Westfield Promise program creates “Eyes on Westfield” mural project

NOTE: This article was published in The Westfield News on May 31 and written by Amy Porter.

WESTFIELD – When Westfield English teacher Kristen Biancuzzo and Westfield State University professor Sean Casey were teamed up to teach a class of juniors at the high school for Westfield Promise this year, the challenge for them was to combine WSU English 101 course requirements with junior regular American literature, which are not the same requirements. “Both of us had to shape shift things,” Biancuzzo said.

Westfield Promise is a dual enrollment program begun this year in which Westfield State faculty co-teach what is known as a “stretch year” course with the high school faculty to high school juniors. The program provides high school students with an early exposure to university-level study. In their senior year, students will take classes on the college campus, earning them college credits.

Biancuzzo said the students were recommended for the program by their sophomore teachers and guidance counselors. Many students are first generation college students and/or have financial needs, for whom accessing college might not have been an option because of the financial commitment.
Biancuzzo and Casey began their planning over the summer. As an anchor text, they read “Visual Intelligence,” by Amy E. Herman, a lawyer with an art degree who teaches police detectives and hospital workers to become better observers, using art work.

In the book, Biancuzzo was inspired by Brazilian painter J.R., who hung canvas murals of eyes overnight in a neighborhood where there was a lot of violence against women. “Prof. Casey and I decided to do a service project with the class,” Biancuzzo said, which they called the “Eyes on Westfield Mural Project.”
The two teachers invited WHS art teacher Karen West to get involved. Also invited to the summer planning was Westfield historian Walter Fogg to help them toss around ideas for a mural.

What came up for them was the opioid crisis which has hit Westfield hard. Both Biancuzzo and West had a student, Lily Anderson who died of a heroin overdose. “It was pretty impacting,” Biancuzzo said.

They looked for a neighborhood impacted by the crisis. Adjustment counselors at the school suggested Orange St. and Meadow St. Fogg pointed them to 101 Meadow Street, which DOMUS, Inc. renovated in 2003 as Meadows Apartments out of the old 1926-era Westfield Hotel. The site is also home to the food pantry and soup kitchen.

Biancuzzo contacted Ann Lentini, director of DOMUS about the possibility of painting a mural on the side of the food pantry. Lentini said yes, on the condition that they get the tenants involved in the decision making. “It’s very important if something is going to occur that they feel comfortable with it,” Lentini said. “I think it’s going to be very interesting.”

Biancuzzo also invited two community police officers, City Council liaison Ralph J. Figy, WHS Principal Charles Jendrysik, Susan Dargie, the district director of curriculum, and Amber Danahey, Westfield community outreach coordinator to get involved. WSU Early College Access and Recruitment Coordinator Ryan Meersman, who runs Westfield Promise, also wanted to make sure WSU students were involved in the process.
The group held meetings once or twice a month. Westfield Promise students Maddy Jemiolo went to the first meeting and presented the project to the residents, who were on board with it and said it was a good idea. Amelia Brown and Tori Hosmer attended and presented at the second meeting with the residents of 101 Meadow Street and the neighborhood, who were also invited to attend.  “They have been active in designing the mural for us,” Biancuzzo said.

“It’s evolved a lot since we first talked about it last summer,” said Prof. Casey. Casey helped to prepare the students to talk with residents, and also to write fundraising letters for the project. DOMUS also set them up with a small checking account, “Eyes on Westfield,” under their organization for donations to the mural project. Any remaining donations will be utilized by residents for the garden.

The focus of the mural did change after discussions with the residents. “When we brought it to the residents, they didn’t want to focus on the negative, but on the positive – nature as a place of healing – people helping other people,” Biancuzzo said.
Karen West got five of her AP and pre-AP art students involved sketching ideas. “We asked students to create visual images based on words,” Biancuzzo said.
One of West’s students, Claudia Tosi, came up with the idea of Mother Nature as a tree at the center of the mural, with braids and vines coming out from her to incorporate other scenes from nature, drawn in orbs throughout the mural.

Then they looked at a drawing by Lily Anderson, who was a gifted artist, and the students and residents voted unanimously to use Tosi’s concept and incorporate Lily’s drawing of a woman at the core of the mural. “Claudia combined her original image with Lily’s and now the image appears as though it is growing out of a tree and still maintains the integrity of both original pieces,” Biancuzzo said.

Also involved in the project is Sara Anderson, Lily’s mother.

“Some kids in the classroom had mixed feelings about it. Lily’s mom, Sara, said she’d help, and utilize it in a positive way. It will be a piece of it, a memory. There are a lot of people in the community who have lost people,” Biancuzzo said.

“When Lily passed away, her mother donated a printing press to Westfield High School. She is a very strong woman. She’s done so many positive things. Her being involved is why our kids wanted to be involved,” said West, who added that Sara Anderson comes to the school often and mentors students. “She’s a very strong woman, someone I admire very much.”
“Lily will be our eyes,” Biancuzzo added.

The Westfield Promise students have been busy raising money for the project, which now also includes refurbishing the garden space at 101 Meadow St., another idea that came together through meeting with the residents.

Students decided to raise money through a can and bottle drive, which is ongoing and has raised $77.32 to date. Residents at 101 Meadow collected cans and bottles, and one resident donated potting soil to the project. In the class, Baley Collier was credited as the lead can collector.

Student Stephanie Sgueglia, a member of COPE (Council on Peer Education) who coordinated the Health and Wellness fair at WHS this spring, set up a mural booth at the fair where they spoke to other groups in the project.

Ethan Flaherty came up with the idea for the 50/50 raffle, which the class ran for three days.  The winning ticket was donated back to the Westfield Promise mural project.  They also received several donations, including $100.00 from Nathan Dion’s family/Appalachian Press, and donations of Latex enamel paint from Miguel Vasquez’ family.

Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS) also donated a community service grant of $200 to the project.
“I think it’s a really good idea. Art is very expressive, and goes towards many people, not just people who are artistic. It’s nice to show other people care,” said Kevin Hayes, a Westfield Promise and art student.

The painting of the mural is scheduled for June 12, 13 and 14, if needed. Across the top a quote will be painted, the selection of which is now down to two after all of the participants voted this week.
The top two picks are credited to Henry David Thoreau and to a member of the Dakota tribe: “The world is but a canvas for our imagination,” Henry David Thoreau; and, “We will be known forever by the tracks we leave,” Dakota Indian.
The final selection will be made by the students of the Westfield Promise class.