Three Shaler Area students are trading their school supplies for paintbrushes this fall, and children across the region will benefit from their work.

Olivia, a seventh grader at Shaler Area Middle School, Peyton, a fourth grader at Scott Primary School, and Leona, a first grader at Burchfield Primary School, are helping paint a mural in the Pediatric Triage room at AHN McCandless Neighborhood Hospital.

The project began with Leona. After a visit to the emergency room over the summer, she and her mother, Kati Maas-Crawford, donated sensory kits to all four AHN Neighborhood Hospitals, with 10 kits each going to McCandless, Hempfield, Brentwood, and Harmar. When hospital administrator Tim Carney learned that Kati is an art teacher, he invited her to paint a mural that would make the pediatric triage room more welcoming for children. Leona knew exactly what it should be: flowers!

The design reflects the mission of 12 Months of April, which is to bring comfort and regulation in emergencies. Tucked among the bright blooms are hidden items, so children and their caregivers can play “I spy” while they wait for and receive care.

The mural is still in progress and is expected to be finished by November.

Thank you, Leona, for being a leader in your community. You took an experience that could have been scary and used it to help other children feel calm and cared for.