We are honored to be part of Ripley High School’s exterior improvement journey! This week, we attended the “Lighting the Viking” ceremony at Ripley High to celebrate the dedication of this stunning feature wall to the community. We’re proud to partner with Ripley High and to play a role in bringing this vision to life. It’s extra special that Ripley High alumna and ZMM Senior Interior Designer Carlie Ray has been involved with this project for her alma mater and was honored during the event. Check out the full story from Jackson Newspapers below.

Ceremony officially lights the Viking on the new Ripley High façade

by Suzette Lowe, Jackson Newspapers — Dec 18, 2024

RIPLEY, W.Va. (WV News) — Emotions were evident as Phase 3 of the Ripley High School Alumni Beautification project was ready to display.

Alumni President Dale Ruben and Vice-President Cheryl Miller spoke of the teamwork required to bring all three portions — solar lights, the school’s entrance sign and finally, the new façade and Viking head — to fruition.

Ruben spoke of Constellium’s donation of aluminum and Mouldagraph Corporation’s work to create the 12-foot tall, 9-foot wide, and 3/4-inch thick Viking.

“We can’t thank all the incredible folks that helped with this,” Ruben said. “Delegate Steve Westfall, Senators Amy Grady and Eric Tarr, The City of Ripley, the Board of Education, Dickirson Corporation, Ron Martin as the artist for the sign and this Viking, Custom Detail, Grae-Con, Ed Casto for the wiring and the Board’s maintenance department are all amazing. And to our community that raised over $100,000, we can’t thank you enough.”

The last accolade was given to the “Alumni Team.”

“On behalf of the City of Ripley and all of us here, you all were the angels that made this happen,” Mayor Carolyn Rader said from the audience. “Thank you very much.”

Miller spoke of one of the biggest surprises with the design.

“This idea began a little over a year ago,” she said. “We had looked at several renditions of our Viking, but when we got to the one you see here today, we just knew it was the right one. Not till about a few weeks ago did we find out that the artist, Carlie Wolfe Ray of ZMM Architects and Engineers, is a 2013 graduate. Thank you for your vision.”

Ray was presented with an honorary lifetime membership to the Alumni Association and an ornament.

Then came the time to light the Viking. Laura Waskey, a 2002 Ripley High graduate deemed the “super Viking fan,” was given the honor of “pushing the button.”

Escorted by Ripley High Principal Luke Swiney and presented the remote by Assistant Superintendent of Non-Educational Services Tim Brown, Waskey beamed as she lit the Viking with white lights. She later asked if she could turn them her favorite Viking blue.

“I’m so happy to light this,” she said. “And it will never come down; it will always be here.”

The ceremony ended appropriately, with the large crowd singing the alma mater, accompanied by the Viking band.

The Viking will be lit in white daily from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. It will be turned blue for special occasions decided upon by the principal, staff and students.