This Is the Academy Experience
To keep our community informed about what is happening at Columbus Academy, we'll be sharing news and achievements directly with you on a more frequent basis. Thank you for being a part of the Academy Experience!
Young Vikings Advocating for Change
4th Grade Boys photo
Three fourth grade boys – Calvin, Rory and Andrew – recently met with facilities director Harland Young to present their ideas about growing seeds and then planting more trees on campus. “The boys did a wonderful job of explaining everything,” remarked Head of Lower School Mark Hansen, who facilitated the gathering in his office. “Mr. Young will be looking into possibly using the school’s greenhouse to get the seeds growing this winter and then planting them outside in the spring.”

The boys' effort reminded us of the initiative shown by a group of now sixth-graders who formed “The Girls Golf Team Committee” during the 2018-19 school year and met with Dominic Facciolla in that very same location (see below) to learn from the now-retired athletics director what needed to happen for Academy to create its first girls golf program. Mr. Facciolla told Quincy, Esther, Clare and Leah that if they could get 6-7 golfers to commit to playing on a school team then he would find them a coach to start a program.
Girls with Dominic Facciolla
Little did they know that a group of then-eighth-graders in Susan Carter’s advisory were talking and dreaming about the same thing. Those older girls – Eliza, Morgan, Quinn and Cami – would form the backbone of the first Academy girls golf team as freshman the very next year. Eliza’s mother Maggie, who had helped to start the Upper Arlington High School girl golf program when she was a student there, was hired to coach our young squad and is currently leading the Vikings to their first state tournament appearance this weekend as the MSL-Ohio and district champions in just their third year!
Girls at State Sendoff
Some of the girls who were in that first meeting with Mr. Facciolla three years ago joined our lower-schoolers in giving both Academy golf teams a spirited sendoff (view photos and video) to the state tourney on Tuesday. The girls will be competing on Ohio State University’s Gray Course while our boys will try to win their fifth-straight state title under head coach Craig Yakscoe at NorthStar on Friday and Saturday.
Food Drive graphic
Community Service Project Begins This Month
Our annual Kids 4 Kids schoolwide service learning project begins October 25 with the collection of non-perishable food donations (view suggestions). Those items can be brought in by students to drop off at boxes in their classrooms/advisories. All other donations will be collected starting Monday, November 1. Please consider donating children’s fall/winter clothing, toys, books, bikes, coats (all sizes), blankets, bedding and youth-size snow boots. If you would like, you may also donate adult fall/winter clothing. Click on the links below for more details, including volunteering and filling specific wishes from families. If you have any questions about the clothing drive, please contact Kimberly Allison at kimberlyga@mac.com. For questions, suggestions and concerns regarding the details in your children’s school division or about specific types of donations, contact Sarah Penney (LS), Michelle Platt (MS) or Christy Bening (US).



Final note: all items in the Clothing Exchange Closet have been moved to a “popup shop” outside of Morris Hall through Tuesday, October 19, in order to make them easily accessible. The items are available to everyone. Did your child have a growth spurt? Pants too short? Drop off the old ones and swap them for a gently used pair! Need sweaters, jumpers or spiritwear? Come see what we have! Donation bins are placed next to the stairs for you to drop off any gently-used items.