Where Art and Research Meet

When entering Peak to Peak Charter School’s library building in Lafayette, Colorado, visitors are met with a colorful floor-to-ceiling mural. As Suzi Tonini (School Library Leadership Consultant), Amy Bahlenhorst (Research Analyst), and I took it all in, Carla Flanhofer, Teacher Librarian for sixth-12th grade and our host for this morning in the library, explained to us that it didn’t always look like this. She described the previous carpet, which was duct taped together, and the bare, industrial walls that existed before Peak to Peak’s students and staff, led by artist Cindy Guajardo (also a staff member), transformed the entryway into a bright, welcoming space. Each grade was included in the project – younger students selected and voted on hidden elements to be included in the mural, middle school students designed the selected objects and older students and staff, led by Cindy, painted the vision into reality…

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