5 Questions 4 Steve Laubach

It’s no surprise that, even at age 12, Steve Laubach (Director of Sustainability and science teacher) was already thinking about the environment. But do you know what Lawrenceville class he’d  most like to take? Or the most important thing he’s learned during the pandemic? All this and more in 5 Questions 4!

What book inspired you to think differently or do something out of your comfort zone?
“Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Kimmerer. Dr. Kimmerer writes about integrating indigenous wisdom and scientific knowledge from her own experience as a world expert on mosses and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. While reading her book in 2015, I met Dr. Kimmerer in my workplace in her role as an advisor to the Earth Partnership Indigenous Arts and Sciences program at the UW-Madison Arboretum. She totally broadened my understanding of how to make science more expansive and culturally inclusive.

Which Lawrenceville class would you most like to take?
A visual arts class on drawing or painting. In the arts, I’ve played instruments all my life but never got to take visual arts classes. I’d love to learn how to apply basic art theory to sketching wildlife or landscapes.

What did you want to do with your life at age 12?
I wrote a report in sixth grade about a career in forestry - anything that could get me outdoors sounded like a great job.

What person, living or dead, inspires you?
I think of my mother often these days since her passing in 2019. She was larger than life - friendly and respectful to people from all walks of life, an avid reader, a self-taught naturalist, and deeply spiritual. I draw from her example during the pandemic but know that she would not have tolerated the whole concept of social distancing. It would have been more difficult for her than anyone I can imagine.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned since the start of the pandemic?
Gratitude - for front-line workers, family, health, and a job to look forward to. So many people are facing hardships and it’s easy to get stressed until I reflect on these blessings that I often take for granted. Spending more time at home with my wife and kids reminds me of this every day.

For additional information, please contact Lisa M. Gillard Hanson, director of Public Relations, at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.