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Winter in Michigan is a blast.
Just ask the graphic design and art students at Anchor Bay High School who were chosen for this year’s Macomb County Department of Roads (MCDR) Paint the Plow program.
“I think it’s really cool,” Anchor Bay senior Isabella Belloli said during Friday’s unveiling of Anchor Bay’s snowplow design, known as the Blizzard Wizard. “I feel really happy about what we did. It looks really nice.”
Sanayah Clemons agreed.
“I drew the design first and then I put it on the computer,” said the sophomore who came up with her school’s design. “I wanted something that was simple and not too complex so they could duplicate the design on the plow.”
“She did a good job. It’s really cute,” said Nadiyah Clemons, Sanayah’s twin sister and among the students invited to the unveiling.
The MCDR has about 100 snowplows, salt trucks and graders in its fleet and more than 100 maintenance employees who are dedicated to keeping the roads clear of ice and snow. Each year, as part of the agency’s program and to make the winter season a little more fun, schools from across the county are invited to submit designs for one of the big plows.
“We wanted to do something creative and unique,” said Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel, adding the response has been great and the program has created a wonderful connection between the MCDR and the school districts it serves. “Thanks to the creativity and work of students at Anchor Bay High School, one of our snowplows will be hitting the roads in style for the entire community to enjoy.”
The snowplow is 12-feet wide by 6-feet high.
Being a plow, however, created a little bit of a challenge for the painters.
“We started with the background and then added the details,” said Sarena Gendreau, who was among the students who painted the plow.
Morgan McGee said the challenge was making sure all of the pieces in place were in proportion to the design.
Also a challenge was the shape of their canvas.
“The plow is curved so the paint kept dripping. So we slowed down,” said McGee. “It took a little longer but it turned out great.”
Applauding the students’ work and the county’s program were Anchor Bay’s David Stumpf, who teaches fine arts, and Liz VanNuck, who teaches graphic design.
“I think it was a great idea to connect the students with the community,” Stumpf said.
VanNuck said it also gave the students an opportunity to collaborate on one project.
“We don’t get to do a lot of things together so that was pretty cool,” said VanNuck, referring to Anchor Bay’s fine arts and graphic design classes. “We had 40 students who came up with a design for the plow. They were given it as an assignment so it was not an option.”
These were then narrowed down to a group of students who chose to submit their designs for the program. Then they all went to work creating the winning design.
“We love it when the community gives our students an opportunity to use their skills in real life,” VanNuck said, of her students, who have also been asked to work on a project at the veterans home in Chesterfield Township.
Also proud of the project was Anchor Bay Principal Michael Mackenzie.
“It looks great,” Mackenzie said. “We have so many talented and gifted students who don’t always get to show off their talents. This was a great opportunity for them to do that.
“It is a great example of a cross-curricular activity that encourages students to work together to create a project from start to finish. I applaud our teachers, Ms. VanNuck and Mr. Stumpf, for taking on this fun but challenging endeavor and appreciate the support from Cori Wiley, the Anchor Bay supervisor of maintenance and facilities, for making it possible.”
Previously, MCDR partnered with Switzer Elementary School and Collins Elementary School to paint county plows, which are still in service today. Macomb County residents can catch a glimpse of the painted plows patrolling local roads this winter.
“It’s so befitting for winter in Michigan,” said Sanayah’s mother Sarah Clemons. “It gives the cold winter a soft edge.”
Schools and teachers who are interested in participating in MCDR’s annual paint the plow program can contact the Department of Roads at 586-463-8671 or geninfo@rcmcweb.org for additional information.
New rules for snowplows
While MCDR equipment and snowplow crews are prepared for winter, drivers should be prepared to remain safely behind any active snowplow. To help protect snowplow drivers and motorists and reduce winter crashes, Michigan passed a new law, Public Act 72 of 2024, that makes it a civil infraction to drive closer than 200 feet behind a snowplow that is actively salting, sanding or operating to remove snow and ice. The required distance behind a plow is 20 feet when the plow is stopped at or in an intersection. Starting this winter, drivers following a snowplow too closely could face a $100 ticket.
For more information about snowplow safety, visit michigan.gov.