North Twin Lakes Elementary + FIU Online
My relationship with FIU Online all started back in 2020 when a team member found my Instagram sale of the semi-famous XO-LP + RBG sweatshirt. (The internet can be a messy place, but yeesh some good things come from it!)
This past week I worked the amazing staff again on a day of service that included a bright, beautiful mural at North Twin Lakes Elementary School in Hialeah, Florida.
This project started much like the one with Greenwood Elementary School— Encouraging the students to “draw school spirit.” Working with the amazing teachers at NTL, we collected student drawings using a worksheet (and a short instructional video I created for the teachers) that simply asked them to “Draw Your School Spirit.” The piles of illustrations are adorable. (Special shout out to Principal Fernandez!) Using the kids drawings, I put together an illustrated map for the wall.
From these kiddo drawings to this final piece!
Using this final drawing and my trusting projector, we set up just after sunset at North Twin Lakes to chalk out the illustration on the chose wall. Hooray for everything going SO SMOOTHLY and the weather cooperating. A special shout out to my “assistant”, Joe (I am so grateful for your help!)
And then it’s time to PAINT. FIU worked with Hands on Miami to complete several projects at the school including this mural, a garden, work in the teacher’s lounge and more. My group of 20 volunteers knocked out this wall— color and all— in our 4 hours together like champs.
The finished wall will be a centerpiece for upcoming events and celebrations. It was so fun to watch the kids experience the art work coming to life and see all the volunteers who made it possible. They cheered and clapped and pointed out all their favorite parts. As the NTL Eagles reminded us all day, “strong alone, but unstoppable together.”
A dream project with terrific partners.