Members of the Youth Council of the Chester Youth Collaborative pose in front of one of the murals. In the back row, far left, is Youth Council Coordinator Ieasa Nichols. Next to Nichols is artist Paul Downie.
The Chester High School Mural Project dedicated three new murals in the lobby of Chester High School at a special ceremony on June 14. The murals were completed by students in the program under the guidance of mural artist and teacher Paul Downie.
The Chester High School Mural Project is a cooperative effort of Chester High School; the Community Arts Center in Wallingford, Pa.; and the Chester Youth Collaborative, an initiative of Crozer-Keystone’s Wellness Center (based at Community Hospital in Chester). The goal of the Chester High School Mural Project is to provide young people with an opportunity to make a positive impact on their environment through art. Funding for this program has been provided by the Chester Youth Collaborative, the Community Arts Center, Jane and Walter Garrison, the Pennsylvania Institute of Technology and Ella and Joshua Yoder.
The three murals that were dedicated include “Voices,” a collage of Chester residents now and in the past; “Chester Train,” which comments on youth culture today; and “In the Mix,” a mural painted by participants of the Chester Youth Summit held at Widener University in May.
For more information about this project and/or other programs at the Community Arts Center, contact Diane Scott at (610) 566-1713.