A new mural on the back of Read Elementary School in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, turns a school wall into a shared story about art, reading and belonging. Students, parents and local artist Neo Medina worked together on the project, titled “Somos Semillas,” or “We Are Seeds.” WBAY reported on Oct. 12 that the mural had been painted, with all 385 students having a hand in its creation over three days, according to Medina.
The project was planned as more than a decoration. In an Oct. 1 announcement, the Oshkosh Area School District said the mural was meant to connect public art with literacy, storytelling, identity, resilience and belonging. The district described the work as a permanent piece of student art at the school, restoring a commitment made after an earlier mural was removed during building repairs.
The Spanish title means “We Are Seeds.” The district said the image and message were intended to reflect how children can grow when supported by a caring community. It also said the mural would include portraits of Read students, giving children a visible reminder that they are part of the school and the wider community.
That idea connects directly to the literacy work at Read. The district said the school partnered with Read More Oshkosh so students could explore how images, words, symbols and public art tell stories. The project treated reading as something that can meet children in the visual world around them, while reinforcing the message that every student has a story worth sharing.
Medina, an Appleton-based artist, told WBAY that identity and belonging are central to his work. He said including children from different backgrounds was important so they and their families could see people like themselves represented in the mural. The district described the artist as a University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh graduate who had led Read’s earlier mural residency and other collaborative public-art projects.
The scale made the work a group effort in a literal sense. Medina told WBAY that all 385 students at Read had a hand in the mural. He described painting with so many children over three days as challenging, but said the students became focused once they had brushes in their hands. WBAY reported that dozens of parents also worked alongside students and the artist.
The district’s announcement said more than 50 volunteers and parents were participating in the broader project, with school staff and community partners involved as well. That figure was part of the school district’s advance description; WBAY’s later report independently confirmed that students and parents worked with Medina and that the mural was complete.
The mural also grows out of an earlier collaboration. Read Elementary’s 2024 mural residency with Medina involved hundreds of students and more than 40 volunteers, the district said. The original artwork was later removed because the building needed repairs. The school said the new installation fulfilled its commitment to bring permanent student public art back to the building.
The district’s announcement also identified the support behind the residency. It said major funding came from an Oshkosh Area Community Foundation Community Arts Grant and the Project SOAR Board, alongside private and community support. The original application envisioned the funding for the artist residency, supplies and celebration.
The district had scheduled a community celebration for Oct. 12 at the school, with free food, music and community resources. WBAY’s Oct. 12 story reported on the finished mural and said the evening program was planned to include a free meal and books in English, Spanish, Swahili and Arabic. Neither source reported how the gathering went, so this article does not assign attendance or outcomes to it.
“Somos Semillas” brings the project’s strands together: children helped make a public artwork that connects reading, identity and a shared school community. The district framed the mural as something students could see themselves in; Medina described representation as a way for children to imagine what they might create with their own gifts. The finished wall stands as a lasting result of that work, made with the people who learn and gather at Read Elementary.
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