The city had a problem, but the city had a solution: Ike students.

“The reason [the city council] brought us, the art students, out to paint was because they were getting really inappropriate graffiti. So, we were hoping by incorporating the students into creating their own that kids who are doing the graffiti might have a little bit more respect for the artwork and not, you know, draw inappropriate things,” art teacher Jennifer Ramirez said.

The request from the city council was sent to all Utica Community Schools, but only Ike made an official response. On Sep. 18, these kids took on the task of transforming an act of vandalism into something positive, along with a few Utica High School students.

“I painted the Utica tunnel because I really enjoy the company of everyone in the art department and I also knew I would love the experience as a whole,” senior heather hoeffler said.

Eisenhower left its mark on the Davis tunnel, turning it into a mural inspiring respect for it and the city.

“Well, I’m a mural artist myself, and I have so much fun doing public art and stuff like that,” Ramirez said. “I wanted to give the students the opportunity to experience that themselves because I’m 50, and the first time I experienced it was maybe 10 years ago when I was 20, so if I can give them that experience at 16 or 17 years of age, who knows what can happen in the future for them.”