A Student's Experience Through Nudge Art

by Beatriz Mella (Exeter High School, Class of 2025)

The DEIJ committee of EHS is brand new. Starting only a few months ago, we were a small group of 4 students with stars in our eyes. We had goals to reach others through our support of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice. Although, we didn’t exactly have a set idea on “how”. How could a group so small do something that would create an impact so big?

Finally we thought of something. Something big, and something powerful: Art.

As students, we found that art is a beautiful and unique way of expression, and working together to make something as a student team would be the perfect way of expressing our side of things.

This is why we chose to reach out to genEquality for assistance. Through their Nudge Art program, we were able to create something more than just a mural.

We created a memory through an experience.

We spent afternoons in workshops where we learned about things that touched upon our group's goals, and on painting day, we created new relationships and bonds.

Revising drafts, running back and forth to the mural for supplies that laid elsewhere, and sharing thoughts and feelings over pizza.

This was where instead of us just being students working together on a piece of plywood; we were students shaping a better tomorrow.

That day was the beginning of a new future for the school, because through the Nudge Art experience, we’ve already created a lasting impact through the process.

People will just see the paint; but behind the surface of the mural are students from different grades and backgrounds who came together as one to create a change, and that’s what's so special about the mural.

After all, we can only hope that what we hang on the walls of our school creates a change. However, what we can say for sure is that we’ve already made a change by working with one another.