Together We Rise

by Charlie R. Swift ’14

As part of the 40th Anniversary of the Cleveland Heights High Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame program in 2020, Heights Schools Foundation commissioned the new mural titled “Together We Rise”, by alumnus and artist Jerome White ’88. The mural is located in the Heights High lobby across from the main auditorium on the first floor.

Mural Inspires Reflection and Connection

From the minute we step foot into high school, our minds are filled with optimism for all of the new things we look forward to experiencing and wonderful memories we hope to make. Learning new things, discovering our passions, tapping into our potential, making lifelong friends who will always be by our side. That’s high school.

Ironically, the most anticipated moment of it all is actually the end, graduation – an accomplishment that seems so far away in the beginning. But year after year, as we find our footing and rise to be top dogs, the day finally comes. In the final moments before we turn our tassels to the left, we look to see our classmates sitting beside us, and we understand what our time at Heights truly was: the foundation of an everlasting family.

Artist Jerome White ’88 captures the essence of the Tiger Nation family, our commitment to excellence, optimism for the future, and the support of each other in the 2022 mural installation, “Together We Rise.” The symbolism of the piece inspires optimism in the viewer and promotes the notion of the sky being the limit for a Heights High graduate. The tiger logo sits beautifully in the center of the piece representing the support of our richly diverse alumni network and that school pride that runs deeply in Tigers of the past, present, and future alike. When students look at this mural, they will know that they are capable of achieving anything that they set their mind to and that Tiger Nation will always be here to support them on their journey.

Jerome White '88 works on the new mural

Installing the mural

The completed mural in Heights High