Find out who repainted the “J” on the Franklin Mountains
El Paso, Texas (KVIA) -- An old El Paso landmark just got a facelift.
Organizers posted on social media last week explaining that the Thomas Jefferson Ex Student Association has repainted the "J" on the mountain, next to the star.
Organizers thanked those who contributed to the project to make the revitalization possible.
Officials explained that the project was funded by proceeds from the Jefferson Memorial Walkway, built with brick pieces from the old school before it was rebuilt.
The proceeds for the walkway were primarily meant to go to the school's 2024 senior class.
But according to Kevin Keich, a recently retired journalism teacher at Jefferson High School, the students at the school decided to use some of the money towards repainting the "J".
Keich and president of the Ex Student Association Joe Garcia III both said that the repainting was not just one person's effort, but the effort of everyone involved and especially the students.
The major snag for the Ex Student Association was getting permission to repaint the "J", as the site is now on private property.
Ricardo Rubio, a member of the association, was able to find out who owned the land. They reached an agreement where the money would go to materials and the land owner would use those to paint the "J".
Jefferson High School is celebrating their 75th anniversary this year and the "J", while not officially part of the celebration, lined up with the school's effort to honor its history.
