News from Laurel School in Shaker Heights, Ohio myLAUREL Admissions arrow Welcome Why Laurel? arrow Why All-Girls? Inquire arrow Request Information 18 Months-Prekindergarten Inquiry Kindergarten-Grade 12 Inquiry Visit arrow Visiting Laurel Admissions Events Calendar Apply arrow How to Apply Early Childhood School Application Kindergarten-Grade 5 Application Grades 6-12 Application Tuition & Affordability arrow Sarah Lyman Scholarship Admissions Team arrow Meet the Admissions Team Meet Our Green Key Student Ambassadors About arrow Why Laurel? 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Alumnae Board & Committees Alumnae Weekend Distinguished Alumnae Sarah Lyman Day of Community Service Connecting Alumnae arrow Update Your Information Get Involved — Volunteer! Alumnae Events Calendar Highlights Magazine Alumnae Spotlight Alumnae in the News Alumnae in STEM Fields Alma Mater & Ring Stories Employment Equal Opportunity AdChoices This website utilizes cookies to provide you the fullest experience on our website. By continuing to use this website, you consent to our use of these cookies. See Laurel School's Privacy Policy for cookie and privacy details. News & Calendar News 2026 Rida Tahir ‘27 Wins 1st Place at CWRU’s Community Engaged Cancer Research Program 4/22/2026 Congratulations to Rida Tahir ‘27 , whose research project, titled “Beyond Active Treatment: Cultural, Socioeconomic, and Psychosocial Barriers to Cancer Survivorship Plans”, was awarded 1st place at the recent Case Western Reserve University’s Community Engaged Cancer Research Program (CECRP). Laurel School Junior Hazel Segal Selected for Prestigious Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship Program 4/15/2026 Congratulations to Hazel Segal ‘27 , who has been accepted into the highly competitive Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship Program. This international program pairs established, award-winning writers with high school and college students for a rigorous, six-week intensive focused on the craft of poetry, fiction, or spoken word. Yael Ratner ‘26 Named a National Scholastic Art & Writing Winner 4/6/2026 Congratulations to Yael Ratner ‘26 , who has been named a 2026 Scholastic Art & Writing National Winner for her mixed media piece, “My Wound.” Noa Karr '28 Is U1000 Ohio Girls Chess Champion 3/30/2026 Huge congratulations to Noa Karr '28 , who is the U1000 Ohio Girls Chess Champion! Tristan Williams '26 Named Player of the Year and 1st Team 3/27/2026 All Ohio Awards were released for Division IV Basketball and a big congratulations goes to Tristan Williams '26 on being named Player of the Year and 1st Team! Cleveland.com highlighted the news. Claire Leland ‘26 Featured in Scholastic Magazine “Choices” 3/25/2026 Claire Leland '26 was featured in the March issue of Choices , a Scholastics Magazine. She spoke about living with celiac disease as part of a story featuring three students who live with autoimmune diseases. Jaanvi Patel '33 Earns Superior Ranking at Regional Science Day 3/25/2026 Jaanvi Patel '33 participated in the Ohio Academy of Science 2026 Regional Science Day at Kent State University and earned a Superior ranking, which advances her to the State Science Day in May. Dr. Tori Cordiano Featured in Cleveland Magazine 3/20/2026 Dr. Tori Cordiano , Laurel consulting psychologist and Co-Director of Laurel’s Center for Research for Girls (LCRG), was included in a recent Cleveland Magazine article about rising anxiety among students. Laurel Gators Capture First OHSAA Girls Basketball State Championship 3/19/2026 The Laurel School basketball team made history on Friday, March 13, capturing the program’s first-ever Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) girls basketball state championship with a 60-58 victory over Bellevue in the Division IV title game at the University of Dayton Arena. Laurel Students Shine at Northeast Ohio Youth Climate Summit 3/16/2026 Laurel helped welcome more than 500 students from 25+ schools across Northeast Ohio who gathered at the Huntington Convention Center on March 12 for the Northeast Ohio Youth Climate Summit. Signal Cleveland The Lakewood Observer , and TV20 News highlighted the Summit and Laurel student involvement. Science Sisters Win Core Values Award at States 3/16/2026 Congratulations to the Science Sisters, Laurel’s Middle School robotics team, who won the Core Values award at the Ohio State FIRST LEGO League Championship! Two State and Four Regional Winners in Ohio Governor’s Youth Art Exhibition 3/16/2026 Congratulations to Asalé Jones '26 and Martha Neff '26, who, between the two of them, had four works selected as State Winners in the Ohio Governor’s Youth Art Exhibition. Rida Tahir '27 and Lina Rietsch '28 Earn Awards at NEOSEF 3/12/2026 Rida Tahir '27 and Lina Rietsch '28 participated in the Northeast Ohio Science and Engineering Fair (NEOSEF) at Lakeland Community College, and both earned an award! Megan Lum Mehalko '83 Named a Crain’s 2026 Notable Woman in Law 3/11/2026 Congratulations to Megan Lum Mehalko '83 , former Laurel School Board Chair, current Trustee, and co-chair of Benesch’s Corporate & Securities Group, on being named a 2026 Notable Woman in Law by Crain’s Cleveland Business Theater Director Eugene Sumlin Featured in Cleveland Jewish News 3/11/2026 Eugene Sumlin , theater director and Middle and Upper School performing arts teacher at Laurel, was included in a Cleveland Jewish News piece about performing arts programs at private schools. Kayla Cameron '23 Receives OSU Pace Setter Award 3/10/2026 Congratulations to Kayla Cameron '23 , who received the Ohio State University Max M. Fisher College of Business Pace Setters Award, which is given annually to the college’s top students. Speech and Debate Finishes 16th at State Tournament 3/10/2026 Congratulations to the Speech and Debate team, which placed 16th out of over 90 teams at the State Tournament and had entries advance to in both speech and debate. Emily Felderman’s Artwork Included in German Magazine TXP Texielplus 3/9/2026 Emily Felderman , artist and art educator for Grades 3-5, had her work featured on the Instagram page of Textiel Plus , a Dutch international-oriented textile magazine focused on contemporary textile art. Cleveland.com Says Gator Basketball Not the Underdogs Anymore 3/7/2026 Laurel Girls Basketball is headed back to the OHSAA State Semifinals for the third straight year after an impressive regional win! As highlighted in this recent feature by Cleveland.com, the Gators have built a reputation for postseason success and resilience, showing once again that their playoff pedigree is no fluke. Track & Field News with Emnet Gebreyes '27 3/6/2026 Congratulations to Emnet Gebreyes '27, who was a long jump state qualifier at the State Indoor Track & Field Tournament. Two Laurel Seniors Represent at Ileen Kelner Juried High School Art Show 3/5/2026 Laurel Seniors, Martha Neff '26 and Asalé Jones '26 participated in the 30th Annual Ileen Kelner Juried High School Art Show sponsored by the Beachwood Arts Council. Martha painting "Self Portrait" was awarded first place, and Asale’s photograph "Predetermined  Scene #6" received an honorable mention. Bella Patel Appointed to Library Board 3/4/2026 Congratulations to Bella Patel , Director of Early Childhood and Primary Schools at Laurel, who has been sworn in as a member of the Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL) Board of Trustees. She will serve a four-year term through February 2030. Christina Breen a Guest on In Her Land Podcast 3/3/2026 Head of School Christina Breen recently joined the "In Her Land" podcast for a thoughtful conversation on leadership, resilience, and educating the next generation of young women. Hannah Rosenfeld ‘27 Earns 2nd at Veale thinkBIG! Challenge 3/3/2026 Congratulations to Hannah Rosenfeld '27 , whose Capstone Project RISE (Reentry Inspiring Systemic Equality) earned 2nd place in the Small Business Track at the Veale Youth Entrepreneurship Forum thinkBIG! Laurel Team Top 10 at Future Business Leaders of America State Conference 3/3/2026 Laurel’s Future Business Leaders of America chapter competed at the state conference in Newark, Ohio, where students spent two days deepening their knowledge of entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, and banking, and competing in a wide range of events. Michelle Mankaryous ‘26 and Cecilia Doherty ‘26 Named National Merit Finalists 3/2/2026 Congratulations to Michelle Mankaryous ’26 and Cecilia Doherty ’26 , who have advanced from Semifinalists to Finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program! Kaya Sgro '26 Received Full Scholarship From OWU 2/24/2026 Congratulations to Kaya Sgro ‘26 , who was selected as one of 10 students this year to be awarded the Schubert Award, which covers full tuition for four years of study at Ohio Wesleyan University. 8 Laurel Students Qualify for National Speech & Debate Tournament 2/23/2026 Laurel's Speech and Debate team shone at the NSDA District Tournament where eight Laurel students qualified for the National Tournament, which will take place in Richmond, Virginia this June! Three Laurel Gators Make Cleveland.com List of Top Guards and Forward 2/18/2026 Cleveland.com took a survey of the girls' basketball coaches to list the top guards and top forwards for the 2025-2026 season. Congratulations to Jordyn Meyer '27 Olivia Schneider '26 , and Tristan Williams '26 for making the list! Laurel Parent Nina Mandell to Publish “A Fraction of a Point: A Gymnastics Dynasty on the Line” 2/17/2026 Laurel parent and sports journalist Nina Mandell (Mia C. '38) , published a book, A Fraction of a Point: A Gymnastics Dynasty on the Line (Kent State University Press, March 2026). Jami Morris ‘21 and Laurel’s Athletic Hall of Fame Featured in Chagrin Valley Times 2/16/2026 Jami Morris ‘21 was featured in a Chagrin Valley Times article about her recent induction to Laurel’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Jami is a two-time golf State Champion and founder of the non-profit organization Hit Fore Hope, which raises money for cancer research and the University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center. Jane Startzman ‘70 Named Women’s History Project 2026 Women of the Year 2/16/2026 Laurel alum Jane Startzman ‘70, co-founder and director of the Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival, has been selected as a 2026 Woman of the Year by the Summit County Historical Society. Sophia Tsuang ‘29 Wins 1st for Violin in Elite International Music Competition 2/16/2026 Congratulations to Sophia Tsuang ’29 , who won First Place in the Violin Division of the 2025 Elite International Music Competition. Taya Offutt-Decker '27 Gives “Tiny Bench” Concert on WJCU 2/16/2026 Congratulations to Taya Offut Decker ‘27 , who produced an album through her Capstone project and gave a “Tiny Bench” performance at WJCU this month! Varsity Swimmers Qualify for District Tournament 2/16/2026 Congratulations to the swim team on their great showing at the Sectional Meet on February 13! Laurel’s small but mighty team of six placed 11th out of the 34 girls’ teams represented at the meet. All three relays have qualified for the District Tournament! Hannah Feldkamp ‘28 and Rana Abdelhadi ‘28 Win Individual Awards at CLEIMUN 2/13/2026 Model UN saw success when Laurel delegates attended CLEIMUN at St. Edward High School from February 11-13, representing their committees with preparation, conviction, and diplomacy. Summer at Laurel Highlights Micro-Camps in Cleveland Magazine & Cleveland Jewish News 2/13/2026 Summer at Laurel was highlighted in the special camp issue of Cleveland Magazine . The story focused on micro-camps, shorter camp options that offer new opportunities without the full-summer commitment. Hannah Rosenfeld ‘27 Named a Veale Youth Entrepreneurship Finalist in the ThinkBIG! Competition 2/10/2026 Congratulations to Hannah Rosenfeld ’27 , whose Capstone Project, RISE (Reentry Inspiring Systemic Equality), has been selected as one of just three finalists in the Veale Youth Forum’s ThinkBIG! Competition. Ann Thoburn Fauver ‘40 Included in WGBH Story About Figure Skating Judges 2/9/2026 Ann Thoburn Fauver ‘40 was included in a WGBH video news story that takes a behind the scenes look at how figure skating is judged. Asale´ Jones in Freshwater Cleveland Story About Fresh Water Institute Program 2/5/2026 Asalé Jones ‘26 is included in a Freshwater Cleveland story about Cuyahoga County’s Fresh Water Institute, a program introducing a new generation of stewards to a crucial natural asset. The institute, which celebrated its one-year anniversary in December, aims to integrate sustainability and environmental health into daily life. Claire Witalec '28 Qualifies for Tournament of Champions for Debate 2/4/2026 Congratulations to Claire Witalec ’28 , who recently competed at the Columbia University Invitational, where she finished as co-champion, a performance that earned her a second bid to the Tournament of Champions (TOC), the most prestigious national circuit debate tournament of the year. 19 Laurel Students Qualify for JustWrite State Tournament 2/2/2026 Congratulations to the 19 Laurel Upper School students who have qualified to compete at the JustWrite state tournament at Bluffton University on May 18, 2026. 27 Laurel Students in Grades 8-12 Earn 41 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards 2/2/2026 Congratulations to the 27 students in Grades 8-12 who earned an incredible 41 honors in the 2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards! Sixteen students were recognized for their visual art, earning four Gold Keys, eight Silver Keys, and 11 Honorable Mentions, while 12 students received writing awards, including one Gold Key, eight Silver Keys, and eight Honorable Mentions. Gators Basketball Beats Brush 74-73 in Overtime 2/2/2026 Yesterday’s Cleveland.com high school sports update “In a girls basketball game that lived up to every bit of the hype, the Laurel Gators outlasted the Brush Arcs 74–73 in overtime Monday night in a non‑conference showdown at Brush.” Another amazing win for the No. 2 ranked Gators! Laurel Figure Skaters Score 3rd at Ohio Figure Skating Championship 2/2/2026 Congratulations to Laurel’s Figure skating team on their 3rd place overall win at the Ohio High School Team Figure Skating Championships. Laurel Gymnasts Place 3rd at Lakewood Meet 2/2/2026 Congratulations to Laurel’s gymnastics team on their 3rd place team finish at the Lakewood meet! Senait P. ‘31 Included in PSA as Member of Youth Section of the NCNW 2/2/2026 Senait P. ‘31 is a Charter member of the Youth Section of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), Lorain County Section. She and her NCNW Youth Sisters recorded a PSA to promote mental health awareness among teens, especially girls. Sheridan Brazile ‘26 Wins 2nd Place in Annual MLK Essay Contest 2/2/2026 Congratulations to Sheridan Brazile ‘26 , who earned 2nd place in the 36th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest, sponsored by East View United Church of Christ. Sheridan was included in this Cleveland.com piece about the contest. Rida Tahir ‘27 Named to Ohio Student Safety Advisory Council 1/28/2026 Congratulations to Rida Tahir ‘27 on being one of only 16 students statewide to be named to the Ohio Safety Advisory Council. Gators Basketball on Fire Now Ranking #3 in State 1/26/2026 The Laurel Gators took on Green High School on January 22 for a Special Senior Night honoring Tristan Williams ‘26 Olivia Schneider ‘26 , and Sydnee Robinson ‘26 , and walked away with an impressive 68-20 win, which capped off a month of exciting wins. Laurel Swimmers Have Successful Season 1/26/2026 Laurel swimmers have had a successful season thus far. On January 7, the swimming and diving team competed at Baldwin Wallace and achieved impressive results. Elizabeth Matsievich ‘29 placed 1st in the 500 freestyle with a PR and is currently ranked 30th in the state among Division II girls. Speech and Debate Season Off to Strong Start 1/26/2026 Laurel’s Speech and Debate team has had a stellar season so far, with Claire Witalec '28 Ana Rubio-Calvillo '27 , and Julia Duong '26 having qualified early to the State Tournament. Three Laurel Musicians Represent Laurel at District 7 OMEA Solo & Ensemble 1/21/2026 Sable Comet ‘27 August Sumlin ‘27 , and Shaashwatiyaa Balamurugan ‘28 represented Laurel at the District 7 OMEA Solo & Ensemble at Madison High School, each performing a Class A solo, the highest level of difficulty for high school musicians. Science Sisters Qualify for States 1/20/2026 Laurel’s Middle School Robotics team earned the Motivate Award at the Northeast Ohio District Competition, and is now headed to States in March! JustWrite Shines at Regionals 1/19/2026 Laurel’s JustWrite and JustWrite Junior teams competed at the Regional Tournament, and made history by bringing a record-breaking 36 writers! It was the largest JustWrite regional to date, and Laurel students rose to the occasion. Upper School Robotics Team Receives Sustain & Motivate Awards 1/19/2026 Congrats to Zip Tried, our Upper School Robotics team, on earning the Sustain Award at the Kirtland FIRST Tech Challenge tournament and the Motivate award at the Northeast Ohio District Competition. The team has advanced to States! Laurel Gymnastics Places 3rd at Elite Gymnastics Meet 1/17/2026 Congratulations to Laurel’s gymnastics team, which placed 3rd overall at the Elite Gymnastics Meet! Hannah Rosenfeld ‘27 and Lulu Hoffer ‘27 Selected as Teen Accelerate Finalists 1/16/2026 Hannah Rosenfeld ’27 and Lulu Hoffer ’27 have each been selected as one of only 10 finalists in the Young Entrepreneur Institute Teen Accelerate program! Reese Samala '29 Competes in Junior Olympics 1/16/2026 Congratulations to Reese Samala '29 , who competed in the highly competitive Junior Olympics fencing tournament. Eloise Porter ‘30 Earns 8th Place at Power of the Pen Tournament 1/10/2026 Congratulations to Eloise Porter ’30 , who earned an 8th place medal at the Power of the Pen District Tournament! Hannah Feldkamp ‘28 Publishes Story in YEPT News 1/8/2026 Hannah Feldkamp ‘28 authored a piece about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch for the Youth Environmental Press Team (YEPT). Filters All News Alumnae News Athletics News Early Childhood School News LCRG News Middle School News Primary School News Upper School News Check All Uncheck All Select/Submit Back 2026 Inquire Visit Apply Lyman Campus | Laurel School 1 Lyman Circle Shaker Heights, OH 44122 Phone: 216-464-1441 Admissions: admissions@LaurelSchool.org General: info@LaurelSchool.org Butler Campus | Laurel School 7420 Fairmount Road Novelty, OH 44072 Phone: 216-464-1441 Admissions: admissions@LaurelSchool.org General: info@LaurelSchool.org #1 All-Girls School in Ohio