New Richmond Exempted Village School District Supt. Adam Bird kept thinking something was missing when he arrived at work at the district central office on the third floor of the Market Street School.
“There was nothing to identify our office to visitors arriving at the front desk,” Bird said about looking at the blank wall above the reception desk. With so many talented art students in the district there had to be someone who could fix the problem so he approached New Richmond High School art teacher Amy Hausserman for a suggestion.
It didn’t take Mrs. Hausserman long to find the right person for the job: senior art student Christin Smith.
“Christin Smith is a very artistically talented senior at New Richmond and has demonstrated outstanding leadership in her art classes this year making her a clear choice for this important job,” Mrs. Hausserman said. “When Mr. Bird asked if I had a student who could make this happen, I knew she could handle it.”
Smith jumped at the chance to put her art skills to work and leave her mark on her school district.
“I designed a couple different signs on the computer and showed them to Mr. Bird,” said Smith. “He picked parts from each and we incorporated them into the final design.”
Smith, who has applied for admission to the University of Cincinnati art school, projected the final design on the wall and then traced the letters and district emblem with pencil which proved to be no easy task since it had to be done off a ladder with her arms elevated.
“I tried my best to stay inside the lines when I painted the outline,” said Smith, who performed her work during several after school sessions. “It wasn’t easy because all the work was overhead.”
“She is always willing to help out,” said Mrs. Hausserman. “Christin jumped right in and followed through until the job was done.”
Superintendent Bird had one word for her effort: “Perfect.”
“Christin is a great art student and I am thankful that she was willing to donate her time to this project,” said Bird.