High School Students Lift Spirits with Mural for Chesterfield

After investing numerous hours planning and creating a mural for the students at Chesterfield Elementary School, a group of students got to witness the fruits of their labor Wednesday. 

Community service was a key component of , and—while the students gave to a number of global causes—the seniors planning the event also wanted to have a positive impact locally, said high school principal Andrew Seibel.

"As we were putting the day together, (the accident) was really in the news," he said, referring to the tragic bus accident that left an 11-year-old Chesterfield student dead and several more injured in February.

Given that, as well as some connections Moorestown staff have to Chesterfield, the students decided the elementary school would be the perfect recipient.

Several senior class officers, as well as the students who designed and created the mural, attended an assembly at Chesterfield Wednesday to present the students with their creation.

After watching the youngsters erupt in applause and cheers at the unveiling of the mural—a giant puzzle made up of about 500 pieces, each individually colored by Moorestown High School students during the Color Clash—the seniors were almost at a loss for words to describe the feeling.

"Amazing," said one. "Awesome," said another.

"The student reaction was so touching," said senior class president Bode Adunbarin. 

Fellow officer Mary Pensiero echoed that: "It was more touching than I could have ever imagined."

Officer Vince Renzi said the creation of the mural was enjoyable in and of itself, but "to add this to it made it that much better."

Chesterfield principal Ellen McHenry said the mural "exceeded my expectations ... I had a hard time wrapping my head around what it would look like. The color is just amazing, with the vibrant colors."

The school is still healing in the wake of the accident, McHenry said. "The students tend to be resilient. They're young ... It's very heartwarming to have this support from our friends in Moorestown."

She said the mural would be hung in the hallway outside the auditorium where the assembly was held. 

Art teacher Toni Paparone tasked junior Sam Trivinia with creating the design for the mural because she has a knack for patterns. Trivinia said the design took about four days to make and another two weeks for she and her classmates to put the mural together. 

"We hope when you look at the puzzle, you'll feel all the love and good wishes from our school to yours," Trivinia told the students.

Paparone was proud of the students for putting in so much extra time to complete the project.

"They really put 100 percent into it," she said. "I'm not surprised at all, because they're those kinds of kids ... They really do this kind of thing. They're selfless."