K to 12: Juanita Seniors Return to Sandburg Elementary to Donate Art

The nine learning pods created during the recent modernization of Kirkland’s Sandburg Elementary/Discovery Community School will each soon be graced with original artwork created by two Juanita High seniors -- who met and became best friends as first-graders at Sandburg.

The nine paintings, each inscribed with an inspirational quotation -- including one by Carl Sandburg -- were unveiled and dedicated Wednesday in the schools’ library. They were created by Jessa Morissey and Sierra Sherrell for their senior project at Juanita.

“We’re here to celebrate this wonderful vision and, we’re sure, be inspired,” Principal Heather Frazier said during the ceremony.

Jessa explained that while pondering what to do for her “culminating project” her mother, who is a first-grade teacher at Sandburg, suggested something for the new structure.

The two schools share the campus and a 55,300-square foot energy efficient building, built beginning in 2011 during an $18 million modernization project completed in late 2012.

The best friends put their heads together and came up with the art project, which Sandburg staff wholeheartedly approved.

“It’s fantastic,” Frazier said after the unveiling. “We took the idea to the staff and said, ‘This is an opportunity, what do you want to do as a staff?’ And they said “We want it.’ (Sierra and Jessa) did a nice job of letting the staff be involved.”

Sierra said the pair came up with two thumbnail sketches for each of the nine works, as well as a list of inspirational quotes. Staff selected their favorite designs and quotes. The girls spent about 60 hours creating the paintings.

“I am extremely proud of both of them,” said Jodi Sherrell, Sierra’s mother. “It was a bit of a challenge since most of the work was done in my kitchen!”

The nine paintings will be hung at the entrances to each of the schools’ nine pods: grades kindergarten through fifth, the Discovery School and the library and music rooms.

And the two seniors? This fall both are bound for Cheney, Wash., and Eastern Washington University.