Carroll County represents Maryland at the White House

Congratulations to Carroll County Public Schools art educator, Karen Trageser and her students from Manchester Valley High School! Their school and  57 other 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.   

MSDE sends a thank you to Carroll County Public Schools, Karen Trageser, and Cristina Gruss for coordinating this experience and representing our state. 

From state flowers to notable landmarks, students created ornaments that celebrate the places they call home.  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 project is funded by the NPF.  

The America Celebrates display is one of the highlights of the National Christmas Tree experience. The public is 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.  

Original Student Designs

Students working on their original designs