Lehman-Jackson students add color to winter with murals on township plows

By Eileen Godin

egodin@timesleader.com

Olivia Williams and Claire Dougherty, sixth grade students at Lehman-Jackson Elementary School, touch up their Minion mural on a Lehman Township snow plow Monday.
https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_DP-11292015-snow-plow-LL-4.jpg.optimal.jpgOlivia Williams and Claire Dougherty, sixth grade students at Lehman-Jackson Elementary School, touch up their Minion mural on a Lehman Township snow plow Monday.

Evan Cercone, a sixth grade student at Lehman-Jackson Elementary School, paints ‘Bumble’ on a Lehman Township snowplow.
https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_DP-11292015-snow-plow-LL-1.jpg.optimal.jpgEvan Cercone, a sixth grade student at Lehman-Jackson Elementary School, paints ‘Bumble’ on a Lehman Township snowplow.

Lehman-Jackson Elementary art teacher Jill Casale stands with the sixth grade art club who painted Lehman Township snow plows. From left, first row, are Evan Cercone, Melanie Selner, Maddison Park, Tyler Wood, Olivia Williams, Claire Dougherty. Second row, Chris Lathrop, Adam Stefanowicz, Frank Ide, all members with the Lehman Township Road Department; Alvin Cragle, treasurer at Lehman Township; Dean Kreidler, Lehman Township Road Department member; and Marian DeAngelis, township secretary and office manager.
https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_DP-11292015-snow-plow-LL-2.jpg.optimal.jpgLehman-Jackson Elementary art teacher Jill Casale stands with the sixth grade art club who painted Lehman Township snow plows. From left, first row, are Evan Cercone, Melanie Selner, Maddison Park, Tyler Wood, Olivia Williams, Claire Dougherty. Second row, Chris Lathrop, Adam Stefanowicz, Frank Ide, all members with the Lehman Township Road Department; Alvin Cragle, treasurer at Lehman Township; Dean Kreidler, Lehman Township Road Department member; and Marian DeAngelis, township secretary and office manager.

Maddison Park, a sixth grade student at Lehman-Jackson Elementary School adds a patriotic feel to winter as she paints Captain America’s shield on a Lehman Township snow plow.
https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_DP-11292015-snow-plow-LL-3.jpg.optimal.jpgMaddison Park, a sixth grade student at Lehman-Jackson Elementary School adds a patriotic feel to winter as she paints Captain America’s shield on a Lehman Township snow plow.

LEHMAN TWP. — The Tasmanian Devil, Minions, Captain America and the Abominable Snowman will help remove snow from township roads this winter thanks to students at Lehman-Jackson Elementary School.

The lovable and sometimes mischievous characters were painted on Lehman Township snowplows by the sixth grade art club students at the school.

The project is a partnership between the municipality and school to showcase students’ talent and bring a splash of color to the monochrome season.

Alvin Cragle, the treasurer at Lehman Township, developed the idea for the project after reading about a community in western Pennsylvania who successfully turned the “plain Jane” yellow snowplows into colorful works of seasonal art.

Township secretary and office manager Marian DeAngelis reached out to the school to gauge the students’ interest.

The answer was a resounding “yes.”

The township provided acrylic paints. The plows were dropped off at the school the week of Nov. 16.

The Lehman Township Road Department even got into the spirit of the project by requesting their favorite characters, such as Taz and the Captain America shield, said Donald James, principal at Lehman-Jackson Elementary School.

“Students looked up pictures and sketched murals out in pencil last week,” said art teacher Jill Casale. “They spent recesses and art club time at the end of the day, working on the plows.”

Art club students Evan Cercone and partner Adrian Flores have carefully sketched out mountain peaks and above them, “Bumble,” the abominable snowman from the holiday television show, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

“Surprisingly, it was not that hard (to paint on a snow plow),” Cercone said.

When students are finished the plows will then be taken to the municipal garage for several layers of clear coat paint to protect the murals from winter’s grime.

If the harsh winter weather takes a toll on the murals, the township will enlist help from the nearby elementary school for new art for next season, Cragle said.

The project has created a stir with the student population and faculty at the school, Casale said.

“The students walk past the plows on their way in and out for recess,” she said. “They are watching the progress.”

The plow truck drivers are just as excited to check-in on the progress of the murals.

“Snowplowing is a long and tedious job, and maybe we could make someone smile,” Adam Stefanowicz, a member of the Lehman Township Road Department said. “How could you be mad at Taz for plowing in your driveway?”

Reach Eileen Godin at 570-991-6387 or on Twitter @TLNews.