ACEE members work on a mural.
July 2002
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Service Project, Sims Elementary
If you visit Sims Elementary school, you may notice that the playground is a little brighter these days thanks to AmeriCorps for Community Engagement and Education members and Sims Elementary students. On October 21, 2001, ACEE members and five fifth-grade students gathered in the Sims cafeteria for the Alphabet Mural Project. Members and students worked together to make the alphabet come to life on eight 4 x 4 wooden panels.
The ACEE Community Service Project Committee organized the mural project to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr., Day. The goals of the project were to involve students in community service and to beautify an area of the school grounds where the children play.
"It was wonderful to see the children so excited about the project," said ACEE member Andrew Hannigan."Everyone came together with different ideas and different levels of artistic ability to work hard and have fun. We were all proud at the end of the day about what we had accomplished together."
Hannigan helped to lead the project with ACEE supervisor Ruth Becker. Sims faculty member Bette Wiesler helped to coordinate student involvement in the project. ACEE member Nancy Park helped supply refreshments and member Lewis Thomas used his manpower to transport the wooden panels to Sims elementary.
—Laurie McLaughlin, full-time ACEE member