Bright splashes of color now dance along the South 16th Street fence at Philomath Elementary School where hundreds of student-painted fish have turned a simple barrier into a flowing river of creativity and science education.
The display is the result of an artist-in-residency program funded by the Philomath Parent-Teacher Organization that brought together science education and artistic expression in a project that has captivated students, teachers and the broader community.
“It’s not our original idea but the idea of all water leads to fish habitat,” said Principal Eric Beasley, referencing a similar project in Sisters that served as inspiration for Philomath’s initiative. This year’s program focused on integrating watershed awareness with hands-on learning about native fish species.
Teachers Krystal Rutledge and Jennifer Buchanan led students from both Philomath Elementary and Blodgett Elementary through the creative process. Volunteers from Maxtivity Arts and Crafts Creative Space stepped in to handle the installation.
“We always are excited to be part of a project where young people get to express their creativity and it gets to be visualized,” said Sarah Lench, Maxtivity’s executive director. “Our artistic support really came from making sure that all of the students’ work really shined by doing an effective and artistic installation and making it feel like the river was flowing.”
The project received additional support through a Pacific Power grant that funds STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math) initiatives in schools, allowing two teaching artists from Maxtivity to participate in the program.
Five native fish species grace the Philomath fence — skulpin, winter steelhead, kokanee, Chinook salmon and Pacific lamprey. The selection wasn’t arbitrary — they were species students who had been studying in their science curriculum.
In all, students painted 370 fish to go up on the fences.
“We tried for native species that the kids had been studying,” Rutledge said, following up with an example. “I had done a project in my classroom raising salmon from eggs and it was a neat tie-in.”
The educational component proved just as engaging as the artistic one. Fish biologist Matt Sloat presented to fourth and fifth graders, focusing primarily on kokanee and Chinook salmon, while Eric Hammonds, manager of the Alsea Hatchery, shared his expertise with students in grades 2-3.
For educators watching the process unfold, the joy was infectious.
“What I enjoyed most was just watching the students be creative and have an opportunity to have that outlet,” Buchanan said. “We had the materials there for students to use and they just dove right in. It was fun all around.”
Assistant Principal Mike McDonough noted how the project brought students together across skill levels.
“Everyone obviously got their chance to paint a fish irregardless of skill level,” he said. “They seemed to walk away feeling good about what they did and I think it strengthens the school culture in doing activities like this.”
The community aspect extended beyond the classroom. PTO Vice President Sara Hall volunteered during the painting sessions and witnessed something special.
“As a parent, it was really fun to come in and volunteer to watch the kids paint and then see my own child’s creativity come out in his work,” she said. “You don’t always get to see that when it’s mostly reading, writing and math. You could see their personalities shine through each fish.”
The technical aspects of the project required careful planning and community support. The fish were cut from resin-impregnated MDO (medium density overlay) board, a type of plywood with a smooth, resin-treated paper layer that resists moisture and works well with paint.
Scott Schuff, who lives in Rainier and is the grandfather of a Philomath Elementary student, contributed his CNC router expertise to cut the fish shapes and then sanded each piece by hand.
Area businesses also pitched in. Through the efforts of volunteer Jeff Juhl, BuildersFirst Source provided a discount on lumber and donated delivery while Philomath Rental’s Dennis Cabatic made additional contributions to the project.
The “Fishes on Fences” project reflects something deeper about Philomath’s educational philosophy.
“What sets Philomath apart from other places is that we really do prioritize opportunities for students in the arts,” Buchanan said. “Whether it’s theater or creative art, there’s so many things that we feel are very important opportunities for our students to have. And this is just a beautiful example of one of those.”
For Beasley, watching the students embrace both the creative freedom and the educational constraints was particularly rewarding.
“They really bought into our teachers giving them kind of this balance of flexibility and creativity within some confines and the work speaks for itself,” he said.
The painted fish will remain on the school fence as a lasting reminder of what happens when education, art and community come together.
Great story. It captures the school’s commitment to the arts and to giving each child opportunities for expression. The photo at Blodgett School, capturing the fish and their shadows is a keeper!