- Murals are proposed as a way to increase unity and motivation among students at Foreman High School in Chicago to help address low graduation rates. - An after-school program would be created where students can work together to design and paint murals in the school. This would provide students with a constructive activity and help build school spirit and pride. - Fundraising efforts would seek donations from local businesses, the alderman, and community to cover supplies and food for the students. Completed murals would celebrate the school and community.

1. Murals A Salvation For TheMurals A Salvation For The
CommunityCommunity
Murals A Salvation For TheMurals A Salvation For The
CommunityCommunity
Murals A Salvation For TheMurals A Salvation For The
CommunityCommunity
By: Jose Calzada
Adan Figueroa
Alex Pate

2. Dropout Rates State OfDropout Rates State Of
IL Vs. ChicagoIL Vs. Chicago
On average, only 58% of students
in America’s 50 largest cities make it
to graduation.
The Graduation Rate for Chicago is
55.7%
The Graduation Rate for the rest of
Illinois (suburbs) is 84.1%
Foreman High School in Chicago
this past june graduated 49.57% of
its initial graduation class of four
years ago

3. Foreman High SchoolForeman High SchoolChicago’s 30th WardChicago’s 30th Ward
Alderman: Ariel E.Alderman: Ariel E.
ReboyrasReboyras
On The Northwest SideOn The Northwest Side
Of Chicago,Located onOf Chicago,Located on
Belmont & LeclaireBelmont & Leclaire
Predominant Latino &Predominant Latino &
Polish Community.Polish Community.
Known For Its BasketballKnown For Its Basketball
Program and For DropProgram and For Drop
OutsOuts
Gang Infested AreaGang Infested Area
Portrayed As A BadPortrayed As A Bad
CHICAGO’S
30TH WARD
ALDERMAN:
ARIEL E. REYBOYRAS
FOREMAN HIGH SCHOOL

4. The Impact Of Outside SourcesThe Impact Of Outside Sources
Outside Sources have portrayed Foreman
as a school in which Blacks hate Latinos and
in which racial tension and fights occurs
often within the school, the reality is that the
only problems of racial tension is within the
gangs surrounding the school not the actual
student body.http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=5Bg5FoiSNWo

5. No UnityNo Unity
African American kids that live on the south sideAfrican American kids that live on the south side
cannot go to their local High Schools as they’recannot go to their local High Schools as they’re
overcrowded.overcrowded.
They’re pushed to the Northside where they haveThey’re pushed to the Northside where they have
to conform to an environment which theyto conform to an environment which they
themselves are not used to.themselves are not used to.
They enter Foreman which is a school having theThey enter Foreman which is a school having the
majority of the population as Latinos and Polishmajority of the population as Latinos and Polish
Racial tension occurs which leads into gangRacial tension occurs which leads into gang
involvement which later leads to many otherinvolvement which later leads to many other
problemsproblems

6. Limited Resources =Limited Resources =
Finding Resources ElsewhereFinding Resources Elsewhere
Finding Resources ElsewhereFinding Resources Elsewhere
As a result of schools not having fundingAs a result of schools not having funding
the schools themselves cannot createthe schools themselves cannot create
programs which will cater to a studentsprograms which will cater to a students
wants/needs which will keep kids off thewants/needs which will keep kids off the
streets and doing what they’re notstreets and doing what they’re not
supposed to do. As a result of not havingsupposed to do. As a result of not having
something to do kids wander the streetssomething to do kids wander the streets
and get into trouble which then leads toand get into trouble which then leads to
expulsion and dropping out.expulsion and dropping out.
Kids after school have nothing to doKids after school have nothing to do
which interests them as programs don’twhich interests them as programs don’t
cater to their needs/wants so they findcater to their needs/wants so they find
that interest in the streets of Chicagothat interest in the streets of Chicago
where they engage in gang activities withwhere they engage in gang activities with
friends, fights, drugs, graffiti and manyfriends, fights, drugs, graffiti and many
other problems which catches up withother problems which catches up with
them in school and which leads to theirthem in school and which leads to their
suspension, expulsion and dropping out.suspension, expulsion and dropping out.
TAGGERS

7. Dropout FactoryDropout Factory
Foreman among ChicagoForeman among Chicago
Public Schools andPublic Schools and
among Schools in Illinois isamong Schools in Illinois is
one of the leadingone of the leading
“dropout factories”.“dropout factories”.
Which causes kids toWhich causes kids to
dropout is that they’re notdropout is that they’re not
motivated to come tomotivated to come to
school as they haveschool as they have
nothing to look forward tonothing to look forward to
so for the most part kidsso for the most part kids
either ditch classes oreither ditch classes or
don’t show up to schooldon’t show up to school
at all.at all.

8. Research of the Benefits ofResearch of the Benefits of
the Artsthe Arts
At a time when teachers are worried with standards and testing, some researchers suggest the arts can boost
students’ test scores;
Several studies in a report suggested that training in the arts might be related to improvements in math or reading
skills.
In some studies, a University of Oregon team, headed by psychologist Michael Posner concluded that the arts can
train children’s attention, which in turn improves cognition. RESEARCH
Casa Aztlan: Pilsen

9. Murals a salvation forMurals a salvation for
kids in the citykids in the city
PURPOSE:
-We want to create a mural so that high school students have something which
they can look forward to when they go to school.
-We want to use murals to promote unity within the high school and as a result
kids will go to their classes and after school come to the after school mural
program where they will work together to create a mural or several murals which
they can identify with and can be proud of creating in their time as high school
students.
-What we are hoping is that these same high school students after they graduate
come back and help the future generation of students in continuing a tradition in
school and continue to help future students become better academically which in
turn will help create respect within the school and within the school’s community.

10. The Plan Behind TheThe Plan Behind The
MuralMural
In order to create a mural fundraising will be doneIn order to create a mural fundraising will be done
A program will be created to cater to studentsA program will be created to cater to students
artistic needs and provide a safe space for theartistic needs and provide a safe space for the
students to come chill, listen to music, paint, eatstudents to come chill, listen to music, paint, eat
and have fun.and have fun.
Will ask for volunteers from colleges (Art Majors) toWill ask for volunteers from colleges (Art Majors) to
help the school community in creating severalhelp the school community in creating several
murals and in doing so unite the student body andmurals and in doing so unite the student body and
communitycommunity
Audience:Audience: We Plan To Target (Local BusinessWe Plan To Target (Local Business
Corporations, The Ward’s Alderman and theCorporations, The Ward’s Alderman and the
Community where the school is to donate money,Community where the school is to donate money,
food, supplies.)food, supplies.)
Ask for local corporations to donate supplies andAsk for local corporations to donate supplies and
for local restaurants or bakeries to possibly donatefor local restaurants or bakeries to possibly donate
food so the students have something to eat afterfood so the students have something to eat after
schoolschool
Ask for alderman’s and community help inAsk for alderman’s and community help in
fundraising/donating money (fundraising/donating money ($250$250) so that the) so that the
community can be united through creating thecommunity can be united through creating the
murals, through this the community gains respect.murals, through this the community gains respect.

11. Creating The MuralCreating The Mural
Pick a topic to addressPick a topic to address
Research for pictures on lineResearch for pictures on line
Compile picture which will go on to the muralCompile picture which will go on to the mural
Photoshop the picturesPhotoshop the pictures
Project the image on to the canvasProject the image on to the canvas
Trace the images on the canvasTrace the images on the canvas
Paint the canvasPaint the canvas

12. TOPIC EXAMPLE: GANG VIOLENCE/ VIOLENCE
1-RESEARCH FOR PICTURES ONLINE TO PUT ON CANVAS
2-PHOTOSHOP PICTURES INTO ONE IMAGE
3-PROJECT IMAGE ON AN EMPTY CANVAS
AND TRACE THE IMAGES INTO IT

13. THE CANVAS (INITIALTHE CANVAS (INITIAL
STAGE)STAGE)
NEXT PROCESS IS ADDING THE PAINT
1
2
3

14. START ADDING PAINT TO THESTART ADDING PAINT TO THE
CANVASCANVAS
1
2 3
4
5
6 7
8
9

15. 1
2
3
4
5
FOCUS WAS MORE ON THE COLOR SHADE
6

16. DETAILS

17. FINAL STAGES
1 2
3 4
5
6 7

18. The Final ProductThe Final Product

19. United School &United School &
CommunityCommunityThroughout having createdThroughout having created
the mural we will create unitythe mural we will create unity
within the many differentwithin the many different
minorities of the school, by theminorities of the school, by the
creation of the mural we willcreation of the mural we will
help motivate kids intohelp motivate kids into
becoming better studentsbecoming better students
academically and through thisacademically and through this
help promote respect withinhelp promote respect within
the community and studentthe community and student
body which will be somethingbody which will be something
the school andthe school and
district/community can bedistrict/community can be