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When teachers at Liberty Elementary School return to their building in a year, there will be a reminder of the students that once filled the classrooms of the old building.

This summer, a major renovation project will begin, and when it is complete, mosaic artwork from students will appear permanently within the structure.

"It's a way for a lot of people to work on something and put one piece on," said artist in residence Suzanne Fisher. "It's a great opportunity for a community to come together."

Fisher spent a week in the school teaching students the process of creating mosaics. When finished, students will be able to see and touch their handiwork.

"I think it's fantastic," Fisher said. "I'm really excited with the way these have come together."

Students started the project

by designing geometric patterns. They brought in old dishes and pottery and learned to break it up into small pieces and form a design.

"I liked when we smashed up the broken tiles or glass, because it's fun," said first-grader Anna Nelson, 6.

Classmate Brooke Rayburn, 7, said the whole project was fun, but she was proud of a particular piece on which she worked.

"The sunshine was kind of hard, because you had to make it go kind of like a puzzle," she said.

After class Wednesday, volunteers from the Parent Teacher Association helped cut and place extra tiles on the designs.

"They're not old enough yet to know this will be here when their kids are here," said parent Donna Noll, who went to Union Elementary as a child. "It's going to be something that's here for our kids' kids."

Contact this reporter at (513) 755-5067 or lhilty@coxohio.com.

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