A Beautiful Celebration Together
A Beautiful Celebration Together
Oak Grove School’s 50th Anniversary weekend was more than a milestone celebration. It was a living expression of the community that has shaped this school for five decades, a gathering filled with shared memories, reconnection, laughter, music, reflection, and joy.
The weekend itself began long before guests arrived on campus. More than two years ago, the Oak Grove School Board formed a planning committee comprising representatives from across the generations of our school’s history, including alumni, current and former parents, faculty, staff, and community members. From the start, one idea guided the conversations: this celebration should be about connection.
And it certainly was.
Saturday’s daytime celebration brought the campus fully to life, drawing nearly 400 guests. Alumni, current and former families, students, staff, and friends returned to Oak Grove to celebrate 50 years of our beloved school. From face painting and art projects in the meadow to conversations beneath the oaks, from open classrooms and musical performances to a historical gallery in Main House, every corner of campus seemed alive with warmth and presence.
One of the most beautiful aspects of the weekend was how generations came together naturally and effortlessly. Alumni reconnected with former teachers and classmates, and young children played alongside graduates returning to campus with their families. Again and again, we heard reflections on the lasting impact Oak Grove has had on its graduates’ lives, not only academically but also in how they learned to relate to themselves, others, and the world around them.
Saturday evening’s Farm Dinner carried that same spirit into the night, as more than 400 guests gathered at the beautiful Dautch Family Farm. Under string lights and open skies, the community came together for live music, dancing, conversation, and a family-style meal. Head Chef Julia San Bartolome baked a giant three-tiered birthday cake for the occasion, a joyful centerpiece honoring Oak Grove’s 50th year. A “living stage,” made from materials foraged from campus and designed and built by Karen Hesli and volunteers, was on display, along with a giant papier-mâché bell, an homage to the iconic metal bell still in use at Oak Grove today. Joy was woven throughout the evening, carried by the golden light, the gentle weather, the farm’s beauty, and the warmth of our community gathered in celebration.
Sunday morning offered an opportunity to return to campus to reflect and connect, whether by hiking to the Saddle for a hilltop concert, listening to a recording of a Krishnamurti talk in the Grove, or meditating quietly in the Reflective Classroom. Perhaps the most moving moment of the weekend came during the time capsule ceremony. Students wrote heartfelt letters to Oak Grove, filled with honesty, humor, gratitude, wonder, and hope. Those letters were sealed in airtight envelopes and placed in a time capsule beneath a newly planted tree, where they will remain until they are reopened in 2051. There is something deeply meaningful about imagining future generations hearing the voices of today’s students, speaking across time, and sharing what it meant to grow, learn, and flower at Oak Grove in this moment.
Anniversaries naturally invite reflection, but this weekend also reminded us that Oak Grove is not simply a place rooted in the past. It is a living community continually renewed through the care, attention, and participation of the people who gather here.
To everyone who attended, volunteered, performed, organized, supported, traveled long distances, shared memories, or simply spent time together on campus this weekend, thank you. Your presence helped make this celebration incredibly special.
Oak Grove’s story continues because of the people who care for it, and this weekend was a beautiful reminder of the community that carries that story forward.
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Thank you to the remarkable Class of 2026! We love you! Congratulations ❤️🎉🎶 🎓
#classof2026 #alumni #highschoolgraduation #theartoflivingandlearning #50yearsofoakgrove #amazinghumans #oakgroveschoolojai
Thanks for a wonderful school year! Happy summer! 🦎😎🎉🙏
#50yearsofoakgrove #theartoflivingandlearning #lastdayofschool #oakgroveschoolojai
A few spots left for our upcoming Summer Chess Camp, Preschool Camp, Acting, Doll Clothing Making, and more. ☀️ Details & Sign Up ( linktree in bio) :
https://oakgroveschool.org/summer
#summercamp #happysummer #creativity #fun #prekthru12 #oakgroveschoolojai #50yearsofoakgrove #theartoflivingandlearning
To all of our students, alumni, parents, friends, and neighbors who joined us to celebrate 50 years of Oak Grove School, thank you.
It was a weekend filled with music, hugs, dancing, laughter, stories, and memories. Most of all, it was a beautiful reminder of the people and joy that have shaped our school across generations.
Thank you for being part of this remarkable community, and for helping us celebrate 50 years of living and learning together.
