The Crystal Spring Elementary School Plow is one of 12 on display in front of the Roanoke Civic Center.
The Crystal Spring Elementary School Plow is one of 12 on display in front of the Roanoke Civic Center.
The city’s Department of Public Works, Roanoke Arts Commission, and Roanoke City Public Schools (RCPS) have collaborated to broaden the scope of RCPS student art projects. Fresh with a coat of base paint, a dozen city snowplows were delivered to 12 city schools for students to create memorable works of art.
Inspired by an article in the February 2013 American Public Works Association trade magazine, Public Works staff contacted Susan Jennings, the city’s Arts and Culture Coordinator, to gauge interest in the project. In short order, RCPS Fine Arts Coordinator, Cari Gates, had interest from art teachers and principals at the following 12 schools: • William Fleming High School • Forest Park Academy • Woodrow Wilson Middle School • James Madison Middiddle School • Highland Park Elementary School • Grandandin Court Elementary School • Garden City Elementary Scchool • Morningside Elementary School • Crystal Spripring Elementary School • Roanoke Academy of Math & Sciennce • Fallon Park Elementary School • Breckinridge Middle School.
So that students would be more likely to see the plow they painted during this winter’s snow removal operations, the “Snow Zone” of each school was used to determine the individual snow plow they received to paint. Students painted their works of art during the month of September and plows are currently enroute to the city’s Facilities Management Division for a coat of clear paint to help protect the students’ artwork during the rigors of clearing snow.
The Artistic Snow Plows are now on public display in front of the Roanoke Civic Center. In addition, the public is invited to go online to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/rcps_snow_plows to vote for their favorite Artistic Snow Plow. Each participating school will receive a Certificate of Appreciation plaque and the school with the most votes will receive a People’s Choice award.
For more information, contact Justin McLeod, Coordinator, RCPS Community Relations Department, at 853-2816.
