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Leaving a Legacy

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As seniors around the country complete their final year of high school, a common theme that will be repeated is “finishing well.” Students are encouraged to keep up their academic endeavors - focusing on completing those final few presentations, essays, and exams.    Tree of Life, finishing well means more than academic achievement, however. It is about leaving a legacy. Our seniors become part of the history and the essence of who we are as a school. End of year events, such as Senior Chapel and Treasure up and Ponder, give the graduating class a chance to leave a legacy of faith through worship, testimonies, and thankfulness. Since 2005, seniors have also physically left their mark on the high school in the form of  “legacy prints.” Students’ handprints are preserved and displayed in the hallways for years to come. These are a reminder of the lasting impression that each class has made on this school. Our prayer, however, is that legacy will go both ways. During the final few weeks o
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Remembering in Washington DC

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  Remembering in Washington DC For our 8th graders, Washington DC is a place where history, the Bible, and relational connection intersected our students in a memorable way. (Read the full story…link to blog) “Eventually that entire generation died and was buried. Then another generation grew up that didn’t know anything of God or the work he had done for Israel.” Judges 2:10  To remember is to keep stories alive of those who came before us. When the Israelities crossed the Jordan River, God commanded Joshua to take 12 stones from the middle of the Jordan and create a memorial as a way to look back at what God did for the Israelites. Our eighth grade students began their journey of remembrance when they boarded two charter buses bound for Washington DC.   For many, Washington DC is merely a city where our federal government is housed. For our 8th grade students, the city is more than that. For them it’s now a place where they found God, grew closer to each other, and learned the histor
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Trojan Athletes Earn Recognition

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Tree of Life Trojan Athletes have been representing the school well all year. Here are a few highlights from our fall and winter seasons. Congratulations and thank you to all our athletes! Boys Soccer The boys soccer program received the Silver Award from United Soccer Coaches for Team Ethics and Sportsmanship on their way to a birth in District Semi-Finals Adam Pugsley (Sr.) was the recipient of the Central Ohio Excellence in Sportsmanship (EIS) Award Coach Andy Cousens   was the Central Ohio Excellence in Sportsmanship (EIS) Coaches Recipient Michael Kanu (Sr.) was named to Ohio All State Team and the Midwest All Region Team and c aptured Tree of Life records for career goals (79) and goals in a single season (39)   Girls Soccer The varsity girls soccer program received the Division 3 Central District Team Sportsmanship Award for the 3rd time in 6 years Emily Slone (Sph.) posted the school record for goals in a single season (19) Rachel Jorgenson (Jr.) was named 1st team All Dist
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7 Places in central Ohio to reconnect with nature over spring break

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7 Places in central Ohio to reconnect with nature this spring Looking for something to do over spring break? Why not spend some time reconnecting with the great outdoors? Children need time outdoors not only for physical exercise, but to exercise their creativity, their wonder, and their appreciation for the world God has created. Central Ohio has some wonderful areas to spend time outdoors. 1. HOCKING HILLS STATE PARK     Hocking Hills State Park is considered on of the most beautiful natural areas in the Midwest. With eight unique areas to explore, there are endless opportunities  reconnect with nature.  Tip: Ash Cave provides a safe family friendly hike. Stay on the lower trail and even the youngest explorers can safely visit the largest recessed cave in Ohio. more information:  https://www.hockinghills.com/ 2. OTHER STATE PARKS Ohio has some fantastic state parks. Parks near Central Ohio include: Alum Creek State Park, Deer Creek State Park, and Mohican State Park. There are plenty
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Pursuing Excellence: Class of 2022

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  This year’s graduating class has much to celebrate! Several students have achieved top academic success, with admissions to Princeton and NYU, and a perfect score of 36 on the ACT college entrance exam. Nearly one-fourth of the class has earned a 4.0 GPA , while taking advantage of Honors and AP class offerings. This class was faced with the challenge of pandemic learning during the spring of their sophomore year, and yet they have shown resilience and diligence. Congratulations to our graduating class of 2022!! Isaac Shah, Valedictorian - National Merit Finalist Ohio State University, Aerospace Engineering “Tree of Life has really been a launchpad for all parts of my life. Academically it has allowed me to succeed at the highest level; spiritually I have flourished and developed a real, authentic faith relationship; and socially I have found great mentors to guide me through life’s ups and downs, and supportive friends that I have enjoyed so much since the sixth grade. I have been
Location: Columbus, OH, USA
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Teaching Children to Be Humbly Grateful

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  by Carolyn Sherrod The Thanksgiving and Christmas season is upon us and we are reminded of our need to teach our children the virtue of gratitude. A few years ago, at a Thanksgiving celebration, our church’s children’s choir sang a song about gratitude. Using a play on words, the title itself spoke a clear message, “Are You Humbly Grateful, or Grumbly Hateful?” The lyrics of the chorus asked: Are you humbly grateful, or grumbly hateful? What’s your attitude? Do you grumble and groan or let it be known you’re grateful for all God’s done for you? Which one are you? Which one are you? Let’s face it! We all have known both adults and children who fit into either of these categories. Perhaps you resonate with the question, “which one are you?” We all would want to be known as being humbly grateful, and that we are raising our children to be humbly grateful. But instead, another kind of pandemic is currently sweeping our culture - a lack of thankfulness, a sense of entitlement, and an unhe
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One Family

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Little did we know what God had planned for our family when our children started attending Tree of Life in 2005. Our boys, Kyle ‘09 and Colin ‘11, were both on the soccer team where the coaches and players welcomed them with open arms. Right away, lifelong friendships started to form. Kaitlyn ‘16 was also welcomed by teachers and staff at the Indianola campus. Everyone was so friendly and accepting of our family! We came to love Tree of Life like our family. I started working for Tree at the Indianola campus and then later transferred to Northridge in the athletic office. We were very involved with sports, as our children played soccer, baseball, softball and cheer. Our roots at Tree of Life were growing deep. My husband, Bill, joined the board and is still serving today.  In August 2015 we found out just how deep our relationships were when I was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer. It was the beginning of Kaitlyn’s senior year. Her senior class, teachers, and staff rallied aroun
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