North Jackson Elementary builds music wall for music teacher killed in car crash

GLASGOW, Ky. – When 22-year-old Mrs. Robin Rutledge passed away in a fatal car crash, North Jackson Elementary School mourned their music teacher together.

Determined to keep her legacy alive, they decided what better way than to build the music wall she always dreamed to create.

“I think she would be thrilled to see the kids out here just enjoying this space,” said North Jackson Elementary STREAM Lab Teacher Tina Sharp. “We wanted a place where all of our kids, even if they were in wheelchairs, could get out here and have easy access to the flower beds, to the music wall. They can play on the stage.”

 North Jackson sixth-grade students, Miley Kaumanns, Layla Harris, and Chayli Matthews helped construct the music wall for their passion project in honor of their former music teacher.

“We loved this wall because it has so many different things on it,” said Harris. “And it’s just it really does represent her because she was a really good music teacher.”

“We also wanted to incorporate the color purple because that was her favorite color,” added Kaumanns.

All the students’ and teachers’ hard work led to a heartfelt grand reveal Monday when Robin’s parents got to see the music sensory wall for the very first time.

“It’s emotional to see this in honor of Robin,” said Robin’s mom, Ronda Wilson. “But we know how much she would love it, how much she loved working here at North Jackson. It’s a way for her to live on here at this school.”

“This is just a little way of her being able to have a little bit longer impact,” added Robin’s father, Anthony. “We wonder what five years down the road might have looked like, but now she’ll still be here in five years.”