GREENVILLE – This year’s St. Mary’s Spring Spectacular features a variety of talent from the school’s student body and staff – even some alumni.
The annual event, says volunteer art teacher Sherry Myers, provides an opportunity to showcase work created by students, not only through her art classes, but also projects completed for their regular classroom studies.
Every other year, a special theme is chosen to highlight the school’s creative talent. This year, Myers said, the theme “pays tribute to the country’s military men and women.”
On Monday evening April 29, the school hosted it’s Spring Spectacular open house, with parents, family members and some community members taking time to walk the halls and visit classrooms to view art and project displays, as well as enjoy musical selections presented by students.
“This year’s Spring Spectacular is a tribute to our service men and women and includes work by students competed in social studies, religion, music, art, and science fair projects,” Myers said. “We work on the projects all year long.”
The displays feature a wide selection or art mediums, as well – sketches, paintings, clay sculptures, models made from toothpicks, pencils and wooden sticks – just to name a few.
Every branch of the service is represented, as well.
Students chose their military projects, then competed research, which included preparing fact cards to go on display with their piece of art or display.
Eighth-grader Mariah Kreusch completed several projects, including a clay design of a military medal – which through her research she discovered was a design never approved by the U.S. military.
The medal, she said, was submitted for approval prior to 1971.
“It was a declined design,” Kreusch said, and if it had been accepted would have been presented to military personnel for “distinguished warfare.”
Kreusch, who will be a freshman at Arcanum next school year, said she would like to study art after high school. She also completed a colored pencil American flag as part of her in-class sketch project, among other pieces.
Honoring military personnel for their Spring Spectacular, Kreusch said, offered students a “lot of different branches of art that you can go out to. You can do a lot of projects with it.”
One large project included a replica of the iconic Iwo Jima statue, which was designed by Myers and completed by St. Mary’s staff.
Myers is working on finding a home for the Iwo Jima piece – which is currently on display along with a Washington Monument, the Statue of Liberty and other military or U.S.-related historical monuments at the school through Friday of this week.
Other special themed Spring Spectacular events have highlighted Dr. Seuss, Mary, and the oceans, just to name a few.
When asked where she comes up with the ideas, Myer replied “From the really scary part of my brain, so Mr. (Vern) Rosenbeck (principal) says.”
St. Mary’s will be open for tours of the Spring Spectacular all week, preferably between the hours of 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.
“But we can do a little later if needed,” Myers said. “We welcome groups. Just call the school office at 548-2345 for a time slot.
