Max Van Dusen

- Co-founded and lead the LFHS Sports Media Program, a permanent student organization that covers all school athletics. - Create high-impact hype videos and promotional content; featured in The Forest Scout (the school's newspaper, as well as the LF Athletics Instagram page and new stadium jumbotron during major athletic events. - Worked closely with Administration, Athletic Department and team coaches to design and establish the group’s framework, including responsibilities, expectations and field access protocols. - Co-manage team of 4-5 dedicated student photographers to ensure coverage across all teams. - Produce and deliver high quality, photo-journalistic content for official school communications, school newspaper and social media channels. - Successfully sought out and established mentorships with industry professionals and initiated planning for a large scale collaboration scheduled for Winter 2026.

- Selected by Administrators and Senior Class Ambassadors to be a core member of the Principal’s Advisory Council (PAC) for both sophomore and junior years; serve as a liaison between student body and the school administration - Helped organize and facilitate community-wide focus groups to broaden community engagement and ensure diverse opinions and voices were heard (including board of education, city leaders, adult professionals, students and faculty) - Provide candid, actionable feedback and student insights directly to school leadership to inform administrative decisions and improve school culture

Executive Board Member (2025-2026) Member (2023-2025) - Collaborate with other executives to design club activities - Responsible for designing club marketing materials and recruiting attendance to meetings

- Own and manage a successful freelance photography business, successfully securing and executing contracts for diverse engagements, including sporting events, non-profit fundraisers, corporate events, family portraits and rehearsal dinners - Manage all aspects of the business, including client relations, initial consultation, on-site photography, post-production editing and digital delivery of final images Have earned several thousand dollars and accumulated 1,790 followers on Instagram

- Hired by private sports hockey club to provide comprehensive media coverage of their three teams. - Attend up to 3-4 games per week, capturing photo-journalistic images and creating high-quality videos and hype reels which are used on their social media feeds and official club communications - Maintain photo galleries for players and their families so images can be downloaded for private use and scouting videos

- Serve as the only student member of city’s committee to study proposed changes to the Comprehensive Land Use Plan vs. current zoning regulations - Actively working with the mayor, city administration and nine residents/industry professionals to review major urban planning considerations such as development patterns, preserved open land, environmental factors (wetlands/flood plain) and evolving city needs (increased housing for senior residents, more multi-family housing units, improved west side business district, and diverse retail/hospitality development)

- Co-founded Tech Buddies, a program designed to help senior citizens with their technology questions and support needs, including issues with iPhones, iPads, computers, email, Bluetooth synchronization and app usage. - Offered various 30-minute personalized sessions every week during the summer. Helped over 50 residents (many were repeat customers)

- Assisted with all aspects of food and beverage operations, including taking orders, inventory management, serving. Consistently delivered prompt and friendly customer service to members and guests.

GPA: 5.6/5.0 High Honor Roll every semester Latin Honors every year

- Completed intensive three-week pre-college architecture studio focused on design principles, the built environment and conceptual problem-solving. Program included site visits, meetings with architecture firms, studio reviews and final project showcase - Developed technical proficiency with architectural software to facilitate drawing, drafting and 3D modeling - Created original design proposal for specific build site in Detroit (Belle Isle) - Experienced the rigorous academic setting and intensity of a college architecture studio, simulating the demands of a university-level design education

- Accepted into intensive one-week program at Brown University to study Greek art, architecture and society across seven distinct periods (Minoan period through the Hellenistic Age) - Developed expertise in identifying and analyzing architectural plans, techniques and developments for each period; curriculum focused on Biers’s Archaeology of Ancient Greece - Wrote a final paper that compared the Mysenaean Magaron and the development of the Greek temple

- Executed the full video storytelling process, from ideation and pre-production to on-set shooting and editing, for a short film project with 72-hour production deadline - Utilized videography skills to lead efforts in filming and video-editing to deliver a high-quality finished short film that adhered to the criteria set by the All-American High School Film Festival