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The Columbus Academy is a private college-preparatory school in Gahanna, Ohio that offers education to students from pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade. It was founded in 1911 in Bexley, Ohio and moved to its current campus in 1968. It was an all-boys school until 1991 when the Board of Trustees decided to open the school to girls, in an effort to save the school because of declining enrollment. From its conception, the school has slowly expanded and reached the 1,000-student plateau at the beginning of the 2004-05 school year.

Founding:Myths,Men,Mystery,and Alliteration

The Columbus Academy's founding is a strange tale who's beginning lies in the grand old year of 1902. It was a time when people were still reeling from the invention of the telephone and bell bottoms were coming into style. Of course these were not the bell bottoms later used and abused in the 70's but rather pants with real bells at the bottoms to warm all males of rapidly approaching, very talkative women.

The school was founded by a group of rather extraordinary gentlemen, one of whom could easily and cost efficiently turn himself into a duck for periods of up to one hour. This, of course, played a huge role in what was to come. The school was originally founded as a premiere institute for the gifted students of Ohio. However, this flimsy facade soon collapsed revealing a secret underground movement, a Neo-Spanish Inquisition of sorts. While this was not discovered until much later in the school's history, its disputed to be somewhere around the MacKenzie era, it did play a large role in the school's rise to prominence in Ohio and the world, but it is also the single factor that led to its demise.

Move To Current Campus
After repeated flooding along Alum Creek and continued enrollment growth, the Board approved a 20-year plan for relocation. The school acquired 230 acres in Gahanna (eight miles northeast of Columbus), raised funds, and built a new campus. The original five-building complex served the school well until the student body exceeded 600 boys. In the mid-'70s, the school undertook a major building program that added a lower school wing and the Schoedinger Theatre. This expansion allowed Kindergarten to be added to the school in the early 1980s. In 1991, the school became a co-educational institution.

The school is situated on a secluded suburban campus. In 1999 the school built a new library reminiscent of its old Bexley campus, and added large additions to the theatre and Lower and Upper schools in 2004. In the past few years, beginning in 2003, they added another addition, respectably larger than the last. This addition consisted of a new athletic building, new sports facilities and courts, additional parking lots, a new upper school wing, and a third library (totaling three libraries: one lower school, one middle school, and one upper school).

Tuition & Endowment
According to the school, the current endowment is $19 million. In 2002, Columbus Academy kicked off the Advancing the Quest campaign, the school's largest-ever fundraising effort. ATQ's goal was to raise $17M to support the following areas: Faculty and Staff Excellence, Student Body Diversity, School Size and Structure, and Facilities. The most important objective of the Advancing the Quest campaign was to create an educational community that better serves CA students, their families, and the community as a whole by enhancing facilities and enriching programs. Advancing the Quest exceeded its goal in record time and the advancements it prompted continue to resonate across campus.

The operating budget for 2005-06 was $17.7 million. Income from non-discretionary Annual Fund gifts covered 7% of the school's operating budget and expenses. Last year, $1.1 million was contributed by parents, alumni, trustees, grandparents, former parents, faculty/staff and friends.

Student council
The Columbus Academy Student Council is a representative body which acknowledges and fulfills the wants and needs of the students. By upholding the Mission Statement of The Columbus Academy and serving as a bridge to unite the students, faculty, and administration, The Council will encourage, initiate, and ensure the interests of the individual student. The Council consists of 22 voting members, including a Student Body President who presides over the meetings, a Student Body Vice President, as well as 5 council members per grade. The Student Body Secretary and the President of the Service Board serve as non-voting members of Student Council.

Service Board
''An act of service reflects generosity of time, resources, and energy. It is an investment of self - spirit, mind and body - in helping to meet the needs of others.''

The Columbus Academy Service Board is the student organization which sponsors, encourages and provides acts of service, and determines community service mores in conjunction with the student body. As shown in the The Service Board Mission and Purpose Statement, The Service Board has three functions: It is a group of student leaders whose mission is to serve the public, make a difference in the world, and be virtuous in the community; It is a group of student representatives with the responsibility, as ordained by The Columbus Academy, to determine community service ethics for the school; It is a group of student visionaries who strive to make community service a more pervasive part of the existing spheres at The Columbus Academy. The Board's faculty advisor is Christy Bening, Upper School Community Service Coordinator.

The Academy Life
The Academy Life is a newspaper produced by students of Columbus Academy during the school year and is published primarily for the students, alumni, faculty, parents and advertisers. It is produced to inform and entertain its readers by providing coverage of current events, sports, features and reviews.

Theatre
There are two productions open to upper school students, one a fall drama, and the other a spring musical. Susan Neal directs the musicals, and Scott Dillon is the Technical Director.

Quest
Quest is The Columbus Academy’s art and literary magazine published every spring. It solicits writings and art work from upper school students. David Block and Cynthia Wilson are the faculty advisors.

Robotics
Columbus Academy saw the creation of the Academy Robotics team headed by coach Tyler Stieg '03 in early 2006. Every year, students design and build a robot to compete in the FIRST Vex Challenge. In its first year, the 2006-2007 team qualified for the FIRST World Championship.

Political Club
The Political Club is open to all Upper School students. The club’s aims are to cultivate interest in national and international politics and foster informed student opinion and discussion on world events. Its members meet to discuss current affairs, view films and documentaries of historical and political significance, and organize special activities.

And more...
For a full list please visit the Offical List of Clubs

Junior Speech
Every student is required to present a speech to all students and faculty of the upper school. The speech is a right of passage on the way to graduation. Traditionally, the speech is given during student's junior year; students that enter the school as seniors must complete the requirement during their senior year.

Senior Trip
Every senior class takes a one week trip just before Spring Break. In 2007, the senior class traveled to Boston. In 2008, the destination was Chicago. The destination is determined by student vote from a choice of several cities decided by the senior advisors.

Antiques Show
Each year the school hosts the Columbus Academy Antiques Show in May. The Antiques Show is an annual event and the primary fundraiser of the Parents' Association of Columbus Academy (PACA). Another major PACA fundraiser is the Lower School Book Fair in October. Proceeds of this event support the PACA Scholarship Fund which benefits students who might not otherwise be able to attend the school. In addition, funds raised provide enhancements to other programs and activities in all three divisions of the school. The Antiques Show has its own web page at www.columbusacademy-antiquesshow.org

Senior Fun Day
A day of great joy and delight when seniors take the day off to partake in wondrous activities, such as a trip to Magic Mountain.

Artsmania
Artsmania is Academy's celebration of the arts. The day is organized by the CA Art Society. Artsmania was cancelled for the 2006-07 school year, replaced by "Diversity Day." This decision was met with animosity from much of the student body.

Ohio High School Athletic Association Team State Championships

 * Baseball - 1982
 * American football – 1987,2003
 * Soccer – 1995
 * Golf – 1983,1991,1995,1997,1998,1999
 * Track and Field – 1977,1981
 * Girls Field Hockey – 1994,1997,1999,2000,2001,2003,2004,2006
 * Boys Tennis - 2008

Other athletic accomplishments

 * 1980 State Runner-Up Boys Track Class A.
 * 1981 State Runner-Up Basketball Class A.
 * 1981 State Runner-Up Baseball Class A.
 * 1982 State Runner-Up Boys Golf Class A.
 * 1982 State Runner-Up Boys Track Class A.
 * 1990 State Runner-Up Boys Golf Div. II.
 * 1996 State Runner-Up Field Hockey Div. I.
 * 1996 State Runner-Up Girls Tennis Div. II.
 * 1996 State Runner-Up Boys Track Div.III.
 * 1997 State Runner-Up Boys Tennis Div. II.
 * 1998 Girls Midwest Lacrosse Champions.
 * 1998 State Runner-Up Boys Tennis Div.II.
 * 2000 State Champion Girls Lacrosse Div. I.
 * 2000 State Runner-Up Boys Tennis Div. II.
 * 2001 State Runner-Up Boys Golf Div. III.
 * 2001 State Runner-Up Girls Lacrosse Div. I.
 * 2001 State Runner-Up Boys Tennis Div. II.
 * 2002 State Runner-Up Field Hockey Div. I.
 * 2002 State Runner-Up Girls Lacrosse Div. I.
 * 2003 State Runner-Up Boys Golf Div. II.
 * 2003 State Runner-Up Boys Tennis Div. II.
 * 2003 State Runner-Up Baseball Div. III.
 * 2004 State Runner-Up Boys Golf Div. II.
 * 2006 State Runner-Up Boys Tennis Div. II.

Accreditation & Memberships

 * National Association of Independent Schools
 * Independent Schools Association of the Central States
 * Ohio Association of Independent Schools

Notes and references
Category:Preparatory schools in Ohio Category:Private schools in Ohio Category:Educational institutions established in 1911 Category:Franklin County, Ohio Category:Gahanna, Ohio Category:Middle schools in Ohio Category:Elementary schools in Ohio Category:High schools in Franklin County, Ohio