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The Veteran Brick Memorial began as a student initiated Service-Learning project for the K-12 SCP Grant, known as T.I.G.H.T. (Today’s Individuals and Groups Helping Tomorrow.)
For the past five years, students at Colorado Middle School have been involved with Real History~Real Heroes. Students present programs to the community and write editorials for the local newspaper to honor veterans and present military personnel. In 2003, students wanted to do more for veterans who served and are currently serving our country. They wanted to build a memorial.
Colorado City, Texas, was fortunate to be getting a new hospital that would be located just off Interstate Highway 20. It was a perfect location for the new memorial. Getting permission from the hospital board to build the memorial was an educational experience in government procedures. After presenting their ideas to board members, they were allowed to continue with plans to build.
So in 2003, students in the Eighth Grade Math class divided into small groups and drew several designs for the memorial. They visited the hospital and surveyed the grounds where they would be building. Each group created a design using math and assessment skills, and built models for each plan. Students practiced government knowledge, using a democratic vote, to determine the design that would be utilized.
Teachers and students have been involved with campus beautification at CMS and several landscaping projects in the community. In 2004, with the help of Mary Kay Williamson, the students took the veteran memorial project to a new level.
The memorial design needed to undergo a few changes to fit the location at the hospital and stay within budget. In keeping with the original design, students elected to keep the octagon shape and rock wall. They voted to add a flower bed to the backside of the wall, curve the sidewalk, and to place the veteran’s bricks along the walkway.
With each new step, students found ways to solve problems. They solicited the help of Lelan Turnbow, retired master craftsman, to volunteer his services to the project. Using the students’ design and his architectural skills, Mr. Turnbow drew the plans and the sketch to scale.
Students presented the finished plans to Bob Martin, Hospital Maintenance Director. Mr. Martin has been coordinating with TDCJ to do the labor on the memorial. After many hours of careful planning, groundbreaking for the memorial began August 7, 2005. Plans are to be completed in the fall of 2006.
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