Great Basin College (GBC) students will be creating a public art installation for the upcoming U.S. Semiquincentennial in 2026, following a decision by the Elko Arts and Culture Advisory Board. The board selected a proposal from John Rice of GBC's arts department for the "America 250 Sculpture Project," opting for a locally sourced concept instead of an alternative from Salt Lake City.
The planned sculpture is a steel portal measuring five feet by ten feet, to be built by students in GBC's welding program. It will feature engravings of the Declaration of Independence and the Preamble to the Constitution.
"Every year, the welding students engage in some sort of project and we all agreed that this would be a terrific project for the students to work on," said Rice. "There are many students in every cohort, so it's going to be a great opportunity for everyone," he added. "We're going to be meeting now that we've got the green light to make the plans for it - and I know we're all looking forward to being part of the celebration."
David Stoddard, Dean of industrial technology and workforce development at Great Basin College, highlighted previous projects by GBC welding students, including making chandeliers to memorialize victims of the 2023 University of Nevada Las Vegas shooting. He stated: "Our welding students are talented. They are doing education here, and then going to work here – and so to see something that they can be part of every single day, as they drive by it, as they see it, as they walk through it, they can take their families to it, their families now, their future children and say, 'I was part of this.'"
According to Rice’s proposal submitted to city officials, student welders will build the sculpture with material costs estimated at $7,000. The plan also calls for city engineers’ input on how best to mount the artwork.