Middle & High School Edition

In response to the bullying epidemic in our K-12 schools, nationally and in our own backyard here in Elk and Cameron Counties, the creative collective of St. Marys Area High School’s Dutch Manufacturing x John Schlimm x Community Education Center of Elk & Cameron Counties has spent the 2026/2027 school year creating The “Thumb’s Down to Bullying” Project. The first edition of this project is focused on middle and high schools.

The first six months of the project were spent brainstorming ideas and doing extensive research about bullying by sitting down with local middle and high school administrators, teachers, and students to better understand what bullying looks like across the region, and to especially hear directly from those individuals impacted the most.

After months of brainstorming, research, and development, DM x JS x CEC landed on the idea of a 3-D-printed, thumbs-down design with the word “BULLYING” unsteadily written across the fist. Produced as a backpack tag in several different, glow-in-the-dark colors, the design drives home the point that the collective, in collaboration with the schools, aims to put a dent in bullying by raising awareness and getting more people of all ages to talk about it. The initial 3,000 Thumbs Down to Bullying backpack tags are being self-funded by the Dutch Manufacturing program.

Working with partners, such as Dickinson Center, Penn State Extension, and area school districts, the DM x JS x CEC collective will distribute the 3,000 Thumbs Down to Bullying backpack tags to middle and high school students in Elk and Cameron Counties during The “Thumbs Down to Bullying” Tour, which will take place during March to May 2026. This tour will also include stops at area seniors centers to thank the grandmas and grandpas who helped inspire this project by telling the collective about their grandkids who are bullied.

Created as a multimedia, STEAM and community-service project, in addition to the 3,000 backpack tags, DM x JS x CEC is also creating two, Thumbs Down to Bullying t-shirts that will be sold to the general public and a video installation that will be played during tour stops. Also, four DM student-artists are in the process of creating a Thumbs Down to Bullying graffiti mural that will be installed inside St. Marys Area High School and which is being generously funded by The Doris E Stackpole Foundation.

Tentative plans are currently underway for an elementary school edition of The “Thumbs Down to Bullying” Project and Tour for the 2026/2027 school year.

Below are photos and other artifacts that invite you into the DM x JS x CEC collective’s journey of creating The “Thumbs Down to Bullying” Project.

PART 1:

Brainstorming,

Research,

Development,

& Production

PART 2:

The “Thumbs Down to Bullying” Tour

COMING SOON!

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Created By Dutch Manufacturing x John Schlimm x Community Education Center

In Partnership with America250PA-Elk County & the Elk County Commissioners

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***The U.S. Flag Coin will be launched in Spring 2026.***

To celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States throughout Elk County, Pennsylvania, during 2025-2026, the creative collective of St. Marys Area High School’s Dutch Manufacturing students, artist and author John Schlimm, and the Community Education Center of Elk and Cameron Counties partnered with the Elk County Commissioners to create and release The U.S. Flag Coin. An edition of 30,000 powdered metal coins were produced.

Created in powdered metal with a gold coating, The U.S. Flag Coin both celebrates our country’s milestone anniversary and honors the groundbreaking history of manufacturing—specifically the carbon and powdered metal industries—in Elk County. The project is a manufacturing, design, art, and educational collaboration that embodies the essence of STEAM x PATRIOTISM x COMMUNITY SERVICE.

Manufactured by Metco Industries, The U.S. Flag Coin was made possible by generous funding from the Elk County Commissioners—Fritz Lecker, Matt Quesenberry, and Greg Gebauer. Tools for the project were made by St. Marys Tool & Die, with coating completed by Ion Technologies.

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RELEASE OF THE U.S. FLAG COIN COMING SOON!

PRESS RELEASE

EMBARGOED UNTIL RELEASE OF THE U.S. FLAG COIN—COMING SOON!

CONTACTS:

Fritz Lecker, Elk County Commissioner

America250PA County Advisory Board Member

Phone: 814-776-1161 – Email: flecker@countyofelkpa.com

Kate Brock, Executive Director, Community Education Center

Phone: 814-781-3437 – Email: kate@communityedcenter.com

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St. Marys Area High School’s Dutch Manufacturing Students,

Community Education Center of Elk & Cameron Counties, and

Artist John Schlimm are Partnering with the Elk County Commissioners

to Create 30,000 Powdered Metal “U.S. Flag Coins”

to Celebrate the 250th Birthday of the United States

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(Elk County, PA – 2026) – The creative collective of St. Marys Area High School’s Dutch Manufacturing (DM) students, Community Education Center of Elk and Cameron Counties (CEC), and international award-winning author, artist, advocate, and educator John Schlimm (JS) has partnered with the Elk County Commissioners—Fritz Lecker, Matt Quesenberry, and Greg Gebauer—to design and produce “The U.S. Flag Coin.”

“This very cool ‘U.S. Flag Coin’ has been an incredible opportunity for us to collaborate with the DM x JS x CEC collective and local businesses to celebrate one of the most iconic symbols in the world and to create a shiny, golden birthday gift for our country from right here in Elk County,” said Commissioner Lecker, who is also the A250PA County Advisor. “And, the best part is that we get to share the coins with residents across Elk County so they can each have a piece of this local and national history.”

Made of powdered metal and manufactured in an edition of 30,000, “The U.S. Flag Coins” will be distributed at no charge across Elk County throughout 2026 to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States. Elk County residents can also pick up coins during regular business hours at the Elk County Commissioners office inside the Elk County Courthouse Annex at 300 Center Street in Ridgway, PA.

The DM x JS x CEC collective has been working with the Elk County Commissioners since January 2025, collaboratively discussing, conceptualizing, and finalizing the design, materials, and roll-out for “The U.S. Flag Coin.”

“It really is such an honor to be a part of Dutch Manufacturing, and it’s so amazing to see how far we have come in only four years and to see the impact we have made,” said SMAHS Sophomore and DM President Drake Eckhart. “I am really proud of all of us for putting in the effort to make this happen.”

Every design detail for “The U.S. Flag Coin” was meticulously brainstormed, discussed, edited, tweaked, and finalized by the DM x JS x CEC collective over the course of several months last year.

“The CEC is continuously impressed with the skills and talents of the Dutch Manufacturing students and we are excited to partner on this historic project,” said CEC Executive Director Kate Brock.

Skills-based and student-led, Dutch Manufacturing is a high school program that is focused on developing students for the ever-growing world of Advanced Manufacturing. The skills that are developed throughout this program translate into qualified individuals who will be successful in the manufacturing sector, post-secondary education, and/or an apprenticeship/internship type of program. The DM students have already designed and manufactured several items for local businesses since the program started in 2022.

“This ‘U.S. Flag Coin’ represents not only a fun and tangible keepsake of our country’s founding, but also the strength of local partnerships which serve as a reminder of our country’s great collaborative effort,” said Commissioner Quesenberry.

The Elk County Commissioners generously sponsored the production of “The U.S. Flag Coin.” The 30,000 coins were manufactured by Metco Industries, with powdered metal from Advantage Metal Powders, tools by St. Marys Tool & Die, and coating by Ion Technologies. These four, local companies generously donated their services and materials for this project.

“This project has been a great opportunity for us Commissioners to highlight patriotism and ingenuity in Elk County, ranging from classroom creatives to factory workers, and to create a piece of history that honors our great country on its 250th birthday,” said Commissioner Gebauer.

In addition to “The U.S. Flag Coin,” the Elk County Commissioners collaborated with Schlimm and Elk County’s 4,000 K-12 students to create “The United Colors of Liberty” Liberty Bell as part of America250PA’s “Bells Across PA” series. Completed during Spring and Summer 2025, the Bell was installed and dedicated on the grounds of the Elk County Courthouse in November 2025. A short, companion documentary titled “SPLASH-TASTIC” filmed by Louie Milliard was also recently released.

“My work as a professional artist started with a primitive Americana Folk Art collection in the early 2000s, which included many U.S. Flags, including the one I created for a charity auction in New York to benefit the Twin Towers Orphan Fund following 9/11,” said Schlimm. “So, getting to work on this special ‘U.S. Flag Coin’ twenty-five years later with some of my favorite co-artists at Dutch Manufacturing to celebrate our country’s birthday is very much a fantastic full-circle moment for me.”

Over the past year, the Elk County Commissioners have also worked with the America250PA team to plant a “Liberty Tree” at the Elk Country Visitor Center in Benezette, hosted The Amerioca250PA “Countdown to 250 Mobile Experiential Unit” at the Elk County Fair, and offered mini-grants to local individuals, groups, and businesses to do projects celebrating America’s Semiquincentennial during 2026.

Conceptualizing and creating at the intersections of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) and community service, in addition to “The U.S. Flag Coin,” the DM students’ first project as part of the DM x JS x CEC collective was “THE SMILE COIN,” an edition of 4,000 powdered metal coins released in 2023. This was followed by “The 988 Coin” for which 30,000 powdered metal coins were created in partnership with the Cameron/Elk Suicide Prevention Task Force, distributed throughout Elk and Cameron Counties, and honored as part of the PA Office of Rural Health’s 2025 “Pennsylvania Regional Rural Health Program of the Year” among other statewide and national accolades. The collective is also about to complete more than two years of work on “The Pillars: A Monument Honoring Our Local Carbon & Powdered Metal Industries,” which will be permanently installed in front of the St. Marys Area High School.

“The 250th birthday of America matters, and Dutch Manufacturing is proud to have again collaborated with the Community Education Center and John Schlimm, and additionally partnered with the Elk County Commissioners, to craft a symbol worthy of its meaning and celebration,” said Dutch Manufacturing Coordinator Jesse Schreiber. “Also, a huge thank you to St. Marys Tool and Die, Inc., Metco Industries, Inc., Ion Technologies, and Advantage Metal Powders, Inc. for working with the students to make this America250PA-Elk County project a success.”

The DM x JS x CEC collective is currently working on a multi-media, bullying awareness project titled “Thumbs Down to Bullying”—in partnership with Dickinson Center’s Children’s Prevention Services, Penn State Extension, and the CEC’s Leadership Elk and Cameron—for the 2025/2026 school year.

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Barbara Moscato Brown Memorial Library

July 15, 2025

Dickinson Center Psych Rehab

1st Annual Consumer Art Exhibition

August 15, 2025

The post The LOVE YOUR BRAIN! World Map first appeared on John Schlimm.

In 2024, the Pennsylvania Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial (America250PA) gave Elk County the green light to create a unique Liberty Bell during 2025 as part of its “Bells Across PA” art series to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026.

Spearheaded and sponsored by the Elk County Commissioners and conceptualized by artist John Schlimm as a Participatory/Interactive Art work titled The United Colors of Liberty—Elk County, Pennsylvania, this project gave the nearly 4,000 K-12 students across Elk County the chance to add their splash of color to the three-foot tall fiberglass replica of the iconic Liberty Bell during the Bell’s 4-month—February to May 2025—tour to all 14 Elk County schools and the Elk County Homeschool community. During Summer 2025, the Bell will be on exhibit at Elk County’s 4 public libraries and appear in all area parades.

John’s vision was for the Liberty Bell, as a blank canvas, to travel to every school and public library throughout Elk County during Spring/Summer 2025 and for students and other citizens to have the opportunity to add color on the bell, creating a bright, beautiful Abstract Expressionistic masterpiece.

The design concept extended beyond the official project requirements, prompting the America250PA team to say that they had “not received a proposal as ambitious as this” before they resoundingly approved it. John and the Elk County Commissioners envisioned this being a rare opportunity to unite the young people and other citizens in every rural and small-town community across their 181-year-old (at the time) county—including the county’s 9 townships, 2 boroughs and 1 city—to vividly depict the imaginative, expressive, and determined spirit of Elk County, Pennsylvania, and America.

During the America250PA-Elk County Liberty Bell’s school tour, a short documentary was filmed by Louie Milliard to further share the journey of this historic project. The film will premiere in 2026. This portion of the project was made possible by generous funding from America250PA.

As part of The United Colors of Liberty—Elk County, Pennsylvania, John and the Elk County Commissioners also created a participation sticker for every student and a Discussion, Lesson, & Activity Guide For Educators, Librarians, & Others.

On November 6, 2025, the completed bell sculpture was permanently installed and dedicated on the Elk County Courthouse grounds in Ridgway, which is the county seat, in time for the larger 2026 celebration.

PART 1:

During February, March, April, and May 2025, the America250PA-Elk County Liberty Bell visited all 3 Elk County School Districts—Johnsonburg Area School District, St. Marys Area School District, and Ridgway Area School District—and the Elk County Catholic School System, which encompass 14 K-12 schools in 11 buildings, as well as inviting the Elk County Homeschool community to also paint the Bell, for a total of 4,000 Elk County students.

JOHNSONBURG AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT

The America250PA-Elk County Liberty Bell visited Johnsonburg Area Elementary School and Johnsonburg Area Jr./Sr. High School from February 3 to 14, 2025.

ST. MARYS AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT

The America250PA-Elk County Liberty Bell visited South St. Marys Street Elementary School, St. Marys Area Middle School, St. Marys Area High School, and Fox Township Elementary School from February 17 to March 14, 2025.

RIDGWAY AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT

The America250PA-Elk County Liberty Bell visited Francis S. Grandinetti Elementary School and Ridgway Area Middle/High School from March 17 to 28, 2025.

PENNSYLVANIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY HEARING

Monday, April 7, 2025

ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM

The America250PA-Elk County Liberty Bell visited St. Marys Catholic Elementary School, St. Marys Catholic Middle School, Elk County Catholic High School, and St. Leo School from April 7 to May 2, 2025.

ELK COUNTY HOMESCHOOL COMMUNITY

On Thursday, May 29, the Elk County Homeschool community of students visited the Elk County Courthouse Annex in Ridgway and added their SPLASH-tastic touches to the America250PA-Elk County Liberty Bell.

THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES OF ELK COUNTY

THE MOST FAMOUS CRACK IN THE WORLD

THE HEART OF OUR PROJECT

THE DEDICATION ~ NOVEMBER 6, 2025

To watch WTAJ News’ Coverage of the dedication, click HERE.

The post America250PA/”The United Colors of Liberty—Elk County, Pennsylvania”/Bells Across PA/Liberty Bell Project first appeared on John Schlimm.

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The Cameron/Elk Suicide Prevention Task Force has collaborated

with artist John Schlimm and City of St. Marys

to create a “988” digital public art work on the city’s downtown community calendar

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(St. Marys, PA) – The Cameron/Elk Suicide Prevention Task Force has collaborated with international award-winning author and artist John Schlimm and the City of St. Marys to install a 30-second public art work on St. Marys’ digital community calendar located on The Diamond to raise awareness for 988, which is the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. For the site-specific piece titled “988/END THE STIGMAS,” Schlimm and the Task Force worked with the City to design three screens that brightly and clearly emphasize both the hotline number and mental health awareness. The “988/END THE STIGMAS” digital installation will be in rotation on the downtown community calendar from February 3 to March 3.

“The mission of the Cameron/Elk County Suicide Prevention Task Force is to reduce stigma and instill hope, start meaningful conversations while offering prevention, intervention, and postvention support,” said Jim Baumgratz, Board President for the Task Force. “We provide links and support to Cameron and Elk Counties with resources and training opportunities for all community members.”

As of July 16, 2022, 988 became the new dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which is now called the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. This toll-free, three-digit dialing code immediately connects individuals by phone call or text to a 24/7 national network of local and state crisis centers throughout the U.S. Trained counselors answer the calls and texts, assess callers for suicidal risk, provide support and counseling, and offer referrals to behavioral health and emergency services if necessary.

Inspired by the famed, issues-driven public art by the Guerrilla Girls collective and the iconic computer-animated “Spectacolor Billboard” images in Times Square created by pop artist Keith Haring and organized by the Public Art Fund in 1982, Schlimm conceptualized “988/END THE STIGMAS” as a vivid call-to-action awareness initiative for people of all ages in his community and those passing through. John’s first digital billboard was “THE SMILE 100 Billboard” that he created in 2024 in collaboration with the City of St. Marys and Boys & Girls Club of St. Marys to celebrate the organization’s 100th anniversary.

“Like most families, mine on the Straub Brewery side has been impacted by five suicides across three different generations during the past century, in addition to many friends and colleagues who have also died by suicide,” said Schlimm, a fifth-generation member of the Straub family that locally dates back to the 1870s. He has been publicly open and vocal about his own lifelong journey with anxiety, and the role generational trauma has played. “As a mental health advocate, which is a role I take very seriously, I’ve tried my best to use my experiences and my platforms as a writer, artist, and educator to creatively and collaboratively spread awareness in fresh, unique, and multimedia ways.”

“This mission has recently led me to partnering with the Cameron/Elk Suicide Prevention Task Force to create the ‘988/END THE STIGMAS’ artist’s book, the ‘988/END THE STIGMAS’ digital billboard also in collaboration with the City of St. Marys, and ‘The 988 Coin’ in an edition of 30,000 powdered metal coins, which is the forthcoming, third project I’ve done as part of our St. Marys Area High School Dutch Manufacturing, John Schlimm, and Community Education Center creative collective,” Schlimm continued. “I was also honored and humbled to be invited to deliver the keynote at last year’s Clearfield/Jefferson Suicide Prevention Walk, just as I have been profoundly impacted and learned so much from visiting with folks locally and across the country whose lives have been forever changed by suicide.”

The “988/END THE STIGMAS” digital billboard project was in the works for about a month before its debut. This involved Schlimm creating the concept and City of St. Marys staffer Emily Reed compiling all of the components, along with input and approval from City Manager Joe Fleming and the Cameron/Elk Suicide Prevention Task Force.

“This isn’t an easy topic, but it is important to spread awareness to anyone who may be struggling that there is help available for people who need it. I believe that is the point that the Cameron/Elk Suicide Prevention Task Force and John Schlimm are trying to drive home,” said Reed. “988 is a quick and easy resource that is only a call or text away. Never feel ashamed of trying to better your mental health.”

In addition to the “988/END THE STIGMAS” digital billboard and artist’s book, and forthcoming “988 Coin,” the Cameron/Elk Suicide Prevention Task Force’s other current 988 awareness campaign projects include portable community banners.

Hundreds of free copies of the “988/END THE STIGMAS” artist’s book are being made available locally by generous grants and other funding from such sources as The Doris E. Stackpole Foundation, the American Legion Riders Post 103, the Emporium Foundation, and others. Dickinson Center, Inc.’s Signs of Suicide® (SOS) Prevention Program and the Elk County Commissioners are sponsoring the production of “The 988 Coins,” with plans to distribute them throughout Elk and Cameron Counties during April and May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month. Schlimm, who is a member of Dickinson Center’s Board of Directors, has donated his work and time to create “The 988 Coin” and both the “988/END THE STIGMAS” digital billboard and artist’s book, which is also offered to the public on Amazon at-cost to make it as accessible and available as possible to everyone.

“The City is committed to supporting the mental health and well-being of our community members,” said Fleming. “The 988 hotline is a vital resource for those in crisis, providing immediate access to trained professionals who can offer support, guidance, and hope. We encourage everyone to understand that help is available through this number and reach out whenever needed—no one has to face their struggles alone. We would like to thank John and the Task Force for bringing awareness to our community.”

For more information about the Cameron/Elk Suicide Prevention Task Force, you can visit the group’s Facebook page—the one that currently has the Cameron/Elk Suicide Prevention Task Force logo profile pic—at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558535093194.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, immediate and nonjudgmental help is available. Please call or text 988.

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Created By Dutch Manufacturing x John Schlimm x Community Education Center

In Partnership with Cameron/Elk Suicide Prevention Task Force

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In September 2024, the creative collective of St. Marys Area High School’s Dutch Manufacturing x John Schlimm x Community Education Center of Elk & Cameron Counties in partnership with the Cameron/Elk Suicide Prevention Task Force began researching and designing The 988 Coin. The mission of the project is to spread awareness of 988, which is the national suicide and crisis hotline, throughout the local rural and small town region.

During September to November, The 988 Coin was conceptualized, researched, brainstormed, and designed over the course of numerous creative sessions. Then in early 2025, the coin went into production at Gerg Tool & Die, Metco Industries, and Ion Technologies. Finally, during April and May, the 30,000 coins—almost 2,000 pounds of powdered metal—started being distributed throughout Cameron and Elk Counties in Pennsylvania during The 988 Coin Tour’s 25 stops and other outreach facilitated by the Cameron/Elk Suicide Prevention Task Force and the Community Education Center’s Leadership Elk & Cameron program.

Please also note that the original name of the coin, which was The 988 Smile Coin, was changed to The 988 Coin.

The 988 Coin is the third project by the DM x JS x CEC collective. Their first project was THE SMILE COIN in 2023, followed by The Pillars: A Monument Honoring Our Local Carbon and Powdered Metal Industries, which was started in January 2024 and will be installed and dedicated in 2026.

The production of the 30,000 988 Coins was sponsored by Dickinson Center, Inc.’s Signs of Suicide (SOS) Prevention Program and the Elk County Commissioners via an Act 13 grant.

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PART 1:

The Research & Design Process

2024

The finalized design for The 988 Coin.

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PART 2:

The Production

2025

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PART 3:

The Distribution

2025

To read this article, please click HERE.

To read the full article, please click HERE.

To watch the WTAJ feature segment on The 988 Coin and read the article, please click HERE.

To watch the full Studio 814 segment, please click HERE.

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A Monument Honoring Our Local Carbon and Powdered Metal Industries

Created By

Dutch Manufacturing x John Schlimm x Community Education Center

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For the past two years, the creative collective of St. Marys Area High School’s Dutch Manufacturing x John Schlimm x Community Education Center of Elk & Cameron Counties has been researching, developing, designing, and beginning to build The Pillars: A Monument Honoring Our Local Carbon and Powdered Metal Industries.

In a joint statement, the collective said, “Pooling our collective skills—across science, technology, engineering, arts, math, and community service—our goal from the start has been to create something groundbreaking in our area that both honors the men and women of our iconic manufacturing industries and connects past, present, and future. . . . The enormity of this honor is not lost on us as we build a space of history, learning, and inspiration that will be a point of pride for every member of our local communities and a stunning, selfie-worthy destination for visitors to our area.”

The Pillars is scheduled to be completed and dedicated in Spring 2026.

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PART 1:

The Research, Design, & Development Process

2024-2025

(Note: “The 988 Smile Coin” was renamed “The 988 Coin”.)

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PART 2:

The Installation & Dedication

2026

***Installation & Dedication Coming Spring 2026***

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As a spin-off of his Participatory/Interactive Art Project THE SMILE THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (is yours), John conceptualized THE BRAIN THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (is yours) as a STEAM x MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS x COMMUNITY SERVICE project. For the First Edition of THE BRAIN Project, he joined forces with Workforce Solutions for North Central PA and collaborated with the Drafting & Design Technology, Digital Media Arts, and Culinary Arts & Food Management students at Clearfield County Career & Technology Center (CCCTC) High School in Clearfield, PA.

From January to April 2024, this unique collective brainstormed, designed, and produced backpack tags, stickers, posters, a photo essay, brain-shaped cookies, and a PA Media & Design Competition award-winning short documentary. These creations were rolled out at CCCTC and to the nearly 7,000 students at K-12 schools across the Clearfield County School District during May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month.

BACKPACK TAGS:

STICKERS:

POSTERS:

COOKIES:

Short Documentary:

To watch THE BRAIN THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (is yours): A Short Film on YouTube, click HERE.

ARTIST STATEMENT:

BRAINSTORMING, DESIGNING, & PRODUCTION:

PRESS RELEASE:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                             

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Clearfield County Career and Technology Center Students,

Workforce Solutions for North Central PA, and

International Award-Winning Author and Artist John Schlimm

Collaborate to Launch

“THE BRAIN THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (is yours)” Project

for Mental Health Awareness Month 2024

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(Clearfield, PA) – Clearfield County Career and Technology Center (CCCTC) High School students, Workforce Solutions for North Central PA, and international award-winning author, artist, advocate, and educator John Schlimm have collaborated to launch “THE BRAIN THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (is yours)” Project during May 2024, which is Mental Health Awareness Month. The multimedia project’s mission is to inspire people of all ages—especially K-12 children and teens—to think about their brains and to see the potential of that three-pound organ inside their heads: well-being, talents, skills, creativity, imagination, etc. 

Conceptualized by Schlimm, “THE BRAIN” Project is a sequel to his Participatory/Interactive Art project “THE SMILE THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (is yours),” which has been installed across the country during the past decade. This inaugural edition of the project enlisted the participation of students in CCCTC’s Drafting & Design Technology, Digital Media Arts, and Culinary Arts & Food Management programs. “THE BRAIN” Project’s student-designed components include nearly 1,000 backpack tags, 7,000 stickers, dozens of posters, a photo essay, hundreds of brain-shaped cookies, and a PA Media & Design Competition award-winning short documentary. These original items were produced to be shared with K-12 students across all schools in the Clearfield County School District throughout May.

“I walked into CCCTC a few months ago—this was my very first time in a Career and Technology Center—and I found the most incredible, skills-based academic environment filled with some of the most brilliant and creative young minds I could ever hope to work with,” said Schlimm, who is also the author of “What Would Gen-Z Do?: Everything You Don’t Know About Gen-Z But Should” and co-creator of “The Gen-Z Time Capsule” in collaboration with The Andy Warhol Museum. “Aligning with my mission to encourage folks to think more about their brains, the CCCTC students, along with their teachers and the administration, were immediately on-board for ‘THE BRAIN’ Project, and over the past several months have passionately translated their imaginations, talents, and skills into thousands of items and even an award-winning short film that will now ripple out into the world to help achieve that goal.”

Schlimm and Workforce Solutions have been working with the CCCTC students since January, collaboratively brainstorming, discussing, creating, and manufacturing the designs, materials, components, and roll-out for “THE BRAIN” Project.

Like Schlimm’s other similar projects, “THE BRAIN” Project is rooted at the intersection of STEAM x MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS x COMMUNITY SERVICE—all of which are also priorities for young people today, like the participating CCCTC students. And true to Schlimm’s goal, the students were also drawn to this fresh, grassroots, attention-grabbing approach to thinking about the brain in contrast to the flood of cliché, virtual-signaling content, which many young people admittedly ignore.

“‘THE BRAIN THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (is yours)’ Project has been a great real-world experience for the students in the Drafting and Design and Digital Media Arts programs,” said CCCTC “BRAIN” Project Coordinator and Drafting & Design Technology Instructor Brad Dixon. “The beginning phase of the project provided the students with the opportunity to be very creative with few limitations. The approach allowed students to come up with very diverse and unique designs. Through a series of collaborative meetings students provided each other with praise as well as constructive criticism, which allowed them to continually improve their designs throughout the process and grow their talents. When we went to production mode the students got to see first-hand what it is like to work under pressure to meet a deadline, which is often difficult to emulate in the classroom. Overall, I was really impressed by the students’ ability to work together in a productive way to accomplish a common goal.”

“THE BRAIN” Project also highlights the importance of professional collaborations—such as CCCTC x John Schlimm x Workforce Solutions—and counters the numerous negative news reports about education by showcasing a positive side of schools today, especially the great skills-based training/work being done at Career and Technology Centers across the country like CCCTC.

“It’s awesome for our students to work on real life projects that could positively impact many students,” said CCCTC Executive Director Fred Redden. “The education gained within the walls of the CCCTC is hands-on, practical, and is application driven. To see three programs—Drafting, Digital Media Arts, and Culinary Arts—working together to produce and promote this venture is truly remarkable.”

“THE BRAIN THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (is yours)” Project was made possible through funding in part by Workforce Solutions for North Central PA. The Business Education Partnership (BEP) at Workforce Solutions is about connecting businesses and schools through partnership programs. This partnership offers career-related experiences and opportunities for students to learn about high-priority occupations and career paths available in our region. This partnership is made possible through BEP grant funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, PA Department of Labor and Industry, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

“‘THE BRAIN THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (is yours)’ Project has been an amazing collaboration with John and the CCCTC,” said Workforce Solutions for North Central PA Project Coordinator Colleen Prechtl. “It allows the students in our region a chance to put into practice all of the skills they have learned at CCCTC and place those into a meaningful and impactful statement legacy.”

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Inspired by the iconic computer-animated “Spectacolor Billboard” images in Times Square created by pop artist Keith Haring and organized by the Public Art Fund in 1982, John conceptualized THE SMILE 100 Billboard as a fitting tribute to the Boys & Girls Club of St. Marys and the young people of the community to celebrate the organization’s 100th Anniversary, as well as the 10th Anniversary of his multimedia Participatory and Interactive Art project THE SMILE THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (is yours).

The 18.5-second video installation was created by John in collaboration with Boys & Girls Club of St. Marys and City of St. Marys (see press release below), running in rotation on the downtown digital community calendar from January 5 to February 5, 2024.

The following are nine stills from the video.

PRESS RELEASE

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The Boys & Girls Club of St. Marys launches its 100^th anniversary-year celebration by collaborating with artist John Schlimm and City of St. Marys to create a digital public art work on the city’s downtown community calendar

(St. Marys, PA) – Founded in 1924, the Boys & Girls Club of St. Marys is launching its year-long 100^th Anniversary celebration by debuting a computer-animated, 18.5-second Public Art work created in collaboration with international award-winning author and artist John Schlimm and the City of St. Marys. Site-specific and installed on St. Marys’ digital community calendar located on The Diamond, “THE SMILE 100 Billboard” brings together the organization’s new 100^thAnniversary logo and John’s Participatory and Interactive Art project “THE SMILE THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (is yours)” by featuring smiling faces colored by the young people who visit the club. “THE SMILE 100 Billboard” installation will be in rotation on the downtown community calendar from January 5 to February 5.

“This is a great opportunity to collaborate with an amazing artist, John Schlimm, and the City of St. Marys,” said the Boys & Girls Club of St. Marys’ Chief Executive Officer Joe Jacob. “Collaborating with the city throughout this anniversary is extremely important as without the city and some of its founding fathers believing that having a Boys & Girls Club is important in our community, who knows if we would be celebrating this milestone. This is just the kickoff as we plan to celebrate the one-hundredth year throughout the entire 2024, so stay tuned for some exciting events that will help support the Boys and Girls Club of St. Marys. I just want to really say thank you to the City of St. Marys and John for allowing us to all work together and collaborate on this project.”

Inspired by the iconic computer-animated “Spectacolor Billboard” images in Times Square created by pop artist Keith Haring and organized by the Public Art Fund in 1982, John conceptualized “THE SMILE 100 Billboard” as a fitting tribute to the Boys & Girls Club of St. Marys and the young people of the community.

“This milestone anniversary for our Boys and Girls Club, combined with my ‘SMILE’ project’s tenth anniversary this year, was a perfect opportunity to celebrate both the century of outstanding work by the organization and the imaginations of the young people it has served,” said John, whose “SMILE” project has been installed across the country and most recently was adapted into “THE SMILE COIN” project that he did in collaboration with the St. Marys Area High School’s Dutch Manufacturing students and Community Education Center of Elk and Cameron Counties. “Also, I jumped at the opportunity to explore a digital medium with ‘THE SMILE’ and to be able to pay homage to fellow-Pennsylvania artist Keith Haring and one of my favorite works by him, the ‘Spectacolor Billboard’ images.”

“THE SMILE 100 Billboard” was in the works for about two months before its debut. This involved John creating the blank faces and the Boys & Girls Club of St. Marys team having the kids there color them. From there, City of St. Marys staffer Emily Reed compiled all of the components, experimented with potential designs, graphics, and animations, and along with John, Joe Jacob, and Joe Fleming finalized the work.

“I am so grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of ‘THE SMILE 100 Billboard,’” said Emily. “I love that this collaborative art project is celebrating both the one-hundredth anniversary of the Boys and Girls Club, a monumental accomplishment in community outreach, and the tenth anniversary of John Schlimm’s ‘THE SMILE THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (is yours).’ As a newer employee to City Hall, I am honored to be able to work alongside such inspiring people and organizations. I think the concept is really fun and the message is simple. A SMILE, your smile, can go a long way, even change the world.”

In addition to kicking-off the 100^th Anniversary year for the Boys & Girls Club of St. Marys, the colorful and captivating spirit of “THE SMILE 100 Billboard” also strives to brighten up what is often a snowy, gray, cloudy, post-holiday time of year, especially for the folks walking and driving past the City of St. Marys Community Calendar on The Diamond.

Likewise, this Public Art work is also a way for the City of St. Marys to offer its gratitude for an historic, downtown institution whose welcoming nature, positive influence, and creative inspiration has rippled across numerous generations within the community and out into the world for a hundred years.

“As we congratulate the Boys and Girls Club on their one-hundredth anniversary and John on the tenth anniversary of his ‘SMILE’ project, I want to thank Joe and John for including us in their celebration,” said the City of St. Marys’ City Manager Joe Fleming. “The Boys and Girls Club of St. Marys has enhanced the area youth for generations, which is no small feat. The club continues to adapt to the ever-changing environment surrounding our youth by providing activities and programs to promote their growth. I commend the hard work of Joe and his team at the Boys and Girls Club for making it happen. ‘THE SMILE’ project is another great example of how positivity is spread throughout our community. John has done amazing things to get his wonderful message out, reaching across our nation to hear the experiences and stories of the younger generation. A lot can be learned by a simple SMILE.”

For more information about the Boys & Girls Club of St. Marys, please visit www.smboysandgirlsclub.com. For more information about the City of St. Marys Community Calendar, please visit www.stmaryspa.gov.

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ABOUT THE SMILE COIN PROJECT:

(Please also see the photo gallery that follows.)

St. Marys Area High School’s Dutch Manufacturing Students, the Community Education Center of Elk & Cameron Counties, and Artist John Schlimm Collaborate to Create 4,000 SMILE COINS

(St. Marys, PA — November 2023) – St. Marys Area High School’s Dutch Manufacturing students, the Community Education Center of Elk and Cameron Counties (CEC), and international award-winning author, artist, advocate, and educator John Schlimm have collaborated to design and produce THE SMILE COIN. Inspired by the students’ design, drafting, and tooling work and Schlimm’s Participatory Art project “THE SMILE THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (is yours)” that has been installed across the country, THE SMILE COIN has been manufactured in an edition of 4,000 powdered metal coins by Metco Industries.

Released on the eve of the 10th Anniversary of “THE SMILE THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (is yours),” THE SMILE COIN embodies the essence of STEAM (science/technology/engineering/arts/math) while emphasizing the importance of community service, mental health awareness, and the impact of even our simplest gestures of compassion, such as a smile. Each student in the St. Marys Area School District will receive two SMILE COINS: a SMILE to keep and a SMILE to give away.

“From the moment I was introduced to Dutch Manufacturing, I became a huge cheerleader for the program and its extraordinary students, and I wanted to create something special with them,” said Schlimm. “THE SMILE COIN represents so much of what my work as an artist, educator, and advocate for young people and mental health is about, while serving as a powerful symbol of skills-based education that opens up worlds of possibilities for each student’s unique skills and talents to shine.”

Schlimm and the CEC have been working with the Dutch Manufacturing students since January, collaboratively discussing, conceptualizing, and finalizing the design, materials, and roll-out for THE SMILE COIN.

“The collaboration between the three of us has really become something special and meaningful,” said SMAHS senior Mayson Annis, who serves as President and PR Director for Dutch Manufacturing. “It’s been a great experience and opportunity for multiple generations to come together creatively and showcase everyone’s individuality and the skills they possess. I’m excited to see what the future holds for not only the SMILE idea, but all those involved and affected by it.”

Skills-based and student-led, Dutch Manufacturing is a high school program that is focused on developing students for the ever-growing world of Advanced Manufacturing. The skills that are developed throughout this program translate into qualified individuals who will be successful in the manufacturing sector, post-secondary education, and/or an apprenticeship/internship type of program.

While the students have already designed and manufactured several items for local businesses, THE SMILE COIN is their first product created at the intersection of nonprofit community service and mental health awareness. This is also the first time the students have collaborated with an artist, bringing the essence and impact of STEAM learning in the classroom and the community full-circle.

“This has truly been a collaboration between all parties involved and a great learning experience for the Dutch Manufacturing students,” said Dutch Manufacturing Coordinator Jesse Schreiber. “They have had the chance to use the skills and knowledge that they have learned in class and apply them to a real-world scenario. A huge thank you to Gerg Tool and Die, Inc., Metco Industries, Inc., and Ion Technologies for working with the students to make this project a success.”

The Community Education Center secured the funding for manufacturing THE SMILE COIN at Metco Industries, Inc. via a generous Powder Metal Initiative mini-grant through Penn State DuBois. Likewise, Gerg Tool & Die, Inc. made the tools for the project and Ion Technologies did the coating. The CEC has long focused on programming around science, technology, engineering, math, and the arts throughout Elk and Cameron Counties, including their longtime support of Dutch Manufacturing.

“It has been such a pleasure working with the Dutch Manufacturing students to collaboratively create THE SMILE COIN,” said CEC Executive Director Kate Brock. “Together, we have made creative and technical decisions along the way to produce a meaningful and inspiring outcome that will ripple across the entire school district. This project is one more example of why our community is so proud to be the home of this student-run enterprise!”

For more information about Dutch Manufacturing, please visit www.dutchmfg.com.

THE SMILE COIN PHOTO GALLERY:

From January to November 2023, the Community Education Center’s Executive Director Kate Brock and Program Manager Amy Goode and John met regularly with the Dutch Manufacturing students to discuss and strategize every element of THE SMILE COIN Project.

Collaboratively, they decided everything from the design of the coin—text, imagery, color, and size—and quantity to who would receive it, and ultimately how THE SMILE COIN Tour to launch the coin during November 13 to 17 would include an unprecedented 15 assemblies over 4 days that would involve 4 St. Marys Area School District PreK to 12 schools with 1,800 students and the distribution of 4,000 SMILE COINS.

The Dutch Manufacturing/SMILE COIN Team also visited the companies that helped to manufacture the physical coins, including Gerg Tool & Die, Metco Industries, and Ion Technologies to see THE SMILE COIN in its various stages of production.

During the week before THE SMILE COIN Tour, the Dutch Manufacturing/SMILE COIN Team packaged the 4,000 SMILE COINS and finalized logistics for the groundbreaking 15 assemblies to come.

During one week in November 2023, the Dutch Manufacturing/SMILE COIN Team, including moderator Assistant Superintendent Chrissy Kuhar, made history by embarking on an unprecedented school district-wide tour encompassing 15 assemblies with 1,800 students at 4 PreK to 12 schools over 4 days during which they spoke about the project and distributed 4,000 SMILE COINS.

THE SMILE COIN Tour Stop #1: St. Marys Area Middle School — Grades 6 to 8 — November 13, 2023:

THE SMILE COIN Tour Stop #2: South St. Marys Street Elementary School — Grades PreK to 5 — November 15, 2023:

THE SMILE COIN Tour Stop #3: Fox Township Elementary School — Grades K to 5 — November 16, 2023:

THE SMILE COIN Tour Stop #4: Grand Finale at St. Marys Area High School — Grades 9 to 12 — November 17, 2023 — Included presentations of SMILE COINS to State Senator Cris Dush’s office, the City of St. Marys, The Historical Society of St. Marys & Benzinger Township, and Penn State DuBois:

The photograph above was taken in the very final minute of the final Assembly #15 to document and celebrate the exclamation point to an historical and unprecedented merging of skills-based STEAM education, Participatory/Interactive Art, mental health awareness, community service, and Generations X & Z!

And now, the next chapter of THE SMILE COIN Project ripples onward as the Dutch Manufacturing students, Community Education Center, and John have been joined by the 1,800 students, who have become co-artists with them as they share the 4,000 SMILE COINS with the world in the days, weeks, months, and years to come . . .

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