The school was so invigorated by the murals we had done that some teachers began to look for grants to continue to beautify our school. The city of Los Angeles had a beautification program that chose us among 100 grantees to create a garden in the front of the school. The area had been an unused gated bike yard and an eyesore for years. Together we worked as a community of children, teachers and parents to transform the area into a garden area with a small platform for performances, benches for relaxing with a good book and planter boxes for classroom gardens.
The fourth graders worked on the large garden mural where parents congregate to pick up their children. Kindergarten children painted the cracked asphalt to make it look like stepping stones while first graders painted flowers on the side wall. As a final glorious touch one of the teachers made a mosaic mural on another wall and the parents built the planter boxes. The project gives a bright, new look to the front of the school that brings a smile to our faces.
The fourth graders worked on the large garden mural where parents congregate to pick up their children. Kindergarten children painted the cracked asphalt to make it look like stepping stones while first graders painted flowers on the side wall. As a final glorious touch one of the teachers made a mosaic mural on another wall and the parents built the planter boxes. The project gives a bright, new look to the front of the school that brings a smile to our faces.
Lesson Learned: Allow children 20 to 30 minutes turns painting no matter how enthused they are...when they get tired or bored it can wreak havoc in moments!
