Creating Community, one Brick at a time
Whether it’s a one-of-a-kind music program, stellar after-school clubs or an unforgettable mascot (looking at you, Chompy), every school in Washington Township has its own distinct culture and points of pride. But in the day-to-day routine of classes and passing periods, students can sometimes forget that they are a part of something special. At Willow Lake Elementary, one teacher made it her mission to remind them.
Visual arts teacher Cristi Billue worked with 4th graders at Willow Lake to create a large-scale mural celebrating all the things that make their school exceptional. Her hope was that this mural would strengthen their school community by serving as a daily reminder of the connections they all shared. Ms. Billue wanted this collaborative mural to be as unique as the school itself—standard paint on walls would not do. Instead, she introduced her students to a medium more associated with playtime than art: Legos.*
“Legos are a different media for our students to use and experiment with—one they normally wouldn’t have the opportunity to use in an art classroom,” she says. “It’s a fun thing to see at the end, how all the small colors come together to make the big picture.”
But creating a mural out of Legos requires some serious planning. Before they could create their brick-based masterpiece, students first had to decide what to include. And with all that Willow Lake has to offer, this was no easy task.
“Each class came up with so many different things they love about Willow Lake,” says Ms. Billue. “Things like the Heritage Festival, movie nights, birthday celebrations and many more.”
With the themes selected, students formed groups of four and began sketching out ideas. They worked collaboratively to create and refine a single design to illustrate their theme.
“My design theme was community meeting,” says Sydney, one of the student artists. “My design had our principals and a lion on a stage.”
Once the designs were finalized, the brick-building magic could finally begin. Through a Foundation grant, Ms. Billue was able to purchase Brick Me block kits for each student group—26 in total.
“Honestly, I don’t know how I would have raised the money for this project without the Foundation,” she says. “And I definitely wouldn’t have received it as quickly as I did. I’m amazed at how the Foundation came through for us.”
With the kits in hand, the students got to work, bringing their designs to life one tiny brick at a time. It wasn’t easy, but bit by bit, the artwork came into the focus.
“After we made our pieces, we put them all together,” says Julia, another student artist. “That was my favorite part. To put everything together and see the whole picture.”
With the individual panels completed, it was time for installation. The finished artwork was prominently hung where students, teachers and families couldn’t help but see it every single day: the school’s entrance. That was a welcome surprise for the students who created it.
“I didn’t know it was going to be by the entrance!” says Julia, excitedly. “And it’s also much, much bigger than I thought it would be.”
“When I saw the whole thing together, I thought it was pretty cool,” says Criston, another of the mural’s artists. “I was really nervous because the whole school would see it and I wasn’t sure what they would think. But everyone liked it!”
As a permanent installation, Ms. Billue hopes the mural serves as yet another point of pride for Willow Lake students for years to come.
“As they pass the mural, I hope students are reminded of the great things that happen at our school every day,” she says. “My goal with this project was to help build community among the students, and contribute to a positive school climate. And I think we did that.”
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*EDITOR’S NOTE: The bricks used in this project were from Brick Me, and are not official Lego brand. When we use the word “Lego,” we mean generic interlocking toy bricks, not the official Lego brand.
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