Meadowlawn Artists Design Snazzy Sneakers For Miss Tammy

Anyone can have a boring pair of white sneakers. Not Meadowlawn Intermediate School custodian Miss Tammy Olds. Students in art teacher Kali Dunahay’s classes in November had scores of ideas on how they could add some pizazz to brighten Ms. Tammy’s kicks.

And, just before the holiday break, Miss Tammy debuted her final flashy sneakers – the product of a contest among Mrs. Dunahay’s students. It started with a simple call for students to participate in Project Happy Feet.

“If you are interested in designing Miss Tammy’s blank white canvas shoes, there will be blank templates right outside my classroom door,” wrote Mrs. Dunahay in her message to Meadowlawn students. Students were asked to design the template “the way you would like it in real life” from four different views: top, back, right, and left.

The students responded in a big way. Initially, Ms. Dunahay expected eight winning designs. Students, though, submitted some 250 designs, the art teacher said, and she expanded the competition to 15 winners who came to her classroom during her lunch period to paint the shoes with acrylic pens. 

“There were so many good designs that I also bought two pairs of shoes to get decorated,” Mrs. Dunahay said. 

The masterpiece sneakers were debuted at the conclusion of a holiday concert in Meadowlawn cafeteria just before break.