Grade 12 Algonquin Expedition: A Tradition Years in the Making

From September 15–18, our Grade 12 students spent four days in Algonquin Park for one of LCS’s longest-standing Grad traditions: the Algonquin Expedition.

For decades, Lakefield Grads have headed into the park in their House groups, travelling by canoe, navigating portage routes, camping together and taking on the challenges that come with spending several days in the backcountry. For the Class of 2027, this year's expedition was another chapter in a tradition that has connected generations of LCS students to one another and to the outdoors.

But for these students, the journey to Algonquin began well before Grade 12.

Throughout their time at LCS, students have been developing the skills, confidence and sense of responsibility that they would bring with them into the park. Last year, as Grade 11 students, they also took part in the Senior Paddle Project, creating their own custom cherry wood ottertail paddles as part of their Leadership, Character and Values (LCV) experience.

Under the guidance of Grade 11 staff mentor Mrs. Tobey Gullick-Scott, students designed and personalized their paddles through painting and wood-burning before learning how to varnish and finish them. Each paddle began as an LCS-branded blank and became a unique piece of functional art, shaped by the student who created it.

The project was intentionally designed to extend beyond Grade 11. Students were asked to bring their completed paddles with them on their Grade 12 Algonquin Expedition, giving them a practical connection to the experience and a tangible reminder of the learning and growth that began the year before.

Out on the water, those paddles became part of a much bigger experience. As students paddled through Algonquin and travelled its portage routes in their House groups, they were putting into practice the resilience, leadership and care that are central to their LCV journey.

The expedition also offered time to step away from the pace of everyday school life and spend meaningful time together in the outdoors. Challenges along the way became opportunities to rely on one another, while the shared experience of travelling and camping together added another layer to the bonds within the Grade 12 class.

In many ways, the paddles themselves tell the story. What began as a Grade 11 project rooted in creativity and craftsmanship became part of a Grade 12 experience rooted in challenge, independence and shared adventure.

For the Class of 2027, the Algonquin Expedition was not simply the beginning of their final year. It was a continuation of a journey they have been building toward throughout their time at Lakefield, and a meaningful way to begin their final year together.