF budget. This is one of the School’s longest standing community partnerships, dating back to 1996 with nearly $1.9 million contributed since that time.

Drop the puck! It’s time for the 76th annual Lawrenceville Invitational Boys’ Ice Hockey Tournament!

Lawrenceville Karate brought home the gold – and more – from the Region 8 Fall Tournament, held last month at the Kalahari Resort in Pocono Manor, PA. More than 600 competitors were on hand for the fall World Tang Soo Do tournament.

By Jon Posner

 Jon Posner knows about leadership, both how to be one and how to nurture others.

On November 11, in honor of Indigenous Heritage Month, Lawrentians welcomed Ty "Dancing Wolf" Ellis and Lia “Watching Sparrow” Gould, citizens of the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation, to campus. The duo held an interactive workshop, guiding participants in making traditional bone jewelry. They also spoke about the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape today and how they've overcome adversity to freely practice their culture as a community.

Congratulations to Grant Newsome ’15, Melissa Magee Speidel, Aaron David Whitehurst, Jr. ’04, and the entire 1962 Big Red varsity football team on induction into The Lawrenceville School Athletic Hall of Fame.

Members of the School community, including a cohort from the boys’ varsity cross country team, ran the HiTops Princeton Half Marathon on November 10 in remembrance of Sammy Bhatia ’15.

Every year on Veterans Day, The Lawrenceville School community comes together to recognize the courage and sacrifice of those who serve and protect the nation.

For Lawrenceville mathematics educator Anton Fleissner, “Introduction to Number Theory and Differential Equations” is more than a typical high school math class. This college-level seminar, available to students who have completed or are enrolled in other 500-level (advanced) math courses, offers a unique glimpse into the abstract world of mathematics while linking its lessons to real-world applications.

A half-day of discussions, workshops, and interactive activities comprised Lawrenceville’s recent Civic Awareness Day, sponsored by the Hutchins Institute for Social Justice.

Lawrenceville rolled out the red carpet for a special event on Nov. 1, celebrating the inaugural Hutchins Institute for Social Justice’s Student Civic Media grant recipients.

On Wednesday, October 30, the Civics Club, Young Democrats, and Young Republicans hosted a guided political discussion for the wider student community. The event was an opportunity for students to share their opinions and engage in meaningful conversation on the policies of the presidential candidates.

With generous alumni support, members of Lawrenceville’s student-run AI Council attended the sixth annual MIT AI at the Crossroads conference, held in New York City on October 26.

Four Lawrenceville students recently presented their research at the annual fall conference of the Classical Association of the Atlantic States (CAAS).

By Kevin Xu ‘26

Tennis is unlike most sports in that it is played both individually and as a team. As an individual sport, playing singles tennis can be high pressure, as everything depends on one player – there are no teammates to support the player on the court.

Hutchins Institute for Social Justice Executive Director Zaheer Ali is executive producer of a six-part PBS documentary film series exploring the deep history of Muslims in America through the stories of six individuals: immigrants, native-born converts and those who were brought against their will.

The Lawrenceville School will present its magical version of "Into the Woods," staged in the Kirby Arts Center on October 24-25. Open seating tickets will be available each night starting at 7 p.m., with the curtain rising promptly at 7:30 p.m.

When Second Formers arrive at Lawrenceville from around the globe, they bring a wealth of knowledge from their previous education and experiences. How do Cultural Studies teachers harness those diverse perspectives and prepare students for the rest of their Lawrenceville career? 

By Matthew Gao ‘26

Water polo is like two sports in one: individual athletes must be able to swim fast while also having the dexterity to play as a team. The sport is extremely physical and requires countless hours both in and out of the pool. Not only is the sport extremely entertaining for spectators, there are many things about the sport that you may not know. We consulted with Andrew Yang ‘26 to learn more.

Next spring break and summer, Lawrenceville students will trade traditional classrooms for real-world learning through the Harkness Travel Program, embarking on transformative journeys across the globe. Director of Experiential Learning John Hughes announced the spring and summer 2025 slate at this afternoon's all-School Meeting.

By Sathvik Samant ’26 & Kevin Xu ‘26

At The Lawrenceville School, athletics are more than just competition—they are a reflection of the school’s deep-rooted traditions and the spirit of camaraderie that runs through every team.

Student volunteers and staff from the Health and Wellness Center recently joined forces to plant a native garden in the courtyard behind the building.

For Lawrenceville students with a passion for discovery, Welles Grants offer more than just financial support—they provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform academic dreams into reality.

By Eli Lacey ’25

Eli Lacey ’25 is this year’s Lawrenceville School President. He is a captain of the Big Red varsity football team, co-founder of the Mixed Martial Arts Club, writer for The Lawrence, varsity wrestler, and has performed in Periwig Club productions for three years.

As Tsai Field House began to open up last spring, my friends and I would often roam the new facility. While we admired the new architecture and cutting-edge sports facilities, there was a sense of excitement amongst all of us. This growing sense of excitement wasn’t just felt between my friends and I, instead it was a shared feeling all throughout campus.

Today, Lawrentians gathered at the School Peace Pole to remember those who perished in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pa.

When Emilie Kosoff added “Inciting Joy” to her summer reading list, she found inspiration in its pages – and ways to rethink Lawrenceville’s annual Orientation Week. “What incites joy?” and “What does joy incite?” are questions author Ross Gay asks his readers to consider in his book. Kosoff, Lawrenceville’s acting co-head of school, was intrigued, and brought those queries to a retreat for Student Council members and Prefects.

The Lawrenceville School has donated $15,000, proceeds from its 21^st annual Big Red Race, to HomeWorks Trenton, a free, community-based, after-school residential program equipping the next generation of community leaders and embracing the goal of "changing the world, one girl at a time." The 5K race was held on May 5 both on The Lawrenceville School campus (Lawrenceville, N.J.) and virtually.

Welcome to our digest of some of the exciting accomplishments of Lawrenceville’s outstanding students. Please email future suggestions to lgillard@lawrenceville.org.

By Big Red Farm Intern Gabriel Vermut ’27

Every morning, just as the sun starts to rise, I head to the Lawrenceville Big Red Farm with four other Big Red Farm student interns. Eager for another day of farm life, we usually begin with the discovery that a few chickens have escaped from their coop. Taking care of them is a big job, but it's been one of the most rewarding parts of my time at the Farm.

Sitting in on Ash Shah’s “Case Studies in International Policy and Strategy” class is akin to having a front seat for the critical questions of modern geopolitical history. 

A community service-based environmental education partnership between The Lawrenceville School, Slackwood Elementary School in Lawrence Township, and The Watershed Institute, a local environmental education and protection nonprofit, was recently recognized for achieving excellence in environmental teaching and learning.

The Lawrenceville School’s Stephan Archives is getting an early start on the celebration of America’s 250^th anniversary with the exhibit "Canceled Culture: First Day Covers and Historic American Stamps." 

By Jennifer Parnell 

Each year, the Lawrenceville Fifth Form selects a member of the faculty that they would most like to address them the day before graduation. This honor, given annually to a teacher who has deeply influenced and touched students with their kindness and spirit, was presented to Jennifer Parnell, history educator and AI coordinator, who spoke on “Connection and Community” at the Fifth Form Prize Awards.

Lawrenceville bid farewell to the great Class of 2024 at Commencement on May 26, an occasion that culminated not only their high school years, but also a joyous week-long celebration of these outstanding students.

The final Villeage Voices of the 2023-24 School year is the valedictory address by Emily Pan ’24, who shared her thoughts with her classmates at Commencement on May 26.

Cheers to the Class of 2024, Lawrentians who have distinguished themselves in so many ways. The School is proud to honor some of members of the Fifth Form class for their excellence in academics, athletics, leadership, and service.

Lawrenceville celebrated achievement by Second, Third, and Fourth Form students at this evening's annual Underform Prize Ceremony.