October 2026

Congratulations to this year’s National Merit Semifinalists: Max Berry, Leeyah Broomfield, Leah Denburg, William Duan, Ela Koksal, Jiaqi Li, Justin Li, Sally Li, Jacob Lifer, Eva Lim, Chang Liu, Landen Liu, Luke Lu, Katie Neviaser, Samuel Otter, Emily Van Hulse, Melody Wang, William Whitson, Alex Zhang and Claire Zhao. These 19 seniors were selected based on their exceptional Selection Index scores on the PSAT/NMSQT taken during their junior year. Earning a spot among the top 1% in the nation, they now have the opportunity to advance to Finalist standing and compete for official National Merit Scholarships. To learn more about each student, click here.

10th Annual Viking Rampage Run

All are invited to participate in our 10th annual Viking Rampage Run on the morning of Saturday, October 10. This very popular event is a kid-friendly mud run with numerous obstacles through our campus woods. Adults often run the course, especially because younger children may need help with some of the obstacles. Family members and friends are also encouraged to participate, but participants in eighth grade or younger must have a supervising adult on site. Be sure to dress appropriately with old clothes and closed-toed shoes, then bring a new outfit to change into if you plan to stay on campus afterwards. This is a free event, but all participants must register in advance by clicking here. On-site registration will open at 8:30 a.m. by the middle school playground on the south side of the football field. The course will be open from 9:00-11:00 a.m., with the last start at 10:15 a.m. Plan to have fun and get muddy!

News to Celebrate

It’s been a stellar week for our athletic teams! An early goal by senior Sophia Smoot and tenacious defense led by goalkeeper Lila Parish gave our varsity field hockey team a 1-0 win over top-ranked Thomas Worthington two nights ago, marking the first victory against the four-time defending state champs since 2020. And on Monday, our girls tennis squad clinched a league title by sweeping all five courts against Ready, our girls golf team shot a program-record 297 to claim a sixth-straight district crown (by 44 strokes over runner-up CSG with senior Eva Lim & junior Claire Zeiger as individual co-medalists) and our Vikings beat DeSales 5-2 in girls soccer. Click on the links below for more recent highlights in our community.



• Video Tour of the New Viking Shipyard
• Lower School Fall Campout Photo Gallery
• Academy Picks 2,150 Pounds of Apples for Local Pantries
• Robin Miller Becomes All-Time Leader in Football Coaching Wins

Things to Do

During parent-teacher conferences on October 21-23, PACA’s Faculty & Staff Appreciation Committee will be filling the break rooms with grab-and-go treats, snacks and drinks made possible through PACA contributions and the generosity of our Academy families. There are several easy ways to help show faculty and staff how grateful you are for the time, energy and heart they give students each day:

• Bring a donation to PACA Connect on October 16
• Drop off donations in the bus circles on October 20
• Choose an item from our SignUpGenius
• Shop our Amazon Wish List and have items shipped directly to a Staff Appreciation Co-Chair

Clink on the links below for details on more upcoming events.

• Mid-Autumn Festival Potluck Celebration on October 3
• Upper School Fall Play Tickets Go on Sale on October 5
• Family Pride Night on October 8
• Walk the Track with Fellow Parents on October 9
• Viking Rampage Run on October 10
• Early Childhood Showcase Admissions Event on October 15
• PACA Connect Meeting on October 16
• Kids 4 Kids Food Drive Begins on October 19
• CAPSA Fall Cultural Event on October 25

A Look Back

Curious about what Columbus Academy was like 35 years ago? Watch this video from September 1991 when the school became fully coeducational. That historic day was captured by Jeff Scheiman, father of 2026 Cum Laude speaker Jamie Scheiman Reeder ’06. It’s been a hit with our alumni, who have enjoyed seeing their former classmates, teachers and coaches they may not have thought about for a very long time.

Please feel free to share feedback by replying to this email or sending a message to info@columbusacademy.org. Thank you for being a part of the Academy community!