91ÊÓƵ

A group of students has good reason to smile every time they pass by a new interpretive display in Astoria. The students, from Lewis and Clark Elementary School and Astoria High School, created the art featured on the display, which was designed by Suenn Ho of Portland-based Suenn Ho Design.

The Oregon Department of Transportation tapped Ho to design the display to highlight the importance of Astoria’s bridges and to pay tribute to Conde Balcom McCullough, who became state engineer in 1919 and proceeded to spend the next 18 years designing and overseeing construction of some of Oregon’s most iconic bridges.

ODOT also turned to Lois D. Cohen Associates to use a school-based outreach program that the firm’s founder, Lois Cohen, developed to involve students in the display’s design.

ODOT originally was going to select a handful of the best artwork submitted by the students. When the time came to narrow down the field, though, the agency decided it was too hard to choose and asked Ho to adjust the display design to allow all of the drawings to be included, Cohen said.

Two students from Astoria High School took their participation a bit beyond providing the drawings of McCullough’s historic bridges recreated on the interpretive display. Bronson Holthusen and Clay Englund welded a time capsule in the shape of a log, which was filled with poems and original drawings created by the students involved in the school outreach program. The time capsule was buried during a May 24 grand opening.

Out and About is a new feature in the 91ÊÓƵ designed to help companies in the building industries in Oregon and Southwest Washington share their good news with 91ÊÓƵ readers. Email photos and press releases about company events, employee volunteer efforts, etc., to [email protected].