HOME TOUR — Ysabel Glasser, left, and Leah Sullivan, students at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, were among those who helped with this year’s Steubenville house tour. Glasser designed the 2025 program, while Sullivan was the 2026 program design winner. -- Contributed

STEUBENVILLE — Steubenville’s North End sparkled with holiday magic on Dec. 7 as nearly 20 historic homes and buildings opened their doors for the fourth-annual Christmas Historic House Tour, with a special touch from local students.

Students from Steubenville High School and the Franciscan University of Steubenville played a key role in creating the tour program this year, guided by Natalie Campana, SHS career-tech education department head and communication arts adjunct professor at the university. Sponsored by the Harmonium Project and Steubenville City Schools, the tour featured beautifully decorated locations including the Steubenville City Schools Board of Education office, the restored post office, the courthouse, GrandView, the McCullough House, and the Cooper House.

“The goal was to bring a fresh, creative perspective to this year’s tour,” Campana said. “Partnering with Franciscan University students let us combine community spirit with student talent, making the event memorable for everyone.”

Twenty students submitted designs for the tour program. Leah Sullivan, a senior multimedia student at the university, won the 2026 Historic Home Tour program. She described the project as a “wonderful opportunity to grow creatively and professionally.” Meanwhile, Ysabel Glasser, a junior in the communication arts program, designed a program for the 2025 tour that was printed and distributed to all guests. She said seeing her work used for a visible community event made the project even more exciting.

“The Christmas theme gave me the perfect foundation for my design,” Glasser said. “Including the homes, their details, and festive touches brought everything together. I loved learning about these historic homes just minutes from campus.”

Campana thanked Marc Barnes of the Harmonium Project, Dave Schaefer, chair of the university’s fine arts department, and SCS Public Relations Specialist Ramaine Turrentine for their support. The project allowed students to showcase their talents, build portfolios and apply multimedia and journalism skills in a real-world setting.

On tour day, students not only distributed programs and greeted guests but visited the historic homes and toured Historic Fort Steuben, where they met former Mayor Jerry Barilla. Sullivan and Glasser joined Campana at Steubenville City Schools’ historic home at 611 N. Fourth St. to see where their programs were printed–a moment they described as “heartwarming and inspiring.”

Through this collaboration, students helped make the historic tour more than just a festive tradition — they brought the community together, blending creativity, history and holiday cheer in a truly memorable way.