Mentors—and Murals—Matter

As New York City artist John Westbay joined Fall River students last month, I was struck by his inspirational story and the ripple effects of introducing a school mural project. It was transformative in so many ways.

From the energy, conversations, and enthusiasm, I think the students, faculty, and staff felt this too—murals and mentors are powerful. Murals leave a lasting impression, larger than the canvas and greater than the moment. Both have the power to transform and enrich students and school culture in deep and meaningful ways.

The environment that students learn in matters. It should be vibrant and constantly sparking children’s imagination.

During the mural projects at Fall River’s Talbot Middle and Henry Lord Community School, John, the artist, shared with students the exciting world of making art and the process of bringing an idea to life. The students joined in the creation. A line leads to shape, shape leads to form, and color can connect it all. Every piece of art is a progression. It can be exciting and joyful, but always a challenge.

Sometimes, there are disruptions and interruptions along the way that threaten to unsettle the patterns you are trying to create. But if you persevere, if you push your perspectives and your expectations, you can work toward your vision. Don’t give up. And that was the message of John-the-mentor.

“Always keep the inner-doodling child alive,” he says.

As a child, John was drawn to the arts but was not encouraged to follow his dreams professionally. His passion, however, drove him to continue feeding his creative side. He worked other jobs, but he kept his dream alive, moving from a street tagger to
a celebrated artist whose works have been exhibited at galleries across the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. He has also created lines of streetwear and other gear.

“Just as John has dreamed of being an artist, there are many students in Fall River who have similar goals. He is living proof that if you ‘Dream it, see it,’ you can ‘Be it,’” Jacqueline Francisco, director of Fall River Public School’s Fine and Performing Arts, said.

John has inspired us at Coaching 4 Change too.

As a nonprofit mentor program, our main mission is connecting college mentors with middle school students because we believe, and the evidence bears out, that these relationships help children in under-resourced schools move forward to better attendance, better behavior, better education, and better lives. We now have more than 20 programs in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, connecting mentors of diverse backgrounds to schools like Talbot and Henry Lord, where students of color are the majority but often do not have many chances of having mentors of color. This is the first special project that Coaching 4 Change has sponsored, and we hope to continue to bring invigorating programs to schools.

A visit from John Westbay. What a way to start. You could feel the energy shift and the excitement of the students lift.

Talbot Middle School’s mural is on the outside of the building while the Henry Lord Community School’s artwork is showcased on the inside.

The new murals are the latest in a line of mural projects at Fall River schools.

“Mural work impacts our schools in creating a positive identity,” Francisco said. “We are extremely excited to see students engage with the artist as they discuss symbols and icons that represent their school, community, and city, and actually have input on the final work.”

As Talbot Principal Brian Raposa said, the murals send a message to the school body and the community at large. The new murals incorporated school colors and John’s signature heart-shaped symbols. They brighten the walls and hallways and expose students to art, but they also say finding your passion and following your dream is worth doing. They say the environment you learn in is central to your education. They say the arts are important. They say to the students, you are worth it.

“We are investing in our kids and in our community,” Raposa said. What better message to send than that?