Oakhill Celebrates the Start of the Welcome Project with Raze the Roof!

On Thursday, March 6, the Oakhill community came together to celebrate a major milestone—the start of Phase One of the Welcome Project with the demolition of the white house on NE 71st Street and Cherry Lane. This exciting change paves the way for more green space on campus, enhancing our students’ learning and play areas.

The day began with a Panther Party, where students took part in their own demolition fun! Both the Main Building and South Building housed cardboard white houses, which students decorated with their hopes, dreams, and creative ideas for the future space. Student suggestions included a grape farm, a playground for the little kids, and a small pond.

Later in the afternoon, the entire school gathered outside to watch the official demolition and celebrate this momentous occasion.

Haley Haar, Oakhill parent, attended the event to honor the memory of her late mother, Elizabeth Anderson, in place of her father, Pete Anderson. The future garden, which will serve as a lasting tribute to Elizabeth, holds special significance as she would have celebrated her birthday on the same day as the Raze the Roof event. The space will receive further dedication during the 2025 Acorn Day Celebration, as it has been selected as the primary beneficiary of Acorn Day fundraising efforts.

The project was made possible through the generous support of Josh and Brittany Perkins, along with the assistance of members of the local community, including the Gladstone Chamber of Commerce and the City of Gladstone, who were in attendance to commemorate the event.

Suzanne McCanles, head of school, took a moment to recognize key members of the community who helped make the project a reality.

“Over the years, we’ve had incredible friends of Oakhill who have played an instrumental role in helping us take this next step,” McCanles said. “We are grateful for individuals like R.D. Mallams, a former city councilman and Oakhill grandparent, who has supported us for years; Amy Harlin, president of the Gladstone Chamber, who champions community connections; and Austin Greer, assistant city manager of Gladstone, who works to ensure a bright future for this city. Their contributions, along with the generosity of our donors, make this transformation possible.”

A huge thank you to the incredible donors who helped make this project possible:

• Pete Anderson
• Corner Cafe
• Taylor and Kaylyn Clevenger
• Maureen Clever and Family
• Carl Davis
• Brad and Lisa Diven
• Terri Ferris
• Erika Graham
• Dr. Michelle Dew and Ron Gregg
• Jeff and Amy Harlin
• Chris and Jenny Henry
• Jeff Holmes and Cody Walker-Holmes
• Amy Hood
• Barry and Melinda Kadel
• Brian and Collin Lovitt
• Bob and Gola MacDonald
• Smith and Elizabeth Manion
• Kevin and Suzanne McCanles
• The Mathes Family
• Meierotto Jewelers
• Safiya Mohamed
• Maggie and Peter Newhouse
• Tan Nguyen and An Le
• The Parretta Family
• Jason Parson
• Josh and Brittany Perkins
• Don and Sharon Phillips
• Drew and Krystal Pittenger
• The Rule Family
• Elaine Scheidecker
• Robert and Susan Selby
• Josh and Shannon Smith
• Ann and Jeff Songer
• State Street Financial
• Kathy Trager
• Phillip Vollenweider and Maria Vollenweider-Díaz
• Sara and Julia Weindruch
• Jacque and Dan Weindruch
• Michael and Courteney Williamson
• Tim and Hayley Ziegler

The Welcome Project is transforming Oakhill’s campus for future generations of students, and we need your support to make it happen. Visit The Welcome Project to learn more and join us in making a lasting impact.

Visit or Donate to the Welcome Project on the Web!