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Lee's Summit High students restore historic Tiger Head, honored at school
Summary
Art students and staff refurbished the 10‑foot, 900‑pound Tiger Head historic sculpture; the high school presented the student team and their teacher with recognition at a recent event.
Lee's Summit High School presented the story of the restoration of the school's Tiger Head sculpture to the board, describing a months‑long student‑led restoration effort that returned the 10‑foot, 900‑pound figure to the front of the campus.
Nathan Munckey, principal of Lee's Summit High School, said the Tiger Head—originally completed as a class gift in the early 1980s—had been placed in district facilities during construction and later restored by art students under the leadership of Angela Hayes, the district's 6–12 art department chair. Ms. Hayes described an application process that selected nine dedicated art students; four students who worked on the project joined the presentation. Senior Kalia Dye described sanding, repainting and varnishing the sculpture over multiple off‑campus work sessions and said the project taught her local history and community connection.
Munckey said the sculpture is made of chicken wire, rebar and fiberglass. The school presented the student team and Ms. Hayes with a plaque that will hang beneath the Tiger Head. The board also recognized Jason Prior as Lee's Summit High School Volunteer of the Year for ongoing booster‑club and concessions work.
Why it matters: The restoration reconnects current students to a longstanding campus tradition and illustrates hands‑on, community‑oriented art education at the high school.
Provenance: The restoration presentation and recognition of volunteers appear under agenda item 3.02 in the meeting transcript.
