Class of 2024

Ana joined the class in Grade One. One of her earliest memories at the school was being the new kid among Grade Ones who already knew each other and having Mrs Jorgensen comfort her in her lonely time. Ana has always loved the class play blocks, especially this year’s play, Les Miserables. She also loved studying mythology, as well as experimenting in Physics and Chemistry. She loved the trip to the Pinery in Grade Six, but she also looks forward to the Grade Eight trip. A memory that Ana holds dear is that at the end of every day in Grade One, the entire class would run to Mrs Jorgensen and hug her. Ana says it feels “bittersweet because the tradition has ended.” Outside of school, Ana recently joined Original Kids and just finished acting in a play. For her Grade Eight Independent Project, Ana researched and explored stage management. In September, Ana will attend H.B. Beal Secondary School, where she is excited to discover new things in her “new beginning.” When it comes to her time at LWS, Ana had the following to say: “This community has become extremely important and special to me. I’m so happy and grateful for everyone who was there for me every step of the way. I’ll be heartbroken to leave, and I hope my new beginning will be just as wonderful as my friends and happy memories have been here.”

Aneya started her time at LWS when she moved to London in 2012. She was in the Robins class. She remembers being in Ms. Tara’s class with Talia, and as they were “graduating” from the class, Ms. Tara gave her a “star child” (which she still has). She remembers talking with Talia during nap time! She also remembers being very scared of starting Grade One because her brother told her horror stories; however, after meeting Mrs. Jorgensen and her telling a story to the class after the Rainbow Bridge, she discovered that Mrs Jorgensen was an amazing person. Aneya loved gnome stories in Grade One, as well as every play block. She also enjoyed the fractions block because ”Mrs J made us cinnamon buns to help us understand.” When asked about her favourite class trip, Aneya said, “Honestly, I really liked all of them, but our first one in Grade Three will forever be an amazing memory!” Aneya says that there are so many funny or special moments she shared with her class. She recalls the random class jokes that were “so strange but funny,” such as “Get a grip Agrippa,” “money, money, money,” and “Please pass the butter.” Outside of school, Aneya likes to ride horses and play piano. She also likes to spend time in the forest, which inspired her Grade Eight Independent Project on designing a food forest. Aneya will be attending Sir Frederick Banting Secondary School in September, and she is looking forward to meeting new people but wishes to keep her friends from LWS. After all, Aneya says, “We sang it in Grade One: ‘Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold.’ ” Aneya would like to say that her time at LWS was “truly a ride,” and that she will “forever have memories here.”

Charlotte started at London Waldorf School in the Grade Six. She remembers walking into the class and being received by a collective “hi.” The first person she met was Ocean, but after a few minutes, Kaylah also joined. Charlotte’s favourite Main Lesson subjects were the play blocks and Grade 8 Physics with Mr. Lewis. Her favourite specialty classes were French, Math, and Phys Ed. Charlotte’s favourite trip was Bancroft, but she thinks the Grade 8 trip will be her favourite! As far as memories with the class go, Charlotte’s favourite is when they break into song! Outside of school, Charlotte plays hockey and soccer, she sails, skis, skateboards, and mountain-bikes. It is no surprise then, that she chose to do her Grade Eight project on nutrition for young athletes. While she is still not sure which high school she will attend in the fall, Charlotte is looking forward to playing lots of sports and “more freedom in time management!”

Darwin joined the class in Grade Five. He remembers walking into the school and seeing the chalkboard drawing and being amazed. Darwin’s favourite Main Lesson block was Geometry, and his favourite specialty class was math. His favourite trip was to the PInery in Grade Six. A special moment Darwin recalls was when Mrs Jorgensen read the German story about the pancake on their last “official” day of Grade Eight. Outside of school, Darwin plays baseball. Naturally, Darwin did his Grade Eight project on the physics of pitching. Darwin will attend St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School in September. He is looking forward to meeting new people. Darwin has the following to say about his time at LWS: “It is a great school.”

Freda joined her class in Grade Six. Her first memory of being in the school was hearing the singing bowl along with the morning verse and being suspicious about this new place! Freda’s favourite Main Lesson blocks were Chemistry and Physics, and her favourite specialty subjects were French and Math. When it came to class trips, going to Bancroft in Grade Six and exploring the Warsaw Caves was a favourite. Freda recalls the time when she was out for lunch with some of her classmates and someone had set their lawn on fire, and consequently Freda had to call 911. Outside of school, Freda plays hockey. For her Grade Eight Independent Project, Freda chose to start a bakery business. Although she is not yet sure which high school she will attend in September, Freda is looking forward to meeting lots of new people.

Kaelen started at London Waldorf School in kindergarten. One of his earliest memories is meeting Simeon and becoming friends right away. Over the years, Kaelen has enjoyed many Main Lessons, but his favourites were learning the alphabet in Grade One, Norse Myths, Roman History, Medieval History, and the Grade Eight play block. His favourite subjects were Language Arts, Games, and German. When it comes to class trips, Kaelen’s favourite was the Grade Six trip to the Pinery. While the trip left Kaelen with fond memories, he also recalls making obstacle courses in Grade One, going on many walks, and all of the class plays. In his spare time, Kaelen builds Lego, plays Magic: the Gathering, plays piano and cello, and watches basketball. For his Grade Eight project, Kaelen learned how to make a short film. In September, Kaelen will attend Central Secondary School where he is excited to learn new things. Kaelen had the following to say about his time at LWS: “Waldorf has been a wonderful time. I have enjoyed most experiences with my class and Mrs Jorgensen. Mrs Jorgensen is a kind, happy, intelligent teacher and the way she has taught us has been amazing. I love the way this school is and this will always be an amazing chapter of my life.”

Kali started at London Waldorf School in kindergarten. She remembers crying on the first day at drop-off because she did not want her parents to leave. Kali enjoyed the Geology Main Lesson block, and she finds Anatomy fun and interesting, so she enjoyed that block as well. She loved the Grade Eight play block. Her favourite specialty subjects were Music, Art, Language Arts, and as of recently, French. Kali enjoyed the trip to Bancroft in Grade Seven, even though she did not stay for all of it. She felt she made a lot of great memories with friends on that trip. A particularly funny moment Kali recalls is during the Les Miserables block when Freda famously said, “When I get free, you won’t see me, here for dust!” Outside of school, Kali enjoys “anything music-related.” She has always enjoyed art, along with a “select few sports (volleyball, badminton).” For her Grade Eight project, Kali researched and fundraised for homelessness in London. In September, Kali will attend Beal. She is excited about the new people and experiences, fun classes, and living her “high school musical fantasy.” Kali wanted to say the following about her time at LWS: “I think that having a supportive class (teacher) is the most important thing ever. As we’ve all gotten close over the years, I’ve noticed my life genuinely becoming less stressful, and I’ve had overall better performance at school. As a person who has always struggled with anxiety issues (particularly socially), and one who is also innately shy, school was always a little extra difficult for me. But, as we’ve all become more comfortable with each other, I’ve concluded that if you don’t have a kind and supportive class, you won’t feel comfortable expressing yourself; if you don’t have an encouraging class, you won’t try. Thankfully, our class has become all of the above. Thanks, classmates and Mrs Jorgensen.”

Kaylah started at London Waldorf School in kindergarten. She remembers that the gnome stories in Grade One were “awesome!” She recalls the presence of gnomes in the Grade One classroom’s “weird wall chimney.” Kaylah’s favourite blocks during the past eight years were the play blocks. Her favourite specialty classes were Language Arts. The trip to Bancroft was Kaylah’s favourite trip. She recalls the Warsaw Caves and playing Werewolf in the rain. She remembers when, after the Grade Eight play was over, she went to Covent Garden Market and bought fake wine and baguettes for the class. Kaylah says, “There have been so many times I’ve come home and told my parents about the random crazy things that happened in class!” Outside of school, Kaylah enjoys flying drones, which was her topic for the Grade Eight Independent Project. She also likes to play video games, draw, write (for at least 1015 days in a row), code, play Magic: the Gathering, and “a whole bunch of other various things…” In September, Kaylah will be attending either Lucas Secondary School, or she will be homeschooled, or she will “move somewhere random.” Wherever she is, she is looking forward to the social part of high school, as well as the aviation program in Grade Ten, along with robotics and plays. When it comes to her time at LWS, Kaylah had the following to say: “I love how many random events come up. For example, just yesterday, we were peacefully eating a snack and suddenly Mrs J jumped up and said, ‘Oh! I forgot! We need to bring in the straw!’ and then rushed us out to follow her without any explanation at all! I like how close the classes can become. My class is like family to me. I also love how each class does its own play every year for a whole month. I’m really going to miss my class.”

Lola started with her class in Grade Two. She remembers walking into the classroom for the first time and immediately clicking with Neave, who had also joined at the same time. Her favourite blocks were the play blocks. Her favourite class trip was the trip to the Pinery in Grade Six. Lola recalls a memory this year, when a bunch of her classmates were out for lunch and they saw an entire lawn on fire! Freda had to call 911. Outside of school, Lola plays drums and sings in a band called Thunder Queens. Her band will be going to Calgary shortly after graduation. For her Grade Eight project, Lola researched and experimented with cheesemaking. In September, Lola will attend Beal, where she is excited to have new experiences. Lola would like to say the following about her time at LWS: “I think it’s important to find friends in whom you can confide, because if any school, family, or life drama happens, it’s great to be able to have a person you can trust and be yourself around. Luckily, Neave and I clocked immediately as we joined in the same year. Kali had open arms, so I’m lucky to have them both. So, for me, having true friends is the thing that will stick with me most from my time at this school.”

Neave joined the class in Grade Two. Her first memory was on the first day when she sat down and looked around at all her classmates. She was scared and thought that many people were scared. But when she saw Lola, she knew she wanted to be friends with her. Neave’s favourite Main Lesson blocks were Anatomy, Physics, Astronomy, and the Grade Eight play. Her favourite trips were the Pinery trips and the Bancroft trip, which she feels brought the class together. There are many fond memories of her time with her class, but Neave specifically remembers the funny chalkboard drawings, the German pancake story, Freda saying, “When I get free, you won’t see me,” and Mr. Lewis’s jokes. Outside of school, Neave plays guitar, bass, and piano. She likes sports, doing art, and cooking. For her Grade Eight project, she studied and experimented with fermentation. In September, Neave will attend Beal. She is excited for a new, fun environment with new people and experiences (“even if it’s scary”). Neave would like to say the following about her time at LWS: “Even though I did leave for one year, this class always felt like home. I’ve grown so much (friends, skills, personality). At first, I was quite shy and would never raise my hand, but Mrs Jorgensen would always call on me to become more expressive and extroverted. She’s taught me so much; she has taught me to be stern and gentle, focussed but also able to relax. I’m so thankful for this year. I’ve been able to re-connect with friendships and make new friends as well.”

Ocean started at London Waldorf School as a Bluebird in kindergarten. She remembers playing dragons with her friends in kindergarten and playing in their classroom’s sandbox. Ocean’s favourite Main Lesson blocks were Physics, Chemistry, and Astronomy. She enjoyed Arts, Crafts, and Handwork classes. Going to the Pinery and Bancroft were Ocean's favourite trips. When asked to recall any funny or special moments she shared with her class, Ocean said, “Every single time we started randomly singing in class.” Outside of school, Ocean likes to draw, sometimes sculpt, and programming. For her Grade Eight project, Ocean studied arrowheads and spearheads. Ocean will attend Beal in September, where she is excited to meet people with the same interests as her.

Olin came to London Waldorf School in kindergarten. He remembers spotting animals in the clouds. His favourite Main Lesson blocks were the Grade Eight play block, Norse and Egyptian mythology, and Roman history. His favourite specialty classes were Games class in the lower grades and German and Language Arts. His favourite trip was the trip to the Pinery at the beginning of Grade Six. When it comes to memories from over the years, Olin remembers when, in Grade One, the class worked together to build a giant obstacle course shaped like a dragon, and when the class chicks hatched. Outside of school, Olin builds Lego, plays Magic: the Gathering, plays piano, and watches basketball. For his Grade Eight project, Olin learned to code computer games using Python. In September, Olin will attend Central Secondary School and looks forward to being introduced to new things that he doesn't know yet. Olin would like to say the following about his time at LWS: “I am very happy to have had the opportunity to attend LWS. It was a wonderful experience. Thank you to all the teachers who taught me over the years.”

Poppy joined her class in Grade Seven. Although she hasn’t been here long, Poppy has many memories, including her smacking her head off the swing set pole, going on walks, and small field trips. Her favourite Main Lesson block was Anatomy and her favourite specialty classes were Phys Ed, Art, and Math with Mme Lau. Bancroft was Poppy’s favourite trip, but she assumes the Grade Eight trip will be the best. Poppy remembers when, at lunch, if someone did not have anything more to eat, Mrs Jorgensen would bring out the whole wheat crackers that she and her classmates loved. Outside of school, Poppy participates in synchronized swimming. For her Grade Eight project, Poppy studied the art and science of making sourdough bread. In September, Poppy will be attending Beal, where she is excited to learn new things and make new friends (even though she will “never leave my current friends behind”). When asked if there was anything she wanted to say about her time at LWS, Poppy said: “I learned so much from my time here and wish I had joined sooner. I have so many more friends than I ever had at my old school, and I am sad to leave. I want to personally thank Mme Lau. She helped me so much in French and math (because I was so behind in both of these areas). That being said, all my teachers are amazing. I am so thankful for this whole class, and even though we have fought sometimes, I will miss them so much.”

Rex joined his class in Grade Five. He remembers meeting every single person in the class. Rex’s favourite Main Lesson blocks were Physics, Ancient Egypt, and the blocks when China and Japan were studied. Rex enjoyed the most recent class trips, including Bancroft. One of his favourite memories is performing the class play, Les Miserables. Outside of school, Rex claims to spend his time “sleeping, playing baseball, and living life!” For his Grade Eight project, Rex researched and experimented with”tool and die.” In September, Rex will attend Beal, where he is most excited about the trades programs offered. Rex would like to thank Mrs Jorgensen for “all the different things I learned during my time at the school.”

Talia began her time at London Waldorf School when she was two years old. She started as a Robin, with her mom and Ms. Elida as her teachers. Talia has a lot of memories from her early years at LWS. She reports that “honestly, most of them are of me being in trouble and getting yelled at!” That being said, memories come back to her when she catches a random glimpse of younger children playing a game she played, or the smell of whatever grain they were eating, or the toys she played with. Also, there are some stories she’s heard so many times (like the time she bit Adam or the time she came home crying and told Nana that she had no idea boys were so mean). Talia has always had fun with the play blocks. She also really liked the first Ancient Rome block. (She remembers that all of her classmates always “dissed” Ancient Rome because they “copied the Greeks,” but she’s always been fascinated by both cultures.) The Fractions block (despite her feelings about fractions), where Mrs. Jorgensen brought in all this food that they had to cut into fractions before eating them, was also a favourite. Talia has always enjoyed Art, French, and Language Arts. When it came to trips, Talia enjoyed the first Pinery camping trip of Grade 6 in the fall, where they went swimming and did all the cool activities. The weather was beautiful. Talia reports also having a blast at the Bancroft trip, “despite the bad weather, mosquitoes, and the fact that we were all tired of Pizza Pizza by the end.” Because she has been in the school for so long, Talia has many funny memories. Something she’ll miss in high school is when the class suddenly breaks into song and Mrs Jorgensen is bewildered by the fact that they’re singing a song called Bohemian Rhapsody. Talia admits that she “really enjoys singing in general with the class.” Outside of school, Talia likes to spend time with friends and family, read, do art (drawing, painting, and sewing), listen to music, and watch football. For her Grade Eight project, Talia’s title was “Experiencing Italian Culture Through Food.” In September, Talia will attend Beal, where she is looking forward to meeting new people with similar interests and attending a wider variety of classes, yet she admits that she is “terrified of both prospects!”

Weston joined his class in Grade Seven. He remembers touring the school in those early days. Weston’s favourite Main Lesson block was Physics with Mr Lewis. His favourite specialty class was French. Outside of school, Weston spends a lot of time dancing. For his Grade Eight project, he designed and created a dance costume. In the fall, Weston will attend Beal. He is looking forward to the change!