Walking down Sargeant Street is becoming more colorful every day.
This summer, representatives from Paper City Art Kids are painting a series of murals to mark the route of Morgan School’s Walking School Bus that will make walking city sidewalks a lot more fun for the whole community.
Paper City Art Kids, a Holyoke-based organization that offers art enrichment to children and adults, is run by Natasha Colon Ortiz. She and her father, Jorge Colon, can be found painting sidewalks in South Holyoke most weekday mornings this summer, sometimes joined by volunteers. The colorful caterpillar, pictured above, was the first completed section of the murals that will adorn the route to school for many Morgan students beginning this fall.
The Walking School Bus, in partnership with MassDOT’s Safe Routes to School program, was launched at Morgan School for the 2023-24 school year. Participating students walk to school following a predetermined route each day, accompanied by adult volunteers and Morgan staff.
“Our daily walks up and down the hill with City Councilor Carmen Ocasio are filled with meaningful conversations, laughter, and a shared commitment to ensuring our students' safety and security,” said HPS Family and Community Engagement coordinator Rey Figueroa, who escorted Morgan students on the walking school bus path during the 2023-24 school year. “Our walks are more than just a commute. They're opportunities for bonding, learning, and ensuring that our students start their school day with positivity and confidence.”
The alphabet caterpillar, inspired by the works of the late local children’s author Eric Carle, kicks off the path, which begins on the corner of High and Commercial near Holyoke-Chicopee-Springfield Head Start. The route ends nearly a quarter mile later at Morgan School. Project planners hope that by making the route engaging and colorful, students will start their day excited to walk to school and end their day equally happy and safe.
“I’m honored with my business Paper City Art Kids to share this creatively unique interactive sidewalk public art experience with the community of Holyoke, from the kids, family, and staff of The Walking School Bus to the ordinary everyday people walking the route,” says Ms. Colon, who is a 2009 HHS graduate. “We’re bringing color, fun, and joy to all those strolling along the interactive sidewalks.”
What’s next? As the path of the mural moves through different Holyoke landscapes, Ms. Colon intends to play off her surroundings. Walking under the bridge will reveal a “floor is lava” route, while the mural alongside the canal will feature bubbles and an opportunity to “walk the plank.”
The sidewalk murals are expected to be finished in September, with a celebration set for September 7. Students and families who take the route will be invited to participate in some of the project’s finishing touches.
Mass In Motion, a commonwealth program that promotes healthy activity, provided many of the supplies needed. Ms. Colon’s designs are transferred to a vinyl cutting machine, which makes decals to paint onto the sidewalk. By using decals, Ms. Colon and other painters can work efficiently, reducing the amount of time they have to spend stooped over in the sun.
The project was additionally funded and supported by the Hampden County Health Improvement Plan (HCHIP), which awarded a $5,000 grant to beautify the Walking School Bus Route. The City of Holyoke has worked hand in hand with project organizers to add safety enhancements to the project, including recent upgrades to crosswalks and lights along the path.
Safe Routes To Schools also partnered with Kelly School for its Walking School Bus program during the 2023-24 school year. Additionally, the organization partners with other HPS schools in various capacities, including Donahue, E.N. White, Lawrence, McMahon, Holyoke STEM Academy, Metcalf, Sullivan, and HHS North.