Student Voices Thrive in Nelson McIntyre Collegiate Mural Project
Students at Nelson McIntyre Collegiate (NMC) are turning their vision of a thriving school community into a vibrant work of art.
On June 11, students from Grades 9 through 12 participated in a collaborative mural project led by local artist Bruno de Oliveira Jayme. The initiative, part of the school’s NMC Thrive Project, supports the 91黑料网’s Multi-Year Strategic Plan priority to enhance student voice and agency (Strategic Action 3.2).
Over the past several months, students, staff and community members were invited to reflect on two key questions: “What do I need to thrive?” and “What kind of school community do I want to be a part of?” Their responses inspired the design of the mural, which will be permanently displayed in the school’s foyer.
Each student contributed a small square to the larger mosaic, visually representing their ideas of a safe and supportive school environment. One student painted an eye to symbolize the importance of feeling seen. Another student painted a river, saying, “We’d like more time outside, making connections with nature.” A third shared, “To me a safe space is more open… I would feel a lot safer being myself in a place where people are open to people being themselves.”
Bruno, who has worked in community art for over 25 years, said the project is about more than just painting. “It creates a sense of community. It gives them a platform to voice their concerns, to voice their ideas,” he said. “Each one of them contributed a little piece of the mosaic. If their little piece is not complete, the whole image will be compromised. It creates a sense of responsibility.”
The mural sessions were held in two parts, with senior students participating in the morning and junior students in the afternoon. Staff were also encouraged to contribute their own squares, reinforcing the shared vision of a thriving, inclusive school community.
Once the completed mural is hung in the NMC foyer, it will stand as a colourful testament to the power of student voice and the strength of collective creativity.
