Lead: WSU art students aim to help local elementary school with learning with sensitive touch school mural.

  Main Idea: For my story proposal I wanted to talk about WSU student artists and their collaboration with the new elementary school in Pullman, Kamiak Elementary School. There was an article in the Daily Evergreen about the process that it took to complete a vibrant mural for display. WSU professors, Joe Hedges and Amy Nielson led the project. There were also 25 students that worked for this mural who were in Hedge’s advanced and intermediate painting class to create the mural.

            There was a vote by the students of the school and community members for the design of the mural. The paintings feature an image of a kestrel, the school mascot, and temperature sensitive paint molecules. The project was funded by an Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation seed grant from the WSU College of Arts and Sciences. The principal of the elementary mentioned in that article that the walls will serve an important role as art for inspiration, education and pleasure.

            This article was written on November 5^th, 2019, and the dedication to the paintings occurred on November 8^th, 2019. I wanted to do a follow up article to find out how this mural has impacted the students at the elementary school and their learning. I also want to see the behind the scenes process behind the painting. It would be interesting to see the work that goes into creating a temperature sensitive painting. I want to share the faculty and staff point of view from the elementary school on the results of the painting with their students. I would also want to listen and share the process of the collaboration with professor Joe Hedges as well as the students that participated in the mural process itself.

            A few sources that I am thinking about speaking with is the Principal of Kamiak Elementary School, Evan Hecker, and professors Joe Hedges and Amy Nielson. I may also want to speak with a few elementary students, as well as some of the WSU students who worked on this mural.

Possible Sources:

Joe Hedges: joe.hedges@wsu.edu 509-335-7107

Amy Nielson: amy.nielson@wsu.edu 509-335-1923