Bel Air High School Students Present Fallen Heroes Murals

From the Harford County Sheriff’s Office:

Appearing on the steps of the Sheriff’s Office Headquarters today, Bel Air High School art students and their teacher Karen Ballard, presented two murals to Harford County Sheriff Jesse Bane and members of the Sheriff’s Office. The 4’x8’ and 4’x6’ murals include tributes to five Sheriff’s deputies who have lost their lives since the late 1800’s.

Ms. Ballard, along with Sheriff’s deputy, Shawn Forton, a recognized mural artist, worked with the twelve students, in grades 10 through 12, who painted these murals over the past several months. The idea for these paintings came when Ms. Ballard took note of the Sheriff’s Office Southern Precinct, draped in black in memoriam to Sgt. Loughran and Cpl. Licato who died within a week of each other in September 2012. Part of the project included the students taking a field trip to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington. Here the students had a chance to see the names of all officers who have died in the line of duty, including the names of the Harford County Sheriff’s Deputies. Ms. Ballard said, of the experience, “friendships were built, relationships were built…it was a labor of love”. She continued by thanking the Sheriff for allowing them to do this for the agency.

The Sheriff recognized the students, who included, Caroline Lozzi, Chelsey Keys, Matt Wilden, Chelsey Rektorik, Alice Lee, Faith Wang, Rachel Jones, Morgan Conner, Aly Topshcer, Marisa Abbey, Madison Slencak, and Emily League. He remarked, “I am confident these students are going to go far in life”, noting that they are a “treasure to their family, their school, and the county”.

The murals will be displayed at the Sheriff’s Office Headquarters on Main St. and at the Harford County Detention Center.