Students complete Joyner mural

Second graders worked months on the mural with help from Kit Stafford

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – Students at Joyner Elementary in Tupelo were able to show off their artistic talents as a mural is unveiled.

The second graders have been working on a mural on the outside wall of the gym for months, with the help of art instructor Kit Stafford.

Students were able to choose what they wanted to go in each letter of the school’s name, and they even included suckers in the N, which are a tribute to the school’s janitor, Mister Mike, who hands out suckers to students every Friday.

Stafford says she hopes students develop a love for art at a young age.

” Public art is for everyone to enjoy, it builds community pride and school pride, I hope kids see they have kind of developed self esteem to see they can take on big art projects and be part of that.  I told all kids when they came out and helped, ‘you are now a mural artist,” Stafford said.

“It is cool, it has a lot of art and a lot of things we love,” said Mural Artist Falynn Carruthers.

“I like doing art because you can use your imagination and do anything you want with it,” said Mural Artist Graham Hutcheson.

There is also a “Joey”, which is the school’s mascot, and other paintings in the mural depicting recess, cafeteria food, music and academics.