Arts Education Program
Spring 2025
Location: Montview Elementary School, Aurora, CO
A select group of students from Montview Elementary School collaborated with Street Wise Arts teaching artist Latasha Dunston Greene (@jitterbug_art) to design and paint three wooden, culture-themed mural boards for their school campus. Through engaging brainstorming sessions, the artist guided students in exploring symbols that celebrate the rich cultural identities represented in Montview’s diverse community.
The murals vividly celebrate this cultural diversity through vibrant colors inspired by national flags, traditional foods, clothing patterns, flowers, and musical instruments such as maracas and ukuleles. Each element was thoughtfully selected to honor the heritage and personal stories of the participating students. The use of yarn accents adds a textured, tapestry-like feel, symbolizing the way individual cultures are woven together to form a unified community.
This creative project fostered a deep sense of belonging and pride among students, while also enhancing engagement—a key factor in supporting social-emotional learning (SEL) development. Using the students’ ideas and feedback, the artist created three collaborative designs that were brought to life through a shared painting experience.
The participating students reflected Montview’s cultural richness, with backgrounds including Asian, African, and Latin American heritage.