New murals on display at Hillview Middle School in Menlo Park

A new mural (top) graces the Hillview quad, featuring symbols, words, and ideas about what the school means — in students’ own words. Hillview welcomed artist Charlo on campus to create the mural in the heart of the school. In a single day, students had the unique opportunity to watch their mural come to life in real time as Charlo painted throughout the day. Watch the time-lapse video!

Hillview’s Associated Student Body contributed funding and helped guide the original mural concept. Over 200 submissions from students shared symbols, words, and ideas about what Hillview means to them. That input sparked the custom design, which embeds words like “inspired, connected, corazón, cookie, innovation” within a piece of art that will be in a space where so many of the school’s daily activities, celebrations, and memories live.

The third and final mural is also now in place on the side of the gym. It was created by the artist Joseph L Lopez. Students got to help design and paint it with him.

Community support allows Hillview to continue personalizing its 12-year-old campus, making it a true student-centered middle school filled with creativity, pride and student voice.

Photos courtesy of Menlo Park City School District