Libby Yakes

Sophomore Libby Yakes stands out not only for her academic achievements but also for her remarkable commitment to serving those in our community. Libby dedicates a significant amount of time to volunteering and supporting those in need.

Libby has accomplished a significant amount already. She excels as a goalie on both the Varsity Field Hockey team, as well as the Fresh/Soph Lacrosse team.

“Libby is a super driven person and player, making everyone so excited to have her added to the team this year,” said Libby’s team “sister” senior Agnes Vedra. “Besides her amazing field hockey skills, Libby is super kind, funny, and overall just a great friend to have.”

Beyond athletics, Libby is an active member of a variety of clubs such as Student to Student, Scout Buddies, and Student Council.

“At every Scout Buddies meeting, Libby always brings so much energy and positivity. It’s so amazing to see how the joy she brings spreads to everyone in the club. She is just an amazing addition to Scout Buddies,” senior Ella Rubenstein said.

Don’t think Libby’s resume stops there. She dedicates nearly every Saturday during the school year and has accumulated a total of 140 hours over the summer working with foster children for Fill a Heart 4 kids, where she serves as a Junior Board Member.  

Every week, Libby packs bags of protein bars for those in need, further demonstrating her commitment to community service.  Her extensive volunteer work has earned her a Gold Presidential Service Award for 100+ hours of community service during the year.

Her impact is also recognized by her teachers. Mr. Sortal, Business Entrepreneurship teacher, awarded her Student of the Quarter. He describes her as being someone who “demonstrates humility, diligence, and consistently treats all with respect.”

“She collaborates effectively with teammates to address challenges that extend beyond her direct responsibilities. Libby’s adaptive leadership style and empathetic approach—emphasizing understanding others before seeking to be understood—have significantly contributed to the development of both her peers and our business over the past month,” Mr. Sortal said.

Libby Yakes exemplifies how dedication to community service and a positive attitude can create an impact, proving that even with a packed schedule, it’s possible to make a difference while doing the things you enjoy.

Elizabeth Specketer

Junior Elizabeth Specketer’s humor, determination, sense of style, and ability to make friends do not go unnoticed. 

One of Elizabeth’s greatest strengths is her ability to bring people together and cheer up those around her with her optimistic attitude. Elizabeth is the kind of friend everyone wants to have in their life: offering thoughtful advice, including everyone, and providing unmatchable energy and humor. She is the epitome of a loyal friend. 

“Elizabeth is very funny! She always gives amazing jokes when the people around her are feeling down,” junior Gavin Nelson said.

Elizabeth has a unique talent of brightening any conversation with her clever sense of humor. Her jokes and laughter have a way of spreading joy and lifting up the people around her.  

“Whenever I’m with Elizabeth, I always find myself laughing,” junior Anna Jasper said. “She is able to uplift me on any bad day with her witty jokes and contagious laughter. Elizabeth makes whoever she’s with feel special and prioritized.” 

Growing up in a large family, Elizabeth is the second youngest and is definitely paving her own path. With her open-minded personality and determination, she occasionally picks up new hobbies and interests. 

Elizabeth’s most recent hobby is running. As a member of Girls Lacrosse during her freshman and sophomore years, she impresses teammates with her ability to run long distances without getting tired. 

Elizabeth is also known for her amazing fashion sense. Her style, a combination of both the newest trends and classy pieces, stands out in school and throughout Lake Forest. 

Whether it’s finding the perfect homecoming dress or simply picking out an outfit for school, Elizabeth has an eye for style! 

“Whenever I am in need of a cute outfit for a special occasion, Elizabeth is the first person I turn to because she has an awesome ability to find unique pieces that nobody else has,” junior Sophia Sinclair said. 

Elizabeth’s ability to make everybody feel special, work ethic in and out of school, and humor is admired by her close friends and the community as a whole. 

Colin McMahon

Freshman Colin McMahon, who spends a majority of his time playing football and lacrosse for the Scouts, is making an immediate impact. 

Although he is not the biggest guy, his work ethic and personality make him an unspoken leader.

 As an 8th grader, McMahon reached out to the Head of Strength and Conditioning Larry Lilja about coming to the workouts. He attended the winter workouts with a near perfect attendance.

 McMahon made strides in the gym because of his strong work ethic and dedication. One day after a workout, someone noticed McMahon doing sit ups in the middle of the gym by himself. 

“He’s my buddy at football; I get to work with him everyday,” senior Danny Van Camp said. The football program partners upperclassmen with underclassmen to help mentor the younger players, as well as help and give advice when needed.

 “He is a quarterback as well, so I get to spend a lot of time with him throughout the summer. His leadership as a freshman is something you don’t see very often. Always giving his best effort and helping encourage teammates,” Van Camp said. “He could be the best leader this program has seen.”  

Colin prides himself in hard work and dedication. He has always wanted to be a quarterback for the Scouts ever since his dad took him to his first game at Varsity Field. It was there that he fell in love with the Friday Night Lights.

“Colin is one of the hardest workers I have seen. He is consistently lifting weights, doing extra conditioning, and eating right,” said teammate Connor Dressel.

Mr. Jim Matheson

Mr. Jim Matheson, commonly known as Coach Matheson to the boys on the Varsity Golf team, is a passionate and caring teacher at LFHS.

He coached a State championship team in 2019 and has worked with many talented golfers throughout his years, including 2024 graduate Tadgh Burke, a current freshman on the Division One Fairfield Golf team. 

The commits don’t end there. Professional and former Miami (OH) Redhawk player Danny Fisher, West Virginia’s Pierce Grieve, and former Yale Bulldog Joe Willis are just a few golfers who worked with Matheson. It is obvious that Coach Matheson sets his players up for success in high school and beyond. 

“Coach Matheson was the best coach I could have possibly asked for during my three years on the varsity team. He pushed all of us to get better every single day in all aspects of our game. I learned so many lessons from coach that I will continue to use through the rest of my golfing career and everyday life,” Burke said. 

On the course, Matheson’s competitive nature helps gets the team prepared for each  match. When on the bus to away matches,  he tells the team the best angle of attack for each hole because he has memorized  every course the team plays. 

Every practice is a competition because he cares about the team’s success and he knows that competition is key to making the team better.

“Mr. Matheson is a great coach. Even when you are not playing great … he is always there for you no matter the time. He always gives us great insight on every course we play before on the bus, and he always keeps us in a good mood,”said  junior golfer Jack Douglass.

“Coach always knows what to say at the right moment. He reminds us that golf is fun, and we play better when we are enjoying it. We play better when things are light, and we are having fun with each other on the course,” senior captain Jack Lamberti said.

Aside from being a decorated golf coach, you might see him driving around in one of the school’s drivers-ed cars teaching students the rules of the road. 

Most importantly, Jim Matheson is a great father. His son, Tommy Matheson, is the starting center for the Princeton Tigers. Jim makes an effort to go to all of his son’s home games. You will always hear him talking about how he is excited to go see his son play, especially since this is his senior year. All the opposing golf coaches always ask Mr. Matheson how his son is doing because they know that is who he cares about the most.

Mr. Matheson’s competitiveness, care, and great attitude will always leave a positive impact on all LFHS students and always allow for a state caliber golf team. All LFHS students or staff always have great things to say about Mr. Matheson.

Joey Schnack

For some athletes, being thrown into the starting line-up with the entire team relying on you would be their worst nightmare.

Joey Schnack, a senior cornerback, faced that reality a year ago. After one of the team’s star players, Nate Williams, went down with a leg injury, Joey was asked to take a major step up in his game to become a full-blown starter.

Every week Joey would improve his coverage and his tackling abilities. Even when Williams came back, Joey stayed on as a starter.

This season he is the number one corner on a strong defense. The secondary for the Scouts coming into the season was a slight question mark for some but Joey showed off the work he did in the off-season by contributing as a run stopper and got himself a major solo tackle for loss early to set the tone against Lakes. 

Along with his football endeavors, Joey also is a baseball player; he played as a DH and was a key contributor to the team last year.

“Joey is a straight forward guy who pushes his friends to their limits,” senior Nick Angelos said.