Student-Painted Mural Promotes Inclusivity In Hatboro-Horsham

HATBORO / HORSHAM TOWNSHIP, PA —When students walk through Hatboro-Horsham High School, they will see a brand-new mural featuring prominent Black artists.

With Black History Month winding down, the National Art Honor Society (NAHS) teamed up with the Black Student Union(BSU) to plan and paint the mural.

“Because we have such a diverse group of students in our school, we wanted to start a five-year project of creating murals to help students see themselves visually represented in our school, seeing role models to look up to, and imagery from their culture represented,” said Leah Ellert, art department chair and co-sponsor of NAHS with Bob Zellman.

BSU was the first on NAHS’s list because they helped Ellert think of the idea and wanted to
collaborate on a design. They also spoke to Choir Director Charlie Masters, who plans the Black
History Month concert every February and came up with the mural theme of “Black Voices in the
Arts.”

The mural features eight Black role models: musicians, Paul Robeson and Rosetta Tharpe;
actors, Chadwick Boseman and Cleo Sylvestre; artists, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Faith
Ringgold; and writers, James Baldwin and Maya Angelou.

“From this mural, BSU hopes students not only gravitate more toward the fine arts but also
become inspired by the fact that there were greats who came before them who also looked like
them,” said Ellisa Sadler, BSU leader and 12th-grade student. “This mural reinforces the
importance of representation in our community, as it is important to display empowering figures,
specifically for our Black student body to see.”

The eight artists were narrowed down from a list of about 50.

NAHS and BSU students came together for a planning meeting and researched people who not only excelled in their content area but also were good citizens who supported their communities.

After creating a list of possibilities, students were assigned a person or two to look up and present a spotlight on at the next meeting.

“It was a completely student-driven list and decision process,” Ellert said. “It was really
incredible to see them all come together and then make an argument of why their person would
be a great choice for the mural.”

After students voted to select the eight individuals, NAHS officers began digitally designing the
mural based on powerful portraits. They projected the design onto the wall – located in a
second-floor hallway near the library – and began tracing the design.

“We intentionally chose that spot because it’s such a high-traffic area,” Ellert said. “We want the
students to see themselves in the school, so we wanted it to be somewhere they would pass
often.”

Because the mural is in such a busy area, it was difficult to work on during the school day, so

NAHS students and a few BSU students painted after school and on weekends.

“These kids are coming into school when they don’t have to, to work on this mural and are
having a great time,” Ellert said. “We play music, bring snacks, and they keep asking me to
come in on more Saturdays because it’s such a fun time.”

NAHS students fundraise at community events to raise money for the mural’s art supplies.
Painted with acrylics, the mural also features an educational map, so students can scan the QR
codes and learn more about each individual.

The mural was unveiled to the public at the high school’s Black History Month concert last Saturday.

“This is probably my favorite mural that we’ve done so far because the kids are such a fantastic
driving force,” Ellert said. “It’s really fun and beautiful to watch the students work on something
that they feel so passionate about.”

The new mural is one of about 50 in Hatboro-Horsham High School.

While they differ in size and subject matter, the art department usually creates one a year.

The idea for the mural was also kickstarted by last year’s project when NAHS collaborated with professional muralist and El Salvadorian native, Calo Rosa. The design incorporated a lot of South & Central American culture including native plants and vibrant colors.

“A lot of students said, ‘This reminds me of home,’” Ellert said. “We want to link up with more
student organizations, starting with some of the minority groups, so they can also feel that slice
of home and feel welcomed in our school community.”

In addition to involvement with the mural and Black History Month concert, BSU visited the
district’s elementary schools to read in classrooms and facilitate group activities. Elementary
students also participated in assemblies, hands-on crafts, and visits from artists to gain a deeper
understanding of African Americans’ contributions.

Keith Valley Middle School students engaged in various activities, including a Black History
Month Door Decorating Contest. Students created informative displays highlighting influential
historical figures, pivotal events, and cultural contributions.

(Hatboro-Horsham School District)