Testimonials
LAS is a home away from home for our students, staff, and even our alumni.
The Magic Mountain is more than just a stunning setting—it’s a community filled with connection, growth, and lifelong memories. No one captures its spirit better than the members of our LAS Global Family, who carry the Magic Mountain with them wherever they go. Learn more from our students, alumni, and staff below as they share their experiences and reflections on what makes LAS such a special place to live, learn, and belong.
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A World of Connections
The LAS Global Family spans more than 70 countries, uniting students, staff, and families from around the world. Explore our interactive map and click on the pins to learn why they’ve chosen to make the Magic Mountain their home.
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Canada
Kymani
LAS Graduate '12
“LAS just has such a distinct hold on me. I really feel like I was able to develop my voice here, and I was given space to be able to advocate for myself, and advocate for other people. I feel as though LAS has made me who I am today, and I think that’s what keeps pulling me back.”
USA
Aara
LAS Graduate '23
“LAS has helped me gain more independence and confidence, along with teaching me what it is like to live in a shared space away from family. LAS has helped prepare me for college academically and socially, specifically with the university advisors being in tune with what I would like for the future since my first month at the school.”
Mexico
Emma
LAS Parent Ambassador
“My two sons attended LAS, and for them, the experience meant happiness and freedom. They really valued trying new things and learning how to communicate with people from different cultures. When I took them to LAS for the first time, I left boys, and when I returned, I picked up young men. They were completely different, grown up, mature, independent.”
Brazil
Bruna
LAS Graduate '23
“Our relationship with our dorm head is amazing. She's like a second mom to all of us. She's really nice, and everyone feels comfortable around her. In general the staff are really amazing—my teachers help me outside of class, and I feel comfortable reaching out to them whenever I have any doubts about the homework or the subject. At LAS, I think I have grown academically in English, and I also now understand Spanish because I have a lot of friends that speak Spanish.”
Ecuador
Martin
LAS Faculty Member
"In Ecuador, we are used to the occasional sighting of our large volcanoes and our beautiful Andean paramos. LAS has given me the opportunity to continue pursuing a life in the mountains, but at an accessibility much greater than I could have imagined. Just in my backyard, I have immediate access to world-class rock-climbing, a life's worth of backcountry ski tours and a handful of historic alpine ambiances visible from my classroom window."
England
Mattias
LAS Graduate '10
“To ask what LAS means to me is to ask the story of who I am. This was the foundation for me. At LAS, I didn’t just get the American high school experience, I was immersed within all these different cultures. When I look back, interacting with lots of different people and having been immersed in so many different cultures at such a young age truly set me up for success—it’s one of the most amazing things that has ever happened to me.”
Ireland
Ronan
LAS Faculty Member
“The constantly changing Swiss vista outside is something that is awe-inspiring; we have a birds-eye view of the everchanging Swiss landscape. This is particularly apparent during ski season, and I love to see the excitement on the student's and faculty's faces as they head off to their first ski or snowboarding session.”
Switzerland
Ashley
LAS Graduate '12
“I never liked math, and I was never good at math in the Swiss system, but Mr Corto from Spain, he really made me love math, and I started getting good at it. He gave me positive reinforcement, which I needed, everyone needs I think, and I realized it’s not the subject, it’s the teacher, and how they teach it, and how motivated and how helpful they are. He always helped me after school, or came in earlier for me.”
Poland
Basha
LAS Summer School '22
“The staff are so enthusiastic, and you can see that they love doing what they do, and they love interacting with us, helping us, and pushing us just a bit so we can overcome our weaknesses. They really allow us to get out of our comfort zones, but don’t push us too hard so we don’t feel uncomfortable. They’re just amazing people, and I really really like them, and it was such a pleasure to work with them.”
Russia
Viktor
LAS Graduate '01
“Coming to Leysin was my first time outside of Russia, and LAS gave me a fundamental understanding of what I wanted to do with my life. I have worked in London, Moscow, St Petersburg, Munich, San Diego, and now Lisbon - LAS opened my eyes to the world and gave me the confidence to pursue my dream of becoming an international entrepreneur. Even after all these years, I’m still in touch with my LAS friends, and in June I attended the biggest alumni reunion in school history - the 61st Celebration!”
Ukraine
Veronika
LAS Graduate '15
“Being in the dorms and faculty families was the sisterhood that I’ve never had in my life. I’m an only child, and I got to meet so many wonderful women in this group; we did so many activities together and I’m still in touch with many of them. It’s really a lifelong memory and provides a lot of support, especially when you’re so far away from home and you have all these friendships, these people have your back, and at the same time you have a lot of fun together, all of this just comes as a quintessential part of your experience I would say.”
Saudi Arabia
Laya
LAS Summer School '22
“Before I came here, my mom was saying she’s really excited for me to talk to people who speak different languages, and my roommates are Spanish and Brazilian! I’ve been learning some Portuguese with a lot of my friends who speak Portuguese and I learned some Spanish too.”
Iran
Kiarash
LAS Graduate '23
“The best thing about LAS is the closeness of teachers and students. It's a nice bond that everyone has here. After living and studying at LAS for four years, the community has become my second home. It's the place where I developed into the adult I will be in the future. I will never forget my experience.”
Turkey
John
Faculty Member and LAS Graduate '95
“The connections I made at LAS have remained a source of support and my lifelong companions, yielding exciting career opportunities and travel experiences. I built a design practice that produced projects all over the world thanks in large part to having maintained a global community, just like they taught me at my high school in a little village on a mountaintop.”
Uganda
Hawa
LAS Graduate '23
“My favourite thing about LAS is the ski season, where even students coming from tropical countries are given a chance to partake in this thrilling sport. As a student coming from an African country, skiing isn’t a sport I have ever taken part in but LAS has provided me with an opportunity to take part in skiing not once or twice but for an entire season running from January to March every year. I believe that LAS provides numerous opportunities for students to attend some of the best universities after high school, to travel many different places and also partake in a handful of different extracurricular activities.”
South Africa
Germaine
LAS Faculty Member
"LAS offers an international experience with strong family values where students are mentored, nurtured, and encouraged to fulfill their potential responsibly. A mountain village setting provides a balance between academia and outdoor seasonal activities amidst the Swiss Alps. This provides students and teachers alike with a uniquely healthy lifestyle."
Kazakhstan
Erikzhan
LAS Graduate '98
"I cherish the lifelong friendships that I made during my time at LAS, which continue to enrich my life today. One of my fondest memories was the excitement I felt when the announcement of ski days was made, knowing that I would soon be hitting Berneuse, Sunny Side and other mountain slopes with my friends. Looking back on my time at Leysin American School, I feel a deep sense of gratitude for the lasting memories and friendships that I made there, as well as the foundation of knowledge and skills that have served me well in my personal and professional life."
India
Div
LAS Graduate '22
“The IB teachers here have definitely shaped these past two years in a brilliant way. I feel ready for university—I’m comfortable with academic writing, how to conduct experiments in the lab, seeking opportunities in the classroom, and taking initiative. I think that is something that I've really grown into over the past two years and LAS teachers and the IB have definitely played a big role in that.”
China
Chuxuan
LAS Graduate '23
“At LAS we have a very caring community. The general student body is nice and supportive, and at the same time, the faculty teachers are always there to help. At LAS you can learn how to become a responsible person, learn how to interact with your roommate and others, and receive life support from teachers living in the same dorm.”
Japan
Chikako
LAS Graduate '23
“LAS means everything to me. Before I came to LAS, I was passive and shy, and I didn't really have leadership experience, but LAS helped me grow as a person. LAS also helped me to learn about a lot of different perspectives, cultures, and languages.”
South Korea
Sunny
LAS Graduate '99
“My two brothers and I attended LAS. I was born in Korea and we spent some of our childhood in the US, but our mother wanted us to have a European education. To me, LAS means possibility. I loved the whole LAS experience, and took advantage of every opportunity. The fact you get to be here is going to have a lifetime impact. Don’t take anything for granted—every little thing will become a treasured memory.”
Thailand
Rin
LAS Graduate '22
“My favorite activities are snowboarding and mountain biking because I love extreme sports. Snowboarding is just a completely different activity than anything I've ever experienced before. Coming from Thailand, we never experience snow, and the snow here in Switzerland is incredible in comparison to other countries. When I went to other countries and experienced their snow, I realized it's not comparable. This place has the best snow in the world.”
New Zealand
Xander
LAS Student Graduating '25
“I would recommend LAS to everyone who likes being independent, meeting people from all over the world, and having support from their teachers to be successful. I am a part of Student Council, and I enjoy planning and hosting events here at school to bring everyone together.”
Italy
Virginia
LAS Graduate '22
“My favorite class is biology because I want to study medicine, but also because of the teacher. He's my favorite teacher here at LAS—he has helped me so much through the years. The teachers here are always available outside of class to answer questions or help you master the material.”
Norway
Ask
LAS Graduate '22
“My favorite class at LAS has to be environmental systems and societies. When we look at case studies, we can connect them to the environment around us. Switzerland is a perfect place for that.”
Andorra
Xavi
LAS Graduate '22
“The thing that I like the most about going to school in Switzerland is the balance of very good academics with the outdoor experiences that are offered to us. And personally, since I love skiing and mountain activities, I find the balance perfect.”
France
Luc
LAS Graduate '22
“Living in this family atmosphere with both your friends and your teachers is really amazing. As a boarding school we get to see our friends and our teachers both in and outside of school, so we form relationships that are more meaningful. The friendships I’ve made are amazing—for example, my roommate is my best friend. He’s Japanese, so I got to discover a more intimate part of the Japanese culture. I plan on visiting him to discover more about Japan with him.”
Map Points
"Most people think that you send your kid to school to learn about maths and science and AP Calculus...the truth is that I think I came here to LAS to learn how to live. To ask what LAS means to me is to ask the story of who I am." -Mattias Horseman '10
"If more people in this world attended a school like LAS, we wouldn't have as much conflict." -Johan Larsen '91
"The thirst for knowledge, the love of skiing, the camaraderie with friends...it was a fabulous foundation for my life." -Deb Diffenderfer Grojean '67
"It was the most pivotal moment in my entire life." -Jill Hodges '95
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Keep exploring — there's so much to discover!
Ready to discover more? Check out the links below for a closer look at life at LAS.
Travel at LAS
From cultural excursions to alpine adventures, LAS students explore Switzerland and Europe, gaining experiences that inspire learning and global understanding. Click here to learn more!
Activities at LAS
Whether on the slopes, the stage, or the sports field, LAS students dive into activities that inspire connection, creativity, and growth. Click here to learn more.
LAS on Instagram
Want a glimpse of life at LAS?
Visit us on Instagram to see what’s happening on the Magic Mountain! Click here to head to Instagram or find us @leysinamericanschool.
