LCS Alumna Laneice Brooker, née Goodwin (1987-1990) is one Lincoln Lion who has come “full circle”. Laneice shared, “Since we are celebrating Thanksgiving this week, I am incredibly thankful to be back in the LCS community, now as a parent, and see life come full circle. My daughter is loving her time at LCS and I wish I could go back to kindergarten!” Laneice’s most vivid memories of LCS are her “little kindergarten and second grade classrooms filled with diverse friends from all over the world. She fondly remembers eating lunch outside, playing under the mango trees during recess and playing soccer on the field where the pool is now. “I can see our tiny library and where the older kids put on a Christmas play, still smell the distinctive paint and clay in the art room, and hear the sound of my French teacher.” Laneice noted she was probably a better French speaker in 2nd grade than she is now.
LCS laid a solid foundation of Laneice’s early childhood education and made an impact on her personal and professional goals and choices. “The diverse friends and teachers helped broaden my worldview and even shape my career goals. Both of my parents grew up in Ghana as the children/grandchildren of missionaries then returned with their own family to work in healthcare, development, and relief services (our family has been here since it was the Gold Coast, first arriving in 1937!). I highly value and respect the important work they did and also clearly remember watching my friends whose parents worked at various embassies and thinking, I don’t fully understand what they do, but I want to do that! The appeal of travel and learning about other cultures was nurtured at LCS.”
Mrs. Brooker earned her Master’s Degree in International Communications at American University, Washington, DC and returned to Ghana in July 2021 with her own family after 20 plus years of living in other countries. She works as a United States Foreign Service Officer, also known as an American diplomat and currently serves as the Cultural Affairs Attache in the US Embassy, here in Accra. She shared, “The best part of the timing is that my daughter, Elise, is attending kindergarten at LCS - just like I did!”
Laneice’s advice to current LCS students, “embrace your interest in travel and other cultures - you never know where it will take you! To prepare for a life as a diplomat, become an avid reader of everything from daily world news to management books and political histories; practice how to have a dinner conversation on a wide range of topics; subscribe to the Economist magazine; and get really good at packing and unpacking!”
One of Mrs. Brooker's passions include cultural exchanges on the individual level. She shared, “I love getting to know people and hearing their stories - finding our common ground, where they want to go, and figuring out how I can help them reach their goals.” She loves traveling and learning about cultures through the lens of a camera focused on food, music, and art. In addition, she is committed to ensuring her own children know where they come from and that includes the gift of their unique cultural heritage that spans multiple continents and cultures. “We are truly ‘Third Culture Kids’ and fully embrace our sometimes cultural quirkiness!”
Thank you Mrs. Laneice Brooker for sharing your wonderful memories of LCS. You are welcome (back) to LCS!