Students at Forest Grove Community School begin work on their mural squares.
Salem, Oregon – As third and fourth graders at Forest Grove Community School began a project studying Oregon, their teachers discovered a wonderful teaching tool: the Oregon Cultural Trust’s Celebrate Oregon! artwork. Now each of the 52 students is recreating a section of the artwork to build a new school mural that will be showcased at a “Celebration of Learning” on Tuesday, May 27.
Created by artist Liza Mana Burns, the Celebrate Oregon! artwork is a rich tapestry of Oregon geography into which are woven 127 symbols depicting the state’s history, people and diverse cultural traditions. An interactive narrative shares the stories behind each of the symbols.
Media please note: Mana Burns will visit the school from 1:40 to 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 22, to meet the students and view the mural.
“We explored the Celebrate Oregon! artwork as a part of a project related to Oregon State,” said teacher Erin Morgan. “It’s so lovely watching them put their own personality into the art and listening to them exchange knowledge about their symbols. I can see how exploring this artwork has elevated kids’ identity as Oregonians.”
Quotes from the students, who range in age from eight to 10, reveal their engagement and perspectives on the project:
“My square has a suitcase and is about how people came to Oregon from different places. My grandparents came from Mexico!”
“I hadn’t heard of any of the symbols on my square before I started drawing! It’s cool that all of this is about our state.”
“My favorite symbol is the word bubble because it reminds me of talking to my friends.”
“I like that my square includes a Native American symbol, like when we learned about Oregon’s tribes last year.”
“This is the first time I’ve made a mural. I can’t believe how many details it has. It must have taken the artist so long to make!”
The Celebrate Oregon! artwork by Liza Mana Burns.
Students were invited to select the section of the artwork they wished to recreate and are now coloring it on eight-by-eight cardstock squares. When completed, they will be combined to create the new school mural.
During the May 27 event classrooms will be open for students to give their families tours of the mural and their “Oregon Visitor Center,” which features other exhibits about geography and culture across the state. This event is free and open to community members.
Forest Grove Community School, a public charter school, was founded in 2007 to provide an educational alternative to families looking for a small school that offered student-centered education focused on project-based, experiential learning.
The Celebrate Oregon! artwork was created in 2021 to mark the Cultural Trust’s 20th anniversary. It is featured on Oregon’s cultural license plate, whose proceeds support promotion of the Cultural Tax Credit. Oregonians who participate in the Cultural Tax Credit add to a pool of funds that supports annual grants to cultural nonprofits and partner agencies, in addition to growing the Trust’s permanent fund – now valued at approximately $47 million.
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The Oregon Cultural Trust was established by the Oregon Legislature in 2001 as a unique means to reward Oregonians who invest in culture. Oregonians who donate to a cultural nonprofit and then make a matching gift to the Cultural Trust receive a 100% state tax credit for their gift to the Trust. The Cultural Trust’s three grant programs fund five Statewide Partners, 45 County and Tribal Coalitions and qualified cultural nonprofits through competitive Cultural Development Grants.