The Murals

In a 1970 New York Times article announcing the opening of Village Community School, the first students of VCS were reported to have “brought records, books, old shoes, hats and puzzles as their contributions to their new school.” It’s a funny image, especially given the extensive resources—technological, literary, and otherwise—available to our students today. Nevertheless, VCS children still know they each have something special to offer their school, and are invited to develop an appreciation of their individual value in many ways.

One of the ways this idea has historically been cultivated is through students’ participation in the creation of collaborative murals. Many alums will recall working on one of the murals on the Big Yard wall, and some may even remember murals in the “Little Yard” originally located behind the Front Lobby of the 2003 building.

Our most recent Big Yard mural, featuring audio waves of students saying “We Love VCS” in Spanish, Mandarin, Latin, and English, was recreated on the wall of the new Sky Yard, where it continues to serve as the bright backdrop for student play. Unlike earlier murals, the “We Love VCS” mural was painted by professionals; but by taking recordings of every student as its theme, it perfectly captures the spirit of our mural tradition: every voice matters.