Olentangy's Top News

Hear the old and new music of Disney as the Olentangy Liberty High School (OLHS) Pop Choirs present a musical revue this weekend. “Disney Ever After” will be presented at 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 26 and Sunday, February 27. The show will feature costumed students from Sounds of Liberty and Liberty Belles as they dance and sing to many Disney favorites.

While admission to the revue is free, a donation is requested to help the performers cover their expenses on the Liberty Choirs Spring Performance Tour to New York City.

Children are encouraged to dress in costume and get pictures taken on stage with our princes and princesses after the concert.

For more information please call (740) 657-4276.

Classmates, parents and other supporters packed the Olentangy Liberty High School (OLHS) commons for a signing ceremony earlier this month as 14 OLHS students signed letters of intent to participate in college athletics. Congratulations to the following students, who are listed with their sport and college of choice:
* Jarrod B., wrestling, Ohio State University
* Maria B., soccer, Western Michigan University
* Kellie C., diving, Ohio State University
* Matthew C., football, Davidson College
* Michelle D., soccer, Purdue University
* Aubrey F., soccer, Ohio State University
* Megan G., soccer, Mount Vernon Nazarene University
* Melinda H., track and field (pole vault), Elon University
* Julanne L., golf, Ohio University
* Abigail S., soccer, University of Miami (Florida)
* Ethan S., wrestling, United States Military Academy at West Point
* Craig T., wrestling, Ohio State University
* Christopher U., track and field (pole vault), Virginia Tech
* Joseph U., track and field (pole vault), United States Air Force Academy

Artwork created by 13 fourth-grade students at Liberty Tree Elementary School (LTES) is on display through Sunday, March 13 at the Starbucks Coffee located at 9700 Sawmill Parkway in Powell.  The students recycled used coffee sleeves to create two trees and repurposed used gift cards, cereal boxes, sticks, pencils and wire to create beautiful butterflies. Participating in this art project supports the fourth-grade visual arts curriculum standard of solving problems using inventive materials and students’ own experiences.

Olentangy Liberty High School (OLHS) student and football player Taylor Hudson was presented the top award at the Scholar-Athlete Banquet hosted by the Columbus Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame on February 7. Hudson was named the 2011 Nationwide Insurance, Dr. Sol Maggied/Larry Romanoff Award winner and earned a scholarship. The organization noted that Hudson carries a 4.2 grade-point average, was a team captain, a two-year letter winner and was named First Team All-OCC this season.

Hudson receives a round of applause during a recent ceremony at OLHS.

Special thanks to the Johnnycake Corners Elementary School (JCES) choir for their performance at the February 23 Board of Education meeting!

Johnnycake Corners Elementary School (JCES) hosted an art exhibition and musical performance by second-grade students on February 10. Guests viewed art projects created during the second grade’s studies of the various cultures on the seven continents. These learning units supported several indicators in the second-grade social studies curriculum including describing the cultural products of people on different continents and identifying ways people have responded to and modified the physical environment.

Olentangy Orange High School (OOHS) hosted Mascot Madness on Saturday, February 12 during halftime of the boys basketball game against Olentangy High School (OHS).  Several local mascots, including Brutus Buckeye, the Crew Cat and Chilly Bear, joined Pioneer Pete to help raise $945 for Delaware County Special Olympics.  Congratulations to Puff Daddy Patriot from Olentangy Liberty High School (OLHS) for scoring the game’s only basket.

The young women of Olentangy Shanahan Middle School (OSMS) were treated to lunch with Coach Rita Somerlot this month.  Somerlot is the current track and field coach for the Ohio State University and was on the Olympic staff for the games in Greece, Australia and China.  She spoke to groups of seventh and eighth grade girls during their lunch periods about what it takes to be a successful female athlete.  The students also heard from members of the Olentangy High School (OHS) women’s basketball team, which had earned its second consecutive Ohio Capital Conference (OCC) title the prior evening.  Emily R., Brigid F. and Kelsey A. spoke of their experiences as high school athletes and what the OSMS students could expect when they competed at higher levels.  The event was organized by Gina Decaminada and the OSMS guidance department.

Rita Somerlot, current OSU track and field coach and a former member of the Olympic coaching team, meets with female students at OSMS. OHS basketball players Kelsey A., Emily R. and Brigid F. are pictured standing at the right of the photo.

The Ohio Music Educators’ Association recently hosted the All-State Orchestra festival and concert at their annual convention in Cincinnati. Olentangy Local Schools had a record number of eight participants in this orchestra. The All-State Orchestra is formed by audition, and acceptance into the group is considered to be one of the highest honors bestowed on a high school orchestral student. The orchestra plays a variety of professional-level pieces. The following students spent three days practicing in Cincinnati with nationally recognized conductor, Robert McCashin, before culminating with a performance on Friday, January 28:

Josephine C., viola, Olentangy Liberty High School (OLHS)
Sean D., violin, OLHS
Alec F., double bass, OLHS
Katrina T., violin, Olentangy High School (OHS)
David V., viola, OLHS
Michelle W., violin, OHS
Ruth W., double bass, OLHS
Kristina Z., violin, OLHS

Eight Olentangy students were selected to play in the All-State Orchestra.

Third-grade students at Scioto Ridge Elementary School (SRES) celebrated the spirit of Valentine’s Day by collecting toys and making fleece blankets for the patients at Nationwide Children’s Hospital on Friday, February 11. The students tied more than 70 blankets and donated eight boxes of toys!