Gahanna Lincoln students update council on paperclip memorial project, report 2.4 million clips collected

Gahanna Lincoln High School students presented the paperclip project to City Council on Monday, describing a long-running effort to collect paperclips in memory of Holocaust victims and to assemble a monument.

Councilwoman Kaley Padova introduced the students and thanked them for bringing the project to council. "I believe that most of us have probably heard of this project, going on at Gahanna Lincoln High School, that started in 2014 with the goal to collect 6,000,000 paper clips to erect a monument in memory of those killed in the Holocaust," Padova said.

Student Megan Chrysler told council, "We have at this point 2,400,000 paper clips." She added the school had not completed counting donations for the semester and expected to count after testing concludes, with about 100,000 donations currently uncounted. Chrysler said each paperclip the program receives is accompanied by a donor story; she cited one donation from Columbus deputy police chief Greg Bodker, who told students he donated because of his appreciation for the freedoms first responders protect.

Council members posed no formal questions and presented a certificate of recognition and a photo opportunity for the students.

Why it matters: The project is a multi-year student effort to memorialize Holocaust victims and engage the community in reflection and education. Students described ongoing collection, storytelling attached to donations and an unfinished counting process that the school plans to complete in May.

Ending: Council provided the certificate of recognition and invited the students to address council; no formal council action or vote was required.