More than 20 downtown Elkader businesses are displaying student-painted window art this month as part of “Paint the Town Green,” a mental health awareness initiative involving Central Elkader students, MercyOne Senior Life Solutions and Main Street Elkader.

As part of the project, Central art students designed and painted messages and artwork on storefront windows throughout downtown Elkader in recognition of May being Mental Health Awareness Month.

The partnership began when MercyOne Senior Life Solutions reached out to Central art teacher Carlyn Lechtenberg about collaborating on the project. Lechtenberg, who also serves on Main Street Elkader’s promotions committee, helped connect the organizations to bring the initiative together.

“MercyOne provided the supplies, Main Street Elkader the businesses and the art program the students and creativity,” Lechtenberg said.

Main Street Elkader Executive Director Maggie Sommers said the response from downtown businesses was immediate.

“I emailed this out to the Main Street District businesses, and within 12 hours we had over 20 businesses that were willing to participate,” Sommers said. “Everyone was eager to join in on the cause and support mental health awareness.”

Students were each assigned a couple of windows, first evaluating the size and shape of the space before creating their designs. Using templates, students developed rough drafts and finalized their concepts before heading downtown to paint.

For sophomore Mya Gregerson, the project was an opportunity to combine creativity with a meaningful cause.

“I always enjoy when some of the businesses downtown paint for seasons and holidays,” Gregerson said. “I thought mental health awareness was a good cause to do the same thing for.”

Freshman Tesla Mussmann noted the project initially presented a creative challenge.

“My first thought when we got the instructions to paint windows was that I didn’t really know how it was going to work to paint with only green,” Mussmann said. “But I made it work with what I had, and I ended up really liking what I created.”

Students took a variety of approaches in designing the windows, with some creating more direct mental health imagery and others choosing lighter or business-specific messages.

Sophomore Tyler Thompson said he wanted to show different sides in his designs.

“For one of mine, I did a person with a brain inside,” Thompson said. “And then I did a more lighthearted one.”

Mussmann said her lighter design featured frogs along the river with the message, “Life flows on.”

Gregerson tied her design directly to the business she was painting, creating floral artwork for the flower shop with the message, “Keep blooming.”

Organizers said green was chosen for the project because it represents mental health awareness and symbolizes healing, growth and hope. The project’s goal is to raise awareness, reduce stigma surrounding mental health and encourage conversations in the community.

For some students, the project’s message felt personal.

“I enjoyed what we were doing it for because everyone can relate to it,” Mussmann said. “It kind of hits close to home.”

Mussmann said one of the most rewarding parts of the experience was seeing the public engage with the artwork.

“When I was painting, I liked hearing people walk by saying they liked my art, or just talking in general about it and enjoying it,” she said.

For MercyOne Senior Life Solutions, the initiative also served as a way to raise awareness about available local mental health resources.

Eric Lechtenberg, program director for Senior Life Solutions at MercyOne Elkader Medical Center, said the program recently launched in Elkader and is designed to support individuals, typically age 65 and older, experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety often related to aging. Services include group therapy, individual therapy and monthly visits with a psychiatrist.

“Even though we target this age range, we wanted something to pop out in the community, something that can be easily seen just driving through town,” Lechtenberg said. “This project is letting the community know there is more support for mental health than one might realize.”

“It is okay to not be OK,” he said. “Mental health struggles can affect anyone, regardless of age. The sooner the need for help is recognized, the sooner individuals can begin to feel better without having to reach a crisis point.”

Sommers said the project also strengthened connections throughout the community.

“This project not only shows our support for mental health awareness, but strengthens the community’s ties to the school, our health care providers and downtown businesses, and shows Elkader comes together to support,” she said.

She added that the initiative aligns with Main Street Elkader’s goal of involving youth in the downtown business community.

Lechtenberg said student participation adds another important dimension to the effort, giving young people an opportunity to use creativity to make an impact in their community.

“Projects like this help students build empathy and awareness for others, feel connected to their community, understand that their voice and art can influence real conversations and learn that mental health is something everyone can prioritize early in life,” she said.