Boone Central industrial arts students have combined art and Nebraska history with metal working skills for a special project this year.

They are involved in the Ken Iverson Project, a sculpture-making project and contest involving area schools in a collaborative effort between various disciplines.

This year’s theme is Nebraska history.

It is an initiative created by Nucor Steel and honoring Ken Iverson, former president of Nucor, to encourage community participation and the arts, and to encourage collaboration across departments.

In this project, students work as a team to show their creativity and leave their mark in their community. Steel for the sculptures is donated from Nucor.

Boone Central’s project takes the shape of Nebraska on two sides. It includes smaller components depicting horse-drawn wagons, a locomotive, windmill, farm animals, a grain elevator, tractor and plow, and an older model farm truck.

The windmill frame is made from stiffened barbed wire.

“We worked together on the bigger part, and each of us took one of the smaller components to do ourselves,” said student Tracy Perez.

The entire sculpture is painted bright red.

Trevor Korte, Boone Central industrial arts teacher, said the students used their skills in welding, metal cutting, brazing, computer aided drafting and math. They also consulted with history and art teachers in planning the project.

The students received their steel from Nucor in September and worked on the sculpture two days a week during first semester. In December, they began working five days a week until the project was finished.

“This is only our first year of participating,” said Korte. “If we enter next year, we hope to open it to the entire school.”

After judging, the top five sculptures will be displayed at the Norfolk Home Show. There, the attendees will have an opportunity to vote for their favorite in the high school and college divisions.

The top five winners will each be awarded with plaques and monetary prizes to benefit each participating school’s industrial arts program.