New 'We Are Here' Mural at Charlestown High School

Last week students, staff, and invited guests attend an arts opening party to celebrate the completion of a new mural at Charlestown High School.

The mural, a multi-layered picture that uses the Tobin Bridge as its central image, was designed by CHS students under the guidance of their art teacher Leah Jaffe and under the guidance of Heidi Schork, director of the Mayor’s Mural Crew.

“It was hard at first,“ junior Jerome Jones said of the mural. “But after a week, once everybody got into it, we started doing a really good job.” 

The mural shows the Tobin Bridge in the foreground with a map of the world in the background. The words “We Are From Everywhere,” painted in a bold gray, span across the wall. 

Jones, who moved to America from Jamaica two years ago, said working on the mural was an amazing experience.

“It was great working with [Ms. Schork]. She’s been doing this for years and really showed us how to get going," he said.

CHS art class students in both ESL and general education programs designed individual drafts and then met with Schork, who has been creating public murals since 1991. At first, Schork said, students struggled to come up with a unifying idea they all agreed on.

“They wanted to show the diversity in the school,” Schork said. “That was my first impression when I came here. There are so many kids from all over the world.” 

The Tobin Bridge serves as a metaphor, both for the students, the school, and Charlestown itself. There are some many bridges connecting us—to the rest of Boston, to college and the world beyond high school, and to each other. The mural highlights this connection while also showing the work—the walking across the bridge—that each of us has to do.

“The students were so focused and loving the project so much,” Schork said. “It took a lot of time. They’re truly a great, nice motivated group of kids who stuck through the whole process.” 

This mural is part of a larger initiative by Headmaster William Thomas who is working to expand the arts offering and opportunities at Charlestown High School. “It’s just great,” he said at the opening party last week. “I’m truly impressed by how talented our students are.”

Charlestown High School would like to thank Heidi Schork and the Mayor’s Mural Crew for providing this opportunity to students.