Students at Clifty Creek Elementary School are creating a new look to their school courtyard.
Sixty-three fifth-grade students have developed a design that will be implemented with help from the Columbus Area Career Connection students in the spring, said Suzanne Diehn, a Clifty Creek fifth-grade teacher.
The newly designed outdoor courtyard, located between the cafeteria and the library, will have a colorful mural similar to the one found inside the library. The new mural depicts the school’s sports mascot, a cougar, with the phrase “Success is dependent on effort” by Sophocles that has been translated into Spanish, Japanese and Hindi.
That mural was designed this past summer by Alex Gutierrez, husband of Clifty Creek art teacher Vanessa Fledderman-Gutierrez.
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Plans also call for removing an overgrown tree now in the courtyard and replacing it with a new one, Diehn said.
The new design also includes different colored canopies in the courtyard and grass being planted to replace small rocks that are under two blue picnic tables.
The courtyard isn’t being regularly used by teachers and students because it hasn’t been maintained, Diehn said.
When originally built, the courtyard was designed to allow students to look outside while using a ramp system on the south side of the library, according to Richard Meier & Partners Architects LLP, which designed the Clifty Creek building.
Diehn said students were challenged by Clifty Creek Principal Michael Parsons during the 2017-18 school year to come up with a project that would benefit the school, leading them to select the courtyard. Parsons’ wife, Arlene, is a graphic designer who created the overall design using Adobe Photoshop based on student input, Diehn said.
When finished, kindergarten through sixth-grade students will be able to use the courtyard for class time or lunch.
Fifth-grader Riley Ethridge said she and her classmates decided to focus on improving the courtyard since the space’s appearance had deteriorated over the years. The students wanted to create a brighter, more inviting space, she said.
The school has secured a $5,000 grant from Lowe’s for the planned improvements. Students have a goal of raising an additional $1,000 this month as part of a holiday shop in which items such as lip balms, scarves, ornaments and other items will be sold in a fundraiser.
Students are creating some of the items for the holiday shop to be offered during a family game night from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Dec. 18 at the school, 4625 E. County Road 50N. Items will also be sold at the school during the school day on Dec. 20 and 21.
Diehn, who is working with fifth-grade teacher Jennifer Tekulve, said she and Tekulve plan to apply for grant funding from the Bartholomew Consolidated School Foundation to cover additional expenses, which will include C4 students creating benches and easels.
A cost estimate for the benches and easels is not available now, but students plan to discuss the project with C4 students in the spring.
While the benches will provide additional seating, the easels will allow teachers to put up dry-erase boards for outdoor classes, Tekulve said.
Student Merryn Williams said she would like to use the courtyard as a place to focus on schoolwork, where students could also enjoy lunch and get some fresh air.
“We’re hoping it can be used for years to come,” Diehn said.
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Fifth-grade students at Clifty Creek Elementary School will sell a variety of items through their holiday shop this month as they work to raise $1,000 toward the courtyard project.
Students will be selling items such as lip balm, scarves, ornaments and other goods for the holiday season during a family game night planned at the school, 4625 E. County Road 50N, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Dec. 18. Items will also be sold during the school day Dec. 20 and 21.
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