Manatee mural migrates to elementary school
REFUGE/DDWS
DDWS volunteer Greg Sherer, Tice Elementary Principal Cherise Trent, Assistant Principal Katie Riemenschneider and Supervisory Refuge Ranger Toni Westland with one of the mural panels.
For the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge’s inaugural Artist-in-Residence program in 2019, visiting artist Ed Anderson created a manatee mural with the PACE Center for Girls Lee County. Since then, it has been located in the same outdoor hallway with the America’s Best Restroom award-winning facilities. On April 12, the refuge delivered the four-panel mural to Tice Elementary in Fort Myers, a Title I school. Supervisory Refuge Ranger Toni Westland reported, “The partnership began when Tice Elementary was the first school to host our Wildlife on Wheels in February. Ed Anderson’s manatee mural will now inspire students outside in their science classroom.”