It's been three months since Nelson was first introduced as our new community dog. He has had a busy summer getting acquainted with his new surroundings and having adventures with the Farrenkopf family. Nelson spends time at school several days a week and is beginning to see Academy as an extension of his home. We can’t wait for more of the community to meet Nelson! In the meantime, learn more about him.

Our Viking Corner spiritwear store reopened on Tuesday and offered a pre-sale of this special blackout-themed shirt by Homage for the Charlie David Dinner and varsity home football game on September 8. If you didn't get your order in, don't worry because the store (located in the dining hall) will be selling them during normal Wednesday hours of 7:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on September 6 as well as during Charlie David festivities on the 8th (more details below). For all other spiritwear, you can shop online at vikingcorner.org and pick up your order during regular business hours or have your Vikings gear shipped to you.

All Columbus Academy families are invited to the Charlie David Dinner, the largest community event of the year, on Friday, September 8, from 5:00-7:30 p.m. This annual event, now in its 41st year, is named for a dedicated parent volunteer who organized a pregame dinner for Academy families to support athletics. Join us for food trucks, games for kids and fun for the whole family before the varsity football game against Fort Loramie. The event will take place in the dining hall and Lazarus Courtyard area. Tickets are $10 for children (grade 5 and younger) and $20 for everyone else, with each ticket including one meal from any of the food trucks onsite that evening. Registration, sponsorship opportunities, tickets for the popular parking-spot raffle and a list of food trucks can be found at columbusacademy.org/charliedaviddinner2023.

The School and Field Guide (part handbook, part guide to all things Academy including Viking Vocab and family directory) will be back for the 2023-24 school year! Log in to MySchoolApp to confirm your contact information (home address, email and phone) that will appear in the printed directory. For instructions on checking over your profile, click here, and please double-check that your children are reflected properly in the relationships section. Corrections/updates are due by noon this Monday, August 7. If you have any log-in issues, please email our technology department at techhelp@columbusacademy.org.

In mid-June, Grace Luo ’23 was presented with the Top Female Scholar Athlete Award by two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin at the Central Ohio High School Sports Awards Show. In addition to leading our girls golf program to its first state title last fall, Grace achieved a perfect score of 36 on the ACT, graduated from Academy with a 4.62 GPA and earned admission to Stanford University with plans to study computer science (read Dispatch article). For more information about our sports offerings, philosophy and expectations, read this recent message from Director of Athletics Jason Singleton. And be sure to scroll through all our summer sports coverage at @academyvikings where recent posts feature a seventh-grader who won a state baseball title and a ninth-grader who shot even-par at Pinehurst to place fourth at the U.S. Kids Golf World Teen Championship!

Many thanks to the student and parent volunteers who set up the Clothing Exchange Closet popup shop under the awning of Morris Hall. Normally located on the bottom floor of the Middle School just down the hallway from our nurses' office, the Clothing Exchange Closet offers gently used dress code and spiritwear items that are free for the taking. The current location just off the quad will be set up through Tuesday, August 8. Feel free to drop off donations there as well. Also, click on the links below for information about more service events and upcoming opportunities!

The Viking Rampage Challenge on Saturday, September 23, is a community event open to all Academy families and friends. This trek through our campus woods is a fun and muddy experience across three different courses, suitable for all age levels and abilities. Wearing old clothes/shoes – and bringing a change of them – is highly recommended! Please register here.

Ed Park '93 (right) recently visited campus for the first time in three decades and was delighted to find his quote still on the Latin classroom wall while on a brief tour with John Wuorinen '80. Ed and his brother Todd Park ’90 founded Devoted Health together in 2017, and after their startup raised $1.2 billion from investors to expand services nationwide, they are preparing to open in Columbus. Click here to learn more and on the links below for more faculty, staff and alumni news: