The "An Inspirational Teacher Of The Arts" Story

The Grant Certificate for the "Stained Glass Mosaic"

It was an ordinary day.  Talking with Kelly about the four beautiful stained glass windows in the Landis Run Intermed- iate School (LRIS) cafeteria that I just took photos of a few minutes ago.  The idea of the windows began over a year ago when 5th grade art teacher Kelly McCart decided to try something rather unusual with her incoming 2016-2017 art classes.  She petitioned the Manheim Township Education Foundation for funds for four mosaic stained glass windows that were to be placed in the LRIS cafeteria for all students, teachers and visitors to the school to see and enjoy.  

Students work on one of the windows. A
piece of plexiglas was placed over the
design and then broken pieces of stained
glass were glued in place.

Each mosaic would be based on the environment and nature found around the school.  She was awarded the grant and began to question the students as to what should be on the mosaic stained glass windows.  The students chose the Pennsylvania State Bird (ruffed grouse), the Pennsylvania State Tree & Flower (hemlock and mountain laurel), the Pennsylvania State Animal (white-tailed deer) and the Pennsylvania State Fish (brook trout).  After deciding on the size of the windows, Kelly drew the full size plans for the windows.  The grant was used to purchase the pieces of plexiglas to which the stained glass would be attached, the stained glass and other needed supplies and the project began.  She decided that students in the Art and Envirothon Club would do the cutting, gluing and creating of the four stained glass mosaics.  

This panel shows the State Tree and
the State flower.  After all glass has
been attached, grout filled the vacant
areas around the glass.  Much of the
glass I donated was used on this panel.

During one of my visits to the school to take candid candids for the school yearbook I saw what Kelly and her students were doing and asked if they needed more stained glass.  I told her I used to do quite a bit of stained glass work, but the strain on my hands was too much and I had to stop.  Told her I have quite a few boxes of scraps as well as a few full sheets of a variety of colors of stained glass and she was welcome to them.  Wasn't long before I made a delivery to the school and was given the promise that I would be included in the project as it progressed.  Made visits as the project progressed and took photos that I eventually used in the school yearbook.  And, finally the finished results now hang in the cafeteria for all to view.  They look great and Kelly deserves a big Thank You from the school district for her effort to make students more aware of the arts as well as the environment.  Anxious to see what she tries next!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS - remember to click on photographs to enlarge them.

The framed White-tailed Deer

The framed Brook Trout

The framed Mountain Laurel and Hemlock tree. 

The framed Ruffed Grouse.