“We are stronger together”: A collaborative art project at Faraday School

At Faraday School, students are at the centre of learning, an approach that comes to life through everyday opportunities for them to feel seen, valued, and included. One of those opportunities is the school’s newest art project, a two-panel art piece that every student, contributed to, creating a lasting piece of artwork for the school.

Created in collaboration with local artist Cat Hues, known as Pink Panda, and funded by the Manitoba Arts Council, the project brings together student voice, identity, and the sense of community in meaningful way.

A Student-Centred Process

The project began with a shared goal to create artwork that represented Faraday School. Teacher Sarah Ducharme connected the school with Cat, who together with staff, developed a vision grounded in the message “We are stronger together.” This theme guided both the final design and creation process. “Because it was a long project, many skills were shared and I wanted students to experience the entire process of creating and completing the mural,” shares Cat.

Over five weeks, students worked alongside Cat, who acted as a facilitator throughout the project encouraging individual reflection and collaboration. To map out their ideas, they had brainstorming sessions based on Murray Sinclair’s four guiding questions: Where do I come from? Where am I going? Why am I here? and Who am I? This helped them connect their personal identities to their artwork.

After that they learned about color theory and explored different ways to make their ideas come to life. The result was each student creating an individual tile representing themselves.

Grade 6 student Isabella shared that her favourite part was “working on the details of the painting,” using her favourite colours, purple and pink.

Another Grade 6 student, Hanz, appreciated “being able to draw what he liked and what represents him,” incorporating anime into his design. Lorraine, also in Grade 6, says she enjoyed “painting her favourite things,” including music notes that reflect her love of music.

The older students also contributed with detailed elements for the backgrounds such as flowers, butterflies, and other designs, while younger students, including kindergarten and nursery, added handprints around the mural. Together, these contributions ensured that every student was represented.

Bringing It All Together

The individual tiles were assembled into two large panels now placed above the stairwell doors. Rather than being organized by grade, the layout intentionally mixes all student contributions, reflecting how the school community works together across classrooms and ages.

Small details throughout the mural add to its meaning. Bees appear across the panels, an inclusion that reflects the school’s mascot, and a medicine wheel at the top doubles as the sun for the art piece.

Students, staff, and community partners all played a role in bringing the mural to life. Staff supported students throughout the process and contributed to the artwork, while the division’s Facilities Department and carpenters ensured the final piece was securely placed in its final exhibition spot.

A Message That Lasts

The mural’s message, “We are stronger together,” reflects Faraday’s commitment to respect, inclusion, and supporting one another. For Principal Jennifer Cox, projects like this help students “find their voice, show them that their voice matters, and that they are heard.”  Now displayed in the school, the artwork stands as a lasting representation of Faraday School’s school family.