WITH THE SKILL of a professional artist to guide them, Piney Ridge Elementary pupils created a fresco for display in a school hallway. The fresco contains four panels with images of Maryland history and symbols.

"The project gave students an opportunity to see how a professional artist creates a piece of art," said Terry Greenberg, an art teacher at Piney Ridge who initiated the project with artist Michael Hearn through the Arts in Education Program and the school PTA.

The program is funded through the Maryland State Arts Council, which promotes the arts and art education in schools. Hearn has participated in 20 program projects in Maryland schools, but this was his first in Carroll County.

Greenberg said working on the fresco energized her pupils. "They immersed themselves in the project," she said. "They took great pride in the work and did all the sketches themselves."

Through history lessons the pupils were able to trace the fresco process - Hearn pointed out it is the same process used by the artist Michelangelo to create the painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel - to the Mayans and Egyptians.

The fresco process is quite involved. The "canvas" for the painting is a limestone and sand plaster wall. Lacking plaster walls to paint on, Hearn produced four slabs of plaster for the painting.

While Hearn prepared the surface, pupils researched the concept they had chosen in history and reference books on the state to plan and create drawings for the four panels.

Hearn worked closely with the pupils developing the drawings. With his help, they were able to make their simple sketches more detailed and artistic.

The sketches were transferred to the plaster by punching holes in the outline of the drawing and painting over the holes, creating an outline on the plaster panels. The pupils then mixed powdered pigments with water and painted their fresco panels.

On May 31, with one week remaining in the school year, fourth-grade pupils gathered in the media center to dedicate the fresco with Principal Ralph Viggiano; Pam Dunne, director of Artists in Education for the Maryland State Arts Council; Hearn; and Greenberg.

The pupils marveled at their accomplishment.

"They took something from a thought or idea, and created a mural that will be there forever," said Hearn.

"This accomplishment will probably take them further than we can see," said Viggiano, referring to the impact the project had on the pupils. "They will never forget this experience."

Hearn was awarded a framed picture of himself in a Dalmatian cutout, the school's mascot. He laughed and said, "This is what I would look like if I were a Dalmatian."

He also received a card from the pupils thanking him for his contribution to the fourth-grade class. As pupils gathered around Hearn as they left the dedication ceremony, their affection for their mentor was obvious.

"Are we going to meet again?" asked Tuan Vo, 10, as he was leaving.

"Please come back," echoed Annie Lucas, 10. "You are a great artist."

The panels, framed and hung by Hearn, will be displayed permanently in an upstairs hallway.

Liberty graduation

Carroll high schools held commencement ceremonies last weekend. Liberty High School, which had 415 graduates, held its ceremony Friday at Western Maryland College.

In attendance were County Commissioners Julia Walsh Gouge and Donald I. Dell, school board President Susan W. Krebs and Vice President Susan G. Holt, and members Gary W. Bauer, Thomas G. Hiltz and C. Scott Stone.

The Liberty High School Symphonic Band played under the direction of Joseph Fischer, school music director.

The ceremony included speeches by graduating seniors Aimie Greenberg and Kristen Trumpler. English teacher Thomas J. Delise gave the commencement address and noted the important events of the past year, including Sept. 11.

Assistant Principal Florence Oliver noted the many accomplishments of the senior class, which included 162 community awards, 169 state certificates of merit, 67 scholarships and 77 departmental awards.

Debra Taylor Young's neighborhood column appears each Tuesday in the Carroll County edition of The Sun.