“What an honor.” KCSA chosen to represent Alaska at National Christmas Tree in Washington D.C.

At our nation’s capital, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas as the National Christmas tree is aglow with decorations and lights on the White House lawn. And standing alongside it are trees from every state are Christmas trees representing each of the 50 states, District of Columbia, and territories, all part of a display called ‘American Celebrates.’

The ornaments adorning the trees are created by students who have dedicated their talents to designing symbolizing their states. Students from select schools in each state created ornaments to hang on their state’s fir tree to make each one feel a little like home, showing pride in the state’s history and culture.

Here in Alaska, the King’s Christian School Alaska (KCSA), located in Wasilla, was selected to represent Alaska, with students creating what they think represents Alaska for the world to see.

“What an honor it was, and what fun for the kids,” says Principal Susan McKenzie.

What makes the selection even more meaningful for her and her students is that the school has only been open for two years. At that time, the school was just Pre-K through third grade, and were just opening up classrooms for students up into the 8th grade. McKenzie said she was surprised to learn someone had nominated KCSA to decorate the tree, and even more so when the school was selected.

“It was just incredible to have our school chosen to make ornaments to represent Alaska.”

The ornaments had to be submitted back in June, a far cry from the wintery months that bring to life the holiday season, but McKenzie said the staff hosted an ornament party and was able to have the students and their parents come together and create the ornaments before sending them to Washington D.C.

McKenzie said they were asked to submit 15 different ornaments, and while there were specifications that needed to be followed, the students were free to use their imaginations and weren’t limited in what they could use to bring their vision to life. She said the students were able to use different forms of media—watercolor, oil pastels, tissue paper, etc—to bring to life what they felt Alaska means to them.

“What we did was come up things the kids liked about Alaska. Snow machining, the mountains, the midnight sun, or some of the animals.”

Some ornaments represented Alaskan wildlife, with drawings of bears, moose, and salmon, like Abby Miller, who used markers, pastels, and paints to create her ornament of a bear eating a salmon in a creek. “I think this is something beautiful in Alaska,” she wrote.

Other students depicted everyday items Alaskans see and use like fireweed and rain boots, and others took to the sky for inspiration. Jedidiah Smith made an ornament showing the Big Dipper, writing that he loves looking up at the night sky and seeing the stars. “The handle of the Big Dipper points north so you don’t get lost at night.”

In addition to the ornaments, students were also asked to write a few sentences (or have their parents help) about what inspired their ornament, how they made it, and the experience in creating their ornaments.

Emma Peck created her ornament using oil pastels and crayon, depicteing a lone cabin near some mountains, inspired by her family’s history. “I was inspired by the beautiful mountains and my family’s cabin. My family’s cabin was an original homestead in the Mat-Su Valley,” she wrote.

McKenzie said that everyone was excited at the opportunity “We had so much parent participation in the art project. I think every student had at least one parent with them helping them, supervising them. It was so much fun.”

In addition to having ornaments at the White House, McKenzie says the students are gearing up for their upcoming annual Christmas Program on December 14 at 6:00 p.m. All are invited to attend.

“Bring your family, invite your friends, and come experience a beautiful evening filled with hope and the light of Jesus with all our KCSA families.”

To view all of the ornaments the students made, please visit www.thenationaltree.org/ornaments or swing by the KCSA office to see the display in person.

To learn more about KCSA, please visit www.kcsa.school/ or visit their Facebook page.