On Saturday, May 2, the atlas cedar, which has graced the campus for nearly a century as one of Sequoia High School’s heritage trees, was removed. 

“The atlas cedar means a lot to Sequoia High School because of its history on campus,” Administrative Vice Principal Mr. Gooch said. “It has provided shade and a place of quiet reflection, even today, for students, for many generations.”

While this type of tree can live for many centuries, typically 500 years, the one on Sequoia’s campus is estimated to be around 90-100 years old. Once the rings have been counted, the tree’s age will be confirmed. 

To honor the atlas cedar, the school is working with a dedicated parent and woodshop teacher, Ethan Sanford, to make benches and/or a table from its wood that will be placed where the tree stood. 

This was a sad announcement for many, but the tree will be immortalized on campus for years to come. Additionally, other trees will be moved around campus to make way for the construction of the new buildings.