Students and staff at Bret Harte Elementary School celebrated the completion of a new school mural on Tuesday, April 26. The mural was created through a collaboration by the school’s Student Council and the Nickterns, college-age interns at Nickelodeon Studios in Burbank.
Bret Harte Elementary students were also surprised with the donation of two Buddy Benches by the studio.
Fifth-graders at the school chose the theme and met several times with the Nickterns to discuss their ideas for the murals, according to Martha Walter, Bret Harte Elementary School Principal.
The Student Council put “a lot of work and heart into the mural planning,” she said.
Nickterns, Nickelodeon staff and Burbank Unified district staff met with Student Council, teachers, and parent representatives from Bret Harte PTA and Boosters in the school library before the mural unveiling ceremony.
“We have been thrilled to work with the Nickterns. Our Student Council presented their ideas for a theme to the staff from Nickeoldeon, and all agreed on a theme of peace and understanding,” commented Walter. “Seeing the interaction between the interns and the kids was wonderful, especially seeing kids learn about how they can express their creative interests and hear their hopes to someday work in a position like the Nickterns.”
“The Nickterns interpretations of the theme were all beautiful, we appreciate the thought that went into each one. The finished mural will long be a reminder to all of the children at Bret Harte to express their creativity and to model the theme of peace and understanding.”
“The presentation of the Buddy Benches were a lovely surprise from Nickelodeon,” Walter added.”They remembered the students asking for them, then presented them with two at the presentation yesterday.”
“The kids were so pleased that the Nickterns, Ms. Wu and Mr. Carson heard their request and fulfilled it. I think more than one creative Bret Harte student is looking forward to possibly being a Nicktern in the future.”
