Paterson's School 2 unveils inspiring murals in its hallways
PATERSON — A group of 66 students teamed up with a local nonprofit, Halls That Inspire, to cover the interior walls of School 2 with colorful paintings and uplifting quotes.
“The student that walks a hallway lined with inspiration and motivation is more likely to be inspired and motivated,” Schools Superintendent Eileen Shafer said Monday as officials unveiled a series of murals at the school, home to one of the district’s largest programs for children with special needs.
Halls That Inspire founder David Thompson said art not only is a key part of a child's development, but also can be a conduit for meaningful conversations with the students.
“We don’t just do art,” Thompson said. “As we’re getting to the kids with art, we’re discussing things that are happening in their own lives.”
Eyerlin Torres, vice president of the student council, painted a banner for breast cancer awareness, and then got to meet cancer survivors.
“I got to learn all the people’s backstories,” Eyerlin said. “It was definitely heart-touching.”
The murals decorate walls on the school’s first and second floors, as well as the basement. Some portray images of nature or abstract designs — in one painting of a tree, the leaves were made using the students’ handprints. Others share inspirational sayings.
Ja’leah Velez, a seventh grader, painted a mural of the ocean that reads, “We may all be different fish, but at this school we swim together.”
“I like the way art can have different meanings,” Ja’leah said.
More:Paterson schools ready to start recruiting students from charter schools. Here's how
'It's a big dream':Paterson mom balances life and class schedules with eye on Wall Street
Ja’leah’s younger sister, Amaya-lee, also joined in the project.
“I like to draw anything that comes to my mind,” she said.
However, their mother thinks there’s another reason why her children enjoyed the program so much.
“They get to draw on the walls without getting in trouble,” Krystal Tilgrin said, smiling.
Halls That Inspire was founded by Thompson 15 years ago after he survived a bout with cancer. Since then, the 62-year-old artist has painted murals in schools as far away as California and Georgia.
But Thompson said nothing is quite as satisfying as making a difference in his hometown, where he has also completed murals at places including Community Charter School and Hinchliffe Stadium.
“Here it’s a little more personal, because I’m from here,” Thompson said.
The idea for his nonprofit came from a chance encounter with a 6-year-old Thompson met while painting a mural in Maryland. Since then, he has maintained the opinion that children are more clever than adults realize.
“If you don’t think our children have much going on up here,” Thompson said, gesturing to his brain, “just listen a little bit deeper and a little bit longer.”
Darren Tobia is a contributing writer for Paterson Press.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson NJ news: School 2 unveils hallway murals
