Elmhurst Academy River Students Honor Police Force with K-9s for Cops Art Installation

Elmhurst Academy toddler students honor the state's fallen police officers and their unyielding commitment to our security through a classroom art installation that includes more than a dozen German Shepherd statues painted by the students. Their powerful installation mirrors Chicago's art tribute, titled "K-9 For Cops," that will be on display in the city this summer.

The K-9s for Cops project was initiated by the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation and PAWS Chicago to bring awareness to police officers' devoted service. The project plans to install 300 German Shepherd K-9 Unit statues, designed by artists working with sponsors, along the Magnificent Mile. The statues will later be auctioned off to raise money to provide financial assistance to families of officers who have been killed or injured in the line of duty, as well as to Chicago PAWS for improved medical care to its patients.

Elmhurst Academy's toddler classroom gained a larger community perspective and learned more about the sacrifices that local police forces make in their daily lives, as part of the class's semester-long study into Chicago's culture, including its rich arts, history, and food. In addition to creative their inspiring art installation, the students also learned more about the role of an officer, their police dogs, and studied short videos of police officers working collaboratively with their K-9 partners.

The students' K-9s For Cops installation was displayed at the school-wide Celebration of Diversity Night, where the toddlers transformed their classroom into the great city of Chicago, and was also presented at the academy's "Outside the Lines" student art gallery at the Kohl Children's Museum.