Smith brothers' business helping local schools

ZANESVILLE — Zanesville High School grad Anthony Smith and brother Caleb, who attended Zanesville City Schools until high school, are giving back to the schools that helped mold them.

Smith's business, Zanesville-based We Wrap Graphics, is currently installing security film at the district's campus buildings. They are working in conjunction with the security division for the district.

The two-phase plan has been held up due to a product backlog but is expected to be completed in the next two weeks, Smith said. He starred in football for the Blue Devils under former coach Chad Grandstaff before earning a scholarship to Ohio Dominican.

He started the business in 2021, with the renovation of the basketball weight room at ZHS, in honor of longtime coach Scott Aronhalt, one of his first major projects. They have since moved on to wrapping vehicles and creating decorative signs and banners for gymnasiums, among other projects.

The security project with Zanesville and the film and perforation installation is similar to installing vinyl for wraps, Smith said. They outsource the film through a vendor.

"Just from my experience installing vinyl, it makes it pretty straightforward for me to install the film," Smith said. "It does require experience (to learn)."

Former Muskingum County Sheriff's Office detective Fred Curry, who now serves as attendance officer, security officer and court liaison for Zanesville City Schools, said in a statement that the security measure by the district was triggered partly by reoccurring school shootings across the country.

He reached out to We Wrap for the project.

"We live in a world that unfortunately includes a small segment of cowardly individuals that go to schools looking to inflict harm on innocent children," Curry said. "This kind of scenario keeps many of us up at night. The armed security team, administrators, teachers and other staff members at Zanesville City Schools are committed to protecting our students."

Curry said the security film that Smith installs at the building's entry points "is just another effort to try and keep students safe."

In addition to the security film, the school has also updated security cameras and changed locks on buildings, while also limiting outside access.

"We were recently able to purchase breaching tools, bleeding control and trauma kits," Curry said. "In the near future, additional training for staff members will take place and, as more funding becomes available, our district will continue to identify and purchase products to make our buildings as safe as possible."

The two-phase job at Zanesville High School includes security film on all doors and windows on building's first floor. The essence of the film's effectiveness lies in its flexibility, Smith said. While an intruder could shatter a normal window or door with the butt of his gun or other means, the film is another level of security that is far less penetrable.

"This security film is not completely bulletproof or foolproof, but it will keep the glass together," Smith said. "A lot of times with these active shooters, they are able to get in so quick that police don't have enough time to respond. This will take that from one minute to maybe they are messing with this glass for 10-15 minutes. It kind of holds it together."

The school's main entrance will have a perforated layer — part window, part holes — of security on the outside, in addition to the window and film on the inside.

"It will act as a double layer of security," Smith said.

Smith said the Zanesville project is one that brings him great pride, knowing the business is giving back to a place that helped mold them.

"It is terrible and unfortunate that with the day and age that we are in that this is an issue in front of us," Smith said. "It makes me feel really good that the administration trusts me to help be a part of the solution, because that's huge. I really care about the city and the schools. I have family members that go to the schools and people that I really care about, so it feels good knowing they trust me to be part of that."

Smith's business also installs customized advertising or decorative wraps on vehicles. They also did many branding projects at West Muskingum, including the redesign of some of the school's building logos, record boards and banners in the gymnasium.

They are in discussion with potential security projects there, as well.

"He has done a great job with our stuff," West Muskingum Superintendent Chad Shawger said. "Their group has been really good to work with as far as, they'll give us a review of what (the finished product) will look like on the computer."

They are currently in the process of designing a banner to recognize the school's three state champions in Gary Ankrum Gymnasium.

"(Smith) has been really easy to work with and very responsive when it comes to fixing things that need fixed," Shawger said. "We've had a good experience."

Smith's venture into wrapping came after he worked with close friends and fellow ZHS football classmates Braily Blair and Talon Hutcheson in printing services, but the businesses venture failed after COVID-19.

Smith's time at ODU allowed him to get in contact with a company that owned several box trucks that needed wrapped. He spent a semester wrapping the trucks, which then led to occasional wrapping projects on his own time.

He learned graphic design on his own, which began with SEO Printing three years ago. Combined with install experience, the idea for the company with officially spawned.

"It's now smoothed out," Smith said. "I've really got a good grasp on the whole process. There were some rough days and times when I wanted to give up, but it was a dream of mine to run this kind of a business. I knew that starting a small business that you don't have the money to hire people, so if you don't wear all of the hats you won't survive."

Caleb Smith said that business has great potential. Like his brother, he wears multiple hats, from graphic designing to vehicle wrapping and signage to pressing T-shirts. Like his older brother, he was introduced to it at a young age.

Like anything, the more practice they get, the more the product improves.

"The sky is the limit," Caleb said. "It's one of the best parts about having a small business. It's all upon us to keep growing. Jobs like this, they do a lot for us and really gets our name out there."

Smith is proud to be a minority business owner, adding that the digital age has made it easier to be an entrepreneur. He hopes his story can inspire others that grew up without opportunities to get opportunities to run their own business.

"I am very proud of that fact," Smith said.

Smith's football team finished 9-1 and were regarded by many as of the most hard-nosed and blue collar outfits the Blue Devils have produced. It has shown in life after football, as the likes of Smith, Blair, Hutcheson and two-way star Gary Ransom, currently a trainer in San Diego, have all gone on to successful business and coaching ventures.

"I think it's just that mindset," Smith said. "We worked extremely hard. Our group, it was something that stood out. Even if we didn't have the most talent we put in the work. We are not afraid of the work, especially trying new things."

sblackbu@gannett.com; Twitter: @SamBlackburnTR

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: We Wrap Graphics in Zanesville, Ohio, is helping local schools