Established in 2018 by former LT student Amanda Kural ‘19, the La Grange Highlands Leo Club has long been a valuable, albeit often unnoticed, organization devoted to supporting the local community and world at large. 

“Our mission is to help our community and promote commitment to service among teens,” co-President Maya Bylsma ‘26 said. “Leo Club is the youth branch of Lions International, which has branches all over the world that focus on community service. I wanted to get involved in [a club] like this [in high school] that’s a fun way to hang out with my friends while doing service projects.”

Leadership, Experience, and Opportunity are values that shape Leos. As the youth chapter of the larger Lions International charity organization, created in 1917 by a local Chicago businessman, the Leo Club aims to provide young people with opportunities for personal development and philanthropic engagement. According to the official website, Lions serve as mentors to these youth advocates, training the next generation of leaders. 

“For anyone in high school, [Leo Club is] a great way to get involved and meet new people,” Bylsma said. “I’ve met a lot of people I didn’t know before, especially those younger than me, whom I wouldn’t normally get to interact with [during and after school]. It’s fun to help out and make a difference [in our community] together.” 

The two most important events of the year are the fundraisers, Bylsma said. In late September, Leo made and sold dog treats at Katherine Legge Park, with all proceeds benefitting the Hinsdale Humane Society. Earlier in the year, members hosted a car wash at Advent Christian Church of the Highlands for St. Jude’s Research Hospital. 

Other volunteer opportunities throughout the year include preparing meals for BedsPlus and participating in trips to Feed My Starving Children. The organization also undertakes smaller projects to be completed during meetings, like making blankets for hospitals or cards for veterans.

“We helped work the Chicago Marathon [this year], where we made Gatorade and water cups to pass out to the racers, while offering encouragement from the sidelines,” Leo Club Vice President Kate Potter ‘26 said. “It was really fun to be with my friends and have the cool experience of witnessing the marathon in person.”

Currently, there are approximately 35 members, all of whom are LT students, with the majority being seniors. As a result of the club initially being known only to Kural’s teammates on the cross-country team, many remain unaware of the community organization’s existence due to its low profile. The club is working on recruiting more underclassmen to carry on its mission and ensure its continued activity after they graduate, Bylsma said.

The Leo Club meets every other Sunday at separate locations in the community, such as either La Grange or La Grange Park Public Libraries, as the organization is not chartered through LTHS. For more information, visit the club’s Instagram page, @lagrangeleos, for updates on upcoming meetings and ways to get involved. 

“It feels like we are making a true difference [through our volunteer projects with Leo Club], especially when we make dog treats and donate the proceeds to the Hinsdale Humane Society,” Bylsma said. “It feels like we are actually helping out our community.”