Seneca Valley students paint snowplows; one has Penguins logo
-
Art teacher Mary Jane Hadley, center, supervises paint distribution as her fourth-grade art students at Rowan Elementary School put the final touches on their class project, painting three Cranberry snowplow blades with designs voted on by students at the school. Rowan Elementary is in the Seneca Valley School District.
Share with others:
Here's one for ya: How many fourth-grade boys can you squeeze on the top of a snowplow blade?
The answer? Eleven. As long as it's the one they just freshly painted with a Penguins logo and a big Stanley Cup.
The hockey design, created by their classmate, 10-year-old Chris Lipnicky, of Seven Fields, is good luck, agreed the boys from Rowan Elementary in Cranberry.
"[The Penguins] are going to win," one of the boys said as others cheered.
The boys, along with dozens of other Rowan fourth-graders, just finished painting three snowplow blades for Cranberry.
Students at Haine Elementary, also in the township, are painting four blades, said Jason Dailey, Cranberry's director of public works.
Rowan art teacher Mary Jane Hadley said the township approached her in April about having the children paint the blades. She then asked students to come up with designs. She picked 18 finalists and hung their designs in the cafeteria so other students could cast votes for their favorites.
The results are sitting in the grass near the end of Rowan's parking lot. In addition to the hockey design, the children chose two other designs that reflect pride in Seneca Valley.
One blade now contains the letters "SV" surrounded by a large heart painted in the school colors, black and blue.
The third blade contains an arrowhead with the district's American Indian mascot inside. It simply states, "Raider pride."
"This was really fun because you got to see how the other fourth-grade students designed these," said 10-year-old Danielle Milich.
Madison Rush, who helped design the Raider Pride blade, said she was happy with how it turned out.
"I think it looks really good," the 10-year-old said.
Mr. Dailey said having the children paint the blades accomplishes two very important things.
"This allows us to showcase our profession and their talents," Mr. Dailey said.
The township, which provided painting supplies to the schools as needed, will coat the blades with polyurethane to preserve the images, Mr. Dailey said.
In July, the township will display the seven newly painted blades during Cranberry's annual Community Days celebration.
Ms. Hadley said she hopes the Penguins win the Stanley Cup so she can add a "2009" to the hockey blade.
Chris, who created that design, is worried about something much more certain: Winter.
"I just hope it doesn't get ruined," he said .
First Published June 4, 2009 12:00 am
