The school’s walls have always seemed bare, with only a cream color to them. Finally, one of the walls is getting some new color and design to brighten it.

Todd Wallace, sophomore, was selected by Gary Wayland, art teacher, to sketch and paint a mural that’s going up in the science hallway.

Wayland saw a picture of a mural that Wallace had painted in his own bedroom, and knew that Wallace had done art for several adult clients around Olathe, so he asked Wallace if he would be willing to do it.

Since last year, Wayland has been consulting with people to get the mural. He went to Keri Snyder, assistant principal, first with the idea. Phil Clark, principal, helped to fund the project. Last year was when Wayland talked to Steve Schultz, science teacher, about doing the mural.

After the mural is complete, it is going to count as Wallace’s final grade. He’s not really sure when the mural is going to be finished, but he’ll get it done by the end of the year.

It is comprised of a colorful outer space scene on the left side of the mural that gradually shifts to become atoms on the right.

This particular design was selected from some sketches Wallace made prior to starting the mural. He made designs he felt would represent the science hall well.

“I sketched out four ideas in a sketchbook. All the teachers (in the hall) looked at them, graded them, and liked this one the best. Now it’s going on the wall,” Wallace said. 16 teachers voted overall.

This is an exciting new kind of experience for him, because he says he is “used to doing pencils and stuff,” and is having fun adjusting to using paint.

We can expect to see more murals in the future, as Wallace says “teachers are already talking about it,” and “Wayland has been planning it for a long time.”