The Star of Star Valley has been a memorable site for many people of this community for over 80 years.
Mr. Fullmer remembers climbing the hill to the star with his friends in the early 1970’s. High school seniors have maintained the star for decades, even forming their graduation year below the star using lime and white stone for many years.
Seniors no longer hike to the star during graduation week to spruce up the star, and as a result, the beacon had begun to lapse in appearance or at least in technology. LED lights, cell phone apps, and fiber optics give the promise of a new and better star.
Enter Shawn Merritt, the welding teacher at SVHS. He and his classes have joined ranks with Sunrise Engineering and the Town of Afton to bring the star into the the 21st century.
“It’s good for my students to be involved and learn to do something good for the community,” said Merritt. The student welders class under Merritt’s supervision have taken the initiative to weld a new shiny star on the hill to keep the history of “Star” Valley alive.
Constructed of welded steel beams and supplied by power drug up the hill by tractor and buried, class members hauled two welders up the hill along with 7018 stick, grinders, and all the other gear they needed to complete this project. They spent a couple days every week hiking, laying beams and plates, welding the beams together and then laying sheet metal on top—all in time to get back to class before the next bell.
