December 02, 2024 — Clinton Elementary School had a day of celebration to commemorate the student artwork selected to adorn a City of Columbus snowplow. Mayor Andrew Ginther and the Department of Public Service visited the school to commend the students’ efforts. Columbus City Schools leaders and teachers, including Region Four Area Superintendent Dr. Keith Harris and Principal Jesse McKown, joined the celebration to congratulate the students on their dedication to this community service initiative.
"This event today highlights the incredible work happening at Clinton Elementary School, a five-star school on the State Report Card,” said Dr. Harris. “The ‘Paint the Plow’ project beautifully combines art, imagination, and safety, showing how we come together to support one another. We are deeply grateful to the students for their creativity and to the City of Columbus for this unique opportunity.”
For over six weeks, Clinton Elementary art teacher Sarah Rough guided the students in creating a “bouquet” design for the plow. Each painted flower on the plow represented an individual student, symbolizing the diversity and unity within the school community. This collaborative project allowed students to express their creativity while embracing individuality.
“Clinton students were excited to have the opportunity to make their mark on the city with this ‘Paint the Plow’ project,” said Rough. “The students were invited to add their own unique blossom to the plow during their recess time, and worked with me to explore this new material. We are glad to send this bright, colorful bouquet of blossoms out into the city to do good work, just like our Clinton students.”
The partnership between the City of Columbus and Columbus City Schools demonstrates the positive impact of community collaboration across the District. The Paint the Plow program provides students with platforms to showcase their talents while engaging with the broader community. By participating in the “Paint the Plow” program, students enhance their artistic skills and contribute to public service efforts.
“[With “Paint the Plow”] we successfully met the second component of our school's vision," said McKown. “[‘Paint the Plow’] is ensuring that every student at Clinton participates in a grade level community service project. Our students care about Global Empathy and taking care of the community in which we live.”
Columbus City Schools (CCS) is excited to see student artwork hitting Columbus roads and traveling over 5,000 miles of roadways, including 217 bridges. Through the "Paint the Plow" program, students can see their creations displayed on city streets. Partnering with the City of Columbus and The Ohio Department of Transportation, schools across the district have contributed vibrant, one of a kind designs that highlight our students' incredible creativity and talent. CCS takes pride in the efforts of all participating schools, including Clinton Elementary, and looks forward to the exciting achievements that will unfold as students continue to Dream Big and Achieve More this school year.
