O Castro plants trees with paintbrushes

Last Friday 10th March Year 6 pupils helped to create a beautiful mural in the school covered patio. Inspired by earth conservation, it will serve as a daily reminder to show love for our Earth by being eco-minded. An Afundación project, Plantando Árbores con Pinceis brought us mural artist Doctoy, to organize and direct the children to paint a scene put together from sketches the Year 6 students themselves had previously submitted for the event. 

Meanwhile, Year 5 students enjoyed a painting-on-canvas session in our Primary Art classroom, designing superb tote bags with earth-friendly themes that will help spread the word.

The atmosphere was festive and the children were giddy yet focused on the tasks at hand. Year 6 children patiently waited their turn to brush on the environmentally-friendly pigments that would finally bring our much-awaited mural to life. Photocatalytic is the name given to the paints used; these mineral tints in exterior spaces contribute to the decomposition of atmospheric air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, greenhouse gases and superficial contaminations. "This is so cool, I'm learning a lot, and also, I didn't know that photocatalytic paints absorb pollution. This mural is so special," said Kiran Meilert, a Year 6 student. 

"This unique experience is extremely fun. We're using eco-friendly paint which, as well as looking beautiful, is a reminder of what we can do to help our planet,"  Olivia Varela commented, with a big smile on her face. 

Year 5 students simultaneously worked in the Primary Art Room, thoughtfully choosing the right colours and designs for their eco-conscious message on fabric. They dabbed on the right amount of paint to avoid waste and reused finger-sized sponges. Abe, a Year 5 student, explained, "We used bags made from recycled cloth and also recycled paints so that the earth isn't contaminated." 

"It was fun and I liked it because now we don't need to buy bags for the supermarket," said Goretti, another Year 5 student, excitedly.

The new mural will adorn our school for years to come and serve as a conservation reminder to all. Upper Key Stage 2 student Claudia loved this idea: "I felt like I was saving the world, like I was one step closer to convincing everyone to stop littering and killing animals. It was a lifetime experience." Her classmate, Ariadna Pazos, chimed in, "I loved painting the mural, especially because it was teamwork. I helped everybody and everybody helped me." 

Many thanks to Afundación and its Arts Coordinator for schools, Marta Gefaell Borrás, for making this creative, convivial learning event possible.

Plantando Árbores con Pinceis kicks off our ECO WEEK, during which we will all be making an extra effort to be environmental activists in a variety of ways our Eco Committee has been planning!