Student artists paint clear picture on dangers of drug use

Mural with a message

Grace Goodin, 14, left, and Lucia Erikson-Kincheloe unveil a mural Thursday at Capital Mall in Jefferson City. Students throughout the JCPS district worked with the Council for Drug Free Youth to create a mural to convey their message about staying drug-free.
Grace Goodin, 14, left, and Lucia Erikson-Kincheloe unveil a mural Thursday at Capital Mall in Jefferson City. Students throughout the JCPS district worked with the Council for Drug Free Youth to create a mural to convey their message about staying drug-free.

Students, teachers and parents joined the Council for Drug Free Youth in Thursday's unveiling of the finished version of their community mural with a very unique message about drug use.

"Taking drugs is like walking a tightrope without a net" is painted in bold letters across the canvas stretching 8 feet by 20 feet. The mural was completed by more than 50 students in the Jefferson City High School.

The mural will be on display at the Capital 8 theater until after the new year.

Addison Luetkemeyer, one of many student contributors, said the slogan carries a powerful message.

"Drugs tear people apart," she said. "Drugs aren't good for you."

Bethany Gooden, a parent of a student artist, said she hopes the mural will get families to think more about the impact drugs can have on their kids. "Visually, the size of the mural is going to make a statement," Gooden said. "But I hope it gets people from thinking 'no it's not my kid, I hope its not my kid,' to 'it could be my kid.'"

Local artists Lucia Erickson-Kincheloe and Joyce Nuenswander stood together as the mural was being presented to the audience.

"We're thrilled that the CDFY mural is going to make a premiere its first appearance at the Capital 8 theater," Erickson-Kincheloe said. "As a result, we hope that other businesses and organizations choose to display the mural throughout the city as an ongoing message to the community."

Danielle Snow, art teacher at Jefferson High School, said the students enjoyed working with the local artists and were very passionate about the project.

"I definitely think the fact that this project is being shown in the community project gave the students a lot of pride and motivated them to work on it," Snow said.

CDFY Executive Director Joyce Sweeney cited the collaborative efforts throughout the community that went into making the mural. "Its nice when everything you put your heart and soul into comes full circle," she said.

"We thoroughly enjoyed working with the kids and being able to see their pride and attention to detail in the project," Nuenswander added. "It was a pleasure to work with the CDFY, and I hope to work with them in the future."