Trending
HUBBARD -- Hubbard High School students met up with their art teacher, Josh MacMillan, on Wednesday to paint the fourth annual "Choose Joy" paintings on three local business buildings.
The "Choose Joy" paintings were painted in support of the Edenfield family, who lost their daughter, Melina Edenfield, at only 4 years old due to a diffuse midline glioma brain tumor.
According to MacMillan, "Choose Joy" is a phrase he coined from Michelle Edenfield, Melina's mother, when she said Melina Edenfield always "chose joy."
"It was an absolute tragedy, and they (the Edenfield family) found a way to make that tragedy into something wonderful," he said.
The buildings MacMillan and his students painted on were Shop 'n Save, the Eagle Grille and Tavern and the Hubbard City Administration Building.
He said they painted Christmas gnomes on the buildings to represent the Edenfield family members. Michelle Edenfield was painted yellow, Keith Edenfield was painted dark blue, Melina's sisters, Emmie and Klara, were painted pink and light blue, respectively, and Melina was painted green with cheetah print.
"We thought the Christmas gnomes were something everybody likes so we did that," MacMillan said. "We thought it'd be cute to make it a family of five. We put 'Choose Joy' real big on the windows. We came up with the gnomes idea and made it personal."
MacMillan said that although they painted gnomes on all the buildings, the only building that had Melina on it was the city building, which he said they "tried to make a little more special."
He also said the students did it voluntarily since Wednesday was their first day of Thanksgiving break.
"We've tried to carry it (choose joy paintings) through so our kids are a little more appreciative," MacMillan said. "The kids were fantastic with it. They did a nice job."
MacMillan said he recieved a letter from one of his students who helped with last years paintings.
"She talked about how 'Choose Joy' has affected her outlook on life," he said. "I really think it changes their (the students) perspective and we take a great deal of pride in what we do."
He said advocating for the Edenfield family means a lot to him.
"We really want to make sure nobody forgets her, forgets Melina," MacMillan said.
MacMillan said advocating for the family has "made him a better teacher and a better father."
"As a father it refocuses me on staying thankful for the fact that my family's still here," he said. "It impacts me as a teacher because you really never know what people are going through."
He said he has advocated for the family in other ways, including putting "Choose Joy" on the girls soccer uniforms.
"We always try to help in promoting them because it means a lot to them," MacMillan said.
He said the gnomes will likely be taken down after Christmas.