OSBURN — Silver Hills Elementary School unveiled a new cafeteria mural on two walls this week.

Jessie Caraway, Silver Hills Elementary School PTO president, said PTO member Bryn Cotter coordinated with ArtCoLab to help “capture the essence of our beautiful scenery” in the Silver Valley.

“Watching the look of pure surprise and joy on the faces of the students as they walked into the cafeteria on Monday morning was something I’ll never forget,” Caraway said. 

Silver Hills PTO has been raising funds for the project for about two years. Originally, it was only going to be one wall but the group expanded the original plan by raising $6,500.

“We are forever grateful for such a supportive community who continue to show up and help fund projects like these,” Caraway said.

Elementary students also found positive role models through the Wallace Junior Senior High School Art Club. 

This was the second year Wallace art club students have come to Silver Hills to work with the students on a mural. The project was based on the book, “The Very Hungry Caterpillar.”

Caraway praised Wallace art teacher Katie Lund for the dedication of her students shared with the younger kids.

“We could never do this event without the help of the WJSHS art club students. They are the stars of the night. They jump in to help at the art stations and the students remember them from when they visited their classrooms,” Caraway said.

For the project, students painted paper plates and the Art Club put them into a large caterpillar mural. 

“It's wonderful to see art being celebrated in so many ways,” Caraway said.

    Wallace art club students worked on a project with Silver Hills Elementary students to create a collaborative mural based on the book, “The Very Hungry Caterpillar.” Jessie Caraway, the Silver Hills Elementary School PTO president called the Wallace art club students the "stars of the night" for their mentoring work throughout the project.