Powerful, sobering images reflect the loss of murdered children and other loved ones.

        A mother holding a child.

        A sea of candles surrounded by roses.

ABOUT POMC

Name: Parents of Murdered Children    Founded: 1978 in Cincinnati.    Mission: To provide support and assistance to all survivors of homicide victims while working to create a world free of murder.    Members: 100,000.    Conference: Today through Sunday at the Westin Hotel, Fifth and Vine streets, downtown.    One session is open to the public: “Deadly Consequences,” a look at how murder as entertainment affects children, and the consequences, 11:15 a.m. today in Taft 1. (Warning: Organizers say the free session is graphic.)

        Two tears trickling down the cheek of the Lady Liberty.

        The artwork, crafted by three Oak Hills High School art students, will be displayed and sold as posters at the 16th annual Parents of Murdered Children (POMC) national conference today through Sunday at the Westin Hotel downtown.

        This year's conference theme, “Across America — Roses and Teardrops” symbolizes the pain and suffering of survivors. The conference also recognizes the mass murder of Sept. 11.

        It's especially timely because of recent high-profile kidnappings and murders of children across the country, but the executive director of POMC, based in Cincinnati, said child abductions and killings are not on the rise.

        “We see these cases all the time at national headquarters,” Nancy Ruhe-Munch said. “We handle over 1,000 murder-related cases a week. You get one poster child, and then all of a sudden, we pick up on all of them and there's a rash. There's a rash every week in the country.”

        The POMC's relationship with Oak Hills High School dates to 1995 when Ms. Ruhe-Munch returned from assisting survivors of Oklahoma City bombing victims. She saw a display in downtown Cincinnati of Oak Hills students' artwork using body casts to depict rescue workers and survivors at Oklahoma City. She was impressed and contacted the school, wondering if art students there could translate her message into their work.

        In 1997, art teacher Sheila Kappa wanted to introduce her students to social commentary. “I wanted students to make a visual statement against violence. It just so happened to be the time that school shootings started.”

        From 1997-99, the POMC sent the students' work on a traveling exhibit at conferences nationwide from Los Angeles to Boston. “The Parents of Murdered Children really used that artwork as healing for their members,” Ms. Kappa said.

        This year, POMC invited Oak Hills senior art students to submit artwork for a poster for the conference. The request dovetailed with the students' fourth-quarter assignment to address social concerns. “That's one thing I hope our students get when they leave Oak Hills High is that art is not just a skill they've learned and that they can draw really well, but also that artwork has a powerful message,” said Ms. Kappa. “The visual language is a universal language.”

        Ms. Ruhe-Munch talked to the students about the organization, what it does and the impact of murder on loved ones. “The students are inspired by her and some of her personal experiences,” Ms. Kappa said.

        “It was an emotional subject,” said Kelly Scholl, an art student. “When the person from Parents of Murdered Children came in and spoke to us, it affected all of us.”

        After they heard Ms. Ruhe-Munch, the students went to work. Thirty submitted their drawings to POMC.

        “There were so many great ones, we couldn't pick one,” Ms. Ruhe-Munch said. “We picked three.”

        Designs by Brandon Hilvert, Brandon Lancaster and Miss Scholl will be sold as posters for $15 each, and each design has been framed for the silent auction, which runs through 5 p.m. Saturday. All 30 students donated their artwork for the auction. “I was happy to help out and be able to have my artwork inspire people and make money for the organization,” said Mr. Lancaster, of Bridgetown.

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