Freedom to Change

Middle school art students in the Tamaqua Area School District have completed a community-focused public art project: a decorated replica of the Liberty Bell created for America250PA. Titled “Freedom to Change,” the bell was painted by students under the direction of art teacher Kim Woodward.

The project grew from classroom research into Schuylkill County history. Students selected images and themes that reflect the county’s past and present, then translated those ideas into the bell’s design. The finished work incorporates local symbols and stories meant to represent community identity and resilience.

Once painting was finished, students planned final steps including varnishing the bell and preparing interpretive materials. A QR code will be attached to the display to tell the story behind the artwork, and a time capsule assembled by students will be buried beneath the installation.

The bell will be installed in Tamaqua’s Liberty Park beside a newly planted Liberty Tree sapling and will be unveiled at a community ceremony to be scheduled later. The project offered hands-on arts education for students and produced a lasting civic monument meant to engage residents and visitors in local history as part of the statewide America250 commemorative program.