Near the library, a mural is being created by Advanced Arts Honors students to enhance the creativity and beauty of our campus.
The idea for a mural was proposed by the art teacher Justin Seligman as a long-term project. The art students were excited to participate and the plan was approved by Leadership.
Junior Sifat Sarang, sophomore Devin Volkmer, senior Penelope Gates, and junior Kendall Sliwinski are all art students who have been working on plans for the mural since September and recently started the painted product in early October. Their plan is to complete it by the end of November.
The brainstorming steps went smoothly. The students “took some inspiration from other schools’ murals,” said Volkmer. They decided to paint letters spelling “Campo” to create a unique design that would stand out. Next, they made a prototype of the design on a poster before starting the actual painting process. Volkmer enjoys collaborating with her peers: “we all had to work together and have one style throughout which was new.”
Inside the Campo letters are different symbols to represent the multiple, diverse facets of the Campo community. The “C” focuses on sports like swimming. The “A” has symbols for science, math, and a globe for academics. The “M” is for music and theater including a stage and violinist. The “P” is a graduation ceremony. The “O” is football focused.
When students see the mural, Gates wants them to see themselves represented and feel included in the community. “I want people to think ‘oh wow. I do swim’ or something like that.” Sarang said they also “wanted to capture more niche parts [of Campo] some people don’t really consider like theater and music…most really consider sports…so that was a big inspiration.”
As artists, they also want “the colors to be cohesive and have it stand out” said Gates. Sarang said she hopes students who see the mural will “wonder who made it..I want, personally, for them to see it and wonder ‘who made this’ and then realize four girls spent an entire semester working on it and contributed to something part of their school, that there’s a legacy behind it.”
As an art piece, the mural is more than just colors and designs; it is an opportunity to advocate for inclusive values and encourage students to embody and appreciate them.
