WASHINGTON - Students from 58 schools across the nation and abroad have designed one-of-a-kind ornaments for the 2021 National Christmas Tree display on the Ellipse in President’s Park. These unique ornaments will adorn 58 smaller trees surrounding the National Christmas Tree. The trees represent each U.S. state, territory and the District of Columbia as part of the America Celebrates ornament display. Schools managed by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Education and the Department of Defense Education Activity will also participate in the display for the first time this year.
The America Celebrates ornament program is an annual collaboration of the National Park Service (NPS), the U.S. Department of Education and the National Park Foundation (NPF). The U.S. Department of Education worked with states and territories to identify elementary, middle and high schools to participate in the America Celebrates program. The project is funded by the NPF.
From state flowers to notable landmarks, students created ornaments that celebrate the places they call home. Check out the President’s Park Facebook page for more photos of ornaments.
The America Celebrates display is one of the highlights of the National Christmas Tree experience. In partnership with NPF, CBS will broadcast the 2021 ceremony on Sunday, Dec. 5 at 8:30-9:30 PM, ET/8-9 PM, PT on the CBS Television Network.
You’re invited to view the National Christmas Tree and the 58 state, district and territory trees and their ornaments up close daily from Dec. 4 through Jan. 1, 2022.
The National Christmas Tree Lighting has strong ties to education. In 1923, a letter arrived at the White House from the District of Columbia Public Schools proposing that a decorated Christmas tree be placed on the South Lawn of the White House. On Christmas Eve that year, President Calvin Coolidge walked from the Oval Office to the Ellipse and pushed a button that lit the first National Christmas Tree. It was a 48-foot balsam fir donated by Middlebury College in Vermont.
Since 1973, the National Christmas Tree has been a living tree which can be viewed year-round in President’s Park - one of America’s 423 national parks! Ahead of the holiday season, the NPS planted a new National Christmas Tree. The new tree is a 27-foot white fir (Abies Concolor) from Middleburg, Pa. The new National Christmas Tree will be lit for the first time on Dec. 2 during the 99th National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony.
Stay tuned to learn more about this year’s event! For more event information and updates, please visit www.thenationaltree.org and follow President’s Park on Facebook or Twitter.
58 schools designed ornaments for the 2021 National Christmas Tree display in President’s Park:
Alabama
McAdory High School
Alaska
Ayaprun Elitnaurvik/Chinook Elementary
American Samoa
Manulele Tausala Elementary School
Arizona
Nogales High School
Arkansas
Virtual Arkansas
California
Thousand Oaks Elementary
Colorado
Merino Schools
Connecticut
Andover Elementary School
Delaware
Laurel Middle School
District of Columbia
Eastern High School
Florida
Osceola High School
Georgia
Sequoyah Middle School
Guam
Academy of Our Lady of Guam
Hawaii
President William McKinley High School
Idaho
Idaho Arts Charter School
Illinois
Betty Shabazz International Charter School
Indiana
Danville North Elementary
Iowa
Johnston High School
Kansas
Blue Valley and Most Pure Heart of Mary
Kentucky
Marion County High School
Louisiana
Washington Marion Magnet High School
Maine
Bangor High School
Maryland
Manchester Valley High School
Massachusetts
St. John Paul II Catholic Academy
Michigan
Benton Harbor Area Schools
Minnesota
St. Alphonsus Catholic School
Mississippi
Ida B. Wells Academic & Performing Arts Complex
Missouri
Owensville High School
Montana
Arlee High School
Nebraska
Cody Elementary School
Nevada
Ferron Elementary School
New Hampshire
Rundlett Middle School
New Jersey
Durban Avenue Elementary School
New Mexico
New Mexico School for the Arts
New York
Marlboro High School
North Carolina
Alleghany High School
North Dakota
Sheyenne High School
Northern Mariana Islands
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Public School System
Ohio
Shawnee Local Schools
Oklahoma
Glenpool High School
Oregon
Oregon School for the Deaf
Pennsylvania
George W. Nebinger School
Puerto Rico
Escuela Dr. Francisco Hernández y Gaetán
Rhode Island
Mary E. Fogarty Elementary
South Carolina
Inman Elementary School
South Dakota
Tri-Valley High School
Tennessee
West Middle School
Texas
Caldwell Arts Academy
U.S. Virgin Islands
St. Croix Educational Complex
Utah
Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind
Vermont
Colchester High School
Virginia
Binford Middle School
Washington
Harmony Elementary School
West Virginia
Robert L. Bland Middle School
Wisconsin
Highland Community Schools
Wyoming
Eastside Elementary School
Bureau of Indian Education
Pine Springs Day School (Arizona), Cheyenne-Eagle Butte School (South Dakota), Lac Court Orielles Ojibwe School (Wisconsin)
Department of Defense Education Activity
Vogelweh Elementary School (Kaiserslautern, Germany), Humphreys High School (Camp Humphreys, Republic of Korea), and Ramey Unit School (Aguadilla, Puerto Rico)
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
