Archbishop John Carroll High School Students Invited by the Philadelphia Arts in Education Partnership to Create Mosaic for the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s Valley Forge Service Plaza

Archbishop Carroll to host representatives from the PA Turnpike Commission and PA Council on the Arts along with members of the Art Sparks Committee as part of this opportunity.

Archbishop John Carroll High School in Radnor (Delaware County) has been invited by the Philadelphia Arts in Education Partnership (PAEP) to participate in the Art Sparks Program. This program is created and funded by the PA Council on the Arts and the PA Turnpike Commission.

It invites schools to design artwork for turnpike service plazas across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Archbishop Carroll students are creating a mosaic installation for the Valley Forge Service Plaza. The PAEP’s, regional PA Council on the Arts partner for southeastern PA manages and oversees this collaboration.

Representatives from the PA Turnpike Commission, along with the PA Council on the Arts and the Art Sparks Committee will visit Archbishop Carroll High School to view the students work and participate in the artmaking process.

Friday, December 2, 2022
9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
Archbishop John Carroll High School
211 Matsonford Road
Radnor, PA 19087 (Delaware County)

In September 2022, members of Archbishop Carroll’s Fine Arts Department including Ms. Loraine Carpenter, the Fine Arts Department Chair and Mr. Timothy Magenta started to work with students on this project. Ms. Jessica Liddell, a PA Council on the Arts teaching artist has been guiding the students as they work on the mosaic.

In addition, Sister Lauretta Linsalata, I.H.M., Archbishop Ryan High School is on the board of the Philadelphia Arts in Education Partnership and serves as the school liaison for this project.

In January 2023, following the completion of the mosaic, it will be installed at the Valley Forge Service Plaza along the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Background Information about Archbishop John Carroll High School

Archbishop John Carroll High School is committed to excellence in the areas of spiritual, academic, and social development. By guiding its students in the development of their goals within the context of a meaningful relationship with God, others, and self, Archbishop Carroll challenges them to responsible stewardship in the world. With Christ as its model, the school accomplishes this challenge through the dedication of a professional staff who educate their students by implementing innovative and competitive methodologies to prepare the twenty-first century learner for the ever-changing world.

Background Information on the Art Sparks Program

In 2017, the PA Council on the Arts (PCA) and the PA Turnpike Commission began an arts program, Art Sparks, to beautify the Turnpike Service Plazas across Pennsylvania. The intent and focus of the program is three-fold: 1) to provide an opportunity for the turnpike commission to form stronger community relations with the families living and working in the service plaza catchment areas, 2) to place the project in a school located within each service area, 3) to engage the regional PCA Partner to lead the project along with a PCA-approved teaching art who together, work with the school art teacher(s) and his/her students to design and execute a visual art installation that will then be mounted in the Turnpike service plaza. The project is fully funded through the Regional PCA Arts in Education Partner with funds from the PCA and Turnpike Commission.

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Editor’s Note: For additional information about Archbishop John Carroll High School, please visit jcarroll.org/. For additional information on Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, please visit aopcatholicschools.org/.

Contact:

Meredith Wilson
Media and Events Specialist
215-587-3747