From our Year 5 evaluation:
Eighty (80) percent of the students were considered at-risk.

Eighty-Five (85) percent of the youth reported that they had learned a lot about the effects of drugs and alcohol.
Students estimated that 72% of their peers had smoked marijuana during the past 30 days, although only 35% reported smoking marijuana themselves.

What the muralists said:
Seeing the mural on the last painting day was triumphant and jubilant for all who were there. After the mural was installed, we realized that it was hung, despite so many obstacles, without a hitch, cutouts and all.

I love the sense of pride the youth get from seeing their work up for years to come. It’s a beautiful thing to see students come back from college, or jobs elsewhere and comment to someone about how they participated in such an amazing project.

What students said:
There are always problems, but instead of drinking, put the problems into the paint, the colors, the painting.

When chillin’ and bumpin’ tunes, it was a good thing with all us. We need someone who can DEAL with us!

The project helped me a lot. Really, seriously, it did. Thank you. The teamwork and closeness I felt with other people in the project. Bonding with people who had different views and upbringing than me. Letting our emotions evolve. The process of developing the mural.