I am happy the mural is back

After months of being covered, the graffiti is removed and the mural is restored.

Since August 2007, the mural created by students Lilia Servin, Bryan Sierra, Jennie Oliva, Janet Rodriguez, Elizabeth Brittell, and Vadira Rodriguez along with Mr. Roger Gordon has been a part of our school, encouraging students to do their very best.  It has been the backdrop for countless nutritions, lunches, and passing periods, weaving its way into the fabric of the campus.

The image in the mural has a huge opened book in the bottom center with a banner underneath it with the words “read, write learn, aspire.”  There are three students on the left side of the book while there are four students on the right.  On top of the book are images of future careers: a doctor, painter, scientist, astronaut, and a teacher, which are all shaded blue.  A school with open doors borders all of the people and the book.  The sun is rising on the outside of the school.

The message the artists were trying to teach the students is that with education comes opportunity in the future.  With education, you can achieve your goals.

Three years of attending MacArthur, I saw that mural every day, acknowledging it.  Even though I did not know the creators of the mural, I was still proud of them for giving MacArthur a memorable gift.

It was a total heartbreak when the mural was vandalized.  The vandals graffitied all over the mural, covering the artwork with hurtful words.  Because the mural is composed of different colors and images, the graffiti could not be easily removed.  Therefore, district workers had to hide the mural with panels.

The mural was covered for months before the graffiti could be removed and the mural restored.  The backdrop of MacArthur was changed for those months from the colorful, inspiring image of hope to a bland, manilla sheet of plywood.  

After receiving the news that the mural was vandalized, I felt terribly sorry for those who created that masterpiece. They took their free time to create a message to the students of MacArthur because they had pride in their school.  With that mural, the creators wanted to make sure the students of MacArthur had spirit, pride, and achievement.

It is easy to overlook what we pass every day.  It is easy to ignore a message that does not change over time.  In the months of the mural’s absence, our campus became, literally, less colorful and inspiring.  I am happy it is back.