Lake Forest Academy welcomed over 450 people from more than 100 families to its annual Fall Open House on October 26. LFA’s annual Fall Open House provides prospective students and parents with the opportunity to learn more about LFA by hearing from students and participating in tours led by student ambassadors.
The open house began in Cressey Theater, where parents heard remarks from Head of School Tom Johnson, a Head Ambassador, and Dean of Admissions Carolyn Gorowski, to get an overview of LFA and what it has to offer. In addition to the speeches, the families were treated to a performance of Libertango, played by Rachel Oum ‘29 and Michelle Oum ‘29 on the violin and Chloe Kim ‘26 on the piano, displaying the remarkable talent that LFA’s student body has in the arts. Dean of Admissions Carolyn Gorowski commented on the beginning of the open house, “The opening program welcomed guests and gave a general introduction. Our students are always a highlight, and both groups did an excellent job! This session set the tone for the day, and families were excited to explore campus, meet students and faculty, and have their questions answered”.
After the presentations, LFA’s student ambassadors led prospective families on tours, with an average of four families for every two ambassadors. New tour guides were paired with experienced ones to help them get the experience they need to be successful tour guides. Assistant Director of Admissions Operations and faculty advisor of the student ambassadors Ines Morroni said, “They did a fantastic job. The most important thing to me is that everyone has a great time. They volunteer their time, expertise and energy on a Sunday. The families are excited to learn about our school, and the student ambassadors are wonderful in showing the Caxy spirit every year. When that happens, I consider it a success.” The tours were split into two groups: day and boarding. Both groups got to see the entire campus, but boarding tours were taken to either Ferry Hall or Atlas Dorm to understand what it is like to live at LFA. Experienced Student Ambassador Ethan Wuang ‘27 commented on the open house, saying, “I really enjoyed playing a role in such an important decision for prospective familiales. I love sharing my LFA experience with people who are eager to learn more about it. As a student ambassador, the fall open house is one of my favorite events of the year.”
While one group was on their tour, the other remained in Cressey for a student panel. The panel consisted of six upperclassmen, hand-picked by the Admissions office due to their LFA experience and middle school background. There was a mix of boarding and day students, and they answered questions that prospective students and parents had about life at LFA. Caden Ye ‘26, one of the panelists, described his time on the panel by sharing, “Being on the student panel was a really fun experience. By answering questions from prospective students and their families, I also had the chance to reflect on my own high school journey, making me truly appreciate how much I’ve grown and the support I’ve received along the way.”
The Fall Open House serves as a chance for students to get involved within LFA, either by giving a tour or speaking on the panel. For the admissions office, it is the biggest event of the year, as it is when LFA welcomes the most guests to its campus. The faculty, staff and students have to work closely together in order to have the open house run smoothly. The student leaders of the fall open house are the Head Ambassadors. Morroni described their impact, mentioning, “The Head Ambassadors do such a great job. They work hard in preparing our student ambassadors for this event. I am thankful for all the work that they do.” The 2025 fall open house was an amazing event, and everyone, from students to parents, learned a lot about LFA and its community.