BARKER — Sometime in the near future, a student-created sculpture will be placed in front of Barker High School to welcome all visitors.
What that sculpture will be is up to the Barker community. Residents within the Barker School District can choose from four different creations, made by students Tim Flanagan, Dilan Chrysafides, Shannon Mangan and Alex Rasmussen in teacher Melissa Bowman’s college portfolio art class. The creations were a part of a project Bowman heard about called “Sculpting our Community.”
“I took a graduate class last year,” she said. “It focuses on art in the community.”
Sculpting Our Community allowed Bowman’s art students to meet local professional sculptor Simon Griffis. Griffis’ father, Larry, founded Griffis Sculpture Park in Ashford Hollow, which the students were able to visit earlier in the year. Students were able to see sculpting up close and learn some ways to sculpt their own creations. Griffis will also work with the students.
“They got to see the studio,” Bowman said. “They also were able to learn the business end. Not only did they design it, but they learned to sell their project.”
The goal of the project was to create a sculpture that will remain as a permanent welcoming piece for the Barker school and community. In order to pick which of the four will represent Barker as that piece, the community will vote. Students will have the opportunity to vote at school, while Barker school staff, faculty and community members will have an opportunity to vote online at the district’s Web site, www.barkercsd.net. On the site are views of the sculptures from different angles, as well as voting instructions. Ballots will also be available at The Barker Store, 8671 Main Street or Pizza Wings and Things, 1693 Quaker Road in Barker.
Having a sculpture wouldn’t just welcome people to the school but would also recognize programs such as the arts.
“The arts are strong and a lot of schools have similar structures,” Bowman said. “This has an opportunity to last forever.”
The voting began last week and is off to a good start, Bowman added.
The winning sculpture, which the district is hoping to be completed by the end of the school year, will be placed in front of the Herbert F. Ludwig Auditorium at Barker High School on Quaker Road. Upon completion there will be an unveiling ceremony where the school, community and sponsors will be invited to attend.
After about four or five sketches, each student created an original design as a proposal for the final sculpture piece. The designs were then made from cardboard to see if they could stand on their own, as well as seeing what shadows the sculptures would cast. Then came the welding and plasma cutting to turn steel into the student’s designs. The whole process started back in February.
“They also had to learn to stay within a budget,” Bowman said. “Dilan had a great design, but it cost five times as much as the others.”
The students enjoyed the whole process, even though they had little experience with such a project.
“It was awesome, a fun time,” Flanagan said.
“Usually we paint or draw, it was cool to see it as a piece and not in 2-D,” Mangan said.
Bowman said community sponsors have provided donations in order to make the project successful. They include Gordie Harper’s Bazaar, Parco Building Systems, Pizza Wings and Things, The Barker Store, Rutland-Corwin Funeral Home, Roberts Roofing and Siding, Hy-Tech Concrete, AES, Shoreline Fruit, Pusateri and Fitzgerald Law Firm, the offices of Potempa, Dick, and Riad, Newfane General Contracting, HSBC and Ontario Shores.
Fundraising is still a work in progress, any other businesses or individuals who would like to contribute are asked to contact Bowman at Barker High School, 795-3201, extension 5182.
Contact reporter Joe Olenick at 439-9222, ext. 6241.
Barker
Related Photos
SCHOOLS: Barker High School holds sculpture balloting
-
-
Barker looks to fill positions
There are two open positions in the Barker School District, although one of them is shared with Wilson.
-
Bully busting
The kids who packed Barker High School’s Herbert F. Ludwig auditorium sure know who Ron Bachman is.
The well-known national speaker visited Barker schools last week for his 2011-12 Walk This Way tour. Bachman visits schools and organizations across the country talking about overcoming adversity, accepting others and how hurtful bullying can be. -
Graduation celebration
Overcoming challenges and numerous accomplishments is what the graduating Class of 2011 is all about.
The newest crop of local graduates has done it all, from winning athletic championships to earning millions in scholarships, to providing community service such as building homes for the needy. Some members of this class will have very bright futures, as students will attend schools such as Yale, Michigan State, Ohio State and the Rochester Institute of Technology. -
Barker grads familiar to success
Larissa St. Louis and Alexandra Gancasz have had quite the high school experience. And now they’ll top it off by being named the top two students in Barker High School’s graduating class of 2011.
-
Connection?
Lowell C. McAdam, once a janitor while a student at Barker High School, is the president and chief operating officer of Verizon Communications Inc.
McAdam, 56, will be the principal speaker at the Barker High School graduation on June 25, Superintendent Roger J. Klatt disclosed. -
Barker residents speak out against merger
If Monday night’s public forum was any indication, Barker residents are overwhelmingly against merging with the Lyndonville School District.
-
Barker-Lyndonville merger panel is sought
The school districts of Barker and Lyndonville are looking for community members to sit on an advisory committee for a study on the proposed merger between the districts.
-
Barker, Starpoint adopt new budgets
Two local districts have adopted budgets for the 2010-11 school year and will hold public hearings next month on the spending plans.
-
Barker, Lyndonville explore idea of being one district
Merging the Barker and Lyndonville school districts has been talked about in the past. This time, there’s more than talk. Barker has a $36,000 grant that will be used to hire a consultant team for a merger/consolidation study.
- SOMERSET: Town, Barker school boards want to more forward with AES The AES power plant and the taxes it pays were the big topic as the Somerset Town Board and the Barker School Board searched for common ground in a three-hour executive session at town hall Wednesday.
- More Barker Headlines
-
Barker looks to fill positions
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Nevada Highway Patrol, City Settle Beating Case
Homs Bombardment Continues, Global Outcry Grows
Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
