Photo by Michael Erb Sophomores Khyleigh Scott, left, and Curstin Giffin, right, both Belpre High School basketball players, help put a fresh coat of paint on the main hallway at the high school. Student and community volunteers have been working for several weeks on the beautification project, repainting the high school’s halls, lockers and bathrooms.

BELPRE — Community members have been working to revitalize the interior of Belpre High School this summer with a fresh coat of paint.

Volunteers have worked the past several weeks to paint the walls, lockers and bathrooms of Belpre High School to give the inside of the building a much-needed facelift.

Susie Beall, the parent of an incoming Belpre High student, and Jeff Totten of MOV to Go, teamed up to spur the beautification project forward.

Beall, a 1985 graduate of Belpre High School, said her youngest daughter is set to enter Belpre High this fall, and when the two toured the school, she was struck by the condition of the facility.

“I was really excited to come in here and share where I went to school with my daughter,” Beall said. “There were big patches of paint chipped off the walls. It looked more dreary than I remembered. It just gave me the feeling it needed something.”

Photo Provided Before and after photos show the transformation of Belpre High School’s hallways and lockers after community members banded together to repaint the inside of the building with the school’s colors of black and orange.

Beall said she began asking community members and family for help in repainting the tan walls the school colors of black and orange.

Totten raised money for the project through his Facebook page, asking for donations for his birthday.

“I put in a goal of raising $500. We met that goal in 6 minutes,” he said. “So I upped it to $1,000. When all was said and done, we ended up raising $2,200. Not only was it local people (donating), it was a lot of alumni who now live far away who just wanted to help.”

Multiple area businesses also donated supplies, food and other support for the project.

“Sherwin-Williams agreed to sell us the paint at cost,” Beall said, which included special paint for the metal lockers.

Photo Provided Before and after photos show the transformation of Belpre High School’s hallways and lockers after community members banded together to repaint the inside of the building with the school’s colors of black and orange.

Beall said her family as well as Totten and other community members have helped out with the painting every day.

“I want these kids to walk through this hallway and feel proud of where they are,” Beall said.

“This is all about bringing that pride and tradition back to Belpre,” Totten said. “Let’s make this what we know it can be.”

Superintendent Tony Dunn said such community support is vital to a successful school system.

“Maintaining old buildings and keeping them safe and appealing is quite a challenge when you work with ever-shrinking funding sources,” he said. “A group of concerned parents, students, and community members have stepped forward to help us brighten the hallways of Belpre High School and we are very appreciative.

Photo by Michael Erb Community volunteers have been working this summer to repaint the inside of Belpre High School with the school’s colors of black and orange. Among the volunteers have been multiple students who have daily worked to help beautify the school. Pictured are, in the front row, from left to right: Emily Hayes, Bella Padovini, Lanie Johnson, and Chloe McDaniel. Second row, from left, Makaylee Deaton, Lindsie Johnson, Jaydyn Beall, Hannah McDaniel and Sydney Spencer.

“This summer we have also seen volunteers from Camden Clark working through the United Way Alliance of the Mid-Ohio Valley donate their time and backs to spruce up the grounds around Belpre Elementary,” Dunn said. “These are two great examples of why the Mid-Ohio Valley is such a great place to live. We are very thankful for the generosity that has come our way.”