All parents/guardians are invited to the annual PACA spring fundraiser for a “Taste of Academy” from 6:00-10:00 p.m. on Friday, May 13. This year’s event will take place underneath a tent on the blacktop of the Sommer Family Recreation Area adjacent to the dining hall and will feature food and drinks from around the world provided by our parent affinity groups. There will also be a DJ, games and other fun activities with all proceeds supporting PACA programs. Childcare will be provided by our after-school staff with dinner and activities for the kids as well. More details to come!

In the weeks leading up to spring break, our kindergarten, first and second grades performed delightful concerts directed by lower school faculty members Amy McLaughlin and Michelle Schroeder-Lowrey. Many more photos can be accessed at columbusacademy.org/photos, and you can watch all three video recordings: kindergarten, first grade and second grade. Upcoming concert dates for our Lower School include May 4 (pre-kindergarten), May 6 (third grade) and May 27 (fifth grade).

A nice and sunny day welcomed the eighth-graders out to the Lazarus Courtyard for the second year in a row to present their projects at the Science Expo, which took place just prior to spring break. The students researched various topics in a wide range of areas including plants, sports, climate and cooking just to name a few. View images from the event at columbusacademy.org/photos.

Three upper-schoolers recently qualified for the state competition of National History Day (NHD) after earning recognition at regionals in mid-March. In the Senior Paper competition, it was senior Malachy Sullivan and sophomore Abbey Zhao who moved on to the state round, while freshman Mircea Butnariu did the same in the Senior Individual Documentary category. According to upper school history teacher Tim Morford, the state round of NHD will take place virtually on April 23.

A total of 19 upper-schoolers earned recognition in last month’s Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, and now many pieces of the award-winning artwork are on display inside the Morris Hall Art Gallery (view photos). Be sure to check out the exhibit next time you’re on campus! Click on the following links for more music and arts news:

Congrats to our varsity field hockey team for placing 17 student-athletes on the NFHCA National Academic Squad! Seven of these players also received Scholar of Distinction status including senior Carolyn Vaziri, who also received a spot on the NFHCA Senior Impact Team, which highlights graduating seniors across the country whose athletic careers and individual accomplishments on and off the field include distinguished leadership and contribute to team achievement. Click on the following links for more athletics coverage:

The April edition of our Service Board's monthly newsletter is ready to read at columbusacademy.org/serviceboard. This month highlights coverage needed for April and May food deliveries to Faith Mission, reminders about the Blood Drive on April 12 and Clothing Exchange Pop-Up Shop on April 13, as well as the lower-schoolers' ongoing pop tab collection and information about the Grade 9 Service Day set for April 13. To participate in the Blood Drive from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on April 12, click on the following links to schedule an appointment and view donation requirements.

Many thanks to our varsity golf coaches and players for hosting the recent Junior Vikings Golf Clinic! This was just one of many youth sports offerings provided by our athletics department. To learn more about these programs, including an upcoming Baseball Clinic for grades 2-5, or if you know someone who might be interested in coaching youth football this fall, visit columbusacademy.org/youthsports.

Congratulations to Silvia Chaves, a Spanish teacher in our Upper School since 1998, whose brother Rodrigo has been elected as the next president of Costa Rica! In addition to these photos of Silvia on the campaign trail with her sister and niece, you can read a recap of the election results. Additional coverage of recent events happening within our classrooms, campus and community on our social media has included: