For Immediate Release
Contact: Lisa Shanley, Director of Communications
lisa.shanley@ppps.org
PAW PAW HIGH SCHOOL MURAL SPARKS MENTAL HEALTH CONVERSATIONS
Paw Paw, MI – At Paw Paw High School, a Class B school in rural southwest Michigan, Art Teacher Sarah Bentley and English Teacher Sean Kubik, along with their students, are collaborating with visiting artist and friend, Marlo Broughton, to create an artistic outdoor mural that celebrates the community and encourages mental health discussions among students.
The project is a giant leap of faith and a way for Sarah Bentley to honor the life of her teenage son, who lost his battle with mental health last fall. Through the impact of this mural, the collective goal is to create a positive, inspiring message that not only welcomes students but also sparks real conversations about mental health struggles.
The Detroit-based artist, also known as MARLOBRO, is an American Contemporary Artist and designer who got his start working with cousin and founder Tommey Walker of the “Detroit VS Everybody” brand. Broughton began as a graffiti artist, moved on to study industrial design and now makes acrylic paintings on canvas and large-scale mural paintings.
Working side-by-side with students, Broughton is painting and adding original poetry to this larger-than-life mural.
A massive brick wall at the west entrance of Paw Paw High School, where school buses arrive, is being transformed into a large, colorful mural that welcomes students at the beginning of their day and bids them farewell at the end of the day. The accompanying photo represents day one and is just a sneak peak of what's to come!
Weather permitting, the work that began on May 4, is scheduled to be completed in just four days: May 7, 8, 9 and 13. With an initial goal of raising $5000 to cover project expenses; community members, businesses and nonprofits have already started donating. If others wish to donate to this project and future high school mural projects, a secure fundraising page has been created on the Paw Paw Public School district’s website, or donors may mail a check to: Paw Paw High School, 30609 Red Arrow Hwy., Paw Paw, MI 49079 . Please reference: High School Mural Donation in the memo line. This is an opportunity for members of the community to be part of something special. No donation is too small, and anonymous donations are welcome.
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