70 Students Spend a Year Building a 250-Year-Old Naval History in Ceramic Tile

Approximately 70 students from Ausable Valley High School spent ten months creating a ceramic tile mural that marks the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Valcour Bay. The project concluded in October 2026 with the final installation at the Ausable-Chesterfield-Keeseville Civic Center in Keeseville.

The artwork depicts the October 1776 naval engagement on Lake Champlain. During that battle, American forces led by Benedict Arnold faced a larger and better-equipped British fleet. Although the Americans suffered a tactical defeat, their resistance delayed the British advance toward Ticonderoga and the Hudson River. The delay contributed to the American victory at Saratoga in 1777.

Sharon Bainbridge, a library media specialist at AVCS Middle-High School, initiated the project to commemorate the anniversary. She specifically chose the theme to recognize a new digital 3D model of the Spitfire, a gunboat from the American fleet. Gerald Gardner, a local artist from Saranac, designed the mural and incorporated the Spitfire using specially designed tiles.

Funding for the initiative came from a 2026 Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership Local Heritage Grant. The grant covered all material costs, the artist's time, and a field trip for students to the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. It also financed the purchase of historical books for the district's three school libraries.

The creation process began in December 2025. Students first visited the maritime museum to study the region's Revolutionary War history. They then attended brainstorming sessions with Gardner to develop the visual imagery for the piece. AVCS technology teacher Jim Caron converted the students' drawings into three-dimensional stamps.

From December 2025 through June 2026, students used these stamps and other tools to create images and textures in the clay. They then produced and glazed the individual ceramic tiles. The installation and painting phase took place between July and October 2026.

Jennifer Winternitz and Rebecca Conklin, both art teachers at AVCS, helped organize the project and guide the students. They also created portions of the mural themselves, working alongside Gardner on the layout and installation. Winternitz assisted in developing the grant application that secured the funding.

The Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership works with regional partners in New York, Vermont, and Quebec. The organization aims to promote and conserve the shared cultural and natural heritage of the Lake Champlain area. This grant is one of several initiatives supporting local historical interpretation.

The Civic Center building formerly served as a high school. It now functions as a hub for local government and community life. Placing the mural in this location connects the school district's educational efforts with the broader community's historical narrative.

The mural is now visible to the public at the Civic Center. It serves as a permanent record of the 1776 battle and a testament to the collaborative work of the students, teachers, and artist who produced it.