Lochburn Middle School

This week, we’re giving a #SuperSchoolShoutout to Lochburn Middle School with Washington state history and leadership teacher Lindsay Sykes and eighth grader Olivia Gardener.

Lindsay joined Lochburn nearly seven years ago and enjoys being a Lion ever since. “I love the student’s personalities and fun energy, and all the relationships that I’ve built here with my coworkers,” she said. “Our seventh grade team is awesome.”

Lindsay teaches Washington state history and enjoys helping her students build a deeper connection to our region. “It’s fun to teach kids about their state and the ways they can support their community,” she said. “We use project-based learning and essays to teach them about pattern recognition in history, recognizing what has happened in the past and how that could apply today.”

As the leadership teacher, Lindsay also works with students like Olivia to plan assemblies and events and help around the school wherever they are needed. She believes in the power of connection and motivation because she knows each student can succeed with the right support. 

“I have high expectations of my students, but I also empathize with them and support them with what they need in the moment,” Lindsay said. “Middle school can be a hard time for kids as they grow, so I think it’s important to strike a balance and give students consistency.”

Lindsay is proud to be a teacher students can rely on and is looking forward to possibilities in the future, including a project to honor survivors of the Japanese internment camps that were held in Washington.

Olivia is thriving in seventh grade as the school’s ASB president. She is a natural leader on campus and has stood out to her teachers and administrators for being respectful and kind. “I really like the staff here; they make us all feel welcome,” she said. 

Though it was challenging for her in sixth grade, Olivia’s favorite subject this year is math and she enjoys how her teacher explains new concepts. “It’s now my favorite subject and it’s really making sense to me,” she said. “I like that there’s one solution and there’s always a way to find it.”

Olivia has also grown in science, and though it’s not as fun for her as math, she’s beginning to enjoy learning about the science behind nature. “Right now, we’re learning about volcanoes, and I think that’s been really cool and interesting,” she said. 

Olivia also enjoys reading and writing and began writing her own book. Her ambition doesn’t stop there, as she has taken on major responsibilities as the ASB president this year. “I have to make a lot of decisions about purchases, and I have to coordinate our spirit days, events and assemblies,” she said. “It’s a lot of work but it’s been really fun.”

Olivia takes pride in her good grades, loyalty to friends, respectful personality and love for helping others. When she grows up, she wants to become an anesthesiologist. “I know school would take a long time, but I think it’s a really cool job, and you get to help people,” she said. “My mom is also a respiratory care practitioner, and I’m definitely inspired by her.”

Go Lions!