Spring semester of 2022 the Spanish Club decided to have a World Language Mural Contest for students to enter with their ideas for what to paint in a mural in the lower F wing. The winner, sophomore Hanna Areh, was announced in February of this year.

The contest was an idea Spanish teacher Maria Koonce has had for awhile now. “Since I started working at Porter Ridge back in 2016, I had this idea to paint a mural that reflected the World Languages in F-Hall. Last year the Spanish Club members talked about involving all PRHS students to suggest ideas for the mural. The idea for a contest was shared with our principal and with her approval, it was advertised and open to all students during the month of January.” 

Any Porter Ridge student could join the contest. Students who decided to participate had about a month to make their drawing and submit it. Koonce said, “Students participated in the contest by uploading their design in a Google form. Spanish Club members voted on their favorite design which was created by sophomore Hanna Areh.” 

When asked what inspired her design, Areh said, “I wanted to portray people of different backgrounds all working together on a picture. Inspiration came from several chalk drawings and wall murals I found online. The drawing's message wasn’t so different from my experience painting it. I learned how to take others' ideas and not stick to my initial design. The final mural looks great because several minds collaborated on it.”

Areh also commented on why it’s important to have murals in schools. “It’s important to present the creativity and life that we have at this school. Murals represent the mark previous and current students intend to leave behind.”

The mural is still being worked on and is expected to be completed by the end of the school year. Make sure to stop by and check it out!

Written by Hazel Colin-12th grade student