MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Carol City Middle School got a beautiful makeover as local artists painted dozens of murals at the school.
The project started in June and was unveiled Monday in hopes of instilling pride in the students as the new school year begins.
"I know that the school is in an area where it's needed," street artist Hec-One-Love said. "You know, it's not close to Wynwood and a lot of these kids are not exposed to that kind of thing, so I figured where else could it make more of an impact than in a place like this."
Each mural is unique. Some feature animals, others feature abstract images and some feature celebrities with ties to South Florida, such as the Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade.
"They have this pride of what their school looks like, and it sends a message to them that this is a school that they want to attend," Carol City Middle School principal Sonia Romero said. "They are totally appreciative of what has been done here."
A total of 41 murals now cover the school and 23 artists participated in the project. A GoFundMe account started by the school's principal helped pay for the materials to complete the project, with $2,800 raised.
"We set out and imagined something and to see it come to life the way that it has, it's truly, truly amazing," Romero said.
The hope is that these images will inspire students and the community.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools superintendent Alberto Carlvaho said the project is a positive, meaningful message during a much-need time.
Just last week, a student from Northwestern Senior High School was shot and killed near his home, making it the third fatal shooting among students at that school this year.
"It's going to take something much more meaningful and deeper than parades and prayer," Carvalho said. "It takes the courage to end the code of silence that's killing kids and stealing the innocence of our community away."
As for Carol City Middle School, Romero said there are still many blank walls and she hopes to eventually fill all of it with artwork.
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