Glenn Institute, Kellogg Foundation promote K-12 service-learning
Emerson Burkhardt Mural is among the highlighted projects

Senator John Glenn will roll up his sleeves to complete a restoration project on the Emerson Burkhardt Mural that more than 900 Columbus students, faculty and community members have been involved with since 1997, from 9 to 9:25 a.m., Monday (5/21), at the Shot Tower of the Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center, 546 Jack Gibbs Blvd. Media are invited to interview Glenn for about 15 minutes immediately following the event.

The recently formed National Commission on Service-Learning, chaired by Glenn and supported by The Ohio State University’s John Glenn Institute for Public Service and Public Policy and the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, is designed to bring a new level of public commitment to service-learning by developing recommendations and an action plan to make service-learning, an initiative that combines community service with K-12 curriculum, available to all students.

The nearly 70-year-old mural, which was painted by a prominent Columbus artist, was covered with whitewash in 1938 for being too risqué. After threats of demolition, a citywide task force began to advocate for its restoration. Since then, many people have worked to remove the whitewash and to restore the mural, which is a part of a service-learning project for students at Fort Hayes. The mural will eventually be moved to the Columbus Convention Center.

Members of the Glenn Institute and the Kellogg Foundation will visit Fort Hayes and Jones Middle School, 2100 Arlington Ave., to observe other student service-learning projects throughout the day.

WHAT: Senator John Glenn will complete a service-learning project at Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center by wiping the remaining whitewash off the Emerson Burkhardt Mural.

WHEN:9 to 9:25 a.m., Monday (5/21), with media availability immediately following.

WHERE:Shot Tower of the Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center, 546 Jack Gibbs Blvd.

WHY: To raise awareness of the importance of service-learning projects in K-12 education.