For the third year in a row, KSB Hospital in Dixon, Illinois has worked in conjunction with the fifth and sixth grade art students of Debbie Thompson, art instructor at Reagan Middle School, also of Dixon, Illinois.

It all started in 2005, with a "Happy Houses" art project Debbie and her students worked on. KSB Hospital was looking for a way to get their employees to start taking the stairs instead of the elevators...a fitness thing.

The two projects found each other and the mural idea became a reality. Taking between 6-12 of the students work and replicating it on the cement-block stairwell was the perfect solution. Having the several students, along with guest artist, Jayne Rose, and Debbie paint along with them was the icing on the cake.

In 2006, "Crazy Cats" was the students' art project and KSB Hospital was more than happy to comply with another stairwell. This mural was even larger and required more hands to paint. Thirteen children in a cement stairwell. Imagine the noise and paint.

So, 2007 comes and the students are now working with cats again, but now have introduced dogs and Victorian Houses. This mural is in the same stairwell as 2006 (behind the cafeteria), but up a level and a half. Along with the children, guest artist, Jayne Rose, and Debbie Thompson, student teacher, Kristina Lindahl, and Debbie's daughter, Erin Holms, participated. Fun and laughter was had by all.