As part of New Roots Charter School’s Spring 2025 Intensives Week, a special time dedicated to immersive, hands-on learning, a group of 12 students took to the streets to reimagine a blank downtown wall as a powerful statement on sustainability, imagination, and collective action.
Located at 102 The Commons, the newly unveiled mural is more than a vibrant piece of public art; it’s a youth-led vision for a just and sustainable future. The project was developed through New Roots’ Public Art and Visual Communication course, where students examined how visual storytelling can inspire change and reflect shared values.
Rooted in themes of environmental stewardship, social justice, and community resilience, the mural draws inspiration from EarthForce, the school’s green careers initiative supported by a Tompkins County Community Recovery Fund grant. Student designers explored how art can represent renewable energy, ecological restoration, and harmony between people and planet, which are key values for a future rooted in sustainability.
Under the mentorship of local muralist and New Roots Artist in Residence Terrance Vann, students’ ideas were translated into large-scale artwork featuring wind turbines, solar panels, regenerative farming, and references to local efforts such as the Cayuga Wetlands Restoration Project. A central image of a deer symbolizes youth resilience in a world shaped by ecological and social challenges.
The project was brought to life through a collaboration between Terrance Vann, Patrick Lynch, Ithaca Murals, and community advocate Caleb Thomas, who helped secure the mural’s obvious location just across from the school. Funding was generously provided by the Park Foundation, as part of a broader partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Energy Warriors program, focused on green career development for New Roots students.
Throughout the painting process, downtown community members paused to watch, offer encouragement, and engage with the students, turning the mural into a living classroom and a shared celebration of creativity and climate hope.
“This mural is a reflection of who we are and what we believe in,” said one student artist. “We wanted it to show the world we want to live in—and the one we’re working to build.”
The mural now stands as a bold testament to the power of youth, community, and imagination to shape a more sustainable and equitable future.
Read more on https://newrootsschool.org/new-roots-public-mural-project .
Visit newrootsschool.org or contact Michael Mazza, Director of Community Engagement at New Roots Charter School, at mmazza@newrootsschool.org to learn more.
