Volume 12, Issue 15
ACADEMY PREPARES FOR 106TH COMMENCEMENT

Robert L. Solomon II, Assistant Vice Provost for The Ohio State University Office of Diversity & Inclusion, will serve as the guest speaker at Columbus Academy's 106th Commencement. Robert was a member of the school's Board of Trustees from 2009-15. He and his wife Dinessa are the parents of Academy alumni Lee Solomon '14 and Allegra Solomon '16. "I was honored and humbled by the request to speak at the Columbus Academy Commencement," he said about the upcoming ceremony, which will begin at 9:00 a.m. on June 6. "We were an active part of the CA family for nine years, which were among the most rewarding years of our children's education. Academy does an exceptional job of preparing our students to serve, lead, think critically and care about their world. I can think of no greater honor than to have contributed to the CA mission and to have made friends for life among the parents, students, faculty, staff and administration who took that special journey along with me."
END-OF-YEAR EVENTS FOR LOWER SCHOOL

Our closing ceremony for the fifth grade will be held at 7:00 p.m. this Thursday, May 30, in the dining hall. On Friday, families should drop their child(ren) off in the car line and then head directly to the Mackenzie Gym. The closing program for all lower-schoolers will begin at 8:30 a.m. After it is completed, students will be picked up by families in their classrooms. Then there is a fun-filled carnival sponsored by PACA for all children from 9:30 a.m. until noon on and around Hondros Field. All families are welcome and encouraged to join us for these final events! If you are a fifth grade family and did not receive an evite to Friday's fifth grade party from 4:00-7:00 p.m., please contact Ritu Bakhru at ritubakhru@gmail.com.
MIDDLE SCHOOL CLOSING & SUMMER READING

The final day of classes for our Middle School is this Thursday, May 30. All are invited to a 7:00 p.m. closing ceremony for our eighth-graders on Friday, May 31, in the quad behind Academy Hall. For all students rising to grades 6-8 for the 2019-20 school year, this summer's reading assignment is Nine, Ten: A September 11th Story by Nora Raleigh Baskin. Please click on the link below for a letter containing more details about this summer reading selection.  
JOEL DAVIS DELIVERS MEMORABLE CUM LAUDE ADDRESS

"I know you will be challenged at the next level, but I also know that you have done your job in listening to and learning from your teachers, parents and surrounding community," upper school science teacher Joel Davis told our Class of 2019 while delivering the Cum Laude Address at Friday's Honors Assembly. "With your rituals, you have helped to make my career what it is today. You have reminded me that teaching is not just a vocation, it is a calling. For that, I thank you." Watch his entire speech, including an introduction by Head of Upper School Cory Izokaitis, and enjoy his humorous recollection of rituals by this year's seniors!   
DOUBLES TEAMS FACE EACH OTHER FOR STATE TITLE

In last weekend's OHSAA Boys Tennis State Tournament finals, Columbus Academy senior Suriya Sundaram paired with junior Rhian Seneviratne to edge sophomore teammates Arie Tuckerman and Jack Madison 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-0) for the Division II state doubles title! It was the second time our Viking doubles squads faced each other in the state finals, matching 2010 when Andrew Enslen and Chad Buchanan defeated Eoghan Bahnson and Langston Hughes. It also marks the ninth OHSAA title for our boys tennis program and the sixth in doubles.  
MOSAIC WRAPS UP YEAR IN CELEBRATORY FASHION

The final Sunday in April featured an end-of-the-year celebration hosted by MOSAIC as families, students and faculty involved with the group gathered together to culminate the school year. The event began with a showcase highlighting this year's seniors before a buffet-style meal was had, followed by Kevin Dubenion '78 and Mike Crawley '81 recognizing the graduating class. Also recognized was Nicola Jackson, assistant to the head of middle school, as she received the Champion Builder Award for her 10 years of service at Academy. Co-chair Diane Chattman closed out the ceremony by specially recognizing Erich Hunker '81, our assistant head of school for development and external relations, for his support of MOSAIC.
HOLI FESTIVAL BRINGS COLORFUL FUN TO CAMPUS

Our community had an exciting time celebrating Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, on the first Sunday in May as our CAPSA (Columbus Academy Parents of South Asia) affinity group hosted a picnic on the lower school playground. From the delicious food on hand to music and activities, the event filled with family fun was capped off with a color throw!
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR SEPTEMBER 21ST

Everyone in the Academy community is invited to the fourth annual CA Community Day on Saturday, September 21, 2019. We'll kick off the weekend of events on Friday night with the Charlie David Dinner, followed by our Viking football team vs. Whitehall and the lower school campout. Then join us Saturday for the Viking Rampage Challenge, a full slate of home athletic events, family-fun activities, food trucks and much more. Both days will also feature events surrounding our Alumni Weekend. More details to come.
EARTH WEEK CULMINATES IN ARBOR DAY ACTIVITIES

Our celebration of Arbor Day took place the final week of April as our lower- and middle-schoolers participated in activities throughout the week leading up to a morning and afternoon of outdoor fun! The entire Lower School kicked off the week with a special assembly in honor of the national celebration of Earth Week, as students and teachers shared fun facts and songs. Science teachers Dianne Griffin and Laura King also led their students in planting milkweed seeds to help pollinators across our campus. Several other activities took place on the final day of classes that week, including a scavenger hunt, bee hive encounter, yoga, wilderness survival skills & arts involving the outdoors. A special thanks to middle school science teachers Alison Gorsuch and Ruth Giglio for organizing the fun-filled day of activities!
ARTS & MUSIC SCENE

Starting in second grade, students can participate in the Lower School Strings program at Columbus Academy. The after-school practices with director David Wong, assistant director Soojin Lee and guest teachers Jessica Sneeringer, Susan O'Rourke and Stephanie Price-Wong culminated in spring concerts earlier this month as the Levels 1-2 musicians performed in the morning while the Level 3 Strings and Fifth Grade Orchestra performed later in the day. 
SERVICE LEARNING

Last month, our lower-schoolers participated in CAREing Community Day. The busy morning and afternoon consisted of each grade level doing its part to either help clean up an assigned area or prepare and deliver items to those in need. Many places around our campus were cleared of stray trash and items left behind, while other classes ventured off campus to Alum Creek State Park or delivered homemade bread rolls to the GRIN (Gahanna Residents In Need) food pantry. Kudos to all of our lower-schoolers and their teachers for showing their support for our campus and the surrounding community!  
SPORTS REPORT

During a special ceremony in early May, we celebrated two more seniors who have been recruited and have committed to continuing their careers as student-athletes on the collegiate level. Jenny L'Hommedieu will join the field hockey program at St. Lawrence University in Upstate New York, and Hayden Compton plans to play baseball at the University of Redlands in Southern California! Jenny is the daughter of Elizabeth and Mark L'Hommedieu from Blacklick while Hayden is the son of Centerburg residents Karyn and John Compton (who has taught history in our Upper School since 1994). 
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