What was once a plain brick wall at Paw Paw High School (PPHS) has been transformed into a stunning 1,800 square foot mural by Detroit-based artist Marlo Broughton and students from PPHS. To celebrate the completion of the mural, students recently nominated teachers, administrators, and even Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer to accept the ice bucket challenge to increase mental health awareness. To keep the momentum going, the challenge is simple:
Grab a bucket, some ice, and a friend
Record your challenge and tag others to take it next
Post on social media and tag @uscmind and @speakyour_mind to be featured
The original idea for a mural was conceived by PPHS Art Teacher Sarah Bentley and honors the life of her teenage son, who lost his battle with mental health last fall. The collective goal of the mural was to create a positive, inspiring message that not only welcomed students but also sparked real conversations about mental health struggles.
In less than a month, Broughton and students from Sarah Bentley’s art class and Seah Kubik’s English class have been collaborating on this larger-than-life mural.
With an initial goal of raising $5,000 to cover project expenses, generous community members, businesses and non-profits have already contributed over $4,200 to the project. If others wish to donate to this project and future high school mural projects, a secure fundraising page has been created on the Paw Paw Public School district’s website, or donors may mail a check to: Paw Paw High School, 30609 Red Arrow Highway, Paw Paw, MI, 49079. Please reference: High School Mural Donation in the memo line.
