PARKING PAINT: Service project encourages personal space

Dustie Beaubien, Staff Writer|September 7, 2018

Jessenia Balderas
Rockin’and rollin’– Senior FFA member Carlye Winfrey coats her roller in paint on Sept. 15 as she paints stripes on her parking spot. Winfrey came up with the fundraiser as part of a service project in FFA to gather money to paint a community mural.

  Licensed drivers became artists as one senior’s service project brought personalization to the back parking lot.

Senior Carlye Winfrey introduced parking lot painting to fund an FFA community service project. 

  “I was selected to be a Ford Leadership Scholar through the Texas FFA,” Winfrey said. “The purpose of the  program is to enhance our leadership qualities and take what we learn and go back to our communities to develop a substantial and sustainable community service project.”

Winfrey will use the funds raised by the $50 per spot sales of parking spaces to work with Seminole city officials to commission a mural for the community. 

  “The painted parking spaces are my means of funding for the project,” Winfrey said. “I thought it would be a fun idea for the students to express themselves and to start a new tradition here at Seminole High School.”

  With $50 and a valid driver license students were able to purchase their parking spaces. 

  “I am using the money made through the parking spaces to purchase the materials needed in my service project,” Winfrey said. “Any left over money will be going to the Art Club.”

  The Art Club is going to continue to sell the parking spaces after this year. 

  “They help to bring Art Club to the public eye, and its a good fundraiser for us,” Art Club secretary senior Brittney Weeks said. “I think it will be able to be carried on. We’re going to need to have people in the Art Club who will carry it on.”

  Bringing color to Seminole was Winfrey’s plan. 

  “I think she [Winfrey] started a really good tradition for our school because it makes everything more welcoming,” senior Sydni Spence said. “It’s a great thing for our town because we don’t have many artistic things; we’re all about sports, and its good to get everyone involved.”

Upperclassmen loved the idea of personalizing their spaces because they could come later to school while still having a close spot to park and for the beauty of the project. 

  “I am glad the school is putting something forward that improves others daily lives by adding color to them,” senior Alexandra Wall said. 

One stipulation of the parking spaces is that no one but the student who paid for the spot may park in the spot, even if that student is absent.

  The location of the community mural is also absent at this time.

  “This is still in the planning phase,” Winfrey said. “I am meeting with city officials to work out the details.”

Winfrey hopes the impact of her project will  last. 

  “The painted parking spaces project will be continued through the Art Club once I graduate,” Winfrey said. “I am hoping the community mural will last for many years.”