Tusculum View Students' Art on Traffic Boxes in Greeneville

Tusculum View is proud to have several students' art displayed around Greeneville. This project was initiated and led by Mrs. Angie Shelton in 2023-2024. Students Cameron Powell and Isaac Price have their art displayed on the very first traffic box, located near Lowes.

isaac price cameron powell traffic box

In the 2024-2025 school year, several more Tusculum View students added their art around Greeneville.

Claire Yi:

Claire Yi traffic box art

Heidi Williams:

heidi williams traffic box art

Violet Leonard:

violet leonard traffic box art

Savannah Inman:

savannah inman traffic box art

Other 2024-2025 winners not pictured: Ruby Henry and Timeira Jenkins

Traffic Box Art Map:

traffic box map

Read more about this project in the Greeneville Sun:

The Greeneville Sun

By Amy Rose Staff Writer Oct 17, 2024

https://www.greenevillesun.com/news/local_news/student-artwork-splashes-color-across-greeneville/article_fae0decc-8b42-11ef-9715-e760db502926.html

Student Artwork Splashes Color Across Greeneville

Student artwork is adding a splash of color across the town through a unique project of Greeneville City Schools.

Sixteen electrical traffic signal boxes are being covered with art created by students from all city schools, according to Amanda Waddell, executive director of the Greeneville City Schools Education Foundation.

The $10,000 project was funded by grants from the foundation and the Tennessee Arts Commission to help beautify the town and showcase students’ creativity to the community.

Each of Greenville’s six schools, elementary through high school, were allowed to select two locations for their traffic boxes and choose student artwork through a competitive process, Waddell said.

Lisa Ottinger, recently retired art teacher at EastView Elementary School, said she did things a little differently by trying to include artwork from multiple students on each box.

“We were just trying to get as many kids involved in it as we could,” Ottinger explained.

The unique art project began two years ago when Angie Shelton of Tusculum View Elementary School applied to the GCS Education Foundation for a teacher grant to cover a traffic box in front of Lowe’s Home Improvement.

Students in grades 3-5 competed for the chance to have their artwork featured in Greeneville’s first-ever traffic box wraparound.

The service-learning project included student research on the history of Greene County, and the two winners’ artwork features the Iris Festival and a scene of downtown Greeneville.

The winners were fifth-graders Cameron Powell (Iris Festival) and Isaac Price (downtown scene).

Waddell said people liked the display so much that the foundation discussed opening up the contest for every school.

The new boxes are at the following locations: U.S. Highway 11E and Justis Drive, 11E and The Greeneville Commons, Tusculum Boulevard and Grove Street, Main and Spencer streets, Main and Church streets, Church and College streets, Main and Depot streets, Main and Summer streets, Irish and Summer streets, and Main and McKee streets.

Their designs include a variety of colors and elements: flowers, animals, sunshine, smiley faces, and buildings. One box has the positive message: “If you are reading this, I hope you have a great day!”

The Arts Build Communities (ABC) grant program is designed to provide support for arts projects that broaden access to arts experiences, address community quality of life issues through the arts, or enhance the sustainability of asset-based cultural enterprises.

Some of the initiatives that ABC funds may be used for include:

Providing innovative arts experiences that are new or unfamiliar to community residents;

Offering arts programs that are designed to help affect positive change in community social issues;

Developing arts programming that strengthens social networks through community engagement; and

Undertaking cultural arts initiatives that enhance a community’s identity and/or economic development.

For more information on the Tennessee Arts Commission, visit www.tnartscommission.org .

For more information on the Greeneville City Schools www4.gcschools.net/page/gcsef or www.facebook.com/GCS.EducationFoundation .