For our EAST project, Raelee Elliott, Chase Merritt, Creed Wright, and Weston Vandsant came together to address a problem at DeWitt High School and in our community. The school’s iconic columns, used for important events like the town pageant, homecoming, class day, and graduation, had become worn and scuffed over the years. These columns, which are a central part of our traditions, had begun to show signs of wear, and their appearance was especially noticeable under certain lighting and in photos.
We saw this as an opportunity to not only restore these columns but also give back to our community. Weston Vandsant, who has been painting and refurbishing for four years, took the lead in teaching us how to properly sand, prep, and paint the columns. With Weston’s guidance, we learned valuable skills like surface preparation, the proper use of an air compressor, and how to apply paint smoothly and evenly with a paint gun.
The project was completed on October 12, 2024, just in time for the Homecoming ceremony, to make sure the columns would look their most presentable for one of the school’s most celebrated events. This project benefited both DeWitt High School and the surrounding community, as the columns serve as a backdrop for many major events throughout the year.
To get the project off the ground, we reached out to Principal Rachel Mitchell and Leigh Ann Haynes, the mother of a former student, who were both incredibly supportive of our idea. They helped by providing the necessary supplies, including an air compressor, paint gun, sandpaper, and other materials essential for the refurbishment.