Examining their progress, senior Ellie Pohlod and the nine other IB Art students continue to outline their mural in the main hallway.

“I am happy with the way it looks,” substitute teacher Daryl Marshke said. “Suchowski is happy too, and as long as people continue to show up our goal is to begin painting next week.”

The students in IB Art presented the idea of a mural and worked cooperatively with Marshke to make it a reality while their teacher Kristin McDowell was on maternity leave.
“It was our sub’s idea; he presented it to us and we liked the idea so we decided to do it,” Pohlod said. “We are painting the mural in three sections, the juniors are doing two sections and the seniors are doing one section. I like that I got to put all the skills I learned from the past two years in IB Art to work and I got to make something that will be around for a long time that shows positive things about our school.”

After Principal Mark Suchowski approved the idea, the artists began brainstorming ideas for the mural.

“I love the idea of the mural,” Marshke said. “It is cool and represents the school really well. The student’s choices for the mural are good and I am looking forward to see them carry out the process.”

Once the students combined their ideas they decided to paint familiar places and faces around the school. Junior members of the class are painting silhouettes of people and objects in the school. The seniors are painting the middle section of the mural.

“I am painting the football field and several of the photos,” Pohlod said. “We decided to paint familiar things around the school because then people will recognize them and have a better connection to the mural. Everyone’s individual part allows them to paint something that they are good at and enjoy doing. My favorite part is that I get to paint the football field in a really sweet perspective and I get to paint something that represents several sports and represents amazing memories”
In addition to the painting, there will also be plastic slots for pictures.

“Teachers will be able to put pictures in plastic slots in certain areas of the mural,” Marshke said. “They can change the pictures as things change in the school.”

Each student will be graded based upon the work they do individually and their individual parts will be submitted as part of their IB assessment grade for potential college credit.

“I am responsible for the crest in the center of the mural and some background pieces,” senior Mallory Turner said. “We are using acrylic paints and working on it during class, during some SRTs, and after school. We are all happy with the parts we were assigned for the mural and I like how I’m doing such an iconic symbol of our school.”
While the mural will take weeks to complete the final product will last long after graduation.

“My favorite part is that we are leaving a part of us here for years to come,” Turner said. “It was a great way to bond and get closer with our class as well.”
For the juniors, the experience provided a chance to expand their problem solving skills.

“This helps us learn more about teamwork in other aspects rather than sports,” junior Becky McDermott said. “It helps us learn more about extensive processes and creation with learning to adjust or predict problems that may arise, as well as having everyone’s input included.”

As time in high school begins to run out for the seniors and scheduling has begun for underclassmen, Turner recommends taking IB Art.

“I took the class for fun; I’m not really planning on doing art in college, it is more of a hobby,” Turner said. “My favorite part of the class is that we have all became really close and like a family because we all share this common interest in art. It’s going to be very sad after we graduate and can’t see each other every other day. I’d recommend this class to anyone who likes art, art history, and the art of different cultures.”