Walk the grounds of Normal Heights Elementary and you’ll be sure to notice its mascot – the hawk – at every turn. The campus wasn’t always full of vibrant art, in fact, years ago, a plain text sign was the only thing greeting its young students. Administrators used art to elevate the hawk into the strong Normal Heights Elementary symbol it is today.
Mosaic hawks fly above the courtyard on the school’s walls and a hawk sculpture proceeds over the outdoor reading area – all work created by the students. The mosaics were so popular that the school expanded beyond their mascot to now include the elementary’s block lettered name which is completely adorned with colorful glass and images of things the students identify with most. There are images of sports, musical instruments, books and friends.
Now, through the VAPA Foundation’s new Arts Access Program, the students at Normal Heights Elementary are collaborating on a gigantic mosaic for the main corridor of the school. Each week, students will be guided by instructors from VAPA’s partner Rainforest Arts Project to hand-lay hundreds of glass pieces in a cheerful design. The project allows students to see themselves in the art and to feel pride in creating something that will adorn the campus for years to come.
Normal Heights Elementary is just one of 10 schools participating in the pilot program of Arts Access which uses data from the San Diego Unified School District to identify the schools lacking arts programming and deliver it to students in most need.