Words by Brad Shellgren Dedicated and motivated weightlifter CJ Fernandez ‘25 has qualified for States! After narrowly missing out on the State Championships as a freshman, Fernandez attacked his sophomore season with the goal of not missing out a second time! “This year I have dedicated a lot more time to my Olympic lifting,” says Fernandez....Read More
Words by Mike Camunas with The Laker/Lutz News They built it because it was time. But now, after two decades, Academy at the Lakes finally has an outdoor sports field at its campus, off Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes. The new field belongs to arguably the longstanding private school’s most successful sports program: the...Read More
Words by Mark Heller, Head of School Thomas Jefferson felt that the purpose of education was to prepare children for citizenship in our democracy. Educational philosopher Francis Parker, one of the founders of the progressive education movement, believed that: “The work of the school is determined by the needs of society.” In many ways, I...Read More
Dear Students and Families, Welcome to Academy at the Lakes! Selecting a school that’s right for your family is one of the most important and difficult decisions you’ll make, and one my family knows well. Just last year, I found myself in the same uncomfortable position you are now: leaving a familiar school community for...Read More
Words by Kim Vreeland After spending 14 years at Academy at the Lakes, Maty Stals ’22 is headed to Florida Gulf Coast University to study finance, and she feels fully prepared. “Academy is a place where you can feel comfortable to be yourself, to find the things you enjoy and pursue them. Academy supports everyone...Read More
Words by Kim Vreeland Sean Emmons describes his 13 years at Academy at the Lakes as having been an integral part of a community that made him feel comfortable trying new things and making new friends. Sean shares that he had the opportunity to figure out what kind of people he wanted to be friends...Read More
Words by Kim Vreeland Anisa Nanavati began her Academy journey when she was 3 years old, and in two months, she will head to Georgetown University in Washington D.C. to study International Politics. Anisa shares that it was the strong support system at Academy at the Lakes that contributed to her success. “My community was...Read More
Words by Brad Shellgren, Marketing and Communications Associate Fresh off their first and second-place finishes at the state championships, Academy’s Odyssey of the Mind teams headed to Ames, Iowa for the World Finals (May 25 – May 28). In front of a packed Hilton Arena at Iowa State University, both the Academy at the Lakes...Read More
Words by Brad Shellgren, Marketing and Communications Associate Damaged delivery packages could be a thing of the past if 8th graders Shiven Patel and Darren Lau have their say. The two Academy students have been working for the better part of the school year designing a package that could withstand the rigors of the delivery process. It turns out, their package...Read More
Words by Brad Shellgren, Marketing and Communications Associate Last October, Sean Emmons ‘22 delivered a Senior Speech that will not be soon forgotten. It was a speech that centered around Sean’s stutter which he developed at an early age. During that Senior Speech, Sean talked about how he was able to overcome his stutter once he accepted it as a...Read More
