Fox Cities News

In April, students and staff at Read Elementary School collaborated to paint a new mural on the school's exterior walls, marking the second phase of the playground renovation project. The initiative was supported by ArtsCore—a partnership between the Paine Art Center and Gardens, UW Oshkosh, and the Oshkosh Area School District. Over 20 businesses and organizations, along with numerous individuals, have contributed to the playground project.

Appleton artist and UW Oshkosh graduate Neo Medina led the mural project. Through collaboration with Read Elementary and its partners, it was decided that the mural would depict a group of students representative of the school's diverse student body.

“For kids to be able to see themselves and to know that they are seen and loved is a big deal,” said Medina. “And this school is magnetic. I knew from the second I walked in last year that Read was the perfect place to paint my first mural in Oshkosh. It felt like I was surrounded by a bunch of small versions of myself. I felt like I knew the kids because I was those kids. I felt like I was home.”

The mural spans two intersecting walls at the corner where the school meets the playground. The north-facing wall features an image of a smiling student framed by "Read" spelled out with "RE" on one side and "AD" on the other. The east-facing wall shows two smiling students at each end with "On Our Way" written in vibrant multicolored letters between them.

Students from all grade levels participated in painting different portions of the mural under Medina's guidance, making it a significant hands-on project involving 365 students and over 40 volunteers.

Medina shared mentoring moments during this process: "I was shaking cans and thinking how annoying it was. Then I thought to myself I bet there is a kid that would love to do this..." He invited a struggling student to help him shake spray cans, leading to meaningful conversations about education and future goals.

Following completion, Read families and community members celebrated with an evening event featuring food, festivities, performances by Mariachi Nuevo Garibaldi from Milwaukee, yard games, and an open playground.

Emily Eisenschink, principal of Read Elementary School, expressed gratitude for community support: “We talk to our students about mirrors and windows. It’s so important for our students to see themselves in the mirror that is this mural... We want our students to know that this mural represents all the love that their school family feels for them."

“Often, the first thing that people see about us is our skin color,” stated Mr. Medina who also serves as Diversity Equity Inclusion Mentor Coordinator in Appleton Area School District. “We hope that this mural reaffirms to students that their skin color is beautiful.”

The playground renovation project will conclude in June with a public grand opening scheduled for June 25 from 5 - 7 p.m., featuring activities such as meeting Marshall from Paw Patrol, face painting, Kona Ice treats, and more outside Read Elementary at 1120 Algoma Blvd., Oshkosh.