Nativity School eighth-graders have left a big imprint at their Pleasant Ridge school — a 26-foot totem pole that tells the stories of their years there through symbols.

        The totem is divided into six sections that symbolize faith and spirituality, sports, global perspective, the arts, friendship and academics.

        “The totem pole is a sculptural piece that is placed outside a family's home or in a village,” said Mindy Burger, Nativity art teacher. “It tells the story of your clan. This story tells the story of our clan or families at Nativity.”

Among the sculptors are, foreground: Shon Walker (left), Michael Brown and Max Holt; standing, from left: Lindsey Beiting, Andy Ciarniello, Sarah Kuhl, Bridget Mustard and Melanie Phillips. (Gary Landers photo) | ZOOM |

        Artist-in-residence Brad Stevenson of Madeira visited the school in January and helped the 48 students get started. The students divided into six teams, one for each section, and worked through May.

        Students carved the four-foot sections out of Styrofoam, and parent volunteers coated them with concrete paint. A cross tops the pole. The totem, which is illuminated at night, was installed in the outdoor Land Lab and dedicated last week.

        “A lot of art students do is institutional,” said principal Bob Herring. “This is a public piece of art that is as much for the community as it is for the school”

        The sport section includes a goalie kicking a soccer ball, with assorted other items such as shoulder pads, basketball, baseball bat, soccer cleats and pompoms representing cheerleading.

LIT AT NIGHT

The Nativity School totem, illuminated from dusk to 11 p.m., is at 5936 Ridge Road. Take Interstate 71 to the Ridge Avenue North exit. The school is at Ridge and Woodford roads.

        Stacey Buescher, 13, worked on the global perspective section, which represents the school's commitment to international education. Students and teachers are annually involved in foreign exchanges.

        “I went to Germany in seventh grade,” Stacey said. “It's a memory I'll never forget at Nativity.”

        The section shows a “skyline” of structures around the world: Big Ben, a Russian onion dome, Great Wall of China, an Egyptian pyramid, Chinese pagoda, Sydney Opera House, Eiffel Tower and Union Terminal in Cincinnati. Two working clocks show time in Cincinnati and London.

        Lauren Clarisey, 14, worked on the friendship section because of the friends she's made at Nativity since kindergarten. Now, they'll scatter to different high schools.

        “It's a neat section,” Mrs. Burger said. “It really looks like the people are holding the church up.

        “It was one of those unintentional, but serendipitous, things that happened.”

        The art section is an eyeball, and inside is a theater stage with moving parts. Theater masks are mounted on either side. A stack of books and a Plexiglas computer screen that lights make up the academics section.

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