By Jacquie Klotz ’14, Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement

As a member of the Class of 2014 now working in the Alumni Engagement office, I’ve seen the Lawrenceville School community from many angles. Something special happens when Lawrentians gather, when the years between us dissolve and the shared experience of our time on campus bubbles to the surface.

CJ Nwadi ’27 sits down with head football coach Napoleon “Poe” Sykes to talk about what happens off the field: vulnerability, brotherhood, and the power of showing up for one another. The following is a lightly adapted excerpt from their conversation on 18:10, The Lawrenceville School’s podcast. 

By Shinae Park, science department chair

It may be counterintuitive, but an understanding of physics is not the ultimate goal of the physics course that I teach. In our classroom, physics is primarily the means by which we internalize a new way of thinking, by using experimentation, reasoning, discussion, and math to approach problems in creative ways. As such, physics class is not just for students who intend to study physics or science in college. It is for anyone who wants to practice learning how to think.

By Derrick D. Wilder, The Carol and W. Graham Cole, Jr. Distinguished Teaching Chair; Director of Dance

Harkness, at its heart, is about a problem-solving. Dance, at its core, is about sharing a journey. It’s about the choreographer, dance instructor, and dancers working together. To breathe life into the choreographer’s vision. To meld music to movement. To explore ways of overcoming the confinements and challenges of space.

Featuring Jennifer Parnell, Director of Innovation and AI Projects at The Lawrenceville School, and Ajay Dhaul, Senior Vice President of Global Data Solutions and Applied AI for a Fortune 500 consumer products company. This conversation was summarized by AI from our 18:10 podcast: The AI Balancing Act: Ethics, Efficiency, and Innovation and Rewiring Education: Harnessing AI for Good.

The following is an AI summary of The Lawrenceville School’s 18:10 podcast series with English teacher Pier Kooistra, the Robert S. and Christina Seix Dow Master-Teaching Chair in Harkness Learning, and science teacher Brianna Thompson, who graduated from Lawrenceville in 2018. Listen now to “Harkness in Action” wherever you get your podcasts.

By Sienna Kulynych ’26, Lawrenceville School student body president

As soon as I stepped foot onto campus, I knew that Lawrenceville was the place for me. The Circle and the Crescent, with their red-bricked Houses arranged in near-perfect geometry, filled with decades of history and memories. The grounds are framed by centuries-old trees and students sit in colorful lawn chairs, laughing and talking to one another. Here, I realized that community is not just a word but a lived experience.

By Holli Olson, assistant dean of students and mathematics teacher

Every August at Lawrenceville, our campus springs to life. Pathways fill with students and families, dorm lights glow late into the night, and the quiet fields hum with excitement—and a touch of nervous energy. It’s a cherished time and a pivotal moment for our communit

By Shloka Chodhari ’26 

This June, I joined nine Lawrentians as part of the 2025 Leopold Scholars in Ecology and Ethics for a five day immersive program based at West Chester University (West Chester, PA).  Named in honor of Aldo Leopold (Lawrenceville Class of 1905 and author of the seminal A Sand County Almanac) the program offered a chance to step out of the classroom and into the field, deepening student understanding of ecology, ethics, and our shared responsibility to the natural world.

By Eli Lacey ‘25 

Eli Lacey ’25 served as Lawrenceville School student body president during the 2024-25 school year. In his final School Meeting address, Lacey challenged the notion of the “Typical Lawrentian.”

By Na’imah E. Ford ‘25

Na’imah E. Ford ‘25 was the Director of Production and Anchor of L10 News’ 11th editorial board, an inaugural Hutchins Civic Media Grant recipient, and the 2024-45 Arts Representative to the Student Council.

Jennifer Parnell is a Lawrenceville history teacher and the School’s Director of innovation and AI projects. This article is part of a collection of pieces on artificial intelligence, titled "Survival Guide" in the Spring 2025 issue of Independent School magazine, published by the National Association of Independent Schools. 

By John Hughes, director of experiential education

John Hughes has traversed the globe, exploring over 40 countries not just as a tourist, but as an educator. Whether trekking Patagonia, kayaking across the Tasman Bay in New Zealand, hiking the Grand Canyon, or savoring an espresso in a Parisian bistro, Hughes infuses each journey with a spirit of adventure.

By Zaheer Ali

This edition of Villeage Voices is adapted from remarks delivered as part of a keynote address titled “Lighting the Way: History, Community, and Hope,” by Zaheer Ali at The Lawrenceville School as part of its Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Commemoration on January 20, 2025. 

By Lena Haefele ‘25 and Sathvik Samant ‘26

Lena Haefele ‘25 and Sathvik Samant ‘26 are members of Lawrenceville’s student-led AI Council, which meets regularly to discuss research, experiment with new tools and platforms and evaluate campus AI projects.

By Jon Posner

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

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.

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.

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.

By Holly Burks Becker, Jeff Durso-Finley, Lawrenceville School College Counseling Co-Directors

This article appeared as "Action Points" in the Summer 2024 issue of Independent School.

Every year in our college counseling office, a senior sits down to review their plans for an early decision application and says something like “I really like this college—it’s my favorite—and based on my conversations with you and my research, it’s very likely I will be admitted. [Long pause.] Is that a problem?” 

By Brian Jacobs

Brian Jacobs has been at The Lawrenceville School for nearly 16 years and is the Chair of the Language Department where he teaches French. Jacobs is also a Faculty Interviewer in the Admission Department and Faculty Advisor to Lawrenceville’s student Gender and Sexuality Alliance club. He is a past Head of the McPherson House. In this edition of Villeage Voices, Jacobs talks about how learning a second language can change your life in unexpected ways.

By Cameron Gabrielson ‘24

In this edition of Villeage Voices, Cameron Gabrielson ’24 talks about the challenges and rewards that make her love playing soccer so much

Welcome to Villeage Voices, where community members are invited to share their thoughts each month on a variety of topics relevant to life at Lawrenceville. This month, Associate Director of College Counseling Courtney Roach talks about ways to stay healthy throughout the college admission process.

In this edition of Villeage Voices, Dean of Students Blake Eldridge ‘96 shares his uniquely informed thoughts on the ways Lawrenceville’s House system gives students the experiences and tools they need to grow and thrive physically, emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually.

By Danny Concepcion ‘02

In this edition of Villeage Voices, science teacher and alum Danny Concepcion ‘02 illustrates how each of his Lawrenceville roles prepared him for the next (including fatherhood) and offers words of wisdom for new Lawrenceville families.

In this edition of Villeage Voices, Bryce Langdon '24 addresses the importance of leaving a Lawrenceville legacy. Langdon is School President, a Hutchins Scholar in Social Justice, Co-President of the Lawrenceville Business Club, and Co-President of The Black and Asian Alliance. He is also captain of the boys’ varsity tennis team.

In this edition of Lawrenceville's Villeage Voices blog, Pier Kooistra H’14 P’20, English teacher on the Robert S. and Christina Seix Dow Master-Teaching Chair in Harkness Learning, to share his wisdom and perspective on Harkness education. 

In this edition of Lawrenceville's Villeage Voices blog, Andrew Noviello ’23 discusses the environment, including Earth Day and Lawrenceville’s role in the global fight against anthropogenic global warming.

Welcome to Villeage Voices, where community members are invited to share their thoughts each month on a variety of topics relevant to life at Lawrenceville and beyond. In this month’s edition, Lawrenceville’s Dean of Athletics and Co-Curricular Education Tripp Welborne asks and answers why we play

By Elizabeth Buckles

Welcome to Villeage Voices, where community members are invited to share their thoughts each month on a variety of topics relevant to life at Lawrenceville and beyond. In this edition, English teacher Liz Buckles shares her definition of “love.”

By Emma Kim ‘23

Welcome to Villeage Voices, where community members are invited to share their thoughts each month on a variety of topics relevant to life at Lawrenceville and beyond. In this edition, Emma Kim ’23 discusses the importance of a more sincere and helpful approach to community service.

Check out the winter issue of Independent School magazine, focused on the future of strategy, to read an article by Assistant Head of School Marquis Scott.

Welcome to Villeage Voices, where community members are invited to share their thoughts each month on a variety of topics relevant to life at Lawrenceville and beyond. In this third edition, Stephanie Xu ’23 shares her thoughts on the importance of the arts, as a participant and audience member.

Welcome to Villeage Voices, where community members are invited to share their thoughts each month on a variety of topics relevant to life at Lawrenceville and beyond. In this second edition, Eric Frankel ’23 shares his thoughts on the importance of stepping into the spotlight to be an advocate.

Welcome to the first edition of The Lawrenceville School’s new blog, Villeage Voices. Each month, community members are invited to share their thoughts on a variety of topics relevant to life at Lawrenceville and beyond.