Young Students Paint Mural To Highlight Child Abuse Prevention
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Some of Philadelphia's littlest residents learned a big lesson by designing and painting their own community mural as part of the Painting For Prevention Project.
Philadelphia is known for its big murals and its ability to teach us. So it only makes sense that some of the city's smallest residents are making a mural of a serious issue they might face. Second grade students at Stephen Girard Elementary School in South Philadelphia put brush and paint to canvas Monday and created a mural highlighting child abuse prevention.
"When someone takes a brush stroke and puts on to a picture that they know what it's about they make a stand, they make a statement," said Beth Burkhuaser with Heart to Art. "That's what this mural is all about. The arts bring people together for a cause."
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Burkhuaser says not only are the kids helping to paint the mural, they worked to come up with the theme. And the children involved say they enjoyed learning about and creating a mural about such a big issue.
"It's about caring and sharing, and helping other people," said Giovanny.
"We have to paint something. It's like pictures of people doing nice things," said Aidan.
"It's like pictures helping people and caring for people," said Samara.
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For the past decade, Beth Bitler, with Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance, has worked on Painting Prevention murals with people all across the state.
"We've done 26 other murals," Bitler said. "So we've had everything from themes like neighborhoods coming together to help children, we've had support for parents in difficult situations, like in recovery with addiction or mental health issues, so we've talked about images around support and help for parents and families."
The adults working with the students say this visual learning process is important for instilling life lessons into these young minds.
Now, the mural will remain in the halls of Stephen Girard Elementary, so it can be a teaching tool for all of the school's students.
