Local News

Murals at middle school a pick-me-up for students

An encouraging word every once in a while can do wonders for someone feeling down. Sometimes where they receive those confidence builders can be a little unexpected. The restrooms at Marietta Middle School are some of those places.

Hannah Kitchen, an AmeriCorps college guide at Washington State Community College, organized an effort to put inspirational quotes and murals in the restrooms at the school to help combat bullying for AmeriCorps’ Day of Service. According to its website, AmeriCorps is a national network of social programs addressing community needs like mentoring youth, fighting poverty and sustaining national parks.

Phrases like “Believe in yourself,” “Your mistakes don’t define you” and “You are brave and significant” adorn stall doors and walls in the restrooms in hopes of helping students who are having a rough time.

“I wanted to help build people up without just saying ‘Don’t Bully,'” Kitchen said.

A former student of Marietta Middle School, Kitchen said that just like she did, students today use the bathroom for a place of refuge when things get too stressful.

“When (students) get upset, they tend to retreat to the bathrooms,” she said. “I know I’ve spent time crying in the Marietta Middle School bathroom…they were so bland and uninspiring.”

Eighth grader Jerra Johnson,13, and seventh grader Madison Hogue, 12, said they both enjoyed the new look in the bathrooms and appreciated the sentiment of the project.

“The flowers and patterns were nice,” said Hogue. “It kind of warmed up my heart.”

“It inspires you and makes you feel good about yourself,” Johnson said.

Kitchen also said the layout of the school provided a different canvas for students in different stages of development.

“Each grade is assigned to a different floor at the school,” she said. “We changed the sayings on each floor to be more age appropriate.”

Kitchen said the project has been months in the works and was helped by a mini-grant from Serve Ohio, a commission that focuses on service and volunteerism in the state and assisted in providing the materials needed for the 20 to 30 volunteers . Kitchen and the group of volunteers brought the project to fruition by painting the uplifting messages in the school’s six bathrooms last weekend.

Principal Brittany Schob said she was appreciative of the effort that Kitchen put into the project.

“It’s wonderful they took the time they did to do something like this,” Schob said. “It took a lot of organization on their part.”

Schob also said Kitchen provided the school with materials to help teachers educate the students about positive thinking that will be used later in the year. Schob said the students have noticed and enjoy the change in the restrooms.

Assistant Principal Tim Fleming said he was impressed at how much Kitchen cared about the murals.

“She was very enthusiastic. The murals seemed more of a passion than a project.” he said. “She held this project in high regard.”

Ohio bullying statistics:

•15,010 students were suspended or expelled for harassment, intimidation and bullying/unwelcome sexual conduct during the 2015/2016 school year.

•In 2013, 20.8 percent of all students were bullied at school during the previous12 months.

•In 2013, 15.1 percent of all students were electronically bullied during the previous 12 months.

Source: Ohio Department of Education and Ohio Department of Health.