A new mural graces Ripple Rock Elementary School's atmosphere.
The project started last school year when students were invited to explore social responsibilities while honouring Indigenous worldviews and perspectives through short stories and art.
The project was dreamt up by Kim Rennie, a well-loved Indigenous education teacher, now retired, who worked in the portable where the artwork is. Rennie left the project in the hands of Catherine Wilson, her replacement.
"When she retired, she expressed the wish to help inspire students and to beautify the exterior of that learning space," Wilson said. "The walkway into the portable is a sad, drab grey colour and did not inspire much creativity as it was. We wanted to ignite joy, colour and amazing artistry to create a vibrant entrance into the learning space."
The theme was called How We Walk in the World.
Wilson applied for the Honouring Indigenous Worldviews and Perspectives Grant through the school district.
"All students in the school were invited to participate in an in-class teaching opportunity and story reading, short story idea submission or drawing submission," said Wilson. "Some students (approximately 15 to 20 students) were interested in taking part in expanding their short story and learning some story writing techniques."
Audra Schroder (district literacy coordinator) and Wilson worked with the students for a total of six learning sessions.
A handful of students submitted their art to Jessica Chickite, a local Indigenous artist.
"Jessica was key in instructing students on the specific art style. She guided and mentored the students through practice and demonstrations," Wilson said. "Jessica took the images and was able to resize and orient them to fit the dimensions of the mural space while also being able to add some of her own personal art to be incorporated into the mural."
Chickite evaluated the drawing portion of the mural project. Around 15 students worked with her to refine their artwork in preparation for the larger mural.
The images on the mural were completed in the months of May and June last year and were enlarged to fit the mural's allotted space. Wilson, Chickite and Linda Duffin (Indigenous child and youth worker) used a projector on the night of Sep. 11 to impose the images on the mural's location.
Students worked on painting the mural in shifts, working with Chickite on colour choices and techniques. Roughly 30 students helped paint.
The mural was completed in October and was unveiled in late January.
Wilson says the other side of the walkway has plans for an upgrade soon.
"The other side of the walkway is planned for some fun painting upgrade, hopefully in the spring. This will complete the walkway into the portable and make it a vibrant walk into learning."