You see it all over social media. Everybody just wants 2020 to go away, calling it a miserable year that just needs to disappear. Among the hardest hit emotionally are high school seniors from the Class of 2020 worldwide. While many are working diligently to just make the nightmare year fade into the woodwork, a South Haven High School club that routinely works to connect students with business professionals wants to never forget this year and is working to commemorate it through a public art project through their Project Pathway group at South Haven High School.
Taleah Lowe is a member of that club, and says that with the goal of aiding students gain integration into the business community, they decided to portray how critical philanthropy is to the community every day. They’re doing so with the Project Pathway angle designed by club members to assist students who will follow in their footsteps in understanding how important philanthropy is when being a good business professional.
Lowe says that students this year elected to create an art installation in South Haven that represents their lives in the community, and they are inviting the public to help that dream be realized.
She explains, “It will illustrate the tree of life that represents the family, schools, and community from which we grew into adults who will take flight and continue that spirit on our own paths.” Most importantly in this bizarre year of pandemic stay home orders, home-schooling, distance learning and beyond, Lowe says, “The piece will also show homage to the class of 2020. As this Senior class has experienced difficulties and changes, however we want them to know that no matter where they go or what they do, the South Haven community will always be their roots and the lighthouse will guide them on their journey.”
In the art installation piece which will combine a painted mural and metal sculptures, 125 sculptures of birds will represent each student in the senior class. There will also be a carving in the tree of a heart that says “Class of 2020.” The art will be placed on the side of the Michigan Theater facing Quaker Street in South Haven’s central business district, as drafted in the sketched layout plan shared by Lowe. 
Lowe, who serves as the Marketing Chair for the project, says, “As we move forward with this project, we will have to raise approximately $10,000.00 to have enough funds to create this piece of art.” She proudly notes, “We have already raised $10,000.00 for a project total of $20,000.00, and are inviting members of the community to help raise the balance of the funding needed to complete the journey.”
She tells us, “The more people we can reach, the more funds we can raise to complete this amazing project.”
Those from the business community, Class of 2020 parents, or anyone interested in donating to the project can contact Project Pathway advisor Marla Bruemmer at: 269-639-1617 or 269-598-5558. Her email address is marla@designevolutions.org.
