(Courtesy/Izu N.)
As the sun set, thousands of lights flickered on, transforming an ordinary tree into a glowing landmark on campus. Standing in the middle of the bus circle, a 150 year old, 65-foot-tall oak tree is now wrapped with 594 strands of lights, totaling 14,850 LED bulbs, creating a warm and inviting campus to all passing by.
The idea started last spring, when Academy’s staff was already talking about ways to make campus lighting more inviting. “We’ve been talking about lighting in the woods a lot, and I saw a picture of a lighted tree on a campus,” said Head of School, Ms. Soderberg. Mr. Young, the director of buildings and grounds, added to that by saying, “As a school, we try to make sure campus is warm and inviting, especially as the seasons change. When it’s dark and cold in the mornings, what better way to light up the school and make it a cheerful place to arrive?”
Why this specific tree? Despite being 150 years old, this tree has helped create so many good memories for many of Academy’s students. Many of my classmates from Lower School remember playing and learning about the tree in science, even naming it Mr. Oak. Located in the middle of the bus circle, it has long been a symbol of the campus, and its size made it an obvious candidate. While Academy has added small lights along the driveway in recent years, this was the first time a major tree was lit up.
The planning for the project began in the spring. Mrs. Soderberg and Mr. Young received help from Ahlum Arbor, the professional arborists who care for trees around Ohio. Ahlum Arbor also installs lighting at Franklin Park Conservatory, so they were the perfect company to help bring this vision to life.
Beyond looks, the project also serves a practical purpose: protecting the old oak. Because the tree is so old, its roots are vulnerable to damage. Yes, playing around Mr. Oak was fun as a kid, but it also damaged the tree. Younger students often played around its base, which compacted the soil and made it harder for the roots to “breathe.” Now, the school plans on placing mulch around the base and is building a rope-and-wood fence to protect it. By drawing attention to the oak with lights, the school hopes people will admire it from a distance rather than climbing near the roots.
The lighting of “Mr. Oak” – for those of us who called it that back then – is also part of a bigger push toward sustainability. The bulbs run on electricity, and because the oak glows so brightly, the school will soon remove the “lollipop” streetlights around the bus circle. Those lights not only use more energy, but can also be harmful to birds at night. Replacing them with the oak’s softer glow reduces electricity usage while keeping the campus well-lit and safe.
While there are no current plans to decorate other trees in the same way, Academy does plan to add more soft lighting along the campus perimeter and in the woods. But part of the charm of the oak is its uniqueness. “Having one tree that looks like this just makes it that much more special,” said Young.
In many ways, the lighting on this magnificent reflects a larger tradition at our school. For the past five or six years, Academy’s staff have made sure classrooms and hallways are lit before students arrive in the mornings, creating a bright and welcoming atmosphere instead of a dark, empty one. The honorable oak tree glowing proudly now extends that same feeling outdoors, a reminder that even in the cold and dark months, Columbus Academy is a place of light and community.
