Henderson school gets a summer makeover

Heather Cory

Jada Torres gets her face painted during a block party at Edna F. Hinman Elementary School Friday. The school was celebrating their new interior makeover, a rejuveNATION project, a national initiative to bring together diverse elements from communities to revitalize at-risk schools and other facilities that serve the public.

By Frances Vanderploeg (contact)

Monday, Aug. 25, 2008 | 12:23 p.m.

At Edna F. Hinman Elementary School, students had the opportunity to experience what the power of a united community can do.

“We didn’t realize how bad we looked,” Principal Ann Angulo said, reflecting on the work done to her school during the summer.

Hinman had received little more than a paint job since its construction in 1986. Its walls were covered in a dusty blue paint, accented by similar-colored door jambs and bright blue tiles on the floor. The only thing not blue was the carpet.

It was a lot of blue, teachers said. One fifth-grade teacher, Angell Nelson, dubbed it “insane asylum blue” for its ability to drive teachers a little crazy after being in the school building for too long.

Now, with the help of 259 volunteers who worked for 4 1/2 weeks during the summer, the school has received a makeover of its interior. Parents and students got a first peak at the new look on Aug. 22, at the school’s back-to-school open house.

The blue on the walls has been replaced by a fresh coat of a warmer, off-white color. The exception is the library, where school officials noted the blue provided a calming effect.

The front wall of each classroom, and a few of the hall’s accent walls, were covered by a high-quality beige wallpaper.

“It completely sets it off,” Nelson said. “It feels so much more professional.”

The planning was all done at the end of the previous school year, meaning it was a surprise for many of the parents. Jesse Gilson said he would have helped had he known all of the work was going on. He and his daughter Malynda, 9, were happy to see the change.

“I’m excited to see our school so bright,” Malynda said.

Going along with the bright theme, Principal Ann Angulo said two local graffiti artists, Kory “Rucko” Brown and Mark “Danny” Lloyd, were brought in to do a mural. She was a little nervous, she said, but is thrilled with the results. Rather than asking for an American flag or something similar, they just asked for a joyful, youthful wall, she said.

“Isn’t it fun?” she said, pointing out the bright blues, yellows and oranges that pepper the large work, all painted with spray paint, the traditional choice for graffiti artists. “He did a really great job.”

Pat Skorkowsky, assistant superintendent for the Southeast Region, said it was nice to see the students and their parents’ faces light up when they saw how much their school had changed. He has been supervising the school for the last two years and said he feels the project was a success.

“It makes a huge difference,” he said. “It brings pride back to the school and the community.”

In addition to repainting the school walls and murals, the volunteers scrubbed the playground equipment, moved furniture, helped decorate classrooms, donated $2,000 for teacher supplies and put on a community carnival.

The carnival included two bounce houses and several games with school supplies as prizes.

All of the work and supplies were courtesy of several organizations, local and national. The project was directed by rejuveNATION, a national initiative to revitalize at-risk schools and bring together members of local businesses, government, cultural, civic and faith-based organizations. RejuveNATION is the national initiative of the Las Vegas-based nonprofit company, Surgance. Eric Hoenigmann, program director for rejuveNATION, said the best place to start is at the local schools.

“We want to build a relationship that stays with the community,” Hoenigmann said. “This is about more than just painting a school.”

RejuveNATION partnered with Embarq, Hope Baptist Church, the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades apprentice program, National Youth Sports, RE/Max Associates, The River Church, Sherwin-Williams and Signs Now of Las Vegas, along with several national partners.

Hoenigmann estimated the program involved more than 3,800 hours of volunteer work and $32,000 of in-kind donations.

Andrea McAllister, parent of fourth-grader Quaveonna Rowland, said she appreciated the group’s efforts.

“When I came before, it was kind of gloomy, but this is so refreshing,” McAllister said.

Frances Vanderploeg is a reporter for the Home News. She can be reached at 990-2660 or frances.vanderploeg@hbcpub.com.