As she begins her fifth year as art teacher at Research Triangle Charter Academy, Brown is creating that connection with students through painting. The school’s 10-foot eagle mascot mural in the gym, a symbol of courage, strength, and soaring to new heights, received an update by Brown over the summer, and she’s eager for students to see it.
“I want our students to be proud of where they go to school,” she said. “I want them to walk in every day, see the artwork around them, and be excited to tell people, ‘Yeah, that’s my school.’ I feel like using art to help the school look great makes it a little bit more enjoyable for everyone.”
The past few years have seen several additions to the walls around RTCA. It started with Brown’s interpretation of Vincent van Gogh’s “The Starry Night” on her classroom wall. Then her art class students helped her create the first version of the eagle mural on the gym wall. This summer, she decided that needed some fresh paint.
“The eagle mural has been evolving since my first year at the school. The original eagle was designed with the eighth graders that were in my art club, and I loved that it was something we created together. Over the years, though, I kept looking at it and felt like it was missing something. As I’ve grown as an artist, and as students have shared their ideas and feedback with me, the design has naturally changed into what it is today.”
The current version has an updated color palette, visual effects, and more detail in the face, wings, and feet.
Principal Patrice Hardy raved about Brown’s ability to consistently bring a positive spirit to the school and said she is always thinking of creative ways to enhance the student experience.
An earlier version of the eagle, before it was updated.
“Whether she is creating spaces to showcase student work or leading the Art Club, she gives students a safe and welcoming environment where they can express their creativity and passions. Families who visit our school see someone who has a genuine passion for RTCA and takes pride in our community. Ms. Brown willingly uses her time outside the classroom to make our school brighter, more welcoming, and more reflective of our students. Her dedication demonstrates how deeply she cares about RTCA and everyone who enters our building.”
Brown is also intentional about adding a sense of ownership for students, noting that kids are less apt to doodle on bathroom walls if there’s a fun mural to look at. After a few brainstorming sessions with students, they got to work.
“The K-2 boys’ bathroom has hot air balloons, and it says, ‘Oh the places you'll go,’ like from the Dr. Seuss book, and the girls have this pretty pink and green tropical-looking wall with leaves all over. In the 3-5 bathrooms, the boys have a space theme with an astronaut, some planets, and rocket ships and the girls have this pretty floral pattern going all the way down the wall. For the 6-8 hallway, the boys’ bathroom has a sports theme, and the girls have a floral vine that goes all over.”
One of her favorite parts of these projects has been getting students involved and sharing ideas.
“I love that these aren’t just my projects, but they’ve become something the students have a hand in creating too. I think that makes them even more meaningful because they get to see a little piece of themselves in school every day.”
Parents also see the opportunity for their children to get involved in the things happening at school.
“When parents come in to tour the school, I want them to see that we care about the environment we’re in and the experience their child has. I want them to see that their child has an opportunity to do more than just sit in a classroom and learn. They have an opportunity to contribute to their community and their environment.”
Great work creating artwork and opportunities for the entire school, Ms. Brown!
About Research Triangle Charter Academy
Research Triangle Charter Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Durham, North Carolina, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through high school across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
Visit Research Triangle Charter Academy's blog to read more stories like this.