Creativity in Community

February 13, 2026
Parker’s mission is to encourage confidence and compassionate citizenship through relevant and responsive project-based learning. This week, that mission came to life as we welcomed Amplified Voices into our school to work with our students on a collaborative community mural project. 
Amplified Voices is a grassroots artist-in-residence program whose goal is to elevate local artists of color while also providing youth mentoring opportunities. The program is led by Jade Warrick and Eugene O’Neill, whose educational initiative pairs perfectly with Parker’s values, focusing on wellness and diverse, hands-on experiences to make learning engaging, vibrant, and meaningful.



Jade and Eugene began their work with our students last week as they met with each class (K-8th) for an artistic wellness program. During this time, students learned how to ground their energy for focused work, practiced affirmations for believing in themselves, and established connections with the artists. They also learned about Eugene’s and Jade’s backgrounds, had the opportunity to ask questions, and got a preview of the exciting work ahead.

This week, students entered on Monday with that brightly familiar Parker buzz that says, “I’m ready to get to work!” Throughout the week, our 3rd-8th grade students have been joyfully painting, while our PreK-2nd grade students have enthusiastically cheered the process along, making frequent “sit and look” visits to assess the progress and talk about art with Eugene and Jade.



Jennifer Gresens, our Head of School, explains, “I love how much energy and vibrancy this project has brought into our school. The kids have been so excited to work on this project. Every time I walk through the hall, I hear so many positive things. Each day, the kids arrive at school and genuinely can’t wait to get on the wall and start painting. They love being a part of this, and I just love to see how it has engaged them. It’s been this thing they are all excited about, and it’s given us as educators a fun new way to connect with them.”



Jennifer also adds, “We always want to explore our kids to real professionals in their fields whenever we can. We love that Eugene and Jade have brought this different perspective to Parker. Creating something on such a large scale is something our kids have never done. Claire, our Parker art teacher, is AMAZING. However, it is such a wonderful opportunity for our kids to meet and get to know two more artists with unique experiences and talents. I feel like working on this project has really allowed them to think of themselves as artists in different ways too.”

Parker art teacher, Claire Sherwood, shares, “The kids were really important in the planning phase, where they came up with the words and ideas that they think reflect the culture here at Parker. It’s been such a moving experience for them. Typically kids are working on pieces that are table-sized or smaller. This project is larger than life. I think it’s really powerful for them to see their work on a monumental scale.”



Claire also adds, “I particularly love that the kids clearly see themselves in this mural. It’s been fun to watch them look at the characters Jade developed and watch them play “Guess Who?” pointing out certain similarities and attributes. At the same time, the characters are generalized enough that all students see themselves in the work. The mural reflects their experiences at Parker – students learning, at play, and in nature – and we all have very special memories attached to doing those things here at school.”



Community – Creativity – Collaboration – Culture. Whether you are three years old or thirteen (or honestly even over thirty:), it doesn’t get much better than spending a week dedicated to producing something bigger than yourself, under the mentorship of caring professionals, alongside your friends and teachers, in a community in which you are truly known. This is the magic of Parker. This is how we foster a lifelong love of learning.

*We would like to extend our immense gratitude to all who donated to last year’s Fund-a-Need Auction during our spring Benefit in honor of Lynn Schuster. Your support directly enabled this transformative student experience. From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU.