The Hope Garden - a place to remember, reflect and find hope

There are many places at Upper Arlington High School where students learn, compete, create and connect. Now, there is also a place dedicated to remembering.

The Hope Garden, located just south of Marv Moorehead Stadium, was dedicated Sept. 4 in a gathering of family, friends, students, staff and community members. Created to honor Upper Arlington students who have passed away during their time in the district, the garden offers a quiet space for reflection, remembrance and connection.

The garden was inspired by the life of Sam Short, a member of the Class of 2024 who passed away in April of his senior year. Sam's parents, Mike and Tori Short, envisioned a place that would honor their son while also remembering other Upper Arlington students who passed away during their time in Upper Arlington Schools. Plaques throughout the garden carry the names of those students.

At the dedication, Superintendent Robert Hunt, Ph.D., reflected on what the Hope Garden adds to the Upper Arlington High School community — a space with a purpose unlike any other on the campus.

“If you look around our district today, you will find we have lots of classrooms for learning, we have science labs for experimenting, we have libraries for reading, stages for performing and sports fields for competing,” Hunt said. “And now… we also have a very special place for remembering and honoring our own.”

The garden was made possible through hundreds of gifts to the Upper Arlington Education Foundation from individuals, families, PTOs and community organizations. 

“We all experience loss. We all experience moments of sadness that we don't know how to navigate,” said Alice Finley, executive director of the Upper Arlington Education Foundation. “The Hope Garden reminds our children that they don't have to navigate those moments alone.”

For the Short family, the garden offers a way to carry Sam's memory forward while creating a place of comfort for others. Tori and Mike Short and their three children shared reflections during the dedication on Sam and the significance of seeing his memory become part of a space that will serve generations of Upper Arlington students.

The Hope Garden now stands as a peaceful place to pause, remember and connect — and a lasting reminder that the lives of these students remain part of the Upper Arlington community.

To learn more about the Hope Garden, please visit uaeducationfoundation.com.