A group of Liberty High School students has been working on a mural on the fourth floor, in the spring semester every Monday and Tuesday after school. The work that they are doing is important for the community because they provide ideas that represent Liberty High School and their students. Through colors and creativity, they are painting a mural highlighting that difference is beautiful. I asked questions to people who are working on the mural and every person gave me new details about the work.
Maty Ndiaye, a senior, told me, “We are using bright and vibrant colors to represent energy, diversity and positivity. Each section has different tones to show individuality, but all the colors blend together to create harmony and balance the mural.” When I wondered what they wanted to convey in the painting, she said, “The group was asked to create a mural that represents unity, diversity, and the spirit of the school community. They wanted to show different identities, cultures, and emotions all coming together in one space. The mural reflects creativity, inclusion, and how everyone is connected.”
However, we need to have many perspectives, which is why I went to the office of Catholic Charities, the organization that funds the mural, and asked Ms. Christine Beckhusen, the director, her perspective about what she expects students to learn in this process. “This project is going to provide students with communication skills. Normally when this type of project happens, differences always exist among students and this project would help students know how to manage problems with people that don’t always have the same ideas. Also, this project helps students be on similar pages, while also bringing their own ideas.” When I asked Ms. Christine about the students’ reasons for being a part of the mural, she responded, “The reasons are really diverse, but I could identify some of them. As for service hours, many students need this and are always looking for activities where they can gain these hours, but another reason is for money. It’s a great motivator for the participation of students. However some students are just there for the experience and to do an extra activity at school.”
Overall, this mural is building more unity among students and it’s a good reminder of what makes Liberty High School so unique.
