BMUFSD: Biology Students Create Unique Mural

Press release from the Briarcliff Manor Union Free School District:

2023-06-16

Creating art is one thing. But creating and combining several pieces of art into a giant mural is quite another. Students in Nancy Lee’s AP Biology class at Briarcliff High School were up to the challenge.

During the last few weeks of school, the five seniors and three juniors in the class brainstormed ways of leaving their mark in the classroom and decided to revive an old school tradition of creating a mural.

They decided that each student would pick a specific biome and paint it in a way so that each biome transitions to the next.

After some scheduling conflicts, senior Ardian Ivezaj set up a time for himself and two other seniors to meet the juniors in Ms. Lee’s class to plan the mural.

“Senior Shane Landau came up with a sketch of the mural, after speaking to the other students and getting their input,” Ms. Lee said.

The class presented their ideas to art teacher Roxanne Ritacco, who is also the Art Department Chair.

“Ms. Ritacco had many great suggestions on how to carry out their vision,” Ms. Lee said. “She, along with art teacher Taylor Reno, provided the students with paint and other art supplies.”

As it was getting towards the very end of the year, students spent extra time working on their artwork, often staying for an extra period, when they could.

One of the students in the class, Junior Leahna Rodriguez, assisted those who had little or no art experience.

In mid-June, just a few days before graduation, the entire class got together to put the finishing touches to the mural and mount it on the wall.

The eight-panel mural consists of seven panels that feature different biomes and one depicting the names of the students who created it.

Shane and Ardian enjoyed the experience so much that they changed their Senior Passion Project to be their work on their mural, creating a presentation about it that describes the project from start to finish.

“It was an amazing opportunity to express ourselves and enjoy our last days in biology,” Shane said.

Ardian shares his sentiment.

“We wanted to immortalize the AP Biology class of 2022-2023,” he said. “We hope we made Ms. Lee proud.”

We think they did.

This press release was produced by the Briarcliff Manor Union Free School District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.