Student banners are new holiday tradition

Eight student-designed banners celebrating the holidays are currently on display throughout Richford in an effort by town officials to build a sense of pride and community. Designed by local students from the Newark Valley School District, paid for through a roughly $800 grant from the Arts Council of the Southern Finger Lakes and hung by the highway department with the help of the Town of Barton Town Councilwoman and Deputy Supervisor for Richford, Cyndi Herrick, they stated that the banners perfectly emblemize the spirit of the season.  “I think it shows that we care, Richford is so far away from the county seat, we are away from other big towns, so we’ve kind of been on our own,” said Herrick, adding, “The Girl Scouts, fire department and church have done a great job to build community, and this is part of us trying to help build community and pride in our town.” The banners on display include snowflakes, snowmen, snowmen riding reindeer and festive trees, and were selected by the town council from student submitted entries.  “About 12-15 students submitted artwork and then the town council chose the ones we liked best; and then the (Newark Valley High School) art teacher Chris Negus had the students who won clean up their art work,” said Herrick, adding, “They look great and they don’t look professional, which is what I like about them. The banners are all different and they are all student work, not totally polished but still beautiful in my opinion.” Herrick added that the students whose work is on display should be proud.  “This is just the first year, we plan on hanging the banners annually,” Herrick said.  Herrick, who wrote the grant to get the money from the Arts Council of the Southern Finger Lakes, said that the money was used to print the banners and hang them. Hanging the banners came with their own list of unexpected challenges.  “We got an education in doing this; we worked with NYSEG to get permission, some light poles it turns out we couldn’t use, so we jumped through all those hoops and thought we were good to go and then our highway superintendent said we probably need Department of Transportation permission as well, and they were easy to work with; but it was a whole new series of hoops,” Herrick said.   She added, “We learned a lot about hanging banners on poles, but we got it done in December and we’re very happy.”  Herrick added that she wanted to give a “shout-out” to the Town of Barton for helping by supplying some equipment and knowledge that helped with hanging the banners.  “I hope the students and everyone involved are very proud, I hope they feel happy every time they see the banners because they are very beautiful and it is wonderful to have art memorialized, because we plan on using these banners for a long time,” said Herrick. Eight holiday banners, designed by students, are on display throughout Richford. Town officials say the banners will be hung for years to come during the holiday season. (Photos provided by Vicki Davis)

Eight student-designed banners celebrating the holidays are currently on display throughout Richford in an effort by town officials to build a sense of pride and community. Designed by local students from the Newark Valley School District, paid for through a roughly $800 grant from the Arts Council of the Southern Finger Lakes and hung by the highway department with the help of the Town of Barton Town Councilwoman and Deputy Supervisor for Richford, Cyndi Herrick, they stated that the banners perfectly emblemize the spirit of the season. 

“I think it shows that we care, Richford is so far away from the county seat, we are away from other big towns, so we’ve kind of been on our own,” said Herrick, adding, “The Girl Scouts, fire department and church have done a great job to build community, and this is part of us trying to help build community and pride in our town.” 

Eight student-designed banners celebrating the holidays are currently on display throughout Richford in an effort by town officials to build a sense of pride and community. Designed by local students from the Newark Valley School District, paid for through a roughly $800 grant from the Arts Council of the Southern Finger Lakes and hung by the highway department with the help of the Town of Barton Town Councilwoman and Deputy Supervisor for Richford, Cyndi Herrick, they stated that the banners perfectly emblemize the spirit of the season.  “I think it shows that we care, Richford is so far away from the county seat, we are away from other big towns, so we’ve kind of been on our own,” said Herrick, adding, “The Girl Scouts, fire department and church have done a great job to build community, and this is part of us trying to help build community and pride in our town.” The banners on display include snowflakes, snowmen, snowmen riding reindeer and festive trees, and were selected by the town council from student submitted entries.  “About 12-15 students submitted artwork and then the town council chose the ones we liked best; and then the (Newark Valley High School) art teacher Chris Negus had the students who won clean up their art work,” said Herrick, adding, “They look great and they don’t look professional, which is what I like about them. The banners are all different and they are all student work, not totally polished but still beautiful in my opinion.” Herrick added that the students whose work is on display should be proud.  “This is just the first year, we plan on hanging the banners annually,” Herrick said.  Herrick, who wrote the grant to get the money from the Arts Council of the Southern Finger Lakes, said that the money was used to print the banners and hang them. Hanging the banners came with their own list of unexpected challenges.  “We got an education in doing this; we worked with NYSEG to get permission, some light poles it turns out we couldn’t use, so we jumped through all those hoops and thought we were good to go and then our highway superintendent said we probably need Department of Transportation permission as well, and they were easy to work with; but it was a whole new series of hoops,” Herrick said.   She added, “We learned a lot about hanging banners on poles, but we got it done in December and we’re very happy.”  Herrick added that she wanted to give a “shout-out” to the Town of Barton for helping by supplying some equipment and knowledge that helped with hanging the banners.  “I hope the students and everyone involved are very proud, I hope they feel happy every time they see the banners because they are very beautiful and it is wonderful to have art memorialized, because we plan on using these banners for a long time,” said Herrick. 
Eight holiday banners, designed by students, are on display throughout Richford. Town officials say the banners will be hung for years to come during the holiday season. (Photos provided by Vicki Davis)

The banners on display include snowflakes, snowmen, snowmen riding reindeer and festive trees, and were selected by the town council from student submitted entries. 

“About 12-15 students submitted artwork and then the town council chose the ones we liked best; and then the (Newark Valley High School) art teacher Chris Negus had the students who won clean up their art work,” said Herrick, adding, “They look great and they don’t look professional, which is what I like about them. The banners are all different and they are all student work, not totally polished but still beautiful in my opinion.” 

Herrick added that the students whose work is on display should be proud. 

Eight student-designed banners celebrating the holidays are currently on display throughout Richford in an effort by town officials to build a sense of pride and community. Designed by local students from the Newark Valley School District, paid for through a roughly $800 grant from the Arts Council of the Southern Finger Lakes and hung by the highway department with the help of the Town of Barton Town Councilwoman and Deputy Supervisor for Richford, Cyndi Herrick, they stated that the banners perfectly emblemize the spirit of the season.  “I think it shows that we care, Richford is so far away from the county seat, we are away from other big towns, so we’ve kind of been on our own,” said Herrick, adding, “The Girl Scouts, fire department and church have done a great job to build community, and this is part of us trying to help build community and pride in our town.” The banners on display include snowflakes, snowmen, snowmen riding reindeer and festive trees, and were selected by the town council from student submitted entries.  “About 12-15 students submitted artwork and then the town council chose the ones we liked best; and then the (Newark Valley High School) art teacher Chris Negus had the students who won clean up their art work,” said Herrick, adding, “They look great and they don’t look professional, which is what I like about them. The banners are all different and they are all student work, not totally polished but still beautiful in my opinion.” Herrick added that the students whose work is on display should be proud.  “This is just the first year, we plan on hanging the banners annually,” Herrick said.  Herrick, who wrote the grant to get the money from the Arts Council of the Southern Finger Lakes, said that the money was used to print the banners and hang them. Hanging the banners came with their own list of unexpected challenges.  “We got an education in doing this; we worked with NYSEG to get permission, some light poles it turns out we couldn’t use, so we jumped through all those hoops and thought we were good to go and then our highway superintendent said we probably need Department of Transportation permission as well, and they were easy to work with; but it was a whole new series of hoops,” Herrick said.   She added, “We learned a lot about hanging banners on poles, but we got it done in December and we’re very happy.”  Herrick added that she wanted to give a “shout-out” to the Town of Barton for helping by supplying some equipment and knowledge that helped with hanging the banners.  “I hope the students and everyone involved are very proud, I hope they feel happy every time they see the banners because they are very beautiful and it is wonderful to have art memorialized, because we plan on using these banners for a long time,” said Herrick. 
Eight holiday banners, designed by students, are on display throughout Richford. Town officials say the banners will be hung for years to come during the holiday season. (Photos provided by Vicki Davis)

“This is just the first year, we plan on hanging the banners annually,” Herrick said. 

Herrick, who wrote the grant to get the money from the Arts Council of the Southern Finger Lakes, said that the money was used to print the banners and hang them. Hanging the banners came with their own list of unexpected challenges. 

“We got an education in doing this; we worked with NYSEG to get permission, some light poles it turns out we couldn’t use, so we jumped through all those hoops and thought we were good to go and then our highway superintendent said we probably need Department of Transportation permission as well, and they were easy to work with; but it was a whole new series of hoops,” Herrick said.  

She added, “We learned a lot about hanging banners on poles, but we got it done in December and we’re very happy.” 

Herrick added that she wanted to give a “shout-out” to the Town of Barton for helping by supplying some equipment and knowledge that helped with hanging the banners. 

“I hope the students and everyone involved are very proud, I hope they feel happy every time they see the banners because they are very beautiful and it is wonderful to have art memorialized, because we plan on using these banners for a long time,” said Herrick. 

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