Maria Meller, president of the Elementary Support Organization at Highland Elementary, said the school needs some color.

“Our school has absolutely no color, it’s all white walls,” she said. “There’s absolutely nothing in there. I wanted a mural, but it was going to cost $2,500 to $3,000 for an artist. I put in for a Washington County Riverboat Foundation grant but didn’t get it, so we held off for a while.”

Then, one of Meller’s friends shared an auction from the Iowa Children’s Museum that included a mural. She got approval to bid and won the mural for less than 20% of its valuation.

“They were very excited that it went to a school because they’ve never had this as an auction item before,” Meller said. “They said, ‘We didn’t know what we would get, but a school is exactly the target kids we would want to work with.’”

The museum has come up with three different concepts:  a geometric design, a collage design and a fantasy design. This week the students at Highland Elementary will make donations to vote for their favorite. Whichever design raises the most money will be installed outside the secretary’s room on the west side this summer and the money raised will be donated back to the Children’s Museum.

“The museum has helped us with so many things, like donating passes for our auction at carnival,” Meller said. “I feel like we are giving back to somebody who has given back to us… They took a huge hit because of COVID, which is why they did the online auction… This is a great way for us to support a local organization.”

Meller said it’s important to have color in a school to make it feel warm and welcoming. And giving the students some say in what is painted will give them a sense of ownership over the new artwork.

“Having the students vote with their donations makes it more exciting and gives them something to look forward to,” Meller said. “When we have our Unpack the Backpack Night next year, they know they’ll get to see their mural… It’s always good to let the students have a choice and have an opinion in the matter. It’s getting them involved and making them feel like it’s their community, too.”

The mural isn’t the only project the ECO has planned for Highland Elementary. The organization is also working with the high school FFA chapter to create a naturescape area for the playground, which will include features like gravel sensory boxes, trees, a sandbox, a rock bridge and logs.

The school recently renovated the playground to make it ADA compliant and has room left over. Principal Jane O’Leary told Meller and the ESO that the school has many students who enjoy digging in the dirt or playing in the mulch pile left over after the playground renovation.

“This is a way for us to engage those students a little bit more and make a play structure that’s geared toward those kids,” Meller said. “It’s going to have an area where kids can play in the dirt, in the sand, step on logs, play under actual trees — we’re going to make it very nature focused.”

The FFA, advised by Gina Trower, will implement the naturescape park. They attended the ESO’s last meeting and presented a preliminary plan, which will still have to go through final approval by the principal and board, but the organization is excited to be involved in the project.

“It’s going to be a neat experience and it’s a great way for the ESO to partner with other students within our district to make this vision come true,” Meller said.