LAKEWOOD, CO – (August 16, 2023) - Following the decision to close 16 schools in the Jeffco Public Schools District, a community mural project was created to help students from both closing and welcoming schools feel a sense of belonging and unity.
This artistic collaboration involved students from Red Rocks Community College's (RRCC) Visual, Audio and Media Arts Department (VAMA) and Jeffco’s Warren Tech Graphic Design Program, under the guidance of teachers Scot Odendahl and Pete Cunis from Warren Tech and Department Chair Paul D. Weinrauch from Red Rocks Community College. Together, they completed a 48" x 150" community mural for the district.
The project involved 16 closing schools and 16 welcoming schools, with each pairing focusing on the theme of belonging to create a unique mural featuring the word community. Each school developed a process to solicit and select one piece of art from each grade level, kindergarten through fifth grade.
The resulting banners were printed this summer at Warren Tech and displayed at all receiving schools, welcoming the new students for the 2023-24 school year. The mural, created from 200 submissions of student artwork, showcases a diverse range of artistic expression including paintings, drawings, sculptures, mixed media and more.