Kamryn Lute always dreamed of competing in short track speed skating at the Olympics. While most athletic kids share this ambition, this WIS alumnus actually made it and competed in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. 

Lute was a WIS lifer until she left after 10th grade to focus on her skating career. Many teachers, including Middle School Principal Randy Althaus, recall her impressive achievements as a young WIS student. “She was nationally ranked as a skater just at the time, even in middle school,” Althaus said. 

Lute had been training since she was five. By middle school, her training already took up much of her time. “She would have to get up quite early in the morning before school started,” Althaus said. “We’re talking, three or four in the morning to do hours of practice, and then after school, hours of practice.” 

Although Lute’s busy practice schedule occasionally interfered with her academics, she is still remembered as a dedicated student. 

“She missed some school days because she was traveling for competitions,” Physics teacher Micheal Jollimore said. “She always caught up on her school work, though. She was very responsible, even though she was very busy.”

Lute did not do all of this alone; she had her parents’ support in balancing her training and academics. “I remember her mother so well,” Associate Head of School Natasha Bhalla said. “Being such an advocate for her child, and being so balanced about it.”

Lute also discussed her Olympic aspirations with the former WIS science teacher Amy Tong, who competed in judo at the 2000 Summer Olympics for the United States. “I think they spent a lot of time talking about the Olympics and what was going to happen,” Bhalla said. 

Lute is also regarded as a wonderful person by those who knew her, beyond her academic and athletic pursuits. “She always had a very warm smile,” Althaus said. “She was very outgoing and polite, and I think generally considered to be very kind.” 

Lute is remembered as humble too, even when surpassing the ability of many of her peers in speed skating. Jollimore recalls “asking her about a particular national competition she went to. I saw that her race times were faster than those of the next age group above hers. When I asked her about this, she was very humble. She said that she and her age group competitors were just having a really good year that year.” 

Lute represented WIS’s values both through her kind spirit and her relentless dedication to speed skating. “She had a real international perspective… she embodies both WIS and the Olympic spirit in many ways,” Althaus said. 

“I’m really proud of the fact that she had a dream and she achieved it,” Althaus said. “No matter what happens in Italy.”