A new mural designed by NHS art students is going up in Armstrong at the end of the semester.  

Four art students have been commissioned by Principal Brian Wunderlich and their art teacher, Brenda Mullard, to make a “timeless” mural to hang by door six in Armstrong.

Mullard approached her Art 4 class searching for students who would be willing to help the mural project become a reality. Four students in the class signed on to the semester-long project.

NHS students participating in the project include:  senior Andrew Nunamaker; juniors Reagan Mulvey, Rebecca Rieckman and Dessiree Johnson.

The team has been working on the mural for the past month. The design process took one stressful week, and they are currently three weeks into painting the mural. Johnson designed the abstract zentangle pattern that makes up the body of the mural with input from her peers and teacher. While the mural is still in its infancy, they hope to have it on display by the end of the semester.

“We wanted to do something that everyone would see because no one really sees what we do in these classes,” Mulvey said. With this mural the students hope to bring more color to the school and make it “less institutionalized.”

Currently, Mullard hopes to incorporate a student made wooden NHS logo in the mural courtesy of Nunamaker, who also takes woodworking classes in the tech. department.  Unfortunately, the machines to manufacture the logo are not functioning at this time.

Wunderlich says that students can expect to see more murals and student made art work going up around the building in the upcoming years. “If students have a say of what’s on the walls they treat the building differently,” Wunderlich said expressing the importance of student creativity alongside education. Numerous studies confirm that when a student body is involved with the arts it leads to gains in math, reading, critical thinking and verbal skills.