This beautiful flower garden is always in bloom at John Adams Elementary school in Alexandria, Va. Painted by students, the mural shows vibrant flowers from the many countries represented in the school’s population. It pops with color on the wall outside the cafeteria—where students see this celebration of diversity every day.
“Our students love it,” says fifth-grade teacher Jeffrey Nattania. “They see that all different kinds of flowers can thrive so beautifully together and grow in community.”
Students often tell Nattania, “I see my country’s flower, and it feels like me,” or, “I feel like I belong in the mix.”
That’s what school is about, he says, “Planting seeds that grow and bloom together toward a common goal of a thriving education.”
Does your school have a mural that captures the culture of your learning community?
Please share it for an NEA Today digital slideshow! Send it to nea.org/Mural.
