AT JONES Brummett Elementary, a field of bright ceramic poppies blooms every three years and falls, not from soil, but from the hands of students learning the meaning of service, sacrifice, and remembrance. The school’s Poppy Project, a Veterans Day art initiative created by art teacher Alexis Hamnett, brings together creativity, history, and community impact. It reaches even further than the classroom.
Every three years, beginning in 2022, students in third through fifth grade create handcrafted ceramic poppies that are displayed outside the school and later purchased by families and community members. Proceeds support the school’s art program, while additional donations benefit veteran-focused organizations, including the local Veterans of Foreign Wars and a horse farm that aids those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“It’s a great way to tie in art and civics and history and even social-emotional learning,” Hamnett said. “Helping other people is a big part of it.”
Hamnett, who has taught in the district for two decades, said the project was born when she moved to the relatively new school five years ago and was given the opportunity to teach ceramics. “I was so excited to teach with clay,” she said. “I had seen the Tower of London poppy project — it’s just so visually impressive, and I really wanted to use it as our inspiration. So we did.”
The poppy itself has symbolism rooted in history. Inspired by the poem “In Flanders Fields,” by John McCrae, the flower became a lasting emblem of remembrance for those who died in war. “In the poem, it talks about how, even through all the destruction, the poppies still grew,” Hamnett said. “It’s kind of ironic — it was the limerich rubble and nitrogen from the explosives that created the fertile soil that allowed the poppies to thrive.”
Students learn about color symbolism as they design their own poppies, choosing among four basic shades — red for traditional remembrance, white for hope for peace, purple for animals that served, and black to honor service members of African and Caribbean descent. “They choose how they glaze their poppy and what colors they use,” Hamnett said. “That helps them create a personal connection to how they want to honor veterans.”
The process itself is both hands-on and intensive. Students begin in early September by rolling out clay, cutting petal shapes with stencils, assembling layers, and forming delicate, wispy flowers. After firing and glazing, each piece is mounted on rebar to create an outdoor display
“They’re involved every step of the way,” Hamnett said. “They see what we want to accomplish and then participate in all the steps it takes to get there. It’s not fast, and it’s not always easy, but that’s part of the lesson.”
By the time the display is installed in November, the school’s front lawn is transformed into a sea of hundreds of ceramic poppies. “To see 200 or 300 poppies out in our front yard — it’s really special,” Hamnett said. “Families drive by during arrival and dismissal and see all of that. It’s one of the most ambitious projects I’ve ever designed.”
Over the past two cycles, in 2022 and 2026, the initiative has raised hundreds of dollars for veteran organizations, including the local Veterans of Foreign Wars and a horse farm supporting individuals with PTSD.
The Poppy Project also complements the school’s annual Veterans Day program, which includes student performances, guest speakers, and opportunities for students to honor family members who have served.
“We invite veterans to come in and sit in a place of honor,” Hamnett said. “Students escort them in, and there’s this pride of walking with their grandparent or family member. It’s very powerful.”
Inside the classroom, the impact is just as meaningful. Hamnett said she often hears students discussing who they plan to give their poppies to and why.
“Some say, ‘I’m giving this to my grandpa,’ or they talk about why they chose certain colors,” she said. “Those conversations show they understand the purpose behind what they’re doing.”
Many families later display the poppies at home, creating a reminder of both the project and the people it honors.
“I’ve had families come up to me years later and say, ‘That poppy is still in our yard,’” Hamnett said. “That’s really special.”
In addition to honoring veterans, the project serves as the art program’s only fundraiser, helping cover the cost of materials like clay, kiln supplies, and specialty glazes.
“This year’s project raised enough funds to purchase clay for the next two years,” Hamnett said. “I was even able to invest in some really beautiful glazes for the students.”
For Hamnett, the project is a reflection of what art education can achieve.
“Art has this superpower,” she said. “We get to create, but we also get to immerse students in history, science, math, and culture in a way that they can truly absorb them.”
While the project requires significant time and effort, including assembling displays in questionable weather, Hamnett said the result is always worth it.
“There are moments where you think, ‘What am I doing?’” she said with a laugh.
“But seeing it all come together, the pride of the students, watching them find their poppy in the field, it’s incredibly gratifying.”
She hopes the tradition continues for future classes.
“I almost feel a responsibility to keep doing it,” she said. “It’s such an amazing experience for the kids and the community.”
The Poppy Project is all about connections, Hamnett said, linking students to history, their community, and the values of service and remembrance.
“I would just like to express my gratitude to all service members,” she said. “And to thank my students for the heart and soul they put into this project. Without them, this was nothing but an idea.”
The next scheduled installation of the Poppy Project will be on Veterans Day 2028. There are always poppies available for purchase in the lobby of Jones Brummett Elementary School. GN
