Larissa Lee

The first day of high school is enough to make even the most confident student feel nervous. But for Larissa Lee and other girls who made up the first female class at La Salle Institute, their historic moment came with extra worries. “It was kind of scary,” Lee said. “But it was also really cool to be a part of something bigger.”

Being the first females at a formerly all-boys school meant that every girls team was new. Starting athletic teams from scratch is a challenge. “It was really tough,” Lee said. “The first soccer team had a good group of girls playing, but it was tough because we had girls on the team who had never played soccer before.”

Despite facing teams with older and more experienced players, Lee captained a team that came together to compete with their advantaged opponents. “We all came together,” she said. “It was really cool to do it together. We formed a good friendship and had a lot of fun.”

Surrounded by new faces, Lee took it upon herself to become a leader. She was the captain of the softball team all four years and the soccer team for three years. “I became a leader on the sports teams and in the school community,” Lee said. “So I took on a lot of leadership roles in the band, in various clubs and definitely on the sports field.”

The softball MVP was also recognized as the La Salle Institute’s top student. Lee was named valedictorian following graduation. She was also president of her school’s National Honor Society chapter, the Spanish Club, and an Executive Officer of Symphonic and Jazz Bands. An accomplished musician, Lee plays the flute and tenor saxophone as part of a jazz band that took third at the National Jazz Festival.

As a child of a Ukrainian father, Lee grew up going to a Ukrainian school, doing Ukrainian dance, and attending a Ukrainian church. So when Ukraine was under attack, Lee took it upon herself to find ways to mobilize her own community to help another. She sold pins, planned fundraisers, and helped collect, sort, and package supplies for Ukrainian soldiers and refugees. “With my Ukrainian heritage, I felt very strongly and wanted to support those people,” Lee said. “I was happy to share that with my school community as well.”

Lee will stay close to home for her next chapter while focusing on building homes. She’s set to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and study residential architecture.

Among all the honors and accolades that Larissa Lee earned throughout her athletic and academic career at La Salle Institute, none represent her as well as the Monica Bentley Memorial Award. The award is given annually to a student-athlete at La Salle that is outgoing and caring to others on their teams. Whether working with the softball team, the jazz band, or volunteers raising money for people overseas, Lee is a natural leader who cares deeply for those around her, actively looking for opportunities to lock arms with others and get the job done.