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When visitors walk into Kennedy Middle School, they no longer see a dull, blank wall at the entrance. Instead, they’re greeted by a vibrant mural illustrating what the school means to its students and the values they hold dear.
“This wall has been dying for color and life, like much of the campus, and there’s no better way to show our school pride and community spirit than through art,” said Jess Bryski, who served as president of the Parent Teacher Organization for the past two years.
More than 200 people, including students, parents, teachers and community members, gathered at the school Thursday for the unveiling of two newly painted murals that reflect student ideas and values. The celebration marked the culmination of over two months of design and painting, and featured student performances in music, dance and drama.
The school commissioned two local artists — Jose Castro, based in North Fair Oaks and Elizabeth Gomez, based in Redwood City — to lead the creation of the murals.
Castro collaborated with 140 students in the school’s art elective class to design the mural at the entrance. He said about 95% of the final work was designed by students, based on questions he asked them about what they wanted to see, what mattered to them and where their families came from.
“We created a mural that stands for power, courage, bravery, equity and, most importantly, diversity and a coalition of love and prosperity,” Castro said.
Sixth grader Abigail Forker drew a whale in honor of her grandparents, who live on Orcas Island — a place close to her heart, where she watched whales swimming in the ocean during visits.
“It’s super fun to see your sketches on paper just become part of one of these beautiful works of art,” Forker said. “It was just a really fun, wholehearted experience.”
Meanwhile, Gomez led students in painting a second mural near the school’s exit, centered on the theme of safety. She prompted students to think about what they thought was the safest way of getting to school.
Students submitted sketches in response to both artists’ prompts. The artists then composed final mural designs incorporating the student drawings. Gomez said students painted every part of the mural themselves, with her guidance.
“Five to eight students would help paint the murals every day for one period until they were finished,” she said. “We ended up with something beautiful that will last for years.”
For eighth grader Cooper Hynecek, the project brought him closer to his friends as they created something that carries a piece of each of them. He sketched a design about carpooling, the way he safely gets to school.
“Art’s like your own friend,” Hynecek said. “And the mural showed off what we can really do all together.”
In addition to honoring student contributions to the murals, the event showcased a jazz performance by the school band, a dance routine by the school’s dance program and a performance by the drama group — showcasing the impact and importance of arts programs on campus.
“These murals demonstrate that Redwood City deeply values our community regardless of where we’re coming from, where we have been, who we are, and all the different ways that we can move healthy and safely through our city,” Mayor Elmer Martínez Saballos said, while addressing the crowd.
