Every image tells a story.
Walking through the streets in Valencia, Spain, you see many beautiful murals with a special story being told. If only you could take those admirable murals back home. This is exactly what Elizabeth Holbrook, a counselor at Holmes High School, thought as she vacationed in Valencia, Spain, the summer of 2017.
Due to the reconstruction of the new A-building, walls of plywood have been set up around the counseling office and around the large area where the new fine arts building is under construction. This sparked an idea that would not only put the plywood to use, but also benefit students and teachers on campus.
“Having been to Spain, seeing the mural art that was there, knowing how famous it is and how popular it is, made me think of how much of a grassroots thing it all was,” Holbrook said.
Holbrook loved how the murals of Valencia were made by the people. Having the murals made by the town’s people inspired her with the thought of having Holmes students create something of their own on the plywood walls now decking the campus.
“The murals kind of encouraged this idea of how mural art has been a grassroots movement in Valencia’s inception and the students are the grassroots of this school,” Holbrook said.
Holbrook and and other counselors from Holmes gathered together and sent out an application for a NEF (Northside Education Foundation) Grant to help aid the idea in Holbrook’s mind.
“Filling out the grant really wasn’t all that difficult. It was just a matter of there being deadlines. We didn’t actually get the Grant until right before Christmas. We made sure we waited to get the grant so we knew we could get the money,” Holbrook said
The school received a total of $750, which was used primarily for art supplies such as paint and art brushes.
“It’s nice to have supplies that are designated to this project, otherwise we would have been hitting up the art department a lot,” Holbrook said.
Not only are the counselors proud of the murals, but many students who are involved are pleased with their contribution.
“We get to enjoy these events and see these colors be put onto the plain plywood,” Angel Lozano, a Business Management student, said.
ABOVE: Students who are a part of the golf program, create a mural featuring Husky Golf on a plywood wall set up for construction.
Other students who haven’t physically assisted on the wall also enjoy what their fellow classmates have started.
“I like the murals, especially the math-related ones, mainly because it has a purpose of being there other than being pleasing to look at,” sophomore Caren Gonzalez said.
While many students enjoy putting their time and effort into the murals, they still question what will happen to all their hard work once the new A-building is complete and the plywood walls are no longer needed.
“Even though I wasn’t one of the students involved, it still feels like a waste since the boards will eventually have to come down,” sophomore Yvette Diaz said.
The counseling department has been aware of this issue for a while and, even though nothing has been set in place officially, they already have a proposition for next year once it’s time to take them down. Holbrook hopes to be able have the boards placed within the new A-building.
“We would have to talk with the construction company and see how possible it is to get [the boards] down and keep them intact. That would be the goal,” Holbrook said.
ABOVE: JROTC Students create their mural along a section of the plywood walls.
While some students are worried about what will happen to their artwork, some don’t mind the idea of their work being destroyed.
“Everything has to come to an end eventually,” Lozano said. “And plus, it was an assignment, so some of us had no choice but to participate.”
Students interested in getting involved and wanting to have an organization of their choice participate and help out with the murals are encouraged to join by asking a teacher involved to help submit their ideas to the counselors. That way, the designs can be approved and the students can assist in making the murals impactful.
“As long as it’s a Holmes organization, and as long as they submit something, students can create it,” Holbrook said. “That’s the goal, but a teacher sponsor has to actually be the one to submit it.”
The goal of having the murals put into place was to have everything made freehand and to have students join together to create something monumental.
“I think it’s been a wonderful opportunity to witness, not only creativity, but also teamwork; a response to adversity,” Holbrook said. “I see the students start, and sometimes they are like ‘Oh my gosh, what have I gotten into,’ and then they are like, ‘We’re doing it,’ and they finish it out. Once you’re able to get over that hill, that obstacle, you really learn a lot about the foundation and your belief in yourself.”
ABOVE: Math students create the largest mural to date on the plywood walls, a series of mathematic formulas and graphs, and rules.