Wherever you turn in the hallways of this high school, there is sure to be a mural around the corner filled with color and creativity popping out at you. For many years the National Art Honors Society – or the NAHS – has been painting these masterpieces to brighten up the dull halls. They have added life and inspiration to many by just passing them.
Every year, NAHS tries to paint at least one mural onto the walls of Hatboro-Horsham High School. The real question is, though, what is this new year’s addition to the wide variety of murals? If you walk up the stairs to the left of the school’s front entrance, you’ll be face to face with this year’s new mural featuring many known and unknown faces. Chloe Boer, NAHS’ president, says “…this mural specifically is in a pretty high traffic area so it’s great that other people can see the progress.” But how has this happened in the few short months? What was the design process? When will this mural be done?
This story begins back in mid-October!
“We were approached by BSU [Black Student Union] to see if we can work on a collaborative project,” stated Ms. Leah Ellert, the teacher supervisor for the NAHS and an art teacher here at HHHS. “We want all students to feel safe, welcome, and have belonging at our school.”
NAHS and BSU members started their design process by doing research. Students started by searching for artists of black heritage. Some of them were popular, like Chadwick Boseman and Maya Angelou and others who were new faces to students passing by. “[The design] was completely student chosen… They came up with a list of artists, musicians, writers, and actors and students each had the chance to highlight a particular person and then we voted on it,” Ellert added.
After the research was done and after many meetings later, students now had to make the design for the mural. In early November, Boer and vice-president Amy Park collaborated to produce the final product that is now displayed on the walls.
“I was working on the design through Photoshop while Chloe helped out with ideas and vectorizing the different people,” senior Park said, “…we’re given the chance to create representation to black artists, musicians, actors, and writers in our school. I feel like it helps black students and other minority kids, like myself, feel like we belong here especially since our school is a predominantly white school.”
The design process was finished, and it was time to get the idea onto the wall. NAHS students stayed after school and brought out old projectors to help them sketch out the mural. Once the sketches are completed, students could take the time to paint the mural. This was by far the longest part of the mural process with almost three straight months of painting and tens of thousands of strokes applied to that strip of wall. NAHS students took their time painting after school, through lunch and learn, even during study hall and while other students were testing during finals and Keystones! Park added, “…I love watching how things were coming together, watching our NAHS members and a couple BSU kids working hard [together].”
In January, news channels 6abc Action News and CBS Philadelphia came to Hatboro-Horsham High School to interview leaders of both NAHS and BSU and to capture footage of the mural painting process.
Now it is early February, so what will happen next with the mural?
“The mural will be complete by or before the Black History Month Concert on February 20,” Ellert said confidently. The hope is, during the concert’s intermission, people who attend will be able to make their way up to the mural, admire it, and even learn more about the historic people in the mural by scanning the QR codes that the BSU provided next to the mural.
“Because of BSU’s encouragement and desire for involvement, we’re going to start this as a five-year project where we are going to work with different ethnic groups and collaborate on murals,” Ellert said, shedding light on what is to be expected of murals around the school in the next few years.
Swing by later this month to experience the mural with your family during the Black History Month Concert on February 20 starting at 6:30 pm; if you can’t make it, still pass between classes or during lunch and learn to see this mural that showcases the artistic talent of the high school students who created it.
Park concluded her interview with, “…the idea of being able to leave something that I designed behind at the high school as a senior before I leave is something I love.”
