Each spring, De La Salle High School juniors fill the pantry, halls, and parking lots of Monument Crisis Center, putting their boundless energy to work in helping our clients. One of those students was impressed by the large, bright, and cheerful paintings that fill our lobby wall. When he was escorted on a tour of our two-story facility, Jonah Ribando saw a blank canvas on the stairwell wall and decided to dedicate his Eagle Scout project to filling it with a special message.
In his senior year, Jonah took the time to apply what he learned about Monument Crisis Center’s mission to a set of concept drawings. Then, he met with our Program Manager Jeanette Ramirez to discuss his ideas.
“I’ve met with a few Eagle Scout candidates who want to complete a project for the Center,” said Jeanette. “You don’t get a lot of students who want to do art projects. Jonah showed me two concept pieces – a colored pencil sketch and a watercolor painting. I could tell right away that Jonah had really latched onto the mission and the community.
“My first thought was, ‘Thank you for thinking of Monument Crisis Center in this way,’” said Jeanette. “When he brought the full set of three paintings, I felt he truly showcased what we do here.”
Jonah shared the story of the paintings with us in his own words:
These three paintings are a collaborative effort between Troop 484 Clayton and a group of artists from De La Salle High School as a part of John Ribando’s Eagle Scout project.
The first painting portrays a dense forest, where a winding pathway cuts through the towering grass. Along the path, people move together toward the viewer, planting seeds side by side as a symbol of growth and shared purpose.
The second painting continues this journey, revealing a small town that emerged within the forest. Community landmarks such as a school, hospital, and homes stand along the path, representing the foundation of a supportive and thriving community.
The third painting depicts a mountain rising above the forest. Members of the community are shown climbing upward. This ascent reflects perseverance, collective strength, and the pursuit of a brighter future.
Together, these paintings aim to illustrate the mission of the Monument Crisis Center: planting the seeds of hope, nurturing community, and helping families climb toward stability and success.
Jonah wanted to involve his own community in the execution of his Eagle Project, and with the support of his art instructor at De La Salle, he recruited several of his classmates to paint with acrylic and bring his vision to life. Jonah then devoted another 13 hours to touching up the artwork and ensuring it was “gallery ready.” The result of Jonah’s inspiration is a set of three beautiful acrylic on plywood paintings, each 36 x 48 inches, constructed on sturdy wood frames by Jonah’s fellow Troop 484 Clayton scouts. The paintings are entitled: The Path, The Town, and The Peak.
“I hope the project can bring as much joy as I felt making it,” said Jonah.
We are so grateful to Johan Ribando and his De La Salle High School/Troop 484 community for providing us with this inspiring artwork to share with all visitors to the Center.
