This week, the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center welcomed a very special group of young artists, second graders from Shawnee Heights Elementary School, who came to see their first-grade artwork transformed into a stunning installation inside the museum.

Their artwork is featured in the Sunflower Gallery, a vibrant celebration of Kansas, its landscapes, symbols, creativity, and children. Designed as a love letter to our state, the gallery invites kids to explore Kansas through movement and imagination. At its center stands the Sunflower Climber, the tallest climbable sunflower in the world, surrounded by hands-on stations, swirling prairie winds, Hive Climbers for buzzing bees-in-training, and art woven into every corner.

Against this energetic backdrop shines the students’ installation, Sunflowers. The sunflower has been one of our most recognizable state symbols since 1903, representing the beauty and resilience of Kansas. Every first grader at Shawnee Heights Elementary contributed a unique sunflower design, guided by teachers Tiffany Luttjohann, Ashley Tomes, and Lisa Taylor. Many artists leaned into brilliant colors, rainbow skies, bold textures, imaginative shapes, making the finished wall feel like a field of creative blooms bursting with life.

Each original drawing was reproduced on wood, transforming 54 of one-of-a-kind student works into a sweeping installation. During their visit, students eagerly searched for their sunflowers, pointing out favorite colors and shouting “I found mine!” as they spotted their artwork. After celebrating their display, they raced off to climb the towering sunflower, buzz through the Hive Climbers, and explore the gallery their art now helps bring to life.

This colorful installation is more than a beautiful display, it’s a testament to Kansas creativity and the power of children’s voices. We are grateful to Shawnee Heights Elementary School for sharing this joyful project with our community. Their radiant field of sunflowers will inspire Discovery Center visitors for years to come.