“Draw a fountain!”
These were the words that Viviana Fuentes, Senior, excitedly shouts as she stoops down to scratch her chalk against the concrete slabs of the walkway. On Monday afternoon, about twenty Pitman High school GenerationOn members, as well as a few Art Club members drew and wrote words on the walkways between the H and the B building. The purpose of this activity? To encourage people to be kind to themselves and towards others. However, as Debby Haynam, Senior, simply puts it, it was “To make people smile.”
The idea was first brought up by David Gallardo, Senior, and was proposed at the GenerationOn February club meeting. Votes to do the activity was almost completely unanimous. Students then showed up Monday afternoon with their own ideas on what to draw and write. Some of the phrases included sayings from Dr. Seuss and typical phrases such as, “Be Kind” or “You’re Beautiful!” Anything to put a smile on people’s faces.
However, the real appeal was the art. Hearts and paw prints along with books and smiles adorned the sidewalks of Pitman High School. Yohari Gonzalez, Junior, says the art is what put a smile on her face. She says, “It’s nostalgic. You feel like a kid again.” Others simply walk by and quietly smile, pondering the purpose of the art and the words.
However, what they don’t realize is that the purpose had already been fulfilled.
They smiled.