As students at Schlarman Academy North pass through the foyer of the original mansion on campus this year they are greeted with a special sight: photos of themselves hung delicately in ornaments on the tree.
“Some students have had a rough couple of years,” said Jen O’Brien, Advancement Team Leader at Schlarman Academy North, who sees the tree as an opportunity to give them some joy this holiday season.
“They stop and they’re like, ‘Oh I want to find my face!’” O’Brien said. “It’s very rewarding seeing the kids with their flashlights looking for their faces.”
With a recent changeover in principal — retired Danville High School principal Tracy Cherry is currently serving as interim principal, replacing Barb Rew, who moved back into a teaching role at the school — as well as the October death of David Ryan, a religion teacher, the team thought students could use some cheering up.
“The students insisted we put [Ryan’s] portrait up toward the top of the tree,” O’Brien said, pointing to an ornament hanging from a bough at the very top of the eight-foot tree.
The tree of portraits was first assembled around 2008 or 2009 as a way to give students at the North campus (7th – 12th grade) something special to enjoy, as students at the South campus (preschool – 6th grade) assemble a Jesse Tree each year, which depicts Jesus family tree and the events leading up to his birth.
“We felt the North campus students needed a tree as well,” O’Brien said. Though the tradition only started up again this year, the advancement team plans to continue it into the future, she said.
“Our goal is to make sure that every staff member and student felt appreciated during the holiday season, so we decided to spotlight them to bring a little joy into their lives,” O’Brien said, adding that she hopes seeing their portraits on the tree will provide each student with a “source of comfort and joy, bringing a sense of peace to their lives.”