CADIZ — Local high school students helped create a memorial display case in remembrance of a Steubenville Police Department K-9 that died last year.

The Harrison Central High School industrial arts class built a shadowbox in memorial of K-9 Bono, who died unexpectedly in early November. On Wednesday, industrial arts teacher Cain Noble and students presented the shadowbox to Bono’s handler of eight years, Sgt. Rob Cook.

The presentation was a surprise for Cook, who was unaware of what the students had created.

Noble said the project came about when the Police K-9 Association reached out to him looking for a display case for Bono’s vest.

“Amy Stover (vice president of the Police K-9 Association) asked if we would take it on and I said, ‘Absolutiley, we’ll definitely take it on,'” he said.

In order to build the case, the class had to obtain a K-9 vest for measurements.

Noble said he contacted the Cadiz Police Department to borrow a K-9 vest.

With the department’s assistance, students were able to design and construct the case around the stand-in vest.

Due to snow days and school cancellations, it took months to complete the wooden shadow box, which contains a Thin Blue Line flag, a plaque and, now, Bono’s vest.

Once the project was completed, Cook was invited to the school although he was told it was for a different cause — to conduct the D.A.R.E program.

“He (Cook) thought he was coming out here to do a presentation, but it ended up being a surprise for him,” Noble said.

Noble said Cook was surprised and grateful for the gesture.

The project was a team effort that he and the students were happy to be a part of, Noble said.

“Taking this project on was really special because it was a tribute, and being an animal lover myself, I know how hard it is to lose an animal,” he said.

Principal Ken Parker said he is proud of the Noble and the students for being involved in such a “meaningful” project for a neighboring community.

“It was a really nice gesture for Mr. Noble and the kids to reach out and do something like that for another community; and it was a great learning experience for our students. … We’re very proud of them. It’s nice to see good things like that happen and help out in a way,” he said.