As 2026 starts to wind down, Fairfax County residents can prepare for the new year and support local artists by purchasing a calendar from South Lakes High School’s STEAM Team.
The student organization launched sales of a 2027 calendar earlier this week to raise funds for its next art project, which will be installed on the Lake Thoreau spillway in Reston sometime next year.
Available to buy for $20 online or in-person from the Reston Museum (1639 Washington Plaza) at Lake Anne Plaza, the calendar features images of nature and wildlife in Reston taken by longtime Reston resident and photographer Mary Prochnow.
“Mary’s generous contributions have transformed this calendar into a meaningful keepsake that celebrates the natural beauty of Reston,” Public Art Reston, which supports the STEAM Team, said in a press release.
Led by South Lakes art teacher Marco Rando, who was honored last year by the ArtsFairfax Awards, the STEAM Team has been contributing public art for the Lake Thoreau spillway and other locations around Reston since 2014. Past works have drawn inspiration from Reston’s natural environment, evolving development and even the science of atoms.
Open to all South Lakes students, the organization’s most recent project — a sculpture titled “The Secret Garden” — was installed at Lake Thoreau over the summer. Inspired by Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic novel, the work features rip-stop nylon twisted to resemble flowers and draped over a steel frame.
“This sculpture investigates how natural elements interact with the more industrial world we live in today and beauty’s importance in all environments,” Public Art Reston says in its description of the project. “We hope to emphasize the essential role that green space has in our everyday lives in Reston.”
When creating “The Secret Garden,” students consulted with the professional artist Danielle Hatch, who had used rip-stop nylon in a large-scale installation displayed at Reston Town Center for the Tephra ICA Arts Festival in 2024.
According to a Public Art Reston spokesperson, the STEAM Team hasn’t settled on a concept for next year’s Lake Thoreau installation yet.
In addition to purchasing a calendar, community members can support the students’ work through donations. The online shop accessible through Public Art Reston’s website includes options for $10 and $25 donations.
