As part of Benches on Parade, 60 students from East High School are designing and creating benches bought by Arena’s Florist, Inc. and Mann’s Jewelers. Under the direction of local artist and art teacher, Elizabeth Lyons, the students are learning how to work with tile and glass to create mosaic benches.

Recently, the students met with their “clients,’ Charles Arena and Nancy Mann for the first time. Charles and Nancy brought in breakfast for the students, while the students continued to work and talk about their work.

Both of the benches are designed after a theme: Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds, for Mann’s Jewelers and The Raven, by Edgar Allen Poe, for Arena’s.

This is the first time the students have worked in this medium and as their teacher put it, “they are doing really well and learning so much. It has been a great project and is involving the students in their community in a completely unique way.”

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