May 06, 2024 - Somerset, PA
The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) and Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) unveiled newly installed student artwork at the North Somerset Service Plaza on the PA Turnpike. Students from Shanksville-Stonycreek High School created the two-piece mural, which features landmarks and activities around Somerset County. This is the fourteenth artwork created in conjunction with Art Sparks, a PCA and PTC partnership to bring student-created, locally relevant artwork to service plazas across the PTC's more than 550-mile system."Opportunities to engage in creative problem solving, complex design, and collaboration are just a few ways that art programs, like Art Sparks, help prepare Pennsylvania students for success in any number of career paths," said Karl Blischke, PCA Executive Director. "I'm excited that Turnpike travelers who stop here will get to enjoy this beautiful mural and have the chance to learn about some of the elements that make Somerset County a special place." "It is always a joy to see the vision of young artists come to life at Turnpike service plaza across Pennsylvania," said Mark Compton, PTC CEO. "This project continues to prove that art brings people together and we know countless visitors to this service plaza will enjoy the fruits of their labor for many years to come."Speakers Include:Mark Compton - CEO PA TurnpikeKarl Blischke - Executive Director Pennsylvania Council on the ArtsDr. Samuel Romesberg III - Shanksville-Stoneycreek School District SuperintendentDeb Bunnell - Art Sparks Project Teaching ArtistBillie Jo Miller - Shanksville-Stonycreek High School Art TeacherFlorence Hufford- Student Shanksville-Stonycreek High SchoolK Saylor - Student Shanksville-Stonycreek High School