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Kenton Ridge alums who painted ceiling tiles can pick up their piece of art history

Makayla Noble, a 2019 graduate of Kenton Ridge High School, looks at the art room ceiling tile that her mother painted before she graduated from the school in 1992 during the "One Last Look" open house Tuesday, May 9, 2023. The community was invited to tour Kenton Ridge High School as well as Northridge Middle/Elementary School and Rolling Hill Elementary School to reminisce before the school buildings are closed at the end of the school year. Kenton Ridge schools will be moving to a new preschool - 12 school building in the fall. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

Makayla Noble, a 2019 graduate of Kenton Ridge High School, looks at the art room ceiling tile that her mother painted before she graduated from the school in 1992 during the "One Last Look" open house Tuesday, May 9, 2023. The community was invited to tour Kenton Ridge High School as well as Northridge Middle/Elementary School and Rolling Hill Elementary School to reminisce before the school buildings are closed at the end of the school year. Kenton Ridge schools will be moving to a new preschool - 12 school building in the fall. BILL LACKEY/STAFF
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May 16, 2023
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For decades, Kenton Ridge High School students have painted ceiling tiles in art class that remain on display. Now, as the move to a new school building nears, alumni have a chance to preserve that artwork.

“Incoming students love the atmosphere they create on top of the history and talent they display. The tiles have always been the talk of the art students and community members who visit the school and have brought excitement and motivation for students continuing to the upper-level art courses,” said art teacher Melissa Sherrock.

The exact date when the ceiling tile art projects started is not known, but they are believed to date back to at least 1985.

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The art tiles started with Russ Williman and Mike Bowers when they were teaching together at Kenton Ridge High School. The tiles then continued to be created as a senior art project, even after the two teachers retired and Angela Dettwiller took over the advanced art classes.

The district also called out to all alumni “who left their creative mark on the school’s ceiling tiles in art class” on its Facebook page.

“Don’t let your masterpiece be lost forever,” the post stated. “Your artwork deserves to be preserved.”

Any Kenton Ridge art class alums who have painted a ceiling tile and would like to keep their work can email Sherrock at melissasherrock@nelsd.org to schedule a time to pick up their tile during school hours or make other arrangements.

Tiles can be picked up until Friday, June 2.

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Brooke Spurlock covers education, crime and more in Clark and Champaign counties as a reporter for the Springfield News-Sun. She has been a writer for over six years, which includes her previous work as a breaking news desk investigator. Spurlock has her bachelor's in mass communications with a minor in psychology and her associates in paralegal.