The eagle has landed at William James Middle School.
On Friday, as part of Georgia Southern University’s inaugural Eagle Nation in Education contest, a decorative, student-designed eagle sculpture was permanently installed on the school’s front lawn.
The 6-foot-tall fiberglass bird, emblazoned with the colors of the American flag and featuring a pair Statesboro landmarks, was placed near the school entrance, where it will welcome visitors indefinitely.
“It is a great day for William James Middle School. We have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the eagle,” Principal Mike Yawn said. “It is a beautiful, beautiful sculpture. It looks great. I think this will be a wonderful place for people to stop by and visit, to see the eagle.”
William James was awarded the sculpture — donated by Georgia Southern University and its Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art — by earning top honors in Georgia Southern’s Eagle Nation in Education competition.
The contest challenged students in Bulloch County (grades three through 12) to create the most visually interesting art design for the eagle sculpture.
Seventh-grade student Kelsey Fallin was named the overall winner with a design that incorporated the American flag and downtown staples the Averitt Center for the Arts and the Bulloch County Courthouse.
“It is just amazing that this (sculpture) gets to be here,” Fallin said. “I think it turned out really great.”
Fallin’s design was selected from among 464 entries by a pair of out-of-town judges. The victory meant that her design would grace the eagle, and she, along with the help of a Georgia Southern artist, would paint it.
“She has been working hard for the past four months,” said Cinnamon Dowd, the outreach coordinator for the Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art. “She has worked late nights, and came in on weekends, to paint this sculpture. She’s an artist and has worked day and night.”
Fallin also used part of her spring break to finish the sculpture.
“It has been very hard, but it has also been very fun getting to work on the eagle,” she said.
According to Stephanie Neal, assistant to the chair for the art department, information about the eagle, and its artist, will be included on a website, eaglenationonparade.com, that documents all of the Eagle Nation on Parade sculptures located throughout Statesboro.
The university hopes to find a sponsor, to fund the next eagle sculpture, so it can hold a second contest next year, she said.
The eagle was unveiled at William James during the final day of school for the 2012-13 year. Several students were on hand as the sculpture was bolted into place.
“It has been a wonderful process and I think the kids got a lot out of it. I was truly amazed at the artistic ability — at what these kids could do, given the opportunity,” Yawn said. “You could tell by the kids looking on today, this is going to really become a popular landmark.”   

Jeff Harrison may be reached at (912) 489-9454.