On April 7, 2015, a $3,750 Transform Lake County Grant from Legacy Foundation’s Lake County Community Fund was awarded to Highland Community Foundation in support of a Public Art Sculpture. The sculpture is a component of a landscape improvement at the southeast corner of 45th and 5th Streets in Highland.

The sculpture is a memorial to Ashley Ritz, a Highland high school student who lost her life at this intersection in an August 2003 car accident. The sculpture was completed and installed July 31, 2015 by Artist Randy Simko at the center of an engraved brick Memorial Plaza. Gifts from Ashley’s family, neighbors, classmates and Highland businesses contributed the balance of the $24,231 project cost.