Be Yourself! Be Kind to All Kind! Pimlico Pride!
Every day, the students, teachers, staff, and visitors to Pimlico Elementary / Middle School see these colorful phrases and more on the new mural that graces the lower level of the historic main building. The hearts, peace signs, rainbows, and paintings of students engaged in acts of kindness and joy are the handiwork of eight artists, all middle school girls, who created the mural this past summer as part of the HER Mentoring Program.
The afterschool/summer mentoring program, HER Mentoring, was created by Shantel Carter, Pimlico Educational Associate and a Baltimore City Public Schools educator for 20+ years (pictured in green hat). Serving Pimlico’s female students, ages 11-14, the program aims to “revamp the young female perspective by focusing on accountability, empowerment, empathy, self-worth, leadership, academics, and sportsmanship,” Ms. Carter explains. “Our objective is to provide opportunities and services that can uplift, build, and nurture the young female mindset with skill-based training and practical training to promote college and career readiness.”
The program also supports mental and physical health through self-care, character and relationship building and sportsmanship courses. The summer 2024 program includes candle making, yoga, basketball clinics, a DJ course, hair braiding and hygiene courses, crocheting, as well as mural designing.
The ten young women in the summer HER Mentoring program worked with local artist and muralist Natasha Fray, owner of Loaded Canvas LLC, who has created a few murals in Baltimore. (Pictured above, in black shirt.) The girls collaborated on the design and painted the mural throughout the summer.
The Pimlico community loves the new mural. “The students and staff are very excited to see a new piece of artwork that brightens up the school,” adds Ms. Carter. “They often ask, ‘When did this get here?’ and ‘Can we do another one?’”
She says several staff members are asking for a mural on their floor, thanks to the young artists of HER Mentoring and Loaded Canvas for bringing it to life.
The student artists are: Mailia P. 8th, Madison C., 8th, Nautika M., 8th, Lushi N., 6th, Kaycee H. 6th, Asia V., 6th, Ma’Kelle C. 6th, and Sharon O., 8th.
