Perpich Students Use Art to Support Community Healing After Annunciation Shooting

January 13, 2026

Perpich Arts High School students used creativity as a tool for healing, volunteering at FletcherFest, a community memorial event honoring Fletcher Merkel, a victim of the Annunciation Catholic School mass shooting.

Elspeth O’Brien (Visual Arts 2026) hosted tables of activities for children during FletcherFest

The event, held at the elementary school gymnasium, brought together hundreds of children and families for a memorial, birthday celebration, and scholarship kickoff in Fletcher’s honor. Perpich students led the craft portion of the gathering, offering bracelet-making, card creation, and painting activities designed to help children process grief through art.

“It was really a community event about healing, but also celebrating Fletcher’s life,” said Elspeth O’Brien (Visual Arts 2026), who volunteered at the event. “You could tell it’s a very tight-knit community. Everyone was just there for each other.”

Perpich students assembled art kits during their lunch period

In preparation, about 15 Perpich students, several of whom are members of National Art Honor Society, assembled art kits during their lunch period, folding cards, cutting paper, and organizing supplies so many students could support the event, even those who couldn’t attend in person. On the day of the event, O’Brien helped facilitate activities for children ranging from first through fifth grade.

“There were about 300 kids,” O’Brien said. “It was overwhelming, but I was really glad we could help out in some way. It was very sweet and beautiful to be there.”

Jamie Davis (Visual Arts 2026) reached out to the Annunciation community about a week after the shooting last fall, offering support from Perpich. Annunciation leaders didn’t see the email right away, and replied several months later, stating that they could use the help for the upcoming FletcherFest on January 10, 2026. Jamie rallied the Perpich students quickly, coming together in just a few days after Annunciation reached out for support. For the students involved, the experience reinforced the power of art beyond the classroom.

Students at FletcherFest engage in the art-making activities provided by Perpich students

“It was really lovely to be doing art with these kids and just letting them be creative,” O’Brien said. “Being able to show up for them in that way meant a lot.”

The National Art Honor Society (NAHS) is an American honor society for high school students. It was established in 1978 by the National Art Education Association (NAEA) to recognize outstanding accomplishments in the visual arts by students in grades 9 to 12. The NAEA also supports a National Junior Art Honor Society for students in grades 6 to 8. The NAHS chapter at Perpich Arts High School started in 2024.