max.bowen@northstarreporter.com
A new mural at North Attleborough High School promotes a message of diversity, one that the organizers feel is much-needed.
Led by Empowerment Club leaders and NAHS students Sanjh Bonu and Isabella Fonseca, the mural was unveiled in January. According to Fonseca, NAHS alumni Laura Blake created different ideas for artworks that could be displayed on the walls of the high school.
“There were several different concepts that were created for this mural, but all of them shared the common theme of equality,” wrote Fonseca and Bonu in an email. “We chose this one based on majority vote and what we thought would look best in our school’s halls.”
NAHS Principal Peter Haviland said via email he was incredibly proud of the students for their hard work and dedication to bringing this vision to life.
“The unveiling, celebrated by a wonderful in-school reception, highlights the importance of student-driven creativity in shaping our school environment,” Haviland said. “This project is a testament to the idea that inclusion is not just about participation but also about empowering students to take initiative, create and inspire others to be part of something meaningful.”
Fonseca and Bonu said the mural, which reads, “Strength lies in differences, not in similarities,” promotes diversity and inclusion at the school and community.
“We feel that this mural and this message is needed now more than ever and we hope that it reminds people of the beauty that diversity can bring,” they said.
Fonseca and Bonu said that most of the students that worked on this mural came from the school’s Empowerment Club or National Art Honor Society and were “dedicated, passionate, and enthusiastic about creating the mural and making a lasting impact on NAHS.”
They added that the organizers hope other students feel inspired to create their own artwork with positive messages. She added that they are confident future leaders at NAHS will express themselves creatively and make a positive impact.
“We hope that upon seeing this mural, people are reminded about the beauty of diversity and work better when we work together,” Fonseca and Bonu said. “We hope that they realize that, despite our differences, our similarity of being human is something that can connect us all across all areas of life.”
