Sept. 16, 2021 — An original, hand-painted mural showcasing the beauty and diversity of Hispanic culture was unveiled on the walls of Alfred duPont Middle School Tuesday evening.
The mural was made possible thanks to the efforts of the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation, the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, and the First Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Principal of duPont, Marilyn Barnwell, said the mural reflects both the diversity of her student population and the diversity of her academic programs.
“Alred duPont Middle offers a Dual Language program in Spanish where students receive more than 50% of instruction in Spanish,” said Barnwell. “Our Dual Language students achieve academic excellence in both English and Spanish and are prepared for success in college or career in a culturally diverse world. Our new mural is a beautiful acknowledgement of our global programs, and we are delighted for our students to enjoy its vibrancy.”
“This mural is going to empower our students to embrace their own culture and language,” said Ingrid Carias, the district’s director of ESOL, World Languages, and Dual Language. “It will bring unity and encourage collaboration between our multilingual learners, create a positive, diverse school culture, and give our Hispanic students and their families a sense of pride and ownership.”
Local artist Whitney Perez, was the creative mind behind the mural. Perez was commissioned by the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville through a grant from the Jaguars Foundation.
Tuesday’s unveiling helped kick off National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 and honors the contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans on our culture and the nation.
