Each year at Lafayette Elementary School, a quiet corner of the building transforms into something bold, meaningful, and entirely student-made. This mural is about collaboration and letting young voices shape how their school tells its story. Now in its tenth year, Lafayette’s annual mural project has become one of the most anticipated traditions at the school anchored by the belief that art can be both personal and collective, both expressive and educational.
This year’s mural centers on a timely and important theme: peace, written in multiple languages and imagined through the lens of graffiti art. The idea emerged from weeks of discussion between Lafayette’s fourth and fifth grade advanced art students, who gather regularly with art teacher Wesley Blymire to brainstorm, research, and ultimately design the mural that will represent their class for years to come.
The inspiration came from the students themselves.What began as an open conversation about how to make this year’s mural feel different from years past turned into a deep creative dive. Students noticed that many murals they saw online looked similar, and they wanted something that stood out. The idea of graffiti art came up, particularly after a student mentioned artists Banksy and that sparked a new direction. “They started talking about tagging, 3D lettering, overlap, how to give it that bold, street-art style, but with a message of unity and peace,” said Blymire. “And that’s what set the tone.”
Each student was assigned or selected a different language in which to write “peace.” From Arabic to Korean, Swahili to Spanish, students researched how the word was written, how to pronounce it, and what it meant in context. They then created their own tag-style version, applying what they had learned about form, design, and space. “They’re not just copying something off the internet,” Blymire explained. “They’re making it their own. It’s research, it’s critical thinking, it’s planning and problem-solving. And it’s fun.”
The mural is painted on a series of blue and yellow squares that cover a section of the school’s exterior wall. These squares were first added a decade ago when Blymire joined the school and partnered with an artist-in-residence to begin the mural tradition. From the start, students envisioned the blue tiles as canvases for each new year’s theme, while the yellow tiles remain as visual anchors potentially to be used in the future for quotes or additional elements inspired by the surrounding artwork.
The mural is not a whole-class assignment. Blymire selects a group of about 20 advanced art students, those who show strong engagement, responsibility, and creative drive throughout the year. This allows for a more focused, hands-on experience. Students come in during their free time, often working in pairs or solo, coordinating with one another on spacing, layering, and design flow. “It can be tricky,” said Blymire. “You’ve got all these voices working on one piece. But they make it work. They’re invested in getting it right.”
The process usually starts in early spring, with the final installation happening during the last week of school. The unveiling becomes a moment of pride and celebration: students gather for photos, eat lunch in front of the mural, and take in the finished product knowing they helped shape a permanent piece of their school’s identity.
“It’s not just art on a wall,” Blymire said. “It’s them. Their handwriting. Their ideas. Their teamwork. Their decision to talk about peace in a world that doesn’t always feel peaceful.”
Over the years, the mural themes have varied from identity and cultural heritage to dreams and belonging but the common thread is that students lead every part of it. Blymire’s role is to guide, not dictate. “I don’t come in with a plan. I help them build one. That’s where the energy comes from, when it’s truly theirs.”
And the impact goes beyond the mural itself. Students learn that art is more than painting or drawing. It’s architecture, design, storytelling, and social change. “They start to see that the world is built through creative choices,” Blymire added. “That they can be a part of those choices.”
For the Lafayette community, these murals serve as a visual diary marking the passage of time, capturing the thoughts of children as they grow, and honoring the shared space they learn in together. This year’s message of peace expressed in countless scripts and styles is more than fitting. It’s a reminder that through creativity and connection, students are always learning how to shape a better future.
And next year, a new group will pick up the paintbrush. A new theme will emerge. And the wall, once again, will speak.