Inspiring Students Through Art
Case Study 6.44
Graphcom Partners with Gettysburg Montessori Charter School to Turn Student Art Into Inspirational Signage
Gettysburg Montessori Charter School is a K-6 public charter school that provides a holistic, child-centered learning environment for children in Gettysburg and surrounding areas. Their vision is to guide, inspire, and empower children. The school aims to provide students with the tools and confidence to achieve their dreams, lead meaningful lives, and make positive contributions as 21st-century world citizens.
The Challenge
When visiting the school, Jessica Dean, Owner and Creative Director at Celebrate Gettysburg magazine, noticed that the multipurpose room had a lot of blank, unused space. Among the vast, blank walls, she envisioned a space that would inspire and motivate the next generation of leaders. This area, visible to hundreds of students every day, had the potential to be transformed into a vibrant and engaging space that would serve an impactful purpose.
The Solution
Previously, Jessica attended a career day at the school with the goal of teaching students about the combination of fine arts and technology. As part of her lesson, Jessica gave each student a zoomed-in section of a larger design. When electronically coloring their sections, students were unaware of what they were creating. As it turned out, their small sections were put together to form one cohesive illustration.
Jessica was impressed by the students’ enthusiasm for the project and devised an idea to enhance it further. She proposed adding more designs and using them to decorate the multipurpose room. She collaborated with the school’s art department to make it happen, educating the students about the tools she uses and encouraging them to unleash their creativity while working on the project. Next, Graphcom stepped in, eager to bring these designs to life.
The Results
The work of approximately 270 students, ages 5 to 12, was combined to make five 8-foot-wide by 10-foot-tall murals. The designs – a bear, owl, butterfly, bobcat, and wolf – are each accompanied by inspirational words: Creativity, Compassion, Curiosity, Determination, and Strength. These words are meant to inspire Gettysburg Montessori Charter School students and serve as a reminder of the school’s vision.
As a pillar of the Gettysburg community, leader in education marketing, and signage producer, Graphcom was the perfect partner to bring this initiative to life and generously donated the time and materials to make it happen. Our Grand Format team produced each mural, and then Troy Dean, Vice President of Creative, and Derek Roden, Grand Format Supervisor, spent around six hours hanging them in the multipurpose room.
Now, the school’s once lifeless walls explode with color and artistry – thanks to Jessica Dean’s inspiration, the students’ creativity, and Graphcom’s generosity.
“The kids are supposed to feel pride and encouragement. We had a tiny part in that. Our role in this is to instill happiness,” said Troy.
“Seeing how excited the kids were with their creations was the best part. Some kids don’t get that recognition at home. Getting that recognition here – it makes a difference.”
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