Teacher launches ‘Jay Create’ literacy trail: QR‑coded signs to showcase middle‑school student work

Nana Blaylock, a seventh‑grade English language arts teacher at Lauri Middle School, described a pilot “Jay Create” literacy trail that will display student work via QR codes at school‑site signs across Jefferson County.

Blaylock said the idea grew from a model she saw on a vacation and is intended to give more students public exposure for poetry, short stories and artwork. “When I came across the Hilton Head Island Poetry Trail, I thought what better way to share poetry and other creations,” Blaylock said.

The pilot will install four signs at each of the district’s four middle schools. Each sign will carry two QR codes: one linking to a district web page explaining the project and locations, and the other linking to a specific student submission. Blaylock said teachers, selected classes and service‑learning groups will contribute work; the program will open a submission window each semester and aims to refresh displayed pieces about every six months.

District staff said the initial signs will be portable and could move to campus locations tied to events (for example, near a gym or track for athletic events), with a longer‑term goal of installing permanent metal signage similar to the examples shown in the packet. Blaylock also noted plans to involve high school classes and local partners such as the Mossy Creek Literacy Council and possibly Carson‑Newman in future expansions.

The board received the presentation as information; no vote was taken. Blaylock encouraged trustees to visit the signs once installed and to scan the QR codes to review student work.