Every graduating class has a chance to leave a permanent mark on West Essex. Class murals, which have become a treasured Senior Service position for art students, give the seniors an opportunity to show off their skills while also cementing their legacy. The murals are on display all over West Essex’s hallways, giving students a glimpse at what that year entailed. The murals often represent a significant event that has happened that year.

This year, seniors Joey Ploscowe, Nolan Yezhov and Nadia Belverio, with help from art teacher John Atura, are making the mural, which mainly showcases West Essex’s football victory at Metlife Stadium. Belverio thought of the idea to feature Metlife Stadium as the main visual in this year’s mural.

“Since we won and it was a major event for our school it just needed to be in the mural,” senior Nadia Belverio said.

Although the mural uses Metlife Stadium as a background, a fiery centerpiece makes the mural stand out: Ploscowe dreamed up a ferocious-looking purple dragon that dominates the center of the mural, and other signs in the sky referencing important events from throughout the year.

“I really wanted to include the dragon because I like to draw sci-fi creatures,” he said. “I also felt like the dragons on the other murals
were done wrong, so I wanted to make this one right.”

While Mr. Atura is the art teacher in charge of the mural production, he said he gives the students a great deal of freedom when making and designing the mural.

“Creating the murals are really good for the kids to develop stronger artistic skills and work together,” Mr. Atura said. “I started to help out five years ago and it’s nice being a part of this school tradition.”

Work on the murals for Senior Service started in late May. The senior volunteers work all during the school day so everyone can see the progress they are making everyday. Students usually slow down or stop to observe the new mural. They are expected to be finished by the last day of senior service which is June 14.

“Ever since I was a freshman, I knew I wanted to help with the murals when I was a senior,” Yezhov said. “I always thought the murals around the school were so cool.”

Last year’s mural focused on the the Lip Dub and featured the entire student body standing out on the turf, flanked by a confident female West Essex Knight and a cartoony West Essex mascot knight. For the 2016-2017 school year, the seniors highlighted the new Chromebooks in their mural, marking the first year the school had started using them. Every senior from the class signs the murals, personalizing them even further.

“‘You see other murals from past years and it makes you want to be a part of it,” senior Joey Ploscowe said. “I want to be a part of something that will last in the school forever