Home » Blankets painted by Kentucky students to be featured in Governor’s Derby Celebration

Blankets painted by Kentucky students to be featured in Governor’s Derby Celebration

Scheduled for Saturday in Frankfort

FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 6, 2016) — Students in 32 Kentucky classrooms painted blankets that will adorn picnic tables Saturday as part of the annual Governor’s Derby Celebration in downtown Frankfort.

Boyd County High School
Boyd County High School

The blankets, distributed to schools by the Kentucky Arts Council in early April, have become a celebrated tradition since the project started seven years ago, with hundreds of students participating each year. Ranging from fun and whimsical to intricate and detailed, the finished Derby blankets are placed atop picnic tables that have been converted into horses with an attached head and tail. These tables are on display on the lawn of the Old State Capitol in downtown Frankfort.

“The Derby blanket project is not only a great way to incorporate arts education into the classroom, but also a fun way for students to participate in Derby festivities,” said Lori Meadows, arts council executive director. “The children are always very proud of the finished canvases on display at the Governor’s Derby Celebration.”

The students of James A. Duff Elementary School in Eastern chose to make their blanket about symbols of the Kentucky Derby, the first leg of America’s Triple Crown.

“Our students felt honored to be a part of the Governor’s Derby Celebration by having the opportunity to display their artwork on the tablecloth,” said Melanie Turner, a teacher at Duff Elementary. “One symbol that we chose to add was our painting of Kenny Rice, the nationally known sportscaster. We are particularly proud of this painting because he is from the community of Eastern which is where our school is located in Floyd County.”

Blankets will be on display from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. during the celebration and can be viewed online at http://artscouncil.ky.gov/KentuckyArt/Derby2016.htm.

Participating schools are:

  • Access Program at Heritage, Ashland
  • Boyd County High School, Ashland
  • Breckinridge Elementary School, Lexington
  • Briarwood Elementary School, Bowling Green
  • Cardinal Valley Elementary School, Lexington
  • Central Elementary School, Barbourville
  • Cold Hill Elementary School, London
  • Crittenden County Elementary School, Marion
  • Crosby Middle School, Louisville
  • Elkhorn Elementary School, Frankfort
  • Elkhorn Middle School, Frankfort
  • Hazard High School, Hazard
  • Hendron-Lone Oak Elementary School, Paducah
  • Highland Middle School, Louisville
  • James A. Duff Elementary School, Eastern
  • Junction City Elementary School, Junction City
  • Leslie County High School, Hyden
  • Lincoln Elementary School, Franklin
  • Memorial Elementary School, Hardyville
  • Moore Traditional High School, Louisville
  • North Warren Elementary School, Smiths Grove
  • Ohio County Middle School, Hartford
  • Phelps Area Technology Center, Phelps
  • Sandy Hook Elementary School, Sandy Hook
  • Sayre Middle School, Lexington
  • Strode Station Elementary School, Winchester
  • Tully Elementary School, Louisville
  • Warren Central High School, Bowling Green
  • Warren East High School, Bowling Green
  • Whitesburg Middle School, Whitesburg
  • Wright Elementary School, Shelbyville
  • Yates Elementary School, Lexington