James Simon was an artist and resident at the Laurel Highland Middles school in 2018 and together with the students and the school’s art teacher Aimee Vacanti, created a large scale mosaic for the school's entryway. The project was funded by Carmelle Nickens Rural Arts Collaborative initiative; The objective of the RAC is to place teaching artists — professional, practicing artists with the sensibility of an educator to engage students in learning and experiencing their art form — in rural school district classrooms in the hopes of enhancing their existing arts curriculum. It's primary backer and funder is the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation.
