Elberta Middle School's award-winning art department unveiled a one-of-a-kind mural in front the school Monday, May 16. World-renowned Nigerian artist Ibiyinka Alao served as a mentor, teacher and guide for the students.

Art teacher Linda Hill specializes in murals and in her two years at the school, her students have been awarded first place in the National Wyland Art Challenge Mural competition two years in a row. The latest mural project was made possible by a $20,000 Alabama Arts Initiative Education Grant with the intention of making a lasting impact on the Elberta community.

"We received an AAIE grant for $20,000 to immerse arts into this community. The theme is Learn Local, Think Global. The grant we received enables students to learn about and engage with cultures throughout the world without leaving their school. Our proposal was to design a mural that showcases our school's strengths and activities in a celebration of colors," Hill said.

Hill worked with Alao remotely for months to work out the details and design of the mural before he arrived in January. The design and vibrant color scheme are distinctly Alao, but the content represents the student body. According to Hill, the Elberta mural has the distinction of being the first mural in the world that Alao has personally worked with a group of students to create.

"This mural is full of color and vibrancy to represent hope of a brighter future for our students. The other side of the mural, we used cool colors and one contrasting color of yellow to represent calm, reflective strength and determination. This mural creates a balance of calmness and excitement," Hill said.

The unveiling of the mural was just one part of the Learn Local, Think Global initiative. Hill said the school will be transformed into seven different continents highlighting various art styles from around the world. The showcase of student artwork will take the entire school body on a journey around the world using art. Each year Hill hope the showcase will expand to a community event that features food from different countries and more.

"Our goal is to inspire and sustain an active, vibrant, high-quality arts infused community for Elberta and to have an annual event increasing the activities and community involvement each year. The impact will be measure through student's success in academics, arts classes, art contest entries and participation throughout the school. Additionally, this will prepare students for the possibility of college and careers in the arts," Hill said.