On September 16, 2010, Averill Elementary School held their back to school open house for parents to meet their students' teachers.  Volunteers from University Baptist Church of East Lansing and Averill Woods Neighborhood Association helped with the event.

The volunteers from the University Baptist Church of East Lansing had the honor of putting the very last pieces of the puzzle together the week before the open house. 

This is the completed artwork before the frame was built and installed but still taking up the entire table in the staff lunch room!

The completed art mosaic was unveiled at the Averill Elementary School open house on September 16, 2010.  Several of the teachers and neighbors who worked on the project were on hand to celebrate the reveal and to represent the many other volunteers who worked on this piece over the past year.

We send special thanks to 2/3 grade teacher Ann Wesley and art teacher Ron Krauss for their superb design work; neighbor Bill Kingsbury for the magnificent frame; and to Lansing School District maintenance super stars for the installation of the 250 pound mosaic that required many special touches and fine tuning.

We also acknowledge MSU landscape architecture graduate, Trisha Gilbert, for the spark that started this process.  In her landscape design a few years ago she suggested that we incorporate community-generated artwork as part of our crime prevention through environmental design efforts.  This piece of art is a sign to all who pass by Averill that the community takes pride in this school and has "marked its territory!"

Jason Wilkes, a team leader for Averill Woods Neighborhood Association arranged for Lansing Fire Department and Lansing Police Department to be on hand for the event.  LFD and LPD spent a lot of time interacting with students and their families, showing them equipment, and giving them hands-on experiences.  Enjoy these photos compliments of Jason Wilkes.